Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek said Croatia had been the only Slovenian neighbour outside the EU and that now the area of stability was spreading further to Europe's southeast.
She said it was in the joint interest of Slovenia and Croatia for the other states in the region to begin accession negotiations as soon as possible and for the EU border towards the Balkans "to become unnecessary."
Bratusek said Croatia's EU accession had been in Slovenia's interest too, because it would strengthen economic and other forms of cooperation, and that now both countries would be able to nurture close relations in many areas of common interest.
The chair of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee, Janja Klasinc, said Croatia had gone through a demanding and tough negotiating process, with more negotiation chapters than previous accession candidates, which she said convinced her that Croatia was very ready for the new challenges in the EU.