Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.
This summary is provided by the STA:
Audit finds major flaws in Koper-Divača project planning
LJUBLJANA - The Court of Audit found major flaws in the way the Koper-Divača rail project had been prepared and run from 2015 until the end of June 2020, finding the government and the ministry in charge had been inefficient in preparing the basis for the constriction and management of the project. The court also found that the government and the Infrastructure Ministry had been only partly efficient in their oversight of the project, and it found faults with Infrastructure Agency and the 2TDK company.
Govt urged to reconsider stance on Ukraine
LJUBLJANA - A group of prominent academics and politicians, including former presidents Milan Kučan and Danilo Türk, urged the new government to "take a sensible stance on the war in Ukraine" that would lead to Ukraine and Russia engaging in "serious peace talks". They also say that "a new security architecture" will have to be built in Europe. While acknowledging that Russia's invasion is a war crime, they say arming Ukraine will prolong the war and hold Europe and the world hostage due to rising prices.
Slovenian, Polish speakers discuss Ukraine
LJUBLJANA - National Assembly Speaker Urška Klakočar Zupančič and her Polish counterpart Elzbieta Witek discussed via video call Ukraine, relations between Slovenia and Poland, and future cooperation. Klakočar Zupančič accepted Witek's invitation to join a group of women parliamentary speakers from EU members that would focus on humanitarian aid and other mechanisms to help refugees.
LMŠ endorses merger with Freedom Movement
LJUBLJANA - The members of the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) endorsed a merger with the Freedom Movement, the party of Prime Minister Robert Golob, in a near unanimous vote after the party failed to make the 4% threshold to enter parliament. The vote by the members, who confirmed the decision with 97% of the vote, follows endorsements by the LMŠ's executive committee and council.
Govt Communication Office announces end of contentious practices
LJUBLJANA - The Government Communication Office (UKOM), which has a new leadership following the change of government, announced it would no longer compile reports scrutinising the work of RTV Slovenija journalists. Moreover, the STA will be financed in line with the contract signed in early 2022 by the STA's director and UKOM's former head. Quizzed by the STA about some of the UKOM-related issues that caused much dismay in that past year, UKOM also said journalists would be able to attend government press conferences in person.
OECD downgrades growth forecast for Slovenia along global lines
PARIS, France - The OECD expects Slovenia's economy to grow by 4.6% this year and 2.5% next year. It said that the latest forecast, which compares to 5.4% and 3.2% projected in December, partly reflects the negative impact of the war in Ukraine. Private consumption is expected to be to be the main driver of growth. Unemployment will remain at record lows, which will intensify pressure on wages, with the OECD pointing to the major risk of wage growth leading to an inflationary spiral.
Žiga Debeljak appointed BAMC board chairman
LJUBLJANA - Žiga Debeljak, a former chairman of retailer Mercator, was appointed chairman of the board of directors of the Bank Assets Management Company (DUTB) as the new board appointed by the government last week held its inaugural session on Tuesday. The day after being sworn in, the Robert Golob government appointed Debeljak, Miha Resman, Diana Milivojević and Rok Marolt BAMC's non-executive directors. Franci Matoz stepped down as chairman while the other non-executive directors were dismissed.
Ex-state secretary's company faces modern slavery allegations
LJUBLJANA - A fishpacking plant owned by the family of Boris Šuštar, a former state secretary who was convicted of passive bribery in the early 2000s, is facing allegations about forcing their workers to work ceaselessly for a pittance and creating intolerable working conditions. The revelations were made public by the public broadcaster TV Slovenija on Tuesday evening after Delavska Svetovalnica, an NGO helping migrant workers, filed a criminal complaint with the prosecutor's office in Koper last week.
Guilty pleas in Tušmobil abuse of office case
CELJE - Mirko Tuš, once one of Slovenia's wealthiest businessmen, and his wife Tanja Tuš pleaded guilty to abuse of office and money laundering charges in news that was revealed when the main hearing was supposed to start at the Celje District Court over a case concerning the transfer between 2011 and 2016 of the Tušmobil mobile telephony brand. Mirko Tuš pleaded guilty in exchange for a two-year suspended prison sentence with a three-year probation and a fine of 450,000 EUR. For Tanja Tuš, the plea involves a suspended prison sentence of one year with a two-year probation plus a fine of EUR 90,000.
GZS honours five outstanding business executives
LJUBLJANA - The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) honoured five executives of some of Slovenia's leading companies with the award for outstanding achievements in 2021 for having successfully led their companies for several years. The award was conferred on ex-Kolektor chairman Radovan Bolko, REM chairman Igor Kastelic, Roto Slovenija chairman Nuša Pavlinjek Slavinec, Atlantic Droga Kolinska chairman Enzo Smrekar and Dušan Rauter, the chairman of Bintegra.
Police investigation targets Energetika Ljubljana
LJUBLJANA - Investigators of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) conducted house searches at seven locations in Ljubljana area and detained one person on abuse of office charges. Web portals Siol and Necenzurirano report the investigation targetted the city-owned heating utility Energetika Ljubljana. The suspects allegedly illegally gained EUR 3.5 million based on a EUR 118 million contract. The deal in question is said to be related to the construction of the new gas-steam unit of the Ljubljana district heating plant.
NSi warning against changes to new income tax reform
LJUBLJANA - The opposition New Slovenia (NSi) warned the new government against changing the income tax act introduced in March under the previous government, saying that the reform is already bringing results. MP Jožef Horvat noted that the revenue from value added tax in the first six months was up by 23% compared to the same period last year and revenue from income tax by 6%. "We all benefit from the tax reform - both those who work and the state," he said.
Show of Modernist artists postponed over forgery concerns
LJUBLJANA - The National Museum was to put on display 160 works of art but postponed the opening after experts voiced forgeries concerns about a private collection from a Slovenian family really having works by Picasso, Matisse or Kandinsky. "These are blatant fakes," is how prominent art critic Brane Kovič described the works. The museum's director Pavel Car claims he saw the certificates proving the authenticity of the works and accused critics of jumping to conclusions, but still decided to cancel the show.
Italian Film Week starts at Slovenian Cinematheque
LJUBLJANA - The Italian Film Week start at the Slovenian Cinematheque, featuring many modern feature and short films and running until 12 June. The programme will kick off with a screening of Ennio, a documentary film about the life and work of film composer Ennio Morricone. Also featured will be Il giovane Corsaro - Pasolini da Bologna by Emilio Marrese (2022) about the youth of author and director Pier Paolo Pasolini and Michelangelo Frammartino's The Hole.
MENT music festival kicks off in Ljubljana
LJUBLJANA - The 8th iteration of the MENT music festival will bring 80 artists from 25 countries to the capital Ljubljana. Taking place until 10 June at 15 venues, the festival is joining forces this year with Austria's Elevate and Slovenia's Druga Godba festivals. American singer-songwriter and producer Yves Tumor will perform at tonight's opening. The line-up ranges from hip-hop and pop to exploratory folk and post-jazz artists and representatives of various electronic music genres.
Anita Šumer's cookbook declared world's best
LJUBLJANA - Anita Šumer, who has triggered a sourdough bread craze with her first book on the topic, won the prestigious Best of the Best Gourmand World Cookbook 2021 award at the beginning of the month for her latest book Umetnost Krašenja Kruha (The Art of Bread Decoration). She accepted the award, which is considered the Oscar for cook books, in Umea in Sweden after her third book was selected as the best among 1,558 books from more than 200 countries. It was nominated in as many as five categories.
Pahor receives Jürgen Palm Award for contribution to sport
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor has received the Jürgen Palm Award for his significant and long-term contribution to the field of international Sport for All and physical activity. The president is "an athlete and believes strongly in the power of sport to change things for the better", said the Association For International Sport for All (TAFISA), which confers the award every two years. Pahor is one of three recipients this year.
