STA, 29 August 2022 - Prime Minister Robert Golob and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen exchanged views on topical EU challenges, including the situation on the electricity market, as they met over working lunch on the sidelines of the Bled Strategic Forum (BSF) on Monday.
Discussing the situation on the electricity market, where prices have skyrocketted in recent days, the pair agreed that voluntary gas saving and solidarity will be crucial in the coming months.
They also pointed to the need for the EU to remain ambitious in diversifying its energy supply and in the green transition, Golob's office said in a statement.
A changed geopolitical situation in Europe and the EU enlargement to the Western Balkans were also on the agenda, in particular Bosnia-Herzegovina's accession process.
Predsednik vlade ?? dr. Robert Golob in predsednica?? @EU_Commission @vonderleyen sta razpravljala o ključnih izzivih prostovoljnega varčevanja s plinom v prihajajočih mesecih kot tudi diverzifikaciji energetske oskrbe in zelenem prehodu.
— Vlada Republike Slovenije (@vladaRS) August 29, 2022
➡️Več: https://t.co/gLchrerdnZ pic.twitter.com/MY7i2aAk5d
Speaking to the press after the meeting, Golob said "a number of measures were discussed that must be taken, from very short-term ones to long-term measures that will last for years".
He hailed what he termed a "very open dialogue with the Commission", and said that Slovenia could and would contribute a lot in searching for solutions.
These solutions involve "protecting Europe's energy sector and energy companies from the speculative attacks that have been taking place over the past week", he said.
Von der Leyen, who also met with President Borut Pahor as part of her attendance of the BSF, meanwhile tweeted she had had "very good exchanges" with both officials.
"We discussed the importance of further strengthening ties with our Western Balkans partners and of tackling the situation on energy markets and security of supply," she added.
This was Golob and von der Leyen's second meeting since the Slovenian prime minister travelled to Brussels in June, the same month his government took office.
