News

Plant Protection Products (PPPs) Legislative Section Session took place today in Brussels, within the framework of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (PAFF Committee), including Member State voting on Commission legislative proposal for decision on extension of authorisation of active substance glyphosate

Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Igor Papič met with representatives of various Japanese institutions and attended the STS Forum in Kyoto during his working visit in Japan. He was accompanied by Ambassador Mr Jurij Rifelj.

Cukrarna hosted a round table discussion entitled '153', which stands for the number of states that supported Slovenia in the vote for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in New York for the 2024–2025 term. The panellists agreed that this is an important foreign policy project where Slovenia must now show responsibility towards its partners.

Today, Prime Minister Dr Robert Golob attended a ceremony marking the emergency completion of a water pipeline in Prevalje, visited the flood recovery works area along the Meža River in the Dobrije residential area in Ravne na Koroškem, and attended a celebratory meeting of the Municipal Council of the Municipality of Črna na Koroškem.

The Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development has approved EU funding for the call for proposals to support Strategic Research and Innovation Partnerships (SRIP) for the period 2023-2026.

The Slovenian Regional Days under the title Green Transition at the Regional Level took place in Pivka this year. In her opening address, State Secretary Andreja Katič underlined the importance of such events saying that “the discussions on regional policy at such scientific and expert symposia, which bring new systemic and methodological solutions, provide a basis for decision-makers at different levels.”

At today's session, the Government took note of the draft budget plan of the general government sector for 2024 and the first progress report on the use of European Cohesion Policy funds in the 2014–2020 and 2021–2027 programming periods. It also adopted the Preliminary Programme for the repair of direct damage to property caused by the floods of 4 August 2023 in the field of national road and rail infrastructure.

Prime Minister Dr Robert Golob today met with the President of the Management Board of the Public Institute Radiotelevizija Slovenija (RTVS), Zvezdan Martić, who briefed the Prime Minister on the financial situation at RTVS.

Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration (SNSA) is following activities of the Krško Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) regarding the detected leak.

Minister of Cohesion and Regional Development Dr Aleksander Jevšek participated in the session on social innovation as part of this year's edition of the European Week of Regions and Cities that is taking place between 9 and 12 October in Brussels. According to Dr Jevšek, Slovenia successfully carried out several EU-funded social innovation projects it is very proud of.

Prime Minister Dr Robert Golob met today with the President of the National Council of the Swiss Confederation Martin Candidas. They assessed relations between the two countries as friendly and very positive.

At the International Donors' Conference on Humanitarian Demining in Ukraine in Zagreb, State Secretary Marko Štucin expressed continued support for Ukraine and announced an additional half a million euros in Slovenian assistance for mine action in 2023.

At a press conference, the Director of the Slovenian Protection and Rescue Administration, Leon Behin, presented the progress of the reimbursement of intervention costs to local communities and to protection and rescue personnel incurred during the August floods and landslides during the period of the activated National Plan, i.e. between 4 and 31 August.

Minister Tanja Fajon participated in an informal videoconference of EU foreign ministers on the situation in Israel and in the region. She expressed her solidarity with Israel and sympathy for all civilian victims.

State Secretary Sanja Štiglic participated in the 27th EU-GCC Joint Council and Ministerial meeting held in Muscat. During the gathering, Ministers and State Secretaries discussed the importance of and opportunities for enhanced cooperation between the EU and the strategically significant Gulf countries, as well as current foreign policy issues, with a specific focus on the situation in Israel and Gaza.

The Slovenian Government adopted a decision at today's correspondence session to make an additional humanitarian contribution of EUR 150,000 to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNWRA).

Minister of Cohesion and Regional Development Dr Aleksander Jevšek participated in the workshop on Cohesion Policy and 2025 European Capital of Culture (GO! 2025) that was held in the context of the European Week of Regions and Cities in Brussels. In 2025, the title will be held by the neighbouring cities of Nova Gorica in Slovenia and Gorizia in Italy.

State Secretary Marko Štucin holds political consultations with Martin Eyjólfsson, Permanent Secretary of State of Iceland at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Reykjavik. During their talks, they reviewed bilateral cooperation between Slovenia and Iceland and expressed interest in strengthening multilateral cooperation, especially in the field of human rights and gender equality.

State Secretary for European Affairs in the Prime Minister’s Office Igor Mally received the European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius.

On Thursday, 10 October 2023, Danijel Levičar, State Secretary for the National Nuclear Programme at the Office of the Prime Minister, participated in a round table discussion on the future of nuclear energy in the Posavje region. According to State Secretary Levičar, people in Krško are in favour of the project of the second block of the nuclear power plant.

Every year on 10 October, World Mental Health Day is celebrated to raise awareness about the importance of mental health. This year’s day is under the slogan "Mental health is a universal human right" and is an opportunity to improve knowledge, strengthen empowerment and encourage action. The Government of the Republic of Slovenia has declared 2023 the Slovenian Year of Mental Health.

Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration (SNSA) is following activities of the Krško Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) regarding the detected leak.

Prime Minister Robert Golob met today with the representatives of 14 business organisations and associations. The discussions focused on joint efforts to ensure the well-being of the residents of Slovenia following the floods. The participants at the meeting agreed on the urgent need for continued dialogue between the business sector and the Government, especially in these challenging times of recovery and reconstruction.

At today's meeting of the National Assembly, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Robert Golob, presented deputies with the budget documents for the next two years

The third meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation between the Republic of Slovenia and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam took place today in Brdo pri Kranju. The meeting was co-chaired by Tanja Fajon, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, and Nguyen Hong Dien, Minister of Industry and Trade, and was organised as a follow-up to Minister Fajon's visit to Vietnam this past May.

State Secretary Marko Štucin held consultations in Oslo with State Secretary at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Eivind Vad Petersson. Alongside bilateral relations, the talks also focused on current European and international issues.

Permanent Mission of Slovenia to the United Nations is recruiting highly motivated persons for the role of Experts for a period until January 31 2026 – indicatively from November 2023 to January 2026.

State Secretary Marko Štucin took part in the ministerial meeting of the Berlin Process participating countries hosted by the Albanian Chairmanship in Tirana. On the margins of the meeting, he met Deputy Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania Megi Fino.

Minister Tanja Fajon met today in Pretoria with Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa. This is the first visit by a Slovenian Foreign Minister to South Africa and represents an important step in strengthening bilateral relations, which is of great value in the context of Slovenia's upcoming non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council.

Prime Minister Dr Robert Golob attended the 3rd European Political Community Summit held in Granada in Spain.

Minister Tanja Fajon has begun her first official visit to South Africa as Deputy Prime Minister and Slovenian Foreign Minister. The main objective of the visit is to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries, especially in the economic and scientific fields, as well as to improve cooperation within the UN, in the context of Slovenia's non-permanent membership of the Security Council.

It has been two months since the catastrophic floods that took place on 4 August. Floods and landslides affected 183 of Slovenia's 212 municipalities, with 104 municipalities severely impacted. The total area affected is estimated at 17,203 square kilometres. To date, the Slovenian Government has provided EUR 515.9 million to help people, municipalities and the economy.

On Thursday, 5 October 2023, Danijel Levičar, State Secretary for the National Nuclear Programme at the Office of the Prime Minister, participated in a round table discussion on the future of nuclear energy in Slovenia, organised by the editorial board of Jederska.si.

Today, Prime Minister Robert Golob notified the Slovenian National Assembly that he had received a letter of resignation from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning, Uroš Brežan, proposing that the Minister of Infrastructure, Alenka Bratušek, temporarily take over his function.

The Slovenian Minister of the Environment, Climate and Energy, Bojan Kumer, attended a working meeting in Budapest on 4 October 2023, following an invitation received from the Hungarian Minister of the Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó. The main reason for the visit was the signing of a political memorandum of understanding on the gas supply between the two countries.

The Government of the Republic of Slovenia has taken note of the assessment of direct damage following the natural disaster that struck Slovenia on 4 August 2023. The assessment covers all aspects of the natural disaster, from the replacement of buildings, the rehabilitation of watercourses, the restoration of infrastructure, the protection and restoration of cultural heritage sites, and waste disposal and management.

At today's session, the Government was briefed on the Estimate of Direct Flood Damage, it finalised the draft Resolution on the 2023–2030 National Road Safety Programme and adopted the 2023–2028 Natura 2000 Management Programme.

The 11th Slovenian Development Days are in full swing. The event traditionally takes place in the first week of October to present to the Slovenian public the contribution of Slovenia and its partners to sustainable development, global solidarity and world peace.

Today, Prime Minister Dr Robert Golob sent a proposal to the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia for the appointment of Prof. Dr Valentina Prevolnik Rupel to the post of minister of health.

At the government committee meetings, the Government adopted its opinion on several legislative proposals and provided funds to deal with the aftermath of this summer's storms and floods.

The Slovenian-Italian application to the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) Secretariat for the establishment of the Julian Alps Transboundary Biosphere Reserve was officially submitted yesterday in Paris. The application proposes a merger of the existing national biosphere reserves – the Slovenian Julian Alps Biosphere Reserve and the Italian Julian Alps Biosphere Reserve.

The Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport paid €31.77 million in advance payments to compensate for damage to the economy caused by August’s floods and landslides. Advances were made to all eligible businesses that submitted a damage assessment to the Ministry by 1 September, requesting an advance payment of 10% of the estimated damage.

Today, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon participated in the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Kyiv, in the presence of Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also took part in the meeting.

The 17th session of the Intergovernmental Commission for Monitoring the Treaty between the Government of the Republic of Slovenia and the Government of the Republic of Croatia on the Regulation of the Status and Other Legal Relations regarding Investment, Exploitation and Decommissioning of the Krško Nuclear Power Plant (NEK) took place today.

Daren Tang, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), visited the Jožef Stefan Institute, met with representatives of Slovenian collective management organisations and the winners of this year's Innovation Day, as well as with startup companies at the Technology Park in Ljubljana.

Prime Minister Robert Golob took part in the 10th summit of the heads of the EUMED-9 member states, which was held in Valletta, the capital of Malta.

The European Commission today welcomed the proposal to amend the Slovenian Recovery and Resilience Plan. The amendment to the plan also needs to be approved by the Council of the European Union. The renewed plan, which now also includes a REPowerEU chapter, will be worth EUR 1.61 billion in EU grants and EUR 1.07 billion in loans.

Minister of Cohesion and Regional Development Dr Aleksander Jevšek attended the informal meeting of EU ministers responsible for Cohesion Policy that was held in Murcia under the auspices of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Minister Jevšek called for a strong, resilient, and flexible Cohesion Policy that should be the main long-term investment policy of the European Union (EU).

Minister Tanja Fajon addressed deputies at a public hearing at the National Assembly on the subject of increased use of qualified majority voting in EU foreign and security policy. She stressed: "I am not an advocate of changing the EU Treaties, but I would like to see a reasoned debate on the wider use of the instruments at our disposal to make decision-making more effective and to protect our national interests."

Minister of the Interior Boštjan Poklukar spoke by telephone with Nenad Nešić, Minister of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina