On Tuesday, 23 January 2024, the College of Europe in Natolin had the privilege of hosting H.E. Borut PAHOR, former President of the Republic of Slovenia.
The Natolin students were offered the chance to discuss issues related to the European integration process with President PAHOR, including the EU's enlargement to the Western Balkans and possible responses to ongoing crises in Europe and its neighbourhoods.
H.E. Borut PAHOR
Mr Borut PAHOR was born on 2 November 1963 in Postojna. He has a degree in political science with a focus on international relations. In 1987, he won the Prešeren and Zore Awards from the then Faculty of Sociology, Political Science and Journalism, University of Ljubljana, for his graduate thesis. He has a son, Luka, with Tanja Pecar, an advocate in Ljubljana.
Mr PAHOR was a Member (1990-2004) and the President (2000-2004) of the Slovenian Parliament. He was the leader of the Social Democratic Party (1997-2012). and a Member of the European Parliament (2004-2008). He has served as Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia since 2008 until he was elected President of the Republic for two terms (2012-2022).
Mr PAHOR has devoted his political career to:
- democracy (30 years of witnessing and shaping the transition from communism to democracy in Central and Eastern Europe);
- future of ever closer European Union, united, free, and at peace;
- national reconciliation and the promotion of peace and dialogue;
- European perspective of Western Balkans.
Mr PAHOR is the long-time leader of the Brdo-Brijuni Process, a joint initiative that he co-founded with Croatia as Prime Minister by Slovenia to serve as a driving force for the political and overall development of the Western Balkans and its Euro-Atlantic integration. Brdo-Brijuni Process was an incentive for other high-level initiatives, the Berlin Process being amongst them.
President PAHOR has received several state decorations of the highest level from different countries. He was awarded with academic honors as follows:
- the Honorary Doctorates from the University of Lisbon and the New University of Ljubljana for his efforts for reconciliation and the common European project (2022);
- the "Sigillum Magnum", the highest honour of the University of Bologna, which is awarded to the most influential persons (2021);
- the prize ''Alcide De Gasperi: Builders of Europe" award, which is conferred by the Government of the Autonomous Province of Trento for achievements in building Europe;
- the esteemed title of the Protector of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts EASA, followed by the recent EASA Ring of Tolerance.
Check out images from the event on our Flickr below!
