Today, the WHO Regional Office for Europe published the results of the vote by secret ballot of the new members of the WHO Executive Board for the period 2021–2024. In view of the current epidemiological situation, the elections took place in the form of a postal ballot. Slovenia was nominated with its candidate, Ms Vesna Kerstin Petrič.

Slovenia and Ukraine held virtual consultations on cybersecurity. The Slovenian delegation was led by State Secretary Tone Kajzer, and the Ukrainian side was headed by the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Vasyl Bodnar.

What is the future that we want? Are we on the right track to reach it? What must be done to overcome the differences?

Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar concluded his three-day visit to the Baltic countries in the Republic of Lithuania, where he met with his host, Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius. The foreign ministers discussed opportunities for further strengthening cooperation between the two countries, both on the European and multilateral level. They also found time to touch on the challenges the EU is facing in coordinating measures to curb the COVID-19 pandemic. Also high on the agenda were the latest developments in Belarus and in this context, Minister Logar met Belarus opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya in Vilnius.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan took part in the Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR), which was held as a virtual event based in Zagreb. He stressed the importance of good governance of macro-regional strategies and a more visible role of the European Commission.

In October 2020, during Germany’s Chairmanship, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) – on the basis of prolonged discussions and proposals put forth by experts on Roma issues – adopted a non-legally binding working definition of antigypsyism. The definition was prepared with the participation of Slovenian experts, members of the Slovenian delegation to IHRA, and the Roma community in Slovenia. The text of the working definition is provided below.

Today, Foreign Minister Anže Logar held meetings in Trieste and Gorizia with representatives of the Slovenian minority in Italy. This was his first official visit to the Slovenian minority in Italy, after he briefly met with Slovenians in Italy at the ceremony on the return of the National Hall into Slovenian hands on 13 July.

On 15 October, State Secretary Gašper Dovžan and Ambassador of Mongolia Gankhuurai Battungalag signed the Visa Waiver Agreement for holders of diplomatic and service passports, the first agreement signed between the two countries since the establishment of diplomatic relations.

Yesterday, State Secretary Gašper Dovžan met with Ambassador Zef Mazi, chief Albanian negotiator for accession to the EU, State Minister and member of the Albanian Government. State Secretary Dovžan expressed support for Albania's rapprochement with the European Union and welcomed the EU's decision to open accession negotiations with Albania.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Slovenia welcomes the activities of the European Commission related to the launch of the rule of law mechanism as a prevention tool aimed at strengthening the common understanding of the fundamental values and promoting the culture of the rule of law thereby consolidating the application of this principle throughout the EU as a whole.