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This summary is provided by the STA:
Slovenia reducing staff at Russian embassy from 41 to eight
LJUBLJANA - The Foreign Ministry summoned Russian Ambassador Timur Eyvazov to express Slovenia's strongest protest against and shock at the killings of civilians in Bucha and other towns in Ukraine, and the ambassador was also notified that Slovenia is reducing the number of staff at the Russian embassy in Ljubljana from 41 to eight, or by 80%. The ministry said it expressed to Eyvazov its "strongest protest and dismay at the massacres of Ukrainian civilians in Bucha and other towns, which satellite and other images have revealed after the towns were liberated from the occupation of the Russian aggressor forces".
100 Slovenian troops to be deployed in Slovakia in first phase
LJUBLJANA - In the first phase of Slovenia's participation in NATO's enhanced forward presence on its eastern flank 100 Slovenian troops will be deployed in Slovakia, the Slovenian Armed Forces said in a press release. The soldiers will be ready for departure from 11 April, but the date of deployment will depend on the host country. In line with a government decision of 23 March, Slovenia plans to deploy up to 200 Slovenian troops in Slovakia.
Pahor speaks with Erdogan on the phone on war in Ukraine
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor discussed Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the importance of Ukraine-Russia negotiations hosted by Turkey in a telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The presidents also reaffirmed the good and friendly bilateral relations, the president's office said. This comes after the two presidents agreed at an official meeting in Antalya in March to hold regular consultations on the progress in the Turkey-hosted negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
Parties agree on humanitarian aid to Ukraine, disagree on weapons and gas imports
LJUBLJANA - Most parties standing in the 24 April general election think Slovenia should not provide weapons to Ukraine, but foremost humanitarian aid, show their answers to the STA's questions about the Ukraine situation. They mostly oppose any solo action as regards sanctions against Russia or an immediate suspension of Russian gas imports. Most parties think Slovenia's energy sources should be diversified.
Slovenia's jobless total down almost 27% y/y in March
LJUBLJANA - The country's jobless total dropped to 60,534 at the end of March, down at both monthly and annual levels. The figure fell by 6.6% over February and by 26.7% over March last year, according to the latest data from the Employment Service. Unemployment is thus at the level it hit at the peak of economic growth in 2008.
Radwaste repository not to be built on schedule, says minister
KRŠKO - The Krško City Council discussed the construction of a local radioactive waste repository, with Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak assuring them that everything was being done to make sure that the repository would be built as soon as possible and at an acceptable price. But it is already clear that it will not be built on schedule - by 2025, he added, pinning the blame for this on the Radioactive Waste Management Agency's previous director.
Parliamentary inquiry pressing charges against ex police chiefs
LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary inquiry into suspicions of political interference in the work of the police decided to file charges against former police commissioners Andrej Jurič and Anton Travner with the Specialised State Prosecutor's Office. They are suspected of committing the offence of perjury. The charge against Jurič was forwarded to the prosecution office on Tuesday, and the charge against Travner will be forwarded in the coming days, the head of the inquiry Rudi Medved said.
Don Don bakery group revenue up to EUR 130m last year
GROSUPLJE - Don Don, a Grosuplje-based group which makes various types of bread and flour-based pastry, generated EUR 130 million in revenue in 2021, up 14% over 2020. The epidemic is still affecting its business but to a lesser extent, while the group feels the consequences of the war in Ukraine and sanctions against Russia, says CEO Aleš Mozetič.
EUR 5m for digital transformation of tourism until 2026
LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Tourist Board (STO) has drafted a 2022-2026 digital transformation strategy for Slovenian tourism, the country's first strategic document of its kind. The STO plans to allocate at least EUR 5 million until 2026 for the industry's digital transformation.
Slovenian companies develop smart zero-energy home
MARIBOR - A dozen Slovenian companies have developed an innovative net zero-energy house that can serve as a home and a workplace. With the smart appliances and fittings linked into a cloud it can be monitored and managed remotely. The model Dom24 (Home24) was put on display today at the headquarters of Marles, Slovenia's oldest and largest maker of prefabricated homes, in Limbuš near Maribor.
Covid cases and hospitalisations keep falling
LJUBLJANA - The Covid-19 epidemic keeps subsiding in Slovenia with both new infections and patients in need of hospital treatment decreasing on Monday. Cases were down by nearly a fourth week-on-week to 3,400 but six more people died, Health Ministry data shows. The National Institute of Public Health estimates there are still almost 35,000 actively infected people in the country.
Eurobarometer: One in three Slovenians happy with state of democracy
LJUBLJANA - Slovenians are quite happy with their life in general but only one out of three is happy with the way democracy works in their country, a Eurobarometer survey conducted across the EU has shown. As many as 89% of the Slovenians included in the survey are happy with their life, which is above the EU average of 83%.
C-bank says war in Ukraine, sanctions worsen economic outlook
LJUBLJANA - The central bank Banka Slovenije has assessed that, after favourable economic activity continued in the eurozone and in Slovenia in the first quarter of the year, Russia's military aggression against Ukraine and the subsequent sanctions have worsened the economic outlook. Risks of prolonged periods of high inflation have increased markedly, it said.
Govt secures EUR 7m for damage caused by last year's frost
LJUBLJANA - The government decided to earmark EUR 7 million for the Agriculture Ministry to implement the programme for mitigating the consequences of damage caused by last year's frost in fruit growing and viticulture. Under the decision taken at the government's economy committee, the funds to eliminate the consequences of the 5-9 April 2021 frost will be provided from the budget reserve. The government also adopted a decision on the provision of aid to beekeepers due to the same damage.
Israel's Taavura Group acquires Renault dealership in Slovenia
LJUBLJANA - The French car manufacturer Renault announced it had concluded an agreement with the Israeli Taavura Group to sell it the dealership of the Renault Group in Slovenia, which imports and distributes the Renault, Dacia and Alpine marques. The management of Renault Nissan Slovenija meanwhile announced that the Taavura Group would be a new distributor of Nissan vehicles, spare parts and other services for Slovenia. The deal needs to be approved by the Competition Protection Agency.
Language main challenge in employment of Ukrainian refugees
LJUBLJANA - The Employment Service has registered first Ukrainian refugees seeking jobs in Slovenia as demand from employers, in particular in the hospitality industry, remains high, while language is one of the main challenges. The Employment Service started intensive preparations for the inflow of Ukrainian refugees into its register in March. So far fewer than five have registered, the service's director general Mitja Bobnar told reporters.
Slovenia tops UCI ranking as Pogačar first to top 6,000 pts
MONTREUX, Switzerland - Tadej Pogačar has become the first rider in history to pass the 6,000 point mark in the UCI world road race ranking as Slovenia took the lead in the nations ranking in the combined score of eight best riders from each country. Pogačar, an UAE Team Emirates rider, is currently on 6,051 points, ahead of his compatriot Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) in second with 4,152 points. Another Slovenian, Matej Mohorič (Bahrain-Victorious) ranks 5th with 2,683.
Giant Carniolan bee now on show at Cankarjev Dom
LJUBLJANA - A giant honey bee that was one of the main attractions of Slovenia's Expo pavilion in Dubai has now been displayed at Ljubljana's Cankarjev Dom to mark World Bee Day, celebrated on Slovenia's initiative on 20 May. The model of Apis mellifera carnica, the worker Carniolan bee, has been made with a 3D printer in a scale hundred times the real-life size of the bee. It measures 170 centimetres in length.
The Father opening festival dedicated to Florian Zeller
Ljubljana - A festival dedicated to Florian Zeller, an award-winning French novelist, playwright, film director and screenwriter whom British critics have labelled as one of the greatest writers of our time, opened at the Cankarjev Dom arts centre in the evening with the screening of his Oscar-winning film The Father (2020).
