THE PRESIDENT OF MALTA INVITED TO VISIT SLOVENIA

THE PRESIDENT OF MALTA INVITED TO VISIT SLOVENIA

H.E. Prof. Guido de Marco, President of Malta, has been invited to visit the Republic of Slovenia in the near future. The invitation was made this morning by the Prime Minister of Slovenia Janez Drnovsek, during his call on the President, at the Palace, in Valletta, on the second day of his official visit to Malta.

Welcoming the Slovenian Prime Minister, Prof. de Marco spoke about the common vision shared by both the government of Malta and that of Slovenia, "a vision of working for the same future, a future within the European Union."

Drawing parallels between Malta and Slovenia, the President pointed out how both countries are at the "crossroads of history": "Sometimes we benefited from it, other times we did not; sometimes history was made at our expense. We have to look not just at the past, except to learn from the mistakes of the past, but to the future. We both form part of the European past but we are also both Mediterranean countries. All these factors create a bond between our two countries, a bond which we have to nurture to make it an effective one for closer co-operation between us."

"I am certain that your visit here, coupled with the very recent past events, will help to ensure that the future is one of very fruitful co-operation between Malta and Slovenia," the President said.

The meeting continued in private.