Caputova Receives Slovenian Counterpart Pirc Musar

Bratislava, December 20 (TASR) - President Zuzana Caputova on Wednesday received her Slovenian counterpart Natasa Pirc Musar, who's currently on her first official visit to Slovakia. The two presidents praised close relations between Slovakia and Slovenia and discussed climate protection, the current security situation and hybrid threats. At the same time, Caputova and Pirc Musar touched upon domestic situations in their respective countries. "We are basically facing very similar challenges in terms of economic issues, the economic situation, the energy situation, but also the impact of climate change, security issues and the need to deal with hybrid threats," Caputova said. The Slovak president noted in this vein that she finds Slovenia's measures in the fight against hybrid threats inspiring and important, with Pirc Musar calling disinformation the biggest threat to democracy. According to the Slovenian president, the spreading of disinformation must be limited, and such measures aren't restricting freedom of speech. Caputova remarked that climate protection is a common priority for both her and Pirc Musar. In her opinion, there's room for expanding cooperation between the countries, for instance, in renewable energy, electromobility, protection of natural resources and digitalisation. The presidents also addressed the fact that Slovenia will become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council next year. According Pirc Musar, her country will strive in particular for a just peace in Ukraine and oversee respect for humanitarian law in the conflict in the Gaza Strip. The Slovenian president is expected to meet Parliamentary Chair Peter Pellegrini (Voice-SD) later on Wednesday. She'll also visit Slovenian soldiers serving in the NATO multinational battlegroup in Slovakia before returning to her homeland. zel/mcs