(LJUBLJANA) - Slovenia became the first former communist state to assume the rotating EU presidency on Tuesday, with Kosovo and ratification of the bloc's new constitutional treaty at the top of its agenda.

The small central European state, which borders Austria, Croatia, Hungary and Italy, took over the presidency at the stroke of midnight Monday, and will hold it for six months before passing the baton to France on July 1.

"The EU's presidency is moving ... from the west to the east," Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel said after officially taking over the role from Portugal's Foreign Minister Luis Amado in Madeira.

"Ahead of us is an offensive of friendship, partnership, good neighbourliness, dialogue, respect, understanding and solidarity," Rupel said.

A minnow among EU giants, with a population of only two million, Slovenia plans to use its position as a former Yugoslav state to act as a bridge between the EU and the Balkans, as a threatened proclamation of independence by Kosovo appears imminent.

"One of our major challenges will be to unite the EU on this issue," Slovenian State Secretary for European Affairs Janez Lenarcic told AFP in a recent interview.

Rupel said last week in Brussels that he wished to conclude the Kosovo question before the end of Slovenia's presidency on June 30, 2008.

The breakaway Serbian province remains a tricky issue for the EU. At least 20 of the bloc's 27 member states are ready to recognise independence but some remain wary or opposed, notably Cyprus, Greece, Spain, Slovakia and Romania.

Lenarcic added that Slovenia will do "whatever possible" to accelerate the process of EU accession for all former Yugoslav countries.

Croatia has opened talks on 16 of the 35 policy chapters all EU candidates must successfully negotiate prior to membership, putting it at the top of the list of aspiring members.

Meanwhile Serbia has only initialed a rapprochement accord with the European Commission, with the EU holding back full signature unless Belgrade makes further efforts to track down war crimes fugitives.

Slovenia also wants to be a driving force behind the ratification of the recently signed Treaty of Lisbon, aimed at streamlining EU decision-making, and has said it will be one of the first countries, after Hungary, to ratify it in early 2008.

Slovenia was the first former Yugoslav state to join the European Union in 2004 and the eurozone in January 2007, the border-free Schengen area in December and will now also be the first of the EU newcomers to head the 27-member bloc.

On the eve of the new year, Slovenian center-right Prime Minister Janez Jansa said 2008 would be the year for Slovenia to "consolidate its reputation" in the EU and the on the world stage.

"Before us lies a major challenge, one of the greatest Slovenia has faced since its independence," Jansa said.

During the six month-mandate, Slovenia will host about 150 meetings, including 14 ministerial ones, out of the thousand events EU officials usually hold in one semester.

The rest will take place in Brussels or Luxembourg.

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