When Bulgaria and Romania lit the fireworks to celebrate their long-awaited accession to the European Union, another country celebrated another EU-related occasion. Slovenia was the first of the 10 states that joined the EU in 2004 to adopt the euro.

A year later, Slovenia was celebrating again. On January 1 2008 it assumed the rotating EU presidency, again the first member state of the 2004 accession wave to do so.

Decoding the reasons behind why the EU picked Slovenia is hardly a painstaking job. Slovenia was given the EU blessing because it epitomises the way in which the EU’s organic growth should occur. It also has the strategic geopolitical position to mediate in a conflict zone nearby.

Slovenia is the EU’s prime example that the grand enlargement push of the union, despite the enlargement fatigue, was a worthwhile initiative. Slovenia has disproved many of the EU enlargement pessimists’ arguments that the newcomers would be more of a burden than a benefit to the European community.

Slovenia embodies a state that has implemented the key goals of the Lisbon Strategy for economic growth and employment, innovation, research and development, among others. Since independence in 1991, the country was the first to swiftly reform its economy, have a short stay in the Eurozone waiting room and join the Eurozone. Though not without its problems, its education and health care sectors are still in need of fine-tuning, the country has undergone the painful transition reforms and they are now bringing good results.

The choice of Slovenia has been established politically as well. The idea underlying the Thessaloniki Agenda 2003, which envisaged an EU future for the Western Balkan states, could not have had a better conduit than a Balkan state.

Although it was the first state to become independent from Yugoslavia in 1991, the country has since symbolised what the western Balkans should be. It has suffered no political turmoil, has witnessed no acts of violence, has paid respect to the rights of ethnic minorities in the country and has had good relations with its neighbours. Which is all that the European project presumes. With experience of this kind, the country is the right EU voice to talk peace, tolerance and dialogue for a similar conflict nearby that has not unfolded so peacefully. Now that all eyes are on Kosovo, the Serbian enclave under UN administration since 1999, as it is due to declare independence in the first half of the year, Slovenia has the job of trying to set a peaceful tone.

All the more, choosing Slovenia testifies to the EU’s resolve for equitable treatment of new and old member states alike. It is also hoped to stop, or at least reduce, anti-EU sentiments – based on apprehensions of double standard, in particular – within the 12 new EU countries. Offsetting such attitudes in an area that now represents a big chunk of the new union, both in terms of area and population, is vital and the EU has recognised this.

The European Union as an institution and a concept enjoys much popularity in Slovenia. Therefore, it was the right country to take the floor and disseminate the pro-EU sentiment among kin nations, kin by common EU entry dates and by geopolitical positioning.

It is worth noting that Slovenia assumes the presidency at a time when the EU is exiting one of its gravest crises. The uncertainty on the future of the EU, which the no vote in several member states on the EU constitution in 2005 prompted, was resolved in December 2007 with the signing of the Lisbon Treaty by heads of state and government. The consensus is still fragile. It is merely a month old; it was reached after a two-year turmoil.

No wonder, then, that Slovenia has picked “si.nergy for Europe” as the motto for its presidency. And dialogue, synergy and cohesion were the main topics of the public presentation by Slovenian ambassador to Bulgaria Ladislav Lipic on January 11. The breakdown of Slovenia’s five priorities as EU president showed that the EU is busy taking on the wave of constitution consensus to re-affirm the course of reform for the enlarged union. The priorities also represented an alternative way to signify why precisely Slovenia.

The five priorities of Slovenia’s are the fast-track ratification of the Lisbon Treaty; the successful launch of the new cycle of the Lisbon Agenda for growth and employment; ensuring the integration of west Balkan states to the EU through strict compliance to the Thessaloniki Agenda 2003; offering a negotiation platform for the energy-climate package the European Commission is showcasing on January 23; inter-cultural dialogue.

In an interview with The Sofia Echo, Lipic remained optimistic on all five goals and reiterated the watchwords for the presidency – synergy and dialogue.

Referring to the ratification process of the European Union, Lipic pinpointed that the momentum gained in December 2007 – and the positive atmosphere – should be seized upon. Hopes are that, before the end of Slovenia’s presidency, half the parliaments of the member states will have endorsed the paper. The process of ratification should be completed before the elections for the next European Parliament.

Lipic said that Hungary was the first country to ratify the document. And Slovenia was to do so soon, by the end of January. According to Lipic, ensuring half the necessary ratifications before the end of June would inspire optimism in the countries where doubts about the project remained.

“In its arguments, Slovenia will point out a quality inherent to the EU– to reach an acceptable solution through dialogue,” Lipic said. “Of course, we will point out the significance of the contract to the future of the EU and the responsibility of each member state for the document’s enforcement.”

Lipic does not believe that Slovenia would need to carry out bilateral meetings with individual member states to steer the process forward.

Turning to the Balkans and their EU prospects, Lipic said Slovenia will not deviate from the goals set in the Thessaloniki Agenda and will promote the positives of EU integration in each country. “Slovenia realises the differences among the countries in the region and the need to retain an individual approach in putting individual states on the fast track,” Lipic said.

“We should also not forget public opinion, especially in light of what people have experienced in the 1990s,” Lipic said. “In this frame of mind, they are easy prey of cowardice and nationalistic moods and hatred and we should pay attention not only to political elites but also to regular people.”

The comment is all the more valid with regard to Kosovo, the resolution of whose status is of prime importance to the EU.

“Slovenia will look for synergy and consensus, a road to peacefully resolve the Kosovo problem, without the use of force,” Lipic said. “Expectations that the EU will assume a key role in this regard are well-grounded. The union will actively encourage a solution – which in the presence of unity in the EU – will ensure a long-term stabilisation of the west Balkan region,” Lipic said.

The approach will be the same in the case of a unilateral declaration of independence on the part of Kosovo.

“To regulate the process in the best possible way, to ensure the best possible and adequate reaction is the goal of Slovenia,” Lipic said. “We rely on partners in the region, Bulgaria included, in view of their knowledge of the region.”

The beginning of the new cycle of the Lisbon Strategy alongside preparing the platform for the energy-climate package talks are priorities that ensure continuity in EU policymaking. They stem directly from what the previous EU presidents, Germany and Portugal, were actively engaged in and are to be pursued past the Slovenian presidency by the next three EU presidents – France, the Czech Republic and Sweden.

In view of its recent history, Slovenia has also been the right choice of voice in pursuing inter-cultural dialogue, both within the boundaries of the EU and beyond. The priority will be realised through national programmes, EU strategies in regard to Central Asia and Latin America.

During its six-month stint, Slovenia will organise four major summits, one with each of the US, Russia, Japan and Latin America. Hopes are that the EU-Russia summit will result in the signing of a new bilateral Partnership and Co-operation Agreement, to replace the one which was due to expire at the end of 2007.

Other meetings of note, according to Lipic, are those within the framework of the neighbourhood policy, the Black Sea Initiative.

The gauge of Slovenia’s success as president of the EU will be its ability to broker what it has preached – dialogue, peaceful solution of the Kosovo problem and seamless ratification procedures for the Lisbon Treaty. It remains to be seen how the first EU member state from the 2004 enlargement will perform.