News

Minister Irena Šinko attended the Agriculture and Fisheries Council. The presidency informed the ministers on the proposed regulation on packaging and packaging waste and the ministers discussed the situation of the market for agricultural products following the war in Ukraine. There was also a discussion on current practices related to the marketing of frozen products and the need for enhancing tools and strategies for a systemic management and response to the growing risks in agricultural markets.

The May meeting of the EU General Affairs Council focused on preparations for the European Council meeting to be held in Brussels on 29 and 30 June and, under the Article 7 TEU procedure, on the state of the rule of law in Poland and Hungary.

The celebration of World Bee Day in Kalmthout Arboretum was co-organised by the Slovenian Embassy in Belgium with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food. State Secretary Tatjana Buzeti and Ambassador Barbara Sušnik attended the event along with other guests. A bee tree was planted on the occasion.

After two weeks of intensive negotiations between nearly 300 experts in public international law and international criminal law, the MLA Conference adopted the Ljubljana-Hague Convention, which will enable countries to cooperate internationally in the investigation and prosecution of the most serious international crimes. It is also the first major treaty in the field of international criminal law since the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

Prime Minister dr. Robert Golob visited the Ministry of Defence, where he was greeted with military honours.

On the margins of the diplomatic conference for the adoption of the MLA Convention, which ends today in Ljubljana, State Secretary Marko Štucin met with the Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine, Iryna Mudra. Their discussions focused on the importance of ensuring accountability for war crimes.

Today, Prime Minister dr. Robert Golob received the European Commissioner for Budget and Administration, Johannes Hahn, who is currently visiting member states.

Prime Minister Robert Golob and deputies of the Italian and Hungarian national communities, Felice Žiža and Ferenc Horváth, today formalised their cooperation by signing an agreement.

State Secretary Marko Štucin hosted Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs of North Macedonia Bojan Maricikj. They discussed bilateral cooperation between the two countries and Slovenia's continued support for North Macedonia's European integration path.

The government adopted a proposal for the amendment to the Pension and Disability Insurance Act and a resolution on pension indexation. It decided that the eligible costs of interventions during windstorms in north-eastern Slovenia are to be reimbursed to the municipalities.

The Slovenian Embassy in Addis Ababa is now open and is headed by the Chargé d'Affaires ad interim Vesna Dolinšek. This is Slovenia’s second resident embassy in Africa, which will significantly strengthen Slovenia's political and economic relations with Ethiopia and countries in the wider region. It will also contribute to the accessibility of consular assistance to Slovenian citizens travelling in East African countries.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon paid the first official visit to Indonesia at the level of foreign minister since 2006. In Jakarta, she was received by Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, with whom she discussed the strengthening of political and economic relations and EU-ASEAN relations. She also met with Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, and Arsjad Rasjid, Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Minister Irena Šinko attended the 2023 Golden Bee Award ceremony. Dr Nataša Pirc Musar, President of the Republic of Slovenia, presented the award to the winner. The third Golden Bee Award was awarded for research into bees and other pollinators. Among the 12 candidates, the Golden Bee Award Committee selected Dr Slobodan Davidović from Serbia.

Prime Minister Robert Golob addressed participants at today's opening of the Days of Intergenerational Coexistence. He said that the Government would adopt a package of measures to alleviate the hardships of pensioners.

The Minister of the Economy, Tourism, and Sports Matjaž Han, together with State Secretaries, mag. Dejan Židan and Vesna Humar from the Government Office for Slovenians Abroad, visited the Slovenian national community in the Porabje region in Hungary. He was briefed on the state of the economy in the Porabje region and presented the substantive and financial support of the Ministry of the Economy for the economic and tourism activities of Slovenians in the Porabje region. Within a month, the Ministry will publish two calls for tenders with a total value of EUR 1.168 million.

At the meetings of the government committees, the Government, among other things, took a position on the tabled amendments to the draft revised budget for 2023, adopted positions on the opinions of the National Council on this year’s draft revised budget and on the proposal of the amendment to the Implementation of the Republic of Slovenia Budget for 2023 and 2024 Act, and included three new bilateral development cooperation projects in the current 2023–2026 Development Programme Plan of the Slovenian budget in accordance with the amendment to the financing plan.

Prime Minister Dr. Robert Golob attended the signing of a contract in Maribor on the co-financing of the investment “Construction of an Athletics Warm-up Track with the Reconstruction of the Existing Grandstand”, amounting to EUR 3 million.

In the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi, Minister Fajon met with her host, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, Prime Minister Phan Minh Chinh and Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien. It was the first visit at the level of foreign minister and deputy prime minister in 17 years.

From 21 to 22 May the Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon payed a visit to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. In the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Fajon met with her host, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, Prime Minister Phan Minh Chinh and Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien.

State Secretary Samuel Žbogar took part in a Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, with Ministers and State Secretaries discussing the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the situation in the Horn of Africa. They also met with Western Balkans’ Foreign Ministers.

At the request of the Republic of Italy, a temporary civil protection unit was deployed to provide assistance in the affected area of Emilia Romagna.

Today, the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre and the International Telecommunication Union signed a joint declaration on cooperation in cyber capacity building and gender mainstreaming in cybersecurity in the Western Balkans.

At today’s correspondence meeting, the government adopted an opinion on the proposal of the amendment to the Animal Protection Act and appointed the Director of the Farmland and Forest Fund of the Republic of Slovenia and the Director-General of the Forestry and Hunting Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food.

Minister Fajon, accompanied by a Slovenian business delegation, visited Ho Chi Minh City, the economic centre of Vietnam, where she opened a business forum. The visit reflects the desire of Slovenian businesspeople to seek new opportunities and cooperation with the Indo-Pacific region.

Four important days dedicated to nature conservation will be celebrated shortly, i.e. World Bee Day (20 May), European Natura 2000 Day (21 May), International Day for Biological Diversity (22 May) and European Day of Parks (24 May).

On Tuesday, May 30, 2023, the reading room of the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia will be open from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

At the correspondence session, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia has decided to immediately provide rescue assistance to the Republic of Italy through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism in response to their request, due to the floods that have affected several provinces in the central part of the country.

On Saturday, 20 May 2023, the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Tokyo celebrated the 6th World Bee Day. In partnership with the Minato Municipality and the Minato International Association, the Embassy organised the "World Bee Day Festival 2023", a day-long festival in the local centre of the Takanawa district of Tokyo.

On 14 May 2023, the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia, together with the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Slovenia in Ulaan Baatar, Dr. Bolormaa Batbayar, set up a tent for Europe Day at the main Sukhbaatar square.

In the week ahead of the World Bee Day (20 May), the International Geneva celebrates this day aiming to boost collective pollinator protection through awareness raising and educational activities. This is the sixth celebration in Geneva after the day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 2017 at Slovenia’s initiative with support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Prime Minister Dr Robert Golob was the guest of honour at the event celebrating 50 years of women’s volleyball in Nova Gorica. Addressing the crowd at Bevk Square in the centre of Nova Gorica, the Prime Minister highlighted the added value of sports and the importance of youth participation.

Today, Slovenia and the world celebrate World Bee Day. The main national celebration of World Bee Day was held in Celje as part of the 20th Beekeepers' Festival. Minister Irena Šinko addressed the numerous beekeepers and other guests, highlighting the situation in the world today and the need for food security where pollinators play a very important role.

This year, Slovenia is once again at the forefront of World Bee Day celebrations. President Pirc Musar was present at the main event at the Food and Agriculture Organization headquarters in Rome, calling for responsible agriculture that respects and supports the vital role of pollinators in nature. Slovenia draws attention to their importance through more than 30 other projects and events around the world.

Prime Minister Dr Robert Golob today visited areas threatened by landslides in the municipality of Šentilj due to the recent heavy rainfall.

The President of the Republic of Slovenia Nataša Pirc Musar, PhD, attended the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe under the Icelandic Presidency of the Committee of Ministers in Reykjavik from 16 to 17 May 2023. Discussions focused on accountability for Russia's aggression against Ukraine and the promotion and protection of the Council of Europe's core values.

Prime Minister Dr Robert Golob today attended the international conference titled From Doomsday to New Optimism, where international political and economic representatives addressed the most pressing global challenges in business, finance and politic and presented their views on how to tackle them.

For his significant contribution to the deepening of relations between Slovenia and Ukraine, and for Slovenia's support and assistance to Ukraine's successful defence against Russian aggression, the Ambassador of Ukraine to Slovenia, Andriy Taran, on behalf of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence, presented the Badge of Honour to the Minister of Defence, Marjan Šarec, and the Medal for Assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine to the State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Dr. Damir Črnčec.

Tomorrow, the attention of all the World is going to be dedicated to honeybees and other pollinators, with an increasingly important role in seeking solutions for food security, global hunger elimination, and protection of the environment and biodiversity.

On 22 May, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs traditionally celebrates Slovenian Diplomacy Day. The event is dedicated to the diplomats who have shaped the diplomatic service with great commitment, an occasion to remember one of our colleagues who excelled in their work. This year, we remember Ida Močivnik. A valued ambassador, she stood out for her principled stance and the highest professional and ethical standards.

On Saturday, Slovenia and all the World will for the sixth time be celebrating the World Bee Day, proclaimed on 20 December 2017 by the United Nations General Assembly. The main purpose of the World Bee Day is to raise the awareness of global general public on the significance of bees and other pollinators for the entire human race, in the light of food security, global hunger elimination, and protection of the environment and biodiversity.

At today's session, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the text of the proposal to initiate the procedure for amending Articles 160, 161 and 162 of the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia and allocated an additional EUR 2.8 million for the organisation and hosting of the European Youth Olympic Festival 2023 in Maribor.

At the invitation of the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia, Marjan Šarec, the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Albania, Niko Peleshi, paid an official visit to Slovenia. After being received with military honours in front of the Ministry of Defence, Minister Šarec and Minister Peleshi first had a private conversation, followed by official talks between the two delegations.

The annual meeting of the International Trademark Association (INTA) is held in Singapore and attended by the delegation of the Slovenian Intellectual Property Office. The delegation also attended an event organised by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore, where the Directors of the Slovenian and Singaporean IP Offices exchanged good practices in the field of intellectual property.

The Prime Minister Dr Robert Golob met with Dr Simona Gerenčer, Secretary General of the Deafblind Association of Slovenia DLAN.

State Secretary Marko Štucin opened the thematic conference "Towards Knowledge-Society and Professions of the Future" in Brdo pri Kranju, held within the scope of the Slovenian Presidency of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) lasting until October 2023.

Minister Tanja Fajon received Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina Staša Košarac during his working visit to Slovenia. Their talks focused on bilateral relations.

Members of the Animal Protection Working Group, which is organised under the auspices of the Prime Minister’s Office, met with representatives of the Psi in Mi Institute, a centre for modern dog parenting.

This year, Slovenian Bee diplomacy is entering a new phase with projects primarily supporting social and environmental resilience. In cooperation with local partners, Slovenian diplomatic missions and consular posts will again carry out more than 30 projects around the world. The two most important celebrations will take place in Rome and New York.

This year's theme for the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, "Together always: united in diversity", reminds us that all people, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity, are born free and are equal in dignity and rights.

Minister Tanja Fajon was in Koper today for talks with the Mayor of Koper, Aleš Bržan, and the management of the Port of Koper. The visit took place just a few days ahead of her departure for Vietnam (21–23 May) in the company of a ten-strong business delegation that includes the Port of Koper, and for Indonesia. She will also visit the Republic of Korea in June.