The agreement reflects the Union’s main priorities for the coming years, from support to Ukraine, for which the EU has allocated an additional €50 billion, to strengthening the EU Solidarity Fund. EU, migration challenges and support for the Western Balkans.
After the agreement was approved, Prime Minister Golob said the summit had been a success in many respects. Besides agreeing on the budget file, the leaders also discussed the situation in Gaza and the Middle East as well as the state of agriculture in the EU. Slovenia actively participated in both discussions. It was at the request of the liberal alliance that a first discussion on the challenges of agriculture took place today. Leaders will address this topic again in future meetings.
Concerning the multiannual financial framework, the Prime Minister stressed before the meeting that “any measure other than a consensus would be less effective, because it would compromise unity on the one hand and would be more complex to implement on the other hand” . Last December, Slovenia proposed that EU budget funds should also be increased to combat migration, guarantee assistance during increasingly common natural disasters and provide support to Western Balkan countries. In addition to the much-needed support for Ukraine, today’s agreement also provides more funds for the above-mentioned issues, which is why Slovenia supports it. This will notably make it possible to finance EU aid to Slovenia following the devastating floods of August 2023.
As mentioned above, EU leaders also discussed challenges in the agricultural sector. According to the Prime Minister, he heard the calls of Slovenian farmers for the opening of the subject, adding that “Slovenia supports the proposal regarding the use of arable land and non-productive areas presented by the European Commission, which is already working on relax certain requirements. At the same time, we expect that the import of food from third countries complies with the environmental requirements applicable in the EU. We believe that the supply of quality food is an important strategic issue for the “European Union, but these foods must also be healthy, which is why the combination of healthy foods and the criteria for import to third countries must be very clearly defined,” he added. He also said that “Slovenia supports the proposition that environmental requirements must be balanced with the reality on the ground.”
In light of the current geopolitical situation in the world and the urgent need for assistance to Ukraine, the leaders also discussed strengthening the European defense technological and industrial base, addressed the current situation in the Middle East and common efforts to ensure lasting peace in the world. region.
