State Secretary Stanislav Raščan participated in an informal videoconference of the EU Foreign Affairs Council attended by development ministers, at which they discussed the cooperation between the European Union and middle-income countries as well as human development.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan held talks with the Parliamentary Secretary within the Office of the Prime Minister of Malta, Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi. State Secretary Dovžan briefed his counterpart on the fast approaching Slovenian EU Council Presidency.

The press conference to give a Covid-19 update was attended by the Minister of Health, Janez Poklukar, and the head of the advisory group at the Ministry of Health, Dr Mateja Logar.

With the amendment to the Foreigners Act, the Republic of Slovenia transposed into national law the Directive (EU) 2016/801 on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purposes of research, studies, training, voluntary service, pupil exchange schemes or educational projects and au pairing.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved EU funding for the project Reconstruction of the section Cerknica-Bloška Polica. The EUR 3.6 million reconstruction project will be implemented by the Slovenian Infrastructure Agency under the Agreement on the development of the Primorsko-Notranjska region and will be supported by the EU with the contribution from the European Regional Development Fund standing at over EUR 2.5 million.

Before Slovenia officially assumes the EU Council Presidency, Barbara Sušnik, Director-General for European Union Affairs, held bilateral consultations via videoconference with Aniela Crețu, Special Representative for EU Affairs at the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Food, Dr Jože Podgoršek, hosted today at Brdo the Ambassadors of the Member States of the European Union (EU). Central focus was on presentation of priority tasks of Slovenia’s Presidency of the EU Council in the sector of agriculture, forestry and food, and on principal events to be organised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food (MAFF) during the Presidency. Using this opportunity, the Minister presented to the Ambassadors the Traditional Slovenian Breakfast project to take place tomorrow in all the Slovenian schools and kindergartens – in the past year, on account of the epidemic, the breakfast could not be carried out, and had to be postponed.

Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning Andrej Vizjak attended the last meeting of the Environment Council before the start of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU. The Portuguese Presidency presented the report on the progress made in negotiations on the proposal for a regulation concerning batteries and waste batteries, which is an integral part of the European Green Deal. The Council Conclusions on EU strategy on adaptation to climate change were also adopted, where the ministers welcomed the preparation of the adaptation communication in line with the Paris Agreement to be submitted to the UNFCCC. The ministers also exchanged views on the action plan on zero pollution, which sets out a vision for zero-pollution by 2050 and horizontally addresses all aspect of pollution. At the end of the meeting, Minister Vizjak presented the priorities of the Slovenian Presidency in the field of the environment.

In advance of Slovenia's approaching EU Council Presidency, State Secretary Gašper Dovžan held talks with State Secretary for the European Union Affairs at the Croatian Foreign Ministry, Andreja Metelko Zgombić, via videoconference. State Secretary Dovžan briefed his counterpart on the priorities of Slovenia's Presidency in the second half of this year.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved EU funding for the project Upgrading the water supply system C – Phase 2. The project worth EUR 10.9 million will be implemented by Municipality Gornja Radgona in cooperation with Municipality Apače and Municipality Sveti Jurij ob Ščavnici under the Agreement on the development of the Pomurje region. The Cohesion Fund contribution stands at EUR 4.8 million.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved EU funding for the project Promoting vocational education and training 2021-2022. The project worth EUR 700 thousand will be implemented by the Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Vocational Education and Training and will receive EUR 560 thousand of European Social Fund support.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved EU funding for the project Wastewater collection and treatment in the Drava River basin – Municipality Šentilj. The project worth a little under EUR 1.6 million will be implemented by the municipality Šentilj under the Agreement on the Development of the Podravje region and will receive EUR 553 thousand of Cohesion Fund support.

Today Prime Minister Janez Janša met with the President of the Swiss Confederation and Head of the Swiss Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research, Guy Parmelin, who is currently on an official visit to Slovenia. At their meeting in Ljubljana, they primarily discussed the priorities of Slovenia’s EU Presidency and current international developments.

Prime Minister Janez Janša meet today with President of the Swiss Confederation and Minister of the Economy, Education and Research, Guy Parmelin.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan held consultations with Thomas Byrne, Minister of State for European Affairs at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland, ahead of the Slovenian EU Council Presidency.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan met with Wendy Morton, Minister for European Neighbourhood and the Americas at the Foreign Affairs, Commonwealth and Development Office of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, who is on a two-day visit to Slovenia.

Before the launch of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Director-General Barbara Sušnik held bilateral consultations with the Secretary General for European Union Affairs at the Cypriot Foreign Ministry, Philippa Karsera, via an audio-video link.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan took part in an online meeting with Polish Minister for European Affairs Konrad Szymański. The State Secretary briefed his counterpart on the priorities of Slovenia's EU Council Presidency, which will take place in the second half of this year. He highlighted the importance of the Union's quick economic recovery, resilience to future crises and ensuring strategic autonomy. He also mentioned the Conference on the Future of Europe, where Slovenia will play an important role as the EU presiding country.