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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:
Šarec makes strong plea for efficient multilateralism at UN
NEW YORK, US - PM Marjan Šarec made a strong plea for efficient multilateralism in his address to the 74th session of the UN General Assembly in New York. He also stressed the importance of fundamental principles such as the rule of law and respect for human rights. He pinpointed the rule of law and human rights, climate change and sustainable development goals, and challenges related to new technologies as the key areas where multilateralism was required. He also called on delegates to back at November's UNESCO general conference Europe's first international AI research centre that would be set in Slovenia's capital Ljubljana.
Lenarčič to seek holistic approach to crisis management
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Slovenia's European Commissioner-designate Janez Lenarčič, nominated for the crisis management portfolio, believes in a comprehensive approach to crisis management that will integrate humanitarian, development, security and climate aspects of crisis management, follows from his responses to written questions by MEPs in advance of next week's hearings at the European Parliament's working bodies. He commits to three main goals: close cooperation with commissioners in charge of foreign policy, development, neighbourhood policy and security; distribution of humanitarian aid in accordance with international humanitarian law and principles; and strengthening of emergency response and humanitarian aid.
Cerar hosts Green Group ministers in New York
New York, US - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar hosted in New York ministers and high representatives of the Slovenian-sponsored Green Group initiative, uniting six small countries that are promoting green policies, and encouraging the transition to a green economy and the use of renewable energy sources. The Green Group was formed upon Slovenia's initiative in 2009 to raise the profile of green diplomacy. It is an informal forum of foreign ministers from Slovenia, Iceland, Costa Rica, Cape Verde, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.
Slovenia presents resolution on human rights education in Geneva
GENEVA, Switzerland - The 42nd session of the UN Human Rights Council wrapped up in Geneva, with Slovenia presenting its resolution on human rights education. The proposal envisages a multi-annual strategy for educating the young about human rights. According to the Foreign Ministry, the council's members addressed a wide spectrum of issues during the three-week session, including the human rights situation in Venezuela, Yemen, Myanmar, Sudan and Ukraine.
Foreign carriers already filling supply gap at Ljubljana airport
BRNIK - The flight cancellations by Slovenia's airline Adria Airways have increased demand for and accordingly the supply by rival carriers already operating the Ljubljana route. The first changes are already being made to the winter schedules, while new carriers are reportedly also expressing interest to start flying to Ljubljana. The airport's operator Fraport Slovenija said several airlines increased the number of flights per week or used larger planes. Meanwhile, Adria announced it would execute two evening flights to Frankfurt this weekend, whereas the plan for Monday is to execute 11 flights. Adria's owner, the German turnaround fund 4K, is still waiting for the government to decide whether to grant it the EUR 4 million in aid which 4K claims can prevent receivership.
Industrial relations forum suspended as partners feel ignored
LJUBLJANA - Employers pulled out of the Economic and Social Council (ESS) in protest of bills being filed in parliament without any regard for the industrial relations forum, whereas the head of the ZSSS trade union confederation Lidija Jerkič followed suit by resigning as ESS chair. What angered the employers was a series of bills the Left, an opposition partner of the minority government, has filed to parliament which have a major impact on companies and workers. Both the employers and unions now expect PM Marjan Šarec to break the deadlock and give the ESS the role it is supposed to play in the process of legislation adoption.
Youth across Slovenia protesting against climate inaction
LJUBLJANA - More than a thousand young people took to the streets in Ljubljana, gathering in front of parliament as part of the Global Climate Strike and #FridaysForFuture movement to urge politicians to declare a climate crisis and come up with practical measures. The protest, held by the Youth for Climate Justice, saw young people chanting "we're sick of promises, we demand measures". The young decided not to meet state representatives given that nothing had improved since they held talks during the March strike. but Environment Minister Simon Zajc expressed his support for the protests, deeming the strike a wake-up call and a call for action. Apart from Ljubljana, climate strikes were also held in more than ten other cities across Slovenia.
Manager of the year Berločnik: Petrol on track to meet ambitious targets
PORTOROŽ - Tomaž Berločnik, the general manager of energy company Petrol, received this year's Manager of the Year award, conferred by the Manager Association last evening. During his eight-year stint he is credited with having transformed the company from a traditional oil firm to future-focused group setting new trends in energy and retail. Petrol had its best-ever year in 2018, posting group sales revenue of EUR 5.4 billion, up 20% over 2017 and a near doubling from 2010. Berločnik told the STA the company was now on track to exceeding the revenue target of EUR 5.6 billion for 2019 and beating the profit target.
Extensive constitutional changes from 1989 remembered
LJUBLJANA - 30 years to the day, socialist Slovenia thoroughly overhauled its constitution to facilitate declaring independence from Yugoslavia in June 1991. As many as 81 constitutional amendments were passed in its assembly in a bid to give Slovenia more sovereignty within the Yugoslav federation. The modernised constitution set down the right to self-determination, the freedom of movement and economic independence, enabling the establishment of political parties and the firts free elections. It was a culmination of calls for democracy in the second half of the 1980s. President Borut Pahor marked the occasion with a reception featuring some of the members of the commission which had drafted the changes.
Official Gazette gets new boss, and it's not Šoltes
LJUBLJANA - Denis Stroligo was on Thursday appointed the director of Uradni List, the state-owned company publishing the Official Gazette, which has been recently involved in a scandal surrounding political pressures related to the appointment procedure. Stroligo, a law graduate which has gained managerial experience at various senior posts in his 26-year career, will take over on 1 October for four years. His appointment comes after the scandal which last month swept senior ruling LMŠ party official Brane Kralj out of office for calling up Uradni List chief supervisor to instruct her to appoint former MEP Igor Šoltes.
Govt budget spending on R&D up over 12% in 2018
LJUBLJANA - The funds allocated by Slovenia for research and development rose by 12.4% last year compared to 2017, amounting to EUR 191.7 million. The GDP share of R&D funding after what was the third consecutive increase was 0.42%, up from 0.40% the year before, the Statistics Office said. Like in the preceding years, the bulk of these funds went to the state sector (51.6%), followed by higher education (38.4%), business (7.9%), the private not-for-profit sector (1.1%) and foreign entities (1%).
Ljubljana gets new art gallery
LJUBLJANA - Ljubljana is getting another commercial gallery, focussing on Slovenian contemporary fine art, as the SLOART gallery and auction house expanded and opened a new gallery in Trubarjeva Street in Ljubljana's city centre. The gallery is a project carried out in cooperation with SLOART's contemporary art Gallery Y and will showcase works of Gallery Y authors Sašo Vrabič, Arjan Pregl, Tina Dobrajc and Duša Jesih as part of an exhibition dubbed New Positions. It aims to represent a total of ten acclaimed Slovenian artists of younger and middle generations by 2025.
New website promoting Slovenian music launched
LJUBLJANA - A new website was launched by the Slovenian Music Information Centre (SIGIC) presenting the Slovenian music scene to the domestic and international publics. Music Slovenia features a database of musicians, bands, festivals, venues, agencies and organisations connected with the scene. The main purpose of the website musicslovenia.si is to present the scene to foreigners who want to invite Slovenian musicians to perform abroad or get acquainted with the infrastructure enabling foreign musicians to perform in Slovenia.
Roglič's red jersey fetches EUR 30,000 for charity
LJUBLJANA - The red jersey Slovenia's Primož Roglič received as the overall winner of the Vuelta fetched EUR 30,000 at a charity auction, money that will be spent to help talented young athletes. The winning bid of EUR 22,000 came from the DIY chain Bauhaus, with two more bidders chipping in EUR 8,000 despite losing the bidding. The auction was organised by public radio station Val 202, one of the sponsors of Botrstvo, a long-running charity project for children.
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