Minister Rupel Meets with Mayors of Border Regions

Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel met on Sunday, 8 June with mayors from municipalities in Slovenia's Nova Gorica region, Austria's Carinthia and Italy's Friuli Venezia-Giulia. The meeting was attended by mayors of Brda, Sempeter-Vrtojba, Nova Gorica, Bleiburg, Friesach, San Floriano del Collio and Cormon, with the focus being co-operation of the three regions after Slovenia becomes a member of the EU.

The participating mayors expressed the wish that problems related to Slovenia's membership of the EU be resolved before 1 May 2004, when the country is scheduled to become a member of the bloc, Foreign Ministry State Secretary Crtomir Spacapan told STA. The main issues needed to be tackled include what to do with customs officer no longer needed at the border.

The mayors also proposed that special legislation be adopted that would deal with the border regime in the time before Slovenia adopts the Schengen standards of border control and the borders are finally lifted. The mayors expect that in the transitional period citizens will be able to cross the border with ID cards even at small local border crossings.

During the meeting, minister Rupel stressed that Slovenia should form good alliances with neighbouring Italy and Austria, especially as it is important that coutries are united in tackling issues in a joint Europe, Spacapan told STA.

The meeting took place at Dobrovo in the Goriska Brda region, where locals celebrated a traditional cherry festival.

Source: Slovene Press Agency STA