Today, the WHO Regional Office for Europe published the results of the vote by secret ballot of the new members of the WHO Executive Board for the period 2021–2024. In view of the current epidemiological situation, the elections took place in the form of a postal ballot. Slovenia was nominated with its candidate, Ms Vesna Kerstin Petrič.

The situation concerning COVID-19 was discussed at a press conference by Mateja Logar from the Clinic for Infectious Diseases at the University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Matej Tušak from the Faculty of Sport and Government spokesperson Jelko Kacin.

The new issue of the News from Nuclear Slovenia is published.

The speakers at today's press conference on the current situation concerning the COVID-19 epidemic were Prof. Mojca Matičič from the Clinic for Infectious Diseases at the University Medical Centre Ljubljana, who is also a professional mentor to students at the government call centre, and government spokesperson Ambassador Jelko Kacin.

Today, 26 October 2020, the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology published a public tender for the promotion of the re-establishment of Slovenia's air connectivity. The aim of the tender is to maintain existing international airlines, encourage the re-establishment of scheduled airlines that have already stopped flying to Slovenia due to the consequences of the pandemic, and encourage new airlines to fly in Slovenia.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has issued a financial support decision for the project “Izola cycle route”. The project worth a little under EUR 1.9 million will be implemented by the Municipality Izola and will receive EUR 763,000 of European Regional Development Fund support.

The Archives of the Republic of Slovenia will be closed to all visitors and users of archival records from 26 October 2020 until further notice. To obtain information or data from archival records, contact the archive in writing by regular mail or e-mail or during office hours by telephone.

The Archives of the Republic of Slovenia - the central and largest archival institution in Slovenia - is currently celebrating its 75th birthday. Namely, on October 31, 1945, the National Government of Slovenia issued a decree establishing the Central State Archives of Slovenia and Archival Council.

At today’s correspondence session, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia issued the Ordinance on temporary partial restriction of the movement of people and the restriction or prohibition of public gatherings in order to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infections and published it in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia.

On the social network Twitter, Prime Minister Janez Janša wrote that the Government is taking new measures due to the growing number of infected people. The restriction of movement to municipalities will thus be introduced on Tuesday, whereby the same exceptions will apply as in the spring. This restriction will initially be in place for a week for the whole of Slovenia and will be lifted gradually, starting with the regions that first limit the spread of the epidemic.

Nothing in the life of a person or a nation should be taken for granted. Especially events as glorious as birth and the successful defence of an independent country. The Sovereignty Day is a national holiday when we commemorate one of the crucial events in Slovenia’s process of gaining independence. In October 1991, the last soldier of the occupying Yugoslav People’s Army left Slovenia. Slovenia thus not only formally, but de facto became a sovereign country.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša met with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama at a working meeting.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has issued a financial support decision for the project “Co-financing of operating costs for companies in tourism and hospitality sector during the COVID-19 epidemic”. The project worth EUR 10 million will be implemented by the public agency SPIRIT and will receive over EUR 7.2 million of European Regional Development Fund support.

At its correspondence session, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia issued the Ordinance of imposing and implementing measures to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic at border crossing points at the external border and inspection posts within national borders of the Republic of Slovenia and published it in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia.

Slovenia and Ukraine held virtual consultations on cybersecurity. The Slovenian delegation was led by State Secretary Tone Kajzer, and the Ukrainian side was headed by the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Vasyl Bodnar.

Today’s press conference on the current situation regarding the coronavirus was attended by Minister of Economic Development and Technology Zdravko Počivalšek, Minister of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Janez Cigler Kralj, Minister of Education, Science and Sport Simona Kustec, Acting Director-General of the Public Health Directorate at the Ministry of Health Vesna-Kerstin Petrič, and Government spokesman Jelko Kacin.

Early this morning, the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council reached agreement on the general approach to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform beyond 2020 legislative package. This is an important achievement as the agreement facilitates opening the negotiations with the European Parliament. On behalf of Slovenia, the meeting was attended by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, Dr Jože Podgoršek, who earmarked the compromise as extremely important achievement within the EU for the entire agricultural sector. “It is most important that we, the ministers, have come to an agreement that facilitates the continuation of the demanding CAP reform process and its subsequent timely implementation. In negotiations, Slovenia succeeded in ensuring the essential elements for the development of agriculture in Slovenia, while simultaneously following the environmental protection guidelines. Particular attention has been on small farmers in terms of reducing the administrative burdens.” At the meeting that commenced on Monday, the ministers discussed certain other topics in agriculture and fisheries.

What is the future that we want? Are we on the right track to reach it? What must be done to overcome the differences?

At today's press conference Prime Minister Janez Janša presented an overall assessment of the situation after adoption of some additional measures for the containment of the coronavirus in the last days. "We believe that we are able to cope with the situation and this is mainly because we are now dealing with the virus as it is. Namely as a threat which is symmetrical and does not select by any other criteria than those applicable to the virus," the Prime Minister began his address.

Prime Minister Janez Janša held a videoconference today with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Their discussions focused on the serious spread of the coronavirus.