Slovenia seems to be globally known only thanks to its extraordinary athletes and magnificent nature. Are we really simply the country of sport heroes, the Planica giants ski jumping hill, Bled Island and wonderful Piran? Certainly not. Slovenia is a country of many talents. Whatever we undertake, we make a difference. We triumph, we are the first to ascend peaks, we make scientific breakthroughs.

On 8 May 2020, the 7th Student Company Fair took place. This year, it was held online. At the concluding event the panel presented prizes and awards to the best student companies.

At the invitation of Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, the first meeting of foreign ministers of the three countries was held today in Trieste, and focused on the joint management of the Adriatic Sea. Bordering the same sea, Slovenia, Italy and Croatia share a vision of the Adriatic Sea as a bridge uniting the people of the region and as a source of prosperity for all.

At a session, the Government issued the Ordinance on the declaration of the COVID-19 epidemic in the territory of the Republic of Slovenia and published it in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia. By this ordinance and on the basis of the Communicable Diseases Act, an epidemic of the COVID-19 communicable disease was declared in the territory of the Republic of Slovenia. The ordinance shall enter into force on 18 December 2020 and remain in force for 30 days.

Slovenia, which is credited for World Bee Day, celebrated on 20 May, is strengthening its efforts to raise awareness of the importance of this endangered pollinator.

On Thursday, 17 December, in the Presidential Palace, the President of the Republic of Slovenia and Commander-in-Chief of the Slovenian Armed Forces Borut Pahor promoted Chief of the General Staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces, Robert Glavaš, to the rank of Major General.

The last issue of Sinfo magazine this year is dedicated to December, the month of Christmas and New Year lights that symbolise positive energy, hope, the beginning of something new, something better, something good.

Slovenians are hard-working and motivated people. Work is an important value and we strive to be good at what we do. We see creativity as a source of encouragement for the development of society, and it comes as no surprise that the Slovenian business environment is based on the following approach: green, creative and smart.

Prime Minister Janez Janša today addressed the participants of the 15th Slovenian Economy Summit via video. He said, among other things, that the victors of tomorrow are those who are flexible, creative, curious, and dare to think outside the established frameworks. In order to succeed, we need the know-how that is connected with digitalisation and innovation. Skills in artificial intelligence, robotics, nanotechnology, and quantum computers are necessary.

Statistics show Slovenians to be among the top mountaineering powers in the Himalayas Eighteen Slovenians have already reached the peak of Mount Everest, the highest mountain on Earth, following three different routes. Slovenians can boast many achievements on Everest: tracing a new route on the mountain, a women’s ascent, an ascent without supplemental oxygen, and the first integral ski descent down the mountain’s south face.

State Secretary mag. Monika Kirbiš Rojs attended an event that was part of the Zlati pogovori cycle, which takes place on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Zlati kamen event. In the virtual conversation “How to get funds for municipalities after 2020?”, State Secretary underlined that municipalities and development regions are important partners in the process of planning the use of European Cohesion Policy funds for the period 2021-2027 as well as the funds available under the Recovery and Resilience Facility.

The EU Environment Council, attended by the State Secretary at the Slovenian Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning, Metka Gorišek, reached an agreement on the EU Climate Act, which sets out the long-term goal of EU's carbon neutrality until 2050 at the EU level.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar today held a telephone conversation with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora of the Republic of Kosovo, Meliza Haradinaj-Stublla. The ministers reviewed bilateral cooperation, especially on the economy, which has an important place in bilateral relations. They also discussed measures to stem the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigate its consequences and went on to discuss current regional themes.

At its 44th regular session, the Government adopted many acts related to the COVID-19 epidemic. It therefore extended the epidemic by one month, kept the measures at border crossings, and adopted some changes on the green and red lists of countries.

Prime Minister Janez Janša today presided over the session of the Government Council for Slovenians Abroad. The Council is a consultative body of the Government, and participates in the formation and implementation of policies and strategies of the Republic of Slovenia for Slovenians abroad. The session participants thanked the Prime Minister for the meeting and for the expressed concern and interest of the Government for Slovenians abroad.

Today, the European Court of Human Rights published its ruling on Slovenia's inter-State application against Croatia with respect to the Ljubljanska banka claims against Croatian companies. The Court decided it had no jurisdiction to examine the inter-State application under Article 33 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms since Ljubljanska banka, in view of the Court, was not a "non-governmental organisation" for the purposes of Article 34 of the Convention.

Today’s press conference on the current situation regarding COVID-19 will be attended by the head of the Clinic for infectious diseases and fever conditions, Tatjana Lejko Zupanc, deputy head of the Centre for Infectious Diseases at the National Institute for Public Health (NIJZ), Nuška Čakš Jager, and the government spokesperson, Jelko Kacin.

The EU Ministers responible for agriculture and fisheries met yesterday and today at the last session of the EU Council of the year under the presidency of Germany. State secretary mag. Miran Mihelič attended the session for Slovenia. As is traditional for the end of the year, negotiations on fishing opportunities for the next year were at the forefront of the meeting, which are faced with additional challenges due to United Kingdom’s exit from the EU. Discussion on the proposal of a uniform voluntary marking of nutritional values on the front of packaging was also at the forefront, which resulted in the adoption of resolutions of the presidency, as well as the discussion about an all-European marking on animal well-being on foods of animal origin. During lunch, the German presidency presented to the Ministers the advancements in negotiations on the Common Agricultural Policy after 2021, which, following the adoption of the General Approach of the Council, are now continuing with the European Parliament in the form of so-called trialogues.

During today's working visit to The Hague, Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar met his host, Stef Blok, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The two ministers confirmed the excellent and friendly relations between their respective countries, advocating for the further strengthening of cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

Prime Minister Janez Janša presided over the session of the Government Council for Slovenians in Neighbouring Countries today. He initially assessed the future of Slovenians in neighbouring countries, and continued to talk about the preservation of the Slovenian language and identity, reinforced cooperation of cultural institutions on both sides of the state border, about young people who must be a priority in all activities, and on the strategic relationship of the Republic of Slovenia in this area.