Ukraine and Slovenia have signed an intergovernmental Memorandum that will provide comprehensive support to Ukrainian citizens, including children, temporarily staying in Slovenia due to the full-scale russian invasion of Ukraine. This document is a significant step towards strengthening cooperation between the two countries in the social sphere.

The signing took place on 28 June during the visit of President of Slovenia Nataša Pirc Musar to Ukraine, with the participation of Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal. The Memorandum of Cooperation and Understanding was signed by Oksana Zholnovych, Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine, and Mateja Prevolšek, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Slovenia to Ukraine.

During the meeting, the parties discussed the continuation of Ukraine’s European integration and Slovenia’s support on this path.

Based on common goals and objectives, the parties agreed to cooperate in organising comprehensive and systematic support for Ukrainian children temporarily displaced to the territory of the Republic of Slovenia in order to protect their rights and legitimate interests. The parties agreed on:

• Exchange of experiences on the best forms of family-based care for children deprived of parental care;
• Mutual informing and coordination of issues related to the transfer of Ukrainian children and their parents or other legal representatives to Slovenia and their return;
• Preventing the adoption of Ukrainian children;
• Preserving the national identity of Ukrainian children temporarily displaced to Slovenia.

This document is an important step towards deepening bilateral relations and strengthening the social protection of Ukrainian citizens abroad. The competent authorities for the implementation of this Memorandum of Understanding are: the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the State Service of Ukraine for Children, the National Social Service of Ukraine, the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Slovenia, the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities of the Republic of Slovenia and the Government Office for the Support and Integration of Migrants of the Republic of Slovenia.