News

State Secretary Marko Štucin hosted the new Austrian Federal Minister for Europe, Integration and Family, Claudia Plakolm, for consultations. They discussed the most topical issues currently being addressed in the EU and agreed that Slovenia and Austria share similar views on several EU policies.

Minister Tanja Fajon met with representatives of the Slovenian minority in Austria at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs in Ljubljana today to discuss topical issues relating to their situation, rights and development.

The Minister of economy, tourism and sport, Matjaž Han, is visiting Salzburg today, one of the world’s most renowned tourist destinations. During his visit, he met with representatives from the tourism and business sectors and visited one of the leading companies in the region. The main goal of the visit is to strengthen economic cooperation between Slovenia and Austria and to exchange best practices in tourism and industry.

Today, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon received in Ljubljana Alexander Schallenberg, Federal Minister for European and International Affairs of the Republic of Austria, and Gordan Grlić Radman, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, as part of the second meeting of the so-called Trilateral.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Slovenians Abroad, Matej Arčon, visited the Slovenian community in Vienna. He met with Slovenian societies at the Korotan Student Residence and Hotel, where the main focus was on the establishment’s operation after Slovenia’s recent capital increase aimed at securing the future of this symbol of Slovenian identity in Vienna.

Slovenia concluded its second Presidency of the EU Strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP) with the 9th Annual Forum at Brdo pri Kranju. The priorities of Slovenia's Presidency of the Strategy, which provides a valuable platform for regional cooperation and the search for common solutions, were youth, water and the circular economy.

State Secretary Marko Štucin reaffirmed the good neighbourly relations during bilateral consultations with Nikolaus Marschik, Secretary General of the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs, held in Bled. He expressed hope that Austria would continue to adopt measures to improve the situation of the Slovenian minority through close cooperation with the minority community.

State Secretary Marko Štucin attended the quadrilateral meeting of deputy foreign ministers of Slovenia, Austria, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. They exchanged views on current European and international issues.

State Secretary Marko Štucin attended bilateral consultations in Vienna. He met with Karoline Edtstadler, Austrian Federal Minister for the EU and Constitution, and Nikolaus Marschik, Secretary General for Foreign Affairs at the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs.

At the invitation of Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg, Minister Tanja Fajon attended the Europa-Forum Wachau, a platform for discussion on European integration, with this year's edition focusing on the Western Balkans. The event also included a meeting of the Friends of the Western Balkans group.

On the 69th anniversary of the signing of the Austrian State Treaty, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs would like to emphasise that the Austrian State Treaty is of lasting importance for the Republic of Slovenia, as Article 7 of the Treaty provides an international legal basis for guaranteeing the rights of the Slovenian minority in Carinthia and Styria. The Republic of Slovenia is the legal successor to the Treaty and the state protector of the Slovenian minority.

Representatives of Slovenia and Carinthia met at Brdo pri Kranju for the 7th session of the Joint Committee Slovenia – Carinthia, co-chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Tanja Fajon, and the Governor of Carinthia, Dr Peter Kaiser. The chairs reaffirmed the excellent relations and committed to continuing their successful cooperation.

Prime Minister Robert Golob attended a consultation of leaders in Vienna to discuss the strategic priorities of the European Union for the next five-year period. The leaders of Cyprus, Denmark, Malta, Slovenia and Denmark attended the working dinner, alongside the hosts, European Council President Charles Michel and Austrian Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer.

State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs Marko Štucin received Gabriel Hribar, President of the Unity List, the umbrella party of the Slovenian national minority in Austria, and Rudi Vouk, President of the Association of Slovenian Lawyers in Carinthia. They discussed the situation of the Slovenian minority in Austria and the petition on the inadequate implementation of minority rights.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon hosted a meeting of the foreign ministers of the informal Central 5 group, with the participation of Alexander Schallenberg, Minister of European and International Affairs of Austria, Jan Lipavský, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, Péter Szijjárto, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, and Juraj Blanár Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia.

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 Joint Committee Slovenia - Styria, which meets once a year in plenary session, held its sixth meeting in Celje. It was co-chaired by Tanja Fajon, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, and Christopher Drexler, Governor of Styria. In a joint statement, the two sides welcomed the initiative of the Slovenian minority to establish a "House of Cooperation" in Graz.

State Secretary Marko Štucin met with the President of the Austrian Federal Council, Claudia Arpa. They discussed, among other things, the good cooperation between the two countries and reviewed the possibilities for further deepening bilateral relations.

Minister Tanja Fajon welcomed ministers and representatives from 14 Danube countries to a ministerial meeting at Brdo pri Kranju and opened the 12th Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR). Slovenia thus concluded its one-year EUSDR Presidency and handed it over to Austria. More than 350 participants from all over Europe attended the Forum.

State Secretary Marko Štucin received the Austrian Governor of Styria, Christoph Drexler, in Ljubljana. They discussed cooperation between Slovenia and the Austrian province of Styria and called for its further development.