Slovenia's Ambassador: Functioning transit routes in South Caucasus vital for EU

The newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Slovenia to Azerbaijan, Gorazd Renčelj, who presented his credentials to President Ilham Aliyev in January 2025, gave an exclusive interview to Report.

Ambassador Renčelj, who resides in Ankara, discussed the primary objectives of his mission in Azerbaijan and outlined future plans for enhancing cooperation between the two countries:

- What will be the main directions of your activities as an ambassador in Azerbaijan?

- I was very proud to present my credentials to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev and to have officially taken up my duties as the Ambassador of Slovenia to Azerbaijan. I am very excited to begin this mission and my conversation with the President Ilham Aliyev confirmed that there is a lot of positive things to be done in relationship between Azerbaijan and Slovenia.

Priorities of my mission: first of all, to continue intense political dialogue; we have had some good opportunities to exchange views on issues important to both countries already and we have very dynamic plan of high level contacts going forward.

Secondly, we agreed with president that it would be good to build on and beyond cooperation in energy. A Slovenian supplier has already signed a contract to buy gas from Azerbaijan and the plan is to build on this and expand our cooperation in other sectors of economy.

Last year, Slovenia's natural gas wholesaler Geoplin and the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan - SOCAR have signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in gas supply. Recently, President of SOCAR Rovshan Najaf met with President of the Management Board of the Slovenian company Petrol d.d. Sašo Berger and Manager of Geoplin d.o.o. Simon Urbancl. During the meeting, they also exchanged views on the opportunities for expanding cooperation in various areas of the energy sector, as well as discussed other issues of mutual interest. We want to continue this cooperation.

- How do you estimate Slovenia-Azerbaijan relations?

- The bilateral relations are very good, the political dialogue is strengthening, we will celebrate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year.

The two countries are similar because of their respective geopolitical position. Both countries are gateways to their respective regions. Slovenia is a gateway to the central and eastern Europe and the Balkans. Azerbaijan's position between the Caspian and the Black Sea is very important in terms of logistic and connectivity. We are talking about how we can use these positions better and brig the two countries closer.

- What can you say about cooperation in the energy sector between our countries?

- We have ongoing cooperation in terms of trade in gas. This is a good starting point, but we are talking about other opportunities. For example, Azerbaijan is investing very strongly in green energy and Slovenia is also diversifying energy sources and routes.

The Minister of Energy and Environment of Slovenia is coming to Baku in April to attend the Advisory Board of the Southern Gas Corridor. The ambition of both sides is to use this opportunity to sign memorandum of understanding for cooperation on energy.

- One of the factors confirming our closeness is Mehdi Huseynzade, the common hero of the peoples of Slovenia and Azerbaijan...

- Yes, this is a very positive history that connects the two nations. In Slovenia, Mehdi Huseynzade is known as hero Mykhaylo. I knew about this story before coming to Azerbaijan and Türkiye, but I was positively surprised learning how important a figure he is for the people of Azerbaijan and also for Slovenians. People in the local community around his burial place take very good care of his grave, and there is a museum dedicated to his memory. This young man fought for the liberation and freedom of Slovenia and he has a special place in our common history and relations.

- What can you say about cultural relations between the two countries? What plans do you have for the development of this area?

- I strongly believe that fostering development of cultural cooperation between the two nations is very important part of my mission in Azerbaijan. Slovenia is nation of two million. Azerbaijan is 10 million. We are both surrounded by bigger countries.

In this context, having a strong cultural identity has always been very important for us. We have our own language, we speak Slovenian, nurturing our own literature is very important for us. Similar goes to music and other art forms.

In fact, also in culture, we have some stories that connect us with Azerbaijan. There is a famous pianist in Slovenia named Aleksandar Gadyev. He is very successful despite being very young. His mother is Slovenian, father is Azerbaijani. He lives in Nova Gorica, a border town in Slovenia. We are thinking of including this story in the celebration of the 30th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations.

- How do Slovenians know Azerbaijan and in general, how does Azerbaijan look from Slovenia today?

- This is a very good question. I think there is a good general awareness about Azerbaijan in Slovenia - people know that Azerbaijan is a Caucasian country, located on the coast of the Caspian Sea, a region rich in natural resources. Recently, they found out about the Formula 1 race and the Eurovision events in Baku.

At the same time, I believe Slovenians could learn even more about Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani people should get to discover Slovenia more. Bringing our countries and peoples closer together is an important part of my mission.

- Slovenia is also a tourist country, and I think our relations in this area are developing. The tourism campaigns of the two countries are coming together, establishing cooperation. How do you see the prospects for cooperation in this area?

- There is a lot of potential in the tourism sector. Many Slovenian tourists come to Azerbaijan, and Azerbaijani tourists visit to Slovenia. Azerbaijani tourists know the Rogaska tourist region in Slovenia very well and come often. Rogaska is a very popular tourist destination because of its healing thermal water. In addition, there are many interesting places in our country that are attractive to tourists.

I have only been to Baku in Azerbaijan. Baku is really a very beautiful city with great architecture. I visited the Old City and Maiden's Tower and I really liked it. But I haven't been outside Baku. I would very much like to travel and see other regions of Azerbaijan.

- Could your country open an embassy in Azerbaijan in the near future?

- This issue was briefly and in general terms discussed during the recent visit to Baku by Marko Štucin, State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia. Both sides agreed in principle that with the positive development in bilateral relations this option could be explored.

In any case, opening an Embassy is a complex decision. It requires good planning of financial and human resources. It is also usually approached in a reciprocal manner: Azerbaijan also does not have an embassy in Ljubljana: Azerbaijani ambassador covers Slovenia from Vienna.

- What high-level visits are expected in the near future?

- At the moment we have a very busy agenda in the pipeline. I already mentioned the planned visit of the minister of energy and environment in the beginning of April, when he is intended to participate at the 11th ministerial meeting of the regular Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council. In mid-April, the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs will visit Baku, we are working on a business delegation to accompany her.

The foreign ministers of both countries have met four times in the recent period, the last time they came together in Malta at the margins of the 31st meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Both sides agree that the visit of the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia, Tanja Fajon in Baku is very timely.

The agenda of the talks is expected to go beyond the bilateral relations. For example, Slovenia is interested in the ongoing negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Slovenia is currently a member of the UN Security Council but also, along with Azerbaijan, of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe. Developments in the region are very interesting to us. Slovenia is, above all, a supporter of peace and stability in the Caucasus – these are preconditions for development. Transit routes in the South Caucasus, the functioning of the Middle Corridor, and stability are very important for Slovenia and the European Union.