On its 1st Session on 13 March 2020, immediately following its confirmation, government set up a Crisis Management Staff (CMS) of the Republic of Slovenia in order to contain and manage the COVID-19 epidemic. Head of the Staff is Prime Minister Janez Janša and its secretary is former SOVA director Andrej Rupnik. CMS is composed of all government members and other experts and civil servants. CMS has Health Experts Support Group. Head of the Group is Bojana Beovič. Jelko Kacin, former minister and ambassador to NATO, is the official spokesman of the Staff, he had a similar role during the 1991 Slovenian war of independence.