Today Slovenia launched national test blockchain infrastructure SI-Chain, which will enable testing of existing and new blockchain applications for public and private sector. Slovenia is first Member State of EU established blockchain test infrastructure, after last week's announcement of China on similar plans in the future. Within the EU framework, Slovenia will activelly participate in the development of use-cases, implemented on European Blockchain Services Infrastructure.

Madrid is hosting the 25th UN Climate Change Conference bringing together states parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to discuss efforts against climate change. Members of the Green Group (Slovenia, Iceland, Costa Rica, Singapore, Cabo Verde and the United Arab Emirates), jointly striving for an effective response to environmental challenges, called for more ambitious climate action in a Joint Ministerial Statement.

Minister Dr Miro Cerar held a working meeting with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas today to discuss bilateral cooperation and key issues within the European Union. Also today, the Trio partners, Germany, Portugal and Slovenia, submitted their draft 18-month Trio Presidency programme to the General Secretariat of the Council of the EU.

Today, the world marks International Human Rights Day, which this year celebrates the efforts of young people to engage in the promotion and protection of human rights. Slovenia strives every day to promote respect for human rights, including in its foreign policy, and today, Foreign Minister Dr Cerar and other Slovenian representatives join in various international events dedicated to this goal.

On the second day of his visit to Kosovo, Prime Minister Marjan Šarec met with members of the 40th Slovenian contingent in Peć. After an official reception with military honours, the prime minister met with commander of the multinational battlegroup Regional Command West (RC West) Daniele Pisani. The majority of the Slovenian contingent is present and established on missions in this area of KFOR’s operations.

After visiting members of the Slovenian contingent in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Prime Minister Marjan Šarec spent the afternoon meeting members of the Slovenian contingent serving with KFOR in Kosovo and KFOR commander Major General Michele Risi.

Today marks the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime, unanimously declared by the UN General Assembly at the initiative of Armenia in 2015. On 9 December 1948, the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the first document to have a significant impact on combating and preventing the crime of genocide. The purpose of the day is to commemorate the victims of this crime and also to raise awareness of the Convention and to prevent developments that may lead to mass atrocities.

Slovenian Prime Minister Marjan Šarec is currently on a two-day working visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo. On the first day he met with members of the Slovenian contingent in Bosnia and Herzegovina, who are working as part of EUFOR’s Operation Althea and the NATO forces in Sarajevo.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Miro Cerar today took part in the Rome MED 2019 international conference – Mediterranean Dialogues as a panellist on migration management. Commitment to solidarity, multilateralism and a joint European approach is prerequisite to finding effective solutions, in which Slovenia will remain a credible partner.

During his visit to Rome, Foreign Minister Dr Miro Cerar met with Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Luigi Di Maio. The counterparts endorsed strengthening bilateral relations and cooperation at the European and regional levels. Minister Cerar outlined the expectations of the Slovenian national minority regarding its representation in the Italian parliament and the restitution of the National Hall in Trieste.

At today’s session the government adopted the Cultural Heritage Strategy 2020-23, a Plan of Investment in Transport and Transport Infrastructure 2020-25 and a National Strategy for Prevention of Terrorism and Violent Extremism.

Today marks the closure of the project, which was initiated on 8 March by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with women ambassadors to Slovenia. At the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, participating students were first informed of the activities for the promotion of Slovenia and its brand 'I Feel Slovenia', and later they were acquainted with the functioning of the Office of Youth and the role of the youth delegate to the United Nations.

Luxembourg hosted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Plenary Meeting between 2 and 5 December. Slovenia reaffirmed its commitment to remembrance of the Holocaust and the need to disseminate knowledge of the tragic historical events to prevent such horrors from happening ever again.

Slovenian Prime Minister Marjan Šarec attended the NATO summit in London, the final event of the marking of this year’s 70th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Public procurement affects our lives significantly which is why the quality of how we implement public procurement procedures is in the interest of us all believe the participant of the International conference Public procurement in Slovenia and the European Union: Ensuring transparency and integrity in the use of public funding. Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy participated in the conference with the selected pilot project of energy-saving renovation of the Trbovlje General Hospital which was subject to EU funds support.

State Secretary dr. Nevenka Ribič attended the 3rd conference “Programme of projects eSpace” which focused on the 3-year programme implementation period and the presentation of the achievements and results of the project in the field of spatial management, construction and real-estate management. In her address the State Secretary underlined the fact that the projects contribute to our development and that such projects are also welcomed in the next financial perspective.

Foreign Minister Dr Miro Cerar concludes his two-day official visit to Belgrade. Foreign Minister Dr Miro Cerar and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić met today to discuss economic cooperation between the two countries, regional challenges, the dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo, the EU’s enlargement policy. At the Serbian National Assembly, the Slovenian delegation was met by its Speaker Maja Gojković.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy, the Managing Authority for ERDF, ESF and Cohesion Fund, issued a grant decision for three projects in the field of developing research infrastructure for enhancing the international competitiveness of the Slovenian RDI field, namely SI-LifeWatch, RI-SI-EATRIS and RI-SI-ELIXIR. European Regional Development Fund contribution for all three projects amounts to EUR 8.4 million.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy, Managing Authority for ERDF, ESF and Cohesion Fund, issued a grant decision for the call for proposals “Support for micro, small and medium-sized tourism-related companied to enhance their material and energy efficiency” to be published by Ministry of Economic Development and Technology on Friday. The total European Regional Development Fund support available under the call for proposals stands at EUR 21.5 million of which EUR 18 million will be allocated to cohesion region Vzhodna Slovenija and EUR 3.5 million to cohesion region Zahodna Slovenija.

Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy, Managing Authority for ERDF, ESF and Cohesion Fund, issued a grant decision for the project “Zone at Pild – stage 2”. The project worth EUR 1.4 million will receive European Regional Development Fund support in the amount of EUR 375,000.