187th regular session of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia

SLOVENIA, January 15 - The Government of the Republic of Slovenia took note of the Information on the state and pressures affecting the Slovenian sea and possible measures for its protection. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning prepared an assessment of the state of the marine environment, including an evaluation of the characteristics of the Slovenian sea and the identification of activities and interventions that represent sources of pollution and pressures on its condition. Due to the characteristics of a semi-enclosed bay and its shallowness (average depth of 16.2 metres), the Slovenian sea is an extremely sensitive ecosystem and is particularly vulnerable to external impacts, such as pressures arising from activities and uses of the sea, as well as climate change. Climate change is already significantly affecting the hydrological, physical and biological characteristics of the sea. Sea temperatures are rising, acidification is increasing, the concentration of dissolved oxygen is decreasing, sea levels are rising and the number of flood days is increasing. Non-native species, typically characteristic of warmer regions, are also appearing. The Slovenian sea is a biodiversity hotspot. Approximately 2,260 species have been recorded, representing around 13 per cent of all species in the Mediterranean Sea, although the Slovenian sea accounts for only 0.12 per cent of the Mediterranean’s surface area. The Slovenian sea is of exceptional importance to the coastal community. The sea and the coast are overburdened due to uses and activities at sea and along the coast. Possible measures to achieve good environmental status of the sea include: sustainable spatial planning, such as the establishment of blue corridors; the designation of nature protection areas and ensuring their connectivity; the prevention of damage to seabed habitats; control of the introduction of non-native species from maritime transport (ballast water) and monitoring the occurrence and impacts of potentially invasive species, such as the blue crab and tunicate; prevention of the release of legacy pollutants from sediments; prevention of increasing underwater noise caused by maritime traffic or, where this is not possible, adjustment of shipping routes so as not to endanger marine organisms; and the prevention of nutrient and pollutant inputs from urban coastal areas through the regulation or upgrading of wastewater collection and treatment systems.

The Government adopted a decision proclaiming 19 May as Lipizzaner Day in the Republic of Slovenia. The date holds special historical and cultural significance for Slovenia, as it was on 19 May 1580 that the document establishing the Lipica Stud Farm was signed, one of the most recognisable symbols of Slovenian heritage. The Lipizzaner is one of the most important symbols of Slovenia’s cultural heritage and national identity and also has a strong international significance. This is confirmed by the uninterrupted operation of the Lipica Stud Farm for more than four centuries and by the inscription of the tradition of Lipizzaner horse breeding on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2022.

At today’s session, the Government also adopted a decision to conclude agreements on the transfer of founder’s rights and obligations of the private University of Novo Mesto and the independent higher education institutions Faculty of Industrial Engineering Novo Mesto and Faculty of Organisation Studies in Novo Mesto to the Republic of Slovenia. It authorised Dr Igor Papič, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, to sign the agreements. Under the proposed agreements, the founder’s rights of the Republic of Slovenia will be assumed over the previously private higher education institutions: the private University of Novo Mesto and the independent (private) higher education institutions Faculty of Organisation Studies in Novo Mesto and Faculty of Industrial Engineering in Novo Mesto. All the listed higher education institutions will continue their work within the newly established public University of Novo Mesto.

The Government concluded an agreement with the Municipality of Koper on the gratuitous transfer of state-owned property. The transfer concerns a real estate property (land) measuring 9,788 m² in Semedela, which is managed by the Ministry of Infrastructure and owned by the Republic of Slovenia. The land is being transferred to the Municipality of Koper for the implementation of the planned project entitled “Mobile connection between Koper and Markovec with parking facilities”. The project is primarily intended for the residents of the municipality, in particular the residents of the Markovec Hill area (the Žusterna and Za gradom local communities), who will be able to replace their daily car journeys to the city centre with more sustainable modes of mobility, such as walking and cycling, thereby reducing traffic congestion caused by private vehicles on local roads. The transformation of an unregulated area into a public space with elements of sustainable mobility through the implementation of the planned project represents a well-considered spatial intervention with positive environmental effects, improving accessibility and quality of life for residents, increasing traffic flow and safety for all road users, and supporting the development of infrastructure important for the future of both the municipality and the wider region. The municipality will complete the planned project within five years of the conclusion of the agreement. The municipality estimates that the total investment costs related to the implementation of the project will amount to EUR 11 million.