He insists on the "programmatic priorities" announced for the six months’ term, pays "special attention to the situation in the Western Balkans", lingers on the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue: the Slovenian Prime Minister, Janez Jansa, called to Strasbourg to illustrate the next steps of the current presidency of the EU, gave to the European Parliament a far-ranging speech, which was applauded several times. "We are carrying out this task, which has been entrusted for the very first time to a new member state from Eastern Europe, as a big challenge, that we mean to engage in with responsibility, optimism, hopefully with farsightedness. Maybe even with the enthusiasm of a novice". Jansa repeats the main points of his policy, which he illustrated in Brdo (Slovenia) last week: "The EU is called to carry out the delicate task of taking care of the national ratifications of the Reform Treaty; we are getting close to the new stage of the Lisbon Strategy, through which the EU intends to face and shape globalisation". Then, the "energy issue", to implement the decisions that have already been taken by the 27 member states and "for which Barroso’s Commission should submit a set of proposals next week". (continued)
