News

As part of the Latin America and Caribbean Days 2025 cultural programme, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs held a soirée dedicated to the life and work of Branislava Sušnik, a Slovenian anthropologist who worked in Paraguay. The event was organised in cooperation with the Embassy of Paraguay, the Slovenian Cinematheque, the Slovenian Ethnographic Museum and the Faculty of Arts of the University of Ljubljana.

At the regular meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Minister Tanja Fajon emphasized that "business as usual" with the Israeli government, which is bombing hospitals, destroying schools and turning refugee camps into dust, is no longer possible: "As humans, we must ask ourselves how long we will continue to watch the catastrophe in Gaza unfold before our eyes." The ministers also discussed the peace negotiations in Ukraine and the situation in Syria.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon participated in the fourth European Humanitarian Forum in Brussels. In her speech, she emphasized that Slovenia has tripled its humanitarian aid since 2021 and that the EU must remain a leader in this field. She welcomed the joint announcement by the EU and its Member States to disburse EUR 5.5 billion in humanitarian aid to the most vulnerable in 2025

Slovenian bee diplomacy continues to implement projects that promote social and environmental resilience. This year, Slovenian diplomatic missions and consular posts will once again carry out more than 30 projects worldwide in cooperation with local partners.

Whilst we acknowledge indications of a limited restart of aid, Israel blocked humanitarian aid entering Gaza for over two months. Food, medicines and essential supplies are exhausted. The population faces starvation. Gaza’s people must receive the aid they desperately need.

Minister Tanja Fajon met with Xavier Bettel, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs. The counterparts agreed that Slovenia and Luxembourg enjoy excellent bilateral relations, without any outstanding issues, underpinned by shared European values and similar views on various European and international challenges.

Engineering Day was organised by the National Association of Consulting Engineers of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia. At the event, Peter Japelj, Acting Director General for Economic and Public Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, emphasized that engineering is one of the priority industries the Ministry actively supports in the internationalisation of the Slovenian economy.

State Secretary Melita Gabrič addressed participants at a round table titled ‘Reflection on the 50th Anniversary of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe’, co-organised by the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the Slovenian Political Science Association.

On the occasion of signing contracts for emergency humanitarian response, State Secretary Dr Melita Gabrič met with Secretary General of Caritas Slovenia Peter Tomažič to discuss the projects to be implemented by Caritas Slovenia in 2025 with the financial support of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon attended an informal meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in Antalya, focused on an in-depth discussion on key issues and elements of the June NATO Summit in The Hague. Ministers reviewed guidelines on the key ambitious priorities of the Summit aimed at maintaining the Alliance’s unity and enhancing its strength.

Seventy years have passed since the signing of the Austrian State Treaty (ADP), which re-established an independent and democratic Austria. The treaty was also of fundamental importance in setting-up relations with neighbouring Slovenia. Article 7, in particular, is of major importance for Slovenia as it guarantees respect for the rights of the Slovenian minority in Austrian Carinthia and Styria.

State Secretary Dr Melita Gabrič attended the 134th meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which discussed the role of the organisation in the new geopolitical context as a guardian of democratic security, in particular its actions in support of Ukraine and the New Democratic Pact for Europe. They also took stock of the Reykjavik Declaration implementation.

On 9 May 2025, State Secretary Dr Melita Gabrič participated in the informal meeting of EU Foreign Affairs Ministers held in Lviv, Ukraine. She also took part in the meeting of the Core Group on the Establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.

Every year on Europe Day, we commemorate the signing of the historic Schuman Declaration which, on 9 May 1950, laid the foundations for today's European Union. This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War – a milestone that should serve as a reminder that peace is worth every effort.

Foreign ministers and their guests met in Warsaw during Poland's six-month presidency of the EU. There was ample opportunity for frank discussions on the world's key challenges, including the importance of closer foreign and security policy cooperation with the UK, efforts to achieve an unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine and further dialogue with the US in the light of the first 100 days of America First.

We, the Foreign Ministers of Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovenia and Spain express our grave concern about the reported Israeli plans to expand its military operations in Gaza and to establish a prolonged Israeli presence in the Strip. This would mean crossing yet another line, marking a dangerous new escalation and jeopardizing any prospects of a viable Two-State solution.

At the international academic conference titled Responsibility to Protect in Theory and Practice, Minister Tanja Fajon underlined: "There is no alternative to international law. We must all respect it, and Slovenia has consistently defended the same standards for all, without exception." The conference, held at the Faculty of Law in Ljubljana, marks the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) principle.

Slovenia presented its statement before the International Court of Justice in The Hague, emphasising Israel's obligation to facilitate emergency humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people, grounded in the principles of respect for human rights, adherence to international humanitarian law and its obligations as a UN Member State.

The National Assembly has adopted the Declaration on the Activities of the Republic of Slovenia in EU Institutions for the period until June 2026.

During a visit to Austria, Slovenian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon met with the new Austrian Federal Minister for European and International Affairs, Beate Meinl-Reisinger. The visit was aimed at developing good neighbourly relations between the two countries and discussing current foreign policy and EU issues, including the Western Balkans and the EU enlargement.