News

Today, Prime Minister Dr Robert Golob attended the session of the Judicial Council of the Republic of Slovenia and the extraordinary session of the annual general meeting of the Slovenian Association of Judges.

The Strategic Council for Nutrition, an advisory body to the Prime Minister, met today at its constitutive session. Its key task is to draft proposals of measures for affordable, safe and high-quality food which will have a minimum negative impact on human health, the environment and climate. The Council will also prepare proposals and expert guidelines for the update of national dietary guidelines, food waste reduction, raising awareness among the public about the need to change dietary habits due to health, environmental and climate aspects, and implement other tasks.

CMEPIUS (Center Republike Slovenije za mobilnost in evropske programe izobraževanja in usposabljanja) has opened the applications for study programmes in Slovenia for the year 2023/24.

According to preliminary data, the state budget recorded approximately EUR 12.3 billion in revenue in 2022, an increase of just under EUR 1.2 billion, or 10.5%, compared to 2021. Expenditure reached around EUR 13.7 billion, down by EUR 544 million or 3.8% compared to the previous year, while the state budget deficit was just under EUR 1.4 billion.

Today, State Secretary Samuel Žbogar hosted Sanjay Verma, Secretary for the West of the Ministry of External Affairs of India, in Ljubljana for political consultations. The two officials reviewed the key areas of bilateral cooperation and went on to exchange views on the topical regional and global themes.

At the start of the year, Slovenia became a member of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for the 2023–2025 period. This is Slovenia's first membership of this UN body, which coordinates the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.

The results of the ninth inventory of basic food products made on 3 January 2023 are published on the “Our Superfood” website. The analyses of the inventory reveal a minimal reduction in the basic food basket and in the fruit and vegetables basket. However, a comparison of price trends over the last two weeks reveals concrete price increases for meat.

For the past 18 years, Igor Grlicarev has been the head of the International Cooperation Service at SNSA. In this role, he has combined his professional knowledge, vast practical experiences, and various personal connections at home and abroad in communication with international and domestic experts.

The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, Irena Šinko, and the Minister of Digital Transformation, Dr. Emilija Stojmenova Duh, met today at the second meeting with students and mentors from four faculties. They presented the progress in the project entitled The Possibilities for Digitalising Farms with Young Owners, for which the research phase has concluded.

The Government adopted a decision on the implementation of the national spatial plan for the Dolenja Vas wind farm and approved the calendar of state celebrations in 2023. It also decided to organise a funeral with military honours for Janez Zemljarič.

The FIS Planica World Championships 2023 is the biggest sporting event ever held in Slovenia. Planica, Kranjska Gora and Slovenia will be presented to more than 500 million TV viewers worldwide. For two weeks, Slovenia will become the centre of world sport and a synonym for courage, innovation and development.

Six Ambassadors-at-Large, two of whom are women, namely for the future of Europe, the insitutional EU matters, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the Western Balkans, climate diplomacy and water diplomacy have been appointed by Foreign Minister Fajon. Through these appointments, the Minister aims to ensure visibility and active engagement in some of the priority areas of Slovenia's foreign policy.

On Wednesday, 4th January 2023, the Republic of Slovenia, rated A3 (stable) /AA- (stable) /A (stable), successfully entered the markets with a EUR 1.25bn 10-year Reg S Sustainable bond alongside a EUR 250mm tap of the outstanding 3.125 percent bonds due 7 August 2045. This landmark transaction, which included the second and largest Sustainable bond out by Slovenia, makes the Republic of Slovenia the first Sovereign in the region to enter the markets in 2023.

The Republic of Slovenia (the Issuer), rated A3 (stable) / AA- (stable) / A (stable), has mandated BNP Paribas, Citi, Deutsche Bank, Erste Group, Nova KBM and UniCredit as Joint Lead Managers to arrange a Global Investor Call and a series of investor meetings to present the Issuer’s updated Sustainability Bond Framework. BNP Paribas acted as sole sustainability structuring advisor.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Fajon attended an event to mark Croatia joining the Schengen area and the eurozone at the Obrežje/Bregana border crossing point, which was hosted by Prime Minister of Croatia Andrej Plenković.

Neighbouring country Croatia joins Schengen on 1 January 2023. Minister of Public Administration and Acting Minister of the Interior Sanja Ajanović Hovnik and Acting Director General of the Police Boštjan Lindav have attended the Schengen joining celebration at the Obrežje–Bregana border crossing point.

Prime Minister offers his condolences on the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI:

At today's correspondence meeting, the Government adopted a Decree on the determination of the electricity price for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises that are final customers as defined by the Electricity Supply Act and provisionally set maximum retail prices for them.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Fajon met with Ambassador of Ukraine Andrii Taran at the Medicop company headquarters in Nemčavci near Murska Sobota today to hand over two ambulances that Slovenia has donated to Ukraine.

At its correspondence meeting, the Government adopted the Decree about the animal welfare intervention of the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan 2023–2027 for Slovenia in the year 2023 and the Decree on Conditionality. It also gave its consent to the Business Plan of the Agency for Radwaste Management for 2023–2024 and concluded the Contract on the implementation of the compulsory State utility service for radioactive waste management.

The eOsebna mobile app is available on Google Play and the App Store. The app makes it easier to use your electronic ID card to identify yourself when using online services and to manage your electronic ID card passwords.

The Čop Awards, the highest national prizes for outstanding achievements in the field of librarianship, have been awarded by the Slovenian Library Association since 1967. This year's recipients of the Čop Diploma are Violetta Bottazzo and Marina Hrs, and the Čop Commendation went to Miro Tržan.

Today, two wounded Ukrainians arrived in Slovenia, accompanied by an attendant. Both will receive full medical assistance and care. In the spirit of solidarity, Slovenia is joining 18 other EU member states in the care for the wounded and sick from the warzone. We are thereby expanding our political, humanitarian, material and military support for Ukraine to include medical aid.

At today's correspondence meeting, the Government adopted a new draft Transnational Provision of Services Act and issued an amendment to the Decree on the establishment of programmes of compulsory health insurance services.

On Friday, 23 December 2022, at 8 pm, a state celebration took place in the Gallus Hall at Cankarjev Dom, Ljubljana, in honour of Independence and Unity Day. The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Robert Golob, was the keynote speaker.

Esteemed President of the Republic of Slovenia, Esteemed President of the National Assembly, Esteemed President of the National Council, Citizens of the Republic of Slovenia,

At today's correspondence meeting, the Government adopted a decision on the subsequent cash injections into ELES, d.o.o., the system operator of the electricity transmission network.

All the best and a Full Year of Culture and Art in 2023!

Minister of Culture Dr Asta Vrečko with her colleagues

The Archives of the Republic of Slovenia wishes you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2023.

Today, as part of his two-day visit to Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Minister of Defence Marjan Šarec and his delegation visited members of the Slovenian Armed Forces in Kosovo, who are deployed in the international operation KFOR and the NATO Advisory and Liaison Team.

At today's session, the Government adopted a Decree on setting the price of natural gas from the gas system for certain legal persons governed by public law, for providers of publicly valid education and training programmes, for providers of social care services, and for providers of family support programmes.

The Prime Minister established the Strategic Council for Food (the Council), which is currently comprised of 15 representatives of various professions and sectors. The Council is headed by Dr Nataša Fidler Mis, a food technology expert with an MA and a PhD in this field. The Council composition is being expanded and is expected to be completed next month when the Council holds its constitutive session.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Fajon and Austrian Federal Minister for European and International Affairs Alexander Schallenberg visited Montenegro on behalf and at the request of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell. They met President of Montenegro Milo Đukanović, Prime Minister Dritan Abazović, and Assembly Speaker Danijela Đurović.

At the Government committee meetings, the Government adopted, among other things, the Revision of the Eco Fund Business and Financial Plan, and the Revision of the Housing Fund Business and Financial Plan, as well as the inclusion of a large number of agricultural and research projects in the current Development Programmes Plan.

After the agreement on capping the price of natural gas reached at the EU ministerial level, Prime Minister Robert Golob has already met with the representatives of employers at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (CCIS).

A discussion was held at the Faculty of Social Sciences entitled: Public institutions between efficiency and social responsibility – Governance of public institutions and directors' accountability in healthcare. Minister Sanja Ajanović Hovnik also participated in the discussion.

Five years ago today, the United Nations General Assembly declared 20 May World Bee Day. The National Council of the Republic of Slovenia organised an expert meeting entitled "There will be no bees without beekeepers" together with the Slovenian Beekeepers' Association to mark this occasion. Minister Irena Šinko attended the event. Certificates of recognition were awarded and the national champion in honey was crowned on the margins of the expert meeting.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Fajon met her Serbian counterpart Ivica Dačić during an official visit to Belgrade. Their meeting focused on enhancing bilateral relations between their two countries, succession issues and Serbia's rapprochement with the EU.

On 21 December 2022 have passed 15 years since Slovenia became a Schengen state. For the Slovenian people, the most visible sign of the country’s entry into the Schengen Area was the abolishment of border controls at the borders with Austria, Italy and Hungary. This was a very important development for Slovenia, as its path to other EU states and the Schengen Area finally opened up.

The European Union has confirmed all three programmes for the European Union (EU) Home Affairs Funds for the 2021–2027 period. This will enable Slovenia to draw European funds in the fields of asylum, migration and integration, internal security and border management and visa instrument.

Bohinj was listed among the Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO as part of the World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) initiative. It was selected from among more than 130 applicants from 57 countries, which is a testament to the exceptional values of Bohinj and the work it carries out in rural tourism. The destination boasts unique natural and cultural resources and demonstrates a commitment to sustainable development throughout all three pillars of sustainability – environmental, social and economic.

A Slovenian company Sinergise, together with partners that form the T-Systems International consortium, signed an agreement with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Commission (EC) on setting up a system for storing, processing and distributing data from the Copernicus system (Copernicus Space Component Data Access ‒ CDAS), worth EUR 150 million in total.

Fifteen prizes and awards of the Republic of Slovenia for outstanding achievements in scientific research and development were presented at an award ceremony held at Cankarjev dom.

Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity concludes with a final plenary session in Montreal.

Minister of Infrastructure, Bojan Kumer, attended the continuation of the Extraordinary Energy Council of the European Union in Brussels, where ministers intensively coordinated an agreement on a European mechanism to limit natural gas prices and finally reached a political agreement.

State Secretary Marko Štucin held talks at the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin with Minister of State for Europe and Climate Dr Anna Lührmann, State Secretary Andreas Michaelis and Director for Europe Sibylle Sorg. The meeting was aimed at identifying ways to strengthen the strategic partnership between Slovenia and Germany, and also provided an opportunity for an exchange of views on topical European and international themes.

Minister Irena Šinko and Director-General of the Food and Fisheries Directorate, Ana Le Marechal Kolar, today presented the Programme for the Implementation of the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) for the new financial period 2021-2027 at a press conference.

Prime Minister Robert Golob visited the Holy See today, on 17 December 2022. He was received by Pope Francis in a private audience.

After yesterday’s historic decision of the European Council to grant the status of candidate country to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Prime Minister Robert Golob announced that he would visit Sarajevo and pledged technical and development assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Prime Minister Golob and President Pahor agree that the adoption of the Slovenian initiative is above all an important message of hope for the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina.