Dublin, 13 April (STA) – Finance Minister Uroš Čufer had a number of informal meetings with top eurozone officials on Saturday and Sunday in Dublin to brief them on the government’s plans to tackle the challenges faced by Slovenia. He said he was leaving Dublin with “a very positive impression”.
Slovenian Finance Minister Uroš Čufer
“The impression after today and yesterday’s meeting here is actually very positive. Slovenia was not on the agenda, it was not officially discussed, but there were many informal meetings. I think the impression was good,” Čufer said after EU finance ministers wrapped up their two-day meeting in Ireland.
The minister confirmed Friday’s statement by Eurogroup chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who said Čufer would present to his eurozone colleagues the government’s priorities at their next meeting on 13 May. “This is customary for all countries where a new government and a new finance minister take over,” he said.
Before the Dublin meeting, several EU sources said Čufer would hold a special meeting with Dijsselbloem, European Commissioner Olli Rehn, ESM managing director Klaus Regling, member of the ECB executive board Jörg Asmussen and president of the Economic and Financial Committee Thomas Wieser.
The meeting did not take place, but in a series of informal meetings, including with Dijsselbloem, Čufer was asked about the situation in Slovenia and the government’s plans to tackle the challenges ahead.
Slovenia has recently been in the spotlight of international media, which speculated about its need to ask for financial aid, but the new government, which took over on 20 March, said Slovenia would solve its problems on its own. The country is due to send its reform and stability programmes to Brussels by 9 May.