Mirziyoyev and Pirc Musar hold closed-door talks in Ljubljana

On May 22, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and President of Slovenia Nataša Pirc Musar held a closed-door meeting at the Presidential Palace in Ljubljana, joined by official delegations from both countries. The press service of the President of Uzbekistan reported the details of the visit.

At the start of the meeting, President Mirziyoyev thanked his Slovenian counterpart for the warm welcome, noting that the high-level events held for the first time in 20 years mark the beginning of a new era in Uzbek-Slovenian relations. The leaders discussed current issues related to the further development of practical cooperation between the two countries.

Both sides expressed satisfaction with the intensified political dialogue, growing contacts at various levels, and frequent business exchanges. Emphasis was placed on the importance of establishing regular high-level dialogue to ensure the systemic development of bilateral relations.

Particular attention was given to economic cooperation, with the leaders agreeing to increase bilateral trade volume to €500 million in the initial stage. This goal is to be achieved primarily by diversifying product offerings and substituting imports. The potential of the Slovenian port of Koper as a logistics hub for accessing European Union markets will also be explored.

Uzbekistan reached agreements with leading Slovenian companies on an Industrial Cooperation Program. Planned projects include the production of modern industrial and agricultural equipment, localization of pharmaceutical manufacturing—including medicine based on honey and medicinal herbs—and the construction and modernization of energy facilities.

The parties agreed to draft an agreement "On Organized Labor Migration" to facilitate systematic cooperation in this area. This will include training and adaptation programs in language, professional skills, and labor standards.

Tourism development, particularly in rural and mountainous areas, was identified as a promising direction. In education, both presidents agreed to sign an agreement on mutual recognition of academic diplomas and to launch joint educational programs with the universities of Ljubljana and Maribor.

In 2026, Tashkent will host the Forum of Innovative Youth Projects with the participation of universities and research centers from both countries.

To deepen humanitarian ties, the leaders proposed holding mutual cultural days and organizing an Uzbek Cinema Week in Ljubljana.

To ensure implementation of these initiatives, it was decided that the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission will be held in Ljubljana in July 2025.

At the conclusion of the meeting, President Mirziyoyev invited President Nataša Pirc Musar to pay an official return visit to Uzbekistan at a time of her convenience.

As a reminder, on May 19, President Mirziyoyev visited Hungary. On May 20, he held meetings with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, National Assembly Speaker László Kövér, and representatives of leading Hungarian banks and companies. On May 21, he took part in the informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States, where he proposed several key initiatives for enhancing multilateral cooperation. He then arrived in Ljubljana at the invitation of President Pirc Musar. Earlier today, an official welcoming ceremony was held for President Mirziyoyev at Congress Square in the Slovenian capital.