News

Twenty years ago today, the European Union witnessed its largest enlargement in history, a process that demanded extensive preparations from both the Union and the ten countries of Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe. In the subsequent years, three more new Member States joined. From today's perspective, this wave of enlargement seems like a small miracle, as it is difficult to maintain the same pace of enlargement in the face of numerous global and domestic challenges.

In April, when Malta held the presidency of the UN Security Council, the focus was on the situation in Gaza and on emergency meetings following the attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus and Iran's attack on Israel. An event was organised on the role of youth in addressing security challenges in the Mediterranean, an open debate on the Middle East and a vote on a resolution on Palestinian membership.

The first bilateral economic consultations at Director-General level between Slovenia and Montenegro were held on the sidelines of the official visit by the President of Slovenia, Nataša Pirc Musar, to Podgorica.

Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon participated in a round table discussion at the Faculty of Social Sciences in Ljubljana to mark the 20th anniversary of Slovenia's EU membership. The event was organised by the Student Association for International Relations Globallis.

The statement made by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić after yesterday's UN Security Council debate on the report of the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) is unacceptable and insulting, and goes against the spirit of friendly relations between Slovenia and Serbia. The Ministry has therefore summoned the Serbian Chargé d'Affaires over this matter.

Representatives of Slovenia and Carinthia met at Brdo pri Kranju for the 7th session of the Joint Committee Slovenia – Carinthia, co-chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Tanja Fajon, and the Governor of Carinthia, Dr Peter Kaiser. The chairs reaffirmed the excellent relations and committed to continuing their successful cooperation.

Following the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs met with their counterparts from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Member States at the High-Level Forum. In her address, Minister Fajon stressed the importance of security in the Persian Gulf and advocated joint strategic cooperation between the EU and the GCC Member States.

At the regular monthly meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon made a strong plea for continued support for Ukraine and for European diplomats to do more to resolve the conflict in the Middle East.

The visit of Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon to China concluded with a round table discussion in Beijing, jointly organised by the Bled Strategic Forum and the Chinese think tank, Center for China & Globalization. During the discussion, the participants agreed that effective multilateralism and respect for international law are key to successfully tackling the challenges posed by climate change.

State Secretary Sanja Štiglic and US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O'Brien hosted the fourth Strategic Dialogue between the two countries in Ljubljana. Established in 2020, the Slovenian-US Strategic Dialogue provides a framework for strengthening bilateral cooperation and exchanging views on all topical issues facing the international community.

Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon opened the Slovenia–China Business Forum in Shanghai. Accompanied by a 71-member business delegation, she continues her search for opportunities in the Chinese market. More than 100 Chinese companies took part in the Forum. Minister Fajon also met with Mayor of Shanghai Gong Zeng and opened the exhibition 'Plečnik's Ljubljana'.

Slovenian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon concludes the political part of her visit to China after meeting with Vice Minister and Deputy China International Trade Representative Ling Ji. She is accompanied by a large economic delegation, so the final leg of her Asia tour will focus on economic diplomacy.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon has begun an official visit to China. She is first stopping in Beijing and later in Shanghai. The four-day visit will focus on political dialogue, both bilateral and in the UN Security Council, strengthening economic cooperation and showcasing Slovenia's cultural diplomacy.

State Secretary Marko Štucin, on behalf of Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon, participated in an extraordinary videoconference meeting of EU foreign ministers on the current developments in the Middle East. The meeting was convened by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, following Iran's attack on Israel.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon is concluding her visit to Japan. On the second day, she met with Kazuchiko Iwata, Japan's Deputy Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, as well as representatives of Japan's largest business federation Keidanren, namely the CEO of Hitachi Corporation Toshiaki Higashihara and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of SMBC, Japan's second largest bank.

In Japan, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa discussed bilateral relations and cooperation in the UN Security Council, particularly in view of the many conflicts that require decisive action by the international community. On the first day of her visit to Tokyo, Minister Fajon addressed the Japan-Slovenia Business Council and gave a lecture at Keio University.

State Secretary Sanja Štiglic attended the International humanitarian conference for Sudan and neighbouring countries in Paris, organised by France, Germany and the European Union. Addressing representatives from some 60 countries, Ms Štiglic stressed the need to protect civilians and allow unimpeded humanitarian access.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon met with representatives of the Call for Palestine petition, Dr Rudi Rizman, the first signatory, as well as Aurelio Juri, Dr Spomenka Hribar, Dr Danijel Rebolj, Dr Primož Šterbenc and Dr Maja Breznik. They exchanged views on the war in Gaza and the situation in the Middle East and the wider region.

The 55th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council unanimously adopted two resolutions on the extension of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, and on the rights of minorities, which Slovenia had proposed/filed jointly with two groups of countries.

State Secretary Marko Štucin hosted the Deputy Minister for European Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus, Marilena Raouna, for consultations. They reviewed bilateral relations and talked about Slovenia's experience in preparing for the EU Council Presidency in 2021, as well as topical European issues such as EU enlargement, the Western Balkans, EU institutional reforms and EU-Türkiye relations, including the Cyprus issue and migration.