News

Today, Prime Minister Robert Golob called an informal meeting before the continuation of health pillar negotiations, inviting the representatives of major healthcare unions to discuss the situation and speed up negotiations.

Today, Prime Minister Dr Robert Golob met with President of Supreme Court of Slovenia, Dr Miodrag Đorđević.

Instead of artificial intelligence, we could use the term virtual intelligence, as powerful machines are still far from being intelligent, and instead of an ethics of artificial intelligence, we could talk about the ethics of those who use modern technologies, said Igor Papič, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, in his opening remarks on the second day of the Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence.

"We are aware that AI can improve our lives, but it can also pose certain dangers," said dr. Emilija Stojmenova Duh, Minister for Digital Transformation, at a press conference in the middle of the first day of the Global Forum on the Ethics of AI.

The European Commission Representation in Slovenia and the Recovery and Resilience Office today hosted the annual event of the Recovery and Resilience Plan in Slovenia. At the conference entitled Double Transition for Sustainable Economic Growth, the participants discussed the competitiveness of the Slovenian economy in light of the green and digital transition.

At the informal meeting of ministers responsible for cohesion policy, held in Mons, Belgium, Minister of Cohesion and Regional Development Dr Aleksander Jevšek pointed out that Slovenia is closing the 2014-2020 programming period as one of the most successful members in terms of EU Cohesion Policy funds absorption. The Minister also underlined that in the future, more support should be given to regions.

On the initiative of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, high-tech companies, centres of excellence and research institutes, the Slovenian Science Foundation, together with the Jožef Stefan Institute and the Embassy of India in Ljubljana, organised the first Slovenian-Indian Day of Science and Innovations at the Jožef Stefan Institute.

Please be informed that on 1 February 2024 the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia moved to Rruga ˝Skënderbej˝, number 21/1, Tirana.

The Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development has approved EU funding for the project Nationwide awareness-raising campaign on social inclusion of people with disabilities.

Prime Minister Robert Golob met with Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Audrey Azoulay.

In Rome, State Secretary Štucin met with Italian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Edmondo Cirielli to discuss the strengthening of bilateral relations between Slovenia and Italy. He also participated in a meeting of the Friends of the Western Balkans and presented a joint Slovenian-German initiative to improve the efficiency of decision-making in the enlargement process.

In Brussels, Minister Fajon took part in an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers hosted by Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib under the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council. The meeting was chaired by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell and focused on the EU's relations with Africa and Türkiye, as well as on further assistance to Ukraine and humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Ambassador Dr Andrej Benedejčič, Permanent Representative of Slovenia to NATO, took part in the visit of the North Atlantic Council to Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1-2 February 2024. Led by Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană, Allied Ambassadors and Invitee Sweden met with members of the Presidency, the Chairwoman and members of the Council of Ministers, the Foreign and Defence Ministers as well as members of the Collegium of House of Peoples and the House of Representatives of BiH. The programme included discussions with international community actors and civil society.

As part of the scheduled visits to regional chambers of commerce and industry, State Secretary Marko Štucin joined the plenary part of the visit of the economic diplomacy delegation of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs to the Zasavje region. During the visit organised by the Zasavje Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he met with representatives of the region’s companies and the heads of the Zasavje Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Minister Tanja Fajon attended the EU-Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum and the EU-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Brussels. In her remarks, she underlined Slovenia's commitment to strengthening EU cooperation with Indo-Pacific and Southeast Asian countries, given their great economic and geostrategic importance.

On 2 January 2024, the flag of Slovenia was officially raised in front of the Security Council Chamber together with other four new non-permanent members of the UN Security Council (Algeria, Guyana, Republic of Korea and Sierra Leone). During the ceremony the Representative of Slovenia to the UN Security Council Ambassador Samuel Žbogar stated: "The work of Slovenia in the Council will be guided by the UN Charter, international law, and our foreign policy of peace. We pledge to act in good will and transparency. We trust in the multilateral system with the UN at its core as the only way to find solutions to the most serious crisis." Slovenia will base its activities on four thematic priorities: prevention of conflicts, protection of populations in armed conflicts, women, peace and security and climate, peace and security.

The Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development has approved EU funding for the project Non-formal education and training.

Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in the United States hosted a presentation and degustation of Slovenian wines on January 31st 2024. Representatives of Klet Krško and Ptujska klet were personally present at the event, organized by Marq Wine Group and was part of the Wines of Slovenia promotion tour in Chicago, Dallas, New York and Washington D.C..

On January 26, Ambassador Iztok Mirošič had the honor of presenting the Letter of Credence from Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar to the esteemed First Vice President Brunner in Costa Rica. Subsequently, Ambassador Mirošič participated in substantive discussions with President Chaves and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Worship, André Tinoco.

Today, Prime Minister Robert Golob attended a special European Council meeting in Brussels. The EU leaders were unanimous in their position on the revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021–2027, in particular as it relates to the envisaged financial support for Ukraine.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon met Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib in Brussels to discuss the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU, the signing of the Ljubljana – The Hague Convention, feminist foreign policy, Slovenia's membership of the UN Security Council and other current European and foreign policy issues.

Slovenia celebrated the official launch of its Presidency of the EU Strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP) with an opening event in Postojna, attended by around 100 national and international representatives. The event presented the programme of the Slovenian Presidency and the main upcoming activities of EUSALP in 2024.

On Tuesday, February 6th, the Archive, the reading room will be closed due to a cultural event.

Today, the UN Security Council convened an open briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. The meeting followed the 26 January order by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the case of South Africa against Israel, indicating provisional measures. Slovenia voiced its clear and strong support to the ICJ’s work and underlined that UNRWA is playing an indispensable role in the midst of the current crisis.

The Embassy of Slovenia in the Hague is looking for an experienced driver for a full time position of Embassy Driver/Caretaker.

Interested in joining our team? Apply by March 15.

A political agreement was reached between the EU Council and the European Parliament on Tuesday, 30 January 2024, regarding the European Commission's proposals for greater transparency in the labelling of the origin of honey blends.

At today's session, the Government adopted a proposal for amendments to the Promotion of Digital Inclusion Act, which determine who is eligible to access computer equipment in more detail. It also approved the call for applications for enrolment in undergraduate and integrated master study programmes in the 2024/2025 academic year.

Slovenia's energy self-sufficiency and the long-term use of nuclear energy warrant the broadest possible national and political consensus.

During the consultations in Warsaw, State Secretary Marko Štucin met Polish Minister for the EU Adam Szłapka, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Andrzej Szejna, and Head of the International Policy Bureau in the Cabinet of the President of the Republic of Poland Mieszko Pawlak. The talks focused on bilateral relations between the two countries, as well as current European and international issues.

Prime Minister Robert Golob met with Wang Yong, the Vice-Chair of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

On the margins of the EU General Affairs Council, State Secretary Marko Štucin took part in the EU-Montenegro Intergovernmental Conference, where participants took stock of the overall accession process and provided political steer for future work. The Conference is a recognition of the results achieved by Montenegro and an encouragement to continue reforms, with special focus on the rule of law.

At the EU General Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU set out the priorities for the Council's work in the first half of 2024, with a focus on the topics addressed by the General Affairs Council. The six-month period will be marked by the end of the mandates of the current European Commission and European Parliament, and by the European elections.

Prime Minister Robert Golob received today at Brdo pri Kranju representatives of organisations that provided relief to those affected by the floods in August last year.

On 27 January, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, proclaimed by the UN General Assembly, Slovenia remembers the Jewish, Roma and other victims of the Holocaust, including many from Slovenia.

Slovenia welcomes today's order delivered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the case of South Africa against Israel, indicating provisional measures, including that Israel must take effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed humanitarian assistance to the civilian population in Gaza and prevent genocide in Gaza.

Ljubljana, 26 January 2024 – The Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development has issued 37 funding decisions marking the start of the implementation of community-led local development (CLLD) in the framework of 37 Local Action Groups (LAG). A total of 40.1 million euros in ERDF funding was approved for the implementation of CLLD.

Today, two days before World Holocaust Remembrance Day, the military facility Kadetnica in Maribor hosted the opening of a guest exhibition entitled A Tale of Two Transports, the Jews of Medjimurje and Prekmurje during the Holocaust, prepared by Boris Hajdinjak, Director of the Centre of Jewish Cultural Heritage Synagogue Maribor.

At today's session, the Government adopted a decision on drafting a national spatial plan for reducing flood risks in the Lower Savinja Valley, with a view to comprehensively reducing flood risks in urban areas. It also approved the Agreement on the Amendments to the Strike Agreement with the Higher Education Trade Union.

Minister of the Interior Boštjan Poklukar attended an informal meeting of the Council of Ministers of the European Union for Home Affairs in Antwerp and Brussels on Wednesday and Thursday.

EU Med Ministers and State Secretaries met today in Brussels on the initiative of the Greek Minister of Agriculture. The group consists of Mediterranean countries that are EU member states: Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain. Slovenia was represented by State Secretary Eva Knez.

The Government adopted the opinion on the draft recommendation to address the worrying situation in residential care homes and approved an amendment to the Act Regulating the Implementation of the Budgets of the Republic of Slovenia.

The Siol.net portal has published an article entitled "The forgotten lesson of 1991, when Slovenians drove out the occupier" in the Active Citizenship thematic section, which provides readers with in-depth information on specific topics. Within the article, Dr. Damir Črnčec, the State Secretary at the Ministry of Defence, addresses questions regarding the current state of the Slovenian Armed Forces and their preparedness for a potential escalation of armed conflict in Europe.

The Ministry of Finance will issue bonds for citizens on 1 February with a maturity of three years, an issue volume of €250 million and an interest rate of 3.4 %.

For the first time since Slovenia became a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon participated in the ministerial meeting of the UNSC in New York on the situation in the Middle East. In her address, she called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and in the region, outlining the reasons why it is so important.

The discussion at the first Agriculture and Fisheries Council under the Belgian Presidency has revolved around the future of agriculture in Europe and the international trade in agricultural products, and the establishment of an EU-wide forest monitoring framework.

The Prime Minister, Robert Golob, and the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Nataša Pirc Musar, hosted their traditional New Year's reception for the Diplomatic Corps. On this occasion, he highlighted Slovenia's main domestic and foreign policy achievements over the past year.

Minister Tanja Fajon attended the regular meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, where the discussions were again devoted to the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East. During the debate on the Middle East, the EU foreign ministers were joined by several ministers from the region, with whom they agreed to step up their cooperation in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Ambassador Dr Andrej Benedejčič, Permanent Representative of Slovenia to NATO, hosted a reception at NATO Headquarters for members of NATO Civil Society Advisory Panel for Women, Peace and Security, as well as Allies and partner countries.

In the first episode of the GOVSI podcast, host Boštjan Lajovic hosts Tanja Fajon, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, and Marjan Šarc, Minister of Defence.

At today’s session, the Government appointed Finance Minister Klemen Boštjančič the head of the umbrella negotiating group for negotiations and coordination with the representative trade unions of the public sector. It also appointed the heads and members of negotiating group for negotiations by individual wage tiers.