News

Prime Minister Janez Janša today attended the formal handover of 300,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, lended by Hungary to Slovenia. On this occasion, a press conference took place in Ljubljana, attended by Prime Minister Janša, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Hungary Petér Szijjártó, Minister of Health Janez Poklukar, and Director of the National Institute of Public Health Milan Krek.

As part of the celebrations of the 30th anniversary of the proclamation and defence of the independent and sovereign Republic of Slovenia, a ceremony was held today in Ig, marking the 30th anniversary of the oath taken by the first Slovenian recruits. Prime Minister Janez Janša attended the ceremony and gave the key address on this occasion. Thirty years ago, more precisely, on 2 June 1991, the first generation of military recruits serving in the Territorial Defence forces were solemnly sworn in at the training centres at Ig and Pekre near Maribor. For the first time in the history of Slovenians, recruits were performing military service in the Slovenian Armed Forces. After the ceremony and the signing of the oath, the first generation of 270 young men began their military service at a time when the Yugoslav Army was preparing an aggression against Slovenia.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša attended the 25th annual Consultation of Slovenian Diplomats at Brdo pri Kranju, where he addressed ambassadors of the Republic of Slovenia and high representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Consultations are taking place in the last month before Slovenia will assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. In his address to diplomats, the Prime Minister spoke about the current situation in the world after the pandemic, the issues Slovenia has faced and is still facing, the enlargement of the European Union, the challenges that lie ahead, even during the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the future and the stabilisation of Europe.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša held a working lunch with the President of the Portuguese Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who is paying an official visit to Slovenia between 31 May and 1 June 2021 at the invitation of the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor. This is the second bilateral visit of a Portuguese president to Slovenia so far (the first such visit was in April 1999 by the then Portuguese president Jorge Sampaio).

A press conference on the current situation regarding COVID-19 featured the head of the vaccination advisory group, Bojana Beović.

Today, at the invitation of Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Prime Minister Janez Janša and his wife, Urška Bačovnik Janša, are attending the ceremony organised by the Republic of Croatia on the occasion of their Statehood Day. On this occasion, the Prime Minister and his wife attended a concert at the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša received Montenegrin Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapić on a working visit. At the working meeting, the two prime ministers discussed the situation of the pandemic, which is improving in both countries, the relations between the two countries and the EU enlargement process.

Today's press conference featured Minister of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Janez Cigler Kralj.

The press conference focused on the decisions taken by the Government at its 77th and 78th sessions; the decisions were presented by Minister of Health Janez Poklukar, Minister of Public Administration Boštjan Koritnik, the head of the advisory group at the Ministry of Health, Mateja Logar, Inspector Deana Potza from the Health Inspectorate, and Deputy Director-General of the Police Tomaž Pečjak.

Today, at the 75th extraordinary session of the National Assembly, Prime Minister Janez Janša responded to a proposal for a constitutional indictment filed by opposition parties. His answer outlined the current epidemiological situation and listed the reasons for the situation in Slovenia. He pointed out that the opposition must be moderate in exercising possible instruments, and spoke of an optimistic economic forecast, then gave the latest data about vaccinations, stressing that a year of recovery is ahead, which will be faster than the average of EU member states and will return Slovenia to pre-crisis levels in record time.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša, together with Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Anže Logar, Minister of the Economy Zdravko Počivalšek, Minister of the Interior Aleš Hojs, Minister of Culture Vasko Simoniti and Minister of Health Janez Poklukar, had a virtual meeting with President of the European Parliament David Sassoli and the leaders of the European Parliament's political groups. After the meeting, President of the European Parliament and Prime Minister Janša issued a joint statement for the media.

The press conference was attended by State Secretary Jelko Kacin, responsible for the logistics of mass vaccination against Covid-19.

The press conference was attended by Irena Grmek Košnik, a representative from the Kranj Regional Unit of the National Institute of Public Health. Maja Bratuša presented the epidemiological situation in the country.

Prime Minister Janez Janša is participating at a special meeting of the European Council in Brussels. The leaders will focus on the current status regarding the harmonisation of the EU response to COVID-19 and the reform of the Fit for 55 climate and energy legislative package.

Today Prime Minister Janez Janša is in Brussels where he met Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, Eduard Heger, prior to the special meeting of the European Council. During their talks, the discussion partners spoke about the management of the COVID-19 situation and the priorities of the Slovenian Presidency of the EU Council.

This evening, Prime Minister Janez Janša and his wife Urška Bačovnik Janša attended a concert by the Big Band of the Slovenian Armed Forces Orchestra on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Pekre events. The concert took place outside the Kadetnica military facility in Maribor. On this occasion, Prime Minister Janez Janša also gave an official address.

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Janez Janša, was the guest on a TV Slovenija 3 talk show hosted by Igor Pirkovič. He spoke about vaccination, those who have recovered from COVID-19, curbing the epidemic, vaccination coverage, the current political situation, the balance of political powers, the upcoming presidency of the Council of the EU and the planned priorities.

Today at Brdo pri Kranju, Prime Minister Janez Janša held the first introductory debate on the future of Europe entitled “The Future of Europe – Discussion on Strategic Challenges at the Beginning of a pan-European debate”. The participants in the debate were also President of Slovenia Borut Pahor, Adviser to the President Dr Ernest Petrič (through video call), former Minister of Foreign Affairs Dimitrij Rupel, lawyer Dr Matej Avbelj, lawyer Dr Jurij Toplak and former Member of the European Parliament Zofija Mazej Kukovič.

On Europe day, 9 May, the work on the Conference on the Future of Europe has started. This unique and democratic project will enable Europeans to exchange views and try to find answers regarding the direction of the future development of our continent, the role and positioning of the Union in the changed geopolitical relations and, last but not least, our own existence. What are the foundations that will unite and connect the Europeans in the present as well as in the future? The Council of the EU, which will be chaired by Slovenia for the most of the time during which the conference will be held, the European Parliament, and the European commission will be jointly responsible for the implementation of this major project. In its role as the country holding the presidency, Slovenia will coordinate and represent the positions of the Member States when conducting the conference.

At the press conference on the current situation regarding COVID-19 Franc Vindišar, State Secretary at the Ministry of Health, Damir Orehovec, State Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, Deana Potza from the Health Inspectorate, and Alojz Sladič, Head of the General Safety and Security Planning Section from the General Police Division of the General Police Directorate were present.

Today Prime Minister Janez Janša attended training demonstrations as part of the Defender Europe 2021 military exercise. Part of the exercise is also taking place in Slovenia between 1 May and 15 June under the command of the Slovenian Armed Forces Major General Miha Škerbinc. The demonstrations took place at the main training ground of the Slovenian Armed Forces at Poček.

At the press conference on the current situation regarding COVID-19 participated Dr Nuška Čakš Jager, Deputy Head of the Centre for Infectious Diseases at the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ), Dr Marta Grgič Vitek, National Vaccination Programme Coordinator at the NIJZ, and Leopold Zonik, Director of the Health Centre Bled.

Prime Minister Janez Janša today attended a ceremony marking the 31st anniversary of the Manoeuvre Structure of National Protection, entitled: Manoeuvre Structure of National Protection – the Beginning of the Creation of the Slovenian Army. The ceremony, held in the National Gallery in Ljubljana, opened with an introductory address by Interior Minister Aleš Hojs, while the keynote speaker was Igor Bavčar, who served as the minister of the interior between 1990 and 1992.

Prime Minister Janez Janša had a videoconference talk today with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. They discussed the state of pandemic, which is slowing down in both countries, the vaccination process as well as future challenges. Of particular importance among the latter are combating the new mutations, facilitating the logistics of vaccine distribution and implementing vaccination in less developed countries when there is a plentiful supply of vaccines, a situation which is expected towards the end of this year.

Mateja Logar, head of the advisory group at the Ministry of Health, and prof. dr. Borut Štrukelj from the Ljubljana Faculty of Pharmacy participated at press conference on the current situation regarding the COVID-19 disease.

Today in Luče, Prime Minister Janez Janša attended the 2021 Kocbek Award ceremony. He was one of the two award recipients. Ivo Jakob, a member of the club who passed away last year and would have turned ninety this year, also received the award for climbers posthumously.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša attended the Slovenian Army Day central ceremony, which took place at the Training Centre for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief in Ig. Slovenian Army Day is marked on 15 May. On this day in 1991, Slovenian conscripts started serving in the army only in Slovenia, at the two training centres of the then Territorial Defence. A total of 300 conscripts began their military service at the 710th Training Centre in Pekre, near Maribor, and the 510th Training Centre in Ig, near Ljubljana. Slovenian Army Day is a day for preserving the values of Slovenian military history, especially the values of efforts for independence.

"Slovenia is still a welfare state," said Romana Tomc, President of the Strategic Council, at the beginning of their 1st meeting. Everyone can feel the acts of a welfare state on their own skin, most often when they are in a difficult life situation. She stressed that it is therefore important that the system works because of, and for the people. This should be considered by all those who write new regulations and establish new institutions.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša was a keynote speaker at the unveiling of the memorial in Poljče, commemorating the events of over 30 years ago. In May 1991, members of the enlarged presidency and key ministers of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia, commanders of the territorial defence and special police units, met in Poljče, and at the proposal of the Minister of Defence, approved the guidelines for Slovenia's defence in the event of YPA aggression. The guidelines were used as a strategic document in the war for Slovenia on 26 June 1991 during the YPA attack. In it, the Slovenian defence forces defended the homeland and defeated the aggressor, the Yugoslav Army. The event in Poljče was attended by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Matej Tonin, MA, Minister of the Interior Aleš Hojs, Director General of the Police Dr. Anton Olaj, State Secretary Bojan Pograjc, MA, and key actors of that time.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša attended the 1st meeting of the Strategic Council on Social Policy, of which the MEP Romana Tomc is President. At the meeting, the members of the Council spoke about the goals of the Council, gave an assessment of the current situation, and presented some substantive proposals. The Council meeting was also attended by the Minister of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Janez Cigler Kralj, who addressed the participants.

Ms Ignacija Fridl Jarc, State Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Mr Simon Zajc, State Secretary at Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, Mr Milan Krek, Director of the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ), and Ms Tjaša Žohar Čretnik, Director of the National Laboratory of Health, Environment and Food (NLZOH), participated in the press conference on the state of play of COVID-19.

The press conference was attended by the state secretary Jelko Kacin, who is also the coordinator of logistics of mass vaccinations against Covid-19.

After having participated today at the 6th Delphi Economic Forum, where he introduced the priorities of the Slovenian presidency of the Council of the EU and also talked of some current issues, Prime Minister Janez Janša met with his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis. After the meeting, the press releases of both prime ministers followed.

Prime Minister Janez Janša is on a working visit to Greece today. During the visit, the Prime Minister addressed the 6th Delphi Economic Forum. This is the central event and annual conference of the organisation of the same name, which brings together leaders from different countries who are committed to implementing and promoting innovative ideas for sustainable and competitive growth in Europe and the wider Eastern Mediterranean region. At this year’s conference, Prime Minister Janez Janša spoke about the future of Europe and presented the priorities of the Slovenian Presidency of the European Council, as well as addressing other current topics in the conversation with the moderator.

The press conference on the current situation regarding COVID-19 was attended by the State Secretary at the Ministry of Health Franc Vindišar and the head of the vaccine advisory group Dr Bojana Beovič. Maja Bratuša of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs presented the current epidemiological picture.

Prime Minister Janez Janša, in an interview for the Spanish newspaper El Correo, spoke about his appearance in the European Parliament, where the MEP Sophie in 't Veld, ironically through the very Group that is supposedly the stronghold defending the freedom of speech, grossly censored his address; in the interview, the Prime Minister also discussed the developments in the European People's Party, as well as the communist era in Slovenia and the spread of communist ideas in Spain, and Slovenia's recent history.

Following Friday’s EU Social Summit, an informal meeting of EU leaders was held in the Portugal city of Porto today, and was also attended by Prime Minister Janez Janša. At today’s meeting, the leaders concentrated on how to best ensure an inclusive recovery, with education and skills at the heart of the EU's political action. They also focused on how to create jobs and improve their quality, and on how to combat poverty and social exclusion.

An informal meeting of the members of the European Council is taking place today in Porto, where EU leaders, including Prime Minister Janez Janša, will continue the debate launched at the Social Summit, in particular on how to give political impetus to the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša attended the Porto Social Summit, a high-level conference organised by the Portuguese presidency.

A press conference on the state of play on COVID-19 brought together Minister of Health Mr Janez Poklukar, Ms Deana Potza from Health Inspectorate and Mr Tomaž Pečjak, Deputy Director-General of the Police.

At the press conference led by the director of the Slovenian Government Communication Office, Uroš Urbanija, the decisions adopted by the government at its session yesterday were discussed by the Minister of Finance, Andrej Šircelj, and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, Jože Podgoršek.

On Friday, 7 May, Prime Minister Janez Janša will attend the Porto Social Summit. The event is organised by the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union and includes a high-level conference with social partners and an informal meeting of the EU heads of state or government.

The press conference on the current issues regarding the COVID-19 disease was attended by the state secretary Jelko Kacin, the national coordinator for the logistics part of the mass vaccination against COVID-19.

Prime Minister Janez Janša meets Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša met with Minister of Defence Matej Tonin, Minister of Health Janez Poklukar and Minister of the Interior Aleš Hojs at a working meeting.

Today Prime Minister Janez Janša exchanged views on the situation in Belarus with Belarus opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya in an informal working meeting.

The press conference on the current situation regarding Covid-19 featured Mateja Logar, the head of the advisory group at the Ministry of Health, with government spokesperson Maja Bratuša first presenting the epidemiological situation in the country.

Prime Minister Janez Janša visited the Slovenj Gradec General Hospital today, where he inspected the renovated Covid-19 department areas, which he also formally opened. He also inspected the department for diagnostics and intervention radiology, where the functioning of the angiography imaging device was presented.

Message by Prime Minister Janez Janša for 1 May, International Labour Day and the day celebrating St Joseph the Worker.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša met with the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Toshimitsu Motegi, who is on an official visit to Slovenia. The visit is aimed at strengthening friendly relations between the two countries and deepening political dialogue.

On 14 April 2021, Prime Minister Janez Janša and the competent ministers met to coordinate the content and financial structure of the Long-Term Care Act for the first time. "Because Slovenians deserve a dignified and safe life throughout their whole live," said the Prime Minister at the first meeting. Today, the second such meeting took place to discuss the content, solutions and financial structure of the Long-Term Care Act, thus bringing Slovenians one step closer to living a dignified and safe life, regardless of their age or financial situation.

Today’s press conference on the current situation regarding COVID-19 was attended by the Minister of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Janez Cigler Kralj, the head of the vaccine advisory group Dr Bojana Beovič, Deana Potza of the Health Inspectorate and Deputy General Director of Police Tomaž Pečjak.

The press conference on the current situation regarding COVID-19 was attended by the minister without portfolio responsible for development and European cohesion policy Zvonko Černač, State Secretary at the Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy Monika Kirbiš Rojs, State Secretary at the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology Simon Zajc and Director of the National Laboratory of Health, Environment and Food Tjaša Žohar Čretnik.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša paid a working visit to Paris at the invitation of the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron. This visit will contribute significantly to the deepening of the dialogue with the French Republic at the highest political level.

Today Prime Minister Janez Janša attended the unveiling of the memorial commemorating the 30th anniversary of the DEMOS coalition meeting at which the commitment to realise the plebiscite decision regarding the independent and sovereign Republic of Slovenia was confirmed and it was determined to accelerate the key steps in the process of Slovenian independence.

Today's press conference about the current situation related to COVID-19 featured Eva Grilc, an epidemiologist of the National Institute for Public Health (NIJZ), and Aleš Rozman, the director of the University Clinic for Pulmonary Diseases and Allergies Golnik.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša attended the state ceremony at Mala gora near Ribnica to mark Slovenia's Day of Uprising against Occupation. The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia took this opportunity to lay a wreath at the TIGR monument. The ceremony focused on the purity of thought and spirit expressed through the poetry by the little-known or even somewhat disregarded authors France Balantič and Lojze Grozde, as well as by the established author Karel Destovnik Kajuh.

At the 1st Session of the Strategic Council for Digitalisation (hereinafter SCD), members discussed the council’s aims, and the timeline and organisation of work. Numerous content suggestions and solutions were also presented.

Today Prime Minister Janez Janša attended the first meeting of the Strategic Council for Digitalisation. At the meeting, the members of the Strategic Council for Digitalisation spoke about the goals of the Council, the timeline and the organisation of the work. They also presented some content-related proposals.

Andrej Šter, Head of the Consular Sector at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Deana Potza from the Health Inspectorate took part in a press conference on the current situation regarding COVID-19.

Prime Minister Janez Janša is today on a working visit to Poland. The purpose of the visit is to enhance political and economic cooperation between the countries and exchange views and positions on topical European affairs and foreign policy issues, whereby the discussions will focus on bilateral cooperation and the priorities of the Slovenian Presidency of the EU Council.

Today's press conference on the current situation regarding the Covid-19 epidemic featured Minister of the Interior Aleš Hojs, Economic Development and Technology State Secretary Simon Zajc, head of the advisory group at the Ministry of Health Mateja Logar and director of the National Institute for Public Health Milan Krek.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša met with Dr Peter Gregorčič and Mr Miha Skubic from the civil initiative Enriching Education and Mr Marko Balažic from the civil initiative United Parents.

At today’s session, the Government permitted the implementation of hospitality activities such as preparing food and beverages and serving same on terraces and in the summer gardens of hospitality establishments and the provision of accommodation services at accommodation facilities of up to 30 rooms in nine statistical regions, as envisaged for the orange phase of easing of measures.

Today in Maribor, Prime Minister Janez Janša attended the inauguration ceremony of the Vega supercomputer, the largest supercomputer in Slovenia and the first EuroHPC supercomputer delivered.

Today in Ljubljana, Prime Minister Janez Janša met with Msgr Stanislav Zore, Archbishop of Ljubljana, Metropolitan and President of the Slovenian Bishops’ Conference, and other members of the Slovenian Bishops’ Conference.

Today Prime Minister Janez Janša attended the ceremony commemorating the 30th anniversary of adopting the Military Service Act, where he was also the keynote speaker.

A press conference on the current situation regarding COVID-19 was held by the head of the advisory group at the Ministry of Health Mateja Logar.

Today’s afternoon press conference on the current situation regarding COVID-19 was attended by Minister of the Interior Aleš Hojs.

Vesna Kerstin Petrič, Director-General of Public Health Directorate at the Ministry of Health, attended today’s press conference on the current situation regarding COVID-19.

The epidemic of the novel coronavirus has changed our lives and has spared no one. It has exposed our vulnerability and weakness. It took away our health and, unfortunately, many lives as well. It confronted us with questions from which we shied away for too long.

Press conference on the current situation regarding COVID-19 was attended by Simon Zajc, State Secretary at the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, Tjaša Žohar Čretnik, Director of the National Laboratory of Health, Environment and Food, Deana Potza from the Health Inspectorate, and Tomaž Pečjak, Deputy Director General of the Police.

At today’s session, the Government adopted the amendments to the Decree on the implementation of screening programmes for the early detection of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection. The Government also concluded that an exception is permitted in eight orange statistical regions to implement hospitality activities of preparing food and beverages and serving on terraces and summer gardens between 07:00 and 19:00. The Government also adopted the Ordinance on determining the conditions for entry into the Republic of Slovenia for the purpose of containment and control of the infectious disease COVID-19.

Marta Grgič Vitek, National Coordinator of the Vaccination Programme at the National Institute of Public Health, Nuška Čakš Jager, Deputy Head of the Centre for Communicable Diseases at the National Institute of Public Health, Leon Cizelj of the Jožef Stefan Institute, and Heinz Nečemer, Headteacher of Bad Eisenkappel School Centre in Austrian Carinthia, attended the regular press conference on the current COVID-19 situation.

Today’s press conference on the current situation regarding COVID-19 was attended by Franc Vindišar, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Marko Pokorn, the Medical Director of Ljubljana Paediatric Clinic, Ada Hočevar Grom of the National Institute of Public Health and Nina Krohne, psychologist from the Slovenian Psychologists’ Association.

Today’s press conference on the current situation regarding COVID-19 was attended by Mateja Logar, the Head of the Advisory Group of the Ministry of Health, and Tomaž Vovko, specialist in infectiology and intensive care medicine.

Today’s press conference was attended by Janez Poklukar, the Minister of Health, Mateja Logar, the Head of the Advisory Group of the Ministry of Health, and Milan Krek, the Director of the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ). Maja Bratuša first presented the epidemiological situation in the country.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša and Janez Poklukar, the Minister of Health, visited the Bia Separations company in Ajdovščina. BIA Separations - Sartorius is a leading developer of monolith technology and the exclusive producer of chromatographic columns for the production, purification, and analysis of large biomolecules.

Today’s press conference on the current situation regarding COVID-19 was attended by Simona Kustec, Minister of Education, Science and Sport, and Borut Štrukelj from the Faculty of Pharmacy in Ljubljana.

Prime Minister Janez Janša spoke today at the virtual conference entitled "Changing Paradigms in a Pandemic World: How to regain trust? Health, Happiness & Ethics".

Minister of Health Janez Poklukar held an address for healthcare workers and co-workers and the general public on the occasion of World Health Day, celebrated on 7 April. The current epidemiological data was presented by Government spokesperson Maja Bratuša.

The speakers at the press conference on the current COVID-19 situation were State Secretary Jelko Kacin, National Logistics Coordinator for the Mass Vaccination Campaign against COVID-19, and Tatjana Lejko Zupanc, Head of the Clinic for Infectious Diseases and Fever Conditions at the University Medical Centre Ljubljana.

Dear citizens of Slovenia, dear fellow Slovenians at home and abroad, the hope that Easter brings touches our open hearts time and again. Every time as if for the first time and always the way that we need it most at that precise moment. We draw strength from Easter hope. We rely on it in times of trial, while being conscious of the fact that there would be no Easter without suffering, trial and renunciation.

As part of the group of six like-minded countries, Slovenia has always worked towards eliminating the growing differences in the vaccination rate among EU Member States. The overall goal was to eliminate these differences to the greatest extent possible with the supply of 10 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to achieve a 70% vaccination rate of the adult population in all Member States by early summer. Member States had different interests and views regarding the distribution of these 10 million vaccine doses.

Today's press conference on the current COVID-19 situation was attended by Tjaša Žohar Čretnik, the Director of the National Laboratory for Health, the Environment and Food, and Leon Cizelj from the Jožef Stefan Institute.

Hereafter we publish the EU statement on the World Health Organization COVID-19 origins study, which Slovenia fully supports. The statement was made public on 30 March 2021.

Today's conference on the current situation regarding the COVID-19 disease featured Ljubljana Archbishop Stanislav Zore, Bishop of the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovenia Leon Novak, deputy head of the Infectious Disease Centre of the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) Nuška Čakš Jager and Marta Grgič Vitek of the NIJZ, the national coordinator of the vaccination programme.

14 countries issued a joint statement expressing concerns regarding the recent WHO-convened study in China, while at the same time reinforcing the importance of working together toward the development and use of a swift, effective, transparent, science-based, and independent process for international evaluations of such outbreaks of unknown origin in the future. The signatories also underscore the need for a robust, comprehensive, and expert-led mechanism for expeditiously investigating outbreaks of unknown origin that is conducted with full and open collaboration among all stakeholders and in accordance with the principles of transparency, respect for privacy, and scientific and research integrity.

A press conference on the current COVID-19 situation was attended by the State Secretary at the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Mateja Ribič, State Secretary Ajda Cuderman, and the Director-General of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, Mitja Gorenšček.

Today's press conference on the current situation related to COVID-19 featured the head of the advisory group Mateja Logar and the head of the Intensive Therapy Department of the Infectious Disease Clinic of the University Clinical Centre (UKC) Ljubljana Matjaž Jereb.

At today’s session, the Government adopted measures to contain the COVID-19 epidemic. Most of the measures will be in force from 1 April up to and including 11 April 2021.

The Government of the Republic of Slovenia today convened at the Brdo Congress Centre for its 67th regular session at which it discussed measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. Among other things, the Government discussed the expert group’s proposal for an 11-day lockdown. This proposal is based on the figures which show a growing number of infections and hospitalisations and which, once again, call into question the stability of the Slovenian healthcare system, since the numbers of those needing intensive care could exceed even those that we saw at the peak of the second wave. These were all topics of the meeting that Prime Minister Janez Janša attended earlier today at the Brdo Congress Centre together with the presidents of the parliamentary parties, the heads of deputy groups, the minister of health and the minister’s expert group for the containment and control of the COVID-19 epidemic, which was hosted by President Borut Pahor.

Today at Brdo Congress Centre, Prime Minister Janez Janša attended a meeting of the presidents of parliamentary parties, heads of deputy groups, the minister of health and the minister’s expert group for the containment and control of the COVID-19 epidemic. At the meeting, the minister of health and head of the expert group presented their proposals for measures to contain the third wave of the COVID-19 epidemic ahead of them being put up for discussion and adoption at the session of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia.

Prime Minister Janez Janša participated in a video conference today on media freedom and the rule of law in Slovenia. The European Parliament’s Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group (DRFMG), as part of the EP’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE), continued the discussion on the freedom of the media and the rule of law in Slovenia which began on 5 March 2021.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša took part in a video conference of the members of the European Council.

Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, French President Emmanuel Macron, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovič and Romanian Prime Minister Florin Cîțu have written a letter to the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen about the role of nuclear energy in the EU climate and energy policy.

Prime Minister Janez Janša today met with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen via a video conference.

Today’s press on the current situation with the COVID-19 disease was attended by Janez Poklukar, the Minister of Health, Tjaša Žohar Čretnik, Director of the National Laboratory of Health, Environment and Food, Deana Potza from the Health Inspectorate, and Tomaž Pečjak, Deputy Director General of the Police.

Prime Minister Janez Janša addressed a letter to President Borut Pahor proposing that a meeting with all leaders of parliamentary parties as well as with heads of deputy groups, Ministry of Health and advisory group is convened as soon as possible.

At today's session, the Government adopted the Ordinance amending the Ordinance on the temporary partial restriction of movement of people and on the prohibition of gathering of people to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which stipulates that the movement of people is again restricted to within the region in the Obalno-kraška region, the Goriška region and the Koroška region. Movement is now restricted at night from 22:00 to 5:00. By way of the amendment, a negative RAT test is no longer listed among the general exceptions for entry into Slovenia. The Government also supplemented the national COVID-19 vaccination strategy.