News

The Republic of Slovenia, rated A3 (Stable – Moody’s) / AA- (Stable – S&P) / A (Stable – Fitch), successfully issued today a new EUR1.25bn 4-year Slovenian Government bond due 13th February 2026 and EUR500mn 40-year Slovenian Government bond due 13th February 2062. The transaction marks Slovenia’s first benchmark transaction in 2022.

Today’s press conference on the current situation regarding COVID-19 was attended by the Minister of Health, Janez Poklukar, and by the Head of the Institute of Microbiology and Immunology and the Head of the Laboratory for the Diagnosis of Viral Infections, Professor Dr Miroslav Petrovec.

The Republic of Slovenia, rated A3 / AA- / A (all stable), has mandated Barclays, BNP Paribas, Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs Bank Europe SE and J.P. Morgan to lead manage a EUR dual-tranche transaction consisting of a new 4-year benchmark due 2026 and 40-year benchmark due 2062. The transaction will be Regulation S in dematerialized registered form. The deal is expected to be launched in the near future, subject to market conditions.

The working group of State Secretaries discussed and approved draft document of the renewed and renamed Smart Specialisation Strategy (S5) on 23 December 2021.

Below is the address of Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia Janez Janša at the end of the Slovenian Presidency of the EU Council.

The Government has declared 2022 the year of the architect Jože Plečnik and the composer Giuseppe Tartini.

Below is the New Year message by Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia Janez Janša to his fellow citizens.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša and his wife, Urška Bačovnik Janša, appeared as guests on the Jutro programme on Planet TV. They talked about their memories of childhood and student life, about the beginnings of their love, and also about a lost engagement ring and their wedding.

Prime Minister Janez Janša was a guest on the programme A Talk with the Prime Minister, broadcast on TV Slovenija 1. The interview was conducted by Jože Možina. Below is a transcript of the entire talk, which focused mainly on the coronavirus epidemic, economic indicators, the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU and the internal political dynamics.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved EU funding under the European Regional Development Fund for the project Designing project documents for the connecting road of the Third Development Axis – Ravne Eastern Bypass. This is another in a series of investments, supported by EU funding, that aims to connect Slovenia.

Today, the Prime Minister Janez Janša met with the Rector of the University of Ljubljana, Professor Dr Gregor Majdič, and the President of the Governing Board of the University of Ljubljana, Professor Dr Emil Erjavec.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša attended a special ceremony at which the President of the Republic of Slovenia Borut Pahor awarded state decorations to Cardinal Franc Rode, Bishop Geza Filo and Mufti Nedžad Grabus.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved EU funding for the Call for proposals for investment in quality and sustainable transformation of Slovenian tourism sector to strengthen its resilience. The call will be published and managed by the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology and supported by the European Regional Development Fund under the React-EU initiative.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved EU funding for the project COVID-19 – Arrangement of the building of the Institute of Occupational Safety of the University Medical Centre Ljubljana. The project, implemented by the Ministry of Health, will result in adequate equipment of the existing building of the former Institute of Occupational Safety of the University Medical Centre Ljubljana and will receive European Regional Development Fund support under the React-EU instrument.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša attended the commemorative session of the National Assembly and the main state ceremony marking Independence and Unity Day, which is celebrated on 26 December. He attended the main state ceremony at Cankarjev Dom as the keynote speaker, together with his wife Urška Bačovnik Janša.
Below is a transcript of the address delivered by Prime Minister Janez Janša at the main state ceremony marking Independence and Unity Day. Check against delivery.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša hosted a reception for relatives of the members of the Slovenian Territorial Defence, of the Ministry of the Interior and of civilian war victims killed or injured in the Slovenian War of Slovenia. The Prime Minister, who was accompanied by his wife Urška Bačovnik Janša, delivered a speech. The reception was also attended by the Slovenian President, Borut Pahor.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved EU funding for the project Wastewater collection and treatment in the Drava River basin – Municipality Hoče-Slivnica. The project will receive Cohesion Fund support and will result in established wastewater collection and treatment infrastructure in the area of Radizela and Spodnje Hoče.

The Archives of the Republic of Slovenia will be closed from December 27th to December 31st, 2021.

The Council has approved an agreement between the EU and the UK on fishing opportunities for 2022, paving the way for EU fishermen and women to exercise their fishing rights in the Atlantic and the North Sea. The decision determines fishing rights for around 100 shared fish stocks in EU and UK waters, including the total allowable catch (TAC) limit for each species.

On 23 December, which marks Constitution Day, the Ljubljana Opera and Ballet will perform a holiday classic, the ballet The Nutcracker – A Christmas Carol by choreographer Youri Vámos with music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The honorary patron of the performance, dedicated to the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU, is the Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša.

The last meeting of the EU Military Committee (EUMC) in 2021 marked the end of the Presidency of the EU Military Council. On this occasion, Chief of the General Staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces, Major General Robert Glavaš, addressed the EUMC in a video message.

Prime Minister Janez Janša today attended the ceremony at the Club 90 to mark the 30th anniversary of Slovenia's independence, where he delivered a speech. Before the ceremony, a moment of silence was observed for deceased deputies.

Patricija Furlan Fon, Chief Inspector of the Infrastructure Inspectorate (IRSI), and Tomaž Pečjak, Senior Police Advisor of the General Police Administration, took part in a press conference on the current situation regarding COVID-19.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar met with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken today in Washington, which was the third bilateral meeting at the level of foreign ministers over the last year and a half. The meeting was aimed at continuing the strategic dialogue between the two countries.

The Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning Andrej Vizjak attended the last meeting of the Environment Council to be held during the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU. The Slovenian Presidency presented a report on the progress made in negotiations on the proposal for a regulation concerning batteries and waste batteries, which is an integral part of the European Green Deal. The proposals contained in the “Fit for 55” package were the main priority of the Slovenian Presidency, which strived for the greatest possible progress and a coherent approach to dealing with dossiers that are highly horizontal in nature.

The first international Golden Bee Award was awarded today in the House of the Carniolan Honey Bee. Prof. Lucas Alejandro Garibaldi from Argentina received the award. Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food and Chair of the Golden Bee Award Committee Jože Podgoršek announced the winner of the award. President of the Republic of Slovenia Borut Pahor presented the award, which was collected by a representative of the Embassy of Argentina on behalf of the award winner.

The development of rural areas requires coherent and integrated rural development approaches. Combining different European funds offers opportunities to invest in infrastructure, technology and people for resilient, inclusive and prosperous rural areas.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša was a guest on the "Kdo vam laže?" ["Who is telling you lies?] show on Nova24TV, in which he spoke about current domestic political issues.

Today’s press conference, dedicated to COVID-19, focused on the Vaccination Days campaign, which will take place between 19 and 23 December. Participants in the press conference included the Minister of Health Janez Poklukar, Commander of the Slovenian Civil Protection Force Srečko Šestan and the General Secretary of Red Cross Slovenia Cvetka Tomin.

On the invitation of Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Anniken Huitfeldt, Minister Dr Anže Logar is paying an official visit to the Kingdom of Norway. Cooperation between Slovenia and Norway is excellent, and the ministers discussed opportunities for further widening and strengthening mutual collaboration.

A regular informal political dialogue between the European Union and the Russian Federation on the EU enlargement was held today via video conferencing. The EU side was led by Political Director and Director-General Jernej Müller.

The Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning, Andrej Vizjak, will chair the last meeting of EU Environment and Climate Change Ministers before France takes over the European Council presidency.

Prime Minister Janez Janša attended the European Council meeting in Brussels, where EU leaders discussed the current situation regarding COVID-19, crisis management and resilience, energy prices, security and defence, migration and certain issues related to the EU's external relations. After the European Council meeting, the Prime Minister attended the Euro Summit. In accordance with the conclusions of the June 2021 Euro Summit, the state of play of the Capital Markets Union was discussed.

The Minister of the Interior Aleš Hojs and the Minister of Justice Marjan Dikaučič, current Chairs of the EU Home Affairs Council and EU Justice Council respectively, attended the EU-US Justice and Home Affairs ministerial meeting in Washington on 16 December 2021. The ministerial meeting was also attended by the European Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson, the Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders, a delegation of the General Secretariat of the EU Council, the EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator Ilkka Salmi, the Executive Director of Europol Catherine de Bolle and the President of Eurojust Ladislav Hamran.The meeting agenda was dedicated to justice and home affairs topics of shared EU and US interest.

A regular informal political dialogue between the European Union and the United States on the EU enlargement was held today via video conferencing. The EU side was led by Political Director and Director-General Jernej Müller.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved EU funding for the project Maribor riverfront redevelopment – Lent. The ERDF-supported project will foster Maribor waterfront regeneration, making the famous Lent bank and the promenade along the Drava River a vibrant urban place offering opportunities for social interaction, recreation, cultural events or just a pleasant place to sit and relax.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar met with French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian in Paris today. The main purpose of his visit to France was to outline the achievements of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union and to discuss future work on the key European dossiers during the upcoming French Presidency.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan attended the 29th consultations of the economic and social stakeholders of the EU and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) via video conference.

On the margins of the European Council meeting today in Brussels, Prime Minister Janez Janša signed the Joint Declaration of the European Parliament, the Council of the EU and the European Commission on the EU's legislative priorities for 2022. A resilient and reinvigorated EU will remain at the forefront of events in the year ahead.

Prime Minister Janez Janša is attending a European Council meeting in Brussels, where he and the other EU leaders will discuss the COVID-19 situation, including the emergence of new virus variants, coordination of measures, provision of vaccination and and external relations. They will also address external relations, including with Belarus and Ukraine, as well as the issue of crisis management and resilience, energy prices, security and defence, and the external aspects of migration.

State Secretary mag. Monika Kirbiš Rojs attended an evening discussion on Cohesion Policy. The on-line event was organised by the info point Europe Direct Novo mesto and the Development Centre Novo mesto. The State Secretary drew attention to the important role Cohesion Policy funds play in ensuring a balanced regional development and went on to present the priorities supported by the NextGenerationEU instrument and the entities eligible to the funding available under the multiannual financial framework 2021-2027.

The continually updated virtual exhibition "Pioneers of Slovenian Modern Architecture – Fabiani, Plečnik and Vurnik – Forms for a New Democracy" is being rounded off with an exhibition at the National Museum of Slovenia and a comprehensive monograph on the three great Slovenian architects produced by Bojana Čampa in Stane Jeršič.

Igor Jukič, Acting Director-General for Multilateral Affairs and Development Cooperation, attended the meeting of the EU directors-general for development cooperation on Team Europe initiatives, which was held as an audio-video conference.

The Minister of the Interior Aleš Hojs and the Minister of Justice Marjan Dikaučič, current Chairs of the EU Home Affairs Council and EU Justice Council respectively, will attend the EU-US Justice and Home Affairs ministerial meeting in Washington on 16 December 2021.

Today, the Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša is attending the Eastern Partnership summit in Brussels, four years on since the last summit in 2017. As Belarus is not attending this year’s summit, its regime having suspended its participation in the Eastern Partnership (on 28 June 2021), there is an empty seat at the table.

Prof. Dr Borut Štrukelj from the Faculty of Pharmacy in Ljubljana was one of the speakers at the press conference on COVID-19 held today.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša addressed the Transition with Ambition conference over video link. The event was organised by the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the SPIRIT Slovenia, Public Agency and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan today chaired the final regular meeting of the General Affairs Council (GAC) in Brussels in the context of the Slovenian Presidency of the EU Council. Ministers of European affairs discussed draft conclusions for the December European Council and the coordination of the enlargement conclusions that have been unanimously confirmed, which is yet another achievement of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU.

Acting as Minister for Development Cooperation, State Secretary Raščan addressed the participants of an important virtual event marking the launch of the Digital for Development (D4D) Hub in Latin America and the Caribbean. This is a multi-stakeholder mechanism of the “Team Europe” initiative, the aim of which is to strengthen dialogue and partnership in digitalisation to promote a human-centric digital transformation.