Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša attended the commemorative session of the National Assembly and the main state ceremony marking Independence and Unity Day, which is celebrated on 26 December. He attended the main state ceremony at Cankarjev Dom as the keynote speaker, together with his wife Urška Bačovnik Janša.
Below is a transcript of the address delivered by Prime Minister Janez Janša at the main state ceremony marking Independence and Unity Day. Check against delivery.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša hosted a reception for relatives of the members of the Slovenian Territorial Defence, of the Ministry of the Interior and of civilian war victims killed or injured in the Slovenian War of Slovenia. The Prime Minister, who was accompanied by his wife Urška Bačovnik Janša, delivered a speech. The reception was also attended by the Slovenian President, Borut Pahor.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved EU funding for the project Wastewater collection and treatment in the Drava River basin – Municipality Hoče-Slivnica. The project will receive Cohesion Fund support and will result in established wastewater collection and treatment infrastructure in the area of Radizela and Spodnje Hoče.

The Archives of the Republic of Slovenia will be closed from December 27th to December 31st, 2021.

The Council has approved an agreement between the EU and the UK on fishing opportunities for 2022, paving the way for EU fishermen and women to exercise their fishing rights in the Atlantic and the North Sea. The decision determines fishing rights for around 100 shared fish stocks in EU and UK waters, including the total allowable catch (TAC) limit for each species.

On 23 December, which marks Constitution Day, the Ljubljana Opera and Ballet will perform a holiday classic, the ballet The Nutcracker – A Christmas Carol by choreographer Youri Vámos with music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The honorary patron of the performance, dedicated to the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU, is the Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša.

The last meeting of the EU Military Committee (EUMC) in 2021 marked the end of the Presidency of the EU Military Council. On this occasion, Chief of the General Staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces, Major General Robert Glavaš, addressed the EUMC in a video message.

Prime Minister Janez Janša today attended the ceremony at the Club 90 to mark the 30th anniversary of Slovenia's independence, where he delivered a speech. Before the ceremony, a moment of silence was observed for deceased deputies.

Patricija Furlan Fon, Chief Inspector of the Infrastructure Inspectorate (IRSI), and Tomaž Pečjak, Senior Police Advisor of the General Police Administration, took part in a press conference on the current situation regarding COVID-19.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Anže Logar met with the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken today in Washington, which was the third bilateral meeting at the level of foreign ministers over the last year and a half. The meeting was aimed at continuing the strategic dialogue between the two countries.

The Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning Andrej Vizjak attended the last meeting of the Environment Council to be held during the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU. The Slovenian Presidency presented a report on the progress made in negotiations on the proposal for a regulation concerning batteries and waste batteries, which is an integral part of the European Green Deal. The proposals contained in the “Fit for 55” package were the main priority of the Slovenian Presidency, which strived for the greatest possible progress and a coherent approach to dealing with dossiers that are highly horizontal in nature.

The first international Golden Bee Award was awarded today in the House of the Carniolan Honey Bee. Prof. Lucas Alejandro Garibaldi from Argentina received the award. Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food and Chair of the Golden Bee Award Committee Jože Podgoršek announced the winner of the award. President of the Republic of Slovenia Borut Pahor presented the award, which was collected by a representative of the Embassy of Argentina on behalf of the award winner.

The development of rural areas requires coherent and integrated rural development approaches. Combining different European funds offers opportunities to invest in infrastructure, technology and people for resilient, inclusive and prosperous rural areas.

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša was a guest on the "Kdo vam laže?" ["Who is telling you lies?] show on Nova24TV, in which he spoke about current domestic political issues.

Today’s press conference, dedicated to COVID-19, focused on the Vaccination Days campaign, which will take place between 19 and 23 December. Participants in the press conference included the Minister of Health Janez Poklukar, Commander of the Slovenian Civil Protection Force Srečko Šestan and the General Secretary of Red Cross Slovenia Cvetka Tomin.

On the invitation of Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Anniken Huitfeldt, Minister Dr Anže Logar is paying an official visit to the Kingdom of Norway. Cooperation between Slovenia and Norway is excellent, and the ministers discussed opportunities for further widening and strengthening mutual collaboration.

A regular informal political dialogue between the European Union and the Russian Federation on the EU enlargement was held today via video conferencing. The EU side was led by Political Director and Director-General Jernej Müller.

The Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning, Andrej Vizjak, will chair the last meeting of EU Environment and Climate Change Ministers before France takes over the European Council presidency.

Prime Minister Janez Janša attended the European Council meeting in Brussels, where EU leaders discussed the current situation regarding COVID-19, crisis management and resilience, energy prices, security and defence, migration and certain issues related to the EU's external relations. After the European Council meeting, the Prime Minister attended the Euro Summit. In accordance with the conclusions of the June 2021 Euro Summit, the state of play of the Capital Markets Union was discussed.