If you saw numerous groups wandering and exploring Cleveland and its neighboring cities on Father’s Day weekend, wearing Slovenian clothing, with Slovenian flags, posters and other props, we hope you weren’t alarmed! It was not an invasion of Slovenian tourists in Cleveland, but a competition and a project, named "Discover Slovenia in Cleveland.”

Ocean Orchids, which is based in Dobrovnik, presented the first ice cream made using Slovenian vanilla in collaboration with the chocolatier Podeželska čokoladnica Passer from Tešanovci. The vanilla was grown in a tropical garden in Dobrovnik and is an organic ingredient of the highest quality.

At its last night’s session, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia finalised the text of the proposed Act on the intervention measures to prepare for the second wave of COVID-19 (ACP4) to be submitted to the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia for discussion and adoption under an emergency procedure. The proposed act replaces the proposed amendment to ACP3 adopted by the Government last week.

In light of recent COVID-19 developments, the organisers of Bled Strategic Forum international conference are pleased to inform that the 15th Bled Strategic Forum international conference will take place on 31 August 2020 in Bled, Slovenia.

Following the official presentation of its first culinary guide for Slovenia, Michelin launched the MICHELIN Guide Main Cities of Europe 2020. The guide includes Ljubljana as a city with its first Michelin star, which was also highlighted on Michelin's website and in its press releases.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has issued a financial support decision for the project “Construction of public municipal infrastructure for the business zone Ravne 2019-2022”. The project worth a little over EUR 1.1 million will receive just under EUR 600,000 of European Regional Development Fund support.

State Secretary mag. Monika Kirbiš Rojs took part in a videoconference with Cohesion Ministers of the Visegrad Group (V4), Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, the representative of Croatia and the EU Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferreira. Participants reaffirmed the importance of Cohesion Policy in addressing the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On behalf of Foreign Minister Dr Anže Logar, the State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tone Kajzer, attended a video conference with Foreign Ministers of South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) participants.

State Secretary Tone Kajzer attended the international Sudan Partnership Conference.

On Thursday, Slovenia celebrated Statehood Day and the 29th anniversary of its independence.

Message by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia Janez Janša on Statehood Day

Today Prime Minister Janez Janša attended a number of events to commemorate tomorrow’s Statehood Day.

In today’s video conference at the Ministry of Defence, a day before Slovenian Statehood Day, Prime Minister Janez Janša addressed the members of the Slovenian Armed Forces on missions abroad. In addition to the Prime Minister, the video-conference was attended by the Minister of Defence, Matej Tonin, and the Chief of the General Staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces, Robert Glavaš.

Yesterday, the three-day Annual Security Review Conference of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) started, at which the participants will assess the activities undertaken in the last year and review the state of security and implementation of the assumed commitments in the OSCE area. The Slovenian side is represented by Ambassador-at-Large Dr Andrej Benedejčič, Special Envoy of the Foreign Minister for arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation.

At its session today, the Slovenian government decided to take Luxembourg and Montenegro off the list of epidemiologically safe countries or administrative units (i.e., the green list) as of 25 June 2020. In addition, the government decided to add Portugal and Albania to the list of countries with a deteriorated epidemiological situation (i.e., the red list) as of 25 June 2020.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy, the Managing Authority for the ERDF, the ESF and the Cohesion Fund, has issued a funding decision for the project Cycling connections between Radovljica and hinterland settlements. This EUR 2.5 million project which will be implemented by the Municipality of Radovljica will receive a contribution from the European Regional Development Fund totalling EUR 1.1 million.

Today, Dr Marko Rakovec, Acting Director General of the Directorate for International Law and Protection of Interests at the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Slovenia, and Sigrid Berka, Ambassador of the Republic of Austria to the Republic of Slovenia, signed the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Slovenia and the Federal Government of the Republic of Austria on new border documents for border sectors I to VII on the common border, prepared by the Permanent Slovenian-Austrian Border Commission.

Below is the press release following the videoconference of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa and Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša.

Thirteen newly confirmed infections in Slovenia are more the result of less intensive testing over the weekend than the possible emergence of a new wave of the epidemic, said government spokesperson Jelko Kacin and head of the Communicable Disease Centre at the National Institute of Public Health Mario Fafangel at today's press conference. The government spokesperson added that no significant worsening of the situation was expected, but that the existing measures should continue to be followed: cough etiquette, hand washing and wearing masks indoors when it is not possible to maintain a 1.5-metre physical distance.

Prime Minister Janez Janša was a guest on A Talk with the Prime Minister broadcast on Nova24TV, where he talked about a potential second wave of the epidemic, international events, including the presidency of the Council of the EU, the upcoming Slovenian Statehood Day and other topical issues the viewers asked about.