Israel is set to open its premier permanent diplomatic mission in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar declared on Thursday, reported i24NEWS.
The breakthrough development signals a turnaround for a fractured bilateral relationship, aligning with the official inauguration of a new right-leaning administration in Slovenia spearheaded by Prime Minister Janez Janša.
Sa’ar made the announcement shortly after the Slovenian parliament ratified Janša’s ruling coalition on Thursday.
To expedite the initiative, the Foreign Minister ordered Attorney Eden Bar-Tal, the Director General of the ministry, to accelerate all logistical and regulatory frameworks needed to set up the physical complex in Slovenia and to initiate the search for Israel's inaugural resident ambassador.
"Janez Janša is a clear and steadfast friend of Israel," Sa’ar said in a statement. "His election creates a unique opportunity to advance bilateral relations between our countries, which have been at a low point in recent years due to the hostility of the previous government in Ljubljana. The Foreign Ministry under my leadership will act without delay to utilize this opportunity."
Ties between Israel and Slovenia have deteriorated in recent years under the government of former Prime Minister Robert Golob.
Golob’s government vocally denounced Israel’s counterterrorism operations against Hamas in Gaza following the murderous October 7, 2023 attacks.
In 2024, Slovenia officially recognized a Palestinian state, after its parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of the move.
Parliament voted 52 for with no one against recognition in the 90-seat parliament. The remaining lawmakers were not present for the vote.
Last year, Slovenia imposed sanctions against National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, accusing the two ministers of promoting "genocidal statements" that incite extreme violence and severe human rights violations against Palestinian Arabs.
Slovenia was one of several countries which boycotted the Eurovision Song Contest this year in protest against Israel’s participation. Instead, its national broadcaster chose to broadcast a series of films focused on “Palestine".
In stark contrast, Janša - who has held the prime minister post during three separate prior tenures = has historically cultivated deep security partnerships and warm diplomatic ties with Israel, noted i24NEWS. Geopolitical experts anticipate his political comeback will effectively decouple Ljubljana from the combative policies pursued by his predecessors.
Notably, Janša recently sent greetings to the residents of Judea and Samaria, explicitly using that term.