News

In today's phone conversation held on the initiative of the Algerian party, Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria Sabri Boukadoum discussed the possibilities of reinforcing bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has issued a funding decision for the Call for proposals for co-financing residential care facilities for seniors under the age of 65. The amount of funding made available under the call stands at nearly EUR 7 million, of which over EUR 5.5 million comes from the European Regional Development Fund.

Today’s press conference on the current situation with regard to COVID-19 was given by Nataša Kranjc, acting Director General of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education and Adult education, Fani Al Mansour, president of the Association of Secondary Schools and Student Dormitories of Slovenia and director of SIC Ljubljana, and Jelko Kacin, State Secretary, national logistics coordinator for the mass vaccination campaign against Covid-19.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has issued a funding decision for the Call for co-financing the installation of small wind power plants. The total amount of funding available under the call stands at EUR 4 million and comes from the Cohesion Fund.

Between 5 and 12 March, the 14th NATO and PfP NCO Winter Camp is taking place at Pokljuka.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan today held a video call with US Deputy Assistant Secretary Molly Montgomery, who is responsible for relations with Western Europe and the European Union. In the context of the preparations for the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU, which will take place in the second half of 2021, the talks establish the basis for continuing the strategic dialogue between the countries

Today’s press conference on the current situation with regard to COVID-19 was held by Mateja Logar, head of the advisory group at the Ministry of Health, and professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Ljubljana Borut Štrukelj.

In cooperation with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Ministry of Public Administration organised the Regional Forum for Europe on Meaningful Connectivity on 8 and 9 March 2021. At the event, Minister of Public Administration Boštjan Koritnik, who wrote a blog post for ITU News prior to this event, held the opening address. Acting Director-General of the Information Society and Informatics Directorate Peter Grum also participated at the event's first session on the digital divide and inclusive connectivity in Europe.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has issued a funding decision for the project Industrial Business Zone Cikava. The EUR 3.5 million development project which will be implemented by the Urban Municipality Novo mesto will receive a contribution from the European Regional Development Fund amounting to over EUR 1.7 million.

Blockchain Technologies for Sustainable and Resilient Recovery from the COVID-19 Pandemic - A Side Event to the UNECE Regional Forum 2021.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has issued a funding decision for the project Renovation of apartments owned by Urban Municipality Kranj. The EUR 260,000 project which will be implemented by the Urban Municipality Kranj will receive a contribution from the European Regional Development Fund amounting to nearly EUR 155,000.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has issued a funding decision for the project Expansion of industrial area in the Industrial Business Zone Lendava. The EUR 318,000 development project which will be carried out by Municipality Lendava will be supported by the European Regional Development Fund with a contribution of EUR 193,000.

Sophie In 't Veld (Renew / D66), who heads the Group for Monitoring Respect for Democracy, the Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights within the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Rights, Justice and Home Affairs, has sent an invitation letter to the Prime Minister Janez Janša and Minister of Culture Vasko Simoniti for in camera exchange of views on the latest development in Slovenia in relation to Democracy, Rule of law and Fundamental Rights".

The Design Austria Gallery in Vienna’s Museum Quarter is hosting an exhibition of contemporary Slovenian design entitled The Future of Living, which brings together products of local origin and adheres to sustainable principles. It presents Slovenian creativity, highlighting the role of the cultural and creative industries as a driver of sustainable development. Its focus is also on the internationalisation of Slovenian design and on the search for entrepreneurial opportunities and international cooperation.

This afternoon’s press conference on the latest situation regarding COVID-19 was attended by Aleš Hojs, Minister of the Interior and Simon Zajc, State Secretary at the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology.

A press conference on the current situation regarding the COVID-19 virus was held by Minister of Education, Science and Sport Simona Kustec, Tjaša Žohar Čretnik, Director of the National Laboratory for Health, Environment and Food, Deana Potza of the Health Inspectorate, and the head of the Department for General Security and Security Planning at the Uniformed Police Administration of the Slovenian Police, Alojz Sladič.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has issued a funding decision for the project COVID-19 – Hospital renovation to extend capacities of Ljubljana Intermediate Care Department. The EUR 5.6 million project will be implemented by the Ministry of Health and supported by the European Regional Development Fund, with the contribution standing at EUR 4.5 million. This is already the second investment in a series of REACT-EU investments made under the massive NextGenerationEU instrument which helps EU countries recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sophie In 't Veld (Renew / D66), who heads the Group for Monitoring Respect for Democracy, the Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights within the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Rights, Justice and Home Affairs, has sent an invitation letter to the Prime Minister Janez Janša and Minister of Culture Vasko Simoniti for in camera exchange of views on the latest development in Slovenia in relation to Democracy, Rule of law and Fundamental Rights".

The Strategic Council for Foreign Affairs, headed by Foreign Minister Anže Logar, held its first meeting in its new composition today at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss the update of the current Slovenian Foreign Policy Strategy.

At the end of 2013, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 3 March as UN World Wildlife Day. It has thus become the world’s most important annual event dedicated to wildlife and plant species. This year, World Wildlife Day will be celebrated under the theme "Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Plane"’.

At the government press conference, Minister of Health Janez Poklukar presented the second version of the national COVID-19 vaccination strategy.

Minister Zdravko Počivalšek attended a virtual meeting of EU ministers responsible for trade, where they discussed the new medium-term trade strategy, which was published on 18 February. It sets out the political direction of the EU trade and investment policy for the upcoming years in estimating the contribution of the trade policy to a fast and sustainable recovery and to open strategic autonomy.

At today’s correspondence session, the Government adopted the second version of the National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy. The strategy was updated due to new circumstances relating to the course of vaccination. Priority vaccination groups were defined anew or in more detail in the strategy, including certain new vaccination locations. Furthermore, the possibility of storing vaccines, currently waiting on the completion of the registration procedure at the European Medicines Agency (EMA), was also defined.

On Monday, 1 March 2021, Prime Minister Janez Janša met the representatives of the company, Lek, d. d. Robert Ljoljo, President of the Management Board and President of Novartis AG in Slovenia, and Gregor Makuc, Head of Communications and External Engagement at Sandoz Slovenia, attended the meeting on behalf of the company, Lek, d. d.

At today’s 63rd extraordinary session of the National Assembly, Prime Minister Janez Janša responded to questions from deputies mag. Alenka Bratušek from SAB, Zmago Jelinčič Plemeniti from SNS, Marjan Šarec from LMŠ and Anja Bah Žibert from SDS about the effects of the adopted anti-crisis measures, reopening of catering establishments, government measures in the field of public finances, the national vaccination strategy, and measures for containing the spread of COVID-19 and mitigating the consequences of the epidemic.

At the invitation of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, State Secretary Stanislav Raščan today represented Slovenia in an international High-Level Pledging Event for the Humanitarian Situation in Yemen, in his capacity as Minister for Development Cooperation. He announced Slovenia’s additional contribution for humanitarian aid to the affected population in Yemen.

Minister Zdravko Počivalšek attended a video session of the Informal Ministerial Conference on European Tourism, a top-level debate. The Portuguese EU Council presidency convened a meeting at the initiative of some Mediterranean countries whose economies depend on tourism to improve the free movement of people within the EU's internal and external borders, as well as possible additional EU tools to help launch the EU tourism industry in the short and medium term.

At the press conference, Sanja Vuzem of the Maribor regional unit of the National Institute of Public Health spoke about the current confirmed case of the South African coronavirus strain in Slovenia.

In cooperation with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Ministry of Public Administration will hold the Regional Forum for Europe on Meaningful Connectivity on 8 and 9 March 2021. At the event, Minister of Public Administration Boštjan Koritnik, who wrote a blog post for ITU News prior to this event, will hold the opening address. He expressed his thoughts on the development and progress of digitalisation in Slovenia and described how and where digital technology is used in Slovenia to combat the COVID-19 epidemic.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved EU funding for the project Promotion of entrepreneurship in the Goričko Natural Park. The EUR 1.2 million development project will be carried out by municipality Šalovci and will receive support from the European Regional Development Fund in the amount of EUR 570,000.

At Brdo pri Kranju today, Foreign Minister Anže Logar hosted the ministers of foreign affairs of the Central 5 initiative, namely, the Austrian Federal Minister for European and International Affairs, Alexander Schallenberg, the Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tomáš Petříček, the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjárto, and the Slovak Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Ivan Korčok.

At today's press conference, Minister of Health Janez Poklukar said that Slovenia has confirmed the first case of the South African coronavirus variant, detected in the Maribor area in a person who has returned from Africa. The Epidemiological Service traced all high-risk contacts and sent them into quarantine.

EU ministers responsible for research discussed today the links between recovery and resilience plans (RRF) and the European Research Area at an informal videoconference.

A press conference on the current situation regarding the Covid-19 virus was held by Minister of the Interior Aleš Hojs, Director of the National Institute of Public Health Milan Krek, Head of the Consulate Sector at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Andrej Šter and Slovene living in Argentina Mariana Poznič.

State Secretary Raščan held a video call today with the Director of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Regional Office for the European Economic Area, the European Union and NATO Ola Henrikson.

We are publishing the letter of Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia Mr. Janez Janša to the president of the European Comission Ursula von der Leyen.

Minister of Economic Development and Technology Zdravko Počivalšek participated in an informal videoconference of ministers of EU Member States responsible for the internal market and industry. The morning session was dedicated to a political discussion of the European Semester in the context of the Union’s recovery process and national recovery and resilience plans as an instrument for the implementation of industrial strategy, strengthening the internal market, the twin transition and strategic autonomy, and a discussion of the new consumer agenda. The afternoon session featured a discussion of the draft directive on the public disclosure of certain tax information by undertakings (i.e. the Country-By-Country Reporting or CbCR Directive).

Today, State Secretary Stanislav Raščan delivered the opening address at the “E-Mobility: Slovenia–Germany” web conference organised by the Slovenian E-mobility Association. In his address, he emphasised the great importance of economic cooperation between the two countries, above all in the automotive industry, which accounts for more than a quarter of total bilateral trade.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved additional EU funding for the “Call for proposals for financing of initiatives to restart business in problematic border areas – COVID 19” implemented by the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology. The total funding made available under the call for proposals amounts to over EUR 14.2 million of which the European Regional Development Fund contribution represents over EUR 10.5 million.

State Secretary mag. Monika Kirbiš Rojs today participated in a video conference featuring high-level officials from the Visegrad Group, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Slovenia to share experience in the preparation of national recovery and resilience plans. The video conference was organised by the Polish Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy under the auspices of the Polish Presidency of the Visegrad Group.

Today’s press conference on the current situation with regard to Covid-19 was attended by State Secretary at the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology Simon Zajc, State Secretary at the Ministry of Infrastructure Blaž Košorok, Deana Potza of the Health Inspectorate, and Deputy Director General of the Police Tomaž Pečjak.

On 27 January 2021, the Communication Office of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia (GCO) fulfilled all of its obligations to the Slovenian Press Agency (SPA) arising from the public service contract.

Prime Minster and leader of the Slovenian Democratic Party Janez Janša attended a meeting today with the leaders of the parliamentary parties, hosted by Slovenian President Borut Pahor. The meeting was attended by leader of the Modern Centre Party (SMC) Zdravko Počivalšek, leader of the New Slovenia Party (NSI) Matej Tonin, leader of the Social Democratic Party (SD) Tanja Fajon, leader of the Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) Alenka Bratušek, leader of the Slovenian Nationalist Party (SNS) Zmago Jelinčič and leader of the Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia (DeSUS) Karl Erjavec.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar is visiting the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg today, where he was welcomed by his host, Jean Asselborn, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs and Minister for Immigration and Asylum, and Fernand Etgen, President of the Chamber of Deputies. The Minister also visited the European Investment Bank, where he met with its president, Werner Hoyer.

A press conference on the current situation regarding the COVID-19 virus was held by Director of the National Laboratory for Health, Environment and Food Tjaša Žohar Čretnik and Ada Hočevar Grom of the National Institute of Public Health.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan today held a video conference with the State Secretary for Global Affairs and Diplomatic strategies of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Romania, Cornel Feruţa.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has issued a financial support decision for the “Call for proposals for co-financing district heating using renewable energy sources (code: JR DO OVE 2021)”. The total funding available under the call for proposals is fully contributed by the Cohesion Fund and amounts to EUR 16 million.

The Office of Prime Minister Janez Janša has communicated to all leaders of parliamentary parties (List of Marjan Šarec, Social Democrats, Party of Modern Centre, The Left, New Slovenia – Christian Democrats, Party of Alenka Bratušek, Democratic Party of Pensioners of Slovenia, Slovenian National Party) and to the deputies of the national communities a proposal for an agreement between all political parties and the representatives of the national communities in the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia for cooperation in formulating responses to the fundamental development challenges in the 2021–2022 period.

At today's 62th extraordinary session, the National Assembly considered the proposal of the candidacy of Janez Poklukar for the post of Minister of Health. He was proposed for this function by Prime Minister Janša pursuant to the first paragraph of Article 112 of the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia, and Articles 229 and 234 of the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan took part in a videoconference meeting of members of the General Affairs Council today. Ministers and state secretaries responsible for European affairs focused on the preparations for the European Council meeting, the European Democracy Action Plan, the state of play of preparations for the Conference on the Future of Europe, and EU-UK relations.