News

Vojko Volk, State Secretary for International Affairs at the Office of the Prime Minister, attended, together with President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani-Sadriuhe, a round table on the future of the Western Balkans, held under the auspices of the Centre for European Future and the Bled Strategic Forum.

Acting Director-General Ksenija Škrilec and Salvador Rueda, Director General for Integration and Coordination of General Affairs of the European Union at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Spain, held a videoconference consultation on topical European and regional issues. Their discussion also served as preparation for the planned future meetings of the informal EUMED Group, to be hosted by Spain.

According to preliminary data, the state budget recorded revenue of approximately EUR 6.4 billion in the first half of this year, an increase of EUR 968 million or 18% compared to the same period last year. Expenditure, on the other hand, amounted to EUR 6.5 billion, down EUR 849 million or 11.6% compared to the same period last year. The budget deficit in the first half of the year amounted to EUR 128 million.

Marko Sraka, a doctor of archaeology, is joining the team of the Minister of Culture Dr Asta Vrečko as an advisor

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved EU funding for the call for proposals Work integrated learning for students to gain practical experience and knowledge 2022/2023. The call for proposals will promote flexible forms of learning and support career orientation.

Long-time journalist Dejan Štamfelj joins the team of the Minister of Culture Dr Asta Vrečko as a public relations advisor.

The presentation of the 2022 Economic Survey of Slovenia, prepared by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), took place on Monday at Brdo pri Kranju. The Economic Survey provides a comprehensive picture of the macroeconomic situation in Slovenia, with special attention paid to the topical issue of the digitalisation of society and the economy.

At the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Slovenia to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), we recently presented the second issue of our Newsletter. This time we present you an additional, special edition entitled OECD 365, which contains interviews with Directors of the OECD Directorates.

The Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning for the first time attended a meeting of the Environment Council. The ministers reached an agreement on the general approach for all legislative acts within the Fit for 55 Package, considered within the scope of the Environment Council (EU Emissions Trading System (ETS); burden sharing (ESR), CO2 standards for vehicles; use of land, modification of use of land and forestry (LULCF); Social Climate Fund).

During her first bilateral visit to Berlin, Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon met Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany Annalena Baerbock. They discussed activities to strengthen bilateral relations, with a focus on strategic dialogue between their respective countries and signed a joint action plan for 2022–2024. They also talked about the war in Ukraine and cooperation in humanitarian aid projects in the country, EU enlargement to the Western Balkans, the Stockholm Initiative for Nuclear Disarmament and climate change.

At today's session, the government decided to spend over EUR 22 million to support farmers until the autumn sowing, and to purchase this year's entire wheat harvest. It also adopted a draft amendment to the Radiotelevizija Slovenija Act and guidance regarding the preparation of budget documents.

As of today, a new and improved Roaming Regulation is in force. The regulation extends the scheme 'roaming like at home' until 2032. This scheme allows travellers in the European Union and the European Economic Area to make calls, write messages and browse the web during their stay abroad without extra costs.

Dr Asta Vrečko’s ministerial team is being strengthened again, with the arrival of Lenart J. Kučić, a media researcher, lecturer and podcaster.

The European Commission has completed its review of applications submitted for co-financing of the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs). Organizations across the European Union sent their applications, following a national pre-selection process.

After the three-day meeting of the NATO heads of state and government, the Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob stressed that the plans to increase defence expenditure were not due to political pressure, but to the global situation, which has radically deteriorated since the previous summit of the alliance.

Today, Prime Minister Robert Golob was a guest in a live broadcast of BBC World News. He spoke about the agreements made at the NATO Summit, the enlargement of the alliance, the (in)stability of the Western Balkans, the European idea, and the challenges related to and cooperation with China.

Based on today's technical adjustment, Slovenia will receive approximately EUR 1.5 billion for the measures envisaged in the Recovery and Resilience Plan. This is EUR 286 million less non-repayable financial support than predicted by the previous Government, which is a new fact that Robert Golob's Government will need to address. The shortfall in non-repayable financial support will have to be promptly dealt with by changing the financial resources envisaged in the Recovery and Resilience Plan.

At the invitation of the Slovene Dutch Business Platform (SDBP), Minister Irena Šinko participated via video conference in the Agro-Horti-Digitalisation event dedicated to digitalisation in agriculture and horticulture. The aim of the event is to improve business cooperation between the Kingdom of Norway and the Republic of Slovenia. SDBP is an important supporter and catalyst of international success and Slovenian economic breakthrough, which has been active in the Netherlands since 2003.

Following the 30th anniversary celebration of Slovenia’s membership to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), UNIDO Director General Gerd Müller and the Slovenian Minister of Economic Development and Technology Matjaž Han signed a Roadmap for Cooperation.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Fajon took part in the NATO Summit in Madrid, accompanied by Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob, and Minister of Defence Marjan Šarec. Minister Fajon participated in the informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers and in the roundtable discussion of women foreign and defence ministers from allied countries on Women, Peace and Security (WPS).

Consul General Alenka Jerak met with the Ohio Governor DeWine and Mrs. DeWine at their Residence near Columbus. Also present were the Director for Development/Economy Lidya Mihalik and Members of the Consular Corps in Ohio.

Prime Minister Robert Golob is attending the NATO Summit in Madrid, where the NATO Heads of State and Government will discuss the most pressing security issues with the key partners and approve a new strategic concept of the Alliance for the next decade and beyond with the aim of ensuring that NATO continues to implement its most important mission and responsibility – to ensure the collective defence of the Alliance's members and the security of one billion people.

We would like to inform our clients that consular operations and services of the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Cairo will be severely limited between 30 June and 30 July 2022 due to absence of the Consul.

With today’s agreement by environment ministers on the Fit for 55 legislative package, Slovenia will become a beneficiary of the Modernisation Fund, an EU instrument to support green recovery in Europe. Negotiations with the European Parliament will follow, led by the incoming Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU.

At today’s correspondence session, the Government adopted initiatives to conclude the Protocols to the North Atlantic Treaty on the Accession of Kingdom of Sweden and Republic of Finland and sent them for approval to the Foreign Policy Committee of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia.

The Minister for Digital Transformation, Dr Emilija Stojmenova Duh, met with the Director of the National and University Library (NUK), Mr. Vili Leban.

Acting Director-General of the Migration Directorate Nataša Potočnik attended a videoconference of the Salzburg Forum convened by Poland currently holding the Forum presidency.

After a meeting with non-governmental organisations, Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob pointed out that today’s meeting was the first step towards fruitful cooperation with civil society and emphasised that government structures actually need an active civil society, because non-governmental organisations work in the field and are in contact with people, which means that they not only are aware of the challenges and problems but can also address and resolve them quickly, avoiding long-lasting procedures.

The Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Tokyo, together with the Celje Regional Museum, the German Cultural Centre OAG Haus, the Embassy of Austria in Tokyo and the Austrian Cultural Forum Tokyo, opened an exhibition on Alma M. Karlin entitled "Japan At Last!".

Today we celebrated Slovenian Statehood Day at Slovenska Pristava in Harpersfield as part of the event "I am proud to be a Slovenian", and awarded commemorative medals of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia to individuals who 31 years ago actively contributed to the American recognition of independent Slovenia.

The French presidency of the Council of the European Union rounded up their activities in the digital sector with Digital Assembly. An event that took place in Toulouse on June 21st and 22nd, 2022, was focused around the theme "Looking to the Digital Future". The event explored issues related to EU sovereignty and autonomy. Minister Dr. Emilija Stojmenova Duh attended the event and actively participated at the panel “Investing in Immersive Technologies in Europe”.

The Strategic Council for Foreign Affairs, chaired by Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon, held its first meeting in its new composition at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia to debate current foreign policy issues. In their discussion on the war in Ukraine, the Council members were joined by invited guests – that is, authors of open letters on Ukraine.

Nina Ukmar, until recently director of Kosovelov dom Sežana, became the head of Minister’s Office on 24 June. She is joining the team of the Minister of Culture Dr Asta Vrečko as an experienced leader and an expert in the field of culture.

On 22 June 2022, the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Tokyo organised a reception for the diplomatic community, Slovenian citizens and representatives of Japanese institutions on the occasion of the Slovenian National Day and the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Slovenia and Japan. Around 90 people attended the event.

Following the meeting of the leaders of the EU Member States and the Western Balkans and ahead of the meeting of the European Council, Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob stressed that both Slovenia and Austria are committed to granting candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina as quickly as today and without any additional conditions.

Today, Prime Minister Robert Golob had his first telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The Ministry of the Interior, in cooperation with the Austrian Ministry of the Interior, is organising a two-day international conference about cooperation on return, focusing on the Western Balkans.

Prime Minister Robert Golob today attended a joint meeting of the National Assembly’s Committee on Foreign Policy and EU Affairs to present his views for the upcoming meeting of the European Council.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Fajon attended the EU General Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg. Ministers prepared the agenda for the next European Council on 23–24 June 2022, when EU leaders will discuss the situation in Ukraine, the economic situation and the next steps for the Conference on the Future of Europe, and hold a strategic debate on the EU's relations with its partners in Europe.

Copenhagen,20.June 2022 - we held a reception on the occasion of the upcoming National Day of Slovenia and the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Slovenia and Denmark. The reception also presented an opportunity for Ambassador Edvin Skrt to bid farewell to Denmark after a four-year stay in Copenhagen.

Yesterday, Minister Irena Šinko attended, via video conference, the informal ministerial conference of the 4Forests group. Ministers discussed forestry topics common to the four highly forested countries – Slovenia, Finland, Sweden and Austria.

Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon attended a regular meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg. The main topics on the agenda were the Russian aggression against Ukraine and its impact on food security, Egypt and the Horn of Africa. Prior to the EU Council meeting, at the invitation of Italy and Finland, ministers held an informal meeting with Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Below is the message delivered by the Minister of the Interior, Tatjana Bobnar, on the occasion of World Refugee Day on 20 June, and statistics on international protection in Slovenia.

Yesterday the Slovenian public were saddened to hear the news of the death of Borut Šuklje, the former minister and diplomat. Part of his long and fascinating political career was spent as culture minister in 1992 and 1993. The Ministry of Culture expresses its deepest condolences to his family and friends.

Artist and illustrator Marlenka Stupica provided the artwork for more than 100 children’s books and picture books over her career of more than 70 years. As culture minister Dr Asta Vrečko wrote following her death, Marlenka Stupica was one of the most important and recognisable artists in Slovenia, whose work is celebrated even outside the country’s borders.

On the second day of his visit, Prime Minister Robert Golob met with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the two interlocutors paid most attention to the war in Ukraine and to the Western Balkans.

Minister for Slovenians Abroad Matej Arčon today paid his first official visit to the autochthonous Slovenian national community in Italy. The minister was accompanied by the state secretary at the Government Office for Slovenians Abroad, Vesna Humar, and the consul at the Consulate General of the Republic of Slovenia in Trieste, Peter Golob.

Minister of Finance Klemen Boštjančič today attended the Economic and Financial Affairs Council configuration meeting in Luxembourg, on the margins of which three other events took place over the course of two days: a meeting of finance ministers in their capacity as Members of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) Board of Governors, the Eurogroup meeting, and the meeting of finance ministers in their capacity as Members of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Board of Governors.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved EU funding for the project ITI Velenje Refurbishment of bus stops and cycle shelters. The project aims to foster urban mobility and contribute to improvement of urban air quality. It is supported by the European Union with over EUR 180,000 coming from the European Regional Development Fund.

Today we celebrated the Slovenian Statehood Day with Slovenian and American flag raising ceremony at the City Hall in Bethlehem, PA and speeches by representatives of the cities of Bethlehem and Murska Sobota, Ambassador Kajzer and Consul General Jerak, as well as a reception for members of the delegations of both cities and the Prekmurje Slovenian community.