PM: Slovenia to focus on building of credibility in 2014

Slovenia will spare no efffort to boost its international credibility, efficiency, openness and appeal in 2014, Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek said here on Tuesday. Addressing an annual consultations of Slovenian diplomats, Bratusek vowed to reduce the yield on Slovenian sovereign bonds "regardless of all the difficulties and challenges." Thanks to series of talks with European leaders last year, "I'm getting the feeling that the trust in our work, in our country is stronger," she said, apparently referring to the EU approval of a privatization plan by the Slovenian government. On international relations, Bratusek noted that Slovenian diplomacy will beef up ties with strategic partners and traditional allies. Bratusek has visited Brussels, Vienna, Rome, the Vatican, Berlin, Paris, and Moscow, since her cabinet was sworn in March 2013. "These partners form the groundwork of our foreign policy activities," she said. In addition to broadening bilateral and multilateral relations with countries in the Western Balkan region in the context of EU and NATO enlargements, she added that Slovenia should also boost ties with "the third markets." "We need a flexible diplomatic network that can adapt to the situation in the international community and to the needs of our economy." During the annual meeting of diplomats, Slovenian Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec has called for the promotion of national economy and international position by working out new foreign policy and diplomatic network. Slovenia is planning to open an embassy in Tanzania as well as one in either Kuwait, Saudi Arabia or United Arab Emirates, he said.