State Secretary Gašper Dovžan took part in the Adriatic and Ionian Council/EUSAIR Ministerial Meeting in Tirana, hosted by the Albanian AII Chairmanship/EUSAIR Presidency in the framework of the 7th EUSAIR Annual Forum. The Meeting was chaired by Megi Fino, State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Albania.

In a telephone conversation, State Secretary Gašper Dovžan briefed the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania, Olta Xhaçka, on the priorities of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. He assured her of efforts to keep the Western Balkans high on the Union’s agenda, with the EU-Western Balkans Summit contributing to this as well. At the same time, State Secretary Dovžan expressed strong support for Albania's approximation to the European Union as it implements the necessary commitments and reforms.

Today, Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar, together with his Austrian and Czech counterparts Alexander Schallenberg and Jakub Kulhánek, visited Tirana and met with Albanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Olta Xhaçka, Prime Minister Edi Rama, President Ilir Meta and President of the largest opposition Democratic Party Lulzim Basha. The three ministers travelled to the Albanian capital in the context of a two-day working visit to Skopje and Tirana.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan attended an informal video conference of the EU foreign ministers together with Foreign Minister of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani and Foreign Minister of Albania Olta Xhaçka.

The 6th Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR) closed today in Izola, Slovenia. This year's edition of the Forum was held under Slovenian Presidency in a hybrid format due to the epidemiological situation. At the plenary closing session wrapping up the two-day event State Secretary Monika Kirbiš Rojs and Head of Unit Macro-regions at the European Commission Jean-Pierre Halkin symbolically handed over the Presidency of EUSAIR to Albania.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša met with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama at a working meeting.

Yesterday, State Secretary Gašper Dovžan met with Ambassador Zef Mazi, chief Albanian negotiator for accession to the EU, State Minister and member of the Albanian Government. State Secretary Dovžan expressed support for Albania's rapprochement with the European Union and welcomed the EU's decision to open accession negotiations with Albania.

Yesterday, the European Commission published the Enlargement Package for the Western Balkan countries and Turkey, which provides an overview and assessment of the situation across key areas of the necessary reform progress, with recommendations for further rapprochement with the EU.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Anže Logar hosted Gent Cakaj, Acting Foreign Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania, who was in Slovenia on a working visit. The ministers expressed satisfaction with the excellent relations between the two countries and were in full agreement that the current situation calls for solidarity in tackling the economic and social impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Minister Dr Logar pledged his full support for Albania’s EU integration.

Today, State Secretary Gašper Dovžan participated in a videoconference of the EU General Affairs Council where ministers voiced their unanimous support for starting the EU accession negotiation process with North Macedonia and Albania.

In Thessaloniki, Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Miroslav Cerar is attending the high-level conference ‘From Thessaloniki to Zagreb’, hosting foreign ministers of the Western Balkans, EU member states from the region (Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia), and EU representatives (EEAS, EC).

During today’s Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) meeting, the Member States discussed strengthening relations between the EU and the African Union, the situation in Libya and closer relations between the EU and India. Before the meeting, the Italian Foreign Minister, Di Maio, hosted an unofficial breakfast with the Albanian Prime Minister, Edi Rama, while a working lunch was intended for talks about EU-India relations with the External Affairs Minister of India, Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

The Slovenian Foreign Ministry welcomes today's proposal of the European Commission on new enlargement methodology, aiming for a more efficient, transparent and credible enlargement process.

Prime Minister Marjan Šarec is attending the 50th World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos at the invitation of its founder and Executive Chairman, prof. Klaus Schwab, on 21 and 22 January 2020.

As part of the response of the EU civil protection mechanism, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia has agreed to send two experts to help coordinate international assistance in the aftermath of the recent earthquake in Albania.

Foreign Minister Dr Miro Cerar was in Luxembourg attending a General Affairs Council (Art. 50) meeting on the state of play regarding the UK’s forthcoming withdrawal from the EU and a General Affairs Council session. The latter concentrated on enlargement and on preparations for the European Council.

An international conference on the public administration challenges facing the Western Balkan countries is taking place in Ljubljana these days. The conference is organized by ReSPA (Regional School of Public Administration), and this year is hosted by the Slovenian Ministry of Public Administration.

On 19 July, the President of the Republic of Slovenia signed a decree on the appointment of Peter Japelj as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Slovenia to the Republic of Albania.

Slovenian prime minister Marjan Šarec has taken part in the 6th summit of the heads of government of the countries of the Berlin Process in Poznań. The aim of the Berlin Process meetings is to ensure that EU expansion to the Western Balkans continues in accordance with the European agenda: to bring the region closer to European and global corridors via infrastructure, energy and economic projects and, at the same time, to keep up the pressure on the countries of the region to maintain a positive reform dynamic and continue to resolve outstanding issues.

Foreign Minister Miro Cerar is attending the Berlin Process’s ministerial session in Poznań, which focuses on the regional cooperation of the Western Balkan countries in security, economic cooperation and transport connectivity, while encouraging youth and enhancing civil society.