State Secretary Dovžan meets with Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia

12. 10. 2021

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan met with Stephan Holthoff-Pförtner, Minister of Federal, European and International Affairs of the German Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia. The main topic of the talks was the strengthening of cooperation in the light of Slovenia’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan stands infront of flags with Stephan Holthoff-Pförtner — State Secretary Dovžan and Minister of Federal, European and International Affairs of North Rhine-Westphalia Dr Holthoff-Pförtner | Author Ministrstvo za zunanje zadeve

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The two high officials confirmed good political and economic relations between Slovenia and North Rhine-Westphalia. The federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia is Slovenia’s second most important economic partner among all German federal states with trade in goods worth EUR 2.1 billion.

State Secretary Dovžan underlined the constructive cooperation with Germany within the trio of EU Council Presidencies and took the opportunity to brief his guest on the key priorities of the Slovenian Presidency. They agreed on the importance of the rule of law and the ongoing dialogue between member states, exchanging views on EU enlargement to the Western Balkans. State Secretary Dovžan and Minister Stephan Holthoff-Pförtner advocated the continuation of the Union’s enlargement process, stressing their mutual interest in seeking ways to further strengthen cooperation in all areas of common interest.