Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has issued a grant decision for financial instruments for mitigating the effects of the economic crisis due to the COVID-19 epidemic for the period 2020-2023. The available European Regional Development Fund financing in the amount of EUR 65 million will be managed by SID Bank through the Fund of Funds.

Today, Foreign Minister Dr Anže Logar received a farewell call from the Ambassador of Japan to Slovenia, Masaharu Yoshida, at the end of his two-year term of office.

The nature conservation centre has received funding from the European Regional Development Fund under the project Nature Ties. In his address, the minister underlined the importance of cross-border projects for tackling common challenges in border areas and of working across borders to find common solutions.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has issued a funding decision for the project Business incubator network – Commercial building Aurea Gorica pri Slivnici which will be implemented as part of the agreement for the development of the Savinja region. The nearly 1.3 million euro project will receive a contribution from the European Regional Development Fund amounting to over EUR 500,000.

Ivan Simič, chair of the government’s strategic council for reducing bureaucracy, today unveiled the measures proposed in a number of areas.

Prime Minister Janez Janša today attended the 32nd session of the National Council of the Republic of Slovenia. The prime minister outlined the government’s position on the EU’s 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework and the recovery package.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered her first State of the European Union speech at the European Parliament, in which she highlighted the current situation and laid out the concrete plans of the European Commission for the following 12 months. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes the priorities and messages set out by the Head of the EU Commission in her address to the Plenary.

At the site of the old Frischauf Lodge at Okrešelj, a foundation stone was laid today for a new lodge. With a design based on local, natural materials, the basic construction work is scheduled for completion this year to make the building ready for winter, with completion of the new lodge expected by 2022. The ceremonial laying of the foundation stone was attended by Prime Minister Janez Janša, who also gave a speech.

A press conference on the current Covid-19 situation was held jointly by Robert Smrdelj, mayor of Pivka, Jelko Kacin, the government spokesperson, and Adolf Lukanovič, a retired doctor who spent two months in a coma on a ventilator at the Infection Clinic in Ljubljana with Covid-19.

The European Mobility Week, which is marked between 16 and 22 September this year, aims to reduce road motor traffic, which is also one of the largest polluters of the environment in Slovenia. "This year, too, full of challenges, has shown that together we can reduce the emissions of motorised traffic through walking, cycling and the use of public transport," Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec said ahead of the start of mobility week.

Firms will have to adapt in a number of ways to the risks of infection. In today’s press conference about the current Covid-19 situation, Urška Blaznik, who is responsible for public health at work organisations at the National Institute of Public Health, emphasised that all the general preventive measures also apply at firms. These include the use of masks and hand sanitiser, social distancing, and also the highly recommended daily measurement of body temperature on arrival at work.

At Brdo pri Kranju, Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Anže Logar hosted today the Federal Minister for European and International Affairs of the Republic Austria Alexander Schallenberg, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Tomáš Petříček and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic Ivan Korčok. Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary Péter Szijjárto excused his absence, as he was to attend the signature of the agreement on the normalisation of relations between Israel and UAE at the White House. The unofficial Central 5 initiative of foreign ministers was launched during the new coronavirus disease outbreak in spring to better coordinate containment measures. The third meeting reaffirmed the commitment of ministers to deepen the cooperation and ties among neighbouring countries and in the Central European region, including in other areas of common interest.

The Day of the Return of Primorska to its Homeland is a holiday that unites not only the people of Primorska region, but also the entire Slovenian nation. We are celebrating the survival of a nation that has been put to many difficult tests throughout history. Today's holiday is a holiday of love of our homeland, or as the Slovenian cross-border writer Boris Pahor wrote: "Despite all the ascents of the human mind, despite the acquisitions of the human spirit with which we rise above ethnic boundaries, the national community is still the most noble homeland of the human heart".

The firth traditional Mediterranean Coast and Macro-regional Strategies Week, organised by Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy (GODC) together with Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning, Municipality of Izola and numerous other partners, will be marked by various events focusing on Slovenia’s international cooperation in three European macro-regional strategies, namely the Adriatic-Ionian, Alpine and Danube.

Today, 15 September, marks the International Day of Democracy, which recalls the importance of democratic values and fundamental elements of democratic governance. It also provides an opportunity to review the state of democracy in the world, as the COVID-19 pandemic has put to the test the important acquisitions of our civilisation, which include democracy and its values.

Today, Slovenia celebrates the day of the return of Primorska to its homeland, commemorating the entry into force of the Paris Peace Treaty in 1947, with which the majority of Primorska people joined their homeland. On the national holiday, which is not a work-free day, several ceremonies will be held across the country - the main one was held in Ankaran on Saturday.

A record 2758 tests were conducted yesterday, with 108 new infections confirmed, said official spokesman Jelko Kacin at the beginning of today’s press conference.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša met with the representatives of the Mountain Rescue Association of Slovenia (the MRAS).

Condé Nast Traveler, a world-renowned luxury travel magazine dedicated to top experiences for the most demanding travellers, has published its list of the best holiday destinations for 2021. This time Slovenia ranked highest, followed by Yorkshire in England and Melides in Portugal. Placing Slovenia at the very top of such a list is further proof of the quality, uniqueness and reliability of its tourism products and services.

Slovenian Government has submitted the Report on the Implementation of EU Cohesion Policy for the Investment for Growth and Jobs Goal in the Second Quarter of 2020 to the National Assembly.