News

On his working visit to Slovakia, Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar met with Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic Ivan Korčok today. The ministers principally focused on the measures being taken by Slovenia and Slovakia to limit the spread of COVID-19, agreeing that it was paramount to coordinate these measures to successfully curb the epidemic and relaunch the European economy.

Today, the Minister of Public Administration Boštjan Koritnik attended an informal meeting of ministers of EU Member States responsible for telecommunications and digitalisation. The meeting took the form of a video conference.

Today, Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša is attending a regular European Council meeting in Brussels. EU leaders will discuss the epidemiological situation, relations with the United Kingdom, climate change and relations with Africa.

On Wednesday in the evening session, the government took several measures to contain the spread of the disease COVID -19. The measures were presented at today’s press conference by the Minister of Economic Development and Technology, Mr Zdravko Počivalšek, the Minister of Education Science and Sport, Ms Simona Kustec, the Minister of the Interior, Mr Aleš Hojs, the State Secretary, Ms Tina Bregant, and the Government Spokesperson, Mr Jelko Kacin.

At today’s session that started at 17:00 in Brdo pri Kranju, the Government examined and adopted new measures from the third phase of the orange package. After the session, Prime Minister Janez Janša made a press statement in Ljubljana.

Head of the intensive care unit at the Clinic for Infectious Diseases Matjaž Jereb, acting director of the Health Care Directorate at the Ministry of Health Marija Magajne, and government spokesperson Jelko Kacin took part in the press conference on the current situation regarding COVID-19 in Slovenia.

Prime Minister Janez Janša participated in the opening ceremony marking the start of the construction of the 2 x 400 kV Cirkovce–Pince transmission line. The ceremony was held in a marquee on the lawn next to Sternthal Mansion in Kidričevo, where the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia addressed the participants.

On his working visit to the Czech Republic, Foreign Minister Anže Logar and his host, Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček, talked about the importance of coordinating measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 and facilitate European economic recovery. They also discussed the strengthening of regional cooperation.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has issued a grant decision for the project “Wastewater discharge and treatment in the Kolpa river basin – Municipality Črnomelj”. Total project funding amounts to nearly EUR 3.6 million of which a little less than EUR 1.6 million is Cohesion Fund contribution. Cohesion Fund support has recently also been awarded to Municipality Metlika for wastewater discharge and treatment in the Kolpa river basin.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan attended today’s General Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg. The Council discussed preparations for the European Council meeting to be held at the weekend in Brussels. Ministers took note of the state of play in the EU-UK negotiations. They also held a general debate on the first annual report on the situation regarding the rule of law in the EU and endorsed recommendations for COVID-19 coordination

On the 13th of October 2020, the Republic of Slovenia successfully priced a new €1bn 30 year issuance, shortly after receiving a credit rating update from Moody’s.

Slovenian minister of the interior Aleš Hojs has met with Austrian colleague Karl Nehammer. The bilateral meeting is a confirmation of exceptionally good cooperation between the countries and their police forces.

The Republic of Slovenia announces the cash tender results of the Euro denominated notes of the tender that expired on 12 October 2020. January 2021 Notes and April 2021 Notes were accepted in the amount of EUR 98,130,000 and EUR 74,850,000, respectively.

The Government spokesperson Jelko Kacin spoke about the current situation regarding COVID-19 at the press conference.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša attended a meeting of the highest representatives of all three branches of government on the topic of "The principle of the separation of powers: (self)restriction, mutual supervision and mutual cooperation" at the Presidential Palace in Ljubljana.

Minister for Development and EU Cohesion Policy Zvone Černač today met with mayors from the Obsotelje, Kozjansko and Haloze regions to take stock of the progress made in the implementation of 2014-2020 projects and discuss the preparations for the 2021-2027 programming period.

A Update on the Republic of Slovenia Tender Offer and a potential launch of a new 30 year Republic of Slovenia bond

Mateja Logar, infectologist from the Clinic for Infectious Diseases, and Jelko Kacin, the Government spokesperson, provided the latest information on the COVID-19 situation in Slovenia.

Today marks 100 years of the Carinthian referendum, after which the southern part of Carinthia and the Slovenian population living there became part of the Republic of Austria. On this anniversary, the two countries are drawing attention to the elements of their shared history and, inevitably, also to the current situation and expectations of the Slovenian ethnic minority in the provinces of Carinthia and Styria about improving their regulatory and material position in accordance with the obligations of the Republic of Austria under international law. These obligations are set out in Article 7 of the 1955 State Treaty on the Establishment of an Independent and Democratic Austria, which guarantees the Slovenian ethnic minority the right to education in its mother tongue, the right to use Slovenian as an official language, and the right to Slovenian or bilingual topographical inscriptions in administrative and judicial districts with Slovenian and mixed populations. It also guarantees the Slovenian ethnic minority the right to participate in cultural, administrative and judicial institutions on equal terms with other Austrian nationals. In 2011, considerable progress was made with the agreement on the erection of 168 bilingual inscriptions. The atmosphere in Carinthia has improved and the majority and the minority groups have coexisted side by side. Nevertheless, certain commitments remain unfulfilled.

Today marks 100 years of the Carinthian plebiscite by which the southern part of Carinthia, together with the Slovenian population living there, was to become an integral part of the Republic of Austria. This anniversary opens up an opportunity for both nations to reflect upon the past and lift the historical burdens.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša gave an opening speech at the third Skills Summit entitled Skills Strategies for a World in Recovery. This years' summit, organised by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), is held virtually and hosted by Slovenia. The Prime Minister greeted the participants in a video address. In addition to Mr Janša, Deputy Secretary-General of the OECD, Ulrik Vestergaard Knudsen, also spoke at the opening of the event, which was attended by the Minister of Education, Simona Kustec, the Minister of Labour, Janez Cigler Kralj, the Minister of Health, Tomaž Gantar, and the Minister of Public Administration, Boštjan Koritnik.

Ministers and senior officials of international organizations responsible for skills, including education, employment, the economy, technology, innovation and other, met at the Skills Summit 2020, this time hosted by Slovenia and held in Brdo pri Kranju. The 2020 Skills Summit was held as a virtual event.

Deana Potza from the Health Inspectorate and government spokesman Jelko Kacin provided the latest information on the COVID-19 situation in Slovenia.

At today’s correspondence session, the Slovenian government adopted an Ordinance on the temporary limitation or prohibition of public gatherings in the Republic of Slovenia, and the prohibition on the transport of certain types of goods and products during public gatherings. At the same session, the government also confirmed the draft national recovery and resilience plan.

Today, 8 October 2020, Slovenian Foreign Ministry State Secretary Tone Kajzer held talks with Virginia Gamba, United Nations Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict.

At today’s session Government of the Republic of Slovenia took note of and approved draft National Recovery and Resilience Plan that shall serve as the basis for drawing on the funding available under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). Slovenia is eligible to EUR 5.2 billion of which EUR 1.6 billion is available as grants and EUR 3.6 billion as loans.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its pleasure on the news of the appointment of Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia to Canada Dr Melita Gabrič as the new Head of the European Union Delegation in Ottawa. The appointment will be formally confirmed once the receiving state issues an agrément. It is the most prominent appointment of a Slovenian official in the European diplomacy during the sixteen years of Slovenian EU membership.

Minister Hojs has participated in the videoconference summit of the Council of Ministers of the interior.

The Government of the Republic of Slovenia concluded its first visit to the Carinthia region with a talk with the mayors and actors of development in the region.

Today, 7 October 2020, State Secretary Tone Kajzer represented Foreign Minister Dr Anže Logar on a visit of the Slovenian Government to the Koroška region.

In the framework of the Government visit to the Koroška region Zvone Černač, Minister for Development and EU Cohesion Policy, met with the representatives of the Koroška region municipalities, namely the municipality of Vuzenica, Ravne na Koroškem Prevalje, Črna na Koroškem and Mežica. In Mežica Minister Černač and Minister for Economic Development and Technology, Zdravko Počivalšek, opened the access road the Museum Peca Underground. At the end of the regional visit Minister Černač attended the public Government gathering.

Today, the Government started visiting Slovenian regions to learn first-hand about the problems and challenges encountered by these regions and so draft suitable measures and solutions. The Government first visited the Koroška region.

The Director of the University Clinic of Respiratory and Allergic Diseases Golnik, Aleš Rozman, and the Government spokesperson, Jelko Kacin, shed light on the current epidemiological situation in Slovenia – a record-breaking 356 positive cases were recorded yesterday.

Today, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia is visiting Carinthia. Following the visit to Gašper trženje d.o.o. in Radlje ob Dravi, Prime Minister Janez Janša gave a brief statement for Carinthia television, highlighting the importance of the government's visits to individual regions. "It's one thing just to be stationed in Ljubljana studying documentation and papers, and another when you experience the subject of decision-making in the real lives of people - this way, you are making the right decisions."

Yesterday, the European Commission published the Enlargement Package for the Western Balkan countries and Turkey, which provides an overview and assessment of the situation across key areas of the necessary reform progress, with recommendations for further rapprochement with the EU.

At today’s press conference, Prime Minister Janez Janša made an in-depth presentation of the coronavirus situation in Europe and Slovenia and the Government plant for measures in the second wave of the coronavirus.

Today, State Secretary Tone Kajzer held an online call with Dr Kirsten Dunlop, Chief Executive Officer of the Climate Knowledge and Innovation Community (EIT Climate-KIC) supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology funded by the European Commission.

Today, State Secretary Tone Kajzer attended the annual high-level meeting of the OECD Development Centre Governing Board held in a virtual format. The aim of the meeting was to share experience between member countries and international organisations of the steps taken to mitigate the COVID-19 impact. During the discussion, the participants outlined the Centre’s programme for the following two years.

On Monday, 5 October 2020, at 14:00, Prime Minister Janez Janša attended the 45th extraordinary session of the National Assembly where he presented the 2021–2022 Budget Memorandum, the Draft Amending Budget for 2021 and the Draft Budget for 2022.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša met the leadership of the Slovenian Federation of Pensioners’ Associations (ZDUS), i.e. its President Janez Sušnik and Vice-Presidents Vera Pečnik and Jožica Puhar.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has issued a grant decision for the call for proposals “Research and development projects to remedy the consequences of COVID-19”. The funding available under the said call for proposals amounts to EUR 5 million of which EUR 4 million is European Regional Development Fund contribution.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša presented a proposed act on the National Demographic Fund to the members of the Economic and Social Council.

The Republic of Slovenia (the Issuer), rated A3 (stable) / AA- (stable) / A (stable), has mandated Barclays Bank PLC, BNP Paribas, Commerzbank, Goldman Sachs International Bank, J.P. Morgan and UniCredit as Joint Dealer Managers for a Tender Offer for the Issuer’s outstanding January 2021 and April 2021 EUR securities. Additionally, the Republic will consider a Euro-denominated Reg S transaction in dematerialised registered form, subject to market conditions and the results of the concurrent Tender Offer. Relevant stabilisation (including FCA/ICMA) applies. Target Market: Manufacturer target market (MIFID II product governance) are eligible counterparties and professional investors (all distribution channels) and also retail investors (all distribution channels).

The Government spokesperson Jelko Kacin presented the epidemiological situation in the country, and Tatjana Lejko Zupanc, the Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases, spoke about the situation at the Department.

Prime Minister Janez Janša today attended a round table entitled Responsible Citizen – Successful Nation. The round table, co-organised by the Civil Initiative Prebudimo Slovenijo (Wake up, Slovenia) and the Social Academy, was held at St Stanislav's Institution in Šentvid, Ljubljana.

On 2 October 2020, Moody's Investors Service, a global rating agency, upgraded the credit rating of the Republic of Slovenia by one notch to a A3 and ascribed to it a stable outlook.

Prime Minister Janez Janša attended an extraordinary meeting of the European Council in Brussels, at which they discussed the single market, digital transformation, issues relating to Belarus and the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

The epidemiological situation in the country was presented by Jelko Kacin, Government spokesman for COVID-19, while the Minister of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Janez Ciglar Kralj, summed up the conditions in homes for the elderly.

On the first day of the summit in Brussels, EU Member State leaders reached an agreement on defining relations with Turkey and sanctions against the Belarus regime. At the press conference, the president of the European Council Charles Michel announced that the leaders agreed on a “double strategy,” “a two-tier approach” which opens a possibility for dialogue, but at the same time firmly protects European values and solidarity.

Today and tomorrow, Prime Minister Janez Janša is attending an extraordinary European Council meeting in Brussels. On the agenda for this meeting is a discussion on the single market, industrial policy and digital transformation, as well as external relations, especially with Turkey and China. The summit will also provide an opportunity to review the situation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.