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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:
BSF panel told NATO strong due to shared values
BLED - The Bled Strategic Forum, the two-day event which attracted some 1,000 participants from 60 countries, discussed the future of NATO, looking at the challenges facing the alliance 70 years after it was established. The need for internal transformation was highlighted, as was the need to look beyond immediate military threats if NATO is to be fit to address increasingly complex challenges. The speakers, including Slovenian Defence Minister Karl Erjavec, agreed NATO remained vital as a political and security alliance, not only as a guarantor of security for its members but mostly due to their shared values.
BSF panel predicts possible Brexit scenarios
BLED - The participants in a BSF panel on Brexit were not in agreement on what would happen on 31 October, when the UK is expected to leave the EU. They said the deadline could bring about a no-deal Brexit or the UK could exit with a mildly amended current agreement. Gisela Stuart, a former British Labour MP, said that the UK would leave on 31 October without a deal, but the two sides would reach smaller agreements immediately afterwards. The option of such deals was ruled out by Stefaan De Rynck, one of the key advisers to Michel Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator for Brexit.
BSF panel says it's high time for W Balkans to join EU
BLED - The traditional high-profile panel on the Western Balkans at the Bled Strategic Forum heard participants note that it was high time for the countries of the region to join the EU as they were making serious progress, and that the EU should not forget about the region while dealing with internal issues. The debate initially revolved around the appointment of Matthew Palmer from the US Department of State as a special envoy to the Western Balkans. Palmer said what the US had done was "demonstrate responsiveness to the demands by partners and allies who have told us that we are not sufficiently engaged with the Western Balkans".
Pahor meets several high-profile BSF guests
BLED - President Borut Pahor met a number of foreign senior officials on the sidelines of the Bled Strategic Forum, including Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto and Matthew Palmer from the US Department of State. "EU enlargement is of strategic and vital importance for the EU, whereas the region needs an active, responsible and credible EU," was a view shared by Pahor and Haavisto. In meeting Deputy Assistant Secretary Palmer, the US's new special envoy to the Western Balkans, Pahor said efforts should be made to keep dialogue with all Western Balkan countries going. He also announced an extraordinary summit of the Brdo-Brijoni Process, a regional initiative aimed at EU-Western Balkan cooperation, would be held in Slovenia in November.
FM Cerar discussing EU issues with Spanish counterpart
BLED - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar met his Spanish counterpart Josep Borrell, the candidate for the EU's next foreign policy chief, on the margins of the Bled Strategic Forum for talks focusing on current EU issues. Cerar expressed satisfaction over the excellent bilateral relations. The pair talked about migrations, control over the EU's external borders, EU enlargement towards the Western Balkans and the situation in the region. Cerar also held meetings with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean Nasser Kamel and Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto.
AmCham panel agrees change welcomed by successful companies
BLED - The debate as part of the AmCham Reinvention Breakfast at the BSF concluded that what made companies successful was their willingness to cope with the challenge of reinventing themselves and adjusting to constant change brought by digitalisation and the rise of artificial intelligence. Marten Kaevats, a digital advisor for the Estonian government, said digitalisation was actually about cultural change. Joško Mrndze, Google's manager for the Adriatic region, argued that constant change and disruption was a good thing, as it encouraged companies to be resilient, fast and adaptable.
NSi not to endorse confidence vote-tied budget
LJUBLJANA - In the wake of a rift between the minority government and its opposition partner the Left, there have been speculations about the coalition turning to New Slovenia (NSi) for cooperation, but the conservative NSi dispelled any doubts by saying it did not support the government and that there had been no talks about possible cooperation. Moreover, NSi leader Matej Tonin said the party would not back the 2020 and 2021 budgets if Prime Minister Marjan Šarec opted to peg them to a confidence vote.
Banking sector posts 20% higher H1 profit
LJUBLJANA - Slovenian banks saw their cumulative half-year net profit rise by a fifth year-on-year to EUR 355.9 million due to strong growth in non-interest revenue and cancellation of provisions and impairments, shows a report by the central bank. Banka Slovenije said that the situation in the sector remained favourable, but warned that going forward persisting low interest rates and a slow-down in interest activity could exert pressure on interest revenue and thus the banks' profitability.
Ministry understands Lek's withdrawal from major investment
LJUBLJANA - The Ministry of Economic Development and Technology said it understood a decision by pharmaceutical company Lek, or its parent Novartis, not to complete its EUR 150 million investment in a new production facility in Slovenia's Prevalje, noting companies had to adjust to market trends. Minister Zdravko Počivalšek regretted the decision, but said a serious investor was interested in the building constructed by Lek. Novartis announced on Monday it had aborted the expansion of production in Prevalje, citing lower demand for generics, and the need to introduce a new technology.
Parliamentary commission discusses DCAF report on migrations
LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Commission for Oversight of Intelligence and Security Services will draw up a report on illegal migrations in collaboration with the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF) to propose a set of measures, including stricter asylum legislation, its chair Matej Tonin told the press after the commission debated the impact of illegal migrations on organised crime on the basis of a DCAF report. DCAF head Anton Travner pointed to the abuse of asylum procedures in Slovenia, which blocked access to asylum for those who really needed it. Tonin said this should be prevented by limiting the movement of all asylum seekers who come to Slovenia. He also called for changes to the criminal code to introduce harsher penalties for people smugglers.
Vodušek case sent into retrial
MARIBOR - The Maribor Higher Court has annulled a guilty ruling for journalist Vladimir Vodušek, who was sentenced in 2018 to a year and a half in prison for attempted extortion of business executive Gorazd Korošec in 2012. It sent the case back to the Slovenj Gradec District Court, which said it will try Vodušek before a new panel of judges. It became clear the ruling could be annulled in July when a Higher Court judge said major violations of the criminal procedure had been established. The violations are believed to be related to what Vodušek's defence counsels claim was illegal evidence gathering.
Roglič wins Vuelta 10th stage, takes over red jersey
PAU, France - Slovenian cycling star Primož Roglič won the tenth stage of the Vuelta a Espana race, the 36.2-km individual time-trial in France's Pau, taking the race leader's red jersey. The 29-year-old, the favourite for today's victory, has thus become the first Slovenian to have won a stage at all three Grand Tours. His his fellow countrymen Tadej Pogačar finished 11th.
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