World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (WAAW), which started on 18 November with the European Antibiotic Awareness Day, takes place this week. Growing antimicrobial resistance is a threat to people, animals, plants and the environment.

The Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU organised the 4th European AI Alliance Assembly, which aims to improve EU policy and cooperation in the development and use of AI. The event was attended by Ambassador Tadej Rupel, National Coordinator for External Aspects of Digitalisation, AI and Cyber Security.

On 18 November 2023, we celebrate the European Day for the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse. Slovenia, together with the initiating countries Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Monaco and San Marino, has for the 9th year in a row prepared a declaration to mark this day. This year, 37 other European countries and the European Union have endorsed the joint declaration.

Temporary reintroduction of internal border controls is extended by 20 days, until 9 December 2023 (under Article 28 of the Schengen Borders Code). On 22 December, six-month internal border controls, as provided for in Article 25 of the Schengen Borders Code, will be introduced.

The Government agreed to the proposed amendments to the proposal for the Implementation of the Republic of Slovenia’s Budget for 2024 and 2025 Act and issued a Decree amending the Decree on the method of determining and calculating the contribution for ensuring support for the production of electricity from high-efficiency cogeneration and renewable energy sources.

The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the Slovenian delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance strongly condemn the hate message that appeared this morning on the door of the Jewish Cultural Centre and Synagogue in Ljubljana on Križevniška Street. It is unacceptable that individuals should attempt to violate the dignity of Jews or any other minority group.

From 12 to 15 November 2023, Ljubljana hosted the 16th Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) Classroom Network international conference entitled "Leading Change: Digital Transformation of Education in the Era of AI", where foreign guests were also served a traditional Slovenian breakfast to raise awareness of a healthy diet and regular breakfast for children and adults.

Minister of the Interior Boštjan Poklukar has hosted the Romanian Minister of the Interior Marian-Cătălin Predoiu. They primarily talked about migration and Schengen.

The United Nations Security Council adopts a resolution focussing on the protection of children in Gaza and the release of hostages, many of whom are children. Below is the response of the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Tanja Fajon, to the adoption of the resolution.

The amendments to the Act also aim to strengthen existing development regions. “We want to see a more balanced development in development regions and reduce the development gap of less developed areas. The amendments aim to provide a legal basis for the country to delegate more tasks to development regions to be responsible for more than just the absorption of EU funds and to define how to ensure adequate resources for their operation.”

The High-Level Meeting of the OECD Development Assistance Committee was held in Paris to review and discuss the challenges of development cooperation in the context of rising global development and humanitarian needs, conflicts and disasters, the impact of climate change, and the slowdown in progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Slovenia will host the 23rd Meeting of the Member Parties to the Barcelona Convention, COP 23 – Conference for the Mediterranean, in Portorož between 5 and 8 December 2023, marking the second time in history that Slovenia has held the two-year Presidency of the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean. The meeting will be held under the slogan “Green transition in the Mediterranean: from decisions to actions”.

On 15 November 2023, in Apia, Samoa, the EU and its member states signed with the 79 members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) a new Partnership Agreement, which will serve as the overarching legal framework for cooperation over the next 20 years. On behalf of Slovenia, the Agreement was signed by the Permanent Representative to the EU, Ambassador Iztok Jarc, in Brussels.

Prime Minister Robert Golob today inspected the reconstruction of the areas affected by the natural disaster in Sneberje, Ljubljana. “The state must ensure the safety of Slovenian citizens,” the Prime Minister stressed after the visit.

The 16th international conference of the Asia-Europe Foundation Classroom Network took place from 13 to 15 November 2023 in Ljubljana to discuss the digitalisation of education in the age of artificial intelligence. The participants were addressed by Maja Balant Slobodjanac, Governor from Slovenia in the Asia-Europe Foundation from the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, which is actively involved in the Foundation

Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration (SNSA) has received a report from the Krško Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) on the event and the repair of the damaged pipeline as well as on the immediate and short-term actions taken to restart of the plant.

The Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development has approved EU funding for the call for proposals for co-financing municipal integrated transport strategies.

On his working visit to Rome, Prime Minister Robert Golob had an official meeting with his host, the President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic, Giorgia Meloni. At the forefront of the meeting were the strengthening of cooperation, the migration issue, current foreign policy topics and the national communities of both countries.

Late this afternoon in Brussels, Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon attended the EU-Western Balkans Ministerial Meeting gathering the EU's Foreign Ministers and their counterparts from six Western Balkan countries. The second joint meeting this year was aimed at deepening cooperation between the EU and the Western Balkan countries in the field of the Common Foreign and Security Policy.

Prime Minister Robert Golob received the President of the Slovenian Federation of Pensioners' Organisations, Zdenka Jan, and the federation’s former president, Janez Sušnik. They discussed the situation of pensioners in Slovenia and the related Government measures.

Prime Minister Robert Golob today met with Chey Taewon, Special Envoy of the President of the Republic of Korea for EXPO 2023 and Chairman of SK Group, Korea's second largest conglomerate.

Today, as part of preparations for tomorrow’s working visit to Rome, Prime Minister Robert Golob met with the representatives of the Slovenian minority in Italy. The minority representatives initially thanked the Slovenian Government for its good cooperation.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon took part in the regular meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, which focused on the situation in Israel and the region. We are witnessing a crisis of humanity and a crisis of world order. It is therefore high time for an immediate humanitarian pause to the hostilities in Gaza and the establishment of humanitarian corridors," the Minister said.

The Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development has approved EU funding for the project Improvement of the Koren Brook embankment – arrangement of a pedestrian path.

The Minister of Cohesion and Regional Development, Dr Aleksander Jevšek, and his Croatian colleague, Minister Šime Erlić, attended the opening ceremony of the first headquarters of the European Grouping for Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) in Slovenia, namely the headquarters of the EGTC Pats of the Future – Ljubljana – Novo mesto – Karlovac – Zagreb, which is located in Novo mesto.

The Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development has approved EU funding for the call for proposals Fighting youth precarity with youth work.

Ministry of Defence has received cyber defence equipment from the US government to improve the security of communication and information systems, and the cyber defence capabilities of SAF and DoD personnel.

Prime Minister Robert Golob today attended the International Humanitarian Conference for the Civilian Population in Gaza, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. The key aim of the conference is to improve the coordination of international aid for Gaza and gather additional humanitarian funds for the affected civilian population.

Monitoring Committee of Cohesion Policy Programme 2021-2027 held its second meeting today. Members of the Monitoring Committee reviewed the progress made in the implementation of the programme and took note of strategic operations and plans for the remainder of 2023 and for 2024. The first calls for proposals have already been published and the first projects have been approved.

The Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development has approved EU funding for the project City centre revitalization programme.

At today's meeting, the Government adopted a draft amendment to the Restriction on the Use of Tobacco Products and Related Products Act, which bans all attractive fruity, sweet and herbal flavours in electronic cigarettes, except for the taste or smell of tobacco or menthol. The draft amendment also introduces a ban on smoking rooms, that is, a complete ban on smoking in all enclosed public and work places.

Slovenia has contributed EUR 15,000 to the International Criminal Court's Trust Fund for Victims to help victims of the most serious crimes.

Only one more month separates us from the 23rd Meeting of Contracting Parties to the Barcelona Convention COP (COP 23). The meeting of Mediterranean countries, hosted by Slovenia, is set to place in Portorož in the week of 5-8 December 2023 – and, for the second time in history, Slovenia will assume the two-year presidency of the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean, better known as the Barcelona Convention.

The 33rd session of the Slovenian-Bavarian Mixed Commission, Slovenia's oldest form of international cooperation, opened at Brdo pri Kranju. The Commission will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2025, and this session was dedicated to the preparations for this important event. The members of the Commission were introduced by State Secretary Marko Štucin.

On 8 November 2023, the European Commission adopted the 2023 Enlargement Package for the Western Balkans and Türkiye, and for the first time also for Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. The package provides an assessment of the state of play by key areas where reform progress is needed in each country.

The Slovenian Minister of the Interior, Boštjan Poklukar, hosted the Minister of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nenad Nešić. The main topic of their talks was the migration situation in the Western Balkans.

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

At the Government committees meetings, the Government adopted, among other things, two answers to the questions of the National Council Commissions on the wolf issue and included several new projects in the current Development Programmes Plan 2023-2026.

Today, the Strategic Council for Nutrition and the Strategic Health Council held a joint session. The experts from both councils expressed the clear view that decisive measures are needed to reduce the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and alcohol and the use of tobacco, in particular among young people.

Prime Minister Robert Golob met today with the leaders of parliamentary parties. The meeting was aimed at finding a consensus on solutions to the Act on Reconstruction, Development and Provision of Financial Resources.

Prime Minister Robert Golob met with the President of Montenegro, Jakov Milatović, who was on a visit to Slovenia.

The 17th Meeting of the Agriculture Ministers of the Regional Rural Development Standing Working Group in South-Eastern Europe (SWG) was held in Jahorina, hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Slovenia, participating as an observer, was represented at the meeting by Maša Žagar, Director-General of the Agriculture Directorate.

Today, the first national conference on artificial intelligence, entitled "Artificial Intelligence - an Advantage and an Opportunity for Slovenia", took place at Jable Castle. The conference was opened by Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon and Minister of Digital Transformation Emilija Stojmenova Duh.

The Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development, in collaboration with PiNA – Association for Culture and Education, has initiated a pilot project called At the School of Open Cohesion. The project involves eight secondary schools from various regions of Slovenia. It is an interdisciplinary educational programme that combines civic education, digital and statistical skills acquisition, and data journalism competencies.

Today at the Space Summit in Seville, Spain, Slovenia presented a formal request for full membership of the European Space Agency (ESA). The request for membership, which follows the official decision of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia last Friday, was submitted today to the Director-General of ESA, Josef Aschbacher, by State Secretary at the Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sport, Matevž Frangež, and the head of the Slovenian Space Office, Tanja Permozer, on the margins of the ESA ministerial meeting.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon hosted Ahmed Attaf, Minister of Foreign Affairs and the National Community Abroad of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria. Their discussion focused on three important topics: bilateral relations, economic cooperation and the non-permanent membership of both countries in the UN Security Council.

At a correspondence session, the Government adopted Slovenia's first Space Strategy and the decision to apply for full membership of the European Space Agency.

Following a turbulent night, the weather is gradually settling, but another weather front is forecast to sweep over Slovenia on Sunday. A yellow alert is in place for most of the country and an orange alert for the Primorska region and the northwest due to strengthening south-westerly winds and forecast heavy rainfall on Sunday.

Minister of the Interior Boštjan Poklukar and Director General of the Police Senad Jušić attended a trilateral meeting of the Ministers of the Interior of Slovenia, Italy and Croatia in Trieste.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon attended the Berlin ministerial conference "A larger, stronger Union", hosted by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. The discussions focused on how the EU and its future members can best prepare for enlargement, which has become a necessity in the new geopolitical reality.

The expected extreme meteorological and hydrological conditions in Slovenia were presented at the press conference by meteorologist Branko Gregorčič and hydrologist Janez Polajnar, both from the Slovenian Environment Agency (ARSO), Director of the Slovenian Water Agency Neža Kodre, Commander of the Civil Protection of the Republic of Slovenia Srečko Šestan, and Director of the Geological Survey of Slovenia Miloš Bavec.

Below is the message by Prime Minister Robert Golob on the occasion of Reformation Day on 31 October.

Due to the Reformation day the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia will be closed on 31 October.

The State Attorney’s Office of the Republic of Slovenia invites interested lawyers and law firms in Romania to submit tenders to represent the Republic of Slovenia before the courts and administrative authorities of Romania.

Prime Minister Robert Golob, Head of the Office of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for Post-Flood and Landslide Reconstruction Boštjan Šefic and Commander of the Civil Protection of the Republic of Slovenia Srečko Šestan today visited the flooded areas in Baška Grapa, where a preventive evacuation from the most seriously affected buildings was ordered yesterday to ensure the safety of citizens. A total of 36 inhabitants have been relocated.

On 27 October 2023, the Slovenian Government took a significant step by pledging a donation of EUR 150,000 to the World Food Programme for emergency humanitarian aid for the affected population in Gaza.

Temporarily reintroduced controls at the internal borders with Croatia and Hungary initially introduced on 21 October 2023 will remain in force for 20 more days until 19 November 2023.

 On 26 and 27 October 2023, Prime Minister Robert Golob attended the regular session of the European Council in Brussels. The agenda of this year's summit focused on the situation in the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, the revision of the EU's Multiannual Financial Framework, migration management, the economy and other pressing issues.

State Secretary Marko Štucin and Slovenia's Special Envoy for the Western Balkans Anžej Frangeš met with German Federal Government Special Representative for the Countries of the Wester Balkans Manuel Sarrazin, who is on a visit to Slovenia. In their talks, they exchanged views on the current situation in the region and the next steps in the EU enlargement process.

In a telephone conversation with the Foreign Minister of Moldova, Nicu Popescu, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon recalled that today Slovenia and Moldova are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

On the basis of the Act on Aid to Ensure Enhanced Air Connectivity (hereinafter reffered as: the Act), a Public Tender for Enhanced Air Connectivity of Slovenia was published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia and the Official Journal of the European Union on 27. 10. 2023. In accordance with the first paragraph of Article 10 of the Act, the tender documentation is publicly published, however, the English translation is merely an information aid for foreign air carriers when preparing applications for aid.

The application for aid and Annexes must be submitted in Slovene language. Submission deadline is 27. 11. 2023 at 23.59

Krško Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) commenced with repairs on a damaged pipeline of the safety injection system after the plant shutdown and transfer of fuel assemblies from the reactor to the spent fuel pool.

Prime Minister Robert Golob is attending the two-day October European Council meeting in Brussels. Ahead of the regular meeting of the leaders of the Group of 27 countries, he stressed that the current situation in the Middle East will mark the first day of the meeting.

Speaking at a press conference, Branko Gregorčič of the Slovenian Environment Agency has said that the weather conditions would worsen in the second half of the night and on Friday morning. Heavy rain is expected, and the south-westerly wind will intensify.

State Secretary Sanja Štiglic participated in the UN Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security in New York. She advocated for a stronger role of the Security Council in implementing the Women, Peace and Security agenda (WPS), and stressed the need to prevent and combat retaliation against women who inform the Security Council about certain crises and armed conflicts.

At 78th session, the Government considered the Bill on Reconstruction, Development and Provision of Financial Resources and the Draft Amendment to the Act Determining Intervention Measures for Recovery from the Floods and Landslides of August 2023. The proposed solutions from both laws were presented by the Minister of Infrastructure Alenka Bratušek and the Minister of Finance Klemen Boštjančič.

On Wednesday, 25 October 2023, the fourth public consultation on drafting the amendments to the Promotion of Balanced Regional Development Act took place at the Sodni Stolp Tower in Maribor. The consultation focused on monitoring regional development, indicators and criteria, and the development risk index.

The Guidelines for the Mainstreaming of Gender Equality in Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid, endorsed by the Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon in May 2023, are now also available in English. This has made the Guidelines accessible to all implementing NGO partners and institutions carrying out development cooperation projects in partner countries.

The Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development has approved EU funding for the project Digitalisation of Notarial Services.

Prime Minister Robert Golob marks Sovereignty Day with these words: It has been 32 years since we became a sovereign country and were given the exclusive authority to take control of our own territory.

State Secretary Sanja Štiglic today addressed the UN Security Council Open Debate on the Middle East, convened at ministerial level by the Brazilian Presidency. The Open Debate focused on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

In the run-up to the 20th anniversary of Slovenia's membership of the European Union, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs organised the first debate entitled "Made in Europe, Made in Slovenia" on the future of industry in the context of green transition. In her opening address, Minister Tanja Fajon recalled that, in addition to the benefits of the membership, EU Member States also share some challenges, such as climate change and the green transition.

Prime Minister Robert Golob and Minister of Finance and Public Administration Klemen Boštjančič met today, on 24 October 2023, with the representatives of the Association of Urban Municipalities of Slovenia, the Association of Municipalities of Slovenia and the Association of Municipalities and Towns of Slovenia. They discussed the lump sum funding per capita for 2024 and 2025.

Minister Tanja Fajon welcomed ministers and representatives from 14 Danube countries to a ministerial meeting at Brdo pri Kranju and opened the 12th Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR). Slovenia thus concluded its one-year EUSDR Presidency and handed it over to Austria. More than 350 participants from all over Europe attended the Forum.

The main event under Slovenia’s one-year Presidency of the Forum of the European Union Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) took place at Brdo pri Kranju. The opening ceremony was addressed by Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon, Minister of Cohesion and Regional Development Aleksander Jevšek and European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reform Elisa Ferreira.

The State Secretary for European Affairs in the Office of the Slovenian Prime Minister, Igor Mally, attended the meeting of the Ambassadors of the EU Member States in Slovenia (EU HoMs) on Tuesday, 24 October 2023, at the invitation of the Ambassador of Spain, H.E. Juan Arístegui Laborde, in his capacity as Chairman of the meeting.

European telecommunications and digitalisation ministers gathered in León, Spain. In light of the unprecedented challenges we face as a result of the rapid development of modern technologies, the foundations for new global standards are being laid.

On Monday, October 30th, the Archive, the reading room and the information room will be closed due to a collective leave day.

At the correspondence session, the Government adopted amendments to the Decree determining the amount of excise duty on energy products and electricity.

Based on a decree issued by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Republic of Slovenia, Andriy Taran, awarded the State Secretary for National and International Security, Andrej Benedejčič, the Order of Prince Jaroslav the Wise.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon took part in the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg. The meeting focused on the situation in Israel and the region, as well as on the Russian aggression against Ukraine. This was followed by an EU-Central Asia ministerial meeting, which was held together with the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Prime Minister Robert Golob today participated in a public consultation of experts, politicians, civil society and the general public on changes to the electoral system.

The 14th session of the Slovenian-Chinese Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation was chaired by Mr Slobodan Šešum, Director-General of the Directorate for Economic and Public Diplomacy, and co-chaired by Mr Yu Yuantang, Director General of the Department of European Affairs at the Chinese Ministry of Commerce. The previous session was held in Beijing in 2018.

We have all followed the mass shootings that occur in the United States. The two massacres that took place a few months ago in Belgrade, close to us, remind us of the evils that arise when it becomes too easy to access weapons

Slovenian Regional Development Fund has published two calls on its website (BIZI liquidity floods and BIZI liquidity energy). The two financial products target micro enterprises and SMEs and are designed to support flood recovery projects in the aftermath of the devastating floods in early August 2023 and/or projects aiming to reduce energy consumption amid energy crisis and price increases.

State Secretary Marko Štucin received the Austrian Governor of Styria, Christoph Drexler, in Ljubljana. They discussed cooperation between Slovenia and the Austrian province of Styria and called for its further development.

At the opening panel of the 10th Danube Participation Day hosted by the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Ljubljana, State Secretary Marko Štucin underlined the support for Ukraine and Moldova on their path towards the EU and pointed to the importance of civil society and the local community in this process.

The Minister of Infrastructure, mag. Alenka Bratušek, and mag. Simona Felser, Acting Director of the Slovenian Traffic Safety Agency, were the first signatories to sign the Pledge on Responsible Road Traffic Behaviour today. The pursuit of road safety and Vision Zero is a responsibility shared among individual citizens, society as a whole, and the state.

Slovenian companies directly or indirectly affected either by the crisis brought on through Russia's aggression against Ukraine or the energy crisis are offered new loans with favourable interest rates from SID Bank for investment and day-to-day business purposes.

On Friday, October 20, 2023, the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia received a visit from Dr. Helmut Wohnout, Director General of the Austrian State Archives (Österreichisches Staatsarchiv) in Vienna.

Prime Minister Robert Golob and his ministers visited the Savinjska region today, where they met with mayors, business owners and representatives, and others driving development in the region.

On 20 October 2023, Fitch Ratings affirmed Slovenia’s rating at ‘A’, with a stable outlook.

Today, the Minister of the Interior, Boštjan Poklukar, signed the Order determining the border crossing points with the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Hungary at which border crossings are allowed during the period of the temporary reintroduction of border controls.

At the correspondence session, the Government included the possibility of part-time work for workers who are victims of domestic violence in the proposed new amendments to the Employment Relationships Act (ZDR-1).

The Slovenian government has issued an ordinance temporarily reintroducing controls at the internal borders with Croatia and Hungary as of Saturday, 21 October 2023, until 30 October 2023.

At today's meeting, the Government approved amendments to the Employment Relationships Act, issued the Decree on determining the price of electricity, and issued the Ordinance temporarily reintroducing border controls along the borders between the Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Croatia.

As part of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs Committee (Third Committee) has been in session from 28 September 2023, with a primary focus on human rights issues.

Minister of the Interior Boštjan Poklukar attended the Justice and Home Affairs Council in Luxembourg.

As its year at the head of EUSALP comes to a close, Switzerland passed the baton today in Bad Ragaz (canton of St Gallen) to Slovenia, which will take charge of the European Union (EU) macroregional strategy in 2024. The Confederation and the cantons, which have jointly held the presidency in 2023, looked back on a successful year at the Annual Forum and General Assembly organized in conjunction with the Canton of St Gallen.

The Government of the Republic of Slovenia agreed the text of the application form for financial assistance from the EU Solidarity Fund for recovery measures in the wake of the devastating floods that hit the country in early August. The Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development that coordinated the preparation process will submit the application on behalf of the Republic of Slovenia to Brussels, presumably tomorrow.