President Pahor begins official visit to Switzerland with National Council of Swiss Confederation

Yesterday afternoon, President of the Republic of Slovenia Borut Pahor began his official two-day visit to Switzerland by meeting with the President of the National Council of the Swiss Confederation, Marina Carobbio Guscetti. Earlier that day, the Swiss National Council President invited him to attend the National Council's regular session; she held an opening address praising Slovenia, which she had visited a few months earlier, and honouring President Pahor, who was sitting in the gallery.


Photo: Daniel Novakovič/STA

In bilateral talks, the President of Slovenia thanked Ms Marina Carobbio Guscetti for her kind words and the warm welcome extended to him and his country in the regular parliamentary session. Mr Pahor assessed that cooperation between the two countries was very good and there were no unresolved issues. He expressed his satisfaction with the fact that the two countries were maintaining a regular political dialogue and his strong belief that the official visit would help strengthen the bond between Slovenia and Switzerland in all areas.

The President of the National Council recalled her visit to Slovenia in May this year, agreeing that cooperation on the parliamentary level was very good. Ms Carobbio Guscetti presented her views on relations between Switzerland and the European Union and negotiations on the new agreement governing these relations. President Pahor called for open issues to be resolved swiftly, as Switzerland was a very important partner to the European Union.

The two presidents exchanged views on current events in the international community, focusing on the issue of illegal migration. They agreed that Brexit was currently a great burden for the European Union, and that a potential no-deal Brexit would be risky for everyone. It is still unknown whether the 27 Member States can harmonise the amendments to the concluded agreement with the new British Government. Borut Pahor said that, as far as Slovenia was concerned, the red line was the Irish Government's agreement with the amended Irish backstop.

Finally, the two also discussed the enlargement of the European Union to the Western Balkans.

Today, President Pahor will meet with his host, the President of the Swiss Confederation and Head of the Department of Finance, Ueli Maurer, and attend a business conference in Zurich in the afternoon.


Photo: Daniel Novakovič/STA