News

In his video speech for the annual OSCE Mediterranean Conference, Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar underlined his conviction that a more effective system to respond to future crises must be included in the post-pandemic recovery plans.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan met with Stephan Holthoff-Pförtner, Minister of Federal, European and International Affairs of the German Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia. The main topic of the talks was the strengthening of cooperation in the light of Slovenia’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan participated via video conference in a meeting of eminent representatives of the European Parliament Former Members Association (FMA) on the Conference on the Future of Europe.

Posavje Regional Development Agency invited State Secretary Kirbiš Rojs to take part in an online conference Posavje Development Outlook 2021-2027. The State Secretary talked about the programming process and explained how ESI funds are programmed and planned for the upcoming 2021-2027 period. She also touched on possible complementarities with other funding sources.

The Minister of the Interior, Aleš Hojs, participated in a high-level videoconference of the Radicalisation Awareness Network (EU-RAN) organised by the European Commission. The conference marked the 10th anniversary of the network and provided an opportunity for a discussion on ways of addressing radicalisation challenges.

After four weeks, the 48th session of the UN Human Rights Council drew to a close on Monday, 11 October. This meeting was one of the most demanding meetings for Slovenia in recent years, as it participated as the Chair of Council of the European Union and was in charge of several initiatives.

On the first day of the two-day meeting in Luxembourg, EU agriculture and fisheries ministers held a discussion on challenges and progress in the preparation of CAP strategic plans and on the revision of EU marketing standards for agricultural products. Negotiations on the fixing of fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea for 2022 have also started.

In his capacity as Minister for Development Cooperation and representing Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar, State Secretary Raščan represented Slovenia at a commemorative meeting marking the 60th anniversary of the first conference of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Slovenia is one of the successor states of a founding member of the NAM movement. On the sidelines of the event, he met with State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Nemanja Starović.

State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Stanislav Raščan attended the extraordinary meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council composed of the ministers of International Development Cooperation (FAC DEV). The topic of discussion was Afghanistan. State Secretary Raščan stressed that the complexity of the situation in the country requires that international partners mount a continuous and coordinated response.

At the 48th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, resolutions on the right to a healthy, clean and sustainable environment and on the rights of the elderly were adopted on the initiative of Slovenia and like-minded states.

During a working lunch in the framework of the EU Home Affairs Council meeting, EU ministers of the interior held an open discussion about the current situation regarding the implementation of interoperability (connectivity of information systems) in the member states, which should be concluded by 2023. So far, we have done a lot of work at EU level and in the member states on this major project for the interconnectivity of justice and home affairs information systems.

On World and European Day against the Death Penalty, which is observed on 10 October, Slovenia calls on the countries that still practice capital punishment to abolish it entirely. Slovenia is a resolute opponent of the death penalty, which is an inhuman, cruel, degrading, and final form of punishment.

State Secretary at the Ministry of the Environment, Metka Gorišek, attended the Ministerial Conference on the Environment within the Central European Initiative (CEI) currently chaired by Montenegro. The main topics of the ministerial meeting, which was attended by the ministers responsible for the environment of the member states of the CEI, which unites 17 countries as a regional intergovernmental political forum, were waste management and waters without borders. The conference adopted a joint declaration on cooperation in sustainable waste management between the CEI member states.

After participating in the Croatian Tourism365 conference, where he took part in a panel of leaders together with the Croatian Prime Minister, Andrej Plenković, Prime Minister Janez Janša also held bilateral talks with his host. In a press statement after the meeting, the Prime Minister congratulated Croatia on a well organised event, as well as on its record-breaking tourist season, including the number of tourist arrivals from Slovenia this summer.

As part of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU, the Working Group on Strategic and Project Environmental Assessments met online to discuss all current issues in the field, including the European Commission's instructions on defining plans and programmes which are subject to a strategic environmental assessment, and some examples of best practice, as well as infringements from EU member states.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša attended the Tourism 365, a Croatian conference on tourism, in Terme Tuhelj, where he took part in a panel discussion together with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković. The conference focused on initiatives and plans for post COVID tourism, smart and sustainable business operations, new technologies and a new future for tourism.

Due to urgent maintenance work on the infrastructure of the Archives of the Republic of Slovenia, the Virtual Archival Reading Room and registers of the Archives will be inaccessible on Monday, October 11th, 2021, between 6.30 am and 8 am.

The meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council that took place today in Luxembourg was chaired by Minister Marjan Dikaučič. The ministers discussed the issue of pre-trial detention and the conditions in detention facilities.

A press conference held to provide a COVID-19 update was attended by Minister of Health Janez Poklukar and Professor Borut Štrukelj from the Faculty of Pharmacy in Ljubljana.

In today’s statement to the press following the presentation of the budget documents at the National Assembly, Prime Minister Janez Janša commented on the fact that the opposition had obstructed a session involving the presentation of a document as important as the budget. The Prime Minister said that he regretted this behaviour by the opposition.

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Janez Janša, today attended the 83rd extraordinary session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, where the Presentation of the Budget Memorandum 2022–2023, Draft Amendments to the Budget of the Republic of Slovenia for 2022 and the Draft Budget of the Republic of Slovenia for 2023 were discussed.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar attended the European Parliament Plenary Session from 6 to 7 October 2021 as the high representative of the Council of the EU in relations with the Parliament during the Slovenian Presidency.

State Secretary mag. Monika Kirbiš Rojs attended the consultation Vision of the Research and Innovation Strategy for effective twin transition hosted by the strategic research and innovation partnership Materials as End Products (SRIP MATPRO). At the event, State Secretary presented the investment priorities of EU Cohesion Policy 2021-2027 from the viewpoint of reforming Slovenia’s Smart Specialisation Strategy (S4).

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan participated in the virtual forum for the protection of threatened Afghans hosted by High Representative and Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell and EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson.

On 8 September 2020 the »2020 Annual Report on Radiation and Nuclear Safety in the Republic of Slovenia« was presented to Slovenian National Assembly. That was the last stage of its consideration. The report was approved by the Government of Slovenia in August and discussed in the National Council (the upper chamber of the Slovenian Parliament) in September the same year.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved European Regional Development Fund support for the project ITI Setting up systems for traffic calming, informing urban passenger transport users and directing drivers to parking areas. The said project falls under a series of projects aiming to improve road user safety and reduce traffic congestion.

Minister of Digital Transformation Mark Boris Andrijanič was on a working visit in Warsaw on 6 and 7 October 2021. The working visit coincided with one of the largest digital conferences in Central and Eastern Europe, the CEE Digital Summit. This digital summit connects the digital sector and tech companies with experts and policymakers who are working on the digital transformation of the region. At the same time, it serves as a platform for discussion on the future of the digital economy in Central and Eastern Europe, its challenges and means for a deeper digital cooperation.

The EU-Western Balkans Summit, which took place today and was hosted by the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU at Brdo pri Kranju, brought together the leaders of the EU member states and the six Western Balkan partners: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, the Republic of North Macedonia and Kosovo*

The meeting of the European Migration Network (EMN) took place in Ljubljana as part of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU on 5 and 6 October 2021. Participants discussed the EU's preparedness for future migration flows.

Environment ministers adopted the Council Conclusions as a mandate of the EU and its member states at the meeting for the Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to be held in Glasgow in November.

Tonight, the Prime Minister hosted an informal working dinner at Brdo pri Kranju for the heads of state and governments of the EU member states. The European leaders held a strategic discussion on the role of the EU on the international stage in view of recent events in Afghanistan, the AUKUS security alliance and the development of relations with China.

Minister Anže Logar attended the regular annual meeting of the Ministerial Council of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which adopted a new strategy paper with a vision of the OECD’s work over the next ten years and an external OECD action strategy.

Acting Director-General for Multilateral Affairs and Development Cooperation Igor Jukič took part in a meeting of EU Directors-General for development cooperation via a videoconference. The participants discussed the Team Europe initiatives, the European financial architecture for development, the assistance offered to partner countries in the fight against COVID-19, the Gender Action Plan, and the current situation in Afghanistan and neighbouring countries.

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Jože Podgoršek has attended a ministerial meeting on the new EU forest strategy at the invitation of the Austrian minister responsible for forestry Elisabeth Köstinger. At the meeting, the ministers from forest rich member states discussed the future of forests at EU level.

Minister of the Interior Aleš Hojs attended a meeting of the interior ministers of the Visegrad Group, the Republic of Austria and the Republic of Slovenia in Budapest. The meeting focused on the current challenges in migration and topical issues concerning the management of Europe's borders.

On the occasion of the upcoming 60th anniversary of the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD DAC), State Secretary Stanislav Raščan added his congratulations to those of the high-level representatives responsible for international development cooperation and humanitarian aid.

Minister Jože Podgoršek has attended a meeting of chief veterinary officers of the Working Party on Animals and Veterinary Questions. The event is traditionally organised in the framework of the presidency of the Council of the EU. The highest representatives of veterinary services meet to work, exchange views and socialise.

Tomorrow, the EU ministers responsible for the environment and climate change will meet in Luxembourg. This will be their first meeting chaired by the Slovenian Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning, Andrej Vizjak.

Prime Minister Janez Janša responded to a letter from Zoran Stevanović, president of the Resni.ca party. In the letter, Zoran Stevanović calls for the immediate abolition of the recovered/vaccinated/tested rule and immediate resignation of the Government.

Today is the final day of the three-day Pre-COP meeting hosted by Italy, as the UK's partner country in the organisation of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), with a view to approximating the positions of the parties ahead of the COP meeting in Glasgow in November. Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning Andrej Vizjak and his delegation also attended the meeting.

Prime Minister Janez Janša today had a meeting with European Commission Vice-President for Democracy and Demography Dubravka Šuica. They discussed the Conference on the Future of Europe.

Prime Minister Janez Janša today met with senior representatives of the Identity and Democracy Group in the European Parliament, which is on a study visit to Slovenia.

The second and third days of the 9th session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP) to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Water Convention were held in Geneva.

Within the framework of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union Programme, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food co-organises an international event called “Smart Villages for a Green, Digital and Resilient Europe” together with the office of MEP Franc Bogovič. In the debate, which was attended also by the Minister Dr Jože Podgoršek, Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner Dubravka Šuica, and the Director-General of the FAO, Qu Dongyu, the participants highlighted the importance of coherent and integrated rural development, which is an issue that extends way beyond just agriculture.

The meeting of the Monitoring Committee of the European Territorial Cooperation Programme (URBACT) was organised as part the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU. It was attended by representatives of the EU member states, the European Commission, the Managing Authority and the Secretariat of the Programme.

The International Day of Older Persons is celebrated on 1 October and this year, it is dedicated to digital equality for all ages, pointing to the need for accessibility and inclusion of older people in the digital world.

The Slovenian legal conference is a great opportunity to hold an open dialogue on trends and challenges in the European legal environment in order to better understand different systems in the EU Member States.

The press conference on the current situation regarding COVID-19 was attended by the Minister of Public Administration, Boštjan Koritnik.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša paid a working visit to London at the invitation of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Foreign Minister Anže Logar attended the regular meeting of EU member states’ ambassadors accredited to Slovenia. He presented Slovenia’s work as Chair of the Council of the EU to date and plans for the second half of the Presidency. “Despite the uncertain epidemiological situation, Slovenia has carried out all planned events and is successfully pursuing the objectives of its priorities,” said Minister Logar.