Slovenia begins procedure to recognise Palestinian state by June: PM

Slovenia's government passed a decree on recognising a Palestine state that will be sent to parliament for approval by mid-June.

"The decree for the recognition of Palestine is part of the government's efforts to end as soon as possible the atrocities in Gaza," Prime Minister Robert Golob told a news conference on Thursday, adding the final decision could be adopted earlier than a June 13 target date.

In March, Slovenia joined Spain, Ireland and Malta in a joint statement announcing the EU countries were "ready to recognise Palestine" once the conditions for setting up a state were met.

"We will continue to follow the progress concerning peace talks, the release of hostages and the reform of the Palestinian authority and, if it proves to be faster, we might end the recognition process earlier," Golob said.

Slovenia has urged Israel to stop its offensive in Gaza and warned that a threatened attack on the city of Rafah will worsen the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory.

Majority of Slovenians in favour

Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon said she was "glad over the decisive and irreversible step towards recognition", in a message posted on X, the former Twitter.

A simple majority is needed to approve a decree in the 90-seat parliament where Golob's centre-left coalition holds 51 seats.

Almost 60 percent of Slovenians back recognition of a Palestine state while 20 percent oppose it, according to an April poll of 600 people published by the Dnevnik daily.

Some 100 Ljubljana University students on Wednesday started a pro-Palestinian protest, demanding that Slovenia recognise the Palestinian state.

Some 137 of the 193 member states of the United Nations have recognised a Palestinian state, according to a Palestinian count.