News

Foreign Minister Anže Logar met with NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană on the fringes of the Bled Strategic Forum today. In the light of current developments, the two high officials focused on the situation in Afghanistan and condemned the recent terrorist attacks in Kabul.

State Secretary Dr Stanislav Raščan today received Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kenya and Chief Administrative Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ababu Namwamba.

Foreign Minister Anže Logar met with the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, on the margins of the Bled Strategic Forum. The talks focused on the current situation in Afghanistan and the future mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

One of the flagship events of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU, the 16th Bled Strategic Forum, started with the opening addresses by its host, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia Dr Anže Logar, Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia Janez Janša and President of the European Council Charles Michel. “It is imperative we identify strategic responses to the challenges facing both our citizens' everyday lives, and those Europe as a continent might yet see. We must identify those policies where the EU is a global example and incorporate the lessons learned from the crises of the past decade,” urged Minister Dr Logar in his opening speech in the Bled Festival Hall.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan received Secretary General of Caritas Internationalis Aloysius John. They agreed that the pandemic had brought new challenges and exacerbated the hardships of individuals. Therefore, mutual solidarity and concerted efforts to stem it and alleviate its consequences are essential.

At the invitation of the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares Bueno, Foreign Minister Anže Logar is visiting Spain today. He met with the Committee on Foreign and European Affairs of the Spanish Congress of Deputies. Slovenia and Spain have been deepening bilateral relations, coordinating and maintaining a regular dialogue, aiming at a stronger, more resilient European Union, acting in a coordinated manner and speaking with one voice.

Political consultations between Slovenia and Qatar took place today, led by Political Director/Director-General Jernej Müller on the Slovenian side. Together with Ahmad Hassen Al-Hammadi, Secretary-General of the Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they focused on reviewing bilateral political and economic relations, including identifying ways to upgrade them.

Barbara Sušnik, Director-General for EU Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, conducted regular consultations with József Magyar, Deputy State Secretary for the Development of European Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, via a video conference.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar travelled to Copenhagen on an official visit to meet with Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs Jeppe Kofod. The visit was aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between Slovenia and Denmark, reviewing the implementation of the Slovenian EU Council Presidency priorities, and discussing topical international issues and measures to curtail the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar met a delegation of US senators visiting Slovenia for a working dinner. The delegation is led by Senator Richard Shelby from the State of Alabama, the current vice chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations.

Slovenian representative Marjan Osvald was elected Deputy Director General of the International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) for the period 2022–2025 at today's elections within the framework of the 27th World Postal Congress in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

Today, State Secretary Gašper Dovžan met with Dutch Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita van den Ende. The main topic of conversation was the strengthening of cooperation between Slovenia and the Netherlands in areas of common interest. In her role as Director General for European Cooperation, Deputy Minister van den Ende also held separate talks with the Director General for EU Affairs Barbara Sušnik and met with the State Secretary in the Office of the Slovenian Prime Minister Igor Senčar.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar today hosted Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Evarist Bartolo on an official visit to Slovenia. The visit was aimed at deepening political and economic relations and strengthening cooperation at both the European and multilateral level between the two countries, discussing Slovenia’s potential participation in the group of Mediterranean countries, and exchanging views on other topical international issues. Their talks focused on the future of the European Union and the challenges facing the Slovenian EU Council Presidency, particularly in migration and the EU's economic recovery.

This year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia is participating for the first time as one of the partners of World Water Week, which is taking place from 23 to 27 August 2021 in Stockholm. At today’s High Level Panel on water diplomacy “Water Diplomacy: Navigating a Resilient Future”, Acting Director-General for Multilateral Affairs and Development Cooperation Igor Jukič underlined that discussion on water in the international community requires a comprehensive, cross-sectoral, multidisciplinary, and multistakeholder approach.

Minister Anže Logar met with Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Riyad al-Maliki in Ramallah today. Their talks centred on bilateral cooperation, the situation in Palestine and current events in the region, the European Union's cooperation with Palestine and the priorities of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Foreign Minister Anže Logar met with the Israeli Alternate Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Yair Lapid in Jerusalem today. They discussed bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries, which has deepened and expanded into new areas in the last year. The high officials also touched upon the resilience and effective response of the international community to various crises. The talks also focused on current events in the region, EU-Israel relations and the priorities of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Minister Anže Logar today hosted a working visit by Federal Minister for European and International Affairs of the Republic of Austria Alexander Schallenberg. The counterparts agreed that Slovenia and Austria hold a regular partnership dialogue on all bilateral, European, and international issues. The Austrian minister was accompanied by Governor of Styria Hermann Schützenhöfer.

Two weeks after deploying two firefighting teams to North Macedonia who successfully helped put out large wildfires, Slovenia today conveyed firefighting equipment to the area: firefighting backpacks, chainsaws, and fire beaters. State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr Stanislav Raščan attended the dispatch at the Roje National Logistics Centre.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan received Ambassador of Mongolia Battungalag Gankhuurai on a farewell visit at the end of her term of office at the Embassy in Vienna accredited to Slovenia.

The human race against the climate crisis clock is the theme of this year’s World Humanitarian Day, which is being marked today. To save our planet from the devastating and lasting effect of climate change, this year’s humanitarian day is dedicated to raising public awareness about humanitarian workers and their efforts aimed at alleviating the effects of climate change and about the victims who lost everything as a consequence.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar today attended an extraordinary meeting of EU foreign ministers on the latest developments in Afghanistan via video conference. The focus was placed on the EU’s coordination in evacuating European citizens and local Afghan staff who supported member states and the EU during their activities in Afghanistan.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan attended the introductory part of the first virtual European archival symposium entitled Digital Transformation in Archival Science. Dieter Schlenker, Director of the Historical Archives of the European Union, Peter Pavel Klasinc, Head of Archival Sciences Alma Mater Europea, and Bojan Cvelfar from the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia also took part in the introductory part of the meeting.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan held a video conference with the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, Carmen Moreno.

Acting as Minister for Development Cooperation, State Secretary Dr. Stanislav Raščan held a telephone conversation with Martin Jäger, the German State Secretary of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

State Secretary Dr. Raščan addressed young people at the 94th International Session of the European Youth Parliament organised by the European Youth Parliament of Slovenia and taking place in Slovenia for the first time between 31 July and 8 August 2021.

State Secretary Dr. Stanislav Raščan attended on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the 105th commemoration at the Russian Chapel below the Vršič Pass.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan today received Vice-President of the French National Assembly Laëtitia Saint-Paul, who is visiting Slovenia together with Sabine Thillaye, the Chair of the European Affairs Committee of the French National Assembly.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan, President of the EU’s General Affairs Council, hosted an informal meeting of European Affairs ministers at Brdo pri Kranju today. At an informal discussion on strengthening the Union’s resilience, ministers supported the efforts of the Slovenian Presidency towards a more comprehensive response to crises.

The European Commission today published its second annual Rule of Law Report within the European Rule of Law Mechanism set up in 2020. The report aims to elevate the understanding of the founding values and promote the rule of law culture, thereby strengthening this principle in the European Union as a whole.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar attended a follow-up meeting of foreign affairs ministers of the Central 5 (C5) countries, i.e. Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, and Slovenia.

Today, the Executive Board agreed to allocate more seats in the Conference Plenary to regional and local elected representatives, as well as to social partners.

Foreign Minister Anže Logar attended a virtual Conference of Presidents of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union. The meeting was organised by the National Assembly Committee on EU Affairs and the National Council Commission for International Relations and European Affairs, as part of the Slovenian EU Council Presidency.

International Criminal Justice Day is celebrated on 17 July. On that day 23 years ago, the Rome Statute, one of the core pillars of international criminal justice, was adopted.

State Secretary Dr Stanislav Raščan held a meeting with Franck Riester, French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness. In addition to a general overview of bilateral cooperation, their talks covered investment opportunities in Slovenia, nuclear energy, space, tourism, air connections, automotive industry and digitalisation. The two high officials also discussed the strategic autonomy and economic diplomacy of the European Union.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan gave a speech on the Future of Transatlantic Relations – Priorities for Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, organised by the Centre for European Perspective and the European Centre for International Political Economy.

Today, State Secretary Gašper Dovžan received Hungary’s Minister of Justice Judit Varga, who is also in charge of coordination of EU affairs. Minister Varga is in Slovenia to attend the informal meeting of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council, which is taking place on 15 and 16 July 2021 in Brdo pri Kranju.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar presented the priorities of the Slovenian EU Council Presidency at the Committee on Constitutional Affairs and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar inaugurated the flagship cultural and promotional project of the Slovenian EU Council Presidency together with David Sassoli, the President of the European Parliament, and Gitte Zschoch, the Director of the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC), in the Citizens’ Garden in Brussels. “The Slovenian Presidency is placing culture and creativity high on the European agenda,” declared Minister Logar in his introductory address.

The 47th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva comes to an end today. At the initiative of the European Union, the Council discussed the human rights situation in Belarus, Eritrea and the Tigray region of Ethiopia. As the country presiding the Council of the EU, Slovenia presented the three initiatives that seek to improve the respective human rights situations and call on the authorities to respect their international human rights commitments.

The Government issued the Ordinance amending the Ordinance determining the conditions of entry into the Republic of Slovenia to contain and control the COVID-19 communicable disease and published it in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia.

On 13 July, State Secretary Gašper Dovžan attended via video conferencing the 6th Enlargement Day organised by the European Committee of Regions in cooperation with the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU. He presented the Presidency’s key topics and plans to the high-level audience which included Maciej Popowski, Acting Director-General of the DG for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, and Nikola Dobroslavić, Rapporteur of the Committee of Regions for the Enlargement Package 2020.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan attended a meeting of the European Parliament’s Committee on Development (DEVE) via video conference and briefed the attendants on key priorities of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union on international development cooperation and humanitarian aid. Water and gender equality are the main priorities of the Presidency, which are common to both policy areas. He announced Slovenia’s financial contribution of 500,000 euros to the Advanced Market Commitment (COVAX) mechanism, which aims to ensure the distribution of vaccines and address the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in developing countries. He also announced a donation of 48,000 doses of the vaccine to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and a donation of 250,000 doses of vaccine to Egypt.

Foreign Minister Anže Logar today attended the regular meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union, which focused on the geopolitics of new technologies, the Strategic Compass and Ethiopia.

In a telephone conversation, State Secretary Gašper Dovžan briefed the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania, Olta Xhaçka, on the priorities of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. He assured her of efforts to keep the Western Balkans high on the Union’s agenda, with the EU-Western Balkans Summit contributing to this as well. At the same time, State Secretary Dovžan expressed strong support for Albania's approximation to the European Union as it implements the necessary commitments and reforms.

A Japanese translation of the "Our Rights" project material was presented in Tokyo today, serving as a teaching resource for teachers and children and aimed at educating children about their rights. It is a project conceived by Slovenian experts based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in 2005, when the World Programme for Human Rights Education was established.

Foreign Minister Anže Logar met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, Sameh Shoukry, in Brussels ahead of Monday's session of the European Union Foreign Affairs Council.

Srebrenica Memorial Day on 11 July is a day to remember and preserve the memory of the victims of the massacre in Srebrenica and the horrors that took place during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We will not and must not ever forget Srebrenica – reconciliation is only possible if we remember and acknowledge the suffering and pain of the people. Any denial or relativisation of these tragic events is unacceptable. The Western Balkans region is still heavily burdened with these memories and the painful historical experience. The processes of reconciliation must be accelerated, since this is the only way for all generations to realise their potential and contribute to the region’s well-being, stability and security.

At the invitation of the Croatian Foreign Minister, Gordan Grlić-Radman, Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar attended the traditional Dubrovnik Forum held on 9–10 July 2021. Attended by numerous eminent guests, this year’s Forum focused on the future of geopolitics in a world transformed by the COVID-19 pandemic, with particular emphasis on the geopolitical situation of the Western Balkans.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan today spoke with the Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bakir Sadović, via video conference. He briefed his counterpart on the priorities of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, with a special emphasis on the Western Balkans. He also updated him on the planned EU-Western Balkans Summit scheduled for October this year.

State Secretary Raščan addressed, via a video conference, the participants of the 4th international Ukraine Reform Conference that was held in Vilnius this year.

In his capacity as High Representative representing the Council of the European Union in relations with the European Parliament, Foreign Minister Anže Logar attended the Plenary Session of the European Parliament, which took place in Strasbourg from 5 to 8 July 2021.

In his role of high representative in relations with the European Parliament, Minister Logar presented the priorities of the Slovenian EU Council Presidency during the plenary session of the European Economic and Social Committee held in July 2021. “The European Union’s resilience, economic recovery and the Conference on the Future of Europe will be the focus of our Presidency. Only the constructive cooperation of all stakeholders can lead to progress in these areas,” stressed Minister Logar.

Today, the Lighthouse Park in Izola saw the opening of the “My Reading Room” art installation, through which Slovenia participates in the Europe Readr project. “Europe Readr invites us to read the European Union in all its diversity and interconnectedness. It is also an invitation to encourage reading as a way to improve our understanding of who we are, where we come from and where we are headed, while facing various social changes,” underlined Gašper Dovžan, State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan presented the priorities of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU at a virtual event hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce to the European Union. The Brussels-based business association traditionally organises such events when an EU member state assumes the presidency of the Council of the European Union.

During today's video conference call, State Secretary Gašper Dovžan and Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs of North Macedonia Nikola Dimitrov assessed the development of bilateral relations as very positive. Against the backdrop of the recent Slovenian EU Council Presidency take-over, the pair discussed the European perspective of North Macedonia.

Acting Director-General Igor Jukič held consultations with the French Director-General for Global Affairs, Culture, Education and International Development, Michel Miraillet, via video conference.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora of Kosovo Donika Gërvalla-Schwarz held a video conference meeting. They assessed bilateral relations and exchanged views on the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of Kosovo from the perspective of the second Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, stressing the importance of maintaining a credible European perspective for the Western Balkan countries, thereby further contributing to the stabilisation of the region.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan today held talks via a video conference with Serbian Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimović. They gave a positive assessment of the development of bilateral relations, focusing on further EU enlargement, which is one of the key priorities of the Slovenian EU Council Presidency.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan attended the high-level event "Development in Transition: Dialogues to chart new paths for Latin America and the Caribbean", via video conference, where participants discussed possibilities for creating new models for sustainable and inclusive recovery in Latin America and the Caribbean.

State Secretary Dovžan outlined the priorities of the Slovenian EU Council Presidency to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro Đorđe Radulović at a video conference meeting. They also focused on resilience, the discussion on the future of Europe, and enlargement of the Union.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan attended the meeting of the Committee on European Affairs at the invitation of the presiding Lithuanian Committee on European Affairs and the Deputy Foreign Minister for European Affairs Arnoldas Pranckevičius, presenting the priorities of the Slovenian EU Council Presidency and devoting particular attention to post-pandemic resilience and recovery.

The launch of the Slovenian EU Council Presidency is accompanied by the opening of the Europe Readr digital platform, its leading cultural and promotional project. The selection of books in the virtual library that will be available free of charge will bring readers closer to the current social issues and encourage them to reflect on, and discuss, the world we want to live in. A number of accompanying events will be organised around the world, along with the creation of public spaces for reading and exchanging ideas, all the way from Paris and Helsinki to Washington and Bangkok. The formal opening of the platform will take place on 7 July in the Lighthouse Park in Izola.

In the context of the visit of the College of European Commissioners, Foreign Minister Anže Logar met with Vice-President of the European Commission and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, Neighbourhood and Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi, Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčič and Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen. He presented the priorities in the field of foreign policy during the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, stressing that Slovenia would strive to strengthen the Union's resilience and to achieve a stronger role of the Union in global relations.

At the invitation of the German Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Svenja Schulze, State Secretary Stanislav Raščan attended the Water Dialogues for Results virtual conference in Bonn. The conference is part of a formal preparatory event for the United Nations (UN) Conference on the Water Action Decade scheduled for March 2023 in New York. This will be only the second conference in the history of the UN dedicated exclusively to water.

On the eve of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU, State Secretary Gašper Dovžan took part in a meeting of the co-chairs of the Conference on the Future of Europe. He will co-chair the Executive Board of the Conference on the Future of Europe during the Slovenian Presidency.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan attended the meeting of the Bureau of the Committee of the Regions before the beginning of Slovenia’s EU Council Presidency.

Foreign Minister Anže Logar attended the ministerial meeting of the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh/ISIS, which was established in 2014. The meeting was hosted by Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Luigi di Maio and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan attended the international conference of the Africa Europe Foundation Forum via video conference. He participated in a panel entitled The Health Alliance of Africa and Europe: Pandemic Resilience and the Future of Healthcare. The participants discussed the health alliance in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan received Dumitru Socolan, State Secretary at the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration.

On 24 and 25 June, political and security consultations between Slovenia and the USA were held at the State Department in Washington. They were conducted by Jernej Müller, Director-General of the Directorate for Common Foreign and Security Policy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Maureen Cormack, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs.

Minister Anže Logar’s message to the employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 30th anniversary of Slovenia’s statehood

Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar is hosting Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Augusto Santos Silva on an official visit. For the first time in fourteen years, Portugal’s foreign minister is paying a visit to Slovenia. “The recent visit to Slovenia by President de Sousa confirmed the excellent bilateral and friendly relations between the two countries and their intensive cooperation in the Trio Presidency”, emphasised Minister Logar. The visit by Minister Santos Silva provides an opportunity to review the Portuguese Presidency’s achievements and to take up the presidency baton.

One week before Slovenia officially takes the helm of the European Union, Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar outlined the priorities and objectives of the Slovenian Presidency, which comes at a crucial moment, when the European Union is adopting important packages on green and digital renewal and building its resilience. “The Presidency is an opportunity to strengthen integration within the EU and within its institutions, and to steer development towards an innovative and creative community based on sustainable development," stressed Minister Logar.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan attended the handover of the Trio Presidency of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in the format of development cooperation ministers. The meeting took the form of an audio-video conference and was attended by the Portuguese State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Francisco André, and the German State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, Martin Jäger.

Today, State Secretary Stanislav Raščan took part in the ministerial meeting of the Central European Initiative (CEI) Member States. The meeting was held in a virtual format under the Montenegrin chairmanship and was marked by the strong interest the Executive Board has shown in seeking solutions to overcome the crisis in the countries most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the region.

Following the General Affairs Council meeting, State Secretary Gašper Dovžan also took part in the Intergovernmental Conferences at the ministerial level on the accession of Montenegro and Serbia to the EU. The Conferences confirmed the political guidelines on the continuation of the enlargement negotiations for these two candidate countries.

Foreign Minister Anže Logar visited Munich today, where he met with Bavarian Minister for European and International Affairs Melanie Huml. They discussed the activities for enhancing political and economic relations between Slovenia and Bavaria in the light of the upcoming Slovenian EU Council Presidency.

Members of the General Affairs Council discussed the preparations for the June European Council, EU enlargement, and the stabilisation and association process, and took note of the Conference on the Future of Europe. Under “any other business”, they held a debate on the rule of law in Poland and Hungary under Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan held a videoconference call with Colm Brophy, the Minister of State for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora at the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ireland. The pair discussed development cooperation, including the priorities of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU, now just a matter of days away.

On the eve of the meeting of the General Affairs Council, State Secretary Gašper Dovžan held talks with the Dutch representative in the General Affairs Council and Foreign Minister, Sigrid Kaag.
He also visited the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Auditors with headquarters in Luxembourg.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar attended a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg on Belarus, Iraq and Latin America. The Belarus opposition leader Svetlana Tihanovska joined the ministers for an informal breakfast before the Council meeting, presenting the current situation and expectations following the activities undertaken by the European Union aimed at the democratisation of Belarus.

The 47th Regular Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council begins in Geneva and is to take place from 21 June to 13 July 2021. As regards the topics in the focus of the Session, Slovenia will be particularly interested in gender equality and the empowerment of women, human rights and the environment, the impact of new technologies on the enjoyment of human rights, and the human rights situation in individual countries.

Today, State Secretary Gašper Dovžan attended the first plenary session of the Conference on the Future of Europe in the European Parliament in Strasbourg via videoconference. In his address, he emphasised that the Conference must strive to raise awareness of the historical achievements and the importance of the integration process in Europe. "It simply should not be taken for granted. It is the foundation of our coexistence and peace, security, and prosperity. Therefore, we must spread this awareness, especially among young people," stressed State Secretary Dovžan.

Foreign Minister Logar visited Paris and met with his host, French Foreign Minister Le Drian, with whom he exchanged views on the priorities of the Slovenian EU Presidency. Minister Logar also met with French National Assembly Vice-President Laëtitia Saint-Paul. They confirmed the excellent relations, pointing out that this year marks the 10th anniversary of the conclusion of the strategic partnership, which significantly stimulated bilateral relations and put them at the highest level. In addition to membership of the European Union and NATO, Slovenia and France also share Alpine and Mediterranean identities.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan attended the Quadrilateral meeting between Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Slovenia, this time in Vaduz, at the invitation of Director of the Office of Foreign Affairs Martin Frick. Slovenia, Liechtenstein, Austria and Switzerland share closely aligned values, face numerous challenges and promote a common approach in a demanding international environment.

State Secretary Raščan addressed a virtual conference on security challenges in the Balkan region, emphasising the importance of Western Balkans’ EU and NATO accession to bolster stability and improve the reform process in the countries of the region.

At the virtual Conference in Solidarity with Venezuelan Refugees and Migrants, State Secretary Stanislav Raščan announced Slovenia's humanitarian contribution in the amount of 60,000 euros. The contribution will be directed to efforts to provide support to Venezuelan refugees in Brazil through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in two parts, this year and next.

In view of the upcoming Slovenian EU Council Presidency, Director-General for European Union Affairs Barbara Sušnik held talks with Mārtiņš Klīve, the Director of the European Union Coordination and Policies Department of the Latvian Foreign Ministry, via videoconference.

Foreign Minister Anže Logar attended a ministerial meeting of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) in Antalya.

Director-General for European Affairs Barbara Sušnik participated in a videoconference meeting of the EU Council Presidency Trio of Slovenia, Germany and Portugal, presenting the priorities Slovenia will pursue during its Presidency.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan and State Secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister of Czechia Milena Hrdinková confirmed the excellent cooperation between Slovenia and Czechia through a videoconference. They expressed satisfaction that the two countries are working closely together in many areas, sharing many similar views on European and international issues.

Ahead of the fast-approaching Slovenian EU Council Presidency, State Secretary Gašper Dovžan held talks with the Deputy Foreign Minister of Bulgaria, Rumen Alexandrov, via videoconference. The central topic of conversation was the priorities of Slovenia's Presidency.

Foreign Minister Anže Logar participated in the 16th Bratislava Forum as part of GLOBSEC. Taking place from 15 to 17 June, the Forum is one of the most prominent conferences in Central and Eastern Europe addressing current strategic issues. This year, it focused on post-pandemic recovery, both from an economic and technological point of view, as well as from the aspect of building trust and strengthening the global role of the European Union.

Today marks the beginning of a two-day virtual UN International Procurement Seminar, with Slovenia participating for the second time, this time in partnership with the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Poland. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, and the public agency SPIRIT Slovenia supported Slovenia’s participation in terms of organisation and finances.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan and State Secretary Arnoldas Pranckevičius at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania held talks via videoconference, discussing the upcoming Slovenian EU Council Presidency.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan and Parliamentary Secretary at the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica held talks via videoconference, with the main topic covering Slovenia's upcoming EU Council Presidency and its priority tasks.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan participated in an informal videoconference of the EU Foreign Affairs Council attended by development ministers, at which they discussed the cooperation between the European Union and middle-income countries as well as human development.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan held talks with the Parliamentary Secretary within the Office of the Prime Minister of Malta, Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi. State Secretary Dovžan briefed his counterpart on the fast approaching Slovenian EU Council Presidency.

Before Slovenia officially assumes the EU Council Presidency, Barbara Sušnik, Director-General for European Union Affairs, held bilateral consultations via videoconference with Aniela Crețu, Special Representative for EU Affairs at the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In advance of Slovenia's approaching EU Council Presidency, State Secretary Gašper Dovžan held talks with State Secretary for the European Union Affairs at the Croatian Foreign Ministry, Andreja Metelko Zgombić, via videoconference. State Secretary Dovžan briefed his counterpart on the priorities of Slovenia's Presidency in the second half of this year.