Minister for Development, Strategic Projects and Cohesion Zvonko Černač today participated in a video conference of Cohesion Policy ministers. The ministers unanimously welcomed rapid response of the European Commission and the joint measures it put forward to help EU Member States tackle the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Slovenia called on the Commission to allow maximum flexibility in developing and implementing Cohesion Policy measures.

In 2020, Slovenia commemorates the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Slovenian-Paraguayan anthropologist, Dr Branislava Sušnik, whose life and achievements made an indelible mark on science and established links between Slovenia and the South American cultural area.

A special meeting of four presidents, including the President of the Republic of Slovenia Borut Pahor, Prime Minister Janez Janša, President of the National Assembly Igor Zorčič, and the President of the National Council Alojz Kovšca, was held today. The four presidents discussed the operation of political institutions during the coronavirus crisis, their cooperation, and their joint efforts to achieve political unity in order to take concerted action. In their discussions, they focused especially on making various decisions that need to be effective, democratic, and protected by all democratic standards.

In a joint letter addressed to the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, nine leaders of EU Member States, i.e. Belgium, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain and Slovenia, called for action to establish a joint European debt instrument with regard to the fight against the new coronavirus. They stressed that the emergency situation and the coronavirus crisis, which affected all Member States, require coordinated and unified action that is undertaken in the spirit of solidarity and with an intensity corresponding to the scope of the challenge.

Slovenia, on behalf of eight participating countries, submitted to the UNESCO Secretariat in Paris a multinational nomination of the "Lipizzan Horse Breeding Traditions" for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The Government has issued the Ordinance on the conditions of entry into the Republic of Slovenia from the Republic of Austria to contain and manage communicable diseases, which will be published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia.

On the 24th March 2020, the Republic of Slovenia successfully issued a new €850mn 3yr (Mar-23) benchmark along with a €250mn Mar-29 tap.

Today, State Secretary Gašper Dovžan participated in a videoconference of the EU General Affairs Council where ministers voiced their unanimous support for starting the EU accession negotiation process with North Macedonia and Albania.

The Republic of Slovenia, rated Baa1 (positive) / AA- (stable) / A (stable), has mandated Barclays Bank PLC, BNP Paribas, Commerzbank, Crédit Agricole CIB, Goldman Sachs International Bank and HSBC to lead manage a new EUR 3-year benchmark due March 2023 and an increase of the outstanding 1.1875% notes due 14 March 2029 (ISIN: SI0002103842) in dematerialized registered form. This Regulation S transaction is expected to be launched in the near future, subject to market conditions.

At today's press conference, Prime Minister Janez Janša, Minister of Economic Development and Technology Zdravko Počivalšek, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Aleksandra Pivec, Minister of Finance Andrej Šircelj and Expert Advisory Group Coordinator Matej Lahovnik presented a package of measures to help the population and the economy, the so-called anti-corona package discussed at the Government’s evening session yesterday.

Croatia has widened the list of countries whose nationals must remain in 14-day self-isolation upon entering the country.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemics, as of 21 March 2020 at 17.00, Turkey has introduced the entry ban on all foreign travellers who are nationals of any of the 46 countries on the list or have visited those countries in the last 14 days.

Pursuant to a decree of 22 March 2020, entry into Austria by land from Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Slovenia and Hungary is allowed without restriction for transit passengers, that is for those returning home to Slovenia without stopping.

On Sunday, 22 March 2020, Prime Minister Janez Janša visited the Municipality of Grosuplje, where he met with Mayor Dr Peter Verlič, Director of Municipal Administration Dušan Hočevar, Commander of Municipal Civil Protection Headquarters of the Municipality of Grosuplje Tomaž Rigler, Director of Grosuplje Health Care Center Štefka Zaviršek and Head of Warden Service of 5G Joint Municipal Administration Mihael Prelc.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša took note of the situation in the Metlika Nursing Home, where several staff members and residents were infected with the new coronavirus some time ago. He thanked those responsible for their responsiveness and cooperation and assured that the Crisis Staff and the Government were doing everything they could to minimise the spread of the virus in Slovenia.

World Water Day, celebrated on 22 March each year, stresses the importance of water and the awareness that 2.2 billion people do not have access to drinking water. In the current context of the coronavirus epidemic, the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning has informed public service providers that they should fully comply with all preventive health protocols in order to ensure the smooth running of the public drinking water supply service and the discharge and treatment of municipal wastewater. The National Institute of Public Health has declared that tap water is safe for consumption. Drinking water from the tap is also healthier and more environmentally friendly than water from a plastic bottle.

As reported, the Krško NPP continued to operate after the earthquake.

On Sunday, March 22, 2020, at 6.24 am, the national earthquake monitoring network recorded a magnitude 5.1 earthquake near Zagreb (Croatia), 115 km east of Ljubljana. The main earthquake was followed by several aftershocks. The strongest of them was at 7.01 am with a magnitude of 4.4.

It has been ten days since Slovenia declared an epidemic on 12 March under Article 7 of the Communicable Diseases Act due to an increase in the number of coronavirus infections. The Government of the Republic of Slovenia, led by Janez Janša, was appointed on 13 March, and ever since has been taking a number of measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus. After taking the most urgent steps to slow down and contain the coronavirus epidemic, the Government is stepping up the preparation of the first comprehensive legislative package to help the population and the economy.

Having carried out the most urgent steps to slow down and contain the coronavirus epidemic, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia is stepping up the preparation of the first extensive legislation package to help the population and the economy.