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State Secretary Neva Grašič held political consultations with Thomas Byrne, Minister of State with responsibility for European Affairs and Defence at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland. The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations and exchanging views on current European and global issues, particularly in light of Ireland’s preparations for the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2026.

Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Slovenia and Spain condemn the latest Israeli legislation targeting UNRWA, including measures to cut water, electricity and communications to its facilities. Such actions undermine the UN mandate, violate international law and run counter to the findings of the International Court of Justice, while risking grave humanitarian consequences for the Palestinian civilian population and refugees.

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovenia and Spain strongly condemn the most recent Israeli offensive launched in the Strip and the announcement to establish a permanent presence in Gaza City.

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain strongly condemn the recent announcement by the Government of Israel of the intensification of the occupation and the military offensive, including in Gaza city. This decision will only deepen the humanitarian crisis and further endanger the remaining hostages’ lives. This operation will lead to an unacceptable high toll of deaths and the forced displacement of nearly one million Palestinian civilians.

One year after the official recognition of the State of Palestine by Ireland, Norway, Slovenia and Spain, in the framework of the ‘Madrid+’ Group of the meeting, we have met to renew and reinforce the international commitment for the implementation of the two-State solution and to the principle that only a viable, contiguous Palestinian State, with internationally recognised borders, comprised of Gaza and the West Bank and with East Jerusalem as its capital, can fully satisfy the legitimate national aspirations and the needs of peace and security of both the people of Palestine and Israel.

"I welcome today's announcement by the leaders of the Kingdom of Spain, the Republic of Ireland and the Kingdom of Norway on recognising the State of Palestine. In recent weeks, I have been in close and regular contact with them. In the coming days, I will also be in contact with many colleagues from EU Member States that have not yet recognised Palestine, in the hope that they join the recognition process in the near future.

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.

During a visit to Dublin, State Secretary Marko Štucin held bilateral consultations with Peter Burke, Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence in the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ireland. The two officials discussed the strengthening of bilateral relations and engaged in an in-depth exchange of views on current European and international topics.

Secretary of State, Ms Tatjana Buzeti, participated in the 13th OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) Rural Development Policy Conference. The 3-day Conference, “Building sustainable, resilient and thriving rural places”, organised by the Irish Government, exposed a number of burning issues, relevant to coherent rural development.

State Secretary Marko Štucin spoke at one of the panels on the future of the EU at the 17th Bled Strategic Forum, highlighting the need to further strengthen the Union’s resilience in the light of current challenges and advocating for a stable and secure EU based on shared values.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan held a videoconference call with Colm Brophy, the Minister of State for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora at the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ireland. The pair discussed development cooperation, including the priorities of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU, now just a matter of days away.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan held consultations with Thomas Byrne, Minister of State for European Affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland, ahead of the Slovenian EU Council Presidency.

Ten years ago, millions of Syrians took to the streets of Dara’a, Aleppo and Damascus, calling for democracy and respect of their fundamental rights and basic freedoms. The brutal response by the regime triggered over the span of a decade one of the most serious criminal enterprises and humanitarian crises since the Second World War resulting in more than 400 000 deaths and in countless violations of human rights.