In March 2022, the successor states of the former Social Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) signed the joint sale contract and in September 2022, the closing documents for the sale of the real estate of the former SFRY Mission to the United Nations. Slovenia will receive EUR 7.3 million from the sale of the property at 854 Fifth Avenue, New York, which is 14 per cent of the total purchase price.

The Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Tokyo is opening a job position for the Personal Assistant to the Ambassador to start work on 1 December, 2022. For the details, please see the attached file. (The application has been closed. Thank you for your interest.)

At today's session, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia approved the European Cohesion Policy Programme 2021-2027. This is a document that, together with the Partnership Agreement - signed in Ljubljana today by Minister Dr. Aleksander Jevšek and European Commissioner Elisa Ferreira - represents the basis for drawing down European funds within the financial perspective 2021-2027, which expires in 2029.

Minister for Development and European Cohesion Policy, dr. Alexander Jevšek, and European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, signed a partnership agreement between the Republic of Slovenia and the European Commission in Ljubljana. With the approval and signing of the agreement, Slovenia has opened the way to EUR 3.26 billion of European funds in the future programme period.

The Slovenian Prime Minister, Robert Golob, today received the European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira. Prime Minister Golob and Commissioner Ferreira exchanged views on the current situation in the European Union and agreed on the importance of European cohesion policy in addressing the current economic, social and environmental challenges in Europe.

Acting Director-General for Multilateral Affairs and Development Cooperation Eva Tomič took part in the meeting of EU development directors-general in Brussels. The directors-general discussed the implementation of the Global Gateway strategy, global food supply and preparations for the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15).

At today's session, the government approved the budget for 2023-2024. The government aims to ensure stable public finances for the well-being of citizens and to maintain the normal functioning of the economy upon considering the uncertainty and unpredictability of the further development of the energy crisis. Moreover, it has adopted the draft amendment to the Slovenian Sovereign Holding Act, the 2023-2027 Common Agricultural Policy strategic plan for Slovenia and the European Cohesion Policy 2021-2027.

In the article, the Washington Post journalist Michael Birnbaum describes the actions of firefighters, members of the rescue forces and the Slovenian Armed Forces during the big fire in July that raged in the Goriska Karst.

At the initiative of the United Nations General Assembly, we are celebrating the third International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste. On this day, we call for rational food management.

The Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning, Uroš Brežan, and the Minister of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Luka Mesec, participated in the ceremony to mark the opening of the new modern Pod Pekrsko gorco neighbourhood in Maribor. The aforementioned neighbourhood is one of 34 projects to be developed under the auspices of Housing Fund of the Republic of Slovenia, which is supported by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) and financed by the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB).

At today's government committees, the government included two new projects in the 2022-2025 Development Programme Plan as in force, and reallocated funds in the state budget for 2022.

State Secretary Marko Štucin attended the opening session of the workshop "ERP and IPA Coordinators as Inspired Leaders" in Bled. The event has been organised as part of the EU-funded project "Structural Reforms Better Integrated Within Fiscal Frameworks - FIR 2".

The Minister of Culture, Asta Vrečko, and the Minister of Economic Development and Technology, Matjaž Han, visited the filming location of the Netflix production “The Union” in Piran, which stars famous actors such as Halle Berry, Mark Wahlberg and J. K. Simmons. The Government contributed monetary compensation in the amount of EUR 2.5 million for the implementation of the film project in Slovenia. The implementation of the project in Slovenia will contribute to an estimated 30,000 overnight stays and the planned use of more than EUR 10 million of the film crew’s funds for preparations and filming here. Over 340 Slovenian workers participate in the project.

Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon and President Borut Pahor presented Slovenia's vision for its candidature for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council to the Permanent Representatives of the UN Member States in New York. "During its 30-year UN membership, Slovenia has proven on several occasions its commitment to multilateralism, solidarity and shared responsibility for world peace, security and development. Today, we are committed to this goal more than ever," underlined Minister Fajon.

On the occasion of the World Tourism Day, we publish the message from the Minister for Economic Development and Technology, Matjaž Han.

At today’s meeting by correspondence, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia approved the proposed amendments to five tax acts: the Personal Income Tax Act, the Excise Duty Act, the Tax Procedure Act, the Financial Administration Act and the Fiscal Validation of Receipts Act. The Government also stated its position on amendments to this year’s revised state budget.

Minister Irena Šinko attended a session of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council. As part of fisheries topics, they exchanged views on fishing opportunities for the coming year, including fish stocks shared with the United Kingdom, and the annual consultations between the EU and Norway in 2023. In agricultural topics, the discussion regarding the market situation in the light of war and the state of agricultural production and logistics in Ukraine was at the forefront. The EU Council also learned about the impact of the revision of the Industrial Emissions Directive on agriculture and information about the growing population of wild animals in Europe. The discussion on food labelling and the call to the Commission to supplement the assessment of the proposal for the Regulation on the sustainable use of plant protection products was also important. Minister Šinko also met with the EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides. They discussed the Commission’s measures to reduce the use of plant protection products and food labelling.

Minister Dr Emilija Stojmenova Duh is attending the Plenipotentiary Conference of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which is taking place in Bucharest. More than 3,000 representatives from 160 ITU Member States at the level of ministers, regulators of information and communication technologies, academic institutions and private companies are attending the conference.

The seventh event of this year's "Slovenian Days in Cleveland 2022" was the screening of the documentary Polka! The Movie, followed by a pleasant gathering with tarragon potica and Slovenian wine!

We started the fifth day of Slovenian Days in Cleveland 2022 with mass in the Slovenian church of St. Mary of the Assumption in Collinwood and continued with the concert of the Megaron Chamber Choir - this time with a program of Slovenian folk songs, which made many people cry!