“I am a scientist at heart, so I will always welcome initiatives that help to increase the recognisability and consolidate the importance of science in society," said the Prime Minister following a constructive meeting. He expressed his support for SAZU’s initiative to make Science Day a national holiday in Slovenia, although not a non-working day.

“This would be an opportunity for all scientific institutions to have open days, to promote science, and for young people to become even more enthusiastic about careers in science,” stressed SAZU’s president Peter Štih, who added that science is a driver of national development.

The Prime Minister expects to cooperate well with the Academy, and said that today’s meeting was just the first of many to follow. In his words, efforts should also be made to bring the humanities, social and natural sciences closer together, and to unite them. “This is the correct approach if we want to celebrate science. It should not be something narrow and set apart from other domains, but broad and creating new value in society,” the Prime Minister concluded.