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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:
Candidate for cohesion minister Mlinar fails to secure committee support
LJUBLJANA - Angelika Mlinar, the candidate for cohesion policy minister, failed to secure support in parliamentary committee in a debate dominated by questions about her loyalty as a dual Austrian-Slovenian citizen. One of the coalition partners, DeSUS, said it would leave the decision up to individual MPs, while the Left and the SNS, which have often helped the government, withheld their support. The rejection does not necessarily derail her candidacy since the committee opinion is not binding. The Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB), which nominated her, was convinced Mlinar could muster the support at the plenary vote.
Slovenia pledges to continue helping Serbia in EU efforts
NOVI SAD, Serbia - Prime Minister Marjan Šarec promised Slovenia's further assistance to Serbia in efforts to join the EU, as he visited the country with a delegation of ministers. Talking to the press alongside his counterpart Ana Brnabić, he said that there was no alternative to Serbia joining the EU. Brnabić thanked Šarec for Slovenia's political and technical support, adding that the countries' bilateral cooperation, both economic and political, were at a high level and with no open issues. A number of bilateral ministerial meetings also took place.
Central bank downgrades growth forecast
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's central bank has downgraded its projection for the country's economic growth for the year by 0.6 percentage points to 2.6%, decreasing the forecast for 2020 by 0.4 points to 2.5%. In 2021 and 2022, GDP growth is expected to remain at roughly 2.5%. Banka Slovenije notes that economic activity, driven by domestic demand and solid exports, will continue to expand at rates above euro area average, which will allow the economy to continue to catch up with the most advanced member countries.
Slovenian fishermen fined EUR 500,000 by Croatia
PULA, Croatia - The Croatian media reported that Croatia's fisheries inspectors had imposed over 270 fines worth over EUR 490,000 on Slovenia fishermen for fishing in what Croatia claims is its part of the Piran Bay. The fines had been issued since 15 March 2018, according to Glas Istre, a Croatian newspaper based in the Istrian city of Pula. Since Slovenia implemented the arbitration award in December 2017, it issued fines totalling more than EUR 1 million against 20 Croatian citizens fishing in Slovenian waters.
Troops serving abroad mostly happy with equipment
LJUBLJANA - Slovenian troops serving in international missions and operations are largely satisfied with their equipment. Only those serving in Latvia complained about their light armoured vehicles as they discussed the security situation in a video conference with the Slovenian president, defence minister and the chief of the general staff. The troops in Latvia were promised new armoured vehicles.
Ljubljana Stock Exchange marks 30th anniversary
LJUBLJANA - The 30th anniversary of the Ljubljana Stock Exchange was marked, with its boss Aleš Ipavec saying this was a relatively short period for capital market development, and he would like the stock exchange to become more interesting for investors. The exchange was launched on 26 December 1989 under the name of the Yugoslav Stock Exchange. Its first director Draško Veselinovič recalled its beginnings, noting the stock market had been something new and exciting.
NLB submits binding bid for Serbian bank
BELGRADE, Serbia - The Serbian newspaper Blic reported that Slovenia's largest bank, NLB, had submitted a binding bid to take over the Serbian state-owned bank Komercijalna Banka. Unofficial information available to the paper indicates that the other two bidders are Austria's Raiffeisen Bank International and Serbia's AIK Banka, which has recently bought Slovenia's Gorenjska Banka.
Roglič, Garnbret and volleyball team win top sport awards
LJUBLJANA - Cyclist Primož Roglič, sport climber Janja Garnbret and the men's national volleyball team were named the winners of the main awards conferred by the Association of Sports Journalists at the 2019 Athlete of the Year ceremony. Roglič, who entered the world elite this year by finishing 3rd overall at the Giro d'Italia and winning the Vuelta a Espana to become the fist Slovenian ever to win a Grand Tour race, scored 272 points from 105 Slovenian sport journalists. Garnbret defended last year's title of the Athlete of the Year among women, winning 269 points ahead of Alpine skier Ilka Štuhec (208), the world downhill champion, and world slalom canoe champion Eva Terčelj (78).
Foreigners in one out of nine jobs in Slovenia
LJUBLJANA - The number of people in employment in Slovenia rose to almost 901,300 at the end of October. As many as 101,200 were foreigners, almost half of them from Bosnia-Herzegovina, according to a report from the Statistics Office. The number of foreigners in employment in Slovenia increased by 15% since October 2018, expanding by as much as 81% over the past five years. Apart from Bosnia, the largest number of foreigners come from Serbia and Kosovo.
Number of measles cases this year rises to 40
LJUBLJANA - The National Public Health Institute confirmed several new cases of measles infection in Slovenia so that the number of confirmed cases in Slovenian population rose to 38 plus two in foreigners. Two new, apparently unrelated, outbreaks of the infection were handled in November and December. A major outbreak, unofficially at the Škofja Loka company Knauf Insulation, was after a person got infected in Belgium before infecting six more people, one of whom infected a further eight.
Foreign tourists spend almost EUR 100 per day
LJUBLJANA - A foreign tourist spent on average EUR 97 per day in Slovenia during this year's summer season. Those staying in hotels spent more - EUR 138 daily, while those on camping holidays spent considerably less - EUR 58 per day, according to a report by the Statistics Office. Visitors from non-European countries spent the most on accommodation, food, drinks, transport, leisure activities and shopping in July and August - as much as EUR 153 per day.
Exoplanet, star in Hercules constellation given Slovenian names
LJUBLJANA - An exoplanet and its star located in the Hercules constellation 446 light years from Earth will be given Slovenian names Iztok and Irena. The names were picked as part of a campaign promoting astronomy held on the 100th anniversary of the International Astronomical Union. The winning proposal came from Samo Košmrlj, a physics student, who proposed naming the two celestial bodies after two characters from the novel Pod Svobodnim Soncem (Under the Free Sun) by Fran Saleški Finžgar.
Slovenian MEPs urging independent investigation of Maltese journalist murder
STRASBOURG, France - In the wake of the recent developments in the Maltese journalist murder investigation, Slovenian MEPs called for steps ensuring independent investigation as well as urged EU institutions to step up their efforts in determining the desirable outcome of reaffirming the rule of law in Malta and the EU. Slovenia's MEPs gave their responses to the developments on the sidelines of today's EU Parliament debate on the matter.
Roglič, Garnbret and volleyball team win top sport awards
LJUBLJANA - Cyclist Primož Roglič, sport climber Janja Garnbret and the men's national volleyball team were declared athletes of the year by the Association of Sports Journalists. Roglič who entered the world elite this year by finishing 3rd overall at the Giro d'Italia and winning the Vuelta a Espana to become the fist Slovenian ever to win a Grand Tour race. Garnbret won gold medals in bouldering, lead and the combined at the IFSC Climbing World Championships in Japan to become the first ever climber to complete a hat trick in a single championship.
Swedish expert named Slovenia's new handball coach
LJUBLJANA - Swedish handball coach and former player Ljubomir Vranjes was selected as the new coach of the Slovenia men's national handball team. The 46-year-old of Serbian roots will thus replace Veselin Vujović, who was dismissed in late November. Vujović, a Montenegrin coach, was dismissed due to a reportedly negative atmosphere among the players and the team's poor performance in the months leading up to his dismissal.
Croat gets five years for two robberies, sexual offence
MARIBOR - The District Court in Maribor sentenced Aleksandar Miljuš to five years and three months in prison after the 26-year-old Croat pleaded guilty to two robberies and one sexual offence. Miljuš, who has temporary residence in Slovenia, will be expelled from country for five years after serving out his sentence.
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