Mr Brglez was elected president of the Slovenian Parliament on 1 August 2014. Mr Brglez comes from an academic background and holds a doctorate in social sciences from the University of Ljubljana, where he was chairman of the international relations department until 2014.
Since his election to Parliament, Mr Brglez has presided over the lower house of the Slovenian Parliament), comprising 90 elected representatives, a third of which are women.
During his visit, Mr Brglez and his delegation met with the presidents of the two parliamentary chambers, Mr Stéphane Rossini, President of the National Council, and Mr Claude Hêche, President of the Council of States. The delegation also met with Mr Yves Rossier, FDFA State Secretary, and Mr Alexander Tschäppät, member of the National Council and mayor of the City of Bern.
Bilateral relations between Switzerland and Slovenia
Switzerland and Slovenia cooperate primarily through the European Union, of which Slovenia is a member. The need to strengthen relations and cooperation between the two countries, particularly at parliamentary level, was discussed during the meetings.
Switzerland and Slovenia have maintained excellent relations in economic, environmental and cultural fields, which could be further consolidated. The two countries are also members of the Alpine Convention, further strengthening relations and cross-border understanding.
The president of the Slovenian Parliament congratulated Switzerland on its role as a mediator promoting peace and human rights. Slovenian society is still in a period of transition after the years of Soviet rule, and welcomes Switzerland’s presence and support, for example through the Cohesion Fund for the countries of Eastern Europe, to which Switzerland is contributing.
Inter-parliamentary cooperation
Relations between the two countries could be further strengthened at parliamentary level. Switzerland and Slovenia both participate in several international fora, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Council of Europe, and in the meetings of the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union (COSAC), which Switzerland has been attending as an observer since 2014.
The president of the Slovenian Parliament nonetheless highlighted the importance of direct inter-parliamentary relations between the two countries’ parliaments, to the approval of his Swiss counterparts.