Today, ten years have passed since the conclusion of the Memorandum on bilingual topographical signs, the official language and measures for cooperation with the Slovenian-speaking national community, which was signed on 26 April 2011 by representatives of the Austrian Federal Government, the Provincial Government of Carinthia and three organisations of Carinthian Slovenians in Klagenfurt.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved funding for the project “Equipment of Dobje Industrial Zone”. The project implemented by the municipality Dobje under the Agreement on the Development of the Savinjska Region is worth EUR 573 thousand with the European Regional Development Fund contribution standing at EUR 202 thousand.

At the 1st Session of the Strategic Council for Digitalisation (hereinafter SCD), members discussed the council’s aims, and the timeline and organisation of work. Numerous content suggestions and solutions were also presented.

Today Prime Minister Janez Janša attended the first meeting of the Strategic Council for Digitalisation. At the meeting, the members of the Strategic Council for Digitalisation spoke about the goals of the Council, the timeline and the organisation of the work. They also presented some content-related proposals.

The Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning, Andrej Vizjak, attended the informal videoconference of the EU environment ministers under the Portuguese presidency of the Council of the EU. The ministers discussed the challenges related to water management in the light of adaptation to climate change. The meeting focused on exchanging good practices and experience in tackling the challenges of water scarcity and droughts, and on improving water management at all levels.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved funding for the project “DRR – regional cycling connection Kamnik-Mengeš-Trzin-Ljubljana”. The project implemented by the municipality Kamnik under the Agreement on the Development of the Osrednjeslovenska Region is worth EUR 3.8 million with the European Regional Development Fund contribution standing at a little under EUR 2.5 million.

Third-country nationals should exercise the utmost caution in all dealings with companies that claim to offer assistance in obtaining Slovenian citizenship or Slovenian passports. Many websites and e-mail scams attempt to mislead individuals into believing the companies are offering to expedite citizenship or passport applications or are acting on behalf of the Slovenian authorities.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar met with European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson, who visited Slovenia as part of preparations for the EU Council Presidency. They focused on the priorities of the Slovenian Presidency in the second half of this year.

Andrej Šter, Head of the Consular Sector at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Deana Potza from the Health Inspectorate took part in a press conference on the current situation regarding COVID-19.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved funding for the project “Cycling connection between settlements and neighbouring municipalities along the state road R2-438/1307 from the settlement Črnci to the settlement Vratja vas – Phase 1 and continuity”. The project implemented under the Agreement on the Development of the Pomurje Region is worth EUR 700 thousand with the European Regional Development Fund contribution standing at EUR 241 thousand.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved funding for the project “DRR: Establishing cycling connections in municipality Kočevje”. The project implemented by the municipality Kočevje under the Agreement on the Development of the Jugovzhodna Slovenija Region is worth EUR 4 million with the European Regional Development Fund contribution standing at a good EUR 2.5 million.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved funding for the project “Establishing cycling connections and pavements along the reconstruction of the Ptujska cesta road in Miklavž na Dravskem polju”. The project implemented by the municipality Miklavž na Dravskem polju under the Agreement on the Development of the Podravje Region is worth EUR 1.5 million with European Regional Development Fund contribution standing at EUR 492 thousand.

Prime Minister Janez Janša is today on a working visit to Poland. The purpose of the visit is to enhance political and economic cooperation between the countries and exchange views and positions on topical European affairs and foreign policy issues, whereby the discussions will focus on bilateral cooperation and the priorities of the Slovenian Presidency of the EU Council.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved EU funding for the project “Hydraulic improvements in the municipality Sevnica - DRR”. The project worth EUR 4.2 million will be implemented in the framework of the Agreement on the Development of the Posavje Region and will receive EUR 2.2 million of Cohesion Fund support.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved funding for the project “DRR – cycling connection between Železniki and Selca”. The project implemented by municipality Železniki under the Agreement on the Development of the Gorenjska Region is worth EUR 1.6 million with the European Regional Development Fund contribution standing at a little over EUR 1 million.

Reading room of the Archives is again opened for visitors. Prior to visit you are kindly asked to contact the reading room service to book an appointment. Admittance without an appointment is currently not possible.

The Minister of the Interior, Aleš Hojs, met with the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, in Ljubljana earlier today. The meeting focused on Slovenia’s preparations for the Council Presidency in the second semester of 2021.The Minister outlined to the Commissioner the priorities in the area of home affairs. These are integrated migration management, the strengthening of the Schengen area leading to improved security in the EU and Slovenia, and the Western Balkans being a regional priority.

Today's press conference on the current situation regarding the Covid-19 epidemic featured Minister of the Interior Aleš Hojs, Economic Development and Technology State Secretary Simon Zajc, head of the advisory group at the Ministry of Health Mateja Logar and director of the National Institute for Public Health Milan Krek.

Mr Jernej Vrtovec, Minister of Infrastructure, attended today’s virtual meeting of EU energy ministers, in the course of which, among other things, a political discussion was held on the "Renovation Wave for Europe" strategy, focusing mainly on the opportunities offered by renovating buildings in the period of recovery from the COVID-19 epidemic.

In today's Official Journal, the European Commission published the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/656 of 21 April 2021 entering a name in the register of Traditional Specialities Guaranteed (Slovenska potica), thereby protecting Slovenska potica as a traditional speciality guaranteed (TSG). The protection under the traditional speciality guaranteed does not limit the production of Slovenska potica to a specific area. It can be produced anywhere, provided that the producer holds a certificate of compliance of the production with the specification of Slovenska potica.