LJUBLJANA AS CAPITALLJUBLJANA, Sept 16 (Hina) - Former Slovene Foreign Minister DimitrijRupel and Janez Jansa, the head of the opposition Slovene Democrats(SDS) whose party Rupel recently joined, have said that Sloveniashould not turn
down proposals for its possible inclusion into aso-called Euroregion, which was initiated by Italian Riccardo Illy andAustrian Joerg Haider, but the two Slovene politicians added thisshould be considered under condition that the main city of the newregion be the Slovene capital of Ljubljana.
LJUBLJANA, Sept 16 (Hina) - Former Slovene Foreign Minister Dimitrij
Rupel and Janez Jansa, the head of the opposition Slovene Democrats (SDS) whose
party Rupel recently joined, have said that Slovenia should not turn down
proposals for its possible inclusion into a so-called Euroregion, which was
initiated by Italian Riccardo Illy and Austrian Joerg Haider, but the two
Slovene politicians added this should be considered under condition that the
main city of the new region be the Slovene capital of Ljubljana."We do not reject the idea about the establishment of an Euroregion, but
it should include the whole of Slovenia, and the capital should be Ljubljana,"
Jansa and Rupel told a news conference on Ljubljana on Thursday.
He added that they would like to initiate a public discussion on this
idea initiated by the head of the Italian Friuli-Giulia region, Riccardo Illy,
and the head of the Austrian Carinthian region, controversial Joerg Haider.
This Euroregion can also include Istria, although Croatia is not a
member of the European Union. This could actually accelerate Croatia's entry
into the Union," Rupel said.
The two Slovene politicians also believe that the establishment of this
Euroregion consisting of parts of Italy, Austria, Hungary and the whole of
Slovenia could step up the Slovene economic development.
Rupel and Jansa propose that the incumbent Slovene government led by
Prime Minister Anton Rop should consider the idea. The Rop Cabinet, however,
has so far expressed reserves about this initiative.