Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy, the Managing Authority for ERDF, ESF and Cohesion Fund, has issued grant decisions for two projects promoting conservation of natural and cultural heritage in the Drava River basin, which fall in the scope of the Natura 2000 Management Programme. Both project budgets amount to over EUR 8.2 million; the projects will receive a contribution of EUR 6.5 million from ERDF (European Regional Development Fund).

At the end of the previous week, on 5 and 6 October 2019, the "My Safety and Mobility" hackathon was held at ABC Accelerator in Ljubljana. The event brought together 48 participants who developed their ideas on the subjects listed in the public competition for the selection of the "My Safety and Mobility" concept, announced by the Ministry of Public Administration.

You are cordially invited to attend the opening of the exhibition Slovenians in the United States Today, which will take place on October 9th, 2019 at 1 p.m. in the park in front of the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia.

The latest Report on the Implementation of EU Cohesion Policy in the Period January 2014-June 2019 and the Report on the Implementation of the Action Plan to Accelerate the Spending under the Operational Programme for the Implementation of EU Cohesion Policy in the Period 2014-2020 were presented to Slovenian Government. The Government will submit the documents to the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia.

At the invitation of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Warsaw Security Forum, State Secretary Dobran Božič is attending this year’s Forum, taking place on 2 and 3 October.

At its session today the government approved draft amendments to four tax, adopted the Draft Act amending the Pension and Disability Insurance Act, defined the text of the Draft Act amending the Labour Market Act and adopted a draft amendment to the text of the Aviation Act.

An international conference on the public administration challenges facing the Western Balkan countries held in Ljubljana concluded yesterday. The conference was organised by the ReSPA (Regional School of Public Administration) and hosted by the Slovenian Ministry of Public Administration. The participants were addressed by Slovenian Minister of Public Administration Rudi Medved.

Minister Dr Miro Cerar hosted Minister of Foreign and European Affairs and Minister of Immigration and Asylum of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Jean Asselborn on an official visit to Slovenia today. The counterparts confirmed excellent bilateral relations between the two countries, based on common European values, the rule of law and similar views on current European and global issues.

For nearly 30 years, 1 October has been celebrated as the International Day of Older Persons. This year’s celebration is held under the theme ‘’The Journey to Age Equality’’ and is aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 10. In Slovenia, numerous measures promoting employment of older workers and active and healthy ageing are supported by the European Social Fund (ESF).

An international conference on the public administration challenges facing the Western Balkan countries is taking place in Ljubljana these days. The conference is organized by ReSPA (Regional School of Public Administration), and this year is hosted by the Slovenian Ministry of Public Administration.

The United Nations General Assembly designated 1 October as International Day of Older Persons to highlight the frequently overlooked position of this population group in society. The Foreign Ministry is using this occasion to call for the elimination of age discrimination and for the establishment of effective international mechanisms for the protection of older persons.

State Secretary Dobran Božič has received a business delegation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The visit in Slovenia of this first major government and business delegation in nineteen years will last until 3 October.

The 42nd session of the UN Human Rights Council, which concluded in Geneva today, saw the adoption of resolutions on the human rights situation in Venezuela and Sudan. Slovenia sponsored a resolution on a world programme on human rights education and training, foreseeing a multiannual focus on teaching young people about human rights.

In New York, Foreign Minister Miro Cerar hosted a breakfast for ministers and senior representatives of the Green Group. The group, established by Slovenia, gathers six small countries dedicated to promoting green policies and the transition to a green economy and the use of renewables: Slovenia, Singapore, Iceland, Costa Rica, the United Arab Emirates and Cabo Verde.

At the Paris conference to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), State Secretary Simona Leskovar underscored Slovenia’s determination to prevent discrimination.

The Slovenian Prime Minister addressed the UN General Assembly at its 74th session, which is centred around the theme of Galvanising multilateral efforts for poverty eradication, quality education, climate action and inclusion.

A champion of preventive diplomacy and mediation, Slovenia has been a member of the Group of Friends of Mediation from its inception in 2010 at the initiative of Finland and Turkey. The group currently has fifty-eight members.

As a token of Slovenia’s advocacy of the rule of law, preventive diplomacy and multilateralism, Foreign Minister Dr Miro Cerar participated in three major events in areas where Slovenia plays an active and prominent role: an event in support of the International Criminal Court (ICC), a meeting of the Group of Friends of Mediation and an event in support of multilateralism.

On Wednesday, Slovenian Foreign Minister Miro Cerar took part in a conference on facilitating a nuclear test ban pursuant to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). Adopted by the UN General Assembly in September 1996, the Treaty has been signed by 184 countries; Slovenia signed the CTBT twenty years ago.

On the penultimate day of his attendance of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Slovenian Prime Minister Marjan Šarec had a meeting with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.