Secretary General welcomes new Slovenian Prime Minister to NATO
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed new Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar in his first visit to NATO Headquarters, on Tuesday 11 November. Mr Stoltenberg thanked Prime Minister Cerar for his country’s solidarity to the Alliance, including through the deployment of Slovenian troops to NATO-led operations: “Slovenia makes a valuable contribution to NATO. You have played an important role in Afghanistan... you have really contributed to our KFOR operation in Kosovo,” the Secretary General said.
During their meeting, the Secretary General and Prime Minister Cerar expressed concerns about developments in Ukraine. They also discussed strengthening NATO’s partnerships and the current situation in the Western Balkans. “I commended the Prime Minister for the role and the efforts that Slovenia is making in the region,” Mr Stoltenberg said.
The Secretary General reiterated that “NATO is there to protect and defend Slovenia. And we are also committed to your security by ensuring the security of your airspaces. And that is NATO solidarity in action, in your skies, every day.” Mr Stoltenberg further stressed that difficult economic circumstances have only increased the need for Allied cooperation.
Mr. Stoltenberg thanked Prime Minister Cerar for visiting NATO so early in his mandate as a signal of his personal commitment to the Alliance and said he looked forward to a close working relationship.