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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:
NSi fully backs SDS-led coalition talks
LJUBLJANA - The executive committee of New Slovenia (NSi) decided to give its head Matej Tonin and his team full support in the Democrats (SDS)-led negotiations on a new government. Tonin now has the mandate to negotiate on the programme and staffing decisions of the potential new government. The NSi is one of the three parties in talks with the SDS, alongside the Modern Centre Party (SMC) and the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS). Although the party would not reveal the topics it plans to defend in the negotiations, unofficial information suggest it might be interested in healthcare and long-term care.
SMC indicates talks with LMŠ derailed
LJUBLJANA - The Modern Centre Party (SMC) deputy group head Igor Zorčič indicated that a snap election-entailing alliance proposed the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) looked increasingly unlikely, while coalition talks with the Democrats (SDS) were going as expected. Whether all of the group's ten MPs would support the SDS coalition will depend on the talks' yield, said Zorčič, indicating also that staffing questions were open not only about ministry distribution but also about the potential prime minister.
Committee puts off decision on declaration regarding Catalonia
LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee unanimously postponed a Left-sponsored proposal to declare support to the protection of political and civil liberties in Spain. The MPs agreed that dialogue on tackling the Catalan issue between the governments in Barcelona and Madrid should be given time. Many committee members urged postponement to avoid any interfering in Spain's internal affairs, a reservation also voiced by the government when it rejected the proposal last week.
Pahor and Grabar-Kitarović stress friendly ties despite differences
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor said a farewell meeting with Croatian counterpart Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović that her picking Slovenia for her last visit had not been a coincidence, since Slovenia and Croatia were neighbouring and friendly countries. And not only that, "it is also that the two of us personally strived very hard" for the two countries to be on friendly terms, Pahor said. While he made a point of stressing that the border issue with Croatia was resolved in Slovenia's eyes, Grabar-Kitarović called on the Slovenian authorities to continue talks with the Croatian side to reach bilateral solutions for all open issues.
Britons keen to keep close business links after Brexit
LJUBLJANA - Slovenian companies wondering about the future relationship with their UK partners after Brexit were assured at an event held by the British Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and the British Embassy that Britons wanted to preserve the close business ties. "We would like for us to continue to grow together," UK Ambassador to Slovenia Sophie Honey said, noting the countries' close cooperation in many fields, from construction to banking and advanced technologies, with the volume of business between the two countries increasing by more than 10% over the past three years.
Minister discusses radio broadcasting dispute with Italian ambassador
LJUBLJANA - Public Administration Minister Rudi Medved hosted Italian Ambassador Carlo Campanile on Tuesday for talks on a long-running dispute between the two countries over radio station broadcasts in the border area seen as important for the Slovenian minority in Italy. Medved said technical solutions to resolve the issue existed. The two countries "have found a solution for TV [broadcasting] and there is no reason why it should not be found for radio spectrum," the Public Administration Ministry said. Campanile said he would inform the authorities in Rome of this issue, the ministry said.
Committee nods to environmental protection plan despite criticism
LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Environment Committee unanimously endorsed the proposed national environmental protection programme by 2030, despite criticism of the lack of concrete measures therein. The document sets out goals within three areas: protecting, preserving and improving the state of natural resources, a low-carbon society, and dealing with key environmental risks. Among those the document lists brownfield areas, noise, biosecurity, handling of chemicals, light pollution, electromagnetic radiation and adaptation to climate change.
Environmental NGOs critical of draft climate plan
LJUBLJANA - Environmental NGOs believe that the draft National Energy and Climate Plan is not ambitious enough. Carbon neutrality by 2050 is too far off, Slovenia should aim for 2040 and should strive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than only 40% by 2030. In a joint statement four NGOs were critical of the plans leaving out the TEŠ thermal power plant. "The draft allows for decades of coal burning at TEŠ," they said while arguing Slovenia should give up coal by 2030.
Slovenia told to return EUR 5 million in agriculture funds
LJUBLJANA - The European Commission told Slovenia to return nearly EUR 5 million in agriculture funds based on the Commission's report on implementing funding per area for the 2015-2018 period in the framework of the EU common agricultural policy. Slovenia does not agree with this conclusion and will propose a conciliation procedure. The Commission's auditors reviewed some EUR 500 million of disbursed EU funds or almost 99% of total funds in the four-year period which were allocated to some 56,000 farms every year, according to the Agriculture Ministry.
Minister says railways are the future
LJUBLJANA - If in the past the state gave priority to motorways, now it is "high time to say that railway infrastructure is the future", Infrastructure Minister Alenka Bratušek said at a national conference on sustainable mobility hosted by her ministry. She called for a long-term plan of investment funding in railways, noting these would be multi-billion projects. The minister noted that the 20th EU mobility week would be held during Slovenia's EU presidency. She thinks this will be a great opportunity to promote sustainable and clean mobility.
Supreme Court president says past judicial year was successful
LJUBLJANA - Slovenian judiciary did a good job last year and the positive trends from the past continued, Supreme Court president Damijan Florjančič said at the start of a new judicial year. He however regretted that certain key legislative changes that would boost the judiciary were still pending. Slovenian courts received more than 839,000 cases for deliberation last year, resolving 850,000. In fact, Florjančič stressed the number of pending cases was reduced to below the level at the end of 1990. President Borut Pahor welcomed the positive trends but said there was still room for improvement.
New director appointed at Ljubljana opera
LJUBLJANA - Staš Ravter, who was the director of the Slovenian Cinematheque between 2005 and 2010, has been appointed director of the SNG Opera and Ballet theatre in Ljubljana, ending a leadership hiatus that lasted for almost two years. Ravter served in acting capacity since April 2019 after two unsuccessful calls for applications and was formally appointed director by the Culture Ministry effective on 10 February, the opera house said. It described Ravtar's five-year programme as ambitiously oriented, seeking a synergy between the artistic and business segment.
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