LJUBLJANA, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- A junior government coalition party in Slovenia, the Left, said on Wednesday it will boycott the country's largest international political conference next week if former Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni is allowed to attend.

Slovenia is to host the Bled Strategic Forum next Monday. Guests to the two-day annual event include President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

The Slovenian government has invited Livni to participate in a roundtable on the conflict in Gaza. Alongside two non-governmental organizations, the Left has called on the government to rescind its invitation to Livni. The Left says Livni was responsible for an army operation in Gaza in 2008 and 2009 when she was foreign minister, in which Israeli forces killed over 1,100 Palestinians.

"If Livni attends the event, the members of the Left will boycott it completely," the Left party said.

"If the Bled Strategic Forum is a pride of the Slovenian diplomacy ... those who performed mass violations of international law and crimes against humanity have no place in it," it added.

Slovenia announced recognition of the Palestinian statehood on June 4, 2024.

Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon told reporters later on Wednesday that the goal of the forum is to hear different views and that Slovenia continues to strive for the end of the war in Gaza.

The Left is the smallest of the three parties in the center-left government coalition of Prime Minister Robert Golob. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)