11 Sep 2021, 04:40 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Saturday, 11 September 2021

Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

This summary is provided by the STA:

EU finance ministers cautiously optimistic at Brdo meeting

BRDO PRI KRANJU - EU finance ministers were optimistic about the health and economic situation in the EU and eurozone, noting it was significantly better than expected months ago. However, they also cautioned that the danger was not over yet and plenty of challenges remained as they held talks in Brdo pri Kranju. European Commissioner for Economy Paolo Gentiloni said an ECDC analysis confirmed the EU's vaccination campaign had been a great success, while ECB President Christine Lagarde said the current situation was better than expected months ago, urging ongoing decisive action and cooperation.

Janša named CEE person of the year at Karpacz Economic Forum

KARPACZ, Poland - Prime Minister Janez Janša received the award for person of the year in Central and Eastern Europe at the Economic Forum in Karpacz, Poland. In his speech, he underlined the region's key role in the bloc and its Christian heritage. "Central Europe is defined by Christianity. In this the principles of subsidiarity and solidarity as core ideas of European integration were born from Catholic teachings. What is more, Central Europeans have defended the European way of life through history," he was quoted as saying. Janša also appeared at a panel on post-Covid recovery along with the Polish and Ukrainian prime ministers, Mateusz Morawiecki and Denys Shmyhal.

Janša meets IMF executive director, OECD sec-gen

LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša met IMF executive director Kristalina Georgieva and OECD secretary general Mathias Cormann to discuss the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the global economy and recovery plans. The meeting with Cormann also focussed on other challenges OECD members are currently faced with. Cormann also met Foreign Minister Anže Logar, with the pair expressing optimism about the global economic recovery and noting the need to change international standards in taxation of digital economy.
Georgieva and Cormann are in Slovenia for an informal session of EU finance ministers.

Pahor, Poklukar and Covid advisors urge over-50s to vaccinate

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor hosted a meeting with Health Minister Janez Poklukar and members of the government Covid advisory group held over the coronavirus outbreak. They called for vaccination, especially for all over 50 years of age, with Poklukar announcing the government could declare a state of epidemic again if deemed necessary as hospitals were filling up with Covid-19 patients of all ages. Poklukar said around 24,000 people got a job so far this week.

Almost 1,000 new coronavirus cases confirmed on Thursday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported 998 new coronavirus infections for Thursday with the positivity rate standing at 19.2%, show the latest official data. Hospitalisations continued to rise as four Covid-19 patients died, government data shows. A total of 278 patients were hospitalised this morning, up by nine on the day before, including 61 in intensive care, down by two. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 population increased by 22 to 416.

Slovenians distrustful of government on EU recovery funds

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Slovenians are the least likely of all EU citizens to trust their government that EU recovery funds will be used properly, according to a Eurobarometer survey. The other countries where people are least likely to trust their government are Slovakia and Hungary, while Luxembourgers, Danes, Finns and the Dutch trust their governments most. The EU average stands at 44%. The survey was carried out ahead of the State of the Union speech by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Over 60 ethnic Slovenians repatriated from Venezuela

LJUBLJANA - A total of 63 ethnic-Slovenian residents of Venezuela have so far been repatriated to Slovenia. All of them are doing well, with many of them already in employment, and students included in the education system, the Government Office for Slovenians Abroad said. So far no major problems have been detected in the repatriation process, said the office after the second session of the inter-ministerial government task force in charge of coordinating the process.

Pahor pays tribute to former Portuguese president

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor offered his condolences to his Portuguese counterpart Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa on the death of the country's former President Jorge Sampaio. In a post on his Twitter profile Pahor described Sampaio as a great statesman who promoted dialogue, solidarity and freedom. Pahor said Sampaio "will be remembered in Slovenia as a genuine friend who contributed to friendly relations between Slovenia and Portugal as early as 1990s".

No progress on social dialogue after first round of talks

LJUBLJANA - Although social partners seemed ready to restore dialogue on the Economic and Social Council (ESS) at a meeting with President Borut Pahor at the end of last month, the first round of talks brought no progress. Trade unions called it a "big disappointment", saying the government still did not understand the role of the ESS. The unions said the government insisted the ESS was a government advisory body although ESS rules say it comprised of three equal social partners.

KSJS urges govt to meet its financial obligations towards STA, RTV Slovenija

LJUBLJANA - The KSJS confederation of public sector trade unions called on the government to meet its obligations towards the public media, chiefly to pay for the public service performed by the STA and provide adequate funding for public broadcaster RTV Slovenija. KSJS said the state's obligation is to ensure that public media function and develop. However, as things stand now, the implementation of the public service in the media, "and thus the communication rights of all of us", are hampered.

Crunch meeting calls for DeSUS MPs to resign

LJUBLJANA - The Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) held an in-camera meeting to discuss the relationship with the party's MPs. Party leader Ljubo Jasnič said the meeting had proposed for the party council to call on the MPs to resign. If the council supports the call on Thursday but the MPs fail to heed it, Jasnič is not ruling out his resignation. He indicated the same if the council failed to support the call for the resignation, which would however not be binding on the MPs.

Avto Aktiv acquired by Hungarian group

BUDAPEST, Hungary - The Hungarian group Autowallis is expanding in Slovenia, having submitted a binding bid for the takeover of car dealership Avto Aktiv after acquiring the BMW dealership segment of the company A-Cosmos last year and being a certified representative of the Jaguar and Land Rover brands in the country, and as of this year Opel as well. Avto Aktiv, which sells BMW, MINI, Jaguar, Land Rover, Toyota and Suzuki, and provides maintenance services, has an annual turnover of over EUR 50 million.

Ljubljana graphic arts biennial paying tribute to Iskra Delta

LJUBLJANA - The 34th Ljubljana International Biennial of Graphic Arts opened in several venues in the capital. Running until 21 September, the biennial runs under the title Iskra Delta, the name of a former Slovenia-based computing company and one of the largest producers of computers in Yugoslavia, which went bust just before the collapse of the former state. But it also also looks towards the future by featuring young artists.

10 Sep 2021, 12:32 PM

Varied 2021/22 Season Announced for SNG Opera & Ballet Ljubljana

STA, 10 September - The SNG Opera and Ballet Ljubljana, a leading national opera and ballet theatre, has produced a diverse 2021/2022 season headlined Long Live Opera and Ballet, the opera's artistic director Marko Hribernik says. It brings music by Russian greats Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky, Italian composers Donizetti and Bellini and France's Gounod.

"Apart from that, we have Rok Golob's The Sound, a Slovenian novelty which combines music and a spectacle that our opera milieu has not seen yet," he told the STA on Thursday.

The show will open in May, to be directed by Jaša Koceli and conducted by Simon Dvoršak.

There are also some shows from the last seasons which could not premiere due to the epidemic, such as The Capulets and Montagues, opening in October, said Hribernik.

Directed by Frank van Laecke, Willian Shakespeare's classic is set in a photo studio in Verona in 1945, and brings just a day in the Romeo and Juliet story.

Van Laecke will also direct Charlesa Gounod's opera Faust, which is due for premiere in March, with Ayrton Desimpelaere as conductor.

The season will open on 30 September with Igor Stravinsky's meditative ballet Apollo and Oedipus Rex, a large-scale oratorio dwelling on the question of eternal curse.

Its choreographer is the Ljubljana ballet's artistic director Renato Zanella, Rocc is its director and set designer and Aleksandar Marković the conductor.

Zanella will also direct Sergei Prokofiev's ballet Romeo and Juliet, due to premiere in February, to be conducted by Kevin Rhodes.

Strune, or Strings, a triptych by ballet choreographers Eno Peci, Jacopo Godani and Leo Mujić based on music by some of the the world's greatest composers, will open in November, to be conducted by Ernst Theis.

Donizetti's comic opera The Love Potion is scheduled for January, to be directed by Krešimir Dolenčić and conducted by Simon Krečič.

Zanella will moreover direct a ballet diptych entitled A Viennese Evening - Opus 73/Everybody Waltzes, a co-production with the Cankarjev Dom arts centre, to be played in April after it premiered at Cankarjev Dom last month.

The last premiere is scheduled for June - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's opera Eugene Onegin, based Alexander Pushkin's novel, to be directed by Vinko Möderndorfera and conducted by Alan Buribayev.

Visit the website and get tickets

10 Sep 2021, 09:35 AM

Open Kitchen Goes on Tour to Novo Mesto, Ptuj, Vipava, Slovenj Gradec

If you’ve been to Ljubljana on a Friday during the warmer months you’ll have come across Open Kitchen, the hottest spot in town for a meal outside and your choice from dozens of stalls run by notable local restaurants, cafés and food producers. It’s a great place to enjoy lunch or dinner, or just get a drink and take in the atmosphere of a community at play, something to make you feel good and ready for the weekend.

Ptuj. Photo: Open Kitchn

So as we enter last days of another strange and unusual summer the welcome news is that the team behind Open Kitchen is taking the fun on tour, with four events on Saturdays around Slovenia – in Novo mesto, Ptuj, Vipava and Slovenj Gradec – creating spaces where people can come together and celebrate the simple pleasures of good food, drink and company. The dates and locations are below, and note that Open Kitchen will still be in Ljubljana every Friday until the end of October, weather and COVID restrictions permitting.

11 September: Glavni trg in Novo mesto,

18 September: Mestni trg in Ptuj,

25 September: atrium of Lanthieri Mansion in Vipava

2 October: Trg svobode and Glavni trg in Slovenj Gradec

Keep up to date with the latest from Open Kitchen by following them on Facebook

10 Sep 2021, 09:16 AM

Ljubljana Graphic Arts Biennial Focuses on Iskra Delta

STA, 10 September 2021 - The 34th Ljubljana International Biennial of Graphic Arts is opening on Friday in several venues in the capital. Running until 21 September, the festival is themed around nostalgia of a former computing company while also looking towards the future in featuring young artists.

The biennial runs under the title Iskra Delta, the name of a former Slovenia-based computing company and one of the largest producers of computers in Yugoslavia, which went bust just before the collapse of the former state.

The story about the rise and fall of Iskra Delta is shrouded in mystery and is thus a subject of various projections, which sometimes border on conspiracy theories, the International Centre of Graphic Arts (MGLC) has said.

The organisers of the event have invited to the project a wide range of artists who "use the power of fiction and speculative design, play fantasy roles and games and use the internet, pop and emerging technologies."

MGLC director Nevenka Šivavec, the artistic manager of the biennial, said that the event gathered young Central and East European artists who understand Iskra Delta more as a "story about something that could have been realised, but has not been."

Curator Tjaša Pogačar added for the STA that the event brought new projects by young artists and groups, including BCAA System (Czech Republic), Inside Job (Poland), Botond Keresztesi and Zsofia Keresztes (Hungary) and Mario Mu (Croatia).

Slovenia will be represented at the biennial by Andrej Škufca, Neja Zorzut and Luka Lavrenci.

The main programme will be accompanied by electronic and pop music concerts, workshops, publications, conferences and talks about the "possibilities provided by the new technological revolution and tactical potentials of Yugo-futurism."

Traditionally, the festival will also feature a solo exhibition by the winner of its grand prize from last year, the London-based artist Hamja Ahsan, which displays the "history of a fictitious country of shy, introvert and autistic people."

Established in 1955, the Ljubljana International Biennial of Graphic Arts has always responded to the ever-changing social and political context, while re-shaping its own identity and strategies, the organisers noted.

The biennial continues to draw from its history and context, with the 34th edition finding incentive in a special local case of technological development and its unrealised potential, they added.

You can learn more at the website

10 Sep 2021, 09:02 AM

Janša Named CEE Person of the Year at Karpacz Economic Forum, Praises Poland, Christian Heritage

STA, 10 September 2021 - Prime Minister Janez Janša has received the award for person of the year in Central and Eastern Europe at the Economic Forum in Karpacz, Poland. In his speech, he underlined the region's key role in the bloc and its Christian heritage.

"Central Europe is defined by Christianity. In this the principles of subsidiarity and solidarity as core ideas of European integration were born from Catholic teachings. What is more, Central Europeans have defended the European way of life through history," he was quoted as saying by his office.

Invoking the Polish Solidarity movement and Pope John Paul II, Janša said the culture shaped by Christianity had inspired freedom fighters despite the repression and totalitarianism that Central Europe suffered during the conflict between the superpowers.

He said solidarity was what bound members of a community and should be "the eternal goal or motto of European integration," but the EU had departed too much from the fundamental principles of European integration - consensus, mutual respect, subsidiarity and solidarity - in its political debates and actions by some of its institutions.

According to Janša, there is "no strong Europe without a strong Central Europe. In fact, there is no truly European union without the countries of Central Europe. Central Europe is becoming more and more what the name of our part of the continent suggests: central, both in terms of economics and values."

Janša also appeared at a panel on post-Covid recovery along with the Polish and Ukrainian prime ministers, Mateusz Morawiecki and Denys Shmyhal, at which he argued that the geopolitical situation had changed and that the EU had to learn tough lessons from the latest developments.

According to him, it is necessary to transform the European economy and strengthen its resilience, processes in which he sees Slovenia playing a major role as the currently presiding country.

10 Sep 2021, 05:08 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Friday, 10 September 2021

Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

This summary is provided by the STA:

KPK finds no lobbying irregularities in PM Janša

LJUBLJANA - The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (KPK) has analysed lobbying contacts between PM Janez Janša and his Democrats (SDS), and the largest suppliers of medical equipment over the past ten years, but found no irregularities, the commission's head Robert Šumi told news portal N1. KPK checked the records of Janša's lobbying contacts and of the SDS deputy group in the period between 2011 until August 2021 after the parliamentary Public Finance Oversight Commission asked it to do so in August. This was after a news portal reported Janša had been holidaying in Mauritius with representatives of the largest healthcare suppliers in Slovenia for years, since 2003.

Common foreign and security policy in focus of conference

LJUBLJANA - An inter-parliamentary conference on the EU's common foreign and security policy organised as part of the Slovenian EU presidency heard calls for a united and active approach by the bloc to global challenges. Josep Borrell, the EU's high representative for foreign and security policy, said the Afghanistan crisis could be a catalyst that makes the bloc's foreign policy stronger. National Assembly Speaker Igor Zorčič said the EU had to leverage heft as an economic superpower and the largest donor of development aid. The importance of the EU reacting fast and effectively was highlighted by President Borut Pahor, who said this was possible only if integration deepens and the EU's autonomy is strengthened.

Janša attending Polish Economic Forum

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša attended the 30th Economic Forum in Karpacz, Poland this evening to participate in a panel on post-Covid recovery along with the Polish and Ukrainian prime ministers, Mateusz Morawiecki and Denys Shmyhal, with both of whom was also scheduled to hold separate talks. Janša's office also said that the prime minister would receive an award for person of the year 2020 in Central and Eastern Europe.

Home Policy Committee endorses indecent behaviour amendments

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Home Policy Committee confirmed in a 10:8 vote an amendment to the act on public law and order under which the police can issue fines for indecent behaviour in the event they detect such behaviour of their own motion, without the injured party having to initiate proceedings. The original government proposal envisaged fines for insulting senior officials, but was tweaked at the proposal of the coalition two days ago. The fines range from EUR 500 to EUR 1,000.

Govt changes penal code on threats to senior officials

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a bill changing the penal code to introduce prosecution of suspects who have threatened the country's senior officials or their relatives ex officio, without the injured party initiating proceedings. The bill comes after such a solution was proposed in February as the parliamentary justice and home affairs committees discussed mounting hostility in society. The session was called by all three coalition parties, both minority MPs and the opposition National Party (SNS), with the coalition mentioning among others the slogan "death to Janšism", which it perceives as a threat to PM Janez Janša.

Bankers discuss relations between commercial banks and ECB

PORTOROŽ - Bankers discussed relations between commercial banks and the European Central Bank (ECB) as they gathered for an annual Financial Conference in Portorož, with NLB chairman Blaž Brodnjak warning about attempts by the ECB to push out commercial banks, which he labelled an "exceptionally dangerous moral hazard". He said the ECB was taking over an increasingly larger role, noting that if that continued, "politics will supervise itself" eventually. The debate at the conference, hosted by the business daily Finance, also touched on the digital euro.

Case count tops 1,000 second day in a row

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported 1,016 new coronavirus infections for Wednesday in what is the second day in a row when the daily case count exceeded 1,000, show fresh NIJZ data. Hospitalisations increased by 26 to 269 and the number of ICU cases by two to 63, according to government data. One person with Covid died. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 population was up by 24 to 394 and the seven-day average of new daily cases by 50 to 695. The NIJZ estimates there are currently 8,361 active cases in the country.

Minister announces stricter Covid rules for civil servants

PORTOROŽ - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek announced stricter Covid-19 rules for civil servants at the annual Financial Conference in Portorož, saying the civil servants who work directly with other people would need to be either Covid-19 reconvalescent or vaccinated. "I'm not talking about testing any more." He also said there will be no more lockdown due to the epidemic because there is enough vaccine and because one cannot expect the state "will help the economy as generously as in the past".

Government expands list of exceptions from quarantine

LJUBLJANA - The government expanded the list of exceptions from quarantine of persons who have been in high-risk contact with a person infected with the novel coronavirus to include persons who have been confirmed with an infection less than six months ago and persons who received a second AstraZeneca shot more than 21 days ago. The changes will enter into force tomorrow.

Exports in July up 17.3% year-on-year, imports up 26%

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia exported goods in the value of EUR 3.5 billion in July, or 17.3% more than in the same month last year, while imports, also totalling EUR 3.5 billion, were up by 26%. The imports-to-exports coverage was 98.9%, as a EUR 40 million trade deficit was recorded in July, the Statistics Office reported. Slovenia's exports and imports in July were also higher than exports and imports in the same month in the pre-coronavirus year 2019, up by 14.2% and 13.7%, respectively.

MEPs to visit Slovenia in October to meet govt, media reps

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Parliament's democracy monitoring group plans to go on a fact-finding mission to Slovenia between 13 and 15 October, shows a document obtained by the STA. They would like to meet representatives of the media, NGOs as well as state institutions and the government, including PM Janez Janša. The head of the group, MEP Sophie in 't Veld (Renew), announced the mission at a plenary in July. The group has so far held two debates dedicated to the situation in Slovenia.

SAB membership soars, as DeSUS members defect

LJUBLJANA - 250 members of several local committees of the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) have defected to join the opposition Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB), SAB leader Alenka Bratušek told the press, saying this was a recognition that her party was doing a good job. She said the new members only demand was for SAB not to forget about pensioners and the elderly. "Our plan and goal is to get among top five political parties with the strongest network on the ground and a clear social and liberal programme," Bratušek said.

Opposition again moves to ban fracking

LJUBLJANA - The opposition Left, Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ), and the Social Democrats (SD) filed a bill to ban hydraulic fracking in Slovenia in what is the fourth attempt at trying to prevent drilling plans of the British company Ascent Resources in Petišovci (NE). The move comes as the government was expected to adopt today its set of changes to the mining act, which the opposition sees as disguised support for fracking.

Foreign medical students succeed in appeals against non-enrolment

LJUBLJANA - Candidates from the countries of former Yugoslavia who have been denied enrolment in the medical schools in Ljubljana and Maribor have successfully appealed against the decision, with the University of Ljubljana admitting they have been discriminated against, the newspaper Večer reported. The news comes after youth trade union Mladi Plus accused the Ljubljana and Maribor faculties of medicine of turning down 123 third-country students without an explanation, while admitting ethnic Slovenians without Slovenian citizenship.

Slovenia sends condolences after deadly hospital fire in N Macedonia

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia expressed condolences to North Macedonia following a fire in a Covid-19 hospital in Tetovo on Wednesday evening, in which at least 14 people have died. On Twitter, the Foreign Ministry expressed condolences to the people of Tetovo, in particular to those who lost their dearest ones in "this tragic event". President Borut Pahor meanwhile rang up his Macedonian counterpart Stevo Pendarovski to express his condolences. Defence Minister Matej Tonin said on Twitter he was "shaken by the tragic event in Tetovo", adding that "our thoughts and prayers go to the Macedonian people and our friends in North Macedonia".

Ljubljana gets more stumbling stones for Holocaust victims

LJUBLJANA - Another seven stumbling stones or Stolpersteine were laid in Ljubljana to honour the memory of the city's Jewish citizens who were torn from their homes during WWII and taken to concentration camps in Europe. The opening of an exhibition on the story of a Ljubljana Jewish family followed the stone-laying ceremony, which was also attended by President Borut Pahor. The latest Stolpersteine commemorative plaques bring the total of stumbling stones in Ljubljana to 68.

Suicide in decline but experts warn of knock-on effect of Covid

LJUBLJANA - Death by suicide has been declining in Slovenia for two decades and the number of suicides fell again last year when 369 people took their life, 295 men and 74 women, which compares to 394 in 2019. Experts say this may be attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic, but they also warn the consequences may yet reflect on mental health and suicide statistics.

09 Sep 2021, 13:47 PM

Mako Sajko Wins Lifetime Award for Slovenian Documentaries - Watch Many Inside

STA, 8 September - Mako Sajko, a 94-year-old screenwriter and director known mainly for his short documentaries, won the France Štiglic Award for lifetime achievement as the Directors' Guild of Slovenia presented its annual accolades at the Slovenian Cinematheque on Wednesday.

The judging panel described Sajko's oeuvre as "truly exceptional" and a "series of classics, a neckless of film pearls on the thankless neck of Slovenian cinematography".

His classics "speak not only about the time they were made in but communicate with the contemporary viewer in a lively way through style, narrative and content".

All of Sajko's "short but incredibly potent documentaries shed light not only on the topics troubling a certain place and time, but pose difficult questions to today's audience as well".

Sajko graduated from the Belgrade High Film School in 1959 before pursuing his film education in Paris and Munich and as assistant to Slovenian directors František Čap, France Štiglic, Jane Kavčič and France Kosmač.

He has mostly directed social-themed short films and documentaries, mostly based on his own script.

He was honoured in 1969 with the Prešeren Fund Prize and in 2009 won the Badjura Award for lifetime accomplishment.

His memorable films include Kaj za vas? (What Can I Get for You), a 15-minute nostalgic homage to Ljubljana produce markets from 1962, Strupi (Poisons), an early warning about industrial pollution from 1964.

The jurors also mentioned Samomorilci, pozor! (Suicides, Beware), another short, from 1964, on the issue of suicide among young people, Promiskuiteta (Promiscuity, 1974) and Slavica exception (1971).

The France Štiglic Awards, which come in the form of sculptures by director and sculptor Miha Knific, were given out for the seventh time in cooperation with the Slovenian Cinematheque and with the financial support of the Slovenian Film Centre.

They are named after the director and author of the first Slovenian feature film.

09 Sep 2021, 11:34 AM

Slovenia’s Exports in July Up 17.3% Year-on-Year, Imports Up 26%

STA, 9 September 2021 - Slovenia exported goods in the value of EUR 3.5 billion in July, or 17.3% more than in the same month last year, while imports, also totalling EUR 3.5 billion, were up by 26%. The imports-to-exports coverage was 98.9%, as a EUR 40 million trade deficit was recorded in July, the Statistics Office reported on Thursday.

Slovenia's exports and imports in July were also higher than exports and imports in the same month in the pre-coronavirus year 2019, increasing by 14.2% and 13.7%, respectively.

The value of goods exported from Slovenia to other EU member states was up by 8.1% to EUR 2.2 billion, while the value of goods imported from these countries increased by 15.5% to EUR 2.2 billion.

stat.si

The share of trade between Slovenia and non-EU countries increased somewhat, with Slovenia exporting EUR 1.3 billion in goods there (36.5% more than in July 2020) and importing EUR 1.3 billion, or 49.2% more than in the same month last year.

In the first seven months of the year, Slovenia exported EUR 22.6 billion in goods and imported EUR 22.5 billion in goods, which is an increase of 18.8% and 25.1% on the annual basis, respectively.

In the January-July period, Slovenia thus recorded a EUR 200 million trade surplus for the imports-to-exports coverage of 100.8%.

More on this data

09 Sep 2021, 11:23 AM

Ljubljana Gets Seven More Stolpersteine for Holocaust Victims

STA, 9 September 2021 - Another seven stumbling stones or Stolpersteine were laid in Ljubljana on Thursday to honour the memory of the city's Jewish citizens who were torn from their homes during WWII and taken to concentration camps in Europe. After that, an exhibition on the story of a Ljubljana Jewish family was opened.

The latest Stolpersteine commemorative plaques bring the total of stumbling stones in Ljubljana to 68, and they are located at 24 different locations.

Ljubljana Jewish Cultural Centre data shows the Slovenian capital has the largest number of such stones in Europe relative to the percentage of Jews that lived there and died as Holocaust victims.

The project is part of a wider initiative first launched by German artist Gunter Demnig in 1992 that aims to commemorate persons at their last known place of residence before they fell victim to Nazi terror.

The brass stones feature inscriptions displaying the victim's name, date of birth and fate. There are now more than 75,000 of them installed in more than 1,200 cities across Europe and Russia, making this the world's largest decentralised memorial.

In Slovenia, such memorial blocks have been laid in Ljubljana, Maribor and the north-east of the country, Lendava and Murska Sobota, where most of Slovenian Jews lived before WWII.

Today's stone-laying ceremonies were organised by the Ljubljana Jewish Cultural Centre, the Maribor Synagogue, and the Ljubljana municipality.

The first two out of the seven stumbling stones were laid at Križevniška 5 to commemorate Theodor Kron and Angelo Hajmann. Memorial blocks were also installed to honour the memory of Ivan Roth (Vegova 8) and Artur Silberstein, Pavla Silberstein, Stevan Savić and Đuro Savić (Korytkova 22).

Stolpersteine are "an artwork, individual and collective memory, which aims to rouse our lulled souls", the head of the Jewish Cultural Centre, Robert Waltl, said on the occasion.

The centre also prepared the exhibition titled Holocaust in Ljubljana - the Silberstein-Savić Family at the Mini Theatre venue, which was opened by Estera Savić Bizjak, a descendant of the family.

The stone-laying ceremony was meanwhile also attended by President Borut Pahor, an honorary sponsor of this project in Slovenia.

Pahor laid the first stumbling stone on 6 August 2018 together with the author of the project, German artist Demnig at Cankarjevo Nabrežje in Ljubljana, his office said in a release.

09 Sep 2021, 06:12 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Thursday, 9 September 2021

Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

This summary is provided by the STA:

Govt determined not to shut down economy or public life

IDRIJA - Prime Minister Janez Janša said the government was determined not to shut down the economy or public life despite surging cases. Vaccination is the only way to avoid disruption to normal life, he said, adding that it was in the shared interests of the government, opposition, media and each individual to reach such a vaccination rate that the Covid-19 outbreak would not jeopardise public life or the health system.

Janša calls no-confidence motions tragicomic

IDRIJA - Prime Minister Janez Janša dismissed no-confidence motions sought by the centre-left opposition against two members of his government as being groundless on Wednesday, saying the attempts were rather tragicomic considering they were coming this late in the term. Janša wondered if the most they could agree on was how to bring a motion of no confidence, "how then would they cope with the epidemic."

Number of new daily coronavirus infections tops 1,000

LJUBLJANA - A total of 1,093 new coronavirus cases were recorded in Slovenia on Tuesday, a record high in the wave of the epidemic. The last time the daily number of new infections topped 1,000 was at the end of April, near the peak of the spring wave. According to fresh data provided by the government, 243 Covid-19 patients were in hospital this morning, including 61 in intensive care. Three patients died.

Minister points to lack of vaccination culture, solidarity

LJUBLJANA - Health Minister Janez Poklukar has told the STA that there would be no talk about restrictive measures, but about Slovenia opening up, if a 70% rate of vaccination against Covid-19 was achieved. He sees many reasons for a low vaccination rate, including the lack of vaccination culture and solidarity.

International organisations urge end to STA crisis

VIENNA, Austria - Nineteen international journalism and media freedom organisations have signed a joint statement urging the Slovenian government and the Government Communication Office "to immediately end the economic suffocation of the STA and take steps to ensure sustainable funding before its collapse". They point out that it has been 250 days since the agency has received public funding.

Aljoša Rehar appointed new STA editor-in-chief

LJUBLJANA - Aljoša Rehar has been named the new editor-in-chief of the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) and is to take over for a four-year term in December from Barbara Štrukelj, who is ending her 12-year stint. The decision on Rehar's appointment was issued by STA director Bojan Veselinovič on Wednesday after Rehar was backed by a 98.5% majority in a secret ballot with a turnout of 80.7%.

Proposal to waive fines for Covid infractions defected

LJUBLJANA - A proposal by the opposition to waive fines for infractions of coronavirus restrictions that were declared unconstitutional has been rejected by the Home Policy Committee. The opposition wanted to halt ongoing proceedings and compensate all individuals who had to pay fines. The coalition voted against.

Pahor and his climate advisors talk Slovenia's energy future

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor met on Tuesday with members of his permanent advisory committee on climate policy. Slovenia's energy future topped the agenda, with the participants discussing efforts to make the country carbon-neutral and energy self-sufficient, Pahor's office said.

Hidria to build EUR 40m R&D and production facility

IDRIJA - Industrial conglomerate Hidria broke ground for a EUR 40 million high-tech centre for the development and production of key components for electric motors for hybrid and electric vehicles. The new centre is slated to open in the middle of 2023, and will first service car manufacturers BMW and Mercedes. Hidria needs new production facilities after it has concluded a number of long-term deals with several leading global vehicle manufacturers.

Iskratel signs deal on fibre-optic network expansion in Ukraine

KRANJ - The Slovenian broadband access solutions provider Iskratel will work with Ukraine's Ukrtelecom on a project to expand the fibre-optic network in Ukraine in a deal worth EUR 12 million, the Kranj-based company said. Iskratel and Ukrtelecom have signed a three-year contract for a network expansion project that will provide gigabit connectivity to 1.3 million people and 530,000 homes in more than 300 locations in different regions of Ukraine, Iskratel said.

Insurers soon free of restrictions on profit distribution

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian insurance companies will be free of restrictions on the distribution of profit after the Agency for Insurance Supervision decided not to extend beyond September a macroprudential measure that severely curtailed payouts. The decision was made after a review of insurance and pension companies' interim results and against the backdrop of improved economic indicators, the agency said.

Slovenian researchers develop new medication for prostate cancer

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian researchers have developed an advanced cell-based medication for the treatment of prostate cancer that opens up the possibility for the new technology to be used also for treatment of other types of solid tumours. The medication has been developed by the Ljubljana Faculty of Medicine, UKC Ljubljana hospital, the Celica biomedicine centre and the Institute for Transfusion Medicine.

Austrian military officer's statue back in Tivoli Park

LJUBLJANA - A statue of Austrian Field Marshal Josef Radetzky (1766-1858) has been erected in Tivoli Park at the same spot in front of Tivoli Mansion from where it was removed in 1918. The decision has sparked controversy among historians, given the historical burden the monument carries. The city erected the monument quietly, without much fanfare.

Dostoevsky, Jančar and Berlin Philharmonic to headline new season at Cankarjev Dom

LJUBLJANA - A guest appearance by the Berlin Philharmonic, a series of events marking the 200th anniversary of Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky and a production based on Drago Jančar's award-winning novel will be among the highlights of the new season of Cankarjev Dom, Slovenia's biggest cultural venue. The Ljubljana International Film Festival is returning to the big screen for its 32nd iteration between 10 and 21 November.

Mako Sajko honoured by peers for his short documentaries

LJUBLJANA - Mako Sajko, a 94-year-old screenwriter and director known mainly for his short documentaries, won the France Štiglic Award for lifetime achievement as the Directors' Guild of Slovenia presented its annual accolades. The judging panel described Sajko's oeuvre as "truly exceptional" and a "series of classics, a neckless of film pearls on the thankless neck of Slovenian cinematography".

New MGL theatre's season dedicated to great expectations

LJUBLJANA - The Ljubljana City Theatre (MGL) has dubbed its new season Great Expectations, a slogan referring to the hope that in 2022 the world will re-establish itself. The programme will feature 12 premieres, including two from the previous season which were thwarted by the epidemic. The premieres include five on the big stage, four on the small and three mono-projects by the theatre's actors.

Puppet Artists Biennial starts in Maribor

MARIBOR - The Maribor Puppet Theatre is hosting the 11th Biennial of Puppet Artists of Slovenia from Wednesday to Saturday. The selector Rok Bozovičar has picked 12 productions to present an overview of puppetry in Slovenia. "I wanted to give all performances the same visibility in the festival, especially in the light of the current situation. It seemed to me that this could be an inclusive biennial, bringing together the scene in the broadest possible sense," he explained.

Medical school didn't accept non-EU students due to staff, space constraints

MARIBOR - Responding to an allegation of discrimination leveraged by a youth trade union, the Faculty of Medicine in Maribor said it did not accept any non-EU first-year candidates for the coming academic year because of a shortage of staff and space constrains. The faculty increased the number of posts for first-year students from Slovenia and the EU by 10 to 106, which it said is its upper limit. While not accepting any foreigners from non-EU countries, the faculty accepted two ethnic Slovenians without Slovenian citizenship.

Slovenia lose to Croatia in 2022 World Cup qualifiers

SPLIT - Slovenia lost against Croatia 0:3 in Split on Tuesday in the sixth round of the group stage of the World Cup qualifiers, with almost no chances left for qualification now. Coach Matjaž Kek and captain Jan Oblak acknowledged Croatia's superiority after the match.

Slovenia enter relegation round at European volleyball championship

OSTRAVA, Czechia - Slovenia will enter the relegation round at the European Volleyball Championship. The team won three of the five group matches and the final-round 0:3 loss against Italy means that they will finish the group stage in second or third place. The final placement will be determined in Thursday's game between the only undefeated team in group B, Italy, and hosts Czechia.

Coronavirus testing points goes ablaze in apparent arson

LJUBLJANA - A coronavirus testing point went up in flames in Kamnik on Tuesday night, as a fire that started in a wooden shed spread to a nearby shipping container which served as a testing point. Arson is suspected as flyers by opponents of the recovered-vaccinated-tested rule were found at the scene.

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