Strategic Forum in Bled

The 20th Strategic Forum has begun in Bled, where political, security and development issues and challenges affecting Europe and the world are discussed. This year's theme is "A World on the Run".

Plenković said that Serbia is on the brink of civil war

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković is participating in the forum, where he met with the Prime Minister of Montenegro Milojko Spajić and the European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Sikel.

Plenković also participated in a panel discussion of leaders where he spoke about the political situation in the Western Balkans and the challenges accompanying the European Union enlargement process. He said that Serbia is on the brink of civil war.

“These continuous protests have been going on for practically more than two years, which is still an unusual situation. That's why I said it more to the audience that doesn't follow all the details, don't think that people from the West follow the details as we know them, so let's give them a little idea of how expensive it all actually looks, and especially how it has looked in the last few months. Don't think that I'm advocating such a scenario, because I'm just describing it coldly,” said Plenković.

Slovenian President Calls on Croatia to Recognize Palestine

Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar called on Croatia to recognize Palestine, emphasizing that a two-state solution cannot be advocated if both sides are not recognized.

Slovenia recognized Palestine in June last year, joining Spain and Norway, which also decided to take this step after the start of the war in Gaza.

France, Australia and the United Kingdom have announced that they will recognize Palestine at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly this month. According to the Palestinian head of diplomacy, a dozen more countries intend to do so.

Slovenia has also imposed an embargo on arms exports to Israel, imports of products from illegal settlements in the occupied territories, and declared two far-right ministers in the Israeli government 'persona non grata'.

On the sidelines of the Bled Strategic Forum, the Slovenian president rejected criticism that recognition means legitimizing Hamas, emphasizing that everyone has condemned the actions of the Palestinian militant movement that rules the Gaza Strip.

Plenković meets with Montenegrin counterpart

“The focus of the Bled Strategic Forum is on Europe's role in global turmoil. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, who is one of the Forum participants, met with his Montenegrin counterpart Milojko Spajić in Bled. They discussed relations between the two countries and Montenegro's path to joining the European Union,” journalist Tamara Marković told Croatian Radio Television’s news at noon.

Source: HRT