News

On Tuesday, March 26th, the Archive, the reading room will be closed due to a cultural event.

The Government adopted the opinion on the initiative of the FIDES union and Milenko Stanković to instigate a procedure for a review of the constitutionality and legality of the Ordinance on the provision of medical services during a strike. The Government gave a positive opinion on the awarding of Polish state decorations, i.e. the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland and the Gold Cross of Merit of the Republic of Poland, to two Slovenian citizens.

Minister Tanja Fajon took part in a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels to discuss the alarming situation in the Middle East, Russian aggression against Ukraine and the deteriorating human rights situation in Belarus. She also participated in the third edition of the European Humanitarian Forum, where she presented Slovenia's humanitarian response to the growing number of crises around the world.

Prime Minister Robert Golob met today with Mayor of the Municipality of Maribor Saša Arsenovič.

At today's regular meeting, Prime Minister Robert Golob and President Nataša Pirc Musar exchanged views on current domestic and foreign policy issues.

At today’s correspondence session, the Government read the document on the protest demands of Slovenian farmers and the announced nationwide protest by farmers involving the Farmers’ Union of Slovenia, the Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry of Slovenia, the Cooperative Union of Slovenia, the Slovenian Rural Youth Association, the Association of Hill and Mountain Farmers of Slovenia, and the Women Farmers Association of Slovenia.

Prime Minister Golob attended the ceremony marking the breakthrough of the second tube of the Karavanke motorway tunnel. Today's event marked the symbolic breakthrough of the second tunnel tube at the junction with Austria, although the actual breakthrough took place on 5 March.

The Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development has approved EU funding for the project Strengthening the network of offices for employers. The project will receive support from the European Social Fund Plus.

Ambassador Mirošič attended an informal coffee reception hosted by Assistant Secretary for International Organization Affairs, Ambassador Michele Sison at the U.S. Department of State on March 15, 2024.

State Secretary Marko Štucin held political consultations in Athens at the invitation of the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Hellenic Republic, Alexandra Papadopoulou. The two officials also participated as speakers at an event on the Western Balkans, co-organised by the Bled Strategic Forum and the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP), which was attended by more than 130 participants.

The Russian Defence Ministry claims, in a statement posted on Telegram, that there are five Slovenians among foreign mercenaries fighting in Ukraine.

Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs presented economic diplomacy to Slovenian craftspeople. The promotion of diplomatic support for craftspeople is part of a series of events aimed at systematically promoting the internationalisation of Slovenian companies through the network of the Chamber of Craft and Small Business and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, particularly in the framework of the Strategic Research and Innovation Partnerships between Slovenian companies and research institutions (SRIP).

State Secretary Marko Štucin discussed topical European and international issues and bilateral cooperation with Christopher Cutajar, Permanent Secretary at the Maltese Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and Trade, and Glenn Micallef, Head of Secretariat in the Office of the Prime Minister of Malta, in Valletta.

Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia to Ukraine Mateja Prevolšek handed over a modern C-type ambulance, equipped with an incubator for the transportation of new-born and premature babies, to Olena Yaroschuk, Acting Director of Maternity Hospital No. 5 in Kyiv, in the presence of Deputy Minister of Health of Ukraine Ihor Kopach.

The Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development has approved EU funding for the project Content support to accelerate the global and sustainable growth of innovative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – DevelopmentPlus Programme.

At today's meeting, the Government adopted an amendment to the Act on the Provision of Funds for Investment in Sports Infrastructure and the starting points for the preparation of the Act on Quality in Health Care. It also set the starting points for the conclusion of an agreement on mediation to resolve the strike demands of the FIDES Main Strike Committee and appointed Minister Matej Arčon as Deputy Prime Minister.

Minister Jevšek presented the report on the implementation of the European Cohesion Policy (ECP) for 2014–2020 and 2021–2027: “Slovenia concluded the 2014-2020 ECP as one of the more successful EU Member States. We have utilised all the available funds intended for people, the economy and balanced regional development. In 2023, we started implementing the 2021-2027 ECP, and have already issued decisions on support worth EUR 334 million.”

On Wednesday, 13 March 2024, the Republic of Slovenia, rated A3 (stable) / AA- (stable) / A (stable), successfully increased the 3% Notes due 10 March 2034 (ISIN SI0002104576) by EUR 500mio, bringing the total outstanding size to EUR 2bn. The success of this transaction is also underpinned by a strong final orderbook in excess of EUR 3.1bn.

The Prime Minister, Robert Golob, received representatives of the National Council of Disability Organisations of Slovenia (NSIOS). At the meeting, they discussed the solutions needed to regulate the situation of persons with disabilities in society and reviewed the work of the focus group so far in the period 2022–2023.

Minister Matjaž Han met Neale Richmond, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment of the Republic of Ireland, in Ljubljana. The two ministers discussed bilateral cooperation between the two countries and topical European issues in the areas of competitiveness, the future of European industry and the EU internal market.

The Republic of Slovenia – EUR 10-year tap

The Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development has approved EU funding for the project Upgrading the SOVIR system for early warning, awareness-raising and adaptation to weather-related emergencies in a changing climate.

Prime Minister Robert Golob visited University Medical Centre Maribor, where he met with the management and was briefed on the organisation of work and the implementation of the measures taken by the Government to protect the public healthcare system.

Prime Minister Robert Golob today met with Enrico Letta, the President of the Jacques Delors Institute and former President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic.

Today, the Minister for Slovenians in Neighbouring Countries and Slovenians Abroad Matej Arčon and the Minister for Cohesion and Regional Development Aleksander Jevšek attended the signing ceremony of the Letter of Intent to establish the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) Kras-Carso, which took place at the Regional Palace in Trieste, Italy.

State Secretary Sanja Štiglic hosted the Deputy Foreign Minister of Vietnam, Le Thi Thu Hang, for political consultations in Ljubljana. The fifth round of consultations coincides with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Deputy Foreign Minister Thu Hang also paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Tanja Fajon.

The Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development has approved EU funding for the project Public employee training for obtaining competencies of the future.

Tokyo University of Foreign Studies' "Open Academy" Slovene language courses are still open for registration until 11 March, 2024 at 23:59.

On the occasion of International Women's Day, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon is hosting representatives of the Israeli organisation Women Wage Peace, Manuela Rotstein and Enam Odeh, and the founder of the Palestinian organisation Women of the Sun, Reem Hajajreh. The two organisations have been nominated for the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize for their joint work.

Elementary school students will enter a slightly renovated school in the fall. As the latest GOVSI podcast guest, State Secretary from the Ministry of Education, Janja Zupančič, emphasizes, the school is a living community that must adapt to what is happening in the environment. The recently adopted amendment to the Act on Elementary School is one of the responses to these adjustments.

A trilateral meeting between the Intellectual Property Office, the Portuguese Industrial Property Institute and the Latvian Patent Office concluded yesterday. The purpose of the meeting was to sign memorandums of understanding and to share knowledge and good practices, in particular in the areas of non-agri geographical indications, copyright and patenting.

At today's session, the Government adopted the Draft Resolution on the National Programme for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Violence against Women and amended the Articles of Association of the Slovenian Sovereign Holding.

Please be advised that the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Brussels and the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Slovenia to the European Union Brussels are moving to a new location at Rue Joseph II 14, 1000 Brussels.

A meeting of the Development Council of the Western Slovenia cohesion region was held in Koper. The Minister of Cohesion and Regional Development, Dr Aleksander Jevšek, presented the state of play of European Cohesion Policy implementation. He highlighted the drafting of the Regional Development Agreement for which approximately EUR 460 million is available under the 2021-2027 programming period.

On the initiative of the Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia and the Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sport, a second consultation on the possibilities for Slovenian companies to be involved in international supply chains for the construction and maintenance of nuclear power plants was held in Krško.

In recent weeks, some Slovenian and foreign media have published fake news that the Republic of Slovenia was involved in sending 155 mm grenades purchased in India to Ukraine.

The Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development has approved EU funding for the Call for proposals to co-finance multigenerational centres+’ projects.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food informs the public that the deadline for submitting applications for the Golden Bee Award expires on 15 March 2024. The topic of this year's open call is achievements in the promotion of bees and other pollinators.

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Robert Golob, and the Minister of Health, Valentina Prevolnik Rupel, attended the opening of the Centre for the Treatment of Infertility and Biomedically-Assisted Fertilisation at the Postojna Hospital for Women's Diseases and Obstetrics.

Minister of the Interior Boštjan Poklukar attended the meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council in Brussels. The main topics of the meeting were the situation in the schengen area, the evaluation of the mandate of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) and the external aspect of migration.

State Secretary Marko Štucin participated in the third Antalya Diplomacy Forum on 1–3 March 2024, held under the theme "Advancing Diplomacy in Times of Turmoil". In his address to the panel, he stressed that to successfully meet global challenges head on, especially in diplomacy, we need to be able to talk and seek consensus. He also held several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Forum.

Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob today attended the main Civil Protection Day ceremony at Brdo pri Kranju.

The Council of Europe marked the second anniversary of the start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić, President of the Parliamentary Assembly Theodoros Rousopoulos, Chairman of the Committee of Deputy Ministers and Permanent Representative of Liechtenstein Domenik Wanger, and Permanent Representative of Ukraine Borys Tarasyuk addressed the attendees.

The Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development has approved EU funding for the call for proposals Incentives for innovative start-ups in 2024.

State Secretary for European Affairs in the Prime Minister’s Office Igor Mally received the Hungarian Minister for European Union Affairs János Bóka in Ljubljana.

The second month of our membership in the UN Security Council has come to an end. This month, under the Presidency of Guyana, was marked by the second anniversary of war in Ukraine and the dire situation in Gaza.

State Secretary for International Affairs and National and International Security Vojko Volk paid a productive working visit to Washington D.C. During his time there, he had the privilege of meeting with Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, James O'Brien, and Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs, Michele Sison.

The European Commission announced its withdrawal of a proposal for a regulation on the sustainable use of plant protection products by 31 March 2024. Slovenia supported the proposal in principle, but repeatedly pointed out certain problematic issues during the discussion, in particular the inadequate consideration of the specificities of individual Member States.

At today's session, the Government issued an ordinance on the provision of medical services during a strike, which sets out the medical services that doctors must provide during the strike by the Fides trade union. The Government also took note of the Spring Forecast of Economic Trends 2024 and adopted an amendment to the draft Matura Examination Act.

State Secretary Marko Štucin hosted the Hungarian Minister for European Union Affairs, Dr János Bóka. They discussed current European issues, with a particular focus on Hungary's preparations for the EU Council Presidency in the second half of 2024 and EU enlargement.