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.

The Russian Defence Ministry claims, in a statement posted on Telegram, that there are five Slovenians among foreign mercenaries fighting in Ukraine.

Minister Matjaž Han met Neale Richmond, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment of the Republic of Ireland, in Ljubljana. The two ministers discussed bilateral cooperation between the two countries and topical European issues in the areas of competitiveness, the future of European industry and the EU internal market.

The European Commission announced its withdrawal of a proposal for a regulation on the sustainable use of plant protection products by 31 March 2024. Slovenia supported the proposal in principle, but repeatedly pointed out certain problematic issues during the discussion, in particular the inadequate consideration of the specificities of individual Member States.

The construction of the Vinjan viaduct, which is the third and also the last viaduct on the route of the second railway track between Koper and Divača, has been completed. Prime Minister Robert Golob and Minister of Infrastructure Alenka Bratušek attended the ceremony. They both gave assurances that another track would be built next to the second track.

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.

On Monday, 8 January 2024, the Government appointed the Government negotiation team for the negotiation of the strike demands of the Union of Doctors and Dentists of Slovenia – Fides, and today invited it to start negotiations on a solution to the strike demands.

The European Commission has announced the New European Bauhaus Academy (NEBA), a pan-European consortium led by the University of Primorska and based at InnoRenew CoE, as the winner of the call for proposals for the establishment of a New European Bauhaus (NEB) Academy.

During her visit to Paris, Minister Tanja Fajon and Catherine Colonna, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, discussed strengthening cooperation between the two countries and concluded a new Strategic Partnership Action Plan. Minister Fajon stressed that Slovenia will strive to overcome differences in the UN Security Council and actively seek opportunities to promote its priorities.

On Wednesday, 3 January 2024, the Republic of Slovenia, rated A3 (stable) / AA- (stable) / A (stable), successfully accessed the international capital markets with a EUR 1.5bn long 10-year Reg S issuance due 10 March 2034. This transaction marks the first sovereign EUR-denominated transaction of 2024 benefitting from start of year investor liquidity.

The Republic of Slovenia - EUR 10-year mandate

The traditional Consultation of Slovenian Diplomats in Brdo pri Kranju is taking place against the background of Slovenia's preparations for membership of the United Nations Security Council. The diplomats discussed current foreign policy issues, focusing on support for Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East. The participants in the event, chaired by Minister Tanja Fajon, were addressed by the country's highest representatives.

The temporary border controls on Slovenia’s internal borders with Croatia and Hungary will continue for another six months, from 22 December 2023 until 22 June 2024. The internal border checks are being extended under Article 25 of the Schengen Borders Code.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon opened the 27th Consultation of Slovenian Diplomats at Brdo pri Kranju. In her address, she presented some reflections on the year that is coming to an end and spoke about the challenges ahead. She went on to express her sincere appreciation to the Slovenian diplomatic corps for its contribution to the strengthening of the Slovenian diplomatic service and Slovenia's role in the changed geopolitical reality.

The United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, adopted on 9 December 1948, was the first international human rights treaty to define the responsibility of states to prevent and punish genocide, a crime that shocked the conscience of the world at that time. One day later, on 10 December, UN Member States adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

At its meeting on the 6th of December in Botswana, the Intergovernmental Committee of the 2003 Convention adopted a decision to enter “Midwifery: knowledge, skills and practices” on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The nomination was proposed by Colombia, Cyprus, Germany, Kyrgyzstan, Luxembourg, Nigeria, Slovenia and Togo.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon participated in an audio-video conference on the humanitarian activities carried out so far in Gaza, hosted by the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Catherine Colonna. Today's conference is a follow-up on the International Humanitarian Conference for the Civilian Population in Gaza held in Paris on 9 November.

State Secretaries at the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia Dr Damir Črnčec and at the Ministry of Defence of the Federal Republic of Germany Benedikt Zimmer signed today in Berlin a Programme Agreement between the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia and the Federal Ministry of Defence of the Federal Republic of Germany on the participation of the Republic of Slovenia in the procurement of IRIS-T SLM systems in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding on the Joint Procurement of Air Defence Systems within the framework of the European Sky Defence Initiative.

The Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia (FURS) today paid the first EUR 4.5 million in advance payments to homeowners for the reconstruction of homes damaged by floods and landslides on 4 August 2023. To date, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning has advanced EUR 218.5 million for emergency rehabilitation to all municipalities that have submitted applications.