News

To mark the 35th anniversary of Slovenia’s independence, the GOVSI Podcast welcomed Lojze Peterle, the first Prime Minister of independent Slovenia. He reflected on key moments in Slovenia’s path to independence, the efforts to secure international recognition and the values that brought Slovenians together when the country was established.

The latest episode of the GOVSI podcast features Blaž Cvar, President of the Chamber of Craft and Small Business of Slovenia. In conversation with host Martin Nahtigal, he discusses the challenges facing small businesses, the importance of the development bill and the future of skilled trades.

In the latest episode of the GOVSI Podcast, Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Jernej Vrtovec discussed energy prices ahead of the heating season, the future of nuclear energy, major infrastructure projects and the modernisation of transport connections. He emphasised the importance of reliable energy supplies, faster investment implementation and more efficient spatial planning procedures.

In the latest episode of the GOVSI Podcast, Minister of Demography, Family and Social Affairs Mateja Ribič discusses changes to long-term care, workforce challenges and care at home. She emphasises that the goal is a system that works in practice, enabling people to receive the care they need when they need it.

In the latest episode of the GOVSI Podcast, Head of Call Centre 114 Matjaž Florjanc Lukan presented the work of the centre, which over the past three years has become an important information point for anyone seeking reliable information about procedures, public services and rights related to the state.

The latest episode of the government GOVSI podcast features Viktor Mlakar, Head of the Consular Sector at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. In conversation with host Petra Prešeren Golob, he discussed consular assistance for Slovenian citizens abroad, how to act in crisis situations, and the eLastovka application.

The latest episode of the government GOVSI podcast features hydrologist Janez Polajnar from the Slovenian Environment Agency, a long-standing expert in monitoring and forecasting hydrological conditions. The conversation focused on the importance of timely warnings, the experience of the August 2023 floods, and adapting to increasingly frequent extreme weather events.

Did you know that the territory of present-day Slovenia lay along important Roman trade routes? That Slavic-speaking peoples settled here in the sixth and seventh centuries? That after World War I, Slovenians did not live within a single state? How did Slovenia’s path to independence unfold?

On the occasion of International Workers’ Day, the 40th episode of the government GOVSI podcast was dedicated to reflecting on the importance of workers’ rights in the past and today. The guest of the episode was long-time trade unionist Lidija Jerkič, who stressed that workers’ rights are not self-evident, but the result of long-term struggle and effort.

On World Book Day, observed each year on 23 April, the discussion with State Secretary Vesna Humar focused on the importance of reading in contemporary society. The day, symbolically linked by UNESCO to the anniversaries of the deaths of William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes, highlights the exceptional role of books in the development of both individuals and society.

In the latest episode of the GOVSI podcast, the guest is Michael M. Epstein, a U.S. expert in media law, who highlights the impact of disinformation on democracy, especially in the run-up to elections.

At the 23rd PRO PR Conference in Podgorica, the Director of the Government Communication Office (UKOM), Petra Bezjak Cirman, presented the Slovenian Stop Disinformation campaign: reREAD, reTHINK, RECHECK. In recognition of this campaign, the Government Communication Office received the Prizma 2024 Award, a top accolade in the field of public relations.

The Communication Office of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia (UKOM) has prepared an interactive quiz entitled Recognising disinformation and techniques for manipulating content, designed to encourage the public to reflect on how misleading information is created and how it can be recognised.

In the latest episode of GOVSI Podcast, our guest is Tomaž Petek, Director-General of the Surveying and Mapping Authority of the Republic of Slovenia. Together with host Petra Prešeren Golob, he explains how Surveying and Mapping Authority manages key spatial records—from the real estate cadastre to building data registers. Director-General Tomaž Petek highlights why accurate geodetic data form the foundation of a well-regulated spatial environment and trust in the legal system.

The claim, cited by some Croatian and Slovenian media outlets, that a US military drone crossed the path of an aircraft carrying evacuated Slovenian citizens on its way from Oman back to Slovenia is not true.

The National Election Commission (NEC) is intensively preparing for the parliamentary elections to be held on 22 March 2026. To ensure the smooth conduct of the elections, approximately 20,000 people will be engaged at nearly 3000 polling stations across Slovenia, making this the largest civic operation in the country.

The Government led by Robert Golob stabilised the country following a period of crisis marked by recovery from the pandemic, the energy crisis and rising living costs, and delivered extensive structural changes in healthcare, social security, housing, education, the green transition and regional development. Over the course of its term, the Government fulfilled a substantial part of the key commitments set out in the coalition agreement.

Ahead of the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, the Government GOVSI Podcast discussed the expectations of the Slovenian Olympic team, the importance of fan support, and the role of the Slovenian House in promoting Slovenia. The guests of the episode were Blaž Perko, Head of the Slovenian Olympic Team, and Matic Švab, Managing Director of the Slovenian Olympic Committee.

Slovenia is continuing its tradition of Olympic houses at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, which will take place from 6 to 22 February 2026. Once again, the Slovenia House will serve as the central hub of Slovenia's presence at the Games and a key platform for the comprehensive promotion of the country. It will also host two outstanding Slovenian champions and Olympic gold medallists who continue to inspire generations worldwide – Tina Maze and Primož Roglič.

In the new episode of the GOVSI podcast, we focused on one of the most demanding and at the same time most significant periods of Slovenian foreign policy – Slovenia’s two-year term as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.