Slovenia's ambassador says Türkiye is an important trading, investment partner

By Busranur Koca

Slovenia's Ambassador says Türkiye is crucial as a trading partner to his country.

“Türkiye is a very important trading partner and also an investment partner for Slovenia,” Gorazd Rencelj told Anadolu, noting the two countries have been strategic partners since 2011.

“The political dialogue is regular and it's very good and deep, but also the economic cooperation,” he said.

Rencelj said he observed the very good relations between the two countries when he assumed his post in Ankara in September last year.

The ambassador noted that Türkiye and Slovenia are NATO allies and said: “In particular, in the Balkans, which is a region where we have some knowledge, some history, some experience, some very good connections, but also Türkiye. So, it is a region where our interests and our views converge.”

Rencelj said he welcomes the work of Turkish investors, referring to the opening of a factory in Slovenia by a Turkish company producing unmanned agricultural vehicles.

Emphasizing that his country has many advantages for potential Turkish investors, he said: “First, to begin with, the location. We are relatively close to Türkiye. We are part of the European Union, the common market. Not the biggest of the countries in the EU, but once you are part of the common market, you are addressing a market of 500 million people. So there are obvious advantages.”

Noting that a qualified workforce is another advantage, Rencelj said: “I think this is probably the motivation for Turkish investors to choose Slovenia.”

Rencelj highlighted the work of the DEIK/Türkiye-Slovenia Business Council and said: “So there are a lot of venues where we try to explore opportunities for Turkish investors in Slovenia.”

- Fajon's statement on Palestine is a message to other countries

Rencelj also spoke about Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon's statement that recognizing Palestine is an expression of their commitment to peace and justice.

“This is a message first and foremost to the region. We see the perspective of a peaceful and long-lasting solution in the shape of two states, Israel and Palestine, living next to each other in democracy and peace. That is the first message,” he said.

“The most immediate message is that for this to take place, all the violence should stop immediately.”

He said Slovenia made the call because of its special position as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.

“We have worked very hard with our partners in the UN Security Council to come and help bring about this peaceful solution,” he said.

Mentioning that Slovenia is the 147th country to recognize Palestine, Rencelj maintained that it was also a message for other countries “to follow suit.”

“We think that the recognition of Palestine as an equal partner to Israel, two states negotiating peace and negotiating peaceful coexistence, is very important for the peaceful resolution of the Middle East crisis,” he said.

Noting that the International Court of Justice is the right place to discuss the genocide case against Israel, he added: “We cannot ignore the catastrophic situation in Gaza, the suffering of the people, the suffering and killing of children and women in particular.”

Rencelj said that after visiting the region, Fajon’s impression was that there were “signs of genocide.”

“But she (Fajon) added that it is very important. It is up to the courts to decide whether genocide is taking place in Gaza right now.”

Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian group Hamas despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

Nearly 37,200 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, most of them women and children, and more than 84,800 others injured, according to local health authorities.

Eight months into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, whose latest ruling ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its operation in the southern city of Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.

*Writing by Serdar Dincel