The EU-Western Balkans Summit, which took place today and was hosted by the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU at Brdo pri Kranju, brought together the leaders of the EU member states and the six Western Balkan partners: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, the Republic of North Macedonia and Kosovo*

The meeting of the European Migration Network (EMN) took place in Ljubljana as part of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU on 5 and 6 October 2021. Participants discussed the EU's preparedness for future migration flows.

Environment ministers adopted the Council Conclusions as a mandate of the EU and its member states at the meeting for the Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to be held in Glasgow in November.

Tonight, the Prime Minister hosted an informal working dinner at Brdo pri Kranju for the heads of state and governments of the EU member states. The European leaders held a strategic discussion on the role of the EU on the international stage in view of recent events in Afghanistan, the AUKUS security alliance and the development of relations with China.

Minister Anže Logar attended the regular annual meeting of the Ministerial Council of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which adopted a new strategy paper with a vision of the OECD’s work over the next ten years and an external OECD action strategy.

Acting Director-General for Multilateral Affairs and Development Cooperation Igor Jukič took part in a meeting of EU Directors-General for development cooperation via a videoconference. The participants discussed the Team Europe initiatives, the European financial architecture for development, the assistance offered to partner countries in the fight against COVID-19, the Gender Action Plan, and the current situation in Afghanistan and neighbouring countries.

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Jože Podgoršek has attended a ministerial meeting on the new EU forest strategy at the invitation of the Austrian minister responsible for forestry Elisabeth Köstinger. At the meeting, the ministers from forest rich member states discussed the future of forests at EU level.

Minister of the Interior Aleš Hojs attended a meeting of the interior ministers of the Visegrad Group, the Republic of Austria and the Republic of Slovenia in Budapest. The meeting focused on the current challenges in migration and topical issues concerning the management of Europe's borders.

On the occasion of the upcoming 60th anniversary of the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD DAC), State Secretary Stanislav Raščan added his congratulations to those of the high-level representatives responsible for international development cooperation and humanitarian aid.

Minister Jože Podgoršek has attended a meeting of chief veterinary officers of the Working Party on Animals and Veterinary Questions. The event is traditionally organised in the framework of the presidency of the Council of the EU. The highest representatives of veterinary services meet to work, exchange views and socialise.

Tomorrow, the EU ministers responsible for the environment and climate change will meet in Luxembourg. This will be their first meeting chaired by the Slovenian Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning, Andrej Vizjak.

Prime Minister Janez Janša responded to a letter from Zoran Stevanović, president of the Resni.ca party. In the letter, Zoran Stevanović calls for the immediate abolition of the recovered/vaccinated/tested rule and immediate resignation of the Government.

Today is the final day of the three-day Pre-COP meeting hosted by Italy, as the UK's partner country in the organisation of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), with a view to approximating the positions of the parties ahead of the COP meeting in Glasgow in November. Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning Andrej Vizjak and his delegation also attended the meeting.

Prime Minister Janez Janša today had a meeting with European Commission Vice-President for Democracy and Demography Dubravka Šuica. They discussed the Conference on the Future of Europe.

Prime Minister Janez Janša today met with senior representatives of the Identity and Democracy Group in the European Parliament, which is on a study visit to Slovenia.

The second and third days of the 9th session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP) to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Water Convention were held in Geneva.

Within the framework of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union Programme, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food co-organises an international event called “Smart Villages for a Green, Digital and Resilient Europe” together with the office of MEP Franc Bogovič. In the debate, which was attended also by the Minister Dr Jože Podgoršek, Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner Dubravka Šuica, and the Director-General of the FAO, Qu Dongyu, the participants highlighted the importance of coherent and integrated rural development, which is an issue that extends way beyond just agriculture.

The meeting of the Monitoring Committee of the European Territorial Cooperation Programme (URBACT) was organised as part the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU. It was attended by representatives of the EU member states, the European Commission, the Managing Authority and the Secretariat of the Programme.

The long-awaited Expo 2020, hosted for the first time by one of the Arab countries, starts on 30 September with a ceremony and a number of recognisable attendees. The eyes of the domestic and world public are on Dubai, where Slovenia will also be presenting itself between 1 October and 31 March of next year. With a pavilion in the sustainable segment of the exhibition, it tells the world the story of a green and smart country in the heart of Europe.

The first half of the Slovenian Presidency has been marked by a wide range of events in Europe and beyond. After three months of work, the first results are already visible, in particular in the areas of strengthening the EU’s resilience, recovery and strategic autonomy, making the EU more secure and engaged in the world, and the EU’s contribution to the Conference on the Future of Europe.