News

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.