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A schedule of all the main events involving Slovenia this week can be found here
This summary is provided by the STA:
Tomaž Seljak appointed new chairman of Telekom Slovenije
LJUBLJANA - The supervisory board of the telecoms incumbent Telekom Slovenije appointed Tomaž Seljak the new chairman for a full, four-year term. Seljak previously served as interim chairman following the resignation of Matjaž Merkan in mid-November. Seljak, who started his second term on the management board in May 2018, started working in Telekom Slovenije in 1997, becoming the head of the service in charge of the telecommunication cable network in 2004. Chief supervisor Barbara Kürner Čad said that "Telekom Slovenije needs continuity of management, which provides the company with stability, and excellent knowledge and experience in telecommunications."
Trade with non-EU markets pushing up Slovenia's external trade
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's external trade in goods continued to grow in October, despite a drop in trade with EU countries. However, imports rose at a faster rate year-on-year than exports, creating a trade deficit. According to the Statistics Office, exports rose by 7.1% year-on-year to almost EUR 3.08 billion in October, as imports increased by 7.6% to EUR 3.18 billion. The country posted a trade deficit of EUR 103 million, mostly due to increased imports from markets outside the EU. The export-import coverage for October was 96.8%.
Hiring outlook in Slovenia not so bright
LJUBLJANA - Employment prospects for Slovenia for the first quarter of 2020 are not as upbeat as they were for the last quarter of this year, shows the latest employment forecast by temping agency Manpower. The share of employers who plan to hire is only 7 percentage points higher than the share of employers who announced a drop in employment. "The employment outlook for Slovenia dropped by 13 percentage points compared to the same period last year, but is still positive," Gašper Kleč of Manpower Slovenia told the STA. He labelled the outlook for Q1 as "moderately optimistic", noting that companies would be faced with significant challenges at the beginning of next year.
Foreign minister calls for rules for ethical use of AI
BERLIN, Germany - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar advocated that rules be put in place for the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI), as he participated at the conference Advocating Human Rights in the 21st Century. Cerar participated in a panel debate on AI, saying that education was key to raising awareness about the challenges of artificial intelligence. He also held bilateral meetings with German counterpart Heiko Maas and Canadian colleague Francois-Philipp Champagne.
Motorway company sued over e-tolling contract
LJUBLJANA - Iskratel, the company that was outbid in a tender to build a motorway e-tolling system for lorries in 2016, has brought a EUR 17.7 million damages suit against the motorway company DARS, arguing that the annexes signed with the selected bidder since have materially changed the subject matter of the tender. The contract was won by the telecoms incumbent Telekom Slovenije in partnership with Norwegian company Q-Free, which submitted the lowest bid at just shy of EUR 100 million, ten million more than telecommunications equipment maker Iskratel and its Slovak partner SkyToll as the second cheapest bidder. Addressing reporters, Iskratel CEO Željko Puljić said he was convinced that DARS as well as the National Review Commission had abused the selection procedure.
Parties step in to support minister's sentient animals motion
LJUBLJANA - Four coalition parties and the Left have come to aid Justice Minister Andreja Katič in her efforts to define animals as sentient beings in the property code law, filing a relevant amendment to the government-proposed changes with the wording initially proposed by the Justice Ministry. In late November, the government adopted legislative changes that redefine animals, until now considered things by Slovenian legislation, as living beings. The government did not adopt the version proposed by the ministry defining animals as sentient beings, with Katič announcing she had already talked to MPs and expressing hope that the changes would be amended in parliament.
Industrial output up in October
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's industrial output increased by 2.1% in October over September and by 2.7% compared to October 2018, the Statistics Office said. Output in manufacturing and in mining rose by 2.4% and 2.1%, respectively, over September, while dropping in electricity, gas and steam supply for the fourth month running, this time by 0.5%.
Consumer goods and capital goods industries rose by 6.3% and 1.3, respectively, from September. Industrial revenue likewise increased, by 2.7% over September and 3.1% over a year ago, mostly on account of 6.2% increases in sales abroad.
State aid up for second consecutive year in 2018
LJUBLJANA - The volume of state aid granted by Slovenia grew for the second consecutive year in 2018, according to a report released by the Finance Ministry. The figure rose by 12.7% to EUR 482 million over 2017, but was still below the levels in the period between 2011 and 2015, when the aid reached around EUR 550 million annually. State aid reached the equivalent of 1.05% of the country's GDP last year, while in 2017 it was at 0.99% of GDP. This was the second increase since 2013, when state aid and crisis measures in total reached the equivalent of 10.8% of GDP.
Election legislation reform raising issue about gender quotas
LJUBLJANA - Discussions on solutions aimed at increasing gender-balanced representation in Slovenia's electoral system and women's participation in politics has been bound to pop up during talks about reforming the election act, with today's debate hearing calls for higher gender quotas and adopting the zipper system. Bojana Muršič, an MP of the Social Democrats (SD) and the head of the Women Parliamentarians Club, said it was vital to address the issue of women's political participation. Parliamentary Speaker Dejan Židan agreed, saying that what is missing from the prepared changes to the election act is a proposal to raise gender quotas from the current 35% to 40%.
Fire at hazardous waste processing company upsets locals
KRANJ - A fire broke out last evening at Ekol, a hazardous waste processing plant near Kranj (NE), but the authorities say it has not polluted the air or water. It has, however, upset the locals, who have been warning for years about the hazard the Laze industrial zone poses to the environment and public health. Catching fire were textile and air filters kept under a projecting roof, whereas dangerous substances, stored at a different section, did not ignite. The tests carried out so far have shown no dangerous substances in the air or water. Ekol estimates the damage caused by the fire, which over 100 local firefighters put out in two hours, at around EUR 40,000.
Slovenia worse off in fighting climate change, report shows
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia has ranked 44th in the 2020 Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), dropping one place compared to last year. The country was graded 41.91 points, scoring the lowest in renewable energy and climate policy, while it did better in energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Slovenia was preceded by the Czech Republic and Argentina, and followed by Cyprus and Algeria. It got the lowest grade for its renewable resources strategy (25.64 points or 46th place) and climate policy (36.63 points or 45th place), while its performance in the energy use (51.06 points or 42nd place) and GHG emissions categories (48.11 points or 40th place) was better.
Plečnik stadium candidate for Europa Nostra protection
BRUSSELS, Belgium - A Ljubljana stadium designed by acclaimed architect Jože Plečnik in the 1920s has been shortlisted as one of the 14 pieces of European cultural heritage that could be put on a list of seven most endangered pieces. The 7 Most Endangered pieces of European heritage will be declared in March 2020, the European Commission Representation in Slovenia said. The stadium was nominated for protection within a campaign of the pan-European Europa Nostra organisation and the European Investment Bank Institute by the Ljubljana Association of Architects.
Exhibition showing five millennia of metallurgy in Slovenia
LJUBLJANA - An exhibition on the use of metals in Slovenian lands will open in the evening at the National Museum in Ljubljana, providing insight into the tradition that has lasted more than five millennia, from the casting of copper in the 4th century BC to metals used in space technology. Also marking the 100th anniversary of the University of Ljubljana, the event aims at acquainting the public with the frequently overlooked role of metallurgy and metalworking in Slovenia. On display until 3 May 2020, it will be accompanied by presentations of job opportunities in metallurgy and workshops presenting ancient methods for extracting iron from the iron ore.
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