WEBVTT

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Good morning.

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How are you?
-Good. The flight was great.

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What are the expectations
from this special summit?

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It is special, mainly because
President Zelensky will be with us.

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I believe there will be
a lot of talk about Ukraine.

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About all aspects of this war.

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We will probably have to listen
to the latest events

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and then decide
on the fly how to proceed.

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Some smaller meetings with
President Zelensky are also planned.

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We'll see.

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The ten-point peace plan that
President Zelensky is talking about.

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What is it actually about, what is
Slovenia's position on this proposal

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and does it seem realistic to you?

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We will wait for him to explain
the details of the peace plan today.

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At first glance, many things
look a bit too ambitious.

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Especially given the latest
information to be released today.

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We will wait, I wouldn't
like to comment in advance.

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I think that today will show
where we are realistically

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on the ground
and where the real needs are.

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The first anniversary of the war
is approaching.

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More and more countries
are speaking louder about the need

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to start thinking about
some kind of peace plan.

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In your opinion, taking into
account Slovenia's position,

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what should those steps be,
what should the basic points

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of any peace plan for Ukraine be?

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The first thing, which is
the foundation of any peace plan,

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is the willingness
of both parties to do so.

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Maybe we'll hear more
about preparedness today.

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For now,
it was more lacking than abundant.

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We'll see. I'm not optimistic.

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I fear that both sides are preparing
for an escalation of military conflict.

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I believe that that will be
discussed today as well.

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This cannot be a good sign
for talking about peace plans.

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But as I said, let's wait.
-One more...

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What will be your message
to the Ukrainian president?

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Will you announce
any additional help?

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So far, we have not even
discussed this in Slovenia,

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much less made a decision,
so I won't promise something

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for which I do not have the support
of the National Assembly.

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This is also very important.

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Per capita, Slovenia was among the
biggest donors in the past period.

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There is no need to rush.

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I think now it's
the turn of the big members

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which have so far
kept somewhat aside.

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Let them contribute their share.

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In this case,
Slovenia can also wait a little.

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President Zelensky
is persistently repeating

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that he needs
weapons of all kinds.

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How do you comment

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on the tank donation race
and the whole tank debate?

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What can Slovenia even offer
in terms of weapons?

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I will not comment
more than I already have.

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I fear that it is mostly
a verbal contest.

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The question is how much
of this can be seen in the field.

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We will wait and see
what will be realised and when.

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Slovenia gave its aid last year
quickly and without any pomp.

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Let us see how other
EU Member States will follow.

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What about punishing
those responsible

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for the crimes in Ukraine?
Will you present today

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how Slovenia is preparing
for the international conference?

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No, that is not
on the agenda today.

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There is still much to be done
regarding this,

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so I would
rather not comment.

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A quick question
about migration.

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There is once again a lot of talk
about building fences,

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that they are necessary and that
the EU needs to fund them.

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Slovenia is also
regularly mentioned

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as one of the countries
that built fences.

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What is this government's
stance on this issue

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and would you support
Brussels funding

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the building of physical barriers
on the border?

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No.
I will be very explicit.

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Slovenia saw that fences
do not solve this problem.

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I will stand
by this view today

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and we will not support
funding fences or this policy.

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Is the border with B&H
crucial for Slovenia?

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That is also where
the external Schengen border is.

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Is Slovenia satisfied with
how Croatia is controlling it?

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It is too early to talk about this,
but we definitely support the idea

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that Frontex units
would take greater initiative

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on all external Schengen borders,
not only the Bosnian one.

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This way we could get appropriate
information regarding control.

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We have no data yet, so any
speculation would be inappropriate.

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Could you comment
on global competitiveness,

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Slovenia's stance and whether
there will be any measures?

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Unfortunately that will be
a very brief topic today.

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We will talk about this in March
during the regular session,

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when the Commission
will have its proposals.

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Slovenia's stance
is that the European Union

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must have
a united response,

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mostly one that will not
conflict with US measures,

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but also one
that will observe the specifics

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of the European Union's
internal market.

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Our key stance is to not
seek additional funds,

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but to be more flexible

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with the funds for the
Recovery and Resilience Facility

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in order to redirect
part of those funds

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into measures
for green growth and transition.

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So you would also not support
going into joint debt?

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No, the grants have still
not been used up,

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that is why we are advocating
more flexible ways to utilise them,

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only then can we start
thinking about new debt.

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Thank you.
-You're welcome, goodbye.