President Pahor and Swiss President Sommaruga call on presidents and prime ministers to make a uniform European policy for tackling the refugee crisis

The President of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr Borut Pahor, is hosting a two-day official visit by the President of the Swiss Confederation, Simonetta Sommaruga. After a formal reception with military honours, the two Presidents held a one-on-one meeting before the plenary talks between the Slovenian and Swiss delegations.


Photo: Nebojša Tejić/STA

President Pahor began the press conference by stating that the relations between Slovenia and Switzerland are excellent, without any open issues and based on superb economic cooperation. Trade in goods between the two countries exceeds a billion euro. Switzerland is the second most important investor in Slovenia and the Slovenian economy accepts Swiss investments very well.

In their talks, they focused on the central issue of Switzerland, Slovenia, European Union and the entire international community at the moment - the refugee problem. "The future will judge us - as statesmen and human beings alike - by our response to the large-scale humanitarian crisis," stressed President Pahor and added that both Slovenia and Switzerland advocate a joint and comprehensive European policy towards the migration issue.

"When the European Council addresses this topic again, quotas will be an indispensable condition for the joint European policy, but they alone will not suffice. Together we must find the most humane and optimal solutions for helping people in distress as well as for countries helping one another," underlined President Pahor and added that the refugee crisis requires international solidarity. According to the President of Slovenia, Europe needs efficiency on external borders and solidarity within the EU. President Pahor also advocated a broad political consensus in Slovenia as regards the tackling of the refugee crisis and the reception of refugees.

"We need to find common solutions for this challenge, or it may happen that the pillars of what we now see and feel as the European Union will start collapsing one by one. I believe this to be a scenario that nobody wants and if we are to prevent it, the time to react is now," added President Pahor and expressed his opinion that the decision for stricter border control can be adopted only by the countries that have made every effort to help people that flee the wars. "In this sense, such a step can be morally and politically justified," added President Pahor.

The President of the Swiss Confederation pointed out that Slovenia and Switzerland hold similar views on the refugee issue and complementary interests and values. She added that people fleeing the war need our protection, and also stressed the need for a joint European policy in tackling this issue.

In the late afternoon, Presidents Pahor and Sommaruga unveiled a "bench of peace" at Bled as a lasting reminder of the good relationship between the countries that offers visitors a place for reflection. President Pahor will host a gala dinner in the evening.

Tomorrow the President of the Swiss Confederation, Simonetta Sommaruga, and the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr Borut Pahor, will visit the Maribor University Medical Centre, where a new radiation therapy device funded from the Swiss cohesion contribution will be installed by the end of the year. The President of the Swiss Confederation will also attend the closing event of the REAAL project "Renewable Energy across the Alpine Land" at Bled, which was also covered by the resources from the mentioned fund.