US embassy cable - 04LJUBLJANA646

UNCLAS  LJUBLJANA 000646 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR DAS HEATHER CONLEY AND EUR/NCE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, EU, SI 
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA: NEW CENTER FOR EU INTEGRATION ANNOUNCED 
 
 
Sensitive but Unclassified.  Please protect accordingly. 
 
1.  (U) SUMMARY:  On 08 July, GOS announced its intention to 
create a new center to assist EU aspirants, in particular 
Western Balkan hopefuls.  Although it is still in the early 
stages of development, the European Commission and the World 
Bank have already expressed an interest in the project.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
A NEW CENTER FOR EU INTEGRATION IS ANNOUNCED 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
2.  (U) On 08 July, the GOS announced its plans to create a 
new center to assist EU aspirants, in particular countries 
of the Western Balkans.  Minister without Portfolio for 
European Affairs Milan Cvikl stated that Slovenia wants to 
help the countries of SE Europe by sharing "knowledge, 
experience, and practical advice."  Cvikl's Government 
Office of European Affairs (SVEZ) has been commissioned to 
provide 5 million SIT (approx. 25,000 USD) as start-up 
capital and to draft a budget proposal for 2005.  After SVEZ 
drafts the Act of Establishment, presumably in July or early 
August, the GOS plans to hold an international ministerial 
conference on 17 September to examine the needs of the 
beneficiaries and the willingness of donors to provide 
funding.  Cvikl has already discussed the initiative with 
his counterparts from SE Europe and the EU, and he plans to 
present it to the Ambassadors of EU states in Slovenia. 
 
 
RATIONALE FOR THE CENTER 
------------------------- 
 
3.  (U) According to GoS statements to the press, the center 
will have several key objectives: to serve as an 
intermediary for the transfer of experience and practical 
advice among member states and EU aspirants; to offer 
assistance by seeking synergies with programs that the EU 
already offers; and potentially to identify the needs for 
other forms of assistance not currently available.  Since 
the center is still in the planning phases, the specifics on 
how these goals will be accomplished have yet to be hammered 
out.  However, Slovenia does plan to bring representatives 
from other EU countries and from international organizations 
into the project. 
 
SLOVENIA'S CENTRAL ROLE IN THE WESTERN BALKANS 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
4.  (U) Cvikl told the press that it is perfectly 
understandable that such a center be set up in Slovenia, as 
"we have our own experience with EU integration, we adjusted 
the legal system, conducted internal reforms and 
transitions, and obtained experience that potential 
candidates must gain."  In addition, Cvikl asserted that 
Slovenia knows and understands the region better than any 
other EU member, as it shares a common history with the 
Western Balkans. "Everyone sees Slovenia as a bridge to the 
countries of SE Europe, which can contribute to make the 
prospects of EU entry a reality for these countries in the 
medium term," Cvikl told the press. 
 
 
THE CENTER'S FUNDING 
-------------------- 
 
5.  (SBU) The GoS stated for the press that the 
international community had met the idea for the 
establishment of the center with interest.  Therefore, the 
GoS hopes that the center will be funded with donations made 
by other EU members as well as relevant international 
institutions.  Cvikl's Chief of Staff Zivana Mejac told FSN 
Econ Specialist that the EU Commission, specifically the 
Directorate of Enlargement, and the World Bank have already 
expressed interest in the project.  The budget has yet to be 
determined. 
 
6.  (SBU) COMMENT: Post believes the creation of the center 
was most likely the work of the former Minister without 
Portfolio and new Slovenian EU Commissioner Janez Potocnik, 
who may have aspirations to replace current EU Commissioner 
for Enlargement Gunther Verheugen.  Slovenia has a strong 
interest in the region because of its proximity, and because 
it is the largest investor in the region.  After failures in 
the region, the Balkan question is a delicate one for the 
EU.  The EU most likely sees Slovenia as an intermediary for 
working on issues in the region, while Slovenia would likely 
view this new center as a mechanism for increasing the 
country's weight in Brussels and for making stronger 
economic and political inroads in the Balkans.  While the 
new center is ostensibly conceptualized to assist any EU 
 
aspirant countries, in reality it will most likely be geared 
toward the former Yugoslav republics.  END COMMENT 
 
YOUNG 
 
 
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