Prime Ministers of Slovenia

Ljubljana – The National Assembly has narrowly rejected opposition-sponsored changes to the act on the construction of a new railway line between the port of Koper and Divača seeking to strike out the option that allows foreign capital to be invested in the project. Coalition MPs pointed to the role of foreign countries in the port’s development.

Brussels – Following several calls to speed up appointment of Slovenia’s two delegated European prosecutors, Justice Minister Lilijana Kozlovič says she has done all in her power, while it is now on the government as a whole to act. The minister is in Brussels as part of Slovenia’s preparations for EU presidency.

Athens – Prime Minister Janez Janša presented the priorities of the upcoming Slovenian EU presidency at the Delphi Economic Forum in Athens on Monday before meeting his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis and European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas. He highlighted resilience to health crises and cyber attacks, and the European way of life.

Ljubljana – Foreign Minister Anže Logar expressed Slovenia’s full support for the fight for democracy in Belarus as he hosted on Monday Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. The latter called for further support for the movement and for its cause to remain high on the EU agenda.

Brussels – Vice President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency Vera Jourova announced on World Press Freedom Day a visit to Slovenia to “test the waters” and start a dialogue on an initiative promoting security of journalists. She also also hopes to meet Prime Minister Janez Janša.

Paris – Prime Minister Janez Janša met French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Thursday to discuss the countries’ successive presidencies of the Council of the EU. Macron said before the talks that coordination was needed because of the extraordinary circumstances in which the two countries will hold the presidency.

Ljubljana – The European Commission has approved, under EU state aid rules, EUR 2.5 million granted by Slovenia to the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) in compensation to fulfil its public service mission.

Ljubljana – The Labour Ministry announced on Thursday, the European Day of Solidarity between Generations, that Slovenia would host a conference focussing on population ageing during its presidency of the Council of the EU. The conference will particularly stress the importance of intergenerational solidarity and cooperation, the ministry said.

A firmer stance from Brussels - noticeably missing last week - against a controversial document proposing border changes in the Western Balkans would help calm the growing anxieties in the region, analysts said. At the same time, regional and international actors contacted by EURACTIV firmly rejected ideas from the phantom non-paper.

Ljubljana – President Borut Pahor rejected “naive and dangerous” ideas of redrawing borders in the Western Balkans as he addressed reporters on Friday in response to a non-paper floating the idea, arguing the EU’s accelerated enlargement to the region would best to silence such ideas.