The three-day SME 2021 Assembly, the most significant event for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the EU, is coming to an end. The three-day programme, full of panel discussions, workshops and specialised courses, took place from 15 to 17 November in Portorož, Slovenia, as part of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Today’s press conference on the current situation regarding the Covid-19 epidemic featured Deana Potza from the Health Inspectorate and Marjan Maček, the head of the Financial Control Sector at the Financial Administration (FURS), while the current epidemiological situation in the country was presented by Maja Bratuša.

On the Day of Quality Schemes event organised by the Beekeepers' Association of Slovenia, Agriculture Minister Jože Podgoršek attended a press conference at which, in addition to quality schemes, the main topics were the Consortium of European Protected Slovenian Products which was established this year, the Slovenian Food Day, Traditional Slovenian Breakfast, a competition for young beekeepers and a nation-wide campaign to plant honey plants.

On Tuesday 16 November 2021, EU tourism ministers held an informal meeting via an audio-video link. The debate focused on the transition pathway for a green and digital transformation of the European tourism ecosystem by 2030.

Under the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU, the Management Board of the European Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA) is meeting in Ljubljana. The main focus of the meeting is on the timeline for the implementation of smart borders and interoperability projects, which will make an important contribution to ensuring the security of EU member states and enable law enforcement agencies to work even more effectively.

The EU directors-general for humanitarian aid discussed improving coordination and increasing efforts within the working party on Humanitarian Aid and Food Aid (COHAFA). The Acting Director-General Igor Jukič outlined the achievements and progress the Slovenian Presidency has made so far on humanitarian aid.

The Minister of Health, Janez Poklukar, and pediatrician Denis Baš took part in a press conference to provide a COVID-19 update.

In the context of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU, the Frontex Management Board and the border police directors of the Western Balkan countries helds a virtual meeting today to discuss the challenges in managing migration and maintaining security in the region.

Today, on the second day of the 27th regular session of the National Assembly, Prime Minister Janez Janša gave an additional explanation on the answer to Bojana Muršič’s parliamentary question about the increase in the prices of energy and other goods in Slovenia. The decision on the debate was adopted by the National Assembly at its 26th regular session.

Today, the EU ministers responsible for agriculture and fisheries met in Brussels. They focused on forests and their importance in the transition to a green, climate-neutral and competitive circular bioeconomy. They also addressed the findings from the EU Pollinator Week in September and took note of the situation on the agricultural markets. They also discussed the management of large carnivores and the state of play in the negotiations on fishing opportunities with the United Kingdom.

On behalf of the Foreign Minister Anže Logar, State Secretary Stanislav Raščan today attended the regular meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, chaired by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell. The meeting focused on EU-Western Balkans relations and the situation in the Sahel.

State Secretary Gašper Dovžan today attended the College of Europe conference in Bruges entitled “Discussing the Future of Europe – Perspectives and Contributions from the Western Balkans”.

At today's 27th regular session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, Prime Minister Janez Janša answered oral parliamentary questions from deputies Matej T. Vatovec (Levica), Marko Bandelli (SAB), Branko Simonovič (DeSUS) and Anja Bah Žibert (SDS). Questions for the Prime Minister were about corruption and the "mafia" running the country, tax payment, the implementation of an extraordinary indexation of pensions and the new measures to contain the spread of COVID-19.

The COP26 climate change conference concluded with the ministerial segment, where negotiations entered their final phase at the political level. During the negotiations, ministers sought consensus on the setting up of a new collective financial target; on new or updated nationally determined contributions and long-term climate strategy; on timeframes and rules for international carbon markets and transparency rules for reporting.

Concluding today's visit to the South-East Slovenia (Jugovzhodna Slovenija) region, members of the Slovenian Government participated in a public debate with mayors, businesspeople and other actors of economic development and replied to their questions.

As part of the Government visit to the Jugovzhodna Slovenija region, Minister for Development and EU Cohesion Policy Zvone Černač attended a meeting with the mayors of the municipalities Kostel and Dobrepolje, tried the traditional preparation of bread in the Sitarjeva hiša house in Dolenjske Toplice, which was renovated with the help of EU funds, met with the management staff of the REM d.o.o. company in Trebnje which successfully draws EU funding to support its further development, and visited the renovated Glavni trg square together with the mayor of Novo mesto.

Today, the Slovenian Government visited the South-East Slovenia (Jugovzhodna Slovenija) region, which comprises the municipalities of Črnomelj, Dolenjske Toplice, Kočevje, Kostel, Loški Potok, Metlika, Mirna, Mirna Peč, Mokronog - Trebelno, Novo mesto, Osilnica, Ribnica, Semič, Sodražica, Straža, Šentjernej, Šentrupert, Škocjan, Šmarješke Toplice, Trebnje and Žužemberk.

Today, Slovenian Minister of the Interior and the current holder of the Presidency of the EU Home Affairs Council Aleš Hojs held a conversation with the Polish Minister of the Interior Mariusz Kamiński about the current situation on the Poland-Belarus border, where, as the Polish Minister said a new illegal migration route is being established.

Ministry of the Interior held a virtual ministerial conference on the prevention and investigation of child sexual abuse in the framework of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU. The Minister of the Interior Aleš Hojs, who is currently presiding the EU Home Affairs Council, chaired the ministerial conference.

On 7 and 8 July 2021, the Presidency organised a virtual expert workshop entitled ‘Towards Disaster Resilience Goals: setting the scene, enabling discussion and designing a common approach for the development of the Union disaster resilience goals in the area of civil protection.