Opinion about the proposed recommendation to stop illegal migration

At today’s session of the Government Committee on State Organisation and Public Affairs, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the opinion about the proposed recommendation to the Government of the Republic of Slovenia to stop illegal migration, more efficient measures to protect the border of the Republic of Slovenia and enhance the safety of citizens of the Republic of Slovenia and their property and submitted it to the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia.

The National Assembly submitted the proposed recommendation to the Government to provide an opinion.

The Government explained that the Police exercise reinforced presence at critical border sections linked with migrant flows and cross-border crime within the temporary reintroduction of border controls at the border with Croatia and Hungary. The Police cooperate with local population and representatives of local communities and also implement joint operations with the Croatian Police to ensure security and prevent illegal crossings of the border. Furthermore, when carrying out its tasks, the Police adopt human resource measures to provide a sufficient and suitable number of police officers and auxiliary police officers in the most burdened areas.

Through its competent services for the provision of public safety, the Government monitors and analyses the security situation in Slovenia, the broader region and the world and drafts measures to prevent cross-border crime and illegal migration.

At bilateral discussions with neighbouring countries and the Western Balkan countries, the Republic of Slovenia regularly highlights the need for a joint and comprehensive approach to migration management, which requires efficient protection of external borders. To this end, a tripartite meeting of the ministers of the interior of Italy, Slovenia and Croatia was organised in Trieste at the beginning of November. Special attention was dedicated to the Western Balkan migration route and joint measures to improve mutual police cooperation. The ministers agreed on the need to deploy Frontex standing corps with executive powers in Bosnia and Herzegovina because this initiative has been on the table for quite some time, but an agreement between the European Union and this country has not yet been concluded. A few days ago, the Minister of the Interior hosted the Romanian Minister of Internal Affairs. They advocated additional deepening of cooperation, particularly when combating organised crime, including with the help of a police attaché who is expected be deployed to Romania next year. The issue of an increased number of illegal migrations on the Western Balkan migration route is regularly highlighted at the level of the European Union, particularly within the Justice and Home Affairs Council of the Council of the European Union. The Government is aware that the external borders must be well protected for normal functioning of the Schengen Area. Croatia was thus asked several times to further enhance control on the external Schengen border or the external border of the European Union since this would contribute to a reduction in secondary migration and illegal entries into Slovenia.

Source: Ministry of the Interior

A new project, Management of EU Home Affairs funds 2021–2027, is included in the Development Programmes Plan (DPP)

At the committee session, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the decision to incorporate a new project, 1711-23-0004 – Management of EU Home Affairs funds 2021–2027, in the current Development Programmes Plan 2023–2026.

The objective of the project is to provide administrative, technical and HR conditions to implement suitable management and monitoring of EU funds relating to home affairs and provision of information on the EU financing of home affairs to attain the highest possible level of drawing of funds.

Technical assistance from the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, the Internal Security Fund and the Financial Support Instrument for Border Management and Visa Policy within the Integrated Border Management Fund may be used for the activities of planning, managing, monitoring, assessing and reviewing the relevant programmes and visibility, transparency and communication in connection with the implementation of the European policy in the field of internal affairs in Slovenia. Suitable conditions and a sufficient number of employees to realise all the tasks will have to be provided for successful project implementation. With these activities, Slovenia will ensure efficient implementation of projects and operations.

Technical assistance in the amount of EUR 5,465,000 is anticipated within the Ministry of the Interior for financing jobs, costs of education and training, purchase and development of information and other equipment, costs of business trips and other costs of ongoing operations of the managing authority.

Source: Ministry of the Interior

Donation of non-refundable funds of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia to the Government of Ukraine for humanitarian aid in the field of de-mining

At the commission session, the Government adopted the incentive to conclude an agreement between the Government of the Republic of Slovenia and the Government of Ukraine on the donation of non-refundable funds of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia to the Government of Ukraine for humanitarian aid in the field of de-mining.

The agreement governs the donation of non-refundable funds of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia to the Government of Ukraine in the amount of up to EUR 1,500,000 (one million five hundred thousand euros) for de-mining. The allocated funds will be paid to Ukraine in 2023.

Source: Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs

Donation to the Olena Zelenska Foundation for the renovation of the Izium Central City Hospital in the Kharkiv region

At the commission session, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the incentive to earmark financial funds in the total amount of EUR 200,000 to the Olena Zelenska Foundation to finance the renovation of the Izium Central City Hospital in the Kharkiv region in Ukraine.

While observing high humanitarian needs in Ukraine, particularly when accessing medical care, which was frequently expressed by the Ukrainian side on numerous occasions and during discussions, Slovenia will dedicate its financial contribution for the renovation of the Izium Central City Hospital implemented by the Olena Zelenska Foundation. The renovation of the Izium Central City Hospital is one of the priority projects of the Foundation. The donation supplements the humanitarian aid of Slovenia earmarked for Ukraine so far in 2022 and 2023.

Source: Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs

The Government includes seven LIFE projects concerning nature in the Development Programmes Plan 2023–2026

At today’s session of the Committee on the Economy, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia included seven LIFE projects from the field of nature in the applicable Development Programmes Plan 2023–2026.

The general objective of the LIFE programme is to contribute to the transition to a sustainable, circular and energy-efficient economy based on energy from renewable sources and which will be climate neutral and resilient to climate change. The purpose of the LIFE programme is to protect, renew and improve the quality of the environment, including air, water and soil, stop and reverse the trend of biodiversity loss with included discussion on the degradation of ecosystems and support to the management of the Natura 2000 network and thus contribute to sustainable development.

Project presentation

The LIFE project, Protection and restoration of grasslands with a seed bank: the total project value amounts to EUR 5,351,723.00, of which budgetary resources amount to EUR 1,070,344.60 and other resources to EUR 4,281,378.40. The project lead partner is DOPPS-Birdlife Slovenia and it has four project partners. The project will contribute to a better conservation status of grassland habitat types which have an unfavourable conservation status in accordance with the latest report as per the Habitats Directive for the 2013–2018 period. The status will be improved with the establishment of the seed bank.

The LIFE project, Conservation of the European pond terrapin in Italy and Slovenia: the total project value amounts to EUR 4,775,680.37, of which budgetary resources amount to EUR 94,750.82 and other resources to EUR 4,680,929.52. The project lead partner is WWF ITALIA, which has nine project partners, of which two are from Slovenia and are eligible for co-financing, i.e. Javni Zavod Krajinski park Ljubljansko barje and Soline pridelava soli d.o.o. The purpose of the project is to improve the conservation status of the native European pond terrapin (Emys orbicularis) in Italy and Slovenia by maintaining genetic diversity of the existing populations.

The LIFE project, Conservation of fan mussel in the Mediterranean Sea: the total project value amounts to EUR 2,965,885.00, of which budgetary resources amount to EUR 78,715.83 and other resources to EUR 2,887,169.17. The project lead partner is Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione dell’Ambiente Ligure (ARPAL), which has six project partners. The Slovenian partner is the Marine Biology Station of the National Institute of Biology. The purpose of the project is to preserve fan mussels in the Western Mediterranean Sea and the Adriatic Sea by implementing special measures for conservation and re-population in pilot areas transferable to other regions.

The LIFE project, Measures for conservation of sturgeon: the total project value amounts to EUR 11,822,817.34, of which budgetary resources amount to EUR 222,416.24 and other resources to EUR 11,600,401.10. The project lead partner is Universität für Bodenkultur Wien (BOKU), which has eight project partners. The Slovenian partner of the project is the Institute for ichthyological and ecological research (REVIVO Institute). The purpose of the project is to restore and re-establish the habitat and ecological corridors thus ensuring a stable sturgeon population in the Danube River basin.

The LIFE project, Eco-friendly methods for gypsy moth control: the total project value amounts to EUR 1,793,881.00, of which budgetary resources amount to EUR 41,670.99 and other resources to EUR 1,752,210.00. The project lead partner is the University of Thessaly, which has five project partners. The Slovenian partner of the project is the University of Ljubljana. The purpose of the project is to establish a reproducible, portable and environmentally friendly integrated system for effective control of the forest tree pest, gypsy moth, which can also be used in other areas of the EU.

The LIFE project, Measures to preserve natural behaviour of wolf: the total project value amounts to EUR 7,028,148.00, of which budgetary resources amount to EUR 242,981.59 and other resources to EUR 6,785,166.87. The project lead partner is Istituto di Ecologia Applicata, which has 17 project partners. The purpose of the project is to improve or preserve the beneficial status of wolf populations that persevere or spread into the cultural landscape by means of suitable management of critical situations when wolves cross the expected “limit of fear”.

The LIFE project, Use of seed banks: the total project value amounts to EUR 7,790,685.00, of which budgetary resources amount to EUR 92,512.00 and other resources to EUR 7,698,173.00. The project lead partner is Museo delle Scienze, which has 14 project partners. The Slovenian partner of the project is the Botanic Garden of the Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Ljubljana. The purpose of the project is to preserve or repopulate certain endangered and protected Natura 2000 plant species in the selected Natura 2000 areas in Italy, Slovenia, France and Malta with the help of seed banks.

Source: Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning

Co-financing of the car park below Mt Vogel in Ukanc and roads in the area of Koprivnik and Gorjuše

At the committee session, the Government included a new project, Car park below Mt Vogel in Ukanc, in the applicable Development Programmes Plan 2023–2026. The investment value of the roads in the area of Koprivnik and Gorjuše is also being amended.

The project value of the car park below Mt Vogel in Ukanc amounts to EUR 760,478.03, of which the budgetary resources amount to EUR 79,197.21 and the resources of the Municipality of Bohinj EUR 681,280.82. The purpose of the project is to provide suitable public utility infrastructure and other public service infrastructure for residents and visitors of Triglav National Park (TNP). The project will improve the safety of all road users and contribute to the realisation of sustainable mobility management plans. Public toilets, parking infrastructure and urban equipment will be provided.

The project of investing in the roads in the area of Koprivnik and Gorjuše will also be amended. The project is implemented in the Municipality of Bohinj and anticipates the extension of project implementation in 2023. The area, which serves as the key connection within the TNP in the area of the Pokljuka Plateau, is in poor condition. Numerous connecting roads between the villages of Koprivnik, Gorjuše and Goreljek are in need of thorough renovation. The project will improve road infrastructure and public lighting. The new value of the project amounts to EUR 877,470.25. The earmarked funds in 2023 amount to EUR 200,000.00 and will be covered from the budgetary resources.

Source: Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning