Skip to main content

State Secretary Dovžan in Berlin on bilateral cooperation and current European and foreign policies

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan met with the Minister of State for Europe and Climate at the German Foreign Ministry Anna Lührmann in Berlin. The main topic of the discussion was the strengthening of bilateral relations in the light of the strategic dialogue between the two countries and the continuation of constructive cooperation on European affairs.

State Secretary Dovžan and State Minister Lührmann confirmed excellent political and economic relations between Slovenia and Germany, which is Slovenia’s most important foreign trade partner with annual trade in goods worth EUR 11 billion. State Secretary Dovžan thanked Germany for its excellent cooperation within the trio of EU Council Presidencies and presented the key achievements of the Slovenian Presidency. He expressed support for the European Green Deal, which aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

The two senior officials agreed on the importance of the rule of law and the continuance of dialogue between member states. They also exchanged views on the enlargement of the European Union to the Western Balkans, advocating a continuation of the enlargement process. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, they backed the exchange of experiences between member states on measures to make greater progress on vaccination. They also voiced concerns about the strengthening of Russian military forces along the Ukrainian border, calling for a diplomatic solution and de-escalation of the situation.

State Secretary Dovžan presented Slovenia’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2024–2025 mandate.

During his visit to Berlin, State Secretary Dovžan also met with Susanne Baumann, State Secretary at the German Foreign Ministry, and Michael Roth, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs in the German Bundestag.