News

On February 5 we celebrated Prešeren Day in Cleveland. February 8 marks the anniversary of death of France Prešeren, the greatest Slovenian poet, who died in 1849. This presentation featured Slovenian literature, poetry, and music.

The Republic of Türkiye requested assistance through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism in the aftermath of a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 that struck on 6 February at 2:17 European time, followed by a number of aftershocks. A total of 10 provinces were affected, and according to media reports, the number of dead, injured and missing people is rising rapidly, with an estimated 5 million people living within a 5km radius of the earthquake's epicentre.

At today's correspondence session, the Government decided that Slovenia will send experts to Türkiye to assess the situation and coordinate rescue operations following the catastrophic earthquake.

Prime Minister Robert Golob today sent a proposal for a new Minister of the Interior to the National Assembly, nominating Boštjan Poklukar as the candidate.

Today, on the basis of correspondence on the Green Deal Industrial Plan, Matjaž Han, Minister of the Economy, Tourism and Sport, and Margrethe Vestager, European Commissioner for Competition and Executive Vice President of the European Commission for A Europe Fit for the Digital Age, met by video call. The topic of discussion were the specific issues Slovenia is facing first due to the healthcare crisis and then the energy crisis.

Today, the Minister of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Luka Mesec, responded to the current issue of kindergarten prices. The Minister personally supports the idea of free kindergartens, but stresses that such a measure would require an additional €200 million.

Safer Internet Day is celebrated on 7 February. This year, the focus in Slovenia is on the issue of inappropriate online content. Children are among the most at-risk users of the internet, mainly because of their youth, inexperience, curiosity and naivety.

At the invitation of the Hungarian Minister of Defence, Kristóf Szalay Bobrovnický, Minister of Defence Marjan Šarec paid a two-day official visit to Budapest. The two ministers called for further strengthening of cooperation in the defence and military fields.

The Government laid down the text of the proposed Act Amending the Administrative Dispute Act and withdrew the proposed Act on the temporary bonus for judges and state prosecutors from the legislative procedure.

State Secretary Dr Branko Lobnikar attended a ministerial conference in Sofia to discuss measures for more effective management of the external borders of the European Union.

Prime Minister Dr Robert Golob hosted the fourth meeting of coalition deputies and the government team at Brdo pri Kranju. The coalition continued the discussion of the Government’s priority tasks and starting points for this year’s reforms. The meeting focused on the reform of the public sector salary system and the housing policy. The two objectives are that no salaries in the public sector are to be below the minimum wage and the housing stock should be more affordable for all social groups.

At today's correspondence session, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia approved the proposed amendments to the Act amending the State Administration Act, which, in addition to a more precise delimitation of the subject areas, tasks and system competences of ministries (in accordance with the Government of the Republic of Slovenia Act), also propose the possibility of transferring local competences from one administrative unit to another administrative unit in the event of a large number of cases that cannot be resolved within a reasonable time by the locally competent administrative unit.

The Planica Nordic Centre hosted the Business-to-Diplomacy event entitled “Planica”, which was jointly organised by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the Ski Association of Slovenia. The event was attended by around 40 foreign ambassadors accredited to the Republic of Slovenia, both resident and non-resident, and representatives of Slovenian companies and institutions from the sports sector.

Prime Minister Robert Golob met with João Gomes Cravinho, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Portuguese Republic, before the coalition summit. Their talks focused on the key topics of the agenda of the European Union. The Portuguese foreign minister expressed his country’s full support for Slovenia’s candidacy for non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council.

This year's World Wetlands Day, celebrated annually on 2 February, is being celebrated under the slogan: “It’s Time for Wetland Restoration!”

The purpose of the two-day visit is to strengthen ties of friendship and cooperation between the two countries, with an emphasis on establishing concrete forms of cooperation in the field of defence. In the light of the latter, the two ministers signed an Agreement on cooperation in the field of defence, which will serve as the basis for the preparation of a further programme.

The Strategic Council for Nutrition met today at its second meeting. The members of the council set the starting points for further work in the field of food price comparison and the reform of the student food voucher system. Due to the extensive discussion, the agenda items relating to the presentation of Slovenia’s current national nutritional guidelines and the presentation of the Nordic guidelines were moved to the next meeting.

On 18 January 2023, Ambassador Barbara Sušnik presented her Letters of Credence to the Grand Duke of Luxembourg.

The Ministry of Justice today sent for coordination the draft Act on the regulation of certain issues related to offences committed during the period of the COVID-19 measures.

In the Republic of Slovenia, pursuant to Article 68 of the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia, foreigners may acquire the right of ownership of immovable property under the conditions laid down by law or by an international treaty ratified by the National Assembly.

Today, Secretary of State Marko Štucin held talks at the Vatican with the Undersecretary for Relations with States of the Secretariat of the Holy See, Msgr. Mirosław Stanisław Wachowski.

At sessions of government committees, the Government gave its consent to proposed amendments to the Act Amending the Agriculture Act and carried out certain transfers of appropriations.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon hosted the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Portuguese Republic, Dr João Gomes Cravinho, for an official visit. The two counterparts advocated the strengthening of bilateral cooperation between their respective countries, underlining the need for enhanced partnership between the European Union and the Mediterranean countries.

When sports came under the responsibility of the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport, the basis was created to seek increased synergies between these three fields. The newly appointed Minister of the Economy, Tourism and Sports, Matjaž Han, and his partners presented plans in the field of tourism and sports for the current year and highlighted the key measures.

State Secretary Marko Štucin paid a working visit to Rome today to meet with the Italian Minister for European Affairs, Raffaele Fitto, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Edmondo Cirielli, and the Undersecretary of State to the Ministry of the Interior, Wanda Ferro.

Minister Irena Šinko participated in the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting. This was the first meeting taking place under the Swedish Presidency, so the programme of the Presidency for the following half year was presented in the beginning. With the support of 19 Member States, Slovenia presented the initiative to revise Council Directive on honey, in the part referring to provenance designation of honey mixtures.

Prime Minister Robert Golob today first met with the President of the National Council, Marko Lotrič.

The Prime Minister, Robert Golob, and the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Nataša Pirc Musar, hosted their first reception for the Diplomatic Corps at the beginning of the year.

On 31 January 2023, the Act Amending the Family Code will enter into force, amending the definitions of marriage and cohabitation for opposite-sex and same-sex partners. The Act defines marriage as a life union of two persons and no longer as a life union of husband and wife.

The Strategic Health Council, an advisory body to the Prime Minister, met for its inaugural meeting today.

In 2005, the UN General Assembly in New York declared 27 January International Holocaust Remembrance Day. On this day, the world commemorates the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp and the millions of victims of World War II, including those who died in concentration camps.

Prime Minister Robert Golob met with the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares Bueno.

The Minister of Public Administration in the capacity of Minister of the Interior, Sanja Ajanović Hovnik, is attending the informal meeting of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministers in Stockholm.

At today's session, the Government adopted amendments to the laws governing the state administration, scientific research and innovation and the Slovenian Armed Forces. It also amended the Decree on setting natural gas prices from the system and approved the text of its contract with the Slovenian Press Agency (STA).

The 26th Consultation of Slovenian Diplomacy, which took place at Brdo pri Kranju on 25 and 26 January and was attended by 55 heads of Slovenian diplomatic missions and consular posts, including a number of representatives of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, outlined the new guidelines for Slovenia's foreign policy strategy.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon received Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of the Kingdom of Spain, José Manuel Albares Bueno, who was on an official visit and also participated as the guest of honour at the 26th Consultations of Slovenian Diplomacy. They discussed bilateral relations and the feminist foreign policy that Spain is promoting as a foreign policy concept.

The Prime Minister, Dr Robert Golob, attended the 26th Consultation of Slovenian Diplomats at Brdo pri Kranju and addressed the heads of diplomatic and consular missions. He highlighted Slovenia's foreign policy priorities and called for unity in re-establishing Slovenia as a full-fledged country of core Europe. We must turn our foreign policy focus towards the world.

The Nutrition Institute has announced the most innovative foods of 2023, introduced to the market in the last year.

Today’s taking of the oath by ministers in the National Assembly marks the beginning of a new era in the government term of Dr Robert Golob. The establishment of an efficient organisational structure of ministries will ensure better operability and more successful implementation of the Government’s tasks on the basis of the commitments from the Coalition Agreement.

At today’s session, the Government appointed several state secretaries at the newly established ministries.

Prime Minister Robert Golob attended the third meeting of mayors traditionally organised by the Association of Municipalities and Towns of Slovenia.

Slovenian parliament has confirmed nine new ministers, completing the government reshuffle. As part of the reshuffle, the Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has been transformed into the Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development. The new ministry will also be responsible for the policy area of regional development. It will be headed by Dr Aleksander Jevšek, who has been sworn in as Minister for Cohesion and Regional Development.

With the confirmation of the reorganisation of the Government, the name of the ministry of the economy is changing today, and this ministry will also be responsible for sport. The new Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport will continue to be led by Minister Matjaž Han.

At today's correspondence session, the Government adopted decrees on the pricing of heat from district heating and on subsidies for the purchase of wood pellets.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Fajon took part in the regular meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, which focused on the war in Ukraine. Ministers also met with Palestinian Prime Minister Shtayyeh, and heard a report from Minister Fajon on her joint visit to Montenegro with Austrian Foreign Minister Schallenberg.

At today’s correspondence session, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia took note of the Annex to the Collective Agreement for the Education Sector in the Republic of Slovenia and the Annex to the Collective Agreement for Research Activities.

The fifth International Day of Education will be celebrated on 24 January, this year under the theme “to invest in people, prioritise education”. This is essential if we want to accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goals.

Minister Irena Šinko participated in the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) – the 15th Berlin Agriculture Ministers’ Conference, titled: “Food Systems Transformation: A Worldwide Response to Multiple Crises”. The Agriculture Ministers’ Conference is attended by over 70 Ministerial Delegations from around the Globe, and representatives of the European Commission, the African Union, agricultural institutions and associations, and other international organisations. The event takes place within the International Green Week (IGW) that was opened for visitors on 20 January.

Today, Prime Minister Robert Golob, together with Minister of Economic Development and Technology Matjaž Han and Minister of Finance Klemen Boštjančič, visited the company Hella Saturnus Slovenija, where they were acquainted with the production, investments and new trends in the automotive industry.

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, Ms. Irena Šinko, participated in the official opening ceremony of the Berlin International Green Week (IGW), taking place from 19 to 29 January 2023. At the trade fair, Slovenia is presented as a green and ecological country (ecological + local = ideal).