Political Relations

Relations between Greece and Slovenia: A Sincere, Strong and Dynamic Partnership

The two countries share historical ties, such as thefact that the descent of Ioannis Kapodistrias' family hails from the coastal town of Koper (Capodistria). The Congress of the Holy Alliance was also held in Ljubljana (then Laibach) from January to May 1821, during which Ioannis Kapodistrias, as a leading diplomatic figure of his time, with a burning desire to free his homeland, Greece, managed to repel the plans of the Austro-Hungarian Foreign Minister Metternich for an armed suppression of the Greek revolution. There are even mythological references to the connection between Greece and Slovenia, as, according to local mythology (also based on the works of Apollonius of Rhodes), Jason and his Argonauts, on their return from Kolhida, slayed the dragon that was oppressing the inhabitants of the city of Ljubljana. Since then, the dragon has become the symbol of the city of Ljubljana. Moreover, the "Argonavski Festival", which is a major cultural event held in June every year in the nearby city of Vrhnika with over 15,000 visitors, is a modern reminder of this bond.

Diplomatic relations between Greece and Slovenia were established in July 1992, with Greece establishing an Embassy in Ljubljana in 1995. In addition to the fact that the two countries are partners in the EU and allies in NATO, today's relations between Greece and Slovenia are characterized by a strong convergence in the face of contemporary global challenges, with the two countries sharing common values and principles in international relations, such as adherence to international law, the defence of human rights, the European perspective of the Western Balkans, energy security and climate change. Highlights in recent bilateral visits include the official visit of the President of the Hellenic Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, to Slovenia in April 2021 and that of the Slovenian President of the Republic, Ms. Nataša Pirc Musar, to Greece in April 2024, the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. George Gerapetritis to Slovenia in April 2025 as well as the high-level political consultations took place etween the Deputy Foreign Ministers Alexandra Papadopoulou and Marko Štucin, in March 2024. Cooperation on defence and security issues is also strong, with the signing of an agreement on the protection of classified information in 2022 and participation in joint exercises. The two countries' joint term as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council in 2025 contributes to further deepen bilateral relations through synergies and joint initiatives.

In the economic sector, bilateral trade is dynamic, with Greek exports to Slovenia amounting to €363.16 million and imports to €188.5 million for 2024, recording a surplus for Greece. Main products of Greek exports include petroleum products, pharmaceuticals and aluminium products, while imports from Slovenia to Greece are mainly pharmaceuticals, electrical equipment and plastics. Greece is a popular tourist destination for Slovenians (second in preference, after neighbouring Croatia), with around 70,000 Slovenian tourists visiting Greece in 2023 and with the direct Athens-Ljubljana air link launched in 2022 by Aegean Airlines, further boosting visitor flows.

According to the most recent census (2023 data), the total population of permanently resident Greeks in Slovenia amounts to 89 persons. It mainly consists mainly of two categories of people: a. people from mixed marriages and b. people who have come to Slovenia, especially after the country's entry into the European Union, for professional reasons. The University of Ljubljana has a Department of Classical Studies with a more than 100-year tradition (started in 1919) of teaching Greek language, while it also serves as the official examination centre for Greek language certification (Ellinomathia) in Slovenia. Also, in 2022, the Greek Language Department (TEG) of Ljubljana was established and continues to operate successfully, bearing the name "Ioannis Kapodistrias", under the auspices of the Embassy of Greece in Ljubljana, which is its operating institution.