Prime Minister Alenka Bratušek was upbeat after her meeting at Downing Street on Wednesday, saying that British Prime Minister David Cameron confirmed Slovenia had done an enormous job in the past year.
The pair also touched on the upcoming EU elections, the Ukraine crisis and the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Addressing reporters at the end of her two-day visit to London, Bratušek was satisfied with the talks. "I'm proud and Prime Minister Cameron has confirmed too that we have done an enormous job in our country in the past year," she said, describing the results of the visit as "an encouragement for work ahead".
Bratušek and Finance Minister Uroš Čufer earlier presented reforms taken by Slovenia, the country's economic and financial policies as well as the ongoing privatisation process to a group of prospective investors at a conference in the City.
"There too we received praise for what we have done. Everyone agrees that an enormous job has been done, while they all agree with us that we still have quite a lot of work ahead. We're well aware of that," the Slovenian PM said.
Her meeting with Cameron also touched on the upcoming elections to the European parliament and the future of the EU. "We also talked about the crisis in Ukraine and about the consequences of potential economic sanctions," Bratušek said.
"We're all concerned about Ukraine, while we all remain positive that the situation will be resolved by political means through dialogue," Bratušek said, confirming that the EU was preparing a new package of sanctions against Russia for the event of escalation.
Bratušek also said that she and Cameron agreed that the EU should play a more active role in Bosnia-Herzegovina, where the political instability is blocking the country's progress in its aspirations to join the EU and NATO.
Bratušek also noted the excellent relations between Slovenia and the United Kingdom, as an indication of which she cited today's meeting at Downing Street.
Bratušek was the first Slovenian PM to visit London in the past three years after the incumbent President Borut Pahor visited in his capacity as prime minister in April 2011.
Bratušek also met the President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Suma Chakrabarti. "I mainly heard about how they see the progress in Slovenia and what they want from Slovenia... I'm very glad the EBRD sees Slovenia again as a destination worth investing in."
The EBRD will open its office in Slovenia shortly, "which means it will be even closer to the developments in Slovenia and will be able to participate in privatisation procedures or possibly even in foreign investment in out country". The EBRD is willing to participate in all promising projects.
The morning meeting indicated investors' concern about the political instability in Slovenia. Bratušek said that the crucial vote for the presidency of her party on Friday did not affect today's talks. "It's clear though that no political instability is positive for the country and in a way awakens investors' attention."
Source: The Slovenia Times
