News

The Strategic Council for Foreign Affairs, chaired by Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon, held its first meeting in its new composition at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia to debate current foreign policy issues. In their discussion on the war in Ukraine, the Council members were joined by invited guests – that is, authors of open letters on Ukraine.

Nina Ukmar, until recently director of Kosovelov dom Sežana, became the head of Minister’s Office on 24 June. She is joining the team of the Minister of Culture Dr Asta Vrečko as an experienced leader and an expert in the field of culture.

On 22 June 2022, the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Tokyo organised a reception for the diplomatic community, Slovenian citizens and representatives of Japanese institutions on the occasion of the Slovenian National Day and the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Slovenia and Japan. Around 90 people attended the event.

Following the meeting of the leaders of the EU Member States and the Western Balkans and ahead of the meeting of the European Council, Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob stressed that both Slovenia and Austria are committed to granting candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina as quickly as today and without any additional conditions.

Today, Prime Minister Robert Golob had his first telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The Ministry of the Interior, in cooperation with the Austrian Ministry of the Interior, is organising a two-day international conference about cooperation on return, focusing on the Western Balkans.

Prime Minister Robert Golob today attended a joint meeting of the National Assembly’s Committee on Foreign Policy and EU Affairs to present his views for the upcoming meeting of the European Council.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Fajon attended the EU General Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg. Ministers prepared the agenda for the next European Council on 23–24 June 2022, when EU leaders will discuss the situation in Ukraine, the economic situation and the next steps for the Conference on the Future of Europe, and hold a strategic debate on the EU's relations with its partners in Europe.

Copenhagen,20.June 2022 - we held a reception on the occasion of the upcoming National Day of Slovenia and the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Slovenia and Denmark. The reception also presented an opportunity for Ambassador Edvin Skrt to bid farewell to Denmark after a four-year stay in Copenhagen.

Yesterday, Minister Irena Šinko attended, via video conference, the informal ministerial conference of the 4Forests group. Ministers discussed forestry topics common to the four highly forested countries – Slovenia, Finland, Sweden and Austria.

Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon attended a regular meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg. The main topics on the agenda were the Russian aggression against Ukraine and its impact on food security, Egypt and the Horn of Africa. Prior to the EU Council meeting, at the invitation of Italy and Finland, ministers held an informal meeting with Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Below is the message delivered by the Minister of the Interior, Tatjana Bobnar, on the occasion of World Refugee Day on 20 June, and statistics on international protection in Slovenia.

Yesterday the Slovenian public were saddened to hear the news of the death of Borut Šuklje, the former minister and diplomat. Part of his long and fascinating political career was spent as culture minister in 1992 and 1993. The Ministry of Culture expresses its deepest condolences to his family and friends.

Artist and illustrator Marlenka Stupica provided the artwork for more than 100 children’s books and picture books over her career of more than 70 years. As culture minister Dr Asta Vrečko wrote following her death, Marlenka Stupica was one of the most important and recognisable artists in Slovenia, whose work is celebrated even outside the country’s borders.

On the second day of his visit, Prime Minister Robert Golob met with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the two interlocutors paid most attention to the war in Ukraine and to the Western Balkans.

Minister for Slovenians Abroad Matej Arčon today paid his first official visit to the autochthonous Slovenian national community in Italy. The minister was accompanied by the state secretary at the Government Office for Slovenians Abroad, Vesna Humar, and the consul at the Consulate General of the Republic of Slovenia in Trieste, Peter Golob.

Minister of Finance Klemen Boštjančič today attended the Economic and Financial Affairs Council configuration meeting in Luxembourg, on the margins of which three other events took place over the course of two days: a meeting of finance ministers in their capacity as Members of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) Board of Governors, the Eurogroup meeting, and the meeting of finance ministers in their capacity as Members of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Board of Governors.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved EU funding for the project ITI Velenje Refurbishment of bus stops and cycle shelters. The project aims to foster urban mobility and contribute to improvement of urban air quality. It is supported by the European Union with over EUR 180,000 coming from the European Regional Development Fund.

Today we celebrated the Slovenian Statehood Day with Slovenian and American flag raising ceremony at the City Hall in Bethlehem, PA and speeches by representatives of the cities of Bethlehem and Murska Sobota, Ambassador Kajzer and Consul General Jerak, as well as a reception for members of the delegations of both cities and the Prekmurje Slovenian community.

On the first day of his working visit to Brussels, Prime Minister Dr Robert Golob met European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen. Their talks focused on current European topics that will be on the agenda at the June European Council meeting.

Špela Spanžel, an art historian, curator and cultural heritage expert, became the new head of the Directorate for Cultural Heritage on 17 June of this year.

On Monday, 27th of June we switch to summer opening times.

Acting Director-General Ksenija Škrilec took part in an informal meeting of directors-general for EU Affairs in Paris hosted by France as the current Presidency of the Council of the EU.

Today, Prime Minister Robert Golob had a telephone conversation with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

At today’s press conference following the Government session, Prime Minister Robert Golob outlined the first step in a strategy to tackle soaring food and energy costs. The Government discussed measures relating to oil and petroleum products.

Today, diplomats and staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs paid tribute to the late Boris Pahor. Many had the honour to meet and work with Mr Pahor in Slovenia, abroad and in European capitals. He presented and shared his testimonies in cooperation with the entire diplomatic network and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This is why, as of today, one of the conference rooms at the Ministry will bear his name.

Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon hosted the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs and Minister of Immigration and Asylum of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Jean Asselborn. Their talks focused on enhancing the excellent and friendly relations between the two countries, strengthening cooperation between the core countries of the EU, enlargement to the Western Balkan countries and the European perspective of Ukraine.

At today’s session of the Government Committee for State Organisation and Public Affairs, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia opened a new budget item with the budget user, the Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia, for the payment of redeemed digital vouchers, to which funds in the amount of EUR 28.8 million will be transferred from the financial plan of the Government Office for Digital Transformation.

The Roadpol Operation “Truck & Bus” taking place between 13th and 19th of June 2022: Inspections on European roads. In the framework of the "Truck & Bus Action Weeks: inspections on European roads” and in cooperation with European Labour Authority, on the 13th of June in Vicenza, Italy organized a road transport inspection with road checks in the highway A4 Torino-Trieste (exit Vicenza Ovest), with the participation of Slovenia.

Today, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Robert Golob, paid a working visit to Maribor with the Minister of Digital Transformation, Emilija Stojmenova Duh, and the Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Food, Irena Šinko.

At today’s Agriculture and Fisheries Council, Slovenia was represented by Deputy Permanent Representative in Brussels Tamara Weingerl Požar and Head of the Special Committee on Agriculture at the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Slovenia in Brussels Simona Vrevc. Ministers focused in particular on the situation on agricultural markets in view of the war in Ukraine. The Council took note of the European Commission's communication on the state of implementation of the EU’s common fisheries policy and consultations for fishing opportunities for 2023.

Gastronomy of Slovenia, a collection of four books by prof. dr. Janez Bogataj, won two prestigious Best in the World awards at the renowned Gourmand Cookbook Awards 2022 ceremony in Sweden. One award was given to the entire collection of four books and the other to the Gastronomy of Mediterranean Slovenia in the category of Mediterranean books.

The 50th regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHR), which will run from 13 June to 8 July 2022, is getting under way in Geneva. Among the topics in the focus of the session, Slovenia will pay particular attention to issues related to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, human rights, and the environment, and will also react to the worrying human rights situation in individual countries.

Minister of the Interior, Tatjana Bobnar, attended the Justice and Home Affairs Council in Luxembourg today.

The Ministry of Culture is flying the rainbow Pride flag during the month of June as a sign of its support for the LGBTQI+ community. The minister Dr Asta Vrečko took part in Ljubljana’s pride parade on 11 June 2022.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Fajon took part in the Ministerial Meeting of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) in Thessaloniki and held several bilateral meetings on the margins of the event.

For the first time ever, the UN General Assembly elected Slovenia to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The Ministry is proud of the successful vote with 176 votes and commends the endeavours of all who played a part in this project.

Mag. Dejan Židan, State Secretary at the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, attended the Competitiveness Council (Internal Market and Industry) in Luxembourg where the ministers agreed on a general approach towards the drafted Consumer Credit Directive.

Dr Dominika Švarc Pipan, Minister of Justice, attended the meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council in Luxembourg and visited the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), which celebrated the first anniversary of its operations on 1 June.

Minister of Health Danijel Bešič Loredan and his team met today with the representatives of the Coordination of medical organisations, i.e. the Medical Chamber of Slovenia (ZZS), the FIDES union, the Slovenian Medical Association (SZD) and the Slovenian Professional Association of Private Doctors and Dentists (SZZZZS).

The Government supports the work of the Fiscal Council as the independent and autonomous body overseeing the country’s public finance policy. At the recent meeting with the leadership of the Fiscal Council, Prime Minister Dr Robert Golob expressed his interest in constructive future cooperation and dialogue about the important questions of fiscal stability.

On 9 June 2022, the Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia, Gašper Dovžan, presented his credentials to the President of the Republic of Croatia, Zoran Milanović.

The Government has decided to draft an expert analysis of the legal bases that were used in minor offence proceedings against individuals due to violations of measures against the SARS-CoV-2 viral disease by the end of August.

We publish the response of the Ministry to the news about the brutal exploitation of foreign workers by the companies Marinblu and Selea and the inspection procedures which are underway regarding this case. The relevant statement provided below was given by State Secretary Dan Juvan.

At today’s meeting with the representatives of nursing care and the primary level, the Minister set the foundations for solid cooperation.

Acting Director-General for Multilateral Affairs and Development Cooperation Eva Tomič took part in the first Mediterranean Ministerial Dialogue on the Food Security Crisis via audio-video link. The event was organised by Italy within the scope of G7 to enhance regional activities in the area of safe food supply.

The Prime Minister’s Working Group on Mitigation of High Energy and Food Prices today held its first meeting and started drafting preliminary proposals and measures. The working group is headed by the Prime Minister and includes the ministers of the economy, infrastructure, agriculture, labour and finance.

On behalf of Prime Minister Robert Golob, the State Secretary for Foreign Policy in the Prime Minister’s Office, Vojko Volk, today met with the Second Deputy Chair of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Olena Kondratiuk. The main topic of the discussion was the situation in Ukraine, in particular its desire to become a candidate country for EU membership as soon as possible.

Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon received Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Olena Kondratiuk, who is paying a visit to Slovenia as a special envoy of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Their discussions focused on the current situation in Ukraine and its European perspective.

Third round of evaluation of implementation of the Council of Europe's Convention on action against trafficking in human beings is taking place in Slovenia from 6 to 9 June. State Secretary dr. Branko Lobnikar received the Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (Greta) today at the Ministry of the interior.