Prime Minister Janez Jansa and Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel underlined the economic and political importance of the Caspian region as they opened the Caspian Outlook 2008 conference at Bled on Saturday. They said the forum would not be a political showing, but a big brainstorm for debates about key issues affecting the world. Explaining the reason why the Caspian has been chosen as the first topic of the newly-established Bled Strategic Forum, Rupel said the first answer was energy. "I think we all agree as to the strategic importance of Caspian energy; the prerogative is to develop the Caspian region into a transparent, stable and competitive energy partner," he said.
The foreign ministers of Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan voiced the desire for a future in Euro-Atlantic organisations as they spoke at a panel on the EU's neighbourhood policy at the Caspian Outlook 2008 conference at Bled on Monday. They welcomed the fact that the South Caucasus is becoming an important part of the neighbourhood policy.
Slovenian oil trader Petrol and Russian oil giant Lukoil signed a framework agreement to establish a joint venture for the sale of oil derivatives in Central and SE Europe.
The Caspian region is gaining in strategic importance for Europe due to its rich energy sources, and it will become the EU's immediate neighbourhood once Romania and Bulgaria become full-fledged members. Answers to some of the questions about the bloc's future policy towards the region are expected at the Caspian Outlook 2008 conference, which started at Bled on Sunday. More »
With its reserves of oil and gas the Caspian region will play a key role on European and global energy markets, agreed the participants of the first panel organised at the Caspian Outlook 2008 conference on Sunday. More »
PM Janez Jansa expressed Slovenia's support for further strengthening of cooperation between the EU and the Caspian region as he met Azeri President Ilham Aliyev on Sunday as part of the Caspian Outlook 2008 conference at Bled. More »
Prime Minister Janez Jansa and Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel underlined the economic and political importance of the Caspian region as they opened the Caspian Outlook 2008 conference at Bled on Saturday. They said the forum would not be a political showing, but a big brainstorm for debates about key issues affecting the world. More »
The foreign ministers of Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan voiced the desire for a future in Euro-Atlantic organisations as they spoke at a panel on the EU's neighbourhood policy at the Caspian Outlook 2008 conference at Bled on Monday. More »
Slovenian PM Janez Jansa talked to his Croatian counterpart Ivo Sanader following media reports about activities by a Croatian construction company in a disputed stretch of land near the Hotiza border crossing. "I believe this will be resolved so that there are no actions which would deteriorate the situation," Jansa told the press on Monday. More »
President Janez Drnovsek expects that his special envoy to Sudan's region of Darfur, Tomo Kriznar, will be released from prison soon. "According to official and unofficial information we've got, Kriznar's case is going on well," Drnovsek said on Monday. More »
Azeri President Ilham Aliyev stressed that good possibilities are opening up for cooperation between Azerbaijan and the EU in the field of energy, as he met his Slovenian host and counterpart Janez Drnovsek in Brdo pri Kranju on Monday. More »
The government adopted Thursday the act on execution of judgments in civil matters and insurance of claims, with Justice Minister Lovro Sturm explaining after the session that the amendments are designed to tackle court backlogs. More »
Minister of Labour, Family and Social Affairs Janez Drobnic presented the press on Monday a series of 14 debates on the social inclusion of people who are hard to employ, stressing that rather favourable conditions in Slovenia are also a result of financial aid of the European Social Fund. More »
Slovenia's lone oil refinery Nafta Lendava is likely to be privatised, 61 years after being established. A letter of intent on such a move was signed on Monday by Slovenian Economy Minister Andrej Vizjak and Vagit Alekperov, chairman of Russia's oil giant Lukoil. More »
Slovenian oil trader Petrol and Russian oil giant Lukoil signed a framework agreement to establish a joint venture for the sale of oil derivatives in Central and SE Europe, representatives of both companies said after signing the deal in Ljubljana on Monday. More »
Agriculture Minister Marija Lukacic promised new measures to help Slovenian agriculture as she delivered the opening address at the 44th International Agriculture and Food Fair in Gornja Radgona on Saturday. More »
Slovenia is thinking about sending between 10 and 20 soldiers to the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel told his counterparts at Friday's extraordinary meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels. More »
The 12th Sarajevo Film Festival, the biggest film festival in South-Eastern Europe, closed on Saturday with Slovenian filmmakers Marko Santic and Blaz Kutin bagging three prestigious prizes. More »