News

The second day of this year's edition of Slovenian Regional Days in Ptuj featured Minister for Economic Development and Technology, Matjaž Han, and Minister for Development and European Cohesion Policy, dr Aleksander Jevšek.

Prime Minister Dr Robert Golob today met Marijan Papež, general director of the Pension and Disability Insurance Institute, and Janez Sušnik, president of the Slovenian Federation of Pensioners’ Associations (ZDUS).

The cross-border project Right Profession and the Interreg Programme Slovenia-Hungary received a special award of the European Commission at the Interreg SLAM 2022 contest. Live performances of short-listed finalists and the award ceremony took place in Brussels today.

Minister Tanja Fajon attended the third meeting of foreign ministers of the European Union and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in Buenos Aires. Ministers stressed the importance of regular high-level dialogue between the EU and CELAC, and discussed matters ranging from innovations, climate change, digitalisation and security to the strengthening of democracy, the protection of human rights, and sustainable development in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In today’s session, the Government adopted the draft Act defining urgent measures to increase the income of pensioners and limit the rise in social security costs, and amended the Decree determining the price of natural gas from the system. It also issued a Decree concerning the legal succession of the Bank Asset Management Company and was briefed on the negotiating position concerning the determination and alignment of the minimum wage.

Prime Minister Dr Robert Golob received an invitation on Monday, 24 October 2022 to take part in TV Slovenija’s Tarča programme.

We hereby publish the Slovenian Government’s response to a public letter from NGOs concerning the resolution of the housing issue.

The Republic of Croatia joining the Schengen Area is supported in principle by the Republic of Slovenia and is in our common European interest.

At today’s correspondence session, the Government agreed with the proposed amendments to the draft Urgent measures to prevent the spread and mitigate the consequences of the infectious disease COVID-19 in healthcare Act.

On 25 October 2022, a joint event of the Slovenian Intellectual Property Office and the Boards of Appeal of the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) was held in Ljubljana, for intellectual property (IP) attorneys, judges and other IP professionals.

Minister for Development and European Cohesion Policy dr Aleksander Jevšek attended a session of the Development Council of the Posavje Region at the Sevnica Castle. The discussion with the mayors of the Posavje region mainly focused on EU funding options under the next programming period.

State Secretary Samuel Žbogar, together with the newly appointed Honorary Consul of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr Tetsuji Shindo, and senior representatives of national, regional and local authorities, addressed the participants at the opening ceremony of the Consulate of the Republic of Slovenia in Fukui, Japan. The Consulate will be headed by Mr Shindo. During his visit, he also participated in a business seminar on IT solutions and space technologies.

"Radioactive waste in Slovenia is stored safely and is under supervision. It is not used for making of any dirty bombs".
Sandi Viršek, Director, Slovenian Radioactive Waste Management Agency (ARAO)

Prime Minister Robert Golob met today with the President of the People's National Assembly of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, Ibrahim Boughali, who is on an official visit to Slovenia. The meeting focused on energy cooperation and the establishment of strategic cooperation between the two countries, which share a historical friendship.

On 19 and 20 October 2022, Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration hosted the 24th meeting of the Working Group on Emergencies (WGE) established by the Heads of European Radiological Protection Competent Authorities (HERCA).

Today, the Prime Minister, Dr Robert Golob, held a consultation with the representatives of coalition and opposition parties and the leaders of deputy groups regarding possible amendments to the electoral legislation and other constitutional amendments for which suitable political will exists during this term of office. It was determined that the five parties could agree on certain issues.

At the invitation of Prof. Dr Franz Schausberger, former Landeshauptmann (Governor) of Salzburg, State Secretary Marko Štucin took part in a debate as part of the 18th Salzburg Europe Summit taking place on 23–25 October 2022 in Salzburg under the title "Visions for Europe: Expectations and Reality".

The election of the President of the Republic of Slovenia took place on Sunday, 23 October. The Government Communication Office participated in organising the event.

At the invitation of the Austrian Patent Office, a bilateral visit to Vienna took place on 20 October 2022, where we explored opportunities for mutual cooperation, exchanged examples of good practice and views on current developments in the field of intellectual property rights.

The ratings agency Moody's confirmed Slovenia’s credit rating as A3 and maintained its outlook at stable on Friday, 21 October 2022.

Prime Minister Robert Golob attended the European Council meeting held in Brussels on 20 and 21 October.

At the invitation of German Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock, Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon took part in the Foreign Ministers’ meeting of the Berlin Process. The focus was on energy security, the green agenda, the Common Regional Market, reconciliation in the region, and a positive perspective for young people in the Western Balkans.

One year after the confirmation of Slovenia’s Recovery and Resilience Plan, the Representation of the European Commission in Slovenia, the Slovenian Recovery and Resilience Office, and the Ministry of Infrastructure together with the Slovenian Infrastructure Agency, held the plan’s first annual event, entitled On the Road to a Green Transition. In the morning, the conference participants discussed sustainable mobility and effective energy use, while in the afternoon they had a look at the first results of the project to upgrade the Ljubljana-Divača railway line, which is being financed as part of the plan. The event was also attended by the Head of the Recovery and Resilience Task Force at the European Commission, Céline Gauer, the Finance Minister Klemen Boštjančič, and Minister of Infrastructure Bojan Kumer.

State Secretary Samuel Žbogar addressed the participants at the opening ceremony of the Consulate of the Republic of Slovenia in Fukui, Japan, along with Honorary Consul of the Republic of Slovenia Tetsuji Shindo and senior representatives of national, regional and local authorities. During his visit, the State Secretary participated in a business seminar on IT solutions and space technologies.

In recent months Slovenia has called upon the European Commission and partner countries in the Western Balkans several times to align the visa regimes of countries in the region – especially Serbia – with the EU visa policy. Large numbers of illegal border crossings are now being made by nationals of third countries who have not been part of previous migration flows. These are above all being made by citizens of India, Burundi and Cuba, who entered Serbia legally and then illegally entered EU countries, including Slovenia.

Images from today's last event, dancing to the sounds of the Eddy Rodick Orchestra, organized by the Cleveland- style Polka Hall of Fame and Museum in the now already sold Slovenian Society Home in Euclid/Recher Hall, which will close its doors on October 24.

At today's correspondence session the Government adopted the draft Prevention Of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act, and agreed with the proposed amendments to the draft Slovenian Sovereign Holding Company Act. It also adopted amendments to the Act governing the foundation of Slovenski državni gozdovi d.o.o. (SiDG).

State Secretary Dr Branko Lobnikar attended a Berlin Process meeting of interior ministers, hosted by German Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser in Berlin.

As announced yesterday by the Minister of Finance, Klemen Boštjančič, at the press conference following the session of the Government, the Office of the Republic of Slovenia for Recovery and Resilience, a body within the Ministry of Finance, today forwarded to the European Commission a request for the payment of the first instalment of grants from the European Resilience and Recovery Facility.

"I am exceptionally pleased to be here on behalf of the Ministry of Culture and the Republic of Slovenia to announce Slovenia as the next Guest of Honour here at the Frankfurt Book Fair," said Minister of Culture, Dr Asta Vrečko, on today’s occasion of Slovenia’s official announcement as the Guest of Honour. The official acceptance of the title will be on Sunday, 23 October.

Before filing its first request for the payment of Recovery and Resilience Facility grants, the Government was briefed on the report on the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan.

The Government was briefed on points of departure for the preparation of intervention measures to limit the rise in retirement home fees, and the early pension increase. It also laid down the draft text of the Whistleblower Protection Act, and was briefed on the report on the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan.

On 18th October 2022 a panel discussion took place in Zagreb, Croatia, within the European project Safe and Equal in EMErgencies –“SEE ME”.

Today, Slovakia hosted the Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR). Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon took part in the event, where she underlined the importance of enhancing cooperation between all countries and regions and of involving young people in the Strategy.

As part of his visit to Japan, State Secretary Samuel Žbogar held political consultations with Japanese Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Kenji Yamada and Director-General Masashi Nakagome. During the talks, the two sides discussed key areas of bilateral cooperation between Slovenia and Japan, talked about EU-Japan relations and exchanged views on the situation in the two regions.

On 18th ob October 2022, within the european project Safe and Equal in EMErgencies - ˝SEE ME" panel discussion took place in Zagreb, Croatia.

"The adoption of the amended Family Code places Slovenia alongside tolerant and inclusive European countries such as Austria, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Scandinavian countries that are open to all members of society.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Fajon paid an official visit to Skopje and met with Foreign Minister of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani. They discussed the excellent bilateral relations between their two countries and Slovenia's continued support for North Macedonia's European path.

State Secretary Marko Štucin attended the regular meeting of the EU General Affairs Council in Luxembourg, which focused on the preparations for the October European Council, the follow-up to the Conference on the Future of Europe, the state of the rule of law in Poland and the European Commission's report on the enforcement of EU law.

More than EUR 1 million in incentives to the economy for nearly zero-energy buildings

Today, we celebrated Plecnik's year 2022 with the opening of the exhibition "Plecnik's Ljubljana" of the Museum of Architecture and Design Ljubljana at the Cleveland Public Library - as part of the Cleveland Sister Cities Conference.

In Luxembourg, Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Fajon attended the regular meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union, chaired by High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell. The main topics on the agenda were the Russian aggression against Ukraine and relations with China.

The Minister, Ms. Irena Šinko, participated today in the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting. The EU Ministers exchanged information on conditions in agricultural markets in particular due to the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine.

The plenary part of the 68th Meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), which will take place until 21 October 2022, this year under Slovenia's chairmanship, has started. High-level participants, including a number of delegates from the Contracting Governments and representatives of non-governmental delegations, were addressed by State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Samuel Žbogar, Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning Uroš Brežan, and Mayor of the Municipality of Piran Đenjo Zadković.

On 18 October this year, European Anti-Trafficking Day, the National Working Group on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings focuses on raising awareness about the exposure to trafficking in human beings of people fleeing the war in Ukraine.

The Minister Irena Šinko, participated today in the ‘For Forests Group’ meeting. The Member State Ministers, cooperating in the Group, signed the Guidelines and principles on closer cooperation in forestry within the European Union. The meeting was held in the margins of the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting.

The Minister of Defence of the Republic of North Macedonia, Slavjanka Petrovska, is paying a two-day official visit to Slovenia at the invitation of the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia, Marjan Šarec. Her visit is a continuation of the meetings at the highest political levels between the two friendly countries, and an opportunity to further strengthen the cooperation between Slovenia and the Republic of North Macedonia in the field of defence and military affairs.

At the upcoming Cleveland Sister Cities Conference 2022 (October 18-20), Ljubljana, a long-time partner of Cleveland, will present itself during several events.

Today we started setting up the exhibition about Plecnik´s Ljubljana.

Klemen Boštjančič, the finance minister, has attended the annual meeting of the IMF and World Bank Group, which took place from 11 to 15 October 2022 in Washington. The primary focus of the discussions was on developments in the global economy and on the international financial markets, the consequences of the war in Ukraine, the food and energy crisis, and possible responses.

Prime Minister Robert Golob addressed attendants at the official opening of Intra Lighting's new factory today, 14 October 2022. The company, which is active in sixty-five countries worldwide, has moved from Mirna to its new premises in Šempeter pri Gorici. The construction of the new, sophisticated factory followed the policy for green transformation that is friendly both to the environment and the community.