eNEWSLETTER EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF IN TEL AVIV September – October 2018

New Government in Slovenia

A minority Centre-left coalition government under Prime Minister Marjan Šarec was formed in Slovenia on 14 September, 2018. Former Prime Minister is the new Foreign Minister, succeeding Karl Erjavec who became Defense Minister. The Government named as Deputy Prime Ministers the Minister of Finance Andrej Bertoncelj, Minister of Defense Karl Erjavec, Minister of Education, Science and Sport Jernej Pikalo, Minister of Infrastructure Alenka Bratušek and Minister of Foreign Affairs Miro Cerar.

The Marjan Šarec government pose for a group photo after being sworn in parliament. Photo: Tamino Petelinšek/STA

Just over three months after the general election, Slovenia has, as predicted, gained its thirteenth government, a coalition of five parties: LMŠ, SD, SMC, SAB and DeSUS. The ministerial team of the new government of Marjan Šarec was approved by the National Assembly with the support of 45 lawmakers. Following the handover between the former and the new prime minister, the government met for its first session. Marjan Šarec heads the first minority government in the history of independent Slovenia as the youngest prime minister to date. He announced that his government's first priority will be the country now entrusted to it, and that it will be capable of looking after citizens' interests. Source: www.vlada.si 1 Koper Port Day at Carlton hotel, Tel Aviv

On October 16, 2018 the port of Koper organized for the fourth consecutive year a business event in cooperation with the Embassy of Slovenia.

The business event included B2B meetings, welcome addresses by the Ambassador of Slovenia Ms. Barbara Sušnik and Member of the Management Board of the Port of Koper, Mr. Metod Podkrižnik, presentations of the achievements of the Koper Port and new railway connections to Central Europe, followed by a reception. Fourty representatives of the Koper Port senior management and the Slovenian logistic providers, and more than 120 Israeli partners participated at the event. The Port of Koper offers the shortest sea route from Israel to the markets of Central Europe.

Welcome address by the Ambassador of Slovenia Ms. Barbara Sušnik and Member of the Management Board of the Port of Koper Mr. Metod Podkrižnik. Photos: VTA

Port of Koper in Europe, Photo: VTA

2 Meeting with the Honorary Consuls of Slovenia in Israel On October 9, 2018 Ambassador Ms. Barbara Sušnik and Deputy Mr. Blaž Masle met with Honorary Consuls of Slovenia in Israel Mr. Adi Rosenfeld and Mr. Eival Gilady at the official residence of the Ambassador, and discussed ongoing cooperation between the countries.

Lt: H.C. Adi Rosenfeld, Ambassador Barbara Sušnik, H.C. Eival Gilady and DHOM Blaž Masle, Photo: VTA

Business Breakfast at the residence On 24 October 2018, Ambassador Barbara Sušnik hosted at her residence in Tel Aviv, in cooperation with Honorary Consul Adi Rosenfeld, a business breakfast for young Israeli entrepreneurs. Ideas for further cooperation were discussed and information on business relations exchanged.

Ambassador Barbara Sušnik, Honorary Consul Adi Rosenfeld at the business breakfast. Photos:VTA

3 Bled Strategic Forum 2018

Photo: Tamino Petelinšek/STA The 13th Bled Strategic Forum (BSF) the largest and most diverse Forum to date, which featured 30 different discussions, excellent debaters and relevant topics, convened on September 10-11,2018. The Forum included 1200 guests from more than 60 countries. At the close of the Forum, State Secretary Andrej Logar noted that the Bled Strategic Forum is becoming a key hub in this part of Europe for exchanges of ideas and in-depth conversations about the most significant issues which are at this moment not only on the international relations agenda, but also that of society as a whole. Among the highlights of this year’s BSF he mentioned the panel with Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator for Brexit, who offered some very serious thoughts about the future of relations between the EU and Great Britain and indicated the direction in which the EU will operate in the future. By hosting the BSF we are aiming to create an inclusive society of politicians, members of civil society and businesspeople who gather in Bled in order to promote the values of solidarity, mutual respect and understanding, and the willingness to join in difficult debates, with the goal of obtaining answers to the most pressing regional and global socio- political questions. We also would like events to be held under the “BSF brand” throughout the entire year, which will represent an introduction to the annual September conference in Bled. The first seeds of such events could be seen already this year. On the second day of the BSF, the discussions on various panels focused on the future of the EU and the factors that connect us within it, joint/global efforts towards a sustainable future, climate change, the digital transformation of societies, mediation in the new multipolar world, cyber security, the 20th anniversary of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, the fate of mankind in the technological age and the future of the Western Balkans. Welcoming prominent guests from Europe and beyond, the Bled Strategic Forum has established itself as an important annual gathering aimed at making commitments for the implementation of new strategies designed to confront the most pressing issues of today’s Europe and the world. Organized jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and the Centre for European Perspective, the Bled Strategic Forum is one of the leading international conferences in the region. The next, 14th BSF will be held on 2 and 3 September 2019 Source: http://www.vlada.si

4 Slovenian jazz musician Uroš Perič & LadyJazz Trio performance in Israel 13 to 20 October, 2018 Uroš Perič's concert took place on 18 and 19 October, 2018 in Tel Aviv Museum of Art. A full Recanati hall enjoyed the wonderful music, with Gašper Bertoncelj on drums, and accompanied by the Ladyjazz Trio. Hot Jazz for kids' event took place the next day with Lavi Zytner. Uros Perič is a musician singer/ songwriter, who became well known for his great interpretations of songs from the golden age of blues, jazz and soul and also for his own compositions as an author of numerous songs. By now he has performed countless times in more than 18 states in Europe, Russian federation and in the USA and Africa. At his concerts he is bringing the music and the experience of the great jazz and blues shows which were a part of everybody` s life in the past to this day and age. His piano playing is laid back, very bluesy, jazzy and can be somewhat compared to the great Gene Harris and his powerful and soulful voice which is a characteristic signature of Uros has a Mr. Charles feel to it but still different ring to it. Retro but also fresh. When you see him playing the piano, singing and swaying he always brings the audiences to eruptive applause. It is very clear that the genius of Ray Charles had the biggest impact on Uros musical expression. Other musicians Uros was influenced by are Nat King Cole, Aretha Franklin, Ben Webster, Dinah Washington, Gene Harris, Erroll Garner, Gladys Knight, Donnie Hathaway, Quincy Jones, David Fathead Newman, Hank Crawford, Billie Holliday, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke and others. In fact Uros is by musical critics a very rare white musician with a vocal and a feel of a black blues, jazz or soul musician. Source: https://urosperich.com

Lt: Uroš Perič and Ladyjazz Trio, Rt: Uroš Perič, Ambassador Barbara Sušnik and Gašper Bertoncelj, after the concert. Photos: VTA

5 ECONOMY

Bilateral trade between Slovenia and Israel is on the rise. It reached EUR 120.0 million in 2017, an increase of 30 % compared to 2016. The Slovenian export to Israel amounted to EUR 52.9 million and import from Israel to Slovenia EUR 67.1 million. In the first half of 2018, the bilateral trade reached EUR 81.9 million, which represents 34 % increase compared to the same period of last year. In 2017, 60,340 Israeli tourists visited Slovenia and they accounted for 198,000 over-night stays.

Slovenia registered GDP growth of 5.0 % in 2017, which ranks it among the fastest growing developed countries. The GDP growth projection for this year (2018) is 4.5 %. The GDP growth is driven by the export, which increased by 10.6 % in 2017. Slovenia's unemployment rate is seen falling to 5.8% this year and further to 5.4% next year, from 6.6% in 2017.

Slovenia also recorded the sharpest decrease in general government debt in the EU in the second quarter of the year, show the latest figures released by Eurostat. Its debt stood at 72.8% of GDP, down a full 2.8 percentage points on the first quarter and a 7.4-point improvement over the year before. At both the quarterly and annual levels, Slovenia saw the biggest improvement among all members of the bloc. Slovenia (a surplus of 0.6% of GDP) was also among only five countries to have posted a general government surplus in the same period.

Dorit Rabinyan's book "Gader Haya" is now translated into Slovenian language

Israeli author Dorit Rabinyan’s story of an affair across the Israeli- Palestinian divide is now available in Slovenian language.

The novel was published in the series "Library for the People" in 2014 and won the author's Bernstein Literature Prize in 2015.

6 October 1 - International day of older persons. Slovenian Government committed to helping the elderly

PM Marjan Šarec at the annual Third Age Festival, which was organised at conference center Cankarjev Dom. Photo: Tamino Petelinšek/STA

“For a long time, being elderly has no longer meant that you have to think of yourself as being on your final walk of life. If you can avoid illness, this period of our lives can be a wonderful, new, and peaceful time, where you can get in step with the younger generation in a different way. During these times when society is thirsting for money, values are losing their meaning. This includes the concepts of interpersonal respect and intergenerational connections and cooperation. It is right to promote these values, and it is right to treat each other like human beings”, said Prime Minister Marjan Šarec on 1 October, International Day of Older Persons.

Among EU Member States, Slovenia ranks among those in which the population is ageing the fastest. The percentage of people 65 and older was just above 18 percent in 2016, and it is forecast to account for a quarter of the population by 2030.

The current government has made the provision of long-term care one of its key tasks, which will allow beneficiaries free choice of the type of care they want, with high-quality social and medical services. It will be introducing long-term care insurance, which will provide urgently needed additional resources and support long-term care within the community, so that older people can live at home for longer.

It will also be crucial to adapt housing policy to the ageing population and establish appropriate sheltered housing networks and productive cooperation with non- governmental organizations that assist older persons in their everyday lives.

Prime Minister Šarec was at the Cankarjev dom conference and cultural center on Monday as the sponsor of the 18th Festival of the Third Age, and was also the featured speaker at the opening ceremony. The festival is dedicated to active ageing, improving the quality of life of older people and creating solidarity between generations, and offers a wide range of professional, educational and cultural activities. The Festival of the Third Age, which began on International Day of Older Persons, opens its doors every year at this time and makes a substantive contribution to sustainable intergenerational solutions.

In his address, the prime minister therefore noted that pensions are not a social transfer, but wages for past work. Similarly, older people should not be pushed to the margins of society. “The third stage of life can be exceptionally creative and pleasant, if you are

7 healthy enough and your material needs are taken care of,” he said, adding that the government also has a role to play in this. Source: www.vlada.si

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

Slovenia is a social state and that solidarity and respect for human dignity must be our values, minister Klampfer commented. Photo: Mostphotos

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1992, is observed every year on 17 October. The eradication of all forms of poverty around the world is also the first objective of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted at the UN Sustainable Development Summit in 2015.

According to figures from the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, the at-risk-of- poverty rate was 13.3% in 2017, while the social exclusion rate was 17.1%. Both rates have fallen in comparison to 2016, the former by 0.6% and the latter by 1.3%. In 2017 the annual at-risk-of-poverty threshold was 7,628 euros (232 euros higher than in 2016) or 636 euros per month.

This year the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities has eliminated the last of the austerity measures introduced by the Fiscal Balance Act.

The Government has also adopted the draft Act amending the Social Assistance Benefits Act, with the aim of maintaining the current social security threshold for recipients of social benefits after 1 January 2019.

Labour minister Ksenija Klampfer commented that Slovenia is a social state and that solidarity and respect for human dignity must be our values.

Slovenia awarded the title of European Region of Gastronomy 2021

This is recognition to all participants involved in the project and an additional opportunity in the efforts to make Slovenia globally recognized as a top gastronomic destination for boutique 5-star experiences focused on sustainability. Photo: Tomo Jeseničnik/STO

8 Slovenia has been awarded the title of European Region of Gastronomy 2021 at a ceremony in Brussels. This title, which is extremely important for Slovenian tourism , is an additional opportunity to ensure that Slovenia becomes globally recognized as a sustainably oriented, top gastronomic destination for boutique five-star experiences.

Slovenia has 24 gastronomic regions and 365 regional dishes and beverages – which sounds wonderful, because this means you can try a new one every day of the year, said the Slovenian Ambassador, Rado Genorio, in his speech at the ceremony.

"We firmly believe that it is possible to present the essence of our country through gastronomy," said Tanja Strniša, State Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, on receiving the award. She also highlighted characteristic products such as salt from the northernmost saltworks in the Adriatic, honey produced by indigenous Slovenian bees, and wine that has been drunk here since antiquity. She pointed out that we can be proud that many Slovenian products are protected at EU level, including Teran wine, Carniolan sausage, gibanica layer cake from Prekmurje and Tolminc cheese.

She added that through the European Region of Gastronomy project, Slovenia will promote sustainable development and local self-sufficiency and help connect rural and urban areas. Slovenia is due to hold the EU presidency in the second half of the same year, and this will be a further opportunity to promote Slovenian food and wine.

Economic development and technology minister Zdravko Počivalšek commented that the awarding of the prestigious title of European Region of Gastronomy 2021 to Slovenia is an affirmation of the good development and promotional project under way in the gastronomic field as part of the Strategy for the Sustainable Growth of Slovenian Tourism 2017–2021, and a recognition for all the partners in the project, who through their activities, programmes and projects are blurring the boundaries between food, culture, creativity and tourism, supporting cultural and culinary innovation in the local environment, crossing national borders to promote cooperation between European regions, teaching about cultural and gastronomic diversity, raising awareness about the origins of food, food safety and nutrition, and supporting local food producers. Source: www.vlada.si

ENVIRONMENT

Clean up Slovenia campaign returned on the third Saturday in September

This is the third such campaign in Slovenia’s history, after the first in 2010 and the second two years later. Photo: Anže Malovrh/STA

On 15 September, the Ecologists Without Borders association planned a national volunteer clean-up campaign entitled Clean Up Slovenia. This is the third such 9 campaign in Slovenia’s history, after the first in 2010 and the second two years later. However, this year’s campaign not only focused on collecting rubbish, but featured a range of other activities.

As in 2012, the project was held as part of the global initiative World Cleanup Day, Thousands of volunteers who helped clean up Slovenia.

Nearly 70 percent of Slovenia’s municipalities participated, with emphasis on cleaning up wildcat dumping sites, including the trimming of tree-lined avenues, planting trees, painting benches and organizing playgrounds.

While the first two Clean Up Slovenia campaigns led to the collection of nearly 20,000 tons of waste, the volunteers collected mainly packaging, which is the biggest problem in the environment. Source: www.vlada.si

SPORT

Slovenian climber on top of the world

The young climber from Koroška has put Slovenia decisively on the sport climbing map. Photo: Stanko Gruden/STA

Slovenian Janja Garnbret has triumphed at the most prestigious sport climbing event, becoming the first and only climber in the world to win the world title in three different disciplines.

She managed to reach two milestones at the recent world championships in Innsbruck at the age of barely 19: having already won gold in Lead in Paris 2016 (as the second-youngest world champion ever), she followed this up with golds in Bouldering and Combined in Austria, becoming the youngest competitor in history with a hat-trick of golds in the three events.

With her success at the sport climbing world championships, she has managed to author one of Slovenia’s greatest sporting tales. The 19-year-old, who took her school-leaving exams this year, took three medals home from Innsbruck – two golds and one silver in three different disciplines – in the process becoming the first winner of the Olympic Combined. As the youngest competitor in history, she became the first climber to win a hat-trick of gold medals in Lead, Bouldering and Combined.

The increasing popularity of sport climbing means that it has now become part of the Olympic family of events, and the Combined event will make its first appearance at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 2020. Slovenia’s latest climbing successes bode well for the sport’s Olympic debut in two years’ time. 10 ANNOUNCEMENTS

Slovenian Jazz Drummer Gašper Bertoncelj's new project "Taking Time" concert will take place on Thursday, 29 November, 2018 at Tel Aviv Museum of Art, 27 Shaul Hamelech Blvd., Tel Aviv featuring Israeli's most finest musicians, Gasper's original music and some songs out of The Great American songbook will be premiered at the Tel Aviv Jazz Festival 2018.

The ensemble just recorded the new material which will be released in the next year. The Tel Aviv audience will have the privilege to hear the new songs first, so please reserve the date and buy the tickets already today! :-)

The featuring musicians are: Yonatan Voltzok – trombone, Arad Yeini – trumpet,Ofer Ganor – guitar, Yonatan Levy – bass, Gašper Bertoncelj – drums.

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