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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:
Slovenia condemns Hungary map
LJUBLJANA/BRESTANICA - Slovenia condemned a map published on an official Twitter profile of the Hungarian government that appears to suggest Slovenia and other countries had appropriated Hungarian lands in the aftermath of the 1920 Treaty of Trianon. The map "does not contribute to the strengthening of the EU values of cooperation and good-neighbourly relations," the Foreign Ministry said on Twitter. President Borut Pahor urged redoubling efforts for respect among nations, while PM Marjan Šarec made a reference to the map in an address to the Slovenian Exiles Day ceremony, saying that Nazism and fascism were making a comeback in Slovenia's neighbourhood. The map was also condemned by most parties.
PM casts doubt on Abanka privatisation
LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Marjan Šarec has cast doubt on privatisation of Abanka, saying on Twitter that Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH) should "seriously reconsider continuing the sale of Abanka. In particular to questionable funds." The tweet came after public broadcaster RTV Slovenija aired a long documentary Thursday about the 2013 bailout, raising questions in particular about the role of the European Commission in ordering that junior creditors of three banks be wiped out. "The practices of the then [European Commission] were highly unusual," Šarec said.
Slovenia must join commissioner game, Bulc says
BRUSSELS, Belgium - EU Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc urged Slovenia to immediately join the game as the new Commission takes shape, noting that jockeying for positions is already well under way and it is essential to be there from the start. Asked which portfolio Slovenia should target, Bulc said "anything related to infrastructure is strategically very important for Slovenia." Another area of interest to Slovenia is "anything having to do with links with the region" in Slovenia's neighbourhood.
Complaint against fmr C-bank heads alleges they benefited NLB
LJUBLJANA - A criminal complaint filed against the former governor and vice governors of the central bank in the bank bailout investigation alleges the five procured EUR 277.38 million in unlawful assets for NLB bank, shows a facsimile of the document published by Portal Plus, a news portal. The complaint, filed by the National Bureau of Investigation in late-2018, alleges that central bank management knew the actual state of banks balance sheets had not been determined, a condition for the introduction of restructuring measures under the banking act.
Počivalšek discusses cooperation at business forum in Russia
- PETERSBURG, Russia - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek attended the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). He also met Russian Minister of Trade and Industry Denis Manturov and Alexander N. Shokhin, president of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. The meetings focussed on ways to further strengthen economic cooperation. The possibility to help Slovenian companies win new deals in the Russian market was also on the agenda.
Pahor visiting Vienna next week
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor will visit Vienna on 13 June, meeting his counterpart Alexander Van der Bellen and likely also the country's new Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein, as well as Speaker Wolgang Sobotka. A day earlier, Pahor will attend a reception hosted by the Slovenian embassy in Vienna to mark Slovenia's Statehood Day, observed on 25 June.
Prelesnik slated for reappointment as info commissioner
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor sent to parliament a proposal to appoint Mojca Prelesnik Slovenia's information commissioner for a second five-year term. The president had consulted deputy group leaders about the candidate, establishing she enjoyed sufficient support for appointment, which requires a simple majority. Prelesnik's first term runs out on 17 July, so Pahor expects the National Assembly to take a vote on the nomination at June's plenary session.
Slovenia wants EU to be autonomous in digital economy
LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Attending a session of the European Council for Telecommunications, Public Administration Ministry State Secretary Leon Behin said Slovenia wanted the EU to be competitive and more autonomous as it transforms into digital economy. He argued that an ethical digital economy was key to the EU's competitiveness. Behin also met German and Portuguese officials to discuss preparations for EU presidency, announcing the 5G revolution would be a major focuses of Slovenia's presidency in 2021.
Swift Response military exercise under way
CERKLJE OB KRKI - The international exercise Swift Response 2019 got under way in Slovenia, Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania in which allied units from France, Italy, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK and US will drill airborne operations and ground support activities. The exercise is running until 22 June. According to the Slovenian Armed Forces, the activities in Slovenia will be centred on the Cerklje ob Krki airbase, which will provide logistic support.
Exports growth outpaced by imports growth in April
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia exported EUR 2.81 billion worth of merchandise in April, an increase of 12.9% on the same month a year ago, while imports surged by 28.4% to EUR 3.09 billion, creating a trade deficit of EUR 278 million. The Statistics Office said this was the highest monthly trade deficit on record. In the first four months of the year Slovenia's exports increased by 10% to EUR 11.04 billion, while imports were up 13.9% to EUR 11.17 billion, with the deficit at EUR 128 million.
Ministry proposes all producers pay for packaging disposal
LJUBLJANA - The Environment Ministry put forward a draft decree on packaging and packaging waste which expands the obligation to pay for packaging disposal to all companies that put packed goods or packaging on the market, instead of just those who put out more than 15 tonnes. The decree, which will be under public consultation until 8 July, says that all producers which put packaged goods or packaging on the market must contribute to the management of all packaging waste generated in Slovenia.
Biennial of Graphic Arts focusing on satire and humour
LJUBLJANA - The 33rd Ljubljana Biennial of Graphic Arts got under way at the International Centre of Graphic Arts and several other venues, with satire and humour as the common thread. Running until 29 September under the title Crack Up - Crack Down, the biennial was curated by the art collective Slavs and Tatars. The festival Grand Prix went to the Brit Hamja Ahsan and his The Aspergistan Referendum, a project encouraging reflection and repair of "broader structures of social exclusion and alienation".
Ljubljana outdoor festival season begins
LJUBLJANA - The outdoor festival season in Ljubljana opened with June in Ljubljana, a series of free events in the centre of the city that will kick off by Giselle performed by the SNG Opera and Ballet Ljubljana. More than thirty events will be held over two weeks starting during the day and culminating with evening shows on Congress Square and multiple other venues in the city centre. The highlights include a concert by the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra and a concert by Swedish performer Tami T.
Exoplanet in Hercules constellation to be named in Slovenia
LJUBLJANA - The exoplanet WASP-38b and its star WASP-38 in the Hercules constellation will get their popular names in Slovenia as part of a campaign promoting astronomy to mark the 100th anniversary of the International Astronomical Union. Proposals for the names will be collected by the end of October. Running across the world under the slogan 100 Years Under One Sky this year, the NameExoWorlds campaign in Slovenia will pick a name for the exoplanet and its star located 446 light years from the Earth.
Slovenian women handball team qualify for world championship
CELJE - The Slovenian women's national handball team qualified for the World Handball Championship, to be played in Japan in the autumn, by defeating North Macedonia in a second play-off match last night. After beating North Macedonia in Skopje 33:30 last Sunday, Slovenia followed up the win with a 38:27 beatdown last evening, earning their sixth berth at the women's world handball championships. The team will be looking to improve on their best result at the worlds, the 8th place in Croatia in 2003.
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