News

On Wednesday, 17 November 2021, the 20th European Tourism Forum took place, organised by Slovenia as the country holding the Presidency of the Council of the EU in cooperation with the European Commission. The event followed an informal meeting of EU ministers responsible for tourism on 16 November 2021. The central theme of both events was the creation of a document "Transition Pathways” for the green and digital transformation of Europe’s tourism industry and destinations.

The three-day SME 2021 Assembly, the most significant event for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the EU, is coming to an end. The three-day programme, full of panel discussions, workshops and specialised courses, took place from 15 to 17 November in Portorož, Slovenia, as part of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Today’s press conference on the current situation regarding the Covid-19 epidemic featured Deana Potza from the Health Inspectorate and Marjan Maček, the head of the Financial Control Sector at the Financial Administration (FURS), while the current epidemiological situation in the country was presented by Maja Bratuša.

On the Day of Quality Schemes event organised by the Beekeepers' Association of Slovenia, Agriculture Minister Jože Podgoršek attended a press conference at which, in addition to quality schemes, the main topics were the Consortium of European Protected Slovenian Products which was established this year, the Slovenian Food Day, Traditional Slovenian Breakfast, a competition for young beekeepers and a nation-wide campaign to plant honey plants.

On Tuesday 16 November 2021, EU tourism ministers held an informal meeting via an audio-video link. The debate focused on the transition pathway for a green and digital transformation of the European tourism ecosystem by 2030.

Under the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU, the Management Board of the European Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA) is meeting in Ljubljana. The main focus of the meeting is on the timeline for the implementation of smart borders and interoperability projects, which will make an important contribution to ensuring the security of EU member states and enable law enforcement agencies to work even more effectively.

The EU directors-general for humanitarian aid discussed improving coordination and increasing efforts within the working party on Humanitarian Aid and Food Aid (COHAFA). The Acting Director-General Igor Jukič outlined the achievements and progress the Slovenian Presidency has made so far on humanitarian aid.

The Minister of Health, Janez Poklukar, and pediatrician Denis Baš took part in a press conference to provide a COVID-19 update.

In the context of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU, the Frontex Management Board and the border police directors of the Western Balkan countries helds a virtual meeting today to discuss the challenges in managing migration and maintaining security in the region.

Today, on the second day of the 27th regular session of the National Assembly, Prime Minister Janez Janša gave an additional explanation on the answer to Bojana Muršič’s parliamentary question about the increase in the prices of energy and other goods in Slovenia. The decision on the debate was adopted by the National Assembly at its 26th regular session.

Today, the EU ministers responsible for agriculture and fisheries met in Brussels. They focused on forests and their importance in the transition to a green, climate-neutral and competitive circular bioeconomy. They also addressed the findings from the EU Pollinator Week in September and took note of the situation on the agricultural markets. They also discussed the management of large carnivores and the state of play in the negotiations on fishing opportunities with the United Kingdom.

On behalf of the Foreign Minister Anže Logar, State Secretary Stanislav Raščan today attended the regular meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, chaired by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell. The meeting focused on EU-Western Balkans relations and the situation in the Sahel.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan today attended the College of Europe conference in Bruges entitled “Discussing the Future of Europe – Perspectives and Contributions from the Western Balkans”.

At today's 27th regular session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, Prime Minister Janez Janša answered oral parliamentary questions from deputies Matej T. Vatovec (Levica), Marko Bandelli (SAB), Branko Simonovič (DeSUS) and Anja Bah Žibert (SDS). Questions for the Prime Minister were about corruption and the "mafia" running the country, tax payment, the implementation of an extraordinary indexation of pensions and the new measures to contain the spread of COVID-19.

The COP26 climate change conference concluded with the ministerial segment, where negotiations entered their final phase at the political level. During the negotiations, ministers sought consensus on the setting up of a new collective financial target; on new or updated nationally determined contributions and long-term climate strategy; on timeframes and rules for international carbon markets and transparency rules for reporting.

Concluding today's visit to the South-East Slovenia (Jugovzhodna Slovenija) region, members of the Slovenian Government participated in a public debate with mayors, businesspeople and other actors of economic development and replied to their questions.

As part of the Government visit to the Jugovzhodna Slovenija region, Minister for Development and EU Cohesion Policy Zvone Černač attended a meeting with the mayors of the municipalities Kostel and Dobrepolje, tried the traditional preparation of bread in the Sitarjeva hiša house in Dolenjske Toplice, which was renovated with the help of EU funds, met with the management staff of the REM d.o.o. company in Trebnje which successfully draws EU funding to support its further development, and visited the renovated Glavni trg square together with the mayor of Novo mesto.

Today, the Slovenian Government visited the South-East Slovenia (Jugovzhodna Slovenija) region, which comprises the municipalities of Črnomelj, Dolenjske Toplice, Kočevje, Kostel, Loški Potok, Metlika, Mirna, Mirna Peč, Mokronog - Trebelno, Novo mesto, Osilnica, Ribnica, Semič, Sodražica, Straža, Šentjernej, Šentrupert, Škocjan, Šmarješke Toplice, Trebnje and Žužemberk.

Today, Slovenian Minister of the Interior and the current holder of the Presidency of the EU Home Affairs Council Aleš Hojs held a conversation with the Polish Minister of the Interior Mariusz Kamiński about the current situation on the Poland-Belarus border, where, as the Polish Minister said a new illegal migration route is being established.

Ministry of the Interior held a virtual ministerial conference on the prevention and investigation of child sexual abuse in the framework of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU. The Minister of the Interior Aleš Hojs, who is currently presiding the EU Home Affairs Council, chaired the ministerial conference.

On 7 and 8 July 2021, the Presidency organised a virtual expert workshop entitled ‘Towards Disaster Resilience Goals: setting the scene, enabling discussion and designing a common approach for the development of the Union disaster resilience goals in the area of civil protection.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan participated in a seminar hosted by the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) on EU-Russia relations and held political consultations with Alexander Grushko, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

The Minister of Digital Transformation, Mark Boris Andrijanič, was part of the Government delegation that visited the region of South-East Slovenia today. During his visit, the Minister visited Yaskawa Europe Robotics, met with representatives of the Bela krajina business incubator and concluded his working visit at the Faculty of Information Studies in Novo mesto.

On Thursday, 11 November 2021, a regular meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council comprising trade ministers took place in Brussels. The main topics of the meeting were the World Trade Organization (WTO) reform, including preparations for the upcoming 12th WTO Ministerial Conference and EU-US trade relations. The meeting was chaired by Minister Zdravko Počivalšek in his capacity as Chair of the Foreign Affairs Council (Trade).

Prime Minister Janez Janša today attended the opening of the Agile Development Centre of the home appliances manufacturer BSH Hišni Aparati in Nazarje, where he delivered an address.

At its 102nd meeting, the Government adopted an amendment to the Ordinance determining the conditions of entry into the Republic of Slovenia and the Decision on the use of Civil Protection personnel for the care of patients in health or social care institutions. It also adopted the proposal of the Act amending the Act amending the Identity Card Act and took note of a proposal to introduce the photograph capture for the issue of an identity document by the competent authority.

Prime Minister Janša today attended the 4th regular session of the Commission of Inquiry to determine the potential political responsibility of holders of public office for financially inappropriate measures and the allegedly unjustified restriction of rights in the implementation of measures related to the COVID-19 epidemic.

Today, the Slovenian Minister of Public Administration, Boštjan Koritnik, attended a ministerial meeting of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) in Paris. Based on the guidelines harmonised at the meeting, the GPAI is seeking to contribute to the responsible development, use and management of human-centred AI systems.

State Secretary Kirbiš Rojs today attended the 17th meeting of the Presidency of the Association of Municipalities of Slovenia to inform the mayors of Slovenian municipalities on most recent developments concerning the use of EU funds by 2030.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan attended an event on the sidelines of the COP26 conference on cooperation between the EU and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) in the fight against climate change via audio-video conference.

Today, Prime Minister Janša held a video conference call with the Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Sen.

Today's press conference to give a COVID-19 update was presented by State Secretary at the Minister of Economic Development and Technology, Simon Zajc, the State Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, Damir Orehovec, and the State Secretary at the Ministry of Health, Franc Vindišar, who explained the new government ordinance, which sets out measures to enable the economy and society to function in the current serious epidemiological situation. The ordinance is in force as of 8 November.

The second Plenary Meeting of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) is taking place in November, once again in a virtual format due to the epidemiological situation. The Slovenian delegation to IHRA headed by Mark Rakovec is attending the meeting. Slovenia has been an IHRA member since 2011.

State Secretary Dr Stanislav Raščan addressed the participants of a National Assembly meeting marking the 30th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Armenia, underlining and welcoming the progress Armenia has made on its path towards European values and norms.

The ProWine 2021 international fair has opened its doors in Shanghai. Fourteen Slovenian winemakers are featured at the fair under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food and in cooperation with Chinese representatives. The fair, which will run for three days, is one of the most important business fairs in the field of winemaking in the Asian market.

The Director of the Government Communication Office (UKOM) Uroš Urbanija and the Acting Director of the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) Igor Kadunc signed a public service contract for the STA this year.

As part of the Council presidency, Branko Ravnik, Director-General of the Agriculture Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, hosted via video conference an informal meeting of directors-general responsible for national strategic plans for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). In the light of the CAP reform, which will be introduced in 2023 on the basis of the national CAP Strategic Plans, the meeting revolved around the challenges and opportunities faced by Member States in relation to green architecture, in particular the new eco-scheme.

Jernej Müller, Political Director and Director-General for Common Foreign and Security Policy, met with Ambassador Fayiz Khouri, Director of European Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, in Amman.

At a press conference, the Minister of Health, Janez Poklukar, the head of the advisory group at the Ministry of Health, Mateja Logar, and the Director of the National Institute of Public Health, Milan Krek presented new measures adopted today by the Government to contain the spread of COVID-19.

The Minister of Digital Transformation, Mark Boris Andrijanič, today met with the Rector of the University of Ljubljana, Prof. Dr. Gregor Majdič. They discussed the challenges and advantages of the Slovenian study process, particularly in the field of science and technical skills.

Prime Minister Janša today met with the representatives of the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the EU (COMECE) and the Conference of European Churches (CEC)

The European Science Festival will take place from 9 to 11 November 2021 under the leadership of the Slovenian Science Foundation (SZF) on the occasion of World Science Day for Peace and Development (10 November), as an associated event of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU.

In his capacity as Minister for Development Cooperation, State Secretary Stanislav Raščan addressed the participants of the first EU-Central Asia Economic Forum in Bishkek. He stressed the importance of digital cooperation between countries and regions.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Slovenia's independence and the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, we are pleased to present some of Slovenia's treasures at this photographic exhibition.

We warmly invite you to come visit, experience and truly FEEL sLOVEnia for yourself!

From 8 to 22 November 2021 at The Hague City Hall (Atrium), Spui 70, 2511 BT Den Haag.

Minister of Infrastructure Jernej Vrtovec today attended the Energy Day at the 26th summit of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26). Slovenia joined the Powering Past Coal Alliance initiative and endorsed the Statement on Public Support for the Clean Energy Transition at COP26.

Today, 4 November 2021, the Minister of Digital Transformation, Mark Boris Andrijanič, met with the Montenegrin Minister of Public Administration, Digitalisation and Media, Tamara Srzentić.

Following the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, a number of bilateral meetings between the EU and other countries and groups of countries, including China, Japan, the USA, Australia, Russia and the group of least developed countries (LDCs), are taking place under the leadership of the Slovenian Presidency. In the following days, several other bilateral meetings will also take place.

Prime Minister Janez Janša met today in Ljubljana with representatives of the European Muslim and Jewish Leadership Council, co-chaired by Dr Nedžad Grabus, Mufti of Sarajevo and former Mufti of Ljubljana, and Pinchas Goldschmidt, President of the Conference of European Rabbis and Chief Rabbi of Moscow.

In Ljubljana today, Prime Minister Janez Janša met with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, who is on an official visit to Slovenia.

Present at today’s press conference on inspections of compliance with the recovered/vaccinated/tested rule were Inspector Deana Potza from the Health Inspectorate of the Republic of Slovenia, Acting Chief Inspector Martina Gašperlin from the Market Inspectorate of the Republic of Slovenia, Deputy Director General of the Police Stanislav Vrečar and Government spokesperson Maja Bratuša.