News

"The construction of the Cirkovce–Pince transmission line could not have been completed at a better time, as Europe is preparing for the the much-awaited green transition, while at the same time such investments provide much-needed energy stability," said Prime Minister Robert Golob at a press conference held together with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban after the opening of the 2x400-kV overhead line. The ceremony was also attended by Croatian Economy Minister Davor Filipović.

Minister of Defence Marjan Šarec attended the two-day ministerial meeting of the Central European Defence Cooperation (CEDC) Initiative in Krems, Austria.

Minister Irena Šinko has hosted her Turkish counterpart Vahit Kirişci, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Türkiye, for a two-day visit in Slovenia.

The recipients of Slovenia’s highest accolades for achievements in the arts for 2023 have been named. In line with the decision and resolutions of the Prešeren Fund Management Board, the 2023 Prešeren Award goes to multidisciplinary artist Ema Kugler, and the Academy-trained painter Prof. Herman Gvardjančič.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food has issued an open call to citizens, legal persons or other organisations for the identification of candidates for the 2023 Golden Bee Award.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Fajon attended the 29th Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe in Łódź, Poland, where foreign ministers discussed the war in Ukraine and the current situation within the OSCE.

Prime Minister Robert Golob, President of the Republic Borut Pahor and President of the National Assembly Urška Klakočar Zupančič organised and hosted a traditional reception for representatives of disabled people's organisations at Brdo pri Kranju ahead of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which is commemorated on 3 December.

Under the leadership of the National Coordination of Macro-Regional Strategies at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Slovenia will hold the Presidency of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) from 1 November 2022 to 31 October 2023. Its term will conclude with the EUSDR Annual Forum, which Slovenia is planning to hold on 24–25 October 2023 at Brdo pri Kranju.

At today’s session the government determined the draft act on emergency intervention to address high energy prices, and began discussing the draft act on aid to the economy to mitigate the impact of the energy crisis. The government also adopted a response to the report filed by FIDES regarding the violation of the code of ethics by the Deputy Prime Minister Danijel Bešič Loredan.

In Rabat, the capital city of Morocco, where the 17th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage is taking place, the multinational nomination of Lipizzan horse breeding traditions has been listed on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

How will the unitary patent system simplify and improve the European patent system for the benefit of its users? This was the focus of today's event organised by the Slovenian Intellectual Property Office, the European Patent Office and the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry for companies and interested professionals. The system is due to enter into force in April next year.

This year again, a pre-Christmas meeting of Slovenians in Finland was held in Helsinki, organized by our Honorary Consul Andreja Valtanen. Slovenian Ambassador Mihael Zupančič attended the gathering.

In Rabat, the capital city of Morocco, where the 17th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage is taking place, the 'Beekeeping in Slovenia, a way of life' project has been listed on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The National Security Council (SNAV), consisting of the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defence, the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Infrastructure, and the Director of the Slovenian Intelligence and Security Agency, met today at the first regular meeting in this term.

This year’s national conference of non-governmental organisations, organised by the Centre for Information Service, Co-operation and Development of NGOs (CNVOS), is aimed at addressing online, media and physical assaults on non-governmental organisations at home and abroad. Speakers shall discuss how to protect against such assaults, how and when to efficiently respond to them, and how to communicate them. The participants were greeted by the Minister of Public Administration, Sanja Ajanovič Hovnik.

Minister of Justice dr. Dominika Švarc Pipan and State Secretary dr. Igor Šoltes visited the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and the Council of Europe, in light of the thirtieth anniversary of Slovenia's membership in the Council of Europe, which will take place next year.

The main topics of the visit of the Minister for Digital Transformation, Dr Emilija Stojmenova Duh, to Osaka, Japan on 24 November 2022 were the announcement of deeper cooperation between Slovenian universities and the University of Osaka and its research centres, the use of robots in creating a more inclusive society, and the role of the Smart City Strategy in ensuring the digital and green transition.

Minister for Digital Transformation Dr Emilija Stojmenova Duh attended the Ministerial Council Meeting of the Global Partnership for Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) in Tokyo, Japan, on 22 November 2022. The meeting adopted a declaration agreeing that the development of an AI ecosystem is essential to address the complex challenges facing society, but that it must be safe and focused on human well-being.

Minister for Digital Transformation, Dr Emilija Stojmenova Duh, met with prominent representatives of the Japanese government, business and academia working in the field of digital transformation at the start of her official visit to Tokyo on 21 and 22 of November 2022. She also took part in a roundtable discussion on country practices and challenges of global cooperation in the development and use of artificial intelligence, organised by the GPAI on 22 of November 2022.

At today’s sessions of the government committees, the government, among other things, recapitalised the Public Fund of the Republic of Slovenia for Regional and Rural Development, activated the new item in the budget titled Increase of earmarked assets of the Slovene Enterprise Fund - Expensiveness, adopted multiple decisions on the reallocation of the national budget funds, and included some new projects in the applicable Development Programmes Plan 2022-2025.