‘Slovenia eyes stronger economic ties’
KUWAIT CITY, May 3, (KUNA): The Republic of Slovenia is currently seeking to restore strong economic ties with the State of Kuwait, which dates back to the 1970s and 1980s, particularly in health and tourism sectors, a Slovenian diplomat said Sunday.
Only 1,000 Kuwaiti tourists visited Slovenia in 2013, and this figure even fell last year, Natalia Al-Mansour, First Secretary and Deputy Chief of Slovenian Mission to Cairo, told reporters while visiting the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), along with an investment delegation from her country.
Al-Mansour explained that her visit aims at encouraging Kuwaitis to visit her country more often and enjoy touristic privileges, especially since Slovenia has a very distinctive geographic location in the heart of Europe surrounded by countries that have been popular spots for Kuwaiti tourists such as Italy and Austria.
Starting from May 18th, visas are to be issued directly from the Slovenian Embassy in Cairo, via a private company in Kuwait, instead of the Austrian Embassy in Kuwait in order to facilitate and speed up procedures for Kuwaiti visitors, the Slovenian diplomat noted.
The Slovenian government’s plans to open embassies in other countries around the world, including Kuwait, were affected by the global economic crisis, Al-Mansour said, noting that increasing the number of Kuwaiti visitors to her country will contribute to the launching of a direct and permanent flight between the two countries.
She also reiterated Slovenian companies’ interest in Kuwait’s development projects particularly in the health sector, in which Slovenia is renowned for its long and wide experience in that field, adding that she has met with several Kuwaiti health officials during her visit to the country.