Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa awards Slovenian President Pirc Musar with Portugal’s highest state decoration

During their talks, the two presidents focused on bilateral relations between Slovenia and Portugal in the political, economic and academic spheres, as well as cooperation at the European and international levels. 

They also addressed the EU's enlargement to the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova, and the necessary reforms tied to this process. President Pirc Musar advocated the further strengthening of a united, confident, strong and resilient EU with a vision of broader European integration, emphasising that the enlargement process with these countries is in the strategic interest of the EU as it will increase its geopolitical and economic influence. She also highlighted that EU enlargement is a crucial incentive for candidate countries to implement reforms, foster stability and build resilience to external pressures.

The war in Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, transatlantic relations and relations with China were also discussed. President Pirc Musar underlined Slovenia's strongly condemnation of Russia's aggression against Ukraine and the importance of continued support for Ukraine. She also expressed support for efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace acceptable to Ukraine and based on the principles of the UN Charter and international law.

The Slovenian President expressed deep concern about the situation in the Middle East and called for full respect of international law, in particular humanitarian and human rights law. She reiterated Slovenia's support for a two-state solution and the recognition of the State of Palestine as the only viable path to lasting peace. She also called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah and urged an extension of the ceasefire.

Multilateral cooperation was also discussed, in particular in the context of Slovenia's non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council. Slovenia and Portugal cooperate closely in the UN and other multilateral organisations and share similar positions on most of the topics discussed. The two presidents exchanged views on priority topics on the agenda of the UN Security Council, with President Pirc Musar expressing Slovenia's willingness to share experience gained from its membership of the Council.

In addition to the strong political and economic ties between the two countries, the two leaders reaffirmed their interest in strengthening academic and scientific cooperation. As part of the visit, they will meet the heads of the National Institute of Biology and the Euro-Mediterranean University (EMUNI) in Piran, where they will also engage with students on the theme "Tackling challenges and shaping the future in the Mediterranean".

On the economic front, the presidents welcomed the positive trend in bilateral cooperation, which offers further potential for growth. In 2024, trade between the two countries increased to EUR 282.4 million (+7.6% compared to 2023), with Slovenian exports rising to EUR 172.6 million (+1.2%) and imports to EUR 109.8 million (+19.3%). The exchange of services also saw significant growth in 2023, reaching EUR 35.5 million (+30% compared to 2022). To further strengthen this cooperation, a bilateral Memorandum of Cooperation between the SPIRIT and AICEP agencies was signed in November 2024, while a Letter of Intent between the two national tourism organisations has been formalised during this visit. The Slovenian President also emphasised the need to improve air connections and proposed the establishment of a direct flight route between Ljubljana and Lisbon.

In the afternoon, the two presidents will attend the Slovenia-Portugal Business Forum at Grand Hotel Union, where discussions will focus on challenges and opportunities in the healthcare sector (pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and medical equipment) and the automotive industry. The forum will serve as a platform to showcase the business environment of both countries and foster links between entrepreneurs. On the following day, the Portuguese delegation will visit selected Slovenian companies and research institutes.