"Presiding the European Union in the first half of next year is our key challenge but also a big responsibility," he told the Slovene news agency STA on the occasion of the EU's 50th anniversary.
Rupel said Slovenia would have to be "very careful and neutral" during its EU presidency. He added, however, that Croatia, with which Slovenia has several outstanding issues, "will have to accept the system of conduct that is already recognised in the European Union" and that called on states to be "credible and meet the promises made and the commitments undertaken".
Rupel also said that Croatia's accession negotiations with the EU would have a positive effect on Ljubljana-Zagreb relations.