News

In a month's time, on 20 May, Slovenia and the rest of the world will celebrate World Bee Day for the fifth time. Since 2022 is the European Year of Youth, the main topic of this year's celebration is youth and beekeeping. The main purpose of World Bee Day is to raise awareness among the international public about the importance of bees and other pollinators for humanity in the light of food security, the global elimination of hunger, and care for the environment and biodiversity.

The new issue of the News from Nuclear Slovenia is published.

Today, Foreign Minister Dr Anže Logar presented computer keyboards to the President of the Friends of Youth Association, Darja Groznik, and to the Secretary General of Caritas Slovenia, Peter Tomažič, as a symbolic gesture ahead of the Foreign Ministry’s donation of used computer equipment. “We are making a donation to two key organisations as they know best who needs the equipment most. I’m happy that the computers will go to the right hands,” declared Minister Logar.

World Earth Day, which is celebrated on 22 April, is taking place this year with an emphasis on investing in and enriching our planet. The Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning implements a range of measures to preserve the environment by investing in the planet and development opportunities. World Earth Day is intended to raise awareness and show how each of us can make an important contribution towards a more environmentally and climate friendly planet.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved EU funding for the project Multipurpose Roma centers as innovative learning environments. The project will foster flexible forms of learning; it will also support the provision of quality career guidance for students across all education levels.

The mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) completed the independent peer review of regulatory framework of nuclear and radiation safety in the Republic of Slovenia as well as the activities at the Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration (SNSA) and the Slovenian Radiation Protection Administration (SRPA). On Thursday, 14 April 2022, the exit meeting took place, presenting the main findings of the draft report. In a couple of months, IAEA will deliver a proofread and consolidated final report.

Через війну в Україні ЄС зараз стикається з найбільшою кризою біженців з часів Другої світової війни. За останніми підрахунками, близько 4 мільйонів людей були змушені покинути Україну, більшість із них жінки та діти, які є особливо вразливою групою з точки зору торгівлі людьми.

Prime Minister Janez Janša was today a live guest on a Euronews TV programme, where he spoke with Anelise Borges about the situation in Ukraine and the European response to the crisis.

A joint press conference of the Slovenian and Polish Prime Ministers, Janez Janša and Mateusz Morawiecki, was held today to announce that Slovenia and Poland will organise the Volleyball Men’s World Championship 2022. Russia cannot host this event due to the current circumstances and its aggression against Ukraine.

Minister Jože Podgoršek handed a beehive symbolising hope for peace to the Ukrainian Ambassador to Slovenia Mykhailo Brodovych as a sign of strong support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.

Foreign Minister Dr Anže Logar attended a meeting of the Central 5 group bringing together the foreign ministers of Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia. The main topics on the agenda were the current situation in Ukraine and building EU resilience.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan participated in the regular General Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg. As part of the annual rule of law dialogue, the General Affairs Council reviewed the situation with regard to the rule of law in five member states and discussed the Conference on the Future of Europe.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Anže Logar attended the regular EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting chaired by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell. The main topics on the agenda were the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the Global Gateway strategy.

Today marks the beginning of the 12th session of the Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing (OEWGA) focusing on the contribution of older persons to sustainable development and economic security. Slovenia, as a staunch advocate for regulating the rights of older persons through international law, is represented by State Secretary Dr Stanislav Raščan.

The Slovenian Minister of the Interior, Aleš Hojs, and the Greek Minister of Migration and Asylum, Notis Mitarachi, met today in Bled. They focused on the war in Ukraine, the gradual approach to the Pact on Migration and Asylum and the political governance of the Schengen area.

Today we visited the High School in Euclid, a town where quite a few Slovenian compatriots still live today. The reason: an agreement to carry out a number of joint projects with the students of the Urban Agriculture School Program and their instructor Josh Stephens - to mark the World Bee Day, Planting of the Honey-bee friendly plants Day and November's Honey Breakfast.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša attended via video conference the 7th Delphi Economic Forum, which took place in Athens. It is the flagship event and annual conference of the organisation of the same name engaging leaders from different countries committed to deliver and promote innovative ideas for sustainable and competitive growth for Europe and the wider Eastern Mediterranean region.

Prime Minister Janez Janša today participated in the global pledging campaign "Stand up for Ukraine" by delivering a video address, thus supporting global efforts for helping Ukraine. The Prime Minister has thus joined many other leaders, artists and citizens in the #StandUpForUkraine campaign aimed at helping refugees and internally displaced persons.

This evening, Prime Minister Janez Janša was a guest on the Sky News' The News Hour, talking to host Nick Quraishi about the efforts to stop the war in Ukraine and strengthen the security in Europe.

Minister of the Interior Aleš Hojs met with Nicos Nouris, Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Cyprus, in Ljubljana today. The main topics of the discussion were the war in Ukraine and its consequences and the Pact on Migration and Asylum.

Foreign Minister Anže Logar telephoned Carlos Alberto Franco França, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federative Republic of Brazil. Minister Logar recalled the 30th anniversary of Brazil's recognition of Slovenia and of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, which will be marked this year.

On behalf of the Association of Friendship with Slovenia “Slovenia-seura” and the Embassy of Slovenia in Finland, the event in Europpasali was hosted by the President of the Association Andreja Valtanen and Ambassador Skrt.
Matej Vranič's documentary was screened, in which the director presents very diverse flora and fauna of Slovenia.

Prime Minister Janez Janša today attended the inauguration of the country's largest solar power plant in Prapretno near Hrastnik. On the former degraded site, 6,748 solar modules will generate more than three gigawatt hours of electricity per year. In the coming years, the plant will be expanded to a total capacity of 15 MW. In this way, a point of just energy transition is being created in Prapretno near Hrastnik.

Helsinki, 8 April 2022 - On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Slovenia and Finland, Ambassador Edvin Skrt visited the Speaker of the Finnish Parliament Matti Vanhanen.

Prime Minister Janez Janša had a working dinner this evening with the British Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Sir Stuart Peach.

Prime Minister Janez Janša met today with the Saudi Minister of the Economy and Planning, Faisal Al-Ibrahim, who is on a working visit to Slovenia.

State Secretary Aleš Irgolič has attended the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Luxembourg. Ministers exchanged views on the "Fit for 55" package, in particular on agricultural aspects of the revision of the land-use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) regulation. The European Commission reported on the situation on agricultural markets in light of the war in Ukraine and presented its communication on safeguarding food security and reinforcing the resilience of food systems. Under AOB items, the European Commission presented a proposal for a regulation on geographical indications for wine, spirit drinks and agricultural products, while the French Presidency provided information on the health situation and work at the Council with regard to highly pathogenic avian influenza.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved EU funding for the project COVID-19 – Energy-saving renovation of the URI Soča facilities Orhideja and Vrtnica, and the project Energy-saving renovation of two buildings of the Novo mesto General Hospital (Mostek and Kamen). Both projects will contribute to improving patient experience and staff work environment.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes the vote of the UN General Assembly to suspend the Russian Federation’s rights of membership in the Human Rights Council.

State Secretary Dr Stanislav Raščan met with the Minister of Economy and Planning of Saudi Arabia, Faisal Al-Ibrahim. In the focus of their talks was a mutual interest in strengthening cooperation between Slovenia and Saudi Arabia, particularly in the economy.

Prime Minister Janez Janša attended the presentation of Janez Juhant’s book Lambert Ehrlich – Prophet of the Slovenian Nation at Cankarjev dom. In addition to experts on the book, Marko and Bernarda Inzko Fink also took part in the presentation.

Prime Minister Janez Janša was a speaker today in an online discussion of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša was a guest on Fakty po Faktach, a show on Polish TV channel TVN24. There he spoke about efforts to end the war in Ukraine and strengthening security in Europe.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan today attended a virtual high-level meeting on food and nutrition crises in the Sahel and Lake Chad regions. He announced Slovenia’s humanitarian contribution worth EUR 50,000 in 2022, which will be channelled through the World Food Programme (WFP) to meet the most urgent needs in the central Sahel.

Igor Jukič, Director-General for Multilateral Affairs and Development Cooperation, took part in a meeting of EU directors-general for development cooperation. The discussion focused on the situation in Ukraine, ways to improve cooperation with partner countries in a changing geopolitical context, the Team Europe initiatives, the European Financial Architecture for Development, and global health.

State Secretary Dr Stanislav Raščan spoke at a round table discussion organised by the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for visiting students of the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna. He outlined the Foreign Policy Strategy of the Republic of Slovenia, adopted by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia in December 2021, and stressed the importance of multilateralism for global peace and security.

From 4-5th April 2022, a project partners’ meeting took place in Split, Croatia, as part of the project activities of the European Project Safe and Equal in EMErgencies – “SEE ME”.

On 31 March 2022, Drago Jančar presented his novel "I Saw Her That Night" to the Norwegian audience at the Norli Library in Oslo, titled "Jeg så henne den natten" in Norwegian.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved EU funding for energy renovation of the building of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the Novo mesto General Hospital. Thermal insulation of the facility’s external walls and roof, upgrade of the ventilation system and lighting, and replacement of the facility’s windows and doors will be carried out with support from the Cohesion Fund.

Today was a historic day for Slovenia in Ohio. The Consulate General celebrated tomorrow's 30th Anniversary of the American recognition of Slovenia as independent state in the Statehouse in Columbus:

Prime Minister Janez Janša today held a telephone conversation with the Secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

In view of the ongoing Russian military violence against Ukraine, the serious violations of international law and the killings of innocent Ukrainian civilians revealed by comparing satellite and other imagery after the liberation from the Russian aggressors, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Slovenian Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Branko Rakovec, for a consultation.

Today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia summoned the Ambassador of the Russian Federation, Timur Eyvazov, to express dismay and the harshest protest at the clear evidence that the armed forces of the Russian Federation committed war crimes against the civilian population in the Ukrainian town of Bucha. Together with partners, allies and the International Criminal Court, Slovenia will do its utmost to hold the perpetrators accountable for these horrific crimes.

State Secretary Dr Stanislav Raščan participated in the Moldova Support Conference in Berlin convened by the foreign ministries of Germany, France and Romania and attended by the Moldovan Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. Dr Raščan reaffirmed Slovenia's support for Moldova’s European perspective and outlined Slovenia’s envisaged aid measures.

On 4 April 2022, the International Atomic Energy Agency´s (IAEA) mission has started an independent peer review of legislative and administrative frameworks of nuclear and radiation safety in the Republic of Slovenia as well as the activities at the Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration (SNSA) and the Slovenian Radiation Protection Administration (SRPA). During this review, the mission will check compliance of the SNSA and SRPA procedures with the IAEA standards. The event will conclude on 14 April 2022.

As part of a working visit of the members of the Government to the southern part of the Osrednjeslovenska region on 1 April 2022, the State Secretary at the Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy attended a working meeting and a working lunch, and participated in a public debate that brought together members of the government, local authorities and regional development players.

Following the Council of the EU’s decision on the assessment of the Slovenian Recovery and Resilience Plan in July 2021 and the signing of the Financing agreement for the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility by the European Commission and the Republic of Slovenia, the European Commission has announced that it has also signed a document on the operational arrangements for the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Facility in Slovenia.

In the framework of trilateral cooperation in the North Adriatic Sea, Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Anže Logar met for the third time with foreign ministers of Croatia Gordan Grlić Radman and of Italy Luigi di Maio in Zaprešić, Croatia. The ministers took stock of the cooperation in the fields of connectivity, the blue economy and environmental protection, and reviewed concrete proposals for further cooperation.

Today, Prime Minister Janša visited the Koroška Region. As part of the visit, he met with the management of the Tesnila GK. d.o.o. company, and he was also shown the production facilities of the company. With the company's management, the Prime Minister talked mainly about the rubber industry. The company's representatives presented to him the current situation in the industry and their plans for the future. The current situation in the automotive industry was also discussed.

Today, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia paid a working visit to the Osrednjeslovenska Region which comprises the municipalities of Borovnica, Brezovica, Dobrepolje, Dobrova – Polhov Gradec, Grosuplje, Horjul, Ig, Ivančna Gorica, Logatec, Log – Dragomer, Škofljica, Šmartno pri Litiji, Velike Lašče and Vrhnika. To round off the visit, the members of the Government attended a public debate, where they answered questions raised by mayors, entrepreneurs and other development actors in the region

State Secretary Dr Stanislav Raščan met with Märt Volmer, Undersecretary for Europe in the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Tallinn, where he also took part in the conference "Small States in the UN Security Council: Working for Peace to Overcome the Scourge of War”.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša was on a working visit to the southern part of the Osrednjeslovenska statistical region. The Government paid a visit to the municipalities of Borovnica, Brezovica, Dobrepolje, Dobrova – Polhov Gradec, Grosuplje, Horjul, Ig, Ivančna Gorica, Logatec, Log – Dragomer, Škofljica, Šmartno pri Litiji, Velike Lašče and Vrhnika.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša was a guest on the Sarah Jane Mee Show on Sky News. Talking to the host Sarah Jane Mee, the Prime Minister spoke mainly about the current situation in Ukraine.

State Secretary Dr Stanislav Raščan took part in the High-level Pledging Event on Supporting the Humanitarian Response in Afghanistan. In his intervention, he announced that Slovenia would contribute another EUR 50,000 through the United Nations Population Fund – UNFPA for addressing the most urgent humanitarian needs of the Afghan people.

On Wednesday, 30 March 2022, Prime Minister Janša was a guest on "Connect the World" on CNN International, talking to host Becky Anderson about the current situation in Ukraine.

Prime Minister Janša today visited the Muslim Cultural Centre and met with the Mufti of the Islamic Community in Slovenia, Nevzet Porić. The Prime Minister’s meeting with the Mufti was devoted to a discussion on the functioning and life of the Islamic community in the Republic of Slovenia. The discussion also touched upon the war in Ukraine and the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

On Saturday, March 26, 2022, the regular annual General Assembly of the Slovenian Association in Sweden was held in Jönköping, which this year marks the 30th anniversary of its independent work. The members of the General Assembly reviewed the work done in 2021 and adopted an activity plan for 2022.

Yesterday Prime Minister Janez Janša met with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, Andrej Plenković, in Zagreb. The meeting was held to continue the dialogue between the two countries at the highest level, review current bilateral and European issues, and exchange views on the situation in Ukraine, especially in light of the discussions at the recent extraordinary NATO summit and the European Council meeting.

EU home affairs ministers met at the Extraordinary Justice and Home Affairs Council today in Brussels to continue the discussion on the consequences of the situation in Ukraine. They focused on the reception and registration procedures for persons fleeing Ukraine, on the implementation of material and financial support for member states, and security issues. The Extraordinary Council was attended by Slovenian State Secretary Franc Kangler.

At the invitation of the Minister of Immigration and Integration Mattias Tesfaye, the Slovenian Minister of the Interior Aleš Hojs paid a visit to Denmark on 24 March 2022. In addition to meeting Minister Tesfaye, he also visited the Danish Return Agency and a reception center for Ukrainian citizens fleeing the war due to Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine.

Prime Minister Janez Janša met with the President of the Grand National Assembly of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Sentop, in Ljubljana today.

Prime Minister Janez Janša met today with Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, who is attending the conference of parliamentary speakers of the EU Member States in Slovenia.

Boštjan Lesjak has safely arrived in Kyiv to start serving as Slovenia’s chargé d'affaires ad interim to Ukraine. Upon arrival, he said that the city was empty with audible alarms and detonations in the distance, but that day-to-day life was running normally for those who remained in the capital. As of 9:00 a.m. tomorrow, the Slovenian Embassy will thus be open again.

Minister Jože Podgoršek attended today a Slovenian-wide planting of honey plants, which takes place across the entire country on the initiative of the Slovenian Beekeepers' Association. Several other countries and institutions from across the globe joined the project. The aim of the project, which is supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, is to plant as many honey plants as possible in Slovenia and around the world.

On 26 March, the Bee Forage Planting Day project initiated by the Slovenian Beekeepers' Association took place in Tokyo. In collaboration with Tokyo urban beekeepers, a non-profit organisation called Ginza Honeybee Project "Ginpachi", we have sowed sunflower and cosmos seeds and planted lavender, blackberries and blueberries. We also decorated it with the plaque with information about the project.

Prime Minister Janez Janša is attending the second day of the European Council meeting in Brussels, where participants will discuss security and defence, energy, and economic issues and review the current challenges related to COVID-19.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša is attending a meeting of leaders of EU Member States in Brussels.

Due to numerous false claims made over the past few days by media outlets and subsequently by individual political parties about the decision to send a chargé d’affaires ad interim of the Republic of Slovenia to Kyiv, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would like to communicate its response to the most frequently highlighted false statements. It should be noted that the claims relating to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the procedure of appointment of a chargé d’affaires have not been previously verified with the lead authority.

Prime Minister Janez Janša today in a video speech addressed the participants of the National Conservatism Conference: The Future of the Nation-state in Europe, which was organised by the Edmund Burke Foundation in Brussels on 23 and 24 March 2022. Speaking in the panel "Facing the Russian aggression", Prime Minister Janša talked about the war in Ukraine, his recent visit to Ukraine together with the Polish and Czech prime ministers and the situation in that country.

Prime Minister Janez Janša is today attending the extraordinary summit of NATO Heads of State and Government in Brussels to discuss the Russian aggression in Ukraine and current developments in NATO related to the situation in that country.

Prime Minister Janez Janša was a guest on the television programme "Your World" broadcast on Fox News. Hosted by Neil Cavuto, "Your World" focused on the current situation in Ukraine.

Prime Minister Janez Janša was a guest on today’s TV Celje programme, where he talked about topical issues in Slovenia and the world, his government’s two years in office and the upcoming parliamentary election.

Prime Minister Janez Janša was today’s guest on CNN's At This Hour live, where he discussed with host Kate Bolduan the situation in Ukraine, the visit of three Prime Ministers to Ukraine, the NATO Summit in Brussels and current foreign policy issues.

Prime Minister Janez Janša attended today in Brdo pri Kranju the 16th Slovenian Business Summit entitled "Horizons of the Future", where he delivered the opening address. The President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, Tibor Šimonka, and, in a video address, the President of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Gennadiy Chyzhykov, also addressed the audience.

At today's press conference in Brdo pri Kranju, Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša and Deputy Prime Ministers Zdravko Počivalšek and Matej Tonin presented the projects completed in Slovenian municipalities during the Government's 2020–2022 term of office. At the press conference, they also discussed future projects already approved by the Government and the ongoing projects.

At Expo 2020, participants in the round table convened on World Water Day by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning and Spirit Slovenija discussed groundwater in relation to climate change. Rok Tomšič, Head of the Department for Bilateral Economic Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, underlined the important role of economic diplomacy in facilitating the entry of Slovenian companies into new markets.

Due to the emergence of extraordinary circumstances in Ukraine, the Slovenian Intellectual Property Office is doing its utmost to protect the rights of Ukrainian intellectual property right holders.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan attended the General Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, with state secretaries and ministers for European affairs focusing on the preparations for the European Council on 24–25 March 2022.

Minister Jože Podgoršek attended the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels. The discussion centred on the information provided by the European Commission and the exchange of views on the situation in agricultural markets in light of the war in Ukraine. Ministers also held a video conference with the Ukrainian minister of agriculture Roman Leshchenko, who presented the situation in Ukraine. Ministers held an important discussion on the strategic plans of the common agricultural policy (CAP). Slovenia provided information on seeking alternatives to plant protection products in agricultural and non-agricultural land, in particular as regards glyphosate. Ministers also discussed the issue of large carnivores.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša chaired the session of the Government Council for Slovenians Abroad, which was devoted to discussing the preservation and strengthening of the knowledge of the Slovenian language among Slovenians living abroad, as well as on reviewing the Council's work to date and establishing directions for its future work.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša chaired the session of the Government Council for Slovenians Abroad, which was devoted to a discussion about the current situation of the Slovenian community abroad, its organisational structures during and after the pandemic, future financial perspectives as an opportunity for the Slovenian minority, and the possibility of applying for Interreg projects.

Foreign Minister Anže Logar attended a regular Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels chaired by High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell. The main topics on the agenda were the Russian military aggression against Ukraine and the situation in Mali and the Sahel. EU foreign affairs and defence ministers sitting in a joint session approved the Strategic Compass.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan attended a ministerial meeting in the framework of the European Humanitarian Forum in Brussels on strengthening compliance with international humanitarian law.

Today, Minister of the Interior Aleš Hojs briefed a number of foreign ambassadors to Slovenia on the activities and measures of the Slovenian Government in relation to the crisis in Ukraine.

In 2022, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination focuses on the theme “Voices for action against racism”, highlighting the importance of safe public participation, of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and of protecting civic space to stand up against racial discrimination. The elimination of all forms of discrimination is one of Slovenia’s foreign policy priorities in the sphere of human rights.

Prime Minister Janša was a guest on NPR’s "All Things Considered" yesterday, where he spoke about the visit of the three prime ministers to Kyiv and the war in Ukraine.

Air transport in Europe, including Slovenia, and around the world has been severely restricted due to the consequences of the covid-19 epidemic and continues to be so. According to Eurostat, the drop in passenger transport in Slovenia in 2020 in comparison to 2019 amounted to 83.3 percent (EU average was 73.3 percent), which was the greatest decline among all EU countries.

Prime Minister Janez Janša today appeared in the "Rosemary Burton Live" show on CBC News, where he spoke about the situation in Ukraine and his recent visit to Kiev together with the prime ministers of the Czech Republic and Poland.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša was a guest on the show "Ura moči (The Hour of the Power)" on Planet TV, where he talked about his visit to Ukraine and the current situation in that country.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša was a guest on Planet TV's daily news programme, where he answered some questions on Ukraine and current affairs.

Prime Minister Janez Janša was a guest on the programme Odmevi. He talked about the war in Ukraine and his visit to Kiev.

The Prime Minister made a statement for 24UR Zvečer, speaking about Ukraine and his visit to Kiev. He said that life in Kiev was fairly normal when the city was not under curfew: "The city of Kiev is far from defeated."

Tonight, Prime Minister Janez Janša was the guest of the Nova24TV show Theme of the Day, where he talked about his journey to Ukraine and the current situation.

Prime Minister Janez Janša today in Brdo pri Kranju attended the celebration of the Chamber of Craft and Small Business of Slovenia, where he delivered the keynote speech. At the ceremony, the Prime Minister also presented the Craftsman of the Year and Entrepreneur of the Year awards for 2020 and 2021 and the Oldest Craftsman of the Year award for 2020.

Brussels, 17 March 2022 – The first formal meeting of the Environment Council during the French Presidency took place. At the forefront was the adoptionof the general approach for the Batteries and Waste Batteries Regulation. Ministers held a policy debate on the Fit for 55 legislative package, focusing on the ETS Directive and on the proposal for the Deforestation Regulation. During the working lunch ministers exchanged views on the greening of the European Semester.

Minister Jože Podgoršek attended a joint Slovenian-Japanese online event on smart agriculture. The event, which is the continuation of the online AGRI-TECH event held in March last year, was intended for representatives of ministries, scientific research and educational institutions, and the interested public. The eminent Japanese expert in smart agriculture Prof. Noboru Noguchi, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at Hokkaido University and Chair of the Japanese Society of Agricultural Engineering, participated in the event, which was organised by the Embassy of Japan in Ljubljana.

Prime Minister Janez Janša gave an interview today for the BBC World Service. Most of the interview was devoted to the visit of the Prime Ministers of Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Poland to Kyiv.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar met with Minister of Foreign Affairs and National Community Abroad Ramtane Lamamra, Minister of Energy and Mines Mohamed Arkab, CEO of the state-owned Sonatech company Toufik Hakkar, and President Abdelmadjid Tebboune in Algiers. The purpose of the working visit was to strengthen political and economic cooperation between the two countries, particularly in provision of energy products.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan pledged a new contribution from Slovenia to the World Food Programme (WFP) worth EUR 80,000 at the international High-Level Pledging Conference for the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen, co-hosted by the UN, Switzerland and Sweden.

On Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Janez Janša, together with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in Kyiv.