News, Notices

At today’s 63rd extraordinary session of the National Assembly, Prime Minister Janez Janša responded to questions from deputies mag. Alenka Bratušek from SAB, Zmago Jelinčič Plemeniti from SNS, Marjan Šarec from LMŠ and Anja Bah Žibert from SDS about the effects of the adopted anti-crisis measures, reopening of catering establishments, government measures in the field of public finances, the national vaccination strategy, and measures for containing the spread of COVID-19 and mitigating the consequences of the epidemic.

At the invitation of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, State Secretary Stanislav Raščan today represented Slovenia in an international High-Level Pledging Event for the Humanitarian Situation in Yemen, in his capacity as Minister for Development Cooperation. He announced Slovenia’s additional contribution for humanitarian aid to the affected population in Yemen.

Minister Zdravko Počivalšek attended a video session of the Informal Ministerial Conference on European Tourism, a top-level debate. The Portuguese EU Council presidency convened a meeting at the initiative of some Mediterranean countries whose economies depend on tourism to improve the free movement of people within the EU's internal and external borders, as well as possible additional EU tools to help launch the EU tourism industry in the short and medium term.

At the press conference, Sanja Vuzem of the Maribor regional unit of the National Institute of Public Health spoke about the current confirmed case of the South African coronavirus strain in Slovenia.

In cooperation with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Ministry of Public Administration will hold the Regional Forum for Europe on Meaningful Connectivity on 8 and 9 March 2021. At the event, Minister of Public Administration Boštjan Koritnik, who wrote a blog post for ITU News prior to this event, will hold the opening address. He expressed his thoughts on the development and progress of digitalisation in Slovenia and described how and where digital technology is used in Slovenia to combat the COVID-19 epidemic.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved EU funding for the project Promotion of entrepreneurship in the Goričko Natural Park. The EUR 1.2 million development project will be carried out by municipality Šalovci and will receive support from the European Regional Development Fund in the amount of EUR 570,000.

At Brdo pri Kranju today, Foreign Minister Anže Logar hosted the ministers of foreign affairs of the Central 5 initiative, namely, the Austrian Federal Minister for European and International Affairs, Alexander Schallenberg, the Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tomáš Petříček, the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjárto, and the Slovak Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Ivan Korčok.

At today's press conference, Minister of Health Janez Poklukar said that Slovenia has confirmed the first case of the South African coronavirus variant, detected in the Maribor area in a person who has returned from Africa. The Epidemiological Service traced all high-risk contacts and sent them into quarantine.

EU ministers responsible for research discussed today the links between recovery and resilience plans (RRF) and the European Research Area at an informal videoconference.

A press conference on the current situation regarding the Covid-19 virus was held by Minister of the Interior Aleš Hojs, Director of the National Institute of Public Health Milan Krek, Head of the Consulate Sector at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Andrej Šter and Slovene living in Argentina Mariana Poznič.

State Secretary Raščan held a video call today with the Director of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Regional Office for the European Economic Area, the European Union and NATO Ola Henrikson.

We are publishing the letter of Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia Mr. Janez Janša to the president of the European Comission Ursula von der Leyen.

Minister of Economic Development and Technology Zdravko Počivalšek participated in an informal videoconference of ministers of EU Member States responsible for the internal market and industry. The morning session was dedicated to a political discussion of the European Semester in the context of the Union’s recovery process and national recovery and resilience plans as an instrument for the implementation of industrial strategy, strengthening the internal market, the twin transition and strategic autonomy, and a discussion of the new consumer agenda. The afternoon session featured a discussion of the draft directive on the public disclosure of certain tax information by undertakings (i.e. the Country-By-Country Reporting or CbCR Directive).

Today, State Secretary Stanislav Raščan delivered the opening address at the “E-Mobility: Slovenia–Germany” web conference organised by the Slovenian E-mobility Association. In his address, he emphasised the great importance of economic cooperation between the two countries, above all in the automotive industry, which accounts for more than a quarter of total bilateral trade.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved additional EU funding for the “Call for proposals for financing of initiatives to restart business in problematic border areas – COVID 19” implemented by the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology. The total funding made available under the call for proposals amounts to over EUR 14.2 million of which the European Regional Development Fund contribution represents over EUR 10.5 million.

State Secretary mag. Monika Kirbiš Rojs today participated in a video conference featuring high-level officials from the Visegrad Group, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Slovenia to share experience in the preparation of national recovery and resilience plans. The video conference was organised by the Polish Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy under the auspices of the Polish Presidency of the Visegrad Group.

Today’s press conference on the current situation with regard to Covid-19 was attended by State Secretary at the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology Simon Zajc, State Secretary at the Ministry of Infrastructure Blaž Košorok, Deana Potza of the Health Inspectorate, and Deputy Director General of the Police Tomaž Pečjak.

On 27 January 2021, the Communication Office of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia (GCO) fulfilled all of its obligations to the Slovenian Press Agency (SPA) arising from the public service contract.

Prime Minster and leader of the Slovenian Democratic Party Janez Janša attended a meeting today with the leaders of the parliamentary parties, hosted by Slovenian President Borut Pahor. The meeting was attended by leader of the Modern Centre Party (SMC) Zdravko Počivalšek, leader of the New Slovenia Party (NSI) Matej Tonin, leader of the Social Democratic Party (SD) Tanja Fajon, leader of the Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) Alenka Bratušek, leader of the Slovenian Nationalist Party (SNS) Zmago Jelinčič and leader of the Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia (DeSUS) Karl Erjavec.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar is visiting the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg today, where he was welcomed by his host, Jean Asselborn, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs and Minister for Immigration and Asylum, and Fernand Etgen, President of the Chamber of Deputies. The Minister also visited the European Investment Bank, where he met with its president, Werner Hoyer.