During the Summer Olympic Games, the activities of the Olympic Committee of Slovenia and the Slovenia House in Paris will also be supported by the Slovenian Army with logistical capabilities

At today's meeting of the Government Committee for State Organisation and Public Affairs, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia decided that, during the 2024 Summer Olympic Games (Games of the XXXIII Olympiad) in Paris, the Slovenian Army will support the activities of the Olympic Committee of Slovenia with its logistical capabilities by supporting the operation of the Slovenia House in Paris. The Slovenian Army will provide the Olympic Committee of Slovenia with up to three electric 300-kilowatt (KW) container generators, with associated electrification equipment, and with up to five members of the Slovenian Army as support staff.

The 2024 Summer Olympic Games, which will take place in Paris from 26 July to 11 August, will feature the largest national team of Slovenian athletes in the history of the independent Republic of Slovenia. Also to operate in Paris during the Olympic Games is the Slovenia House, where broader promotion of Slovenian sports, culture, economy, science and other important areas will take place. Attendance from the interested public is expected to be massive. In order for the Slovenia House in Paris to operate successfully, the Olympic Committee of Slovenia has requested logistical support from the Slovenian Army from 20 July to 13 August 13 2024.

Source: Ministry of Defence

Government includes the Renovation of Stage Technology and Equipment of SNG project in the 2024–2027 Development Programme Plan

At the committee meeting, the Government included the Renovation of Stage Technology and Equipment of the SNG Maribor project in the current 2024–2027 Development Programme Plan. Budget funds in the amount of EUR 3,000,000 are planned for the implementation of the investment project.

The Slovenian National Theatre Maribor (SNG Maribor) operates as a public institution in the field of drama, opera and ballet. The mission of the public institution is permanent and uninterrupted high-quality artistic production and post-production in the field of performing arts and music. With its artistic ensembles (Drama, Opera, Ballet), it stages theatre, opera and dance performances and concerts in the local, regional, domestic and international environment.

The investment in stage technology and equipment of the SNG Maribor is needed because the existing technology is outdated and unusable, as it is no longer possible to ensure the safety of the performers at work and the fire safety of the building. Work will be performed in the Fran Žižek Hall, in the Ondina Otta Klasinc Hall and on the Small Stage.

Source: Ministry of Culture

Government includes the project of renovation of the school kitchen in Postojna in the Development Programme Plan

The Government has included the Renovation of the School Kitchen in Postojna project in the current 2024–2027 Development Programme Plan. The kitchen operating in the Postojna School Centre is dilapidated and in poor condition. The poor condition of the kitchen was also identified as part of a November 2022 inspection by the Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary Sector and Plant Protection of the Republic of Slovenia and the Postojna Regional Office of the Inspection for Food Safety, Veterinary Sector and Plant Protection. Based on the findings of the inspection, a decision was issued that the worn-out flooring should be replaced, worn-out wall tiles and damaged seals and worn-out paintwork on the walls and protective coating on the pipes renovated, and worn-out and damaged equipment replaced.

The goal of the investment is to renovate and equip the dilapidated kitchen in the building of the Postojna School Centre in the total net floor area of 265.37 square metres. The estimated value of the investment is EUR 699,889.60, including VAT. The investment costs will be covered from the funds of the Ministry of Education (EUR 684,215.12) and from the institution's own funds (EUR 15,674.48).

Source: Ministry of Education

The Addition to the Extension of the Western Wing of the Lenart Community Health Centre project revised in the 2024–2027 Development Programme Plan

At the committee meeting, the Government decided to revise the Addition to the Extension of the Western Wing of the Lenart Community Health Centre project in the 2024–2027 Development Programme Plan

The change in the value of the investment is the result of changes in the market, the shortage, i.e. lower availability of materials and the rise in prices of energy products. With the revision of the project, the starting value of the project will be harmonised, and the project is also being extended until the end of 2024 due to delays in the implementation of the work.

The starting value of the project was EUR 1,149,713.54. The budget funds of the Ministry of Health amounted to EUR 680,960, the funds of the Municipality of Lenart EUR 311,017.50 and the funds of the Lenart Community Health Centre EUR 157,736.04. The new starting value of the project is EUR 2,181,321.82. The budget funds of the Ministry of Health remain unchanged, and the funds of the Municipality of Lenart were reduced by EUR 16,817.78. The additional funds (a total of EUR 1,031,608.52) will be provided by the Municipality of Lenart (EUR 813,830.06) and the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy (EUR 234,596).

Source: Ministry of Health

Government adopts response to the initiative of the National Council Commission for Agriculture, Forestry and Food regarding the proposal of the EU Nature Restoration Law

At a meeting of the Economic Committee, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the Response on the initiative of the National Council Commission for Agriculture, Forestry and Food regarding the proposal of the EU Nature Restoration Law.

Regarding the Commission's first initiative, for the Government to withdraw its support for the proposal of the EU Nature Restoration Law, the Government replies that the provisions of the proposal of the EU Nature Restoration Law were subject to coordination in the process to reach a framework political agreement in 2023, and that the reached political agreement was confirmed by both the European Council and the European Parliament. The result of coordination between the Commission, the Parliament and the Council was much more flexible conditions for achieving goals at the level of the Member States than in the original proposal, which is also important for Slovenia. For this reason, Slovenia approved the political agreement on the draft Law at the European Council in November 2023.

Regarding the second initiative, that when the position is being formulated, the opinions of the stakeholders directly affected by the Law should be taken into account, the Government notes that Slovenia will have to adopt a national nature restoration plan. In this process, the relevant ministries will involve various stakeholders, including representatives of agricultural organisations. The EU Nature Restoration Law provides the Member States with sufficient flexibility to plan the required measures at the national level and so duly take into account the interests of agriculture and the activities of farmers, who need healthy soil and high biodiversity for a safe and high-quality food supply. When adopting the national nature restoration plan, the Member State decides in which areas it will implement restoration measures.

Source: Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning

Proposal to place the LIFE Incentives for Sustainable Building Renovation project in the current 2024–2027 Development Programme Plan

At the committee session, the Government also adopted the decision to include the 2570-24-0031 LIFE Incentives for Sustainable Building Renovation project in the current Development Programmes Plan 2024–2027.

The purpose of the project is to address cross-border challenges and opportunities for the sustainable renovation of buildings in the private and public sectors in three Central European countries that share historical and economic traditions, a similar stock of buildings and a construction industry culture, as reflected in the construction sector. The main goal of the project is to develop national plans and action plans for smart investments in energy-efficient renovation of buildings for the 2023-2026 period for Austria, Hungary and Slovenia to enable sustainable development in the construction sector involving a broad range of relevant stakeholders. The Roundtables Enhancing Smart Investments in Sustainable Renovation of Buildings (RENOINVEST) project provides a platform for open dialogue for more than 700 national stakeholders through the activities of the thematic working groups on green financing in order to identify and remove barriers to increase the value of long-term financial instruments for energy efficiency and to propose improvements for the financing of energy efficiency in the existing private and public buildings, industry, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including renewable energy sources. An important starting point of the project is the assessment of national documents on long-term strategies for renovation of buildings and a review of the existing financial solutions and market conditions to promote the financing of measures for energy efficiency of the existing stock of buildings. In support of the project activities, 12 thematic working groups will meet and actively participate in 82 meetings as part of the entire RENOINVEST project. The added value of the RENOINVEST project is that the consortium provides specific technical knowledge by involving key stakeholders who represent legislative advisory organisations, research institutes, large engineering companies, SMEs and financial experts in three Central and East European countries that promote sustainable investment.

The value of the project under the Grant Agreement - Number GA 101120673 LIFE22-CET-RENOINVEST is EUR 736,716.40. The project coordinator is the Hungarian company EMI EPITESUGYI MINOSEGELLENORZO INNOVACIOS KFT. In addition to the coordinator from Hungary, five other entities from Hungary, Austria and Slovenia participate in the project partnership. On the basis of the Grant Agreement, the project will take place for 30 months, starting on 2 October 2023. Funding will amount to a total of EUR 232,297. The EU contribution is EUR 220,682.15 (95%) and Slovenia’s participation amounts to EUR 11,614.85 (5%). The funds for Slovenia’s participation have been obtained by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia together with the Building and Civil Engineering Institute in an invitation to tender offered by the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy.

Source: Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy