Ljubljana [Slovenia], May 27 : Stating India is not just the "second largest partner" for Slovenia in Asia but also "the most important partner" for the European Union, National Council of Slovenia President Marko Lotric on Tuesday said the Pahalgam terror attack was "totally not acceptable."
In an interview with ANI, he spoke spoke about the meeting with all-party delegation, led by DMK MP Kanimozhi, to inform nations about Pakistan's links to terrorism, he felt "deeply sorry" for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir in which 26 people were brutally killed by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists.
"First, I am deeply sorry for all the lives lost in this terror attack on 22nd of April. India is not just the second largest partner for Slovenia in Asia, but India is also the most important partner of the European Union, and such kind of meetings really lead to a better future. We exchange our position, and our point of view is that we want peace not just in our countries, but around the world. Not just in this case where somebody attacked your people, which is totally not acceptable," Lotric said about the meeting with the Indian delegation.
"We have to look around and see how to protect the civil population ... our future, not in nuclear weapons, not in different kinds of provocation, but our future, common future, should be how to establish democracy, rule of law and peace," he added.
Earlier in the day, an all-party delegation led by Kanimozhi met Mark Lotric at the National Assembly in Slovenia and conveyed India's resolute stance of zero tolerance towards terrorism.
Indian Embassy in Slovenia said that the MPs, during the meeting, appreciated Slovenia's role as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in promoting global peace and its unequivocal condemnation of terrorism that needs to be eradicated.
When asked how Slovenia's National Council can support India's effort in combating terrorism, he said, "Our National Council of Slovenia is the second home of the Slovenian parliament, and we also call the first home of civil society. Why? because civil society gives us daily questions and maybe also the answers ...let's say, our laws and our respect for the daily life in the country. So, we know what happened all around the world. It's crucial that we support the right position, the right way, the right partner and such meetings are this. So please go to the multilateral, also organizations like UN Security Council, and on this topic we exchange and try to find the solution."
He termed the Pahalgam terror attack unacceptable, and on Operation Sindoor, he said that Slovenia stands with India to protect its people.
"This attack is a terrorist attack. It's not acceptable, and this is what we stand together to protect the people in India and India itself. Of course, our voice will always go to the peace to protect the right way," Lotric said.
"India, with 1.4 billion citizens, is incredibly bigger, and I know that your power is at the top in the world. So, thank you that you let's say take this problem with the hand of peace. ..I wish that the problem with India and Pakistan ...go away forever," he added.
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 as a decisive military response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 people and injured several others. Indian Armed Forces targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, leading to the death of over 100 terrorists affiliated with terror outfits like the Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen.