News

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon addressed MEPs at the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) during a debate on EU enlargement. She stressed that EU enlargement is a geostrategic imperative and that both the countries aspiring to become part of the EU family and the EU Member States should prepare for this important step.

Minister Tanja Fajon took part in a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels to discuss the alarming situation in the Middle East, Russian aggression against Ukraine and the deteriorating human rights situation in Belarus. She also participated in the third edition of the European Humanitarian Forum, where she presented Slovenia's humanitarian response to the growing number of crises around the world.

State Secretary Marko Štucin held political consultations in Athens at the invitation of the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Hellenic Republic, Alexandra Papadopoulou. The two officials also participated as speakers at an event on the Western Balkans, co-organised by the Bled Strategic Forum and the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP), which was attended by more than 130 participants.

Representatives of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs presented economic diplomacy to Slovenian craftspeople. The promotion of diplomatic support for craftspeople is part of a series of events aimed at systematically promoting the internationalisation of Slovenian companies through the network of the Chamber of Craft and Small Business and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, particularly in the framework of the Strategic Research and Innovation Partnerships between Slovenian companies and research institutions (SRIP).

State Secretary Marko Štucin discussed topical European and international issues and bilateral cooperation with Christopher Cutajar, Permanent Secretary at the Maltese Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and Trade, and Glenn Micallef, Head of Secretariat in the Office of the Prime Minister of Malta, in Valletta.

Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia to Ukraine Mateja Prevolšek handed over a modern C-type ambulance, equipped with an incubator for the transportation of new-born and premature babies, to Olena Yaroschuk, Acting Director of Maternity Hospital No. 5 in Kyiv, in the presence of Deputy Minister of Health of Ukraine Ihor Kopach.

State Secretary Sanja Štiglic hosted the Deputy Foreign Minister of Vietnam, Le Thi Thu Hang, for political consultations in Ljubljana. The fifth round of consultations coincides with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Deputy Foreign Minister Thu Hang also paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Tanja Fajon.

On the occasion of International Women's Day, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon is hosting representatives of the Israeli organisation Women Wage Peace, Manuela Rotstein and Enam Odeh, and the founder of the Palestinian organisation Women of the Sun, Reem Hajajreh. The two organisations have been nominated for the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize for their joint work.

State Secretary Marko Štucin participated in the third Antalya Diplomacy Forum on 1–3 March 2024, held under the theme "Advancing Diplomacy in Times of Turmoil". In his address to the panel, he stressed that to successfully meet global challenges head on, especially in diplomacy, we need to be able to talk and seek consensus. He also held several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Forum.

The second month of our membership in the UN Security Council has come to an end. This month, under the Presidency of Guyana, was marked by the second anniversary of war in Ukraine and the dire situation in Gaza.

State Secretary Marko Štucin hosted the Hungarian Minister for European Union Affairs, Dr János Bóka. They discussed current European issues, with a particular focus on Hungary's preparations for the EU Council Presidency in the second half of 2024 and EU enlargement.

Today, the UN Security Council convened a briefing on food insecurity in Gaza, requested by Slovenia, Algeria, Guyana and Switzerland. The meeting followed a white note of 22 February, sent by OCHA to Council members on food security risks in Gaza.

The 55th regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) opened in Geneva and will run until 5 April 2024. Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon participated in the high-level segment of the session with a video message, presenting Slovenia's views on the current situation of human rights around the world and the session’s priority themes.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly on the second anniversary of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, Minister Tanja Fajon stressed that the war in Ukraine has led to the largest humanitarian crisis in Europe since World War II. She added that we must all – without exception – respect international humanitarian law and human rights law at all times.

Slovenia presented its intervention at the International Court of Justice in The Hague in the context of the request for advisory opinion on the legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, initiated by the UN General Assembly in December 2022. Slovenia’s main arguments are the right of Palestinians to self-determination and the obligations of Israel as an occupying force.

At today's regular session, the Slovenian Government adopted a decision on a financial contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in the amount of EUR 500,000.

Minister Tanja Fajon hosted the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Jordan, Ayman Safadi, whom she has met on several occasions, most recently in Amman in November 2023. They signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Political Cooperation between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries and devoted a large part of their talks to the current situation in the Middle East.

Minister Tanja Fajon attended the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting on the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East and the Sahel. In the debate on the Middle East, ministers discussed the situation in Gaza, the EU's response to the announcement of the Israeli offensive on Rafah and the question of a political solution, and confirmed the establishment of the Eunavfor Aspides maritime security operation in the Red Sea.

Minister Tanja Fajon held a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Hanke Bruins Slot. Their talks focused on activities aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. They also exchanged views on current European and international issues.

Minister Tanja Fajon, representing one of 34 countries, signed the Ljubljana-The Hague Convention on International Cooperation in the Investigation and Prosecution of the Crime of Genocide, Crimes against Humanity, War Crimes and Other International Crimes. The Convention was adopted in Ljubljana in May 2023 after a decade of effort and hard work by Slovenian diplomats and international law experts.