The meeting will also be an opportunity to evaluate the results of the first joint session of the two governments on 17 October 2007. The cabinets touched on several issues related to the EU, economy and minority protection and signed a number of agreements then.
The delegations, headed by Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor and Hungary's Gordon Bajnai, will debate ways of boosting cooperation in different areas, from economy and defence, to transport, energy and agriculture, and the fight against the consequences of the economic and financial crisis.
They are also to talk about cooperation in the EU, and Slovenia is to present its experience in adopting the euro. The countries are to sign a number of bilateral agreements, while the prime ministers are to issue a joint statement.
One of the main topics will be the situation of the Slovenian minority in Hungary and Hungarian minority in Slovenia. Before the session, the prime ministers are scheduled to meet minority representatives.
The starting points for the debate will be the outcomes of the session of the Slovenian-Hungarian commission for monitoring the implementation of the agreement on fulfiling the minorities' rights, which met on 17 November.
The Slovenian minority lives in the western-most part of Hungary, one of the least economically developed parts of the country. The Office for Slovenians Abroad estimates their number at around 3,000.
The talks between Slovenia's Minister for Slovenians Abroad Bostjan Zeks and Hungary's Minister for Social Coordination Peter Kiss are to focus on burning issues of the Slovenian minority such as lack of funds, bilingual education, public use of the Slovenian language and the problems of minority media.
Also remaining open is the issue of representation of the Slovenian minority in the Hungarian parliament. In line with the 1993 act on minorities, every minority living in Hungary should have a seat in the parliament, however this provision is not being implemented.
Hungary made a step forward in this direction by establishing this year the Forum of National and Ethnic Minorities, which is tasked with deliberating ways for participation of 13 officially acknowledged minorities in the parliament.
The deputy representing the Hungarian community in the Slovenian parliament Laszlo Goencz supports the efforts of the Slovenian minority for the representation in the Hungarian National Assembly. "Maybe this is the moment when a step forward is possible regarding this in Hungary."
Regarding the conclusions of the joint government session from two years ago, the road between Felsoszoelnoek and Ketvoelgy, Hungarian villages populated by ethnic Slovenians, for which a foundation stone had been laid then, has not been constructed yet.
A representative of the Slovenians living in Hungary, Joze Hirnoek, said he expected the Hungarian government to complete the construction as soon as possible. He also pointed out that more funds should be allocated to Slovenian institutions in Hungary.
The Office for Slovenians Abroad also noted that the situation of the Slovenian minority in Hungary was considerably worse than the situation of the Hungarian community in Slovenia.
The relations between the neighbours are otherwise good, with the countries keeping regular political contacts. Hungary's President Laszlo Solyom paid an official visit to Slovenia in October this year.
The countries also cooperate well in areas of culture, education, science and defence. In recent years, the economic cooperation between Slovenia and Hungary is on the rise. In 2008, Hungary was Slovenia's 6th largest trade partner, with trade between the countries amounting to nearly EUR 1.5bn. In the first half of 2009, trade however fell by 30.8% year-on-year, mainly due to the global crisis.
One of the major Slovenian investments in Hungary is a EUR 1.2bn logistics hub near Budapest, while the biggest Hungarian investment in Slovenia recently is the participation of Hungarian-Canadian company Trigranit in the construction of a EUR 220m new passenger terminal called Emonika City Centre in Ljubljana.
On Thursday, a joint Slovenian-Hungarian commission for cross border cooperation held its maiden session in Slovenia's Lendava. The commission, comprising representatives of local communities in the border area and of both minorities, adopted its rules of procedure and 2010 work plan.
