News

On the Day of the Mediterranean, 28 November, 43 representatives of the Union for the Mediterranean met in Barcelona to discuss the implementation of the priorities of the new vision, which focuses on people. The EU and 10 countries from Southern Europe have ratified the Pact for the Mediterranean. Minister Fajon highlighted: "Only a shared vision among Mediterranean countries and cooperation in a turbulent geopolitical world can bring peace, dignity and prosperity for all."

The Government visited the Podravje region. At its regular session held during the visit, it endorsed several important legislative and financial measures – ranging from strategic investments at the University of Maribor to amendments to cohesion policy, housing and healthcare measures, and a new regulatory framework for the wine sector. Separate programmes of members of the Government followed, and the day concluded with a consultation with mayors and business representatives on the key challenges facing the region.

As part of the Government visit to Podravje, Prime Minister Robert Golob attended the laying of the foundation stone for the Centre of Excellence for Photonic, Micro and Nano Electronic Technologies. This centre is one of the first and most significant projects to be implemented under the INNOVUM programme, a broader initiative of the University of Maribor. The Prime Minister also addressed the audience.

Slovenian government has approved the second amendment to Slovenia's EU Cohesion Policy Programme 2021-2027 at today’s regional session in the Podravje region. The amended document provides for alignment with the EU’s new development and strategic priorities as well as national needs. It also aims to boost spending and allows for a sharper focus on areas with the greatest impact.

Members of the Monitoring Committee of Slovenia's EU Cohesion Policy Programme 2021-2027 today met at the fifth regular meeting and approved the second amendment to the Programme. The amended document that the government has approved as part of its visit to the Podravje region provides for strategic alignment with the EU’s new and emerging priorities and national needs.

At today’s session, the Government adopted draft acts on the gradual closure of the Velenje Coal Mine, on additional emergency measures in the field of healthcare, on wine, and the draft amendment to the Act on the Financing and Promotion of the Construction of Public Rental Housing. The Government approved the second amendment to the European Cohesion Policy Programme 2021–2027 and signed an agreement with the Municipality of Maribor.

State Secretary Neva Grašič met with non-resident ambassadors to Slovenia in the Austrian capital, Vienna. In her address, she highlighted the most prominent achievements of Slovenian foreign policy in 2025: Slovenia's first MED9 presidency and its non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council, which ends with Slovenia’s presidency of the Council in December.

Prime Minister Robert Golob attended the conference "Turning Vision into Homes: Slovenia's Affordable Housing Journey," organised by the Ministry of a Solidarity-Based Future, the European Investment Bank and the Council of Europe Development Bank at the European Union House in Ljubljana.

Today, the European Commission paid €440 million to Slovenia on the basis of the fourth payment request under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). "Slovenia has met all the milestones and targets linked to the fourth payment request and has therefore received the maximum possible disbursement," said Finance Minister Klemen Boštjančič upon the inflow of funds.

Today, the General Assembly and the Security Council unanimously adopted twin resolutions with identical wording on the review of the UN Peacebuilding Architecture (Peacebuilding Architecture Review – PBAR). The negotiation process was led by the Permanent Representatives of Slovenia and Egypt, Ambassadors Samuel Žbogar and Osama Abdelkhalek. The adoption of the resolutions and the agreement on strengthening the effectiveness of the UN Peacebuilding Architecture marked the successful conclusion of nearly one year of negotiations.

At the 30th session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention, held in The Hague, the Netherlands, Slovenia was elected to the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for the 2026–2028 term. The Slovenian delegation at the conference is being led by State Secretary Dr Melita Gabrič.

"We must always stand up for the rights of women and girls. This is a priority of Slovenia’s foreign policy, both in the context of its non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council and its upcoming UN Human Rights Council membership. I would like us to build a world in which all women and girls are safe and do not experience violence."

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon emphasized in a discussion on peace, security and governance at the 7th EU-African Union Leaders' Summit in Luanda that Slovenia has done a lot in recent years to strengthen its partnership with African countries.

Below is Minister Fajon's speech in full.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Tanja Fajon, represented Slovenia at the seventh EU-African Union Summit in Luanda, attended by more than 40 European and African leaders. She participated in discussions on peace, security and governance, and held numerous bilateral meetings, where she presented Slovenia’s work in the Security Council, with a focus on Africa.

Prime Minister Robert Golob participated today, via video conference, in an informal meeting of the European Council. The leaders were briefed on the latest developments, with the primary objective being the establishment of lasting peace in Ukraine.

The Embassy of Slovenia in Tirana will be closed on 28 November 2025, on the occasion of the National Flag and Independence Day of Albania.

Dear citizens, dear Slovenians at home and abroad,

Today, we pay tribute to the courage and vision of General Rudolf Maister – a man of action, a devoted patriot and someone who understood clearly that a nation grows when it knows how to protect its future, and dares to do so.

The Morningstar DBRS credit rating agency upgraded Slovenia's credit rating from A (high) to AA (low) with a stable outlook. Meanwhile, Standard & Poor's (S&P) confirmed Slovenia’s AA credit rating with a stable outlook.

The newly appointed Minister of the Interior Branko Zlobko has taken the office from the outgoing Minister Boštjan Poklukar.

After several weeks of meetings in New York, the work of the UN General Assembly Committee on Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Issues, known as the Third Committee, which focuses largely on human rights issues, has concluded.

At the 75th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe (RC75th), Slovenia highlighted how health, sustainability, and support for local products can be combined into a thoughtful vision for the future. The message was clear: caring for people and caring for the planet are inseparable goals, and meaningful progress requires addressing both simultaneously.

The Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development has approved Cohesion Fund support for projects aimed at establishing and supporting regional mobility centres under the agreements on the development of regions. The approved EU funding will be used to support regional mobility centres in the Koroška and Gorenjska regions, the Ljubljana urban region, the Jugovzhodna Slovenija region and Northern Primorska.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon took part in the Fourth EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum in Brussels. In her interventions, she underscored the need to enhance economic and security cooperation between the two regions and to work jointly to address shared global challenges.

Slovenia is introducing a temporary residence permit for digital nomads on 21 November 2025.

On the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement, we remember one of the most important milestones in modern European history. The Agreement brought peace to Bosnia and Herzegovina and stability to the entire region. The diplomatic victory over war put an end to the immeasurable suffering endured by the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

On this day in 1945, the trials of leading Nazi figures from World War II began in Nuremberg. The trials laid the foundations of international criminal justice, ensuring that no serious crime would go unpunished.

Prime Minister Dr Robert Golob attended the ceremonial event marking the completion of construction works on Section 2 of the Divača–Koper second track. The event was also attended by Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, who ceremonially handed over an additional EUR 156 million of non-refundable EU funds to Slovenia.

At today’s session, the Government approved draft amendments to the acts governing Radiotelevizija Slovenija, sport, the legal profession, and equal opportunities for persons with disabilities, the latter introducing additional measures to improve the accessibility of public-use facilities for persons with disabilities. The Government also discussed the announced ownership changes at the Ljubljana Stock Exchange.

Slovenia has officially been awarded the hosting rights for the 2026 European Road Cycling Championships. The contract was formally signed by the Minister of Economy, Tourism and Sport, Matjaž Han; the President of the Slovenian Cycling Federation, Pavel Marđonović; and the President of the Union Européenne de Cyclisme (UEC), Enrico Della Casa.

The European Commission today welcomed the fourth proposal to amend the Slovenian Recovery and Resilience Plan. The amendment to the plan also needs to be approved by the Council of the European Union.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon participated in the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, where Foreign Ministers discussed Russian aggression in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East, the Sahel and Sudan. She also participated in ministerial events: the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting, the Ministerial Meeting of the Palestine Donor Group and the Fourth EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum.

This November edition marks the end of an eventful year, during which we have marked many significant anniversaries. The articles largely focus on the importance of the UN and multilateralism in general and the challenges they face. The Diplomatic Bulletin covers the 80th anniversary of the UN, past expectations and the commemorative publication released by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, as well as the visit of Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, to Slovenia.

State Secretary Neva Grašič participated in a panel discussion at the EU Enlargement Forum 2025 in Brussels at the invitation of European Commissioner Marta Kos. The Forum took place in light of the European Commission's recently published 2025 Enlargement Package, which confirms that the renewed momentum for enlargement stands high on the EU's priority agenda while the accession of new Member States is increasingly within reach.

Dr Marko Rakovec, Director-General and Chief Legal Adviser at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, participated in a round table entitled Frontiers of Humanity: International Humanitarian Law in Contemporary Humanitarian Crises, which accompanied the exhibition Dialogues on Humanity. The event was organised by the Faculty of Law, Ljubljana University, in cooperation with the Embassy of Switzerland in Ljubljana.

Minister Tanja Fajon hosted Laziz Kudratov, Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan, to discuss the deepening of economic cooperation and identifying practical opportunities to expand bilateral trade. Both ministers underlined that the first meeting of the Joint Slovenian-Uzbek Commission on Economic Cooperation reflects the successful high-level engagement between the two countries in recent years.

The Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development has approved European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) support for the project Curriculum reform – new ways to acquire knowledge, which aims to enhance the quality, inclusiveness, efficiency and relevance of the education and training systems. .

State Secretary Neva Grašič attended the General Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, where ministers and state secretaries started preparations for the December European Council. They discussed the new Multiannual Financial Framework 2028–2034 and the European Commission's work programme for 2026.

To mark the International Day for Tolerance, Tanja Fajon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, said: "We are concerned by the rising incidence of hate speech, including antisemitic and anti-Roma rhetoric. We recognise the need to effectively address all forms of intolerance and hate speech on an equal basis."

Prime Minister Robert Golob attended the opening of the First Slovenian Congress of Paediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, “SRČEK 2025”, which took place in Ljubljana on 14 and 15 November.

The latest macroeconomic data point to an acceleration of economic growth in the third quarter of this year. After a brief slowdown in the first quarter and a revival of growth in the second, economic activity strengthened further in the third quarter.

At the Plenary day of the Slovenian Tourism Days 2025, held on 11 November at Brdo pri Kranju, around 300 representatives of Slovenia’s tourism sector gathered. The discussions centred on the strength and significance of the national brand I feel Slovenia, which for eighteen years has successfully enhanced the visibility of our country around the world.

In the latest episode of the government GOVSI podcast, Minister of Finance Klemen Boštjančič presented the adopted state budgets for 2026 and 2027, the government’s key development priorities and the implemented reforms that contribute to strengthening Slovenia’s financial stability and long-term development.

Prime Minister Robert Golob met with the mayors of Southeast Slovenia today. The meeting was held to address the Roma community issues and the related solutions put forward in the Šutar Act.

At today’s session, the Government approved draft amendments to the Acts governing the organisation and financing of education, the guidance of children with special needs, the medical profession, and drivers. In addition, by amending the Weapons Act, it is introducing a temporary option for the voluntary surrender of firearms and ammunition to the police.

A high-level delegation from Ukraine visited the Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development. The focus of the multi-day trip was on the transfer of Slovenia's experience in implementing cohesion policy.

During a regional visit to the Goriška region, the Prime Minister and ministers met with local representatives to discuss the development challenges and opportunities of the area. In Vipava, the Government also held a “field” 178th regular session, at which it adopted a decision to establish a public institution for contemporary dance and took note of the signing of a letter of intent aimed at acquiring the status of a public university.

State Secretary Neva Grašič took part in the regular annual quadrilateral meeting of the deputy foreign ministers of Slovenia, Austria, Liechtenstein and Switzerland, held in Vaduz. This regional format has been in place since 2011.

At the start of the second Rog Forum international conference, which brings together creators, designers, decision-makers and experts to encourage reflections on the role of cultural and creative industries in addressing global challenges, Minister Fajon delivered an introductory address in which she emphasised that culture and art can reach where politics cannot and open hearts when diplomacy hits a wall.

As part of his Government visit to the Goriška region, Prime Minister Robert Golob also visited the Primorska Technology Park in Šempeter pri Gorici, where he made a statement to the media.

The UNESCO General Conference today unanimously proclaimed 13 September as the International Day of Caves and Karst. The initiative was officially submitted by the Republic of Slovenia at the proposal of the International Union of Speleology, which is based in Postojna. Under the authority of the Government, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning coordinated the activities for the proclamation of the International Day of Caves and Karst.