"A powerful display of solidarity shown in the aftermath of recent devastating floods"

President Pirc Musar attended the Forum's opening, which this year, in the wake of the catastrophic floods in Slovenia and the many crises witnessed around the globe, is focused on finding common solutions on how we, as an international community, can build a sustainable, resilient and socially just world based on solidarity.

After the Forum's opening, President Pirc Musar met with President of the European Council Charles Michel. She thanked him for visiting Slovenia in these difficult times following the catastrophe that has affected a large part of Slovenia and for showing his support for the Slovenian people. They agreed that the extreme weather conditions are a stark reminder that we all need to do more to combat climate change and adopt sustainable solutions.

One of the main topics of discussion was the enlargement of the European Union, which, according to President Pirc Musar, is a geopolitical priority and a reality. The enlargement of the EU to the Western Balkans should remain a priority for the EU, she believes. She presented to the President of the European Council the plans for this year's Brdo–Brijuni Process Summit to be held in Skopje on 11 September. This year's summit will focus on three topics. In addition to critically examining the dynamics of the European integration process as regards the Western Balkans, they will address topics which she has a strong commitment to: young people and climate change. Both issues transcend ideological frameworks and can serve as a foundation on which actors in the region can help to forge a path towards a common future.

President Pirc Musar and President Michel agreed that a stronger cooperation is imperative at all levels within the EU, and above all our actions must be in line with the new challenges we are facing.

Later in the day, President Pirc Musar met with President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou. The Slovenian and Greek presidents first reaffirmed the friendly relations between the two countries. President Pirc Musar thanked President Sakellaropoulou for attending the biggest international event in Slovenia – the 18th BSF – and expressed her interest in continuing and deepening the positive dynamics of the countries' high-level relations. The two presidents also reaffirmed the EU's commitment to values, respect for international law and human rights, democracy and solidarity among EU Member States.

The situation in the Western Balkans was the main topic of discussion between the two presidents. They agreed that a European future for the Western Balkans is the only real future that allows stability and security in the region. The Slovenian president said that the granting of candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina was a positive signal for the region, as it accelerated the reform processes in the country, and called for accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina to commence by the end of this year. In addition, the two presidents strongly advocated easing tensions and strengthening the dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo.