Minister Fajon in Vienna: The OSCE is an irreplaceable security forum that maintains dialogue even in times of crisis

Minister Tanja Fajon | Author STA

At the meeting, Minister Fajon delivered a national statement in which she emphasised: "The OSCE is grounded in clear principles: respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, human rights and the rule of law. It is a truly inclusive security forum which remains irreplaceable even in times of deep political tension and despite major limitations, including the consensus requirement." She added that Slovenia is committed to continued support and constructive cooperation within the OSCE, and called on participating states to act in good faith and not abuse the organisation for their own interests. She also pointed out that reliable funding and stable leadership are key to the organisation's effective functioning.

Minister Fajon placed particular emphasis on Russia's violations of OSCE principles and commitments. With its aggression against Ukraine, Russia is attacking peace, human rights and democracy. "Russian missiles and drones continue to strike Ukrainian cities, destroying civilian and energy infrastructure and claiming civilian lives. Women and children bear the brunt of this war, which is why they must remain at the centre of peace efforts. War crimes must not go unpunished," she said.

She also highlighted the important role of OSCE institutions, particularly the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), in monitoring the situation and safeguarding democracy, media freedom and civil society.

She went on to draw attention to the environmental damage caused by the war, which is having the most severe impact on the Ukrainian population and threatening the wider region. "The destruction of ecosystems, the pollution of water sources and the paralysed agricultural sector pose long-term threats to regional stability and, consequently, security."

Prior to the meeting, Minister Fajon attended an informal working dinner hosted by Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, the current OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, where the ministers discussed the reconstruction of Ukraine. Fajon reaffirmed that Slovenia sees the OSCE as a means of not only building infrastructure, but also strengthening the resilience of institutions and individuals, seeking new opportunities for them and linking reconstruction to Ukraine's specific security needs. She gave the following example: "We support the project of empowering veterans through demining training programmes. This supports the social reintegration and employment of veterans while increasing Ukraine's technical capacity for humanitarian demining."

On the sidelines of the meeting, Minister Fajon will participate in an event on the return of abducted and forcibly displaced Ukrainian children, and open an event on women as peacebuilders. In her opening speech, she will emphasise that Slovenia is making significant efforts in foreign policy to empower women and include them in peace processes and other decision-making processes. "I am pleased to report that, by June 2025, 37 per cent of Slovenian diplomatic missions abroad were headed by women. In the future, we will continue striving to increase the share of women in top positions as part of our feminist foreign policy."

While in Vienna, Minister Fajon will attend a meeting of foreign ministers of the Friends of the Western Balkans group. Hosted by Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger, the meeting will provide an opportunity for the minister to emphasise the importance of the EU enlargement process in strengthening stability and democratic institutions in the Western Balkans: "The countries of the region are not just EU candidates, but key partners in building a safer and stronger Europe. Enlargement is not just a political process, but a shared endeavour for peace, prosperity and progress."

During her visit, Minister Fajon will also hold bilateral meetings with her counterparts, the foreign ministers of the OSCE participating states.

The OSCE is particularly important to Slovenia as it was the first international organisation that the country joined after gaining independence. Slovenia acceded to the OSCE on 24 March 1992.