News

The Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Cairo is selling a passenger car model VOLVO S80 T5 Momentum Geartronic, year 2014, current mileage 74.000 km. The offer is intended for the general public/buyers on the local Egyptian market, who do not enjoy diplomatic privileges.

In Helsinki, State Secretary Štucin held bilateral consultations with Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering Tytti Tuppurainen, Permanent State Secretary at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs Jukka Salovaara and Director of Foreign and Security Policy in the Cabinet of the President Petri Hakkarainen.

Slovenia ranked ninth out of 180 countries on the Global Sustainable Competitiveness Index, which is compiled by the Swiss-Korean think-tank Solability. It ranked first amongst all countries studied in terms of economic sustainability.

At today’s second meeting of the Strategic Economic Council, which was held in Lipica, members exchanged views for the first time regarding opportunities for the so-called ‘scale-up’ of innovative development companies, incentives for development jobs, the retention of highly-skilled domestic workers and the faster employment of such talent from abroad, and employee participation in profits.

The head of the government negotiating team, the Minister of Health Danijel Bešič Loredan, and the head of the trade union’s negotiating team, Irena Ilešič Čujovič, initialled an agreement on the resolution of strike demands, and on the implementation of the agreement on urgent measures in connection with wages in the health and social care sector, and on the continuation of negotiations.

During a bilateral visit, State Secretary Marko Štucin met with Minister of State for Europe Laurence Boone. They discussed strengthening strategic relations between Slovenia and France and went on to exchange views on current European and international topics.

Today, Prime Minister Robert Golob attended the EU-Western Balkans summit in Tirana. The aforementioned summit of EU and Western Balkans leaders, which was held in one of the Western Balkan countries for the first time, focused on strengthening cooperation between the EU and Western Balkans in light of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, and on migration management.

State Secretary Marko Štucin attended the 21st session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and participated in the general discussion. Alongside the Assembly session, he engaged in numerous bilateral dialogues.

The government has adopted the Act Governing Aid to Businesses today to mitigate the consequences of the energy crisis. Aid to businesses includes subsidies due to high prices of electricity, natural gas and technological steam, subsidising two job preserving measures and measures aimed at ensuring the liquidity of companies. The estimated total aid amount of all measures is 1.2 billion euros.

At the proposal of the Minister of Health, the Government appointed Nataša Vidnar as the Acting Director-General of the Nursing Directorate at the Ministry of Health at the meeting by correspondence.

The Prime Minister, Dr Robert Golob, met with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, at Strmol Castle. They discussed the topics to be addressed by the European Council on 15 December 2022, in particular energy, migration, Russia's aggression against Ukraine and the EU's enlargement policy, with a focus on the Western Balkans.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has earmarked an additional 100,000 euros for humanitarian aid to Ukraine to help people survive the approaching harsh winter, as the devastating effects of the war continue.

During a visit to the Hague, State Secretary Marko Štucin met with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Director-General for European Cooperation Anita van den Ende. They discussed the strengthening of bilateral relations and current European topics, including the situation in Ukraine, the energy crisis, the rule of law, EU enlargement to the Western Balkans, migration and Schengen.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Fajon addressed more than 100 local staff members from almost all diplomatic missions and consular posts of the Republic of Slovenia, who are attending their first ever consultation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Minister Irena Šinko and state secretary dr. Darij Krajčič presented the projects of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food (MKGP) under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) at the press conference today.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved EUR 527,000 in EU funding for public passenger transport in Nova Gorica (project Integrated Territorial Investments, Urban Municipality Nova Gorica, Sustainable Mobility Measure – Public Passenger Transport).

On Thursday, 1 December 2022, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the Regulation Amending and Updating the Regulation on the Method of Ensuring Rights to Persons with Temporary Protection, which entered into force on Saturday, 3 December 2022.

On 2 December 2022, a ceremony was held in an event tent at the Cirkovce substation to mark the completion of the Cirkovce-Pince transmission line project. The ceremony was attended by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Robert Golob, and the Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban. The Government Communication Office took care of the media logistics.

International Volunteer Day is an opportunity to place the spotlight on volunteers and their importance for the well-being of society. This year, volunteer organisations are highlighting their role in the strengthening of solidarity with the slogan ‘Together, Act Now’.

On 3 December, the Slovenian Embassy in Beijing organized the Slovenian-Chinese poetry reading, "Poetry is the Salt of the World". The event was organized in collaboration with the City Library Kranj, the Center for Slovene as a Second and Foreign Language of the Faculty of Arts of the University of Ljubljana, Beijing Foreign Studies University and the Beijing restaurant Tian xia yan (The Lord of Salt).

Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Fajon addressed the panel entitled “Reviving Multilateralism: the UN in Times of Crisis” at the Rome MED 2022 (Mediterranean Dialogues) International Conference. In her speech, she emphasised in particular the importance of cooperation, dialogue and confidence-building in international relations.

"The construction of the Cirkovce–Pince transmission line could not have been completed at a better time, as Europe is preparing for the the much-awaited green transition, while at the same time such investments provide much-needed energy stability," said Prime Minister Robert Golob at a press conference held together with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban after the opening of the 2x400-kV overhead line. The ceremony was also attended by Croatian Economy Minister Davor Filipović.

Minister of Defence Marjan Šarec attended the two-day ministerial meeting of the Central European Defence Cooperation (CEDC) Initiative in Krems, Austria.

Minister Irena Šinko has hosted her Turkish counterpart Vahit Kirişci, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Türkiye, for a two-day visit in Slovenia.

The recipients of Slovenia’s highest accolades for achievements in the arts for 2023 have been named. In line with the decision and resolutions of the Prešeren Fund Management Board, the 2023 Prešeren Award goes to multidisciplinary artist Ema Kugler, and the Academy-trained painter Prof. Herman Gvardjančič.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food has issued an open call to citizens, legal persons or other organisations for the identification of candidates for the 2023 Golden Bee Award.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Fajon attended the 29th Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe in Łódź, Poland, where foreign ministers discussed the war in Ukraine and the current situation within the OSCE.

Prime Minister Robert Golob, President of the Republic Borut Pahor and President of the National Assembly Urška Klakočar Zupančič organised and hosted a traditional reception for representatives of disabled people's organisations at Brdo pri Kranju ahead of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which is commemorated on 3 December.

Under the leadership of the National Coordination of Macro-Regional Strategies at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Slovenia will hold the Presidency of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) from 1 November 2022 to 31 October 2023. Its term will conclude with the EUSDR Annual Forum, which Slovenia is planning to hold on 24–25 October 2023 at Brdo pri Kranju.

At today’s session the government determined the draft act on emergency intervention to address high energy prices, and began discussing the draft act on aid to the economy to mitigate the impact of the energy crisis. The government also adopted a response to the report filed by FIDES regarding the violation of the code of ethics by the Deputy Prime Minister Danijel Bešič Loredan.

In Rabat, the capital city of Morocco, where the 17th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage is taking place, the multinational nomination of Lipizzan horse breeding traditions has been listed on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

How will the unitary patent system simplify and improve the European patent system for the benefit of its users? This was the focus of today's event organised by the Slovenian Intellectual Property Office, the European Patent Office and the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry for companies and interested professionals. The system is due to enter into force in April next year.

This year again, a pre-Christmas meeting of Slovenians in Finland was held in Helsinki, organized by our Honorary Consul Andreja Valtanen. Slovenian Ambassador Mihael Zupančič attended the gathering.

In Rabat, the capital city of Morocco, where the 17th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage is taking place, the 'Beekeeping in Slovenia, a way of life' project has been listed on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The National Security Council (SNAV), consisting of the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defence, the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Infrastructure, and the Director of the Slovenian Intelligence and Security Agency, met today at the first regular meeting in this term.

This year’s national conference of non-governmental organisations, organised by the Centre for Information Service, Co-operation and Development of NGOs (CNVOS), is aimed at addressing online, media and physical assaults on non-governmental organisations at home and abroad. Speakers shall discuss how to protect against such assaults, how and when to efficiently respond to them, and how to communicate them. The participants were greeted by the Minister of Public Administration, Sanja Ajanovič Hovnik.

Minister of Justice dr. Dominika Švarc Pipan and State Secretary dr. Igor Šoltes visited the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and the Council of Europe, in light of the thirtieth anniversary of Slovenia's membership in the Council of Europe, which will take place next year.

The main topics of the visit of the Minister for Digital Transformation, Dr Emilija Stojmenova Duh, to Osaka, Japan on 24 November 2022 were the announcement of deeper cooperation between Slovenian universities and the University of Osaka and its research centres, the use of robots in creating a more inclusive society, and the role of the Smart City Strategy in ensuring the digital and green transition.

Minister for Digital Transformation Dr Emilija Stojmenova Duh attended the Ministerial Council Meeting of the Global Partnership for Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) in Tokyo, Japan, on 22 November 2022. The meeting adopted a declaration agreeing that the development of an AI ecosystem is essential to address the complex challenges facing society, but that it must be safe and focused on human well-being.

Minister for Digital Transformation, Dr Emilija Stojmenova Duh, met with prominent representatives of the Japanese government, business and academia working in the field of digital transformation at the start of her official visit to Tokyo on 21 and 22 of November 2022. She also took part in a roundtable discussion on country practices and challenges of global cooperation in the development and use of artificial intelligence, organised by the GPAI on 22 of November 2022.

At today’s sessions of the government committees, the government, among other things, recapitalised the Public Fund of the Republic of Slovenia for Regional and Rural Development, activated the new item in the budget titled Increase of earmarked assets of the Slovene Enterprise Fund - Expensiveness, adopted multiple decisions on the reallocation of the national budget funds, and included some new projects in the applicable Development Programmes Plan 2022-2025.

State Secretary Samuel Žbogar attended the Ministerial Council between the EU and the Organisation of African, Caribbean, Pacific States. The Ministers discussed global issues, in particular food and energy security, the Post-Cotonou Agreement, the implementation of the Partnership Agreement, the Global Gateway Strategy and the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI), as well as cooperation in international forums.

At today’s correspondence session, the government adopted a regulation that defines the upper threshold of energy product prices for major commercial electricity consumers.

The plenary meeting of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) is taking place in Gothenburg, Sweden, from 28 November to 1 December 2022. The Slovenian delegation presented the life and work of one of the most important chronicler of the historical events and tragedies of the 20th century, writer Boris Pahor, who passed away in May 2022 at the age of 108, to the Committee on the Holocaust, Genocide and Crimes against Humanity.

Prime Minister, Dr Robert Golob, Minister of Education, Science and Sport, Dr Igor Papič, and State Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Matevž Čelik Vidmar, visited the National and University Library (NUK).

Today, at the invitation of the Minister of Defence of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov, Minister of Defence Marjan Šarec and a delegation visited Ukraine.

State Secretary Samuel Žbogar attended the Foreign Affairs Council in its development configuration. The meeting discussed the follow-up to the sixth EU-African Union Summit and Team Europe’s crisis response, with a focus on Ukraine and Afghanistan.

On 16th November 2022, Her Excellency Barbara Sušnik presented her Letters of Credence as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Slovenia to the Kingdom of Belgium to His Majesty The King of the Belgians.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved EUR 890,000 in EU funding for the project Integrated Territorial Investments Kranj: Planina overpass – Hrastje business zone.

At the request of the Ukrainian side, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will provide 370,000 euros in humanitarian aid for the purchase of an ambulance for the transport of premature babies and mothers. The donation agreement was signed today by the Acting Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Renata Cvelbar Bek, and the Ambassador of Ukraine to Slovenia, Mr Andrii Taran.