Month: June 2025

During the week of June 10th, 2025, Slovenia welcomed a distinguished delegation from Egypt, including representatives of the Arab Beekeepers Union and the Agricultural Research Center of Cairo. Their multi-day visit focused on exploring Slovenia’s world-renowned queen breeding system, veterinary support, and the legal protection of the Carniolan bee (Apis mellifera carnica).

📍Day 1 – Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association (ČZS) and National Queen Breeding Program

The visit began at the Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association (ČZS) and the European Beekeeping Association (EBA), where the delegation met:

• Dr. Peter Kozmus, Head of the National Queen Breeding Program & Vice President of Apimondia

• Boštjan Noč, President of ČZS and EBA

Slovenia is the first EU country to legally protect its indigenous Carniolan bee, committing itself to its preservation through breeding standards, veterinary care, and national regulations.

🐝 Visits to Queen Breeding Stations: Pislak Bali & Cvet Beekeeping

The delegation also visited:

• Pislak Bali Beekeeping, known for its breeding of over 450,000 queens, strong scientific approach, and collaboration with international institutes.

• Cvet Beekeeping, a traditional queen-rearing facility that emphasizes gentleness, purity, and productivity using scientific techniques like controlled mating and selection.

🧪 Day 2 – National Veterinary Institute (NVI) & Visits to Novak & Dremelj

The following day, the group visited the National Veterinary Institute, Slovenia’s official authority responsible for monitoring bee health, diagnostics, and expert education. They met with Dr. Lucija Žvokelj, a specialist in bee medicine and veterinary support.

Later, they visited:

• Beekeeping Novak, where queen selection is based on cubital index analysis and hygienic behavior tested with the PIN method.

• Beekeeping Dremelj, a fourth-generation queen breeder exporting 80% of their queens across Europe and Japan.

🌿 Day 3 – Agricultural Institute of Slovenia & Impressions

The final day included a visit to the Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, where the delegation learned more about research support for beekeeping in Slovenia. They were deeply impressed by how green and naturally beautiful Slovenia is – a perfect environment for sustainable beekeeping and the Carniolan bee.

May 15, 2025, Banja Luka, BiH

The conference Inclusive Beekeeping took place in Banja Luka as part of the four-year project “Beekeeping as a Tool for Empowering Mine Victims in BiH”, implemented by the UDAS Amputee Organization, ITF Slovenia, and the Beekeeping Academy of Slovenia – Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, with support from the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the Government of Republika Srpska.

The event gathered 45 participants – representatives of institutions, organizations, and beekeepers with and without disabilities. Discussions took place in three key panels:

• Regional Cooperation and Institutional Support
• Experiences of Beekeepers – Mine Victims in BiH
• The Impact of Climate Change on Beekeeping

Beekeeping was reaffirmed as a tool of empowerment, healing, and income generation. Through moving personal stories, participants shared how beekeeping helped them find peace, purpose, and new livelihoods.

Speakers and experts included:

• Tomaž Lovrenčič, Director of ITF Slovenia
• Damijan Sedar, Slovenian Ambassador to BiH
• Goran Bursać, Assistant Minister of Agriculture Forestry and Water Management of Republika Srpska
• Prof. Dr. Goran Mirjanić, Agricultural Faculty Banja Luka
• Prof. Andrej Simončič, Ph.D., Director of the Agricultural Institute of Slovenia
• Doc. Dr. Janez Prešern, Agricultural Institute of Slovenia
• Dr. Violeta Santrač, Veterinary Institute Dr. Vaso Butozan, Banja Luka

We also visited beekeepers Gostimir Radulović (LR hives) and Nikola Popović (AŽ hives), long-term project participants, to explore their beehives and taste their locally produced honey.

May 20, 2025, Plav, Montenegro

On World Bee Day, Plav hosted “Women and Beekeeping for a Sustainable Future”, celebrating pollinators and empowering women in rural development.

The event was jointly organized by:
Zavod Krog (Slovenia), Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Montenegro, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of Montenegro, Beekeeping Association of Montenegro, Municipality of Plav, Women’s City Council of Plav, Tourism Organization of Plav, and Beekeeping Association of Plav. Zavod Krog played a central role in coordinating the event.

The day began with performances by children dressed as bees, followed by a honey breakfast. The main program featured two panels:

• Apitourism
• Women’s Involvement in Beekeeping

And the presentation: “Origin and quality of honey in Montenegro”.

Key speakers included:

• Tanja Arih Korošec, Director of ApiRoutes-Apiturizem
• Marija Sivec, professional beekeeper from Slovenia with 28 years of experience
• Valentina Cvjetković, Beekeeping Academy of Slovenia – Agricultural Institute of Slovenia
• Ratko Bataković, Network for Rural Development
• Danijela Babović, beekeeper
• Miroslav Cimbaljević, Director of the Directorate for Agriculture at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of Montenegro
• Nihad Canović, Mayor of Plav

The event highlighted the untapped potential of apitourism, women’s entrepreneurship, and knowledge-sharing between Slovenia and Montenegro. With initiatives like the local api-chamber in Plav already in place, the region is paving the way for a sustainable, inclusive beekeeping future.