At today’s session of the Government Committee on State Organisation and Public Affairs, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia placed the renovation of the eastern section of the building of the Ljubljana - Šiška Retirement Home in the applicable Plan of Development Programmes for the 2022–2025 Period. The Ljubljana - Šiška Retirement Home operates at one location and currently houses 230 residents. Renovation of the building’s western section was carried out in 2017. The current investment includes the renovation of rooms in the eastern section of the building. Each room will have its own bathroom with the possibility of air conditioning and its own entrance from the hallway. The hallways will have partition doors, which will facilitate management of the epidemic and enable the establishment of grey and red zones. Suitable fire dampers will be fitted in the ventilation ducts where fire compartments converge. The renovation of the radiator heating system is also anticipated, as is the connection of the duct to the renovated heating station in the basement of the building. The renovation of internal plumbing and electrical installations is also anticipated at the renovated living premises, including replacement of the existing lights with energy saving lamps, replacement of obsolete power cables and installation of a structured system of telephone and data network, TV installation, fire alarms and the emergency call system. The investment will ensure a friendly and safe living and working environment for the residents, their relatives and the staff. Electricity consumption and drinking water loss will be reduced and energy use for the heating of living areas will be optimised. Separate clean and unclean routes to prevent the spread of infections will be provided, as well as the conditions to establish grey and red zones, thus reducing the possibility of virus transmission. The estimated value of the investment is EUR 1,938,625.88, including VAT. The Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs will provide the funds in 2022.

Inclusion of the new project, 'Purchase of business premises in the office building at Davčna ulica street 1 in Ljubljana' in the applicable Plan of Development Programmes for the 2022–2025 Period

At the committee session, the Government adopted the decision to include the new project entitled 'Purchase of business premises in the office building at Davčna ulica street 1 in Ljubljana' in the applicable Plan of Development Programmes for the 2022–2025 Period.

The main objective of the investment is to provide a permanent solution in connection with the spatial needs of the Government Office for Digital Transformation regarding suitable premises that enable appropriate working conditions, rational use, accessibility for all users (including those with functional disabilities), energy efficiency and rational maintenance and operation costs. All of the above can be best provided for at the premises owned by the Republic of Slovenia. Savings are also expected, as the payment of rent for the premises where the Office is currently located will no longer be required. Furthermore, it is much simpler and faster to follow the changes in working processes and adjust to the operations with possible spatial rearrangements in one’s own premises. The estimated value of project implementation (purchase) amounts to EUR 2,495,000.

Response to the request of the National Assembly's Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Food to ensure a more diverse availability of plant protection products needed in agriculture

At today’s session of the Government Committee for the Economy, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the response to the request of the National Assembly's Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Food for a more diverse availability of plant protection products necessary in agriculture.

The authorisation of plant protection products (PPP) is subject to a two-stage procedure in each Member State. At the first stage, the European Commission approves an active substance to be used under certain conditions, these usually being restrictions that arise from a risk assessment. On this basis, the Member States can, at the second stage, issue an authorisation for use in their respective territories. In doing so, they observe national particularities and limitations deriving from the environment and agricultural practice. The protection of groundwater, as the main source of drinking water in Slovenia, is thus observed in Slovenia, including the protection of bees, users, surface water bodies and vulnerable groups (children and the elderly). In addition to the risk assessment and the observance of national particularities, it is also important in the authorisation procedure that the instructions for use are comprehensible to users (in the users’ language). The majority of differences between the Member States is the result of the economic reasons of the applicants for authorisation. If an applicant sees no economic benefits in obtaining an authorisation for a certain PPP in a country, then they will not apply for it. Cultivation of certain crops in Slovenia is so limited that the economics of authorisation is questionable, which is why the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food adopted several measures to promote authorisation in these cases:

• zero fee for authorisation procedures of PPP, which contain low-risk active substances and for PPP used in organic farming,
• expansion of the existing authorisations for economically unattractive crops,
• incentives for applicants for the authorisation of certain necessary PPP.

Differences between the Member States are dealt with by the Ministry in cooperation with the Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry of Slovenia (KGZS) and the Economic Association of Producers of Plant Protection Products. On this note, it must be highlighted that:

• the number of approved active substances at the EU level is decreasing drastically,
• the Farm to Fork Strategy anticipates an additional reduction in the use of PPP and the reduction of the most problematic PPP by more than 50% by 2030,
• proposal for a new Regulation on the sustainable use of plant protection products anticipates a number of measures to restrict the use of PPP.

All of the above present challenges for agricultural production in the future, in which changes are a fact to which we will have to adjust and agricultural production must begin to be implemented in the most sustainable way possible. The databases of authorised PPP in individual Member States are available on the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation’s (EPPO) website. All Member States authorise PPP in accordance with the aforementioned procedure. If the national authorisation procedure is to be amended, the European regulation must be amended first.

The Government is aware of the lack of PPP and the Ministry is thus giving priority to the applications submitted by applicants in cooperation with plant protection experts due to extraordinary situations and needs reported from the field.