Government supplements the Development Programmes Plan 2023–2026

In the current Development Programmes Plan 2023–2026 (DPP 2023–2026), the Government has included three new projects for the budget user Slovenian Armed Forces, changed the value of one project and closed one project.

Based on the amendments to the DPP 2023–2026, the basis for the Slovenian Armed Forces investments as foreseen in the Resolution on the overall long-term programme for the development and equipping of the Slovenian Armed Forces until 2040 has been created. The purchase includes another tactical transport aircraft, an air defence system, six multi-purpose transport helicopters and 106 armoured fighting vehicles for the simultaneous build-up of a medium-sized battalion battlegroup and a reconnaissance battalion. The Government is thus pursuing the Slovenian Armed Forces' further development and modernisation in the light of current security challenges.

Source: Ministry of Defence

Government restructures Vzajemna to regulate the rights of more than 700,000 insured persons and the Health Insurance Institute as the founder

The Government has put forward a bill to transform the Vzajemna insurance company into a public company. The bill seeks to tackle and protect the property status of the founder and all insured persons or members.

The objectiv of the bill is to finally regulating the property relations between Vzajemna, the founder, and its insured persons or members, including those who have this status on the basis of supplementary health insurance contracts, by transforming Vzajemna into a public limited company. The company will therefore be able to continue its activities after the abolition of supplementary health insurance and the restructuring.

Source: Ministry of Finance

Information on the situation and implementation of measures to prevent and contain the spread of African swine fever

The Government took note of the Information on the situation and the implementation of measures to prevent and contain the spread of African swine fever (ASF). ASF has been present in the European Union since 2014. It is currently present in 13 Member States and in neighbouring third countries.

Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina also notified the presence of ASF for the first time at the end of June this year. No case of African swine fever has yet been confirmed in Slovenia. Croatia has already reported 112 outbreaks of ASF in domestic pigs and three outbreaks in wild boar. One of the confirmed cases of ASF in wild boar is located in the Karlovac County and is only about 50 km away from the border with Slovenia.

In view of the spread of ASF in neighbouring countries (Italy, Croatia and Hungary) and its approaching Slovenia, it is essential to ensure a rapid and effective response to any possible outbreak as follows:

•  upgrading of the existing information system and applications related to outbreak management,
• setting up of an application for monitoring active search teams,
• modernising and supplementing the necessary equipment within the National Veterinary Institute (NVI),
• reinforcing the staffing of the NVI and the Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary Sector and Plant Protection (UVHVVR).

The prevention, control and eradication of ASF is an EU priority, as the disease poses a serious threat not only to the pig farming sector, but also to wild boar populations and the environment and requires a multidisciplinary approach and close cooperation between different services and stakeholders in the Member States and at EU level.  To this end, Slovenia adopted the Act on Emergency Measures Concerning African Swine Fever in Wild Boar (ZNUAPK) at the end of 2020, which sets out the competences and responsibilities of the various services and stakeholders in the response to ASF in wild boar. The main focus is on preventing the introduction of the disease into the country or into pig farming and preventing further spread.

If the need arises for the provision of resources, an amendment to the Act on Emergency Measures Concerning African Swine Fever in Wild Boar will also be proposed.

Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food

Government appoints Special Mission of the Republic of Slovenia to the UN Security Council

The Government today appointed a Special Mission for Slovenia's membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the period of membership and observer status from 1 October 2023 to 31 December 2025.

This is Slovenia's response to the UN Secretary-General's request of 16 June 2023 to appoint its representative to the UN Security Council and to communicate the names of deputy representatives and alternate representatives,  as membership of the Security Council requires an additional commitment and the performance of tasks that go beyond the usual activities of permanent missions of Member States to the UN.

The Special Mission will be headed by Samuel Žbogar, currently State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and a career diplomat with more than 30 years of experience.  Mr Žbogar is also a former Foreign Minister, EU Special Representative in Kosovo, Head of the EU Delegation in North Macedonia and former Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN during Slovenia's first membership of the UN Security Council. He has also been Slovenian Ambassador in Washington. Ambassador Boštjan Malovrh remains Permanent Representative of the Republic of Slovenia to the UN and will head the Mission of the Republic of Slovenia to the UN in New York.

Source: Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs