We publish the response of the Ministry to the news about the brutal exploitation of foreign workers by the companies Marinblu and Selea and the inspection procedures which are underway regarding this case. The relevant statement provided below was given by State Secretary Dan Juvan.

At today’s meeting with the representatives of nursing care and the primary level, the Minister set the foundations for solid cooperation.

Acting Director-General for Multilateral Affairs and Development Cooperation Eva Tomič took part in the first Mediterranean Ministerial Dialogue on the Food Security Crisis via audio-video link. The event was organised by Italy within the scope of G7 to enhance regional activities in the area of safe food supply.

Today, Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Fajon hosted the Federal Minister for European and International Affairs of the Republic of Austria Alexander Schallenberg. This was the first bilateral meeting she has hosted since assuming her duties.

On 20 December 2018, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the decision to proclaim June 7th World Food Safety Day, which is being marked this year for the fourth time. This year’s slogan is “Safer food, better health”.

Yesterday, the National Assembly confirmed the 15th Government of the Republic of Slovenia and appointed Dr Asta Vrečko as the new Minister of Culture. The handover took place today at the Ministry of Culture. After assuming office, Ms Vrečko thanked outgoing Minister Vasko Simoniti for the handover note, outlined her vision for the management of the Ministry of Culture and announced a strategically oriented cultural policy that has been neglected for 10 years.

After the handover, the newly-appointed Minister of the Interior, Tatjana Bobnar, and the Acting Director General of the Police, Boštjan Lindav gave a statement to the media.

The campaign “30 Years of Slovenia’s UN Membership” concluded with a virtual round table organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Slovenian UN Association to discuss the past and the future of the Organization.

World No Tobacco Day is commemorated on 31 May. This year’s focus is on the harmful effects of tobacco on the environment under the slogan, Tobacco: Threat to Our Environment. To this end, the Ministry of Health together with the National Institute of Public Health, the WHO Regional Office for Europe and non-governmental organisations involved in tobacco today organised a national symposium on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day.

One of the most important Slovenian writers, a fighter for the national rights of Slovenians living abroad and an advocate of the importance of a nation, a Slovenian living in Italy and a great man has died today aged 108.

Minister Jože Podgoršek attended the Agriculture and Fisheries Council. The European Commission reported on the market situation for agri-food products in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Ministers adopted Council conclusions on vaccination as a complementary tool to current measures for the prevention and control of the highly pathogenic avian influenza. Numerous initiatives launched by member states were discussed as AOB items.

Minister of Health Janez Poklukar addressed delegates at the 75th World Health Assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO). The Assembly is being held in Geneva, Switzerland, on 22–28 May 2022. The theme of this year’s Health Assembly is ‘Health for peace, peace for health.’

From 17th to 19th May, Slovenian Nuclear Safety Administration hosted an international cyber security exercise in nuclear facilities – KiVA2022, which represents the interface between nuclear safety, security, emergency preparedness and cyber security.

This year’s Forest Week (23–29 May 2022) focuses on forest care, which is the main tool guiding forest development as the foundation of diligent forest management. All properly maintained forests have a diligent owner and professional forester. Contemporary forest care takes into account conventional forest care principles, is geared towards the streamlining of measures, subjecting a portion of the forest stands to natural regeneration, and closely adapts to natural and social circumstances and to forest management objectives in an environment with an unstable climate.

The second Golden Bee Award was awarded today on World Bee Day. Boštjan Noč, President of the Slovenian Beekeepers' Association, received the award. Alojz Kovšča, President of the National Council of the Republic of Slovenia, presented the award at the ceremony attended by Jože Podgoršek, Minister and Chair of the Golden Bee Award Committee, and Urška Klakočar Zupančič, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia. Numerous events were held around the world to celebrate today's World Bee Day.

State Secretary Dr Stanislav Raščan took part in the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in its development configuration. The ministers discussed the global implications of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, with special focus on food security, on refugee issues with the guest, United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, on a coordinated approach in multilateral forums and on the new financial architecture for development.

We will be celebrating three very important nature-related events in the upcoming days – the European Natura 2000 Day (21 May), the International Day for Biological Diversity (22 May), and the European Day of Parks (24 May). Slovenia is one of the most biodiverse countries in Europe. This is also witnessed by the fact that our country has the largest share of Natura 2000 areas among all the EU member states, comprising approx. 37 per cent of the country’s area. We are making great efforts of preserving nature in Slovenia in our secured areas, which comprise 14 per cent of Slovenia’s area.

On 18 May 2022, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted the Research Infrastructure Roadmap 2030 (NRRI 2030). NRRI 2030 is an implementation document of the Resolution on Research and Innovation Strategy of Slovenia 2030 (ReZrIS30) revising all field segments, i.e. priority international projects as well as national priority areas within research infrastructures. This will be followed by a presentation and definitions of links with the Smart Specialisation Strategy and a presentation of different ways of funding research infrastructures.

The Minister of Defence Matej Tonin today attended a session of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels composed of the defence ministers of the European Union. The session was intended for discussion on the implementation of the Strategic Compass, with an emphasis on the future operations and missions of the Common Security and Defence Policy and the military aggression against Ukraine.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Anže Logar attended the regular EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting, chaired by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell in Brussels. The main topics were the Western Balkans and the Russian aggression against Ukraine. The EU–Canada Joint Ministerial Council meeting took place prior to the Council session.