News

On the first day of the 28th Consultation of Slovenian Diplomats, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted Slovenia’s new foreign policy strategy, which sets out the guidelines for achieving and implementing foreign policy goals. The new strategy is based on inclusiveness, responsibility, security, solidarity and knowledge, and is modern, transparent and long-term.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon inaugurated the 28th Consultation of Slovenian Diplomats at Brdo pri Kranju. In her address, the Minister highlighted Slovenia’s achievements in 2024, with a particular focus on the country’s role in the UN Security Council, the establishment of new diplomatic and consular missions to enhance partnerships, and the challenges anticipated for 2025..

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon participated in the EU-Albania Intergovernmental Conference in Brussels, where she, on behalf of Slovenia, Austria and Spain, commended the Albanian government for the progress in the EU enlargement process achieved within a short timeframe. She underscored that this success represents an important step forward not only for Albania but also for the European Union as a whole. She welcomed Albania’s progress and the opening of negotiations on a new cluster.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon participated in the EU-Montenegro Intergovernmental Conference, where Montenegro provisionally closed three negotiating chapters. Speaking on behalf of Slovenia, Austria and Italy, Minister Fajon commended Montenegro's progress on its European path, expressing hope that the country will sustain this momentum and become the next EU member state.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon attended the first meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, chaired by the new EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas. Ministers discussed continued support for Ukraine, the situation in Georgia and the Middle East, with a focus on Syria.

The delegation of Slovenia, comprising the Director-General for International Law, Dr Marko Rakovec, acting as agent, alongside legal representatives Prof. Dr Vasilka Sancin and Dr Daniel Müller, appeared before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague during the hearing on the request for an advisory opinion regarding the obligations of States in respect of climate change.

State Secretary Marko Štucin hosted for political consultations the Deputy Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania Megi Fino, who also met separately with State Secretary Melita Gabrič. All three expressed their satisfaction with the friendly relations between the two countries.

On the occasion of world Human Rights Day, Slovenia's foreign policy message – Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now – reaffirms its commitment to promoting the respect for and protection of human rights, particularly within the framework of international organisations.

During her visit to Podgorica, Minister Tanja Fajon officially opened the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre, an initiative of Slovenia, France and Montenegro. She also signed the new development cooperation programme between the Slovenian and Montenegrin governments and met with senior Montenegrin officials.

The Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Norway, is hosting a regional expert event in Ljubljana entitled “Women in Peace and Security Efforts – Perspectives from South-Eastern Europe and Ukraine”. The event was opened by State Secretary Melita Gabrič.

The first United Nations human rights treaty – the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide – was adopted on 9 December 1948, one day before the adoption of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December 1948.

In recent days, a video with false and misleading claims about the possibility of entering Slovenia has garnered a lot of attention on the social network X.

At the Ministerial Council of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon stressed the importance of this forum and the need to ensure the functioning of the OSCE, including stable funding. The main topic of discussion at the Malta meeting was Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon participated in the Meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Brussels. The discussions focused on Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as on key strategic priorities as NATO marks its 75th anniversary this year. The Ministers of Foreign Affairs met and held their first consultations with the new Secretary General, Mark Rutte.

At the Cairo Ministerial Conference, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon discussed the prospects for lasting solutions for Gaza and the Middle East as a whole with participants from more than 90 countries and international organisations.

In November, as the presidency of the UN Security Council was held by the United Kingdom, Slovenia co-sponsored two briefings, one on the denuclearisation of North Korea and the other on imminent famine in Gaza. State Secretary Marko Štucin participated in a high-level meeting on the situation in Gaza and Ukraine, where he called for the Security Council to take more decisive action on the conflicts..

The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, in cooperation with the European Commission Representation in Slovenia, organised a presentation for Slovenian companies on the possibilities of their participation in the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) projects. The aim of the event was to attract more Slovenian companies to participate in WBIF projects.

Today, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon received in Ljubljana Alexander Schallenberg, Federal Minister for European and International Affairs of the Republic of Austria, and Gordan Grlić Radman, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, as part of the second meeting of the so-called Trilateral.

State Secretary Marko Štucin held political consultations in Tashkent with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, Muzaffarbek Anvarbekovich. The two officials reviewed bilateral cooperation and committed to strengthening economic cooperation, in line with the 2023 economic cooperation agreement.

To mark the Mediterranean Day, a round table discussion was organised in the atrium of the Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (ZRC SAZU) under the title The Power of Journalism and Music as a Means of Intercultural Dialogue«. The event was enriched with the performance of the exceptional Syrian musician Rami Basisah, whose story was presented to the international audience by Slovenian journalist Boštjan Videmšek.