18 Jun 2020, 17:13 PM

Explore Amazing Wedding Venues at Lake Bled

A wedding is a joyous, special occasion, marking a very important milestone in a person’s life, and getting married at a beautiful location makes the ceremony even more memorable, and Lake Bled will certainly achieves that.

Couples from all over the country, and the world, have been getting hitched at this Alpine gem for centuries. While the famous glacial lake with its fantastic mountainous backdrop is certainly breath-taking, the magical appeal of Lake Bled also lies in its remarkably unique wedding venues.

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1,000 years of perfectly preserved tradition

Guarding Bled from above is the oldest castle in Slovenia. Perched atop a 130-metre cliff overlooking the lake, this millennia-old venue doesn’t only offer spectacular views, it boasts an exceptionally preserved medieval interior. Civil ceremonies take place in the Knight’s Hall while the stunning gothic is where church weddings are held, like they were hundreds of years ago. Couples can even get their marriage certificates printed at the castle’s ancient printing works and sip on high-end wine from the renowned wine cellar. Weddings at Bled Castle are truly fit for royalty.

Bride and groom by Vila Bled.jpg

Presidential elegance on the shores of Lake Bled

Today, Vila Bled is a gorgeous hotel, but it used to serve as a favoured summer residence of Yugoslavia’s President Tito. This luxurious mansion hosted famous dignitaries like Nikita Khrushchev, King Hussein, and Indira Gandhi, along with celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Wondering around Vila Bled, one can feel the historical importance of the place resonate in the marvellous marble designs of its grand interior, furnished with elegant mid-century furniture. Newly-weds can stroll around the Vila’s giant private garden with a clear view of the Bled Island.

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The enchanting wedding venue in the middle of a lake

Bled Island is the only island in Slovenia. Steeped in legend, this wonderful islet holds many secrets, including the very origins of Lake Bled. Its spiritual significance dates back to pagan times when a temple to the goddess fertility was built on the same spot where the old church stands today. Traditionally, the wedding couple arrives on the island by pletna, the old ‘alpine gondola’ boat. The groom then carries the bride up the 99 steps up to the church where a very special bell has to be rung three times for wishes to come true. Besides the island’s powerful spirit of positivity, the view of its picturesque surroundings makes wedding photos beautiful beyond compare.

Bride and groom by Vila Bled.jpg

A prestigious hotel with an idyllic location

Grand Hotel Toplice is among Slovenia’s most romantic wedding venues. It was built on top of a thermal spring with medicinal properties a hundred years ago. Every aspect of this stunning place says exclusiveness. Couples choose this venue for its supremely luxurious ambience that comes with the hotel’s chic interior, amazing culinary delights prepared by top chefs, high-class service, and above all the magnificent views of Lake Bled, its castle, island and tranquil splendour of their natural settings.

18 Jun 2020, 17:04 PM

Slovenia Reimposes Stricter Controls on Croatian Border, Arrivals from Bosnia, Kosovo & Serbia Subject to 14-Day Quarantine

STA, 18 June 2020 - Slovenia will impose stricter rules on its border with Croatia starting on Friday to prevent the import of new coronavirus cases, after the bulk of a surprise surge in new cases in recent days was found to have originated abroad.

Bosnia, Kosovo and Serbia have thus been put on a black list of countries from where arrivals are subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine regardless of residence status in Slovenia or nationality.

Additionally, the number of exemptions for these countries has been narrowed so as to minimise travel, in particular of migrant workers, government officials said Thursday.

The decision comes after half of the 26 new coronavirus cases confirmed in the past two weeks were found to have been imported, mostly from Bosnia and Serbia. Most other new cases are contacts of these imported cases.

Health Minister Tomaž Gantar said it was premature to talk about a second wave of the epidemic, but he stressed that Slovenia was making the move out of an abundance of caution to make sure the number of new infections does not increase to the point where there are too many infections and their contacts to trace.

Gantar also noted that Slovenians had started becoming "too relaxed, as if we have forgotten that it took huge efforts to defeat the epidemic" and indicated that some restrictions, for example on the size of crowds in public, may be tightened if needed. Currently gatherings of up to 500 people are allowed.

At the same time, the government is making preparations for the event that the number of infections increases substantially, in particular in care homes and in healthcare. The government is also working on solutions that would allow the economy to function normally in the event of a second wave, he said.

18 Jun 2020, 16:27 PM

Interview with US Ambassador to Slovenia, Looking for Even Closer Cooperation

STA, 17 June 2020 - US Ambassador to Slovenia Lynda Blanchard has put strengthening US-Slovenian economic development in the focus of her efforts, and would also like to encourage cooperation between Slovenian and US universities. Blanchard, who arrived in Ljubljana last August, has told the STA that Slovenia already feels like her second home.

"We're already excellent partners, but we want to further improve this cooperation, so my main focus will be economic cooperation, especially after the end of the Covid-19 pandemic," Blanchard, herself a businesswomen, said in an interview she gave for the STA on Tuesday.

The ambassador, who stressed her doors are always open, pointed to the need to create an encouraging business environment, as competition among countries in the region is very strong. She said she would like Slovenia and the US to become even closer partners.

Although the pandemic has hindered economic cooperation, Blanchard believes there will be opportunities for cooperation and partnerships post-Covid. She believes the third economic stimulus package adopted by the Slovenian government offers many such opportunities.

The ambassador said it was easy to start engaging with the Slovenian government soon after arriving in Slovenia, and she also cooperates very well with the new government, which came to power in mid-March.

Blanchard said they were able to accomplish some initiatives that were already started by her predecessors, for instance defence cooperation and cooperation among universities.

She said defence cooperation is intensive, with the pandemic showing it is urgent for countries to be ready, which is also part of NATO's initiatives.

Even if Slovenia's defence spending is below 2% of its GDP, a target the US insists upon, Blanchard said Slovenia has been working well with NATO for a long time.

She believes one should focus on Slovenia's strengths, such as cyber, and its activities in the Western Balkans.

"You have wonderful troops on the ground, all over the Western Balkans, which is very important to your country and for the security and well-being of the region."

The ambassador also highlighted defence cooperation on infrastructure, and noted the US is engaged in all projects here by invitation.

The ambassador declined to discuss in detail a memorandum of understanding on 5G technology Slovenia is said to be signing with the US and which is seen as an attempt to limit China's Huawei's participation in 5G deployment in Slovenia.

She stressed the 5G network would bring many opportunities, especially for businesses, which however need security, stability and the respect for privacy laws.

She said the memorandum of understanding mimics much of the EU toolbox which encourages EU member states to avoid unsafe 5G vendors.

Blanchard said US First Lady Melania Trump, whom she met before leaving for Slovenia and has been since in contact with her office, is "very interested" in Slovenia.

The ambassador understands that since the first lady is Slovenian, many here would like to see a highest-level visit from the US. But she said that in the year of the presidential elections, the president and the first lady are focussing on the elections.

Blanchard said the US and Slovenia engage in regular dialogue. She said Slovenian Foreign Minister Anže Logar and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had recently had a wonderful and very engaging conversation, and Logar's predecessor Miro Cerar met Pompeo in Washington last year.

The ambassador also said she likes living in Slovenia, which she said already feels like a second home. She likes to go to antique shops and the flea market in Ljubljana, where he has already bought many items to decorate her residence in the Rožna Dolina borough.

18 Jun 2020, 12:37 PM

Regular Passenger Boat Line Coming to Ljubljana Later This Year

STA, 18 June 2020 - Ljubljana is to get a regular passenger boat line on the Ljubljanica river before the end of this year, a city official has announced according to a Delo report on Thursday.

Initially operating in test mode, the 101 river line will have six stops, the planned starting or final stops being the Grain Bridge (Žitni Most) on the edges of the city centre and Livada, south of the city centre, the newspaper report says.

Ljubljana passenger boat map.JPG

The approximate end points of the route, market in red

According to the head of municipal department for economic activities and transport David Polutnik, who announced the test line during question and answers time in town hall, the line will be subject to exactly the same regime as the city's bus network, meaning it will be possible to pay with the Urbana bus card at 1.30 euros a ride.

The boat will be available once per hour on the hour between 7am and 6pm during weekdays and between 9am and 8pm during the weekend.

The project has been planned for some time and was originally meant to be launched on 1 May, but has been delayed due to the coronavirus epidemic.

The line will be operated by the city's public transport company LPP, which will use a boat that has already been running a commercial line on the river. Other boat owners have already expressed interest as well.

Related, but NOT the service in this story: See the Charms of Ljubljana from a New Angle with a Barka Boat Ride

18 Jun 2020, 11:04 AM

Top Covid-19 Advisor Calls for Stricter Border Measures

Eight new coronavirus infections were confirmed in Slovenia in Wednesday, Health Minister Tomaž Gantar has announced. This is a marked increase compared to recent weeks and takes the total number of recorded infections to 1,511. The death toll remained unchanged at 109.

STA, 17 June 2020 - Bojana Beović, the head of the team advising the Health Ministry on coronavirus, has urged reimposing stringent measures on the borders at once after an increase in new infections originating abroad, while PM Janez Janša warned new restrictions would be inevitable unless those in place were respected.

After seeing very few or no new daily coronavirus cases for almost a month, Slovenia saw the daily figure spike at 5 on 5 June, followed by 11 new cases last week and already 7 this Monday and Tuesday.

The cases have either been imported from abroad or are close contacts of those cases, with Radio Slovenija reporting on Wednesday that most of the cases originated in the Balkans.

Commenting on the situation for media on Wednesday, Beović said that most of the cases had been imported, describing the situation as rather critical.

Noting that people obviously got too relaxed, the advisor said the new cases in recent days were due to the open border regime, warning that those new imported cases could lead to dozens of new cases in the future.

She believes that entry should be restricted for the countries placed on the red or black lists by the National Public Health Institute (NIJZ).

"We've had individual cases imported from abroad on a daily basis and with this sort of conduct, that is with a lot of socialising and failure to wear masks, such a situation could be very dangerous," Beović told the online edition of the newspaper Večer.

"We could see an extensive spread of the virus in a very short time," she added.

Similarly, the prime minister warned of a looming threat of a second wave of the epidemic as the risk of imported infections was growing fast with the reopening of Europe's borders and resumption of intercontinental flights.

"All measures in place will prevent a repeat of the epidemic only if they are implemented consistently. Or else new restrictions will be inevitable," Janša said on his Twitter profile.

In response to Beović's criticism of too many exemptions to the measures already in place, NIJZ director Milan Krek announced a rethink on justifiability of some of the exemptions that allow arrivals from countries not listed as Covid-19-safe to avoid a mandatory two-week quarantine.

The government decree on the prevention of Covid-19 spread at border crossings lists 16 exemptions to the 14-day quarantine for arrivals from the countries not okayed as safe by the NIJZ.

Those exemptions include daily or weekly migrants, persons in business transit in Slovenia, those transporting goods into or out of the country, transit passengers and diplomats.

Crossing the border without the mandatory quarantine is also possible for persons visiting their closest relatives and close relatives of Slovenian citizens or foreigners with permanent residence in Slovenia.

Talking with the STA, Krek said that most of the coronavirus infections in Slovenia in recent weeks came into the country based on those exemptions.

This is why the NIJZ would propose a discussion on whether some of the exemptions made sense, as envisaged in the decree in the event of a worsening in the epidemiological situation.

Krek expects the decree could be amended as early as Friday.

As of Tuesday midnight, Slovenia had 26 active coronavirus cases out of the total of 1,503 registered since the first case was confirmed on 4 March.

Seven Covid-19 patients are being treated in hospitals, one of them in an intensive care unit.

There have been no Covid-19 fatalities since 1 June when the death total reached 109.

18 Jun 2020, 09:46 AM

Military Vehicles Travelling Thursday, Friday for Exercise

Don’t be alarmed if you see a lot of military transport on the roads Thursday morning, as it’s just part of an exercise that will see the vehicles moving from around Maribor, Kranj, Ljubljana, Pivka and Ankaran towards the Jernej Molan Barracks (Vojašnica Jerneja Molana) in Cerklje ob Krki, eastern Slovenia, then returning home Friday afternoon and early evening. The exercise, to be conducted by the Slovenian Armed Forces and allies, will also see military planes and helicopters make some low flights on Friday, between 12:20 and 12:30.

18 Jun 2020, 04:39 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Thursday, 18 June 2020

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:

Key Covid-19 advisor urges reimposing border measures

LJUBLJANA - Bojana Beović, the head of the team advising the Health Ministry on coronavirus, has urged reimposing stringent measures on the borders at once after an increase in new infections originating abroad, while PM Janez Janša warned new restrictions would be inevitable unless those in place were respected. Beović said the situation was rather critical and added that the new cases in recent days were due to the open border regime, warning that those new imported cases could lead to dozens of new cases in the future. National Public Health Institute (NIJZ) director Milan Krek thus announced a rethink on justifiability of some of the exemptions that allow arrivals from countries not listed as Covid-19-safe to avoid a mandatory two-week quarantine.

Four new coronavirus cases confirmed in three Slovenian cities

LJUBLJANA - Four new coronavirus cases were confirmed in three Slovenian cities on Tuesday, the highest single-day increase since 5 June, bringing the total number of infections to 1,503. There were no new fatalities. There are now 26 active cases in Slovenia, according to Covid-19 Sledilnik, a tracking website. A total of 986 tests were performed on Tuesday, the highest daily figure since mid-May. A total of 109 people have so far died of Covid-19. The last death was recorded on 31 May.

String of foreign ministers expected in Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's Foreign Minister Anže Logar will host a number of counterparts for talks in Ljubljana over the coming days and weeks, Foreign Ministry spokesman Aleksander Geržina announced, along with a shift to a more ambitious foreign policy. A double visit by the foreign ministers of Germany and Portugal was announced for 3 July. Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg is due in Ljubljana on Monday, while Edi Rama, the Albanian foreign minister who is chairing the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, is scheduled to visit on 6 July.

PM promises better status to army, more funds for equipment

VRHNIKA - PM Janez Janša visited one of the locations of the ongoing Leap 2020 military exercise, announcing the government's effort to improve the status of soldiers and additional funds for the purchase of military equipment. Visiting the Ivan Cankar barracks, the prime minister was received by Defence Minister Matej Tonin, the Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) chief-of-staff, Brig-Gen Robert Glavaš and the force commander, Brigadier Miha Škerbinc. Janša noted that the defence budget had been shrinking in the past, and that the Defence Ministry and the government were preparing solutions to improve the situation of Slovenian soldiers.

Fiscal Council says 2019 fiscal policy not restrictive enough

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's fiscal policy in 2019 was expansive although it should have been restrictive, considering the state of the economic cycle, the Fiscal Council, a government advisory body, said in its assessment of compliance of the general government sector budgets with fiscal rules. Slovenia's public finances recorded EUR 260 million in surplus last year, or 0.5% of GDP, which is a drop on 2018 and 50% below plans. The surplus was mainly a result of a further improvement of the situation on the labour market and of continued economic growth, the Fiscal Council said.

Blanchard: Slovenia feels like second home

LJUBLJANA - US Ambassador to Slovenia Lynda Blanchard has put strengthening US-Slovenian economic development in the focus of her efforts, and would also like to encourage cooperation between Slovenian and US universities. Blanchard, who arrived last August, spoke to the STA about good progress in initiatives that were already started by her predecessors, for instance defence cooperation and cooperation among universities. Even if Slovenia's defence spending is below 2% of GDP, Blanchard said Slovenia has been working well with NATO for a long time. While not commenting in detail on a potential agreement on 5G technology between the US and Slovenia, she said the memorandum of understanding mimics much of the EU toolbox which encourages EU member states to avoid unsafe 5G vendors.

Supreme court says judicial files off-limits to public

LJUBLJANA - In what is seen as a legal precedent, the Supreme Court has said that provisions governing access to public information do not apply to judicial proceedings and case files. It said such access for governed by acts such as the criminal procedure act, the civil procedure act and the state prosecution service act. Special rules and adjustments are laid down for such access, the court added. The Information Commissioner responded by stressing public oversight is crucial for the legal functioning of authorities and that legislative changes may be needed.

Police suspect eight of threat over "Death to Janšism" slogan

LJUBLJANA - The police have launched proceedings against eight persons suspected of committing the criminal act of threatening the safety of another person related to slogans carried at anti-government protests. The invitation for an interview to one suspect shows that slogans imply threat to Prime Minister Janez Janša. The invitation, which has been detected by the newspaper Svet24 on Facebook, says that the suspect has been invited to be interviewed about a "slogan with a written threat to the prime minister". The report comes after Janša published last weekend on Twitter a photograph of protesters with slogans, one of them saying "Death to Janšism, Freedom to All".

Minister visits Slovenian minority in Croatia

RIJEKA - Helena Jaklitsch, the minister for Slovenians abroad, visited the Slovenian minority in Croatia in what was her first day-long visit abroad. One of the topics discussed was how to engage young people in minority associations. She visited the Slovenian community in Prezid in the border area of Gorski Kotar before meeting representatives of Slovenian associations in the port town of Rijeka. One of the issues discussed was how to rejuvenate the Slovenian associations in Croatia, as well as the population count in Croatia next year.

Trade union defends soldier involved in alleged border incident

LJUBLJANA - A soldiers' trade union has criticised accusations levelled against a soldier who stopped a civilian at gunpoint in a forest near the Italian border, and against the Slovenian Armed Forces as a whole, arguing that facts had not yet been established as the investigation was still ongoing. The union now claims the man had violated the lockdown ban on crossing the Slovenian-Italian border. "Having himself declared that he illegally crossed ... we'd expect that proceedings against him would have been completed already." Previous media reports indicated the man, a dual Slovenian-Italian resident, was merely taking a walk in the border area.

President presents state orders of merit

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor conferred state decorations on three persons. Physicist and researcher Boštjan Žekš and architect Boris Podrecca have been decorated with the Golden Order of Merit, whereas Andrej Šter, the head of the Foreign Ministry's consular service, has received the Order of Merit, most notably for his repatriation efforts.

Bled Strategic Forum to be held as one-day event on 31 August

LJUBLJANA - The 15th Bled Strategic Forum, Slovenia's premier foreign policy conference, will be a one-day event this year owing to the coronavirus epidemic. It will be held on 31 August, the organisers announced. Running under the title Challenges and Opportunities in the Post-COVID-19 World; Neighbours - Regions - Global World: Partners or Rivals?, the conference will be organised as a hybrid event. A high-level segment will take place in Bled while some discussions will be held online. The Bled Strategic Forum has in recent years been organised as a two-day event in early September preceded by several days of sessions in the Young BSF segment.

If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here

17 Jun 2020, 19:42 PM

How to Give Your Tourist Voucher to a Relative

The €200 tourist vouchers that every permanent adult resident in Slovenia is set to receive, along with €50 for every child, can be transferred to relatives if wanted. The law allows tourist vouchers to be transferred between the beneficiary's second degree relatives in a straight line. This includes transfers between parents and children, grandparents and children, between spouses or partners and between children and their legal guardians. Vouchers can’t be transmitted between brothers and sisters, cousins, friends etc.

The Financial Administration (FURS) has prepared instructions on how to use the transferred vouchers. In the process of transfer, the original holder of the voucher needs to fill out and sign a statement in which they give their voucher to their relative to use. The statement then needs to be presented to the hotel receptionist along with a valid ID of the guest, and not sent to FURS or any of its offices.

17 Jun 2020, 19:35 PM

Experience Nature in Style at ECO River Camp, Radovljica

British expats Will and Saira Aspinall moved to Slovenia in 2018 to renovate their 400-year-old farmhouse into a small, family-friendly hotel. While the renovation continues, they have broadened their tourism business to include a vintage caravan mobile bar, and now a boutique hotel room with a twist.

Contained neatly in a 1979 Adria caravan, the 'hotel room' was completely refurbished and redesigned by Will and Saira during the lockdown period in Slovenia, and it is now located at ECO River Camp in Radovljica. Named Number 26, the caravan is available to book this summer for stays of two-nights or more.

Complete with a sun terrace overlooking the River Sava, Number 26 aims to offer campers a taste of luxury in the middle of nature. It is equipped with solar power, a full-size double bed, wooden shutters and an interior design scheme inspired by the old-world glamour of the Orient Express.

As Will Aspinall says “I love the way Number 26 embodies the history of tourism of Slovenia. Adria caravans are a piece of Slovenian history – they were first manufactured in the former Yugoslavia and the company has been inspiring adventures for over 50 years. Now we have updated this 1979 model to accommodate the modern vision of tourism in Slovenia: green, five-star travel. I love the retro design and the rich history of these vehicles; the previous owners shed a tear when they sold it to us, as they had enjoyed so many wonderful holidays in the van. Now we hope a new generation of travellers will enjoy it too!”

ECO River Camp is a small, self-sufficient camping site that operates completely off-grid, using water collection principles and solar power. The campsite is run by local couple, Anja Adamlje and Anže Bertoncelj, who are committed to eco-tourism and preserving the natural surroundings of the camp. Close to Lake Bled, the campsite offers easy access to all the most popular spots in Gorenjska but in a calm environment, with plenty of personal space for everyone.

The camp provides all necessary amenities and offers an open-air kitchen and dining space, though most guests enjoy breakfast, dinner and drinks from the onsite caravan bar, also renovated and run by Will and Saira!

Book your stay at 'Number 26' on Booking.com now: www.booking.com/hotel/si/eco-river-camp-globoko. Follow @slovenianfamilyaspinall and @ecorivercamp on Instagram.

16 Jun 2020, 14:58 PM

Finance Expects Housing Prices to Fall in Ljubljana

STA, 16 June 2020 - Reflecting on the housing market in Ljubljana, the business daily Finance points in Tuesday's commentary to the simultaneous increase in newly available flats and the pending drop in purchasing power.

The building of apartments was sped up quite noticeably last year, with more than 988 multi-unit buildings being completed, almost double the 2018 number.

By far the largest number of new flats appeared in Ljubljana. And while people were complaining a few years ago that the focus was only on high-end housing, quite a few "normal" flats are being built in the capital now.

A problem may however appear on the demand side, the paper says, pointing to bleak economic forecasts for this year and the fact that few people can afford to buy an apartment as it is.

The price growth of flats in Ljubljana stopped already last year. Given the simultaneous rise in supply and decrease in purchasing power - even if the Surveying and Mapping Authority says that demand still exceeds supply, prices could also fall.

"Considering all this, we might soon no longer be wondering who will buy a flat costing EUR 5 million but will buy one for EUR 150,000," Finance says in the commentary, entitled Who Will Buy a Flat for EUR 5m?

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