Bilateral Cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Slovenia

Political cooperation
The Russian Federation recognised Slovenia as an independent state on 14 February 1992. Diplomatic relations were established with the signing of a treaty on the occasion of the visit of the Russian foreign minister, Andrei Kozyrev, to Ljubljana on 25 May 1992.

The Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Moscow officially began operation on 24 June 1992, pursuant to the Decree of the President of the Presidency of the Republic of Slovenia on the Opening of the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia to the Russian Federation of 23 April 1992. Roman Kokalj was appointed chargé d'affaires.

The Embassy of the Russian Federation in Ljubljana opened on 16 October 1992. The first permanent chargé d'affaires of the Russian Federation in Ljubljana was Yuri Stepanovich Girenko. The first Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Ljubljana was Alexei Leonidovich Nikiforov, who presented his letters credential to Milan Kučan, the President of the Republic of Slovenia, on 6 February 1995. On 3 June 1998 the new Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Ljubljana, Tigran Aleksandrovich Karakhanov, presented his letters credential.

On 21 May 1993, with the presentation of his letters credential to President Boris Yeltsin, the first Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia to the Russian Federation, Saša Ivan Geržina, formally began his work.

On 12 February 1996 the new Ambassador of the Republic of Slovenia to the Russian Federation, Dušan Snoj, presented his letters credential to Boris Yeltsin. His mandate came to an end on 31 September 2000.

Since 1 October 2000 the chargé d'affaires ad interim at the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia to the Russian Federation has been Dr Adam Purg, minister plenipotentiary.

Significant visits by high ranking political figures:
  • In December 1990 the Slovenian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Dimitrij Rupel, visited the Russian Federation. He was received by the Russian Federation's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Kolokov, and other federal and republic ministers.
  • In May 1991 a delegation of the Executive Council of the Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, under the leadership of Lojze Peterle, visited the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic and the USSR. The delegation was received by the President of the RSFSR, Boris Yeltsin.
  • In May 1992 the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Andrei Kozyrev, visited Slovenia and was received by the Slovenian leadership. Diplomatic relations were established on this occasion.
  • On 9 May 1995 the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Milan Kučan, participated in celebrations in Moscow of the 50th anniversary of the victory over fascism.
  • On 20 and 21 March 1998 the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Yevgeny Primakov, visited Slovenia. Minister Primakov officially opened the new Russian embassy building in Ljubljana.
  • The Speaker of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, Genady Seleznyov, made an official visit to Slovenia from 28 to 30 January 2001.
  • The Prime Minister of Slovenia, Dr Janez Drnovšek, and the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, had an informal meeting in St Anton, Austria, on 10 February 2001.
  • The Prime Minister of Slovenia, Dr Janez Drnovšek, made a working visit to Moscow from 23 to 24 March 2001 - the most important Slovenian visit to the Russian Federation to date. (video 1, video 2, video 3)
  • On 30 May 2001 the foreign ministers of Slovenia and the Russian Federation, Dr Dimitrij Rupel and Igor Ivanov, met during the Nato/EAPC meeting in Budapest.


    • Political cooperation
    Relations between the Republic of Slovenia and the Russian Federation are good and the level of political cooperation is increasing, especially since the successful establishment of top-level dialogue at the beginning of this year (the Drnovšek-Putin meeting in St Anton, Austria; Dr Drnovšek's visit to Moscow in March). Top-level dialogue has strengthened political cooperation between the two countries, which has, up to now, lagged behind the favourable economic results.

    Cultural cooperation
    Every July since 1992 a "Russian Week" has been held in Slovenia, encompassing various cultural events. The event takes place in Vršič in memory of the Russian prisoners-of-war who lost their lives there at the end of the First World War.

    Since 1993 two Triglav Slovene-Russian Friendship Societies have been operating in Russia. The Moscow branch has around 150 members and the St Petersburg branch around 100. Members include Slovenes who have lived and worked in the Russian Federation for a long time, academy members and professors from Lomonosov University in Moscow and the Institute of Slavonic Studies of the Russian Academy of Science, professors from the University of St Petersburg, translators and artists who work with Slovenian cultural institutions, librarians from the National Library of the Russian Federation and the Library of Foreign Literature, and students of the Slovene language in the Russian Federation. Last year a Slovenian Friendship Club was started in Novosibirsk as part of the Slavonic Community society.

    In 2000 a joint project was organised, with an archive exhibition and the publication of an exhibition catalogue on "Žiga Herberstein - Explorer of Russia / Russia and Slovenian territory in the 16th century". The exhibition opened in the National Gallery in Ljubljana on 17 May and in Moscow on 18 October.

    Tourism
    Interest in visiting Slovenia increased dramatically among Russian tourists in 1997/1998 (placing them 7th in terms of guest numbers). In 1998, 20,474 guests from the Russian Federation visited Slovenia, while the number of overnight stays was 116,350, placing the Russians above the Belgians, French, Americans and a number of other nationalities. Of course the 1998 financial crisis considerably reduced the number of Russian tourists arriving in Slovenia. They are known for the large amounts of money they spend outside the package services offered. Figures for 2000 show the revitalisation of the Russian market, the number of guests rising to 12,070 (index of 115 compared to 1999) and the number of overnight stays also increasing (to 88,584 - an index of 132). This could be ascribed above all to individual guests who have not been affected by the financial crisis and to businessmen.

    Slovenia is traditionally present at MITT in Moscow, the most important tourist fair, which this year took place between 26 and 29 March. Complete "units" that could potentially be interesting to Russian tourists - Primorska and the Karst region, mountains and health resorts - were presented.