Slovenia

Jože Pučnik, a key protagonist of Slovenia's democratisation and independence, was honoured on the 20th anniversary of his death on 11 January with President Nataša Pirc Musar describing him as a model statesman. The party that he used to lead organised a commemoration in Ljubljana.

NBA superstar Luka Dončić will continue to work with the Slovenian Tourist Board (STO) on promoting Slovenia as a tourism destination this year. The cooperation is valued at €100,000.

"Top athletes are excellent ambassadors of our country and of the I feel Slovenia brand," the STO said in announcing cooperation with several Slovenian athletes this year.

Ljubljana has enjoyed great benefits from holding the title of European Best Destination in 2022. The city's tourism board estimates the promotional value of the title at more more than €10 million.

There was celebration and joy on both sides of the Slovenian-Croatian border as Croatia joined the Schengen area and adopted the euro on 1 January. More than 30 years after the countries broke away from Yugoslavia, their citizens are once again using the same currency and can cross the border freely.

Slovenia has been a major donor to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s invasion and has recently donated ambulances and power equipment as part of a deliberate shift from military to non-military aid.

The business and investment environment in Japan and Slovenia, opportunities for cooperation, and examples of best practice in smart cities, mobility and robotics topped the agenda of the Slovenian-Japanese Business Forum, organised on Wednesday by Spirit Slovenia and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO).

Professor Bojan Mohar from the Ljubljana Faculty of Mathematics has become the first Slovenian researcher to win the prestigious ERC Synergy Grant. He will be part of an international team researching the dynamics of karst watercourses and the occurrence of phenomena in extreme situations such as floods and droughts.

Brussels – Slovenian Minister for Digital Transformation Emilija Stojmenova Duh met two EU commissioners in Brussels on Monday, discussing with Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton Slovenia’s more active participation in the EU’s efforts to increase its resilience and competitiveness in semiconductor technologies.

After a campaign that saw many twists and turns, Slovenians will head to the polls on Sunday to cast their vote in the presidential election although the country’s fifth president is not expected to be elected until the run-off on 13 November.

Ljubljana – Slovenia ranks 21st among 193 countries in the latest United Nations e-government survey 2022. The country gained two spots compared to 2020, showing progress in all components of the survey, the Public Administration Ministry said in a press release on Monday.