Slovenia highly regards Vietnam’s role in the region and supports the soon ratification of the EU – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU – Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), according to Zdravko Pocivalsek, Slovenia’s minister of Economic Development and Technology.

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh and Zdravko Pocivalsek, Slovenia’s minister of Economic Development and Technology. Source: VGP.

Pocivalsek made the statement in a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh on November 8.

Pocivalsek briefed Minh on the result of the second meeting of the inter-governmental committee on economic and trade cooperation held on the same day, stressing the importance of the event in boosting bilateral relations in those fields.

At the meeting, Minh said Vietnam wants to further enhance relations with traditional partners, including Slovenia, particularly in investment and trade.

Minh expects the ratification of the EVFTA and the EVIPA would bring substantial benefits to all concerned parties, while improving the current modest trade turnover between Vietnam and Slovenia.

From 2005 to the end of 2017, bilateral trade increased 25-fold to US$357 million in 2018.

Vietnamese goods, particularly fisheries, agricultural products, footwear and clothes, are likely to have opportunities to penetrate the Slovenian market.

Minh thanked Pocivalsek for the expression of condolence following the tragic deaths of 39 Vietnamese nationals in the UK, as well as Slovenian support for Vietnam in becoming a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2020 – 2021 term.