Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has arrived in Ljubljana for negotiations with Slovenian leaders. Putin will meet with Prime Minister Borut Pahor and National Assembly Speaker Pavel Gantar.

About a dozen of bilateral documents will be signed, among them the one setting up a joint venture in development on the agreement of November 2009 on the Slovenian participation in the South Stream project.

The joint venture will design, build and operate the Slovenian stretch of the gas pipeline. “At present Gazprom meets over 50% of the Slovenian gas needs,” deputy head of the Russian government office Yuri Ushakov said on Monday.

Gazprom Neft and Petrol will sign a memorandum of mutual understanding. The two governments will sign an agreement on the establishment and functioning of science and culture centers and memoranda on cooperation in agriculture and standardization. The Ulyanovsk region and the Slovenian Economy Ministry will sign a cooperation memorandum.

“Trade between Russia and Slovenia shrank by 41% in 2009, but the situation changed in 2010 and bilateral trade grew by 38% to $1.2 billion or, actually, the pre-crisis level,” Ushakov said. About 200 Slovenian companies are working in 50 regions of Russia.

The Russian delegation includes Communications and Media Minister Igor Shchyogolev, Agriculture Minister Yelena Skrynnik, Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko and Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller.

Putin will leave Ljubljana for Belgrade on March 23 to end the two-day Balkan tour.