Director-General Pogačar attends the Berlin Process ministerial meeting in Budva

SLOVENIA, April 21 - The event, which took place on 20 and 21 April 2026 in Budva, Montenegro, brought together high-level public administration officials, government representatives and experts in public sector reform. It focused on strengthening administrative capacity, modernising public administration and supporting the EU accession process.

Participants in the main discussion, the ministerial panel, addressed the importance of building leadership and talent for EU accession. In his opening remarks, Director-General Pogačar emphasised that Slovenia supports the EU accession process of the Western Balkan countries and highlighted that Slovenia draws on its own accession experience in its cooperation with the region. He also underlined the excellent cooperation with the Regional School of Public Administration (ReSPA).

During the discussion, Pogačar presented Slovenia's experience in the development of public administration. He noted that Slovenia has adopted the Human Resource Management Strategy in State Administration until 2030. As a key measure, he highlighted the establishment of a Human Resources Centre, which serves as a modern, digital entry point for employment in the state administration, with a focus on candidates' competences, as well as the reintroduction of scholarships. He also emphasised the importance of continuous education and training for public employees delivered through the Administration Academy. He noted that training programmes and processes must be regularly updated and adapted to meet evolving needs, in particular to support the development of future-oriented competences, such as digital skills, including the use of artificial intelligence. "The future of the public sector will depend not only on how we train our employees, but also on whether we are prepared to transform the systems in which we operate," said Pogačar.

The Berlin Process remains an important framework for fostering regional dialogue, exchanging best practices and supporting the reform efforts of Western Balkan countries on their path towards EU accession. In addition to the six Western Balkan countries – Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Albania and Serbia – the Berlin Process also brings together nine EU Member State partners, including Slovenia.