Helsinki follows the closures a month ago of the embassies in Lisbon and Stockholm and the consulate in Düsseldorf.

On 31 October, the embassy in Dublin and the consulate in New York will be shut down as well.

The closures, which are expected to save Slovenia about EUR 1.8m annually, are being undertaken based on a 31 May government decree.

The decision was taken as part of across-the-board austerity measures, despite concerns about its impact.

The Foreign Ministry insists it will nevertheless strive to enhance bilateral relations with the countries in which the diplomatic outposts have been closed.