On this occasion, Prime Minister Golob invited French President Macron to pay an official visit to Slovenia in the first half of next year, and President Macron accepted the invitation.

“It is time to expand on our excellent political relations with economic cooperation and increased French investment in Slovenia,” said Prime Minister Golob. France is one of Slovenia’s most important economic partners and trade between the two countries has increased over the past year. Slovenia and France will shortly sign their fourth Strategic Partnership Action Plan at ministerial level. “Relations between the two countries are excellent, both politically and culturally. We also expect major steps forward in economic development. I look forward to our cooperation in the fields of logistics, automotive and aerospace industry, and energy, as I know that Slovenia and France have a lot in common,” highlighted Prime Minister Golob.  

Furthermore, Prime Minister Golob expressed his satisfaction that he and French President Emmanuel Macron had a working lunch before the very important European Council meeting. He emphasised that Slovenia and France share the same view on the importance of opening EU accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova and granting candidate status to Georgia. "The countries of the Western Balkans are also an integral part of Europe’s future”, said Dr Golob, who also spoke in favour of confirmation of the formal start of EU accession negotiations for Bosnia and Herzegovina. He had already proposed this in a letter to the President of the European Council in mid-October. “It is true, however, that if enlargement is to be successful, we will have to carry out internal reforms both of the enlargement process and of the decision-making process within the European Union,” underlined Prime Minister Golob.

The two leaders also discussed the situation in the Middle East, where a ceasefire and humanitarian access are crucial: “I am pleased that both France and Slovenia supported the latest UN resolution, as an immediate cessation of hostilities is the only way forward if we want to mitigate the humanitarian catastrophe we are witnessing in Gaza,” said the Prime Minister, expressing his conviction that the European Union can be an important “contributor and promoter of a political solution based on a two-state solution for the future.”

Prime Minister Golob also highlighted the issue of migrations as an important topic of the meeting, which the EU will have to address: “Europe will have to spend more money and pay more attention to this issue as a community and not leave the solution to be sought by individual countries alone.”