Start of main hearing in TEŠ6 trial marred by absences
CELJE - The main hearing in connection to the infamous EUR 1 billion-plus TEŠ6 generator project started at the Celje District Court with the reading of part of the 1,300-page indictment and the majority of the defendants absent, although the prime defendant, former boss Uroš Rotnik, was present. One of Slovenia's biggest corruption trials will be divided into three parts due to its complexity, the court decided, and proceedings will be held twice a week to expedite the trial.
Energy group Petrol posts net loss of EUR 1.3m in H1 due to fuel price caps
LJUBLJANA - Ergy group Petrol posted a net loss of EUR 1.3 million in the first half of the year as a result of fuel price regulation. The group saw sales revenue rise by 126% to EUR 4.2 billion n the back of increased volume sales of fuels and oil derivatives and price hikes. EBITDA stood at EUR 48.6 million, down by 52% year-on-year and 64% below plans. The company urged the government to compensate if for the nearly EUR 110 million in income lost during the first round of price regulation else its credit rating might be at risk. The government said a decision on compensation was yet to be reached.
Luka Koper group net profit up 169% to EUR 41.5m in first half
KOPER - Port operator Luka Koper reported a group net profit of EUR 41.5 million for January-June, up 169% on the year before, as sales rose 35% to EUR 155.1 million. Cargo volumes rose by 13% to 11.7 million tonnes. Containers remain the most important cargo segment and volumes rose by 3% to 526,500 units (TEU), despite delays in shipments from major Chinese ports. The company also benefited from higher warehousing and service fees.
Report: EUR 78m suit filed against ex-Adria Airways managers, owners
LJUBLJANA - The official receiver of bankrupt airline Adria Airways has filed a EUR 78 million lawsuit against the company's German managers and owners for the damage they caused to its creditors by financially draining the former Slovenian flag carrier, according to a report on the Necenzurirano news site. The suit has been filed against Arno Schuster, Holger Kowarsch and the other managers that led Adria after German fund 4K Invest bought the carrier in 2016.
Gaming company Hit recovering post-Covid
NOVA GORICA - After two loss-making years marked by Covid closures, Hit, Slovenia's largest casino operator, reported an operating profit of EUR 5.7 million for the first half of the year, more than double the figure in the same period in 2019, before Covid struck. Visitor numbers and occupancy of accommodation facilities have not yet reached 2019 figures, but they have exceeded plans.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine tops Bled Strategic Forum agenda
BLED - Russia's invasion of Ukraine and its fallout will dominate the 17th Bled Strategic Forum, Slovenia's pre-eminent conference dedicated to international affairs, which gets under way on Monday under the banner The Rule of Power or Power of Rules. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will be among the 160 panellists alongside top Slovenian officials and three foreign heads of state, two prime ministers and 15 foreign ministers.
Advocate finds labour law discriminates against third-country nationals
LJUBLJANA - The equal opportunities ombudsman has found that an article of the labour market regulation act discriminates against certain foreigners, as it stipulates a 12-month deadline for third-country nationals to pass an exam on basic knowledge of Slovenian, but not for citizens of the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. The measure is not proportionate, as job seekers who do not meet the requirements are deleted from the records regardless of how hard they try to get a job.
President Pahor honoured with Czech Plečnik award
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor was honoured with the Grand Prix Jože Plečnik 2022, an award given out by Prague Castle, as he hosted a ceremony to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of acclaimed Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik. The award has been given out since 2018 for lifetime achievements in architecture, construction and protection of architectural heritage to top Czech architects. Pahor was honoured for his contribution to Czech-Slovenian cultural relations and support for cooperation between Prague Castle and Slovenian institutions.
Provider of IT courses for elderly points finger at minister
LJUBLJANA - Smart Naris, one of the 29 providers of IT courses for the elderly across the country, responded on Thursday to suspension of the courses over alleged irregularities by saying that Minister for Digital Transformation Emilija Stojmenova Duh "is unjustifiably shifting the responsibility for the project's failure onto the contractors". Smart Naris was the only company the Government Office for Digital Transformation singled out when talking about the irregularities.
Writers urge government to reopen Russian culture centre
LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Writers' Association called on the government once more to reopen the Russian Culture and Science Centre in Ljubljana, which was closed in April, noting that the Russian aggression against Ukraine had also affected Russia as part of Europe. The repeated call was issued for the sake of arts and culture, which "is common to all of us, Europe, Ukraine and Russia".
Ukrainian students sitting uni entrance exams in Maribor
LJUBLJANA - Ukrainian students who have sought refuge in Slovenia were able to sit admissions tests to Ukrainian universities in the Slovenian city of Maribor in what was a joint campaign in response to the Ukrainian Education Ministry's appeal. The Institute of Information Science (IZUM) ensured that a total of 51 candidates took the August exams, said the Slovenian Education Ministry.
Coronavirus case down slightly week-on-week, four deaths
LJUBLJANA - A total of 1,336 new coronavirus cases were logged in Slovenia on Thursday in what is a 4% decrease week-on-week. Four patients with Covid-19 died, while hospitalisation remained flat on a daily basis, show the latest figures released by the Health Ministry. Ninety patients required hospital treatment for Covid-19, the same number as on Wednesday, with the number of intensive care patients dropping by one to ten.
