News

The 55th regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) opened in Geneva and will run until 5 April 2024. Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon participated in the high-level segment of the session with a video message, presenting Slovenia's views on the current situation of human rights around the world and the session’s priority themes.

Minister of the Interior Boštjan Poklukar met his Spanish counterpart Fernando Grande-Marlaska Gómez in Madrid. The two ministers discussed topical issues in the areas of migration, Schengen, combating people smuggling and the further increase of the police cooperation.

With the evening of chansons and cabaret, performed by two talented Slovenian artists, Sabina Gruden, mezzo-soprano, and Rebeka Dobravec, piano, in the Municipal Theatre of Piraeus, the Embassy of Slovenia in Athens marked Prešeren Day, a national holiday, celebrated every year on 8 February.

At today's session, the Government adopted the first measures aimed at protecting the public health system. These measures will be particularly important after 1 March, when the withdrawal of overtime consents by doctors who decided to take this step during the Fides strike will take effect.

The Slovenian community in Australia has reason to rejoice. After losing its regular weekly programme, which had been on the air ever since 1975, on SBS national radio in April last year, Slovenian will be heard on the Australian airwaves again – in Sydney and soon also in Melbourne.

Two years of brutal violence, destruction, suffering, impoverishment of the innocent Ukrainian population, total disregard for the principles of international law and, above all, defiance of the UN Charter by the Russian aggressor, are behind us.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly on the second anniversary of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, Minister Tanja Fajon stressed that the war in Ukraine has led to the largest humanitarian crisis in Europe since World War II. She added that we must all – without exception – respect international humanitarian law and human rights law at all times.

Below we publish a statement by Prime Minister Golob.

Slovenia presented its intervention at the International Court of Justice in The Hague in the context of the request for advisory opinion on the legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, initiated by the UN General Assembly in December 2022. Slovenia’s main arguments are the right of Palestinians to self-determination and the obligations of Israel as an occupying force.

On the Slovenian cultural holiday, Prešeren Day, an unforgettable presentation of the book "Bojan Adamič in Albania" took place at the Tirana Opera and Ballet Theatre. The Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Tirana organised this event in cooperation with the Albanian Centre for Books and Reading, the Ministry of Culture of Albania and the Albanian Academy of Sciences.

Today, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia sent material aid intended for Gaza to Jordan from Ljubljana's Jože Pučnik Airport. “This is Slovenia's first direct aid to the people of Gaza,” said Prime Minister Golob.

At today's regular session, the Slovenian Government adopted a decision on a financial contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in the amount of EUR 500,000.

At today's session, the Government adopted the draft Acts amending the Excise Duty Act, the Investment Promotion Act and the Minor Offences Act. It also set out the text of the draft Act on Judicial Protection Procedure for Former Holders of Qualified Liabilities of Banks and adopted amendments to the Decree on setting prices for certain petroleum products.

The kick-off conference of the EUSAIR governance support projects was held in Zagreb today. The conference was attended by the ministers for cohesion from Slovenia and Croatia Aleksander Jevšek and Šime Erlić. The ministers highlighted the importance of cooperation among the countries in the Adriatic and Ionian Region and talked about the strategic cross-border project on flood risk management in Slovenia and Croatia.

At today's meeting, Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob and President Nataša Pirc Musar exchanged views on current foreign policy developments.

Prime Minister Robert Golob today met with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi.

At the government committee meetings, the Government adopted, among other things, a response to the Draft Recommendation on the state of play in the fight against corruption, approved some budgetary transfers and added a new project to the current Development Programme Plan 2024–2027.

Minister Tanja Fajon hosted the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Jordan, Ayman Safadi, whom she has met on several occasions, most recently in Amman in November 2023. They signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Political Cooperation between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries and devoted a large part of their talks to the current situation in the Middle East.

Minister Tanja Fajon attended the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting on the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East and the Sahel. In the debate on the Middle East, ministers discussed the situation in Gaza, the EU's response to the announcement of the Israeli offensive on Rafah and the question of a political solution, and confirmed the establishment of the Eunavfor Aspides maritime security operation in the Red Sea.

At the invitation of the organisers of the Munich Security Conference, Prime Minister Robert Golob took part as a speaker in a panel called Spotlight on United Nations Security Council Reform.

On the sidelines of the 60th Munich Security Conference, Prime Minister Robert Golob today met with Abdullah II of Jordan.

Prime Minister Robert Golob is attending the 60th Munich Security Conference today and tomorrow. Today he met with the Vice-President of the United States of America, Kamala Harris, and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres.

The guest of the 2nd episode of the GOVSI government podcast is Dr Janez Potočnik: during the preparations for Slovenia's accession to the EU, he was the head of the EU Accession Negotiating Group, then European Commissioner for two terms, and today he is a member and co-chair of the UN's International Panel on Resources. The discussion was moderated by Petra Bezjak Cirman, Director of the Government Communications Office.

At today's session, the Government adopted the Decree on the compulsory health insurance service programme for 2024, the relief programme for damage caused in primary agricultural production and the relief programme for damage caused to businesses in the floods of August 2023.

“The EU has allocated a lot of money to Slovenia for a healthy and clean environment under the European Cohesion Policy for the period 2021-2027. In total, almost 800 million euros is earmarked for the objective A greener, low-carbon Slovenia, with the Savinjsko- Šaleška region being eligible also for the funding under the Just Transition Fund,” said Minister Jevšek in his address at the international conference on green space management in Velenje.

Minister Tanja Fajon held a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Hanke Bruins Slot. Their talks focused on activities aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. They also exchanged views on current European and international issues.

Minister Tanja Fajon, representing one of 34 countries, signed the Ljubljana-The Hague Convention on International Cooperation in the Investigation and Prosecution of the Crime of Genocide, Crimes against Humanity, War Crimes and Other International Crimes. The Convention was adopted in Ljubljana in May 2023 after a decade of effort and hard work by Slovenian diplomats and international law experts.

On the last day of his visit to Slovenia, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu visited Slovenian Istria together with Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Mateja Čalušić. They toured the InnoRenew CoE independent research institute and a farm engaged in wine-growing, olive-growing and complementary activities.

State Secretary Štiglic took part in the UN Security Council's high-level open debate in New York on the impact of climate change and food insecurity on the maintenance of international peace and security. In her speech, she stressed the importance of timely detection of processes related to climate change and food security that could lead to conflict.

ector-Genreal of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations QU Dongyu visited Slovenia at the invitation of the President of the Republic of Slovenia Nataša Pirc Musar. As part of his visit to Slovenia, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Mateja Čalušić will host the Director-General today and tomorrow. Today, they visited two farms in the vicinity of Ljubljana and the Municipality of Dol pri Ljubljani.

On February 12, 2024, a tourist presentation of Slovenia took place at the embassy of RS in Washington. The Luxury Slovenia company presented Slovenian tourism and opportunities for business cooperation in the tourism field to American travel agents in Washington.

The European Space Education Resource Office in Slovenia, ESERO Slovenia, was officially opened today at Center Noordung. ESERO Slovenia is run by the Centre for School and Outdoor Education (CŠOD) in partnership with Center Noordung. By integrating space technology content into primary and secondary education, we aim to increase young people's interest in science careers.

EU development ministers held an informal meeting in Brussels under the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council to discuss EU development cooperation for the coming years, human rights mainstreaming and the situation in Gaza. Edvin Skrt, Director-General for development cooperation, attended the meeting.

Prime Minister Robert Golob today received the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Sameh Shoukry.

Prime Minister Robert Golob today attended the opening ceremony of the new intensive care units at Jesenice General Hospital.

Prime Minister Robert Golob met with the President of the Judicial Council of the Republic of Slovenia, Vladimir Horvat, and its member, Emil Zakonjšek.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon received her Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry for an official visit. The two officials spent a great deal of time discussing the current situation in the world, with a focus on the Middle East. The Slovenian-Egyptian Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation examined the possibilities for further strengthening cooperation.

A ceremony marking the official opening of a renovated research laboratory at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Maribor primarily dedicated to process and environmental engineering was attended by Dr Aleksander Jevšek, Minister of Cohesion and Regional Development. The Minister underlined the importance of cooperation between educational institutions and the economic sector.

In these days when Italy commemorates the victims of the foibe and the exodus from Istria, Rijeka and Dalmatia, the Ministry reiterates the importance of comprehensive and respectful remembrance and dignity for all the victims of the tragic events of the 20th century war and post-war period. Every community keeps the memory of its painful experiences alive, but it must also ensure that this pain does not breed more resentment or fear.

In Sarajevo, State Secretary Marko Štucin met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina Elmedin Konaković and held consultations with Deputy Foreign Minister Josip Brkić.

State Secretary Tina Heferle and the Director of the Government Office for the Support and Integration of Migrants Katarina Šturkelj have attended the Ministerial Conference on the integration of newcomers by EU member states held under the Belgian presidency of the Council of the European Union in Mechelen, Belgium.

An exhibition by Slovenian painter Katja Bednařik Sudec was held at the Council of Europe in January.

Message from Prime Minister Robert Golob on the occasion of Slovenian Cultural Holiday on 8 February.

During the Tuesday afternoon session of the second day of the Global Forum on the Ethics of AI, and before the official evening closing, five panel discussions took place, addressing the many benefits of using inclusive and trustworthy AI, the pathways to it, and the possibilities of making AI a reality.

Today, Prime Minister Robert Golob called an informal meeting before the continuation of health pillar negotiations, inviting the representatives of major healthcare unions to discuss the situation and speed up negotiations.

Today, Prime Minister Dr Robert Golob met with President of Supreme Court of Slovenia, Dr Miodrag Đorđević.

Instead of artificial intelligence, we could use the term virtual intelligence, as powerful machines are still far from being intelligent, and instead of an ethics of artificial intelligence, we could talk about the ethics of those who use modern technologies, said Igor Papič, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, in his opening remarks on the second day of the Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence.

"We are aware that AI can improve our lives, but it can also pose certain dangers," said dr. Emilija Stojmenova Duh, Minister for Digital Transformation, at a press conference in the middle of the first day of the Global Forum on the Ethics of AI.

The European Commission Representation in Slovenia and the Recovery and Resilience Office today hosted the annual event of the Recovery and Resilience Plan in Slovenia. At the conference entitled Double Transition for Sustainable Economic Growth, the participants discussed the competitiveness of the Slovenian economy in light of the green and digital transition.

At the informal meeting of ministers responsible for cohesion policy, held in Mons, Belgium, Minister of Cohesion and Regional Development Dr Aleksander Jevšek pointed out that Slovenia is closing the 2014-2020 programming period as one of the most successful members in terms of EU Cohesion Policy funds absorption. The Minister also underlined that in the future, more support should be given to regions.