President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is expected to visit Slovenia, Slovakia and Romania from March 30 to April 1 to discuss bilateral relations as well as strategic partnerships with Turkey. Additionally, Erdoğan's official visit is expected to enhance and sustain Turkey's regional partnership with these three countries. According to officials, Erdoğan will have a comprehensive delegation from Turkey that will include a number of ministers, deputies, bureaucrats and businessmen to attend business forums in Slovenia, Slovakia and Romania to boost bilateral trade and investments.

While Slovenia has been among the greatest supporters of EU enlargement and Turkey's EU membership bid, the two countries strengthened ties by signing a strategic partnership document in 2011. In this regard, Erdoğan will meet with President Borut Pahor of Slovenia on Monday and will then continue his three-day official visit by meeting President Andrej Kiska of Slovakia on Tuesday. The official visits will be finalized after visiting Romanian President Klaus Iohannis. Although, Erdoğan and his delegation will meet the aforementioned leaders, he is also expected to meet the speakers of parliament from each country to discuss political, economic and other relevant bilateral relations. According to a statement by the Presidency, regional and international issues will be discussed, additional fields of cooperation will be evaluated and various agreements will be signed to strengthen these relations during the visit.

In addition to Slovenia, Romania and Slovakia are also among the greatest supports of Turkey's EU membership bid, and therefore Turkey's EU accession process, and negotiations will be evaluated with the aforementioned leaders. Furthermore, businessmen who are accompanying Erdoğan are expected to meet with local businesses and are to discuss other possible bilateral trade and investment fields as well as discuss current bilateral cooperation to increase trade volumes.

Ahead oErdoğan 's official visit on Monday, Slovenian President Borut Pahor said Slovenia firmly supports Turkey's EU membership bid and looks forward to expanding economic cooperation with the country.

Pahor told Anadolu Agency in an interview that the two countries have enjoyed positive relations since they established diplomatic relation 23 years ago. He said, "Political relations are exemplary – very good."

"We have signed a strategic partnership, which for Slovenia is not a very extensive practice. We have good economic cooperation. Both countries are convinced that they can be even better. President Erdoğan comes with a strong business delegation to Slovenia and opportunities for joint cooperation in third markets are great. To have friendly relations with Turkey is extremely important. We have different perspectives on some issues, but these are not obstacles to the desire to strengthen relations between the two states," Pahor said.

Slovenia declared independence on June 25, 1991, and was recognized by Turkey on Feb. 6, 1992.

* Contributed by AA