Host Petra Prešeren Golob and Head of the Consular Department at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Viktor Mlakar. | Author Government Communication Office

Summer is a time for holidays and travel, which is why it is important to prepare well before travelling abroad. Most trips pass without complications, but when difficulties arise abroad, fast, reliable and verified information is essential.

Viktor Mlakar explained that consular assistance means helping Slovenian citizens abroad when they find themselves in difficulty. The most common cases include lost or stolen personal documents, accidents, hospitalisations, detentions or imprisonment, as well as administrative and legal matters connected with living abroad, such as the birth of a child, registration of citizenship or the issuing of documents.

He emphasised that consular assistance does not mean that the state can pay for hotel accommodation, airline tickets, medical treatment or a lawyer. It is therefore very important to take out appropriate travel health insurance before travelling, and to check the validity of documents, entry requirements, possible visa obligations and the security situation in the country of destination.

A special focus of the conversation was the eLastovka application (in Slovenian). It is intended for everyone travelling abroad - tourists, students, business travellers and those staying abroad temporarily. The application provides access to information on the security situation in individual countries, contact details of Slovenian embassies and consulates, and emergency telephone numbers in the country of travel.

Registered users can also register their trip in the application. If a crisis occurs in the area where they are staying, the ministry can notify them by SMS, push notification or email. Trip registration is voluntary, and the data is used only in the event of an emergency and is automatically deleted after the trip ends.

The application can also be used without registration, but in that case users cannot register their trip. They still have access to country information, travel advice and contact details of the relevant representative offices.

Mlakar advised travellers to check all necessary information before departure, take out appropriate insurance and consider registering their trip in eLastovka.

You are welcome to listen to the episode. The government podcast GOVSI is available on all podcast platforms and on the Government YouTube channel.