News

On the occasion of World Bee Day, Slovenia is hosting the third International Forum for Action on Sustainable Beekeeping and Pollination today and tomorrow. The event was organised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with the support of the International Federation of Beekeepers' Associations, Apimondia.

20 May was proclaimed World Bee Day. This year's observance highlights the partnership between people and bees in sustaining food systems, human well-being and the environment. A number of events are planned for the day, including the presentation of the Golden Bee Award by President Nataša Pirc Musar in Maribor, while Cankarjev dom is marking the 15th anniversary of its beekeeping programme.

State Secretary for National and International Security at the Prime Minister’s Office, Vojko Volk, stated after today’s session of the Secretariat of the National Security Council that the Director-General of the Police had informed the members of the Secretariat that the Police had received a report on the investigation into the recordings that had been made public before the elections.

Today we celebrate the first Lipizzaner Day, which was proclaimed by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia earlier this year. For Slovenia, 19 May holds special historical and cultural significance, as it marks the founding of the Lipica Stud Farm in 1580.

On August 15, 2026 and August 17, 2026 the Consulate General will be offering consular hours in Denver, Colorado.

Today marks the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT), held this year under the theme At the heart of democracy.

Representatives of the Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration presented Slovenian practices and experience in the field of nuclear cyber security in Vienna from 11 to 15 May 2026 and took part in discussions on future challenges facing the sector.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon participated in the annual session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, hosted by Moldova. “Today, we have taken a significant step towards establishing a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. By doing so, we are sending a clear message that respect for international law is not an option. It is a necessity and a shared responsibility,” she emphasised.

For the second year running, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs welcomed university and high school students, who took on the roles of diplomats and simulated international negotiations within the framework of the United Nations, under the auspices of the United Nations Association of Slovenia.

According to official data from the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, Slovenia recorded year-on-year economic growth of 3% in the first quarter of this year. Minister of Finance Klemen Boštjančič emphasised that the figures clearly demonstrate the resilience of the Slovenian economy and counter forecasts of economic stagnation or decline.

On the 71st anniversary of the signing of the Austrian State Treaty (ADP), the Republic of Slovenia once again reaffirms its ongoing commitment to supporting the Slovenian minority in Austrian Carinthia and Styria in their efforts to fully realise their rights as set out in Article 7 of the ADP.

At today’s session, the Government defined measures to improve the general government balance and took note of the report on the situation at worksites on Slovenian motorways and expressways. It adopted amendments to the programme for the use of Climate Fund resources, thereby providing companies with an additional €10 million, and set the funding for incentives for electro-intensive companies at €30 million for 2026.

The quality of life in Slovenia remains high and the trend is also positive. According to various global indices of well-being and life satisfaction, Slovenia ranks among the world’s most successful countries, states the latest Development Report by the Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development (IMAD). However, the report also points out that the risk of poverty is increasing.

A report by UNICEF’s Office of Strategy and Evidence – Innocenti shows that economic inequality in the wealthiest countries is linked to poorer physical health and lower academic achievement among children. Slovenia ranks fourth among countries with the lowest income inequality and is also among those with the lowest risk of poverty, according to UNICEF Slovenia.

At the ministerial meeting of the Friends of the Western Balkans group and the Western Balkan countries in Bratislava, Slovenian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon reiterated her country's support for EU enlargement. She also called on EU countries that have not yet endorsed the Slovenian-German proposal for qualified majority voting on certain procedural steps in the enlargement process to do so.

Slovenia’s two-year term on the Executive Council began on 12 May 2026. At the 30th session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention, held in November 2025, Slovenia received 122 votes, the highest number among candidates from the Eastern European Group. “This is recognition of Slovenia’s active and responsible role in the international community,” emphasised Minister Fajon.

At the meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers in Brussels, Minister Tanja Fajon stressed that the Union must maintain a visible and active engagement in the Western Balkans and that enlargement must remain a political priority. She also expressed concern over the situation in the Middle East and reaffirmed Slovenia’s position that the EU and its partners must continue to exert pressure on Russia, as there are no indications that it is prepared to end its aggression against Ukraine.

State Secretary Neva Grašič attended an informal meeting of EU ministers and state secretaries for European affairs in Lefkosia. The agenda, drawn up by the Cyprus Presidency, included the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), which is also regularly discussed at General Affairs Council meetings. The focus was on how to respond to major crises, as set out in the proposal for the next MFF.

The Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development has approved EU funding for the project Purchase of flats from the Velenje Coal Mine. The Just Transition Fund has ring fenced a total of 5 million euros to support the project.

Today, we celebrate both Europe Day and the signing of the Schuman Declaration in 1950, which laid the foundations for the European Union as we know it today. In response to war and destructive nationalism, European states have achieved lasting
peace and prosperity by gradually deepening their cooperation. Today, we celebrate Europe as a beacon of a better future.