The Ministry of Justice today sent for coordination the draft Act on the regulation of certain issues related to offences committed during the period of the COVID-19 measures.

In the Republic of Slovenia, pursuant to Article 68 of the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia, foreigners may acquire the right of ownership of immovable property under the conditions laid down by law or by an international treaty ratified by the National Assembly.

Today, Secretary of State Marko Štucin held talks at the Vatican with the Undersecretary for Relations with States of the Secretariat of the Holy See, Msgr. Mirosław Stanisław Wachowski.

At sessions of government committees, the Government gave its consent to proposed amendments to the Act Amending the Agriculture Act and carried out certain transfers of appropriations.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon hosted the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Portuguese Republic, Dr João Gomes Cravinho, for an official visit. The two counterparts advocated the strengthening of bilateral cooperation between their respective countries, underlining the need for enhanced partnership between the European Union and the Mediterranean countries.

When sports came under the responsibility of the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport, the basis was created to seek increased synergies between these three fields. The newly appointed Minister of the Economy, Tourism and Sports, Matjaž Han, and his partners presented plans in the field of tourism and sports for the current year and highlighted the key measures.

State Secretary Marko Štucin paid a working visit to Rome today to meet with the Italian Minister for European Affairs, Raffaele Fitto, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Edmondo Cirielli, and the Undersecretary of State to the Ministry of the Interior, Wanda Ferro.

Minister Irena Šinko participated in the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting. This was the first meeting taking place under the Swedish Presidency, so the programme of the Presidency for the following half year was presented in the beginning. With the support of 19 Member States, Slovenia presented the initiative to revise Council Directive on honey, in the part referring to provenance designation of honey mixtures.

Prime Minister Robert Golob today first met with the President of the National Council, Marko Lotrič.

The Prime Minister, Robert Golob, and the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Nataša Pirc Musar, hosted their first reception for the Diplomatic Corps at the beginning of the year.

On 31 January 2023, the Act Amending the Family Code will enter into force, amending the definitions of marriage and cohabitation for opposite-sex and same-sex partners. The Act defines marriage as a life union of two persons and no longer as a life union of husband and wife.

The Strategic Health Council, an advisory body to the Prime Minister, met for its inaugural meeting today.

In 2005, the UN General Assembly in New York declared 27 January International Holocaust Remembrance Day. On this day, the world commemorates the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp and the millions of victims of World War II, including those who died in concentration camps.

Prime Minister Robert Golob met with the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares Bueno.

The Minister of Public Administration in the capacity of Minister of the Interior, Sanja Ajanović Hovnik, is attending the informal meeting of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministers in Stockholm.

At today's session, the Government adopted amendments to the laws governing the state administration, scientific research and innovation and the Slovenian Armed Forces. It also amended the Decree on setting natural gas prices from the system and approved the text of its contract with the Slovenian Press Agency (STA).

The 26th Consultation of Slovenian Diplomacy, which took place at Brdo pri Kranju on 25 and 26 January and was attended by 55 heads of Slovenian diplomatic missions and consular posts, including a number of representatives of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, outlined the new guidelines for Slovenia's foreign policy strategy.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon received Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of the Kingdom of Spain, José Manuel Albares Bueno, who was on an official visit and also participated as the guest of honour at the 26th Consultations of Slovenian Diplomacy. They discussed bilateral relations and the feminist foreign policy that Spain is promoting as a foreign policy concept.

The Prime Minister, Dr Robert Golob, attended the 26th Consultation of Slovenian Diplomats at Brdo pri Kranju and addressed the heads of diplomatic and consular missions. He highlighted Slovenia's foreign policy priorities and called for unity in re-establishing Slovenia as a full-fledged country of core Europe. We must turn our foreign policy focus towards the world.

The Nutrition Institute has announced the most innovative foods of 2023, introduced to the market in the last year.