SLOVENIA, April 26 - Late yesterday afternoon, Prime Minister Golob paid tribute to the late Pope Francis at St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.
In a press statement after the funeral ceremony, the Slovenian Prime Minister reiterated that Pope Francis was the conscience of the world. “His voice reached far beyond the confines of the Church, it reached out to all people, especially to those who are most often overlooked,” he said.
The Prime Minister highlighted the humanitarian values that Pope Francis had always defended. “We are living in really difficult times, when humanity is being tested on many fronts. Pope Francis has always stood for one thing: mercy and compassion for fellow human beings. This is what distinguished him from many of his predecessors," said Golob.
Prime Minister Golob expressed his belief that the memory of Pope Francis will live on among people all around the world. “This can inspire us for years and decades to come. I hope that today's funeral will not be the end of an era started by Pope Francis, but the beginning of a time when all of us as humanity will look at ourselves, stop senseless wars, and commit ourselves to peace and cooperation," he stressed.
The Slovenian Prime Minister also expressed hope for a better future. “Peace is constantly on our agenda, and various talks are currently taking place. I hope that these talks will lead first to a lasting ceasefire and then to peace – both in Ukraine and in the Middle East. As long as the talks continue, hope is not lost”, the Prime Minister concluded.
On the occasion of Pope Francis’ passing Prime Minister Golob wrote: “Pope Francis bade us farewell in extremely difficult times, which we as humanity cannot be proud of. The wars that Francis sincerely wished to end and the disputes between nations that he worked tirelessly to reconcile – all this work of his gave us hope and faith that we would succeed and that good and peace would triumph. Pope Francis is gone, but hope remains. He was the conscience of the world and he will be missed.”
Prime Minister Robert Golob visited the Holy See in December 2022, when he was received by Pope Francis in a private audience. Their discussions were forward-looking – they agreed that as a society we must stop dwelling on the past and on the differences between people, but instead join forces to create a better future. Regular dialogue takes place at the highest level between the representatives of Slovenia and the Holy See.