Official: Slovenia Supports Regional Integration in the Balkans

Sarajevo, 22 May (STA) - Economy Ministry State Secretary Andrijana Starina Kosem has told a business conference in Sarajevo that Slovenia supports regional integration in the Balkans, especially economic integration, where there are still many opportunities.
"The implementation of the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) in countries in the region will be a significant contribution to the further stabilisation and the strengthening of economic and political ties," she said on Tuesday,
Starina Kosem was quoted by the Economy Ministry as saying that the agreement not only eliminates barriers to trade, it also determines procedures for the resolution of disputes.

It will have a positive impact on trade between the countries in the region, boost foreign direct investment and strengthen connections between companies from different countries, she said.

Starina Kosem also talked about Slovenia's EU presidency in the first half of 2008, saying that this would be an opportunity for the country to affirm its standing as a bridge to the Western Balkans.

That way Slovenia will strengthen its political and economic ties with the region, she said at a conference that was organised by the Slovenian logistics group Intereuropa.