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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 urges strong cohesion policy, future-oriented EU budget
PRAGUE, Czechia - A summit of the Friends of Cohesion, an informal group of EU members opposing cuts to cohesion funds, urged the EU to adopt a 2021-2027 budget with a sufficient amount of cohesion funds. Slovenian PM Marjan Šarec said that "a strong EU needs a sufficient and future-oriented budget" which will address the bloc's key challenges. The EU will not be able to achieve this if cohesion funds are further cut, so a strong cohesion policy should be preserved, Šarec said at the summit of 17 net recipients of development funds from the EU budget.
C-bank under pressure over fears lending curbs will stifle growth
LJUBLJANA/PRAGUE, Czechia - The central bank remains under pressure to change its mind after it recently introduced rules that severely limit consumer and housing loans. "At a time when the economy is cooling, we have to find ways to promote the circulation of money," Prime Minister Marjan Šarec said, adding that the restrictions could shave 0.3 percentage points off economic growth. He voiced the hope that Banka Slovenije and its governor, Boštjan Vasle, would take a step back. NLB chairman Blaža Brodnjak joined the criticism as well, arguing that such a measure should not have been adopted unilaterally and over night. He urged dialogue when such systemic issues are at stake.
Corruption cases on the rise, prosecutors say
LJUBLJANA - White-collar crime in the usual sense is on decline in Slovenia, while corruption is on the rise, State Prosecutor General Drago Šketa said as he addressed a two-day forum hosted by the Association of State Prosecutors. He called corruption a "systemic anomaly", which should be prevented by state mechanisms. Prosecutor Boštjan Valenčič believes this is so because "corruption is still socially acceptable", while former State Prosecutor General Zvonko Fišer, who was critical of the changes to the penal code and the criminal procedure act made in recent years.
Anniversary of NLB listing marked on London Stock Exchange
LONDON, UK - The floating of NLB on the London Stock Exchange was labelled a success story by leading representatives of the bank and the stock exchange as the first anniversary of NLB as a publicly listed company was commemorated. NLB was listed on the Ljubljana and London stock exchanges on 14 November last year in what wrapped up the state's sale of the majority of Slovenia's leading bank via an initial public offering (IPO). Becoming the first Slovenian joint-stock company on the London Stock Exchange, NLB was listed in London in the form of financial instruments known as global depository receipts or GDRs.
Sij rejects speculation it wants to enter Petrol
LJUBLJANA - The Russian-owned steel maker Sij dismissed speculation it was interested in taking over energy trader Petrol. It said it "did not and that does not have such an interest and also does not plan to enter Petrol's ownership structure in the future". "Aiming to prevent the spreading of false information", Sij denied any plans to enter the state-controlled energy company. Some have suggested it was the result of Russian interest to enter Petrol, noting the latter's chief supervisor Nada Drobne Popovič also serves as the CFO of metalworks company Acroni, a member of SIJ Group.
Diaspora minister Česnik starts ten-day visit to Australia
CANBERRA, Australia - Minister for Slovenians Abroad Peter Jožef Česnik is starting a ten-day visit to Australia. Travelling across the continent, he will make stops in Brisbane, Canberra, Perth, Melbourne and several other smaller towns to meet members of the community he belonged to for nearly four decades. Minister Česnik himself moved to Australia in 1967 and lived there for 36 years before returning to Slovenia after retiring. On route to Australia, Česnik made a stop in Singapore, where Slovenians are building a new community.
Slovenia active at London's World Travel Market
LONDON, UK - Slovenia, represented by 32 tourism companies and organisations under the wing of the Slovenian Tourism Board (STO), is presenting itself at the 2019 World Travel Market (WTM) in London as a destination committed to sustainability and providing for an active holiday supported by gastronomy and culture. At this leading global event for the travel industry, running from Monday to Wednesday, the STO organised two meetings with select British media today. A highlight of the first meeting was the new 270 km-long hiking route in the Julian Alps, while Slovenia's gastronomic delights were in the focus of the second meeting.
R&D funding in Slovenia boosted for the first time since 2013
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia saw its gross domestic expenditure in research and development (R&D) increase last year for the first time since 2013, but the figure is still 4.6% below the all-time high recorded that year, the Statistics Office said. Gross domestic expenditure in R&D in the corporate, government, higher education and private non-profit sectors increased by 11.2% compared to 2017 to a combined EUR 892.4 million in 2018. The figure represents 2% of GDP, which compares to 1.9% of GDP in 2017. Like in the past, the highest proportion of gross domestic R&D expenditure was spent in the corporate sector - EUR 662.1 million, or 1.4% of GDP.
Slovenia 4th in EU in plastic packaging waste recycling
LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Slovenia ranks high in the EU in terms of recycling and processing of waste plastic packaging, with the share of such waste that gets re-used standing at 60%, well above the bloc's average of 42%, Eurostat has reported. Based on the data for 2017, topping the list is Lithuania with 74%, while Slovenia is 4th, being trailed by the Czech Republic (59%), Slovakia (52%) and the Netherlands (50%). Around 50,164 tonnes of plastic waste was generated in Slovenia two years ago, of which 30,275 tonnes was re-used.
Former PM, skier honoured by Japan
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's first prime minister Lojze Peterle and Olympic medallist Jure Franko have received Japanese state decorations for their work in promoting relations between Slovenia and Japan, the Japanese Embassy in Slovenia said. Peterle received the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun for the promotion of bilateral ties between Slovenia and Japan and for the strengthening of EU-Japanese relations. Franko, best known as the first Slovenian Winter Olympic Games medallist, received the Order of the Rising Sun, Silver Rays for the promotion of Slovenian-Japanese exchange in skiing.
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