The State Secretaries agreed that relations between Slovenia and Croatia, which are both celebrating 30 years of independence this year, are favourable. Over the past year, the two countries have managed to strengthen bilateral dialogue, addressing current challenges such as coordinated action during the COVID-19 epidemic, tackling migration flows, regional cooperation, and support for the EU enlargement process, with Slovenia and Croatia sharing a common interest in stability and economic progress in the Western Balkans.

State Secretary Dovžan presented the course of preparations and the key substantive priorities of the Slovenian Presidency. He put a special emphasis on the resilience and recovery of the European Union, the Conference on the Future of Europe, the European way of life and the rule of law, and the European Union as a reliable global partner. He also underlined the importance of the EU enlargement to the Western Balkans and strengthening transatlantic relations.

The Croatian side endorsed Slovenia's Presidency priorities and expressed interest in cooperating on topics of common interest. The State Secretaries were in full agreement that the Slovenian Presidency will be an excellent opportunity to further strengthen the dialogue between the two countries.