Minister Fajon rejected all the allegations made in the interpellation. She recalled that she was standing there before the deputies of the National Assembly only because she, in her capacity as Foreign Minister, had acted in keeping with the oath she took upon assuming office: to respect the constitutional order, to act according to her conscience and to work for the prosperity of Slovenia. "I am here today because I respected the law and acted as I was obliged to act," she said in her opening speech.

Addressing the National Assembly, the Minister enumerated some of the key foreign policy challenges. After the end of the war in Ukraine, a new security architecture in Europe will have to be established. To reduce security risks in the new reality, we need strengthened and more effective multilateral organisations such as the United Nations (UN) and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Relations between the West and China will have to be redefined. The situation in the Indo-Pacific, just as the developments in Eastern Europe, will also have to be addressed further.

"Sustained energy independence from Russia and therefore diversification of energy sources will have to be ensured, focusing on the green transition. At global level, we will have to address food and water supplies, which will become increasingly urgent in the light of climate change and population growth. These are all global challenges that Slovenia will have to deal with more intensively, especially if it is elected as a non-permanent member to the UN Security Council for the 2024–2025 term. I therefore hope that this project does not become a subject of division, but of unity," the Minister stressed.

In her speech, the Minister also reiterated her commitment to professional diplomacy. "I can assure you that I am committed to professional diplomacy. I expect all my staff to work professionally and in the interest of the country, not in the narrow interest of political parties," she said.