News

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.

The Governments of Slovenia and the United States held the second session of the Slovenia-U.S. Strategic Dialogue in Ljubljana on March 14, 2022. The dialogue was led by Political Director Jernej Müller, Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Deputy Assistant Secretary Robin Dunnigan, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, U.S. Department of State.

On the 30th anniversary of Peru’s recognition of the Republic of Slovenia, which took place on 17 March 1992, State Secretary Stanislav Raščan held an audio-video discussion with Ambassador Luis Enrique Chávez Basagoitia, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Republic of Peru.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan attended the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey, which this year was dedicated to the possibilities of transforming and adapting diplomacy to new global and security challenges.

Director-General for European Union Affairs Barbara Sušnik hosted Thomas Oberreiter, Director-General for Europe and Economic Affairs at the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs.

After hearing the statement by State Secretary Árpád János Potápi during the Težišče television programme on 10 March 2022 that the Mura was the border river between Slovenia and Hungary, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia immediately called the Ambassador of Hungary to Slovenia, Andor F. Dávid, requesting appropriate clarifications.

On 9 March 2022, the successor states of the former Social Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) signed a contract in New York for the joint sale of the real estate of the former SFRY Mission to the United Nations at 854 Fifth Avenue for $50 million in the most advantageous offer.

Foreign Minister Anže Logar attended the third ministerial meeting of the International Coalition for the Sahel via video conference. Minister Logar outlined that Slovenia was very concerned about the escalation and spread of violence and the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the Sahel.

State Secretary Dr Stanislav Raščan travelled to Montpellier to take part in an informal EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in the configuration bringing together development ministers. The meeting focused on the situation in Ukraine, the geopolitical dimension of the EU's international cooperation and development policy, as well as biodiversity and food security.

Foreign Minister Anže Logar attended the extraordinary meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) in Brussels, led by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell. The meeting was concentrated on the Russian military aggression in Ukraine and the assessment of the effects of the sanctions taken against the Russian Federation.

At the invitation of France, which is currently chairing the Council of the EU, State Secretary Gašper Dovžan attended the informal meeting of ministers and state secretaries for European affairs in Arles, France. The ministers and state secretaries focused on the crisis in Ukraine, the state of the rule of law in the EU and the Conference on the Future of Europe.

Igor Jukič, Director-General for Multilateral Affairs and Development Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, addressed the participants of the third conference on international cooperation in the field of water, organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning. The representatives of ministries and Slovenian experts discussed priorities and possible new forms of cooperation based on Slovenian knowledge and good practices.

Foreign Minister Anže Logar attended the extraordinary meeting of NATO foreign ministers. They discussed the situation in Ukraine.

Foreign Minister Anže Logar took part in the urgent debate of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council on the human rights situation in Ukraine, which was convened on the initiative of Ukraine due to Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Following yesterday’s military attack by the Russian Federation on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, in which the Consulate of the Republic of Slovenia was destroyed, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs re-summoned Russian Ambassador Timur Eyvazov. State Secretary Gašper Dovžan handed over the diplomatic note of protest of the Republic of Slovenia to the Ambassador of the Russian Federation requesting an apology and compensation for the damage suffered.

Political consultations between Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina were held in Sarajevo, headed by State Secretary Stanislav Raščan from the Slovenian side and Josip Brkić, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, from the host’s side.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anže Logar used his video address on the joint humanitarian call and the regional plan to assist Ukrainian refugees from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to announce a humanitarian contribution of the Republic of Slovenia amounting to EUR 1.1 million.

Foreign Minister Anže Logar paid a working visit to Berlin. In the light of the continuation of the regular political dialogue with Germany, he met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock and held several other talks as well.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan welcomed Natalia Markevych Pritsa, Deputy Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic of Slovenia. He expressed Slovenia’s solidarity with Ukraine.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar today attended an extraordinary meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council via video conference, which was convened to discuss EU assistance to Ukraine while the Russian military activities are taking place.

The Government of the Republic of Slovenia has concluded that, in 2022, the Republic of Slovenia will make a humanitarian contribution to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the amount of EUR 100,000 to assist the people of Ukraine. The contribution will be provided from the budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia. Slovenia has already provided Ukraine with material assistance totalling EUR 163,000.

Foreign Minister Anže Logar attended the extraordinary meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC), chaired by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell. The Council discussed the EU’s response to Russian aggression in Ukraine, which undermines the European security order.

Slovenia condemns in the strongest terms the military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs conducts regular coordination with EU member states and international partners. Slovenian citizens currently in Ukraine are advised to leave the country as quickly and safely as possible.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Ambassador of the Russian Federation Timur Eyvazov one more time.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan took part in the regular General Affairs Council session in Brussels. The discussion focused on preparations for the European Council meeting to be held on 24 and 25 March as well as strengthening the EU’s resilience, response capacity and preparedness to future crises. The General Affairs Council also held a hearing on the rule of law in Poland under Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union. The members of the Council exchanged views on the activities under the Conference on the Future of Europe.

At the extraordinary meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC), the EU foreign affairs ministers took forward the debate they opened at the regular meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council a day before. The security situation in Eastern Europe was further exacerbated following the decision by Russian President Putin to recognise two self-proclaimed People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine on 21 February 2022.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan participated in the extraordinary meeting of the Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) convened by Poland’s Chairmanship of the organisation in response to the decision taken by the President of the Russian Federation Putin to recognise the “independence” of the eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. This decision violates international law and the OSCE’s fundamental principles.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar participated in the first Ministerial Forum for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, which was hosted by France as part of its Council Presidency programme. The foreign ministers of the EU member states and countries in Southeast Asia explored ways to step up cooperation. The main topics of the Forum were: the security situation, global challenges (climate, the environment, health, the oceans), and connectivity and digital issues.

Slovenia strongly condemns the decision by President Putin to recognise Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine as independent entities. These hostile measures are a flagrant violation of international law and obligations contained in the Minsk agreements, and will not remain without consequences.

Between 18 and 20 February 2022, Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar attended the Munich Security Conference, which was marked by debates on the heightened security situation in and around Ukraine. The highest representatives of states and international organisations were united in expressing support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, condemning the actions of the Russian Federation that endangers Ukrainian, European and international security.

Political Director and Director-General for Common Foreign and Security Policy Jernej Müller met with Director-General of the Directorate for Bilateral Relations with European Countries Belevski and Director-General for EU Sejfula in the framework of political consultations between Slovenia and North Macedonia.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan participated via videolink in a hybrid ministerial meeting on the “Horn of Africa Initiative” organised by Kenya (the chair of the Horn of Africa Initiative) and the European Union in cooperation with the African Development Bank and the World Bank Group.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan attended the virtual side event “Empowering young people as change-makers in the water sector” organised by Slovenia as part of the Africa-Europe Week.

On the 30th anniversary of Australia’s recognition of Slovenia’s independence and establishment of diplomatic relations, State Secretary Dr Stanislav Raščan held a video conference call with Australian Deputy Secretary Katrina Cooper. Their talks focused on current international and bilateral issues.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar met in Riyadh today with the Saudi Arabian Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Commerce Majid bin Abdullah Al Qasabi, Minister of Investment Khalid Al Falih, and Minister of Economy and Planning Mohammed Al Jadaan. In their talks, they focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation between Slovenia and Saudi Arabia.

At the end of the second phase of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) regional programme for Southeast Asia, State Secretary Dr Stanislav Raščan participated in the Ministerial Conference of the OECD and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries in Seoul. On the margins of the meeting, he met with Yeo Seung-Bae, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, Bui Thanh Son, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, and the Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and his Deputy Pornpimpol Kanchanalak.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan participated in the hybrid ministerial meeting of the Media Freedom Coalition (Coalition) via video-conference link.

Foreign Minister Anže Logar met with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who visited Slovenia last November. Minister Logar also held a courtesy meeting with Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Al Thani. Discussions were centred on enhancing cooperation between the two countries.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan met with the Minister of State for Europe and Climate at the German Foreign Ministry Anna Lührmann in Berlin. The main topic of the discussion was the strengthening of bilateral relations in the light of the strategic dialogue between the two countries and the continuation of constructive cooperation on European affairs.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar attended the official ceremony on the occasion of the Slovenian National Day at the Expo 2020 World Exhibition in Dubai and visited the Slovenian Pavilion. He also met with Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates.

Today, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anže Logar, is hosting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Edgars Rinkçvičs. Their discussions were aimed at enhancing cooperation between Slovenia and Latvia within the framework of the European Union and NATO.

In February 2022, Slovenia and Portugal celebrate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Portugal recognised the independence of Slovenia on 15 January 1992, and diplomatic relations were established on 3 February 1992.

As part of his visit to Serbia, State Secretary Gašper Dovžan met with Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimović.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada Marta Morgan emphasised excellent bilateral relations between the two countries since Canada's recognition of the Republic of Slovenia three decades ago.

State Secretary Dr Stanislav Raščan held talks with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bolivia, Freddy Mamani Machaca via video conference, expressing thanks once again for Bolivia’s recognition of Slovenia’s independence on 28 January 1992.

For many years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and members of the Slovenian delegation to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) have supported, and actively contributed to, remembrance, research, and education on the Holocaust.

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Brazil’s recognition of the Republic of Slovenia, State Secretary Dr Stanislav Raščan held an audio-video conference with Ambassador Kenneth Felix Haczynski da Nóbrega, Secretary of Bilateral Negotiations in the Middle East, Europe and Africa at the Brazilian Foreign Ministry.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan attended the first session of the General Affairs Council after the conclusion of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU in Brussels. At the beginning of the session, he expressed support to the French Presidency for the guidelines for the work of the General Affairs Council in the first half of 2022 and advocated for the ambitious continuation of work of the Conference on the Future of Europe. He also called for further coordinated action of EU member states in facing the COVID-19 pandemic and welcomed the commitment of the EU to the enlargement process and strengthened cooperation with the Western Balkans.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar today attended the regular meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, led by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell. The meeting focused on the situation in Syria, Libya and Eastern Europe. The ministers exchanged views with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the situation at the Ukrainian-Russian border via video link.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan held an audio-video discussion with Deputy Foreign Minister of Argentina Pablo Anselmo Tettamanti on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Argentina’s recognition of the Republic of Slovenia on 16 January 1992.