News

This year’s Mediterranean Coast and Macro-regional Strategies Week was held in Izola, Slovenia, under the slogan ‘Stronger cooperation for better future’. The event, which has become recognised as one of the central events where the representatives of all four European macro-regional strategies meet and share their experiences, was attended by State Secretary at the Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development, mag. Marko Koprivc.

State Secretary Marko Štucin took part in the EU General Affairs Council in Brussels. By discussing an annotated draft agenda, Council members started preparations for the European Council meeting in October. In this context, they exchanged views on Ukraine, the proposed revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework for 2021–2027, economic issues and the external dimension of migration.

From 18 to 19 September 2023, the Slovenian EUSDR Presidency organised the Joint meeting of the National Coordinators and Priority Area Coordinators of the EU Strategy for the Danube region (EUSDR) in Portorož, which was the last meeting of core governance structure of EUSDR under Slovenian Presidency.

The Minister of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia, Marjan Šarec, and the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Italy, Guido Crosetto, have signed an amendment to the Implementing Agreement between the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Italy and the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia on cooperation in the field of military aviation (hereinafter: the Implementing Agreement), signed on 17 November 2021, which defines the purchase of a second C-27J Spartan tactical transport aircraft, based on the Government-to-Government model.

On the sidelines of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon hosted the first meeting of foreign ministers representing the Incoming 5 members of the UN Security Council.

At today’s Agriculture and Fisheries (Agri-Fish) Council meeting, the EU Ministers were familiarised with the damages suffered by the Slovenian agriculture, forestry and aquaculture in the aftermath of the recent floods and landslides. Ms Irena Šinko, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, told in presentation that immediately after the extreme weather events the Ministry commenced collecting data on the damages inflicted, and preparing emergency aid measures. “In agriculture, damages have been recorded on land, facilities, machinery, deficiencies in stock of feed and seed materials, and difficulties in raw milk delivery.”

This year's Frankfurt Book Fair will be of special importance for Slovenia as its guest of honour. Slovenia is only the third Slavic country to feature as the guest of honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair, where it will appear under the motto "A Honeycomb of Words". Various exhibitions related to Slovenia and its literature and culture are also part of the rich cross-border programme. Three exhibitions were opened in the period between 14 and 17 September.

Message from Prime Minister Robert Golob on the occasion of the Day of the Return of Primorska to the Motherland

Prime Minister Robert Golob attended a charity football match played by former football stars at Stožice Stadium on the initiative of UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin. The funds raised will be donated to those affected by the floods.

After the Government took note of the Report on the Implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), the Office of the Republic of Slovenia for Recovery and Resilience submitted today to the European Commission a second request for payment under the Recovery and Resilience Facility.

Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob met today with the Qatari Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Ghanem bin Shaheen bin Ghanem Al Ghanim, and the Mufti of the Islamic Community in Slovenia, Nevzet Porić.

The Government decided that intervention expenditure in the amount of EUR 94.9 million be reimbursed to 138 municipalities and up to EUR 11.4 million to protection and rescue forces. Intervention expenditure of up to EUR 2.5 million will be reimbursed to firefighting units. The Government earmarked EUR 31.7 million for the preliminary programme of eliminating the consequences of damage in the economy and EUR 47 million for measures on water infrastructure.

The Celje International Trade Fair MOS hosted a public debate on the future of regional development which was attended by Minister of Cohesion and Regional Development Dr Aleksander Jevšek and State Secretary Andreja Katič. The discussion, attended also by the members of the Chamber of Craft and Small Businesses of Slovenia, focused on the Promotion of Balanced Regional Development Act amendment proposals.

State Secretary mag. Marko Koprivc was a keynote speaker at the Connect2Slovenia International Business Meeting, which took place on Thursday, 14 September 2023, at Celjski sejmi d.d. as part of the International Trade Fair Celje (MOS). The event was organised by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia in partnership with SPIRIT Slovenia, the Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sport and Advantage Austria Slovenia.

State Secretary Marko Štucin held political consultations with Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania Jovita Neliupšienė in Vilnius. They reviewed bilateral cooperation between the two countries and exchanged views on current European and global issues, with a focus on the situation in the Western Balkans and Ukraine.

Twelve representatives of the Slovenian Government's public relations services, led by the Director of the Government Communication Office, Petra Bezjak Cirman, attended a two-day training course in London organised by the UK Government Communication Service (GCS).

The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs welcomes the adoption of the European Council's decision on the composition of the European Parliament for the parliamentary term 2024–2029, which gives Slovenia one additional seat, bringing the total number of seats to nine.

A total of EUR 50 million of overcommitments will be redirected to the Reconstruction Fund and a further EUR 20.5 million in cohesion funding will be reallocated to post-flood intervention measures in order to mobilise available resources from cohesion policy programmes and allow for full absorption of the funding made available to Slovenia in the 2014-2020 programming period.

The Government starts examining information on the preparation of the budgets of the Republic of Slovenia for 2024 and 2025. It gave its consent to the draft amendment of the Operational Programme for the Implementation of the EU Cohesion Policy 2014–2020, took note of the Autumn Forecast of Economic Trends 2023 and the information on the baselines for the preliminary programme for the repair of direct damage resulting from the August floods.

The Government takes note of the Report on the Implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) before submitting the second request for payment under the Recovery and Resilience Facility, which includes information on meeting the milestones and goals for individual instalments. The Government also discussed the financial implementation of the Plan.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen today delivered the final State of the Union Address at the European Parliament in this mandate, assessing the political priorities achieved and providing an overview of the challenges ahead of next year's European elections.

State Secretary Marko Štucin took part in a discussion entitled "A strong and resilient EU in response to the challenges of the future", organised by the European Commission Representation in Slovenia on the occasion of this year's State of the Union address by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

Minister Tanja Fajon delivered the opening address at the 12th Economic Diplomacy Day, which took place in the framework of the traditional 55th International Trade Fair in Celje with the message: "When I meet with companies, I find that Slovenian companies offer solutions that contribute to solving the challenges of climate change, not only in Slovenia, but also worldwide."

On Tuesday, 12th September 2023, the Republic of Slovenia, rated A3 (stable) / AA- (stable) / A (stable), successfully entered the markets with a US$ 1bn 10-year 144A / Reg S bond. This landmark transaction represents the return of Slovenia to the US$ market for the first time since 2014. The success of the transaction, with over US$ 3.8bn of demand (including JLMs interest), is a strong testimony of the confidence institutional investors have in the Republic of Slovenia. Barclays, BNP Paribas, Citi, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs Bank Europe S.E. and J.P. Morgan jointly led the offering.

At its correspondence session, the Government gave its consent to the proposed amendments to the draft act amending the Mental Health Act.

At government committee sessions, the Government agreed with the proposed amendments to the Financial Operations, Insolvency Proceedings and Compulsory Dissolution Act and the proposed amendments to the Bloudek Awards Act. In the Development Programmes Plan 2023–2026, the Government added several new projects.

In Istanbul, Turkey, the last intensive preparations are underway for the 23rd Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention (COP23). Slovenia will host the 23rd meeting in December 2023 and take over the two-year presidency of the Barcelona Convention for the period 2024-2025.

State Secretary for Intergenerational Dialogue and Housing Policy Nataša Lužar received the representatives of the Association of Social Institutions of Slovenia.

At the invitation of the Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Xavier Bettel, the Prime Minister Robert Golob paid an official visit to Luxembourg. This is a follow-up to Prime Minister Bettel's visit to Slovenia in February this year, when the two countries pledged to work even more closely together, particularly in economic matters.

State Secretary for Intergenerational Dialogue and Housing Policy Nataša Lužar met with the representatives of the Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Today, on 12 September 2023, the State Secretary for the Coordination of Measures and Activities for Post-Flood Reconstruction, Boštjan Šefic, visited the Municipality of Litija and met with Mayor Franci Rokavec. The purpose of the working visit was to discuss the challenges and needs facing the municipality and residents living in the affected area, as well as further relief measures.

In a telephone conversation, Minister of the Interior Boštjan Poklukar once again drew the attention of his Croatian counterpart Dr Davor Božinović to the high number of illegal crossings of the Slovenian-Croatian border, in particular in the area of the municipality of Brežice.

At the invitation of the Latvian Minister of Justice and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Slovenia's Minister of Justice Dominika Švarc Pipan attended the Conference of Ministers of Justice of the Council of Europe in Riga. The aim of the discussion is to support the reforms of the Ukrainian justice system and the restoration of the international legal order by ensuring the full responsibility of the Russian Federation for its aggression against Ukraine.

Minister of the Economy, Tourism and Sport Matjaž Han today visited Carinthia as part of his tour of the border regions that form Slovenia's economic hinterland. As part of the Slovenian Minority Business Coordination, the Minister aims to strengthen economic cooperation with the regions along Slovenia's border, as these regions account for 30% of trade with neighbouring countries.

Today, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon attended a commemorative ceremony in honour of the heroes of Basovizza, marking the 93rd anniversary of their death. She delivered a solemn address and laid a memorial wreath.

The traditional European Mobility Week campaign began last weekend as one of the most massive and influential initiatives in Slovenia and Europe at large.

In the context of maintaining regular dialogue and good cooperation, Prime Minister Robert Golob and President of the Republic of Slovenia Nataša Pirc Musar met for a working lunch.

Prime Minister Robert Golob wrote to the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, about the importance of the EU's expansion to the Western Balkans and making the decision to start accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

At today's meeting, the Government took note of information on the progress of activities to prepare an application for the EU Solidarity Fund, established the Government Office for Flood and Landslide Recovery and appointed the Director General of the Police.

The Republic of Slovenia, rated A3 (stable) / AA- (stable) / A (stable), has mandated Barclays, BNP Paribas, Citi, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs Bank Europe SE and J.P. Morgan as Joint Lead Managers and Joint Bookrunners to arrange a Global Investor Call today, September 7, at 2pm UKT / 3pm CET / 9am EST, as well as a series of 1-on-1 investor calls also commencing today. A US$-denominated 144A/Reg S 10-year benchmark issue may follow subject to market conditions.

One of four semesters of the new international postgraduate study programme examining the physiology and medicine of humans in space and extreme environments will be implemented in Slovenia as part of the SpaceMed Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters. The University of Caen Normandy (France), the Charité – University Medicine Berlin (Germany) and the Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School (Slovenia) have joined forces in the programme.

Prime Minister Robert Golob visited the call centre for assistance to residents after the floods, which started its operation today.

Prime Minister Robert Golob received today the President of the Croatian Parliament, Gordan Jandroković, who is on an official visit to Slovenia.

The State Attorney’s Office of the Republic of Slovenia invites interested lawyers and law firms in Romania to submit tenders to represent the Republic of Slovenia before the courts and administrative authorities of Romania.

At a regular meeting of the Committee on the Economy, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia approved amendments to the General conditions governing the activities of the Slovenian Regional Development Fund.

At today’s correspondence session, the Government decided to set up a call centre for reconstruction after the 2023 floods on the telephone number 114. It also appointed Maja Tomanič Vidovič as Director of the Public Fund of the Republic of Slovenia for Entrepreneurship (hereinafter: the Slovene Enterprise Fund).

At the government committee sessions, the Government agreed, among other things, on an amendment to the draft Act amending the Bloudek Awards Act, revised the values of projects for the compensation of electricity and natural gas suppliers in the current Development Programmes Plan 2023–2026 (DPP 2023–2026), and adopted some amendments to the current DPP 2023–2026.

EU Ministers for Development Cooperation discussed sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda with Deputy Secretary-General of the UN Amina Mohammed. The next day's meeting focused on the triple transition – green, digital and social – and on the reform of the global financial architecture. Slovenia was represented by Director-General of the Directorate for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid Edvin Skrt.

Today, a 3-day informal meeting of EU Agriculture Ministers, including Mrs Irena Šinko, the Slovenian Agriculture Minister, concluded in Cordoba/Spain. Focus of this meeting was on new technologies to stimulate transition to a more sustainable and productive model adapted to the challenges of climate change. In the margins of the meeting, Minister Šinko met with the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Janusz Wojciechowski, and presented to him the damages in agriculture in the aftermath of the catastrophic floods that affected Slovenia this August.

The Minister of Finance Klemen Boštjančič on the basis of the third paragraph of Article 40 of the Slovenian Sovereign Holding Act, issued a Decision on the appointment and tasks of the Expert Commission for the preparation of the candidate proposal for the member of the Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH) Supervisory Board.