State Secretary Dr Stanislav Raščan met with Jutta Urpilainen, European Commissioner for International Partnerships, on the margins of the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers (Gymnich). In the context of current developments, State Secretary Dr Raščan and European Commissioner Urpilainen focused on the situation in Afghanistan, the development aspects of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the equitable distribution of vaccines.

Director-General for EU Affairs Barbara Sušnik hosted a videoconference meeting of the Trio Presidency of Slovenia, Germany and Portugal on 3 September 2021, which reviewed the achievements of the Slovenian Presidency and outlined the plans for the Council’s dossier management until the end of the year.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan, along with Deputy Director of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Nitin Natarajan, took part in the final part of the Cybersecurity Conference held from 2 to 3 September 2021 in Bled.

EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs are gathered at an informal meeting at Brdu pri Kranju (Gymnich). The two-day event hosted by Slovenian Foreign Ministers Dr Anže Logar and chaired by High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell provided a platform for an open debate on the Union’s future efforts in Afghanistan and the EU-China relationship.

State Secretary Stanislav Raščan and Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia Teimuraz Janjalia held bilateral political consultations in Ljubljana. They agreed that the bilateral cooperation is characterised by positive dynamics, with many opportunities for further enhancement, especially in tourism. They exchanged views on current foreign policy and security regional issues and discussed Georgia’s cooperation with the EU and NATO.

State Secretary dr. Stanislav Raščan had a courtesy call with General Claudio Graziano, Chairman of the Military Committee of the European Union (EUMC).

Today, Prime Minister Janez Janša received the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of India, Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, on a working visit.

This was the main topic discussed by the participants at the Cybersecurity Conference today in Bled, which was organised by the Government Information Security Office in cooperation with the Ministry of Public Administration as part of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU. Minister of Public Administration Boštjan Koritnik and Acting Director of the Government Information Security Office Uroš Svete opened the conference by addressing the participants.

Foreign Minister Anže Logar participated in three panels at the Bled Strategic Forum today. The first panel focused on the possibilities of enhanced cooperation in the North Adriatic and the second discussed the geostrategic role of the Mediterranean, while the third emphasised the possibilities of cooperation between the European Union and India in the Indo-Pacific region.

Minister Anže Logar today hosted Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister of the Republic of India. This is the first visit to Slovenia at the level of foreign ministers in 30 years. The Indian Minister is also a guest of this year’s Bled Strategic Forum and will be attending a working lunch on the margins of the informal meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers (Gymnich) at Brdo pri Kranju.

Minister of the Interior Aleš Hojs presented the Slovenian Presidency's priorities to members of the LIBE Committee. The priorities include the current migration situation.

Foreign Minister Anže Logar met with NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană on the fringes of the Bled Strategic Forum today. In the light of current developments, the two high officials focused on the situation in Afghanistan and condemned the recent terrorist attacks in Kabul.

State Secretary Dr Stanislav Raščan today received Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kenya and Chief Administrative Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ababu Namwamba.

Foreign Minister Anže Logar met with the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, on the margins of the Bled Strategic Forum. The talks focused on the current situation in Afghanistan and the future mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

Prime Minister Janez Janša today attended the 16th Bled Strategic Forum, which is being held under the title "The Future of Europe".

Prime Minister Janez Janša today attended the 16th Bled Strategic Forum, which is being held under the title "The Future of Europe".

An international conference on one of the thematic priorities of the Slovenian presidency – missing persons, in particular missing children – is taking place in Ljubljana today and tomorrow. The conference is held under the auspices of the Police Expert Network on Missing Persons, which was officially recognised by the Council’s Law Enforcement Working Party, and in cooperation with AMBER Alert Europe.

One of the flagship events of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU, the 16th Bled Strategic Forum, started with the opening addresses by its host, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia Dr Anže Logar, Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia Janez Janša and President of the European Council Charles Michel. “It is imperative we identify strategic responses to the challenges facing both our citizens' everyday lives, and those Europe as a continent might yet see. We must identify those policies where the EU is a global example and incorporate the lessons learned from the crises of the past decade,” urged Minister Dr Logar in his opening speech in the Bled Festival Hall.

Prime Minister Janez Janša attends the Bled Strategic Forum, which he opened with an opening address. The unauthorised Prime Minister's speech is published below.

Prime Minister Janez Janša is attending the 16th Bled Strategic Forum, which is being held under the theme "The Future of Europe".