Bookmark this link and find the headlines faster each morning
Visiting Ljubljana? Check out what's on this week, while all our stories on SLovenia, from newest to oldest, are here
This summary is provided by the STA
President suggests new law to address army readiness issue
LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Armed Forces' state of readiness for peacetime action is satisfactory, but their capacity for wartime action remains unsatisfactory for the fifth straight year. Receiving the army readiness report, President Borut Pahor said the army was undertaking all the tasks under the defence act, but it was having problems providing capabilities for higher-intensity operations. The key issue affecting the readiness assessment both for peacetime and wartime or crisis action is a shortage of staff, equipment and armament. He proposed adopting a systemic law to fund national security.
Cerar says Slovenia takes commitments to NATO very seriously
WASHINGTON, US - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar said after the conclusion of the NATO ministerial in Washington marking the 70th anniversary of the alliance that NATO was certainly an exceptionally strong alliance in which Slovenia was in very good company and was taking its commitments very seriously. Cerar said that "PM Marjan Šarec has promised that we will increase defence spending to 1.1% of GDP and I believe that the government is capable of doing it with an additional effort."
Hungary's call for govt meddling in media freedom met with protest
LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Foreign Ministry confirmed it had received a verbal diplomatic note from the Hungarian embassy protesting a cover in the weekly Mladina portraying Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán performing the Nazi salute. The ministry told the embassy that it did not interfere in the editorial policy of the Slovenian media. The Slovenian Journalist Association (DNS) condemned Hungary's move in the strongest terms, speaking of an "unheard-of expression of a conception of complete control and disciplining of the media by the authorities". A joint session of the Slovenian parliamentary culture and foreign policy committees has been announced in response to the development.
Court of Audit to review Oshkosh defence deal
LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Defence Committee endorsed the contract between the government and the US administration to buy 4x4 Oshkosh light APCs, having found it had been concluded in line with the law. But it also agreed with yesterday's decision by the Public Finance Oversight Commission for the Court of Audit to review the deal. The government is buying 38 4x4 Oshkosh light combat tactical all-terrain vehicles from the US for around EUR 32m, having signed the contract late last year.
Army's force commander dismissed over Poček incident
LJUBLJANA - Defence Minister Karl Erjavec dismissed the army's force commander, Brigadier General Miha Škerbinc, at the proposal of the chief of the general staff, Major-General Alenka Ermenc. Until his replacement is appointed Brigadier Milan Žurman will be in charge, the ministry said. One of the reasons for the dismissal was last week's incident at the Poček training area, when shooting with heavy weapons late at night upset the local community.
Šarec seeks to reassure public over healthcare crisis
LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Marjan Šarec sought to reassure the public over simmering discontent among doctors last night by saying that people would not be left without their GPs. Šarec said that the situation in healthcare was not "as bad and black as being portrayed", but admitted many improvements were needed. Commenting after GPs started to give notices in protest at what they say are excessive number of patients that they are obligated to take, he said improvements cannot come over night and "will not be achieved by means of threats but rather by means of dialogue and well-directed finances".
Bullmann announces fight against extremism ahead of EU election
LJUBLJANA - Udo Bullmann, the leader of the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) in the European Parliament, announced a fight against far-right extremism and populism, which are spreading throughout Europe, as he addressed the press in Ljubljana. He also commented on the recent revelation that the Croatian Intelligence Agency (SOA) was behind the wire tapping of Slovenia's arbitrator and agent in the Slovenian-Croatian border arbitration. He finds it worrying that something like that is happening between two EU member states. He said other European leaders should not look away but urge the respecting of the rule of law.
Slovenia could benefit from EU funds for military mobility
LJUBLJANA - European Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc has presented plans to enhance military mobility in the EU, noting EUR 6.5bn would be allocated to adapt transport infrastructure to military needs. The participants of today's conference on military mobility agreed this was an opportunity for Slovenia to upgrade its infrastructure. Bulc, Slovenia's member of the Commission, said military mobility was a new topic in the EU as the bloc was gearing towards a fully-fledged Defence Union by 2025.
Gorenje announces sale of Serbian subsidiary Gorenje Tiki
VELENJE - The Velenje-based household appliances maker Gorenje has announced it will publish in the coming weeks a call for bids for its Serbian subsidiary Gorenje Tiki, which produces small water heaters. The Chinese-owned company also intends to sell the Tiki brand along with the subsidiary. The company said the sale, already attempted last year before the takeover by Hisense, was part of the strategy of selling non-core assets and focusing on Gorenje's principal activity. Gorenje Tiki employs 30 people in Slovenia and 520 in Serbia.
Adria still looking for strategic partner after Sukhoi deal fails, boss says
BRNIK - The boss of the Slovenian air carrier Adria Airways, Holger Kowarsch, has told the STA the failed deal with Russia's Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (SCAC) to lease Russian planes would also have involved an around EUR 10m capital injection. Adria is thus still looking for a strategic partner. Kowarsch, general manager of the Slovenian company in German ownership which had some liquidity problems recently, said it had been Adria that exited the deal as SCAC did not deliver when the payment deadline was due in end February.
Slovenia to launch its first nanosatellite this summer
MARIBOR - The University of Maribor and the company SAB-LS signed a contract in Maribor on the launch of the first Slovenian nanosatellite into orbit. Trisat is to fly into space on a light European Vega rocket that is to be launched from French Guiana in August. Trisat has been developed at the Maribor Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in cooperation with the Slovenian company Skylabs. Trisat, weighing only 4.4 kilos, is capable of taking multispectral images of Earth in short-wave infrared spectrum with a camera unlike any other in space at the moment.
Slovenian companies expected on Amazon this year
LJUBLJANA - Slovenian companies will soon be able to do business on Amazon Europe, as the US tech company gets technically adjusted to include Slovenia among supported countries in the second half of the year, the Slovenian Economy Ministry said. Last year the ministry worked intensively with Amazon to enable Slovenian firms to do business on Amazon Europe's e-commerce platform as soon as possible.
Suspect dead in apparent bus hijack
LJUBLJANA - A 48-year-old man hijacked a bus in Ljubljana last night, but died after losing consciousness while he was being arrested by the police despite attempts at resuscitating him, the police said. The driver and the passengers have not been injured in the incident. The hijacker had a history of violent criminal acts and had suffered from a psychiatric disorder, according to officials.
Writers for Peace urges EU countries to show solidarity
BLED - The PEN International Writers for Peace Committee held a meeting at the 51st International Writers' Meeting in Bled and called for upholding the principle of solidarity, particularly in light of the European migrant crisis. This year marked the first time the committee's president is not Slovenian. The committee was established at Slovenia's initiative in 1984 and had been headed by Slovenian writers until this year, when calls for a more democratic appointment procedure led to a nationally diverse group of candidates. The members selected Emmanuelle Pierrat, the president of French PEN, to lead the committee.
China to host two Slovenian exhibitions
LJUBLJANA - The National Museum of Slovenia will present two exhibitions on Slovenian heritage and creativity in China this month in an effort to promote cultural cooperation between the two countries. The museum will put on the exhibitions in two Chinese cities; objects portraying Slovenia's past will be exhibited at the Silk Road international alliance of art museums meeting at the National Museum of China in Beijing, while artefacts showcasing Slovenia's creativity and ancient finds will be displayed at the Qujiang Museum of Fine Arts in Xi'an.
International Roma Day celebrated in Maribor
MARIBOR - The International Roma Day was celebrated in Maribor with an event featuring the Roma music, dance, and recitals. Parliament Speaker Dejan Židan addressed visitors, saying that the occasion was an opportunity for the Roma community to raise awareness about their unique culture. He also pointed out that the event was a chance to warn against the ongoing and prevalent discrimination against the Roma, stressing their perseverance and the significance of cultural diversity.
