Prime Minister Robert Golob attended the third meeting of mayors traditionally organised by the Association of Municipalities and Towns of Slovenia.

Slovenian parliament has confirmed nine new ministers, completing the government reshuffle. As part of the reshuffle, the Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has been transformed into the Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development. The new ministry will also be responsible for the policy area of regional development. It will be headed by Dr Aleksander Jevšek, who has been sworn in as Minister for Cohesion and Regional Development.

With the confirmation of the reorganisation of the Government, the name of the ministry of the economy is changing today, and this ministry will also be responsible for sport. The new Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport will continue to be led by Minister Matjaž Han.

At today's correspondence session, the Government adopted decrees on the pricing of heat from district heating and on subsidies for the purchase of wood pellets.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Fajon took part in the regular meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, which focused on the war in Ukraine. Ministers also met with Palestinian Prime Minister Shtayyeh, and heard a report from Minister Fajon on her joint visit to Montenegro with Austrian Foreign Minister Schallenberg.

At today’s correspondence session, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia took note of the Annex to the Collective Agreement for the Education Sector in the Republic of Slovenia and the Annex to the Collective Agreement for Research Activities.

The fifth International Day of Education will be celebrated on 24 January, this year under the theme “to invest in people, prioritise education”. This is essential if we want to accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goals.

Minister Irena Šinko participated in the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) – the 15th Berlin Agriculture Ministers’ Conference, titled: “Food Systems Transformation: A Worldwide Response to Multiple Crises”. The Agriculture Ministers’ Conference is attended by over 70 Ministerial Delegations from around the Globe, and representatives of the European Commission, the African Union, agricultural institutions and associations, and other international organisations. The event takes place within the International Green Week (IGW) that was opened for visitors on 20 January.

Today, Prime Minister Robert Golob, together with Minister of Economic Development and Technology Matjaž Han and Minister of Finance Klemen Boštjančič, visited the company Hella Saturnus Slovenija, where they were acquainted with the production, investments and new trends in the automotive industry.

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, Ms. Irena Šinko, participated in the official opening ceremony of the Berlin International Green Week (IGW), taking place from 19 to 29 January 2023. At the trade fair, Slovenia is presented as a green and ecological country (ecological + local = ideal).

Minister of Health Danijel Bešič Loredan presented the document “Overview of the situation in Slovenian healthcare”.

From 18 to 20 January 2023, Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Fajon attended the 53rd World Economic Forum in Davos, a meeting point for leaders, civil society representatives and top-performing business people.

Last year’s Horizon Europe call for Marie Sklodowska Curie COFUND projects (MSCA COFUND) was one of the most successful calls so far for Slovenian applicants.

The results of the 10th survey of the basic food basket were published on the “Our Superfood” website on 17 January 2023. The results of the analysis show that the price of the average cheapest basket of 15 basic foods is currently at its lowest since monitoring started. Furthermore, a comparison of price trends over the last two weeks shows a decrease in meat prices.

A special ceremony was held at the National Gallery of Slovenia this evening to mark the adoption of Slovenia's Cohesion Policy Programme for the period 2021-2027. Minister for Development and European Cohesion Policy, Dr Aleksander Jevšek, head of the government office that was responsible for the preparation and coordination of the programme thanked all Slovenian partners and the European Commission for the excellent work done, underlining that the efficient and effective implementation of the programme now fell on the shoulders of all stakeholders.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs organised an international event entitled Humanitarian crisis, protection of critical infrastructure and the environment during armed conflicts and in relation to peacebuilding measures: Legal challenges of the 21st century, which was aimed at seeking solutions that could contribute to enhancing respect for international humanitarian law in practice. This is particularly relevant in the light of the war in Ukraine and the Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure in the country.

On the occasion of the special ceremony marking the adoption of Slovenia’s Cohesion Policy Programme 2021-2027, a delegation from the European Commission, led by Ms Sofia Alves, the Director at the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, visited Slovenia. The European Commission delegation and the representatives of the Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy, led by its State Secretary mag. Marko Koprivc, visited the Savinjsko-šaleška region.

On 19 January 2023, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the Strategy for the Cooperation of the Republic of Slovenia with the OECD until the end of 2025.

At today's session the Government adopted the Decree on compulsory health insurance service programmes, the capacities required for their implementation and the volume of funds for 2023. It also confirmed the final estimate of the direct damage to property caused by the floods of last September.

From January 17 to January 19, the Slovenian State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, Samuel Žbogar, was in China for political consultations. On January 18, the state secretary Žbogar visited MOFCOM and had a courtesy meeting with the Deputy Minister of Commerce Mr. Ling Ji. This was followed on January 19, 2023 by had political consultations between the Slovenian State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Žbogar and Deng Li, the Vice Foreign Minister in Beijing. The state secretary Žbogar also met with representatives of the Slovenian business community in Shanghai and Beijing.