14 Feb 2020, 20:22 PM

Matea Benedetti at Red Carpet Green Dress Pre-Oscar Gala in LA

Slovenia luxury fashion designer Matea Benedetti spent the Oscar week in Los Angeles. At a Red Carpet Green Dress Pre-Oscars gala on February 6, Benedetti presented her creation designed to introduce for the first time a newly developed luxurious organic textile by Tencel™, which according to the manufacturer Lenzing is fully biodegradable and can return to nature in 8 to 12 weeks.

Red Carpet Green Dress is a global initiative showcasing sustainable fashion on the red carpet at the Oscars, established in 2009 by Amis Cameron, the partner of the director James Cameron (of The Terminator, Terminator 2, Aliens, Titanic, Avatar, and so on)

Slovenian designer Matea Benedetti (centre) with film director James Cameron (left) and vice-president of the Lenzing global market, Harold Weghorst

14 Feb 2020, 14:54 PM

Eddie Izzard Runs 14th Marathon in 14 Days in Ljubljana, 14 More Marathons & Days to Go

If you thought you saw Eddie Izzard in Ljubljana this morning – moving fast and looking cold, tired, miserable and yet resplendent in a bright rain jacket and lipstick – then you probably did. The British comedian, last seen in these parts on the Travel Man TV show on a flying visit to Slovenia (Ljubljana, Bled, Postojna), was back to spend time in the capital last night and this morning. On this trip he managed to see more than the usual tourist spots, as he was up at 4am (staying, it seems, in the Grand Hotel Union) to run marathon #14 in a 28-day project that’ll see him running the same distance each day, in a different EU capital (having started in London on January 31, aka the UK’s last day in the EU, albeit with an 11-month transition period).

Off the bus and looking around. If you’d like to help, please just click here:https://t.co/IXTYuOPG8v pic.twitter.com/9sFYy3lCWR
— Eddie Izzard (@eddieizzard) February 13, 2020

Walking to the hotel in Ljubljana. #MakeHumanityGreatAgain is our aim. If you’d like to help, please just click here:https://t.co/IXTYuOPG8v pic.twitter.com/Whb54UuU0f
— Eddie Izzard (@eddieizzard) February 13, 2020

Marathon 14 begins, the half way mark... #MakeHumanityGreatAgain is our aim. If you’d like to help, please just click here:https://t.co/IXTYuOPG8v pic.twitter.com/P5E3MP2Ujw
— Eddie Izzard (@eddieizzard) February 14, 2020

Ljubljana- beautiful city but I’m having a tough time. Our campaign is called #MakeHumanityGreatAgain - if you’d like to help, please just click here:https://t.co/IXTYuOPG8v pic.twitter.com/Fx8vVbHOYN
— Eddie Izzard (@eddieizzard) February 14, 2020

Marathon 14 is finished. I am half way to finishing my 28 marathons. If you would like to help #MakeHumanityGreatAgain please just click here:https://t.co/IXTYuOPG8v pic.twitter.com/9eqZntjkEk
— Eddie Izzard (@eddieizzard) February 14, 2020

Yesterday was Zagreb, today Ljubljana and tomorrow…well, the schedule isn’t posted online, but tomorrow Izzard will run another marathon, and then other…. Why? As he says on the related website:

I am attempting to run 28 marathons in 28 countries in 28 days, raising money for charities such as Unicef and their work with child refugees in Europe.

In our country and our world there has been far too much talk of division. We can change this by talking of unity.

As Europeans we have achieved so much since 1945, no matter how legal agreements might have changed over the years. Peace, friendship, trade, even love. A sharing of cultures without losing our identities. That is the true power of union.

So today, let’s start to put these divisions behind us. It is the perfect day to start something I have dreamt of doing for many years: run through 28 of the capitals of Europe.

I will attempt to run 28 marathons in 28 countries in 28 days, raising money for charity.

United, not divided, we can make humanity great again.

You can learn more about Izzard’s project here, while you can donate money here

14 Feb 2020, 12:29 PM

Biotech Firm Bia Separations Biotech Expands in Slovenia, US & Canada

STA, 13 February 2020 - Bia Separations, a world leader in the development of purification processes for biologics, in particular for gene therapy, is launching a EUR 6 million investment into expansion of its production facilities in Ajdovščina in March. Major investments are also planned in the US and Canada.

The facilities in Ajdovščina will be five times bigger after the EUR 6 million investment, which will be funded entirely from the company's surplus.

"We will introduce second-generation production lines and the possibility of making products of larger volume. We are creating about 100 new jobs," said CEO Aleš Štrancar about the plans for Ajdovščina.

Construction work is to be completed at the beginning of next year.

The company also plans to build production facilities in its most important market, North America, where Bia Separations has been recording high demand.

The construction of the facility, which will be three- to four-times bigger than the new, expanded facility in Ajdovščina, is expected to start in 2022 and conclude by the end of 2023.

According to Štrancar, the company generates 80% of revenue in North America. "Buyers expect our production of the key products they use in their production of medicines and vaccines to be as close to them as possible and not depend on the extremely unpredictable business environment and the increasingly uncertain transport routes," he said.

The management presented the plans for expansion into North America in detail to US Ambassador to Slovenia Lynda C. Blanchard on Wednesday.

The ambassador invited the company to get in touch with US institutions and offered the Embassy's help in the strengthening and expanding of its presence on the US market.

Last year, Bia Separations completed court-mandated debt-restructuring early and its revenue doubled to EUR 12 million. The plan for this year is EUR 25 million in revenue.

You can learn more about the company on its website

14 Feb 2020, 09:56 AM

SDS Accuse LMŠ of Leaking Classified Info on Hungarian Financing of Slovene Media

STA, 13 February 2020 - The Democrats (SDS) have accused the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) of leaking classified information to journalists about Hungarian financing of media outlets with close ties to the party, accusations that the LMŠ denies.

The head of the SDS deputy group, Danijel Krivec, yesterday sent a letter to Jani Möderndorfer, the chair of a parliamentary inquiry into the financing of political parties, implying that the vice chair of the inquiry and LMŠ MP Aljaž Kovačič, and another LMŠ member, were looking at documents on money transfers from private Hungarian companies in the safe room of the National Assembly on 31 January and 3 February.

The documents in question had been obtained during the parliamentary inquiry and were labelled as classified.

Later that week, media reported of the allegedly controversial financing of the SDS from Hungary, publishing data on transactions, which Krivec thinks "could not have been obtained legally", as NKBM rejected media requests for an insight into the transactions.

Krivec therefore proposes that the chair of the parliamentary inquiry into alleged money laundering at NKBM, Jani Möderndorfer of the Modern Centre Party (SMC) reports Kovačič and other unknown perpetrators to police.

Krivec also proposed to parliamentary Speaker Dejan Židan that the issue be discussed by deputy group leaders.

The LMŠ rejects the accusations, saying that its MP and vice chair of the inquiry, Kovačič, has the right and duty to go through the documents that are relevant for the inquiry.

"After all it is his task and duty as member of the inquiry to get acquainted with the content before it is put up for debate or a vote," said LMŠ deputy group head Brane Golubović.

He added that Kovačič and his college had acted in line with the rules, recording the date and the documents they had inspected. Meanwhile, Möderndorfer labelled the demand inappropriate and a pressure on the parliamentary commission.

Kovačič rejected the allegations that he had leaked the confidential information to the press, while SDS head Janez Janša said that only two people had looked into the data on transactions of private companies and that they were both from the ranks of the LMŠ.

Kovačič, on the other hand, said that he and his colleague had definitely not been the only ones looking into the documents. "I'm probably one of the few people who always sign their names when they look into documents. If I wanted to play James Bond I probably would not have been doing that."

Web portal Necenzurirano.si reported of transactions of funds originating from Hungary from accounts in the UK and Hungary to Slovenia on Monday. It said EUR 4 million had been wired, of which EUR 1.5 million landed on the bank accounts of two media companies that are behind the TV channel and web site of Nova24TV, both of which are co-owned by senior SDS officials.

The remaining EUR 2.5 million was reportedly wired to North Macedonia to finance the purchases of media companies with ties to the biggest opposition party, the centre-right VMRO-DPMNE.

The National Bureau of Investigation has confirmed it is investigating the funding of some media outlets close to the SDS.

The SDS has denied the accusations on several occasions, and has even threatened the outgoing PM, Marjan Šarec, with a lawsuit over the statements he made on public TV regarding the financing of the SDS from Hungary.

Möderndorfer confirmed for the STA on Wednesday that he had received the letter from the SDS, which he labelled "highly unusual". "I admit I am surprised this came from someone who has no access to the documents of the parliamentary commission and is neither its member nor substitute member," he said.

All our stories about Hungary and Slovenia are here

14 Feb 2020, 09:52 AM

Controversy Over Alleged Iranian Money Laundering Continues

STA, 13 February 2020 - There was much controversy on Thursday as the parliamentary Commission for the Oversight of Intelligence and Security Services discussed the state prosecution's decision to reject a criminal complaint filed by a parliamentary inquiry over an alleged Iranian money laundering scheme at NLB bank a decade ago.

Addressing reporters after the session, Janez Janša, the leader of the Democrats (SDS), said that the session heard "things that explain much of what is happening" and what was keeping the media busy these days, something that would become very concrete in the future, which he said was "from now on".

After what the commission heard today, Janša said it had become obvious why the "law enforcement authorities that should have investigated the matter found there was nothing wrong (...) People who made possible a criminal act of epic proportions investigate themselves."

Darko Muženič, now director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), served at the Office for Money Laundering Prevention at the time that roughly one billion US dollars was allegedly laundered through NLB bank.

In a bid to "protect the dignity and integrity" of the NBI and Muženič, Police Commissioner Tatjana Bobnar explained today that Muženič at the time served in the department of the Office for Money laundering that was not in charge of the Farrokh case.

Farrokh was the name of the company of Iranian citizen Iraj Farrokhzadeh that the parliamentary inquiry in 2018 found laundered the money on behalf of Iran to skirt international sanctions.

The prosecution's decision of July last year not to prosecute abuse of office suspects in the case was debated by the parliamentary Home Affairs Committee on Wednesday, but the session was suspended because the SDS and the fellow conservative New Slovenia (NSi) wanted to hear from NBI and NLB representatives, who were not present at the session.

NSi deputy Jernej Vrtovec described the findings of investigators which prompted the prosecution not to prosecute as very unusual.

The case was the subject of two parliamentary inquiries, whose extensive reports allege that NLB bankers failed to exercise due oversight and abused their powers at last in the case of some transactions, said Vrtovec.

The police said that that Tuesday's session of the Home Affairs Committee was attended by Police Commissioner Bobnar, who is the NBI director's superior, and director of criminal police Boštjan Lindav.

The police noted that it was the criminal police and not NBI investigators which in 2010 and 2011 handled the case of alleged money laundering at NLB.

Bobnar noted that the police directorate had reviewed police activities in that case 2017 and that the guidelines issued by the then interior minister in connection to that had been fully implemented.

She said that the special department of the specialised prosecution service had rejected a criminal complaint filed against criminal police investigators over the case.

Bobnar also said that the police performed their duties in accordance with the standards of evidence, in compliance with the constitution, penal code and the criminal procedure act and as an independent body whose work in the pre-trial procedure can only be directed by the state prosecutor in charge.

A specialised investigation group formed in 2017 and comprising representatives of the NBI, Office for Money Laundering Prevention and the central bank drew up a plan of work in the Farrokh case to look into suspected criminal offences, including money laundering, terrorism financing and abuse of office.

In the case pertaining to suspected abuse of office, the state prosecutor in charge issued a decision in July 2019 rejecting the criminal complaint by the parliamentary inquiry.

However, Bobnar noted that the specialised investigation group continued work in connection to other suspected criminal offences in the case.

All our stories on money laundering are here, while those on Iran are here

14 Feb 2020, 04:32 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Friday, 14 February 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.

A schedule of all the main events involving Slovenia this week can be found here

This summary is provided by the STA:

Janša says new coalition possible as far as programme goes

LJUBLJANA - Democrats (SDS) head Janez Janša, who is trying to form a centre-right coalition after the resignation of PM Marjan Šarec, said a second round of talks was under way and that the potential partners shared a great deal priority-wise. In terms of content, a coalition able of tackling current issues and some delays is possible. Janša said all potential partners, meaning the SDS, New Slovenia (NSi), Modern Centre Party (SMC) and the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS), had put forward their priorities. "It testifies to a certain maturity that all the parties participating in the talks see some of Slovenia's key priorities or current problems in a very similar way." Meanwhile, Marko Bandelli, an MP for the Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB), said that he was approached by SMC leader Zdravko Počivalšek about the possibility of SAB joining the Janša coalition. Him and another SAB MP rejected rumours that they would defect from SAB, but Bandelli said he might vote in favour of a Janša government.

SDS suspects LMŠ of leaking classified info

LJUBLJANA - The SDS accused the LMŠ of leaking classified information to journalists about Hungarian financing of media outlets with close ties to the party. The head of the SDS deputy group, Danijel Krivec, on Wednesday sent a letter to Jani Möderndorfer, the chair of a parliamentary inquiry into the financing of political parties, implying that the vice chair of the inquiry, LMŠ MP Aljaž Kovačič, and another LMŠ member, were looking at documents on money transfers from private Hungarian companies in the safe room of the National Assembly. The SDS says these documents were then leaked to the media, a charge which the LMŠ denies.

Concern about "intensive" attacks on journalists

LJUBLJANA - The Journalists' Association (DNS) condemned in the strongest terms "intensive attacks" on journalists reporting about alleged funding from the circles around Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to media with ties to the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS). The association assessed that attempts at discreditation and the intensity of attacks had gone so far as to become a real threat to journalists, the media and democracy.

Slovenia sending 1.2 million face masks to China

LJUBLJANA- Slovenia will send over 1.2 million face masks to China to help it contain the coronavirus outbreak. The shipment is due to be dispatched to Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, this week, the government said. The face masks are a donation of the Slovenian branch of Kylin Prime Group (KPG), a Chinese-controlled company that has amassed a majority stake in the savings and loans bank Hranilnica Lon. The government also approved a EUR 60,000 emergency donation to the World Health Organisation.

EU Commission maintains 2.7% growth forecast for Slovenia in 2020, 2021

LJUBLJANA - The EU Commission has kept Slovenia's economic forecast unchanged at 2.7% for 2020 and 2021, more than double the eurozone average. In its winter 2020 forecast, it said consumption and investment are expected to continue growing while net exports are set to "weigh on growth over the forecast horizon" due to lower export demand growth and robust import growth.

Outgoing defence minister discusses Afghanistan at NATO meeting

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Outgoing Defence Minister Karl Erjavec attended a NATO ministerial in Brussels which focused on Afghanistan and the training of Afghanistan defence forces by NATO. Erjavec said the ministers found Afghanistan remained rather unstable, and agreed that visible progress had been made in security forces training. "All bets are on successful training of the Afghan security forces, so that they are able to guarantee peace in the country," Erjavec said in a statement for Slovenia media.

DARS gets EIB loan to build second tube of Karavanke tunnel

LJUBLJANA - Motorway company DARS signed a EUR 90 million 22-year loan agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB) for the construction of a second tube of the Karavanke tunnel, a vital transport link with Austria. The loan represents roughly half of the investment value of the entire project, which also involves renovation of the existing single-tube tunnel after the second tube is completed, said DARS chairman Tomaž Vidic. The second half will be financed with own funds and additional loans.

Tie-up with strategic partner for rail cargo arm slated for Q1

LJUBLJANA - A tie-up between the cargo division of state-owned rail operator Slovenske Železnice and the Czech energy and industrial group EPH is expected to be wrapped up in the first quarter of the year, Slovenske Železnice director Dušan Mes told Dnevnik. The Czech partner will enter the cargo arm SŽ-Tovorni Promet via a capital injection that would give it a minority interest. Mes would not disclose the figures beyond saying that "the price is good".

Bishops call for higher turnout come time to vote

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian bishops will call on believers this Sunday to demonstrate their patriotic duty and responsibility for the common good by casting their vote come the election or voting time. "It is not rarely that we justifiably complain over bad conditions. However, it is not right to say that nothing can be done, and stay at home come the time of election or some other vote," the bishops say in the pastoral letter for Lent, to be read on Sunday.

Business chambers call for strong govt, and fast

LJUBLJANA - The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) and the Chamber of Trade Crafts and Small Business (OZS) expressed concern over the uncertain political situation in the country. They want a government with a clear political mandate to address key structural issues. "Instead of navel gazing, politics should act in a state-building manner for the good of Slovenia's citizens and also its economy."

Controversy continues over alleged Iranian money laundering

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Commission for the Oversight of Intelligence and Security Services discussed the state prosecution's decision last summer to reject a criminal complaint filed by a parliamentary inquiry over an alleged Iranian money laundering scheme at NLB bank a decade ago. Addressing reporters after the session, Janez Janša, the leader of the Democrats (SDS), said that the session heard "things that explain much of what is happening". He said that "people who made possible a criminal act of epic proportions investigate themselves," something that police officials denied.

Chief market inspector accused of systematically undermining inspections

LJUBLJANA - A criminal complaint has been filed against chief market inspector Andrejka Grlić by tax inspectors over her interference in their cases, including stopping inspections to protect selected individuals, TV Slovenija reported on Wednesday. The complaint was extended to Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek over his failure to take action and was confirmed by the Ljubljana Police Administration, which will investigate suspected accepting of benefits.

FDI growth slower in 2019

LJUBLJANA - Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Slovenia grew by EUR 816.2 million in 2019, after FDI stock reached EUR 1.2 billion at the end of 2018. While equity investment nearly doubled last year reaching EUR 1.05 billion, debt to foreign owners decreased by EUR 578.1 million, data from the central bank show. Last year, new FDI in the form of equity reached EUR 1.05 million, compared to EUR 535.3 million in 2018. Reinvested profit rose from EUR 539.8 million to EUR 342.5 million last year.

Steklarna Hrastnik revenue up last year

HRASTNIK - Glass maker Steklarna Hrastnik recorded EUR 67.5 million in revenue last year according to unaudited data, a 5% increase over the year before. Net profit rose from EUR 7.7 million in 2018 to EUR 9.8 million. According to CEO Peter Čas, the glass packaging division saw a 23% increase in sales revenue compared to 2018. This year, a total of EUR 29.5 million will be allocated for expansion and modernisation of production in this division, which is five times more than the company invested in it entire production in the last three years.

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

13 Feb 2020, 19:46 PM

Enjoy Kurenti, Food, & Music at Ptuj’s Obarjada, 15 Feb, the Start of Pust 2020

Pust begins in Ptuj this weekend, Saturday, 15 February 2020, with the first parade of characters like the famed Kurenti and many other colourful, amusing, and sinister characters. And on the same day, in the same space, is a complementary event that makes Ptuj the place to be if you’re looking for a well-rounded ethnographic experience and the chance to rub your own well-rounded belly, full of cultural heritage and charitable endeavour.

This is the Obarjada stew festival, organised for some 15 years by the local Lions Club, an event that sees around 5,000 people get into the carnival spirit and fortify themselves with food and drink, working with the Kurenti to help drive winter from the land. And while this year there’s not much need for that, there’s still a good case to be made for an early start to a party at this time of year.

The basic idea is this: there’s a competition in which teams compete to see who can make the most delicious stew out of a list of set ingredients – vegetables, chicken and spices – with the dishes then judged and a winner announced. But the day is much more than that. There’s food to sample, of course, and not just stew, with plenty of local delicacies along with wine and homemade spirits. You will not go hungry.

One thing to look out for is the roast potatoes, this year cooked by a team from Bukovci. All the money raised from the potatoes and stew competition will be collected by the Lions Club and given to disadvantaged families and individuals. So go along, eat some potatoes, and put some change or something quieter in any collecting bucket or other receptacle that has the appropriate signage.

Beyond food and drink there’ll be music and dancing, and the general liveliness that ensues when these four appear together in public, with people in costumes and masks acting as a force multiplier in this context.

If you want to go along and see what’s happening, and spend time in the oldest Slovenian city, then the Obarjada stew festival will start at 09:00 in the courtyard of the Minorit Monastery (more specifically, Minoritski samostan sv. Petra in Pavla, Minoritski trg 1), just in time for late breakfast, and is scheduled to last until 14:00.

13 Feb 2020, 16:19 PM

Slovene, German & UK Researchers Reveal Complete Structure of Human Thyroglobulin

STA, 13 February 2020 - Slovenian researchers were a part of an international team that has made a breakthrough discovery in thyroid gland research. Together with researchers from the UK and Germany, they have determined the entire structure of human thyroglobulin, the protein precursor of thyroid hormones, for the first time.

The results of the study into the protein that is essential for the growth and development of thyroid hormones will have a significant impact on the treatment of thyroid gland disorders, the Jožef Stefan Institute (IJS) said in a press release on Thursday.

Using cryo-electron microscopy, the researchers from the IJS and the Centre of Excellence for Integrated Approaches in Chemistry and Biology of Proteins, Dušan Turk, Ajda Taler-Verčič and Miha Renko, cooperated with researchers from Cambridge, Berlin and Bristol to identify the full-length structure of thyroglobulin for the first time.

The results of their study were presented in the scientific journal Nature.

Thyroglobulin is the protein that is used to create the T3 and T4 hormones in the thyroid gland. The two hormones regulate energy consumption of human cells and aside from thyroglobulin they are the only molecules in the human body that contain iodine.

Iodine is thus a key element for proper development and functioning of the human organism and thyroglobulin enables its storage for periods when the body is not receiving it in sufficient quantities.

The functioning of the thyroid gland is well researched, which helps control functional disorders, but up until now it was not clear how hormones are actually created in the gland.

Human thyroglobulin is a giant molecule consisting of two chains of 2,768 and 5,536 amino acids, respectively.

The structure of thyroglobulin determined by cryo-electron microscopy has revealed that the molecule has only seven spots where hormones are created.

Each molecule is formed from two amino acids called tyrosine. The newly created hormones are extracted by enzymes, protease, through decomposition of thyroglobulin into amino acids.

The article on the full-length structure of thyroglobulin is a result of almost twenty-year work and a revolution in cryo-electron microscopy, IJS said in the press release.

13 Feb 2020, 13:59 PM

Coronavirus: Slovenia Sends 1.2 Million Facemasks to China

STA, 13 February 2020 - Slovenia will send over 1.2 million face masks to China to help it contain the coronavirus outbreak. The shipment is due to be dispatched to Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, this week, the government said on Thursday.

The face masks are a donation of the Slovenian branch of Kylin Prime Group (KPG), a Chinese-controlled company that has amassed a majority stake in the savings and loans bank Hranilnica Lon and is currently blocked by regulators from exercising its voting rights.

The company had donated the masks in response to a Foreign Ministry request for donations and the masks will be shipped out of Vienna as part of an EU shipment of emergency aid to China. Slovenia will cover up to EUR 20,000 in transportation costs.

Stanislav Lotrič, deputy head of the Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief, told the press as the aid was being dispatched that there had been no problems with collecting the aid in Slovenia.

He however suggested that globally it was becoming hard to meet the demand for masks, which could prove a problem.

The masks were sent to Vienna, from where they are expected to be flown to Wuhan in an EU Civil Protection Mechanism aircraft together with donations from Austria, Hungary and Czechia by Monday at the latest.

The government has also approved a EUR 60,000 emergency donation to the World Health Organisation (WHO) to fight the coronavirus outbreak.

13 Feb 2020, 13:01 PM

EU Sees 2.7% Growth for Slovenia in 2020, 2021, Twice Eurozone Average

STA, 13 February 2020 - The European Commission has kept Slovenia's economic forecast unchanged at 2.7% for 2020 and 2021, more than double the eurozone average. In its winter 2020 forecast released on Thursday, it said consumption and investment are expected to continue growing while net exports are set to "weigh on growth over the forecast horizon".

Net exports are expected to have a positive impact, but their contribution to headline growth will be slightly lower due to lower export demand growth and robust import growth.

Private consumption is expected to remain strong in the next two years provided the employment rate remains high and wages keep on rising.

Investment growth is also forecast to continue apace, albeit at a slightly lower rate than in 2019 due to weaker economic confidence.

The Commission has also said that housing investment is expected to start growing due to recent increases in house prices. Moreover, commercial real estate and public investments are projected to continue increasing as well.

Meanwhile, higher wages will drive up inflation, in particular in the services segment. "Overall, consumer price inflation is forecast at 1.9% in 2020 and 2% in 2021", up from 1.7% in the second half of 2019.

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