30 Jan 2020, 10:05 AM

Steklarna Rogaška to Cut a Quarter of Staff

STA, 29 January 2020 - The management of the Steklarna Rogaška glassworks announced on Wednesday the company would lay off up to 200 of what are presently 830 workers. It spoke of the need to increase efficiency in the face of constant changes in consumer habits and in the business environment.

The Finnish-owned company told the STA that the wish was to protect and support the very core of the glassworks and that it would closely cooperate with the workers and their representatives as the cut is made in the coming months.

Supply chain executive Mogens Hansen said this had been a very difficult decision and that the company would do all it can to provide support for the affected workers.

Announcing continuing investment, the management is confident Steklarna Rogaška, a company established in 1927, will remain an important centre for the manufacture of high-end crystal products.

Steklarna Rogaška became part of the Finnish corporation Fiskars in 2015. Fiskars has a 7,300-strong workforce in 30 countries.

30 Jan 2020, 09:35 AM

Parliament Decides Not to Abolish Supplementary Health Insurance

STA, 29 January 2020 - The National Assembly failed to pass on Wednesday amendments that would abolish supplementary health insurance, a motion which had split the coalition and was one of the reasons why Prime Minister Marjan Šarec stepped down on Monday. They were rejected as 51 deputies voted against and 32 in favour.

Voting against the amendments to the health insurance act were the opposition Democrats (SDS), New Slovenia (NSi) and National Party (SNS), as well as the coalition Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) and Modern Centre Party (SMC).

Two deputies of the coalition Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) voted against and two abstained, despite the deputy group presenting arguments in favour of the changes prior to the vote.

The amendments were meanwhile endorsed by the coalition Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) and Social Democrats (SD) and the opposition Left.

DeSUS MP Branko Simonovič said the legislative proposal did not go about abolishing the current system of compulsory and top-up health insurance in the right way. He expressed concern regarding its effects on the health purse and the state budget.

Similarly, Jani Möderndorfer of the SMC said his party supported the idea to abolish the top-up health insurance but opposed the motion on the table because it does not actually abolish supplementary insurance but merely transfers it to another address while demanding that the budget door is wide open.

The SDS and NSi were also critical of the motion, saying it introduced a uniform contribution which would be collected by the ZZZS public health fund rather than commercial insurers, which collect supplementary insurance contributions now.

Meanwhile, the LMŠ, the SD and the Left presented arguments in favour of the changes, noting that many attempts to change the current health insurance scheme had failed in the past.

Luka Mesec of he Left expressed support to the proposal initially tabled by his party but then heavily modified by the coalition, noting that after 2021, when the bill was to be implemented, there would still be time to find a fairer system of financing.

LMŠ MP Robert Pavšič said the LMŠ had further amended the proposal to raise the monthly contribution for healthcare from the initially proposed EUR 29 to EUR 32 and reintroduce the provision saying that any shortcomings would be covered by the budget.

The SD proposed its own amendment which introduces monthly contributions based on individual's income that would range from EUR 10 to EUR 150, but the proposal was rejected, as were all amendments attached to the act during the course of parliamentary procedure.

After the vote, Mesec announced a new attempt to abolish top-up health insurance during the current term of the National Assembly. "We are not giving up. The battle has been lost, but the war is only beginning."

"Today it became clear who is who, who stands where, who defends the public interest, and who defends insurers. Unfortunately, the abolition has not, even after 17 years of attempts, succeeded," he said in a statement to the press.

According to Mesec, the rejection means that health insurance will keep getting more expensive and that insurers will continue to make tens of millions in profit, while poor people will continue to pay the same monthly contribution as people who are well off.

He presented the statistics showing that some 120,000 people in Slovenia cannot afford top-up health insurance, which means that "we don't have as universal coverage as someone might think."

LMŠ deputy group head Brane Golubović said that in the end, lobbies and insurers had played their role, and regretted the missed opportunity to get rid of intermediaries and transfer extra funds to the public health fund.

"We came far, but in the end, capital defeated people," he said, adding that the LMŠ would continue with the efforts and that this was only one stage in the process.

30 Jan 2020, 04:28 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Thursday, 30 January 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:

Govt term formally ends

LJUBLJANA - The government formally ended its term as the National Assembly took note of Prime Minister Marjan Šarec's resignation, relegating the cabinet to caretaker status. While back-room talks have been under way since Šarec announced his intention to resign, the end of the government term kicks off formal talks that will lead either to a new coalition or a snap election. President Borut Pahor plans to host representatives of deputy groups next week. The outcome is uncertain, with some parties, including Šarec's, advocating a snap election, and some smaller ones more open to talks on a new coalition.

Top-up health insurance unchanged after govt collapse

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly failed to pass amendments that would abolish supplementary health insurance, a motion which had split the coalition and was one of the reasons why Prime Minister Marjan Šarec stepped down on Monday. They were rejected as 51 deputies voted against and 32 in favour, as the Democrats (SDS), New Slovenia (NSi), National Party (SNS), Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) and Modern Centre Party (SMC) voted against. After the vote, Luka Mesec of the opposition Left, which had proposed the motion in its original form, announced a new attempt during the current term of the National Assembly. "We are not giving up and the war is only beginning," he said.

Slovenia reserved about US president's Middle East peace plan

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia expressed reservations about a Middle East peace plan proposed by US President Donald Trump, stressing that lasting peace and stability were only possible as a result of "direct, equal and comprehensive negotiations between Israel and Palestine". "Slovenia remains committed to activities targeted at achieving a comprehensive, just and long-term peace in the Middle East, which includes establishing the state of Palestine and addressing Israel's security concerns," the Foreign Ministry said.

Slovenian MEPs hope for a good agreement with UK after Brexit

BRUSSELS, Belgium - After the Brexit agreement was ratified in the European Parliament, three Slovenian MEPs pointed to the consequences of the UK exiting the EU. Two of them, Tanja Fajon (S&D/SD) and Franc Bogovič EPP/SLS), expressed hope that London and Brussels will reach a good agreement on future relations. Romana Tomc (EPP/SDS) meanwhile believes that the consequences of Brexit will be felt both in the EU and in the UK. "Both sides will get adjusted to the new situation, we will conclude a cooperation agreement and learn to live together with new rules."

UK ambassador: Brits in Slovenia can continue to live and work here after Brexit

LJUBLJANA - UK Ambassador to Slovenia Sophie Honey told the STA that the rights of the estimated 800 UK nationals living in Slovenia were protected under the December EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement, which also protects Slovenians in the UK. Arrangements for British people coming to live permanently in Slovenia after 2020 and vice-versa are yet to be decided. But the ambassador believes "the UK will always want to welcome talented individuals, so there will still be significant flow of people.

Police bust international drug ring

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian police have busted an international drug ring in cooperation with police forces from Croatia and several other European countries, seizing 120 kilos of amphetamine and arresting 20 people in nearly 50 raids. The ring supplied the Slovenian drug market as well as international markets. The investigation was steered by the Ljubljana District Prosecutor Office and led by the Ljubljana Criminal Police. It featured close cooperation with the Croatian police, as well as police forces from other European countries.

Steklarna Rogaška glassworks slashing a quarter jobs

ROGAŠKA SLATINA - The management of the Steklarna Rogaška glassworks announced the company would lay off up to 200 of what are presently 830 workers. It spoke of the need to increase efficiency in the face of constant changes in consumer habits and in the business environment. The Finnish-owned company told the STA that the wish was to protect and support the very core of the glassworks and that it would closely cooperate with the workers and their representatives as the cut is made in the coming months.

Mountaineering accidents on the rise in Slovenia

KRANJ - This year's winter season has already seen more than 35 mountaineering accidents in which four persons have lost their lives. The number of such accidents has been gradually growing in recent years, with 604 rescue missions in total needed last year and 40 casualties recorded, half of them among climbers, the Mountain Rescue Association said. The number of mountain search and rescue missions has been gradually increasing since 2013 when the figure stood at 392. In 2017, the number exceeded 500 and climbed to 537 a year later.

Serbian modernism on display at National Gallery

LJUBLJANA - An exhibition dedicated to Serbian modernism will open at the National Gallery Wednesday evening. Featuring 86 paintings and statutes by 38 top Serbian modernists, the display will run until 3 May. The exhibited works come from one of the biggest and most acclaimed artistic collections in Serbia, the Gallery of Matica Srpska from the city of Novi Sad.

Three migrants get prison time for kidnapping elderly man in 2019

NOVO MESTO - Three migrants who kidnapped a 79-year old local from Bela Krajina in May 2019 have been sentenced to a year and nine months in prison. While two pleaded guilty in August 2019, the third was sentenced on Tuesday after the court received documents confirming his age. All three will be expelled from the country upon their release from prison.

Flu season in full swing

LJUBLJANA - Flu season is expected to peak in about two weeks, but it is already in full swing, according to UKC Ljubljana, Slovenia's largest hospital. The number of patients treated this season is somewhat higher than the last, especially among children, and six deaths have already been recorded in Ljubljana alone. Until now, the majority of patients were children. Experts expect to see a shift in the coming weeks, as more elderly people are expected to get sick.

Visiting Ljubljana? Check out what's on this week, while all our stories on Slovenia, from newest to oldest, are here

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

29 Jan 2020, 21:40 PM

100 Years of Systemic Environmentalism in Slovenia

In 1920, thirteen individuals and experts of the Section for Conservation of Nature at the Museum Society of Ljubljana presented the so called Spomenica (memorandum), a call for systemic environmental protection. Spomenica was presented in four main points to the Slovenian provincial government of the then Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.

At its anniversary, the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning published the four proposals of the Memorandum and provided a historic and current context for each of them:

Request of Spomenica: "Alpine, mid-mountain (forest) and wetland protection parks should be established."

About 100 years ago: The Alpine Conservation Park was established in the Triglav Lakes Valley in 1924. Before that, part of the old Kočevje forests on the Auersperg estate were excluded from economic exploitation in 1888.

Today: At this point, all requirements have been met and even exceeded. Triglav National Park was established for the protection of that part of the Alps. The valley of the Triglav Lakes has been protected continuously from 1961 until today as part of the Triglav National Park, and especially as a natural monument of the Triglav Lakes Valley. As such it stands as a symbol of Slovenian environmental protection.

Today, the Slovenian natural environment is protected by one national park, three regional parks, 49 natural landscape parks, 56 nature reserves and 1,164 natural monuments, which together comprise 13 percent of the Slovenian territory.

Since 2011, Slovenia's natural parks have been integrated into the Slovenian Community of Parks, which is governed by fifteen protected area managers related by a common interest in nature conservation and preservation of the balance between effective environmental protection and cultural heritage through various activities. The Slovenian Community of Parks consists of: Triglav National Park, Kozjansko Regional Park, Notranjska Regional Park, Skocjan Caves Regional Park, Debeli rtic Landscape Park, Goričko Landscape Park, Kolpa Landscape Park, Ljubljansko Barje Landscape Park, Logarska Valley Landscape Park, Pivka Intermittent Lakes Landscape Park , Radensko Polje Landscape Park, Sečovlje Saltpans Landscape Park, Strunjan Landscape Park, Tivoli Landscape Park, Rožnik and Šišenski hrib, Skocjanski zatok Nature Reserve and Ormož Lagoon Nature Reserve.

naravovarstvena obmocja1920.jpg

naravovarstvenaobmočja.jpg

Request of Spomenica: "The law should prohibit killing and destroying of rare animals and plants and of those typical of our environment or of scientific interest."

About 100 years ago: The trend for the protection of species in Slovenia began with the protection of Planika (Edelweiss) in 1896, and in 1910 the Law on Protection of Useful Birds was adopted. By the time when Spomenica was introduced, some species were already protected by the Fisheries Act and the Hunting Act. An explicit request for the protection of 68 species was made in Spomenica. Among them, there were 13 species of plants, 22 species of birds, all species of reptiles (22 species) and toads (two species) and four insect species: the Alpine longhorn beetle and Carabus gigas (orjaški krešič), Mountain Apollo butterfly and Carniolan bee. Protection of the bear, reindeer, Alpine ibex, chamois and Alpine marmot was also required.

Planika (Leontopodium nivale), Photo: Nova, Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0

Today: About 19,000 animal and 4,000 plant species live in Slovenia, of which more than 2,000 species are listed as endangered. A government decree protects almost all plant and animal species cited by Spomenica and many others that are endangered. Among others, almost all species of amphibians, reptiles, birds, all bats, all large carnivores, cave bugs, all kinds of beetles and butterflies above the tree line are protected. More than 200 animal and more than 20 plant species are protected within the Natura 2000 network.

Green frog (Pelophylax sp.) Photo: Notranjski regijski park

Request of Spomenica: "Underground caves with interesting fauna and flora should be placed under supervision."

100 years ago: At the beginning of the previous century, the exploitation of cave fauna for profit was common. Spomenica points out that "various foreigners came and systematically terminated cave fauna". It proposes that caves be owned by the state and that entry into caves be controlled.

Today: All underground caves have been owned by the state since 2004. With regard to the rules of entry, they are divided into open caves with free entry, open caves with controlled entry and closed caves, which, due to their vulnerability, are only exceptionally accessible for scientific purposes with permission and under professional supervision.

All types of cave bugs are protected, and the law prohibits hunting, killing and removing from caves any animals that live or occasionally stay in them. Nonetheless, examples of poaching and trafficking of cave animals still occur.

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Blind cave bug Drobnovratnik (Leptodirus hochenwartii ) Photo: Yerpo, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Waste and sewage pollution of the cave world is slowly improving due to mandatory treatment of waste water and the compliance with the prescribed standards of agricultural fertilization.

Request of Spomenica: "Awareness should be raised among the general public for the conservation of nature in general"

Environmental protection is communicated by the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning, the Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation and the managers of protected areas. A range of activities are carried out by non-governmental organizations from different nature protection fields – be it those who deal with groups of species or those that deal with areas. Important contributors to the dissemination of knowledge are also the media and their reports.

Although pressures on the environment today are higher than ever and biodiversity is on decline globally, and in Slovenia, the country ranks among the top in the world according to its nature preservation endeavours.

In an opinion poll on Natura 2000, conducted by Parsifal in Slovenia in 2019, more than 80% of Slovenian respondents are prepared to avoid visiting a certain area, adapt the use of fertilizers, remove invasive alien species or not cut in a part of the forest, or cut certain trees, in order to protect nature (Parsifal, 2019).

That conservation of nature is one of the fundamental national values, as also proven by the high ranking of Slovenia in various international lists. Yale University ranked Slovenia as the fifth greenest country in the world, and National Geographic as the greenest country in the world. Slovenia also ranks fourth in the Legatum Prosperity Index in the environmental category.

Today, 56.9% of the sea and land of the Republic of Slovenia is under nature protection measures; in the European Union Slovenia ranks first by the share of Natura 2000 (network of nature protections areas in the EU) protected areas in the country, which amounts to over 37%.

naravovarstvena Natura2000_Slovenija.jpg

29 Jan 2020, 20:16 PM

Growing Number of Mountaineering Accidents in Slovenia

STA, 29 January 2020 - This year's winter season has already seen more than 35 mountaineering accidents in which four persons have lost their lives. The number of such accidents has been gradually growing in recent years, with 604 rescue missions in total needed last year.

Jani Bele of the Slovenian Mountain Rescue Association said at Wednesday's press conference in Kranj that the number of mountaineering accidents had been growing year-on-year.

Last year, more than 40 people died in the mountains, half of them mountain climbers. Apart from mountaineering, paragliding, water sports and cycling have turned out to be the most risky sports activities.

The number of mountain search and rescue missions has been gradually increasing since 2013 when the figure stood at 392. In 2017, the number exceeded 500 and climbed to 537 a year later.

The head of the police mountain rescue unit Robert Kralj expressed hope that this surge would be halted this year. A 30% increase has been recorded so far in 2020 though.

The Slovenian Alps are a popular destination, including for tourists who are not familiar with the area or underestimate the terrain, going as far as throwing caution to the wind to get a perfect selfie.

Apart from slipping and falling from great heights, avalanches pose another grave risk, said Bele, urging hiking or skiing on marked trails and in designated areas with adequate equipment.

29 Jan 2020, 14:53 PM

Raids in Ljubljana, Maribor, Celje Disrupt International Drug Trafficking Ring

STA, 29 January - Slovenian police have busted an international drug ring in cooperation with police forces from Croatia and several other European countries, seizing 120 kilos of amphetamine and arresting 20 people in nearly 50 raids on Wednesday morning.

The ring supplied the Slovenian drug market as well as international markets, the General Police Administration said in a press release.

The group imported a variety of illegal drugs from abroad and produced vast quantities of amphetamine in Slovenia.

In the course of the investigation, the police collected evidence of at least 48 drug trafficking crimes committed by 45 members of the ring.

This morning, the police carried out 47 house searches in and around Ljubljana, Maribor and Celje, seizing tens of kilos of various illegal drugs, equipment to make and package drugs, precursors, marijuana growing equipment and illegal weapons and ammunition, as well as EUR 150,000 in proceeds from drug sales.

The investigation was steered by the Ljubljana District Prosecutor Office and led by the Ljubljana Criminal Police. It featured close cooperation with the Croatian police, as well as police forces from other European countries.

A total of 460 criminal investigators and police officers from across the country took part in today's sting. The majority of suspects will be charged and brought in front of an investigative judge today, the press release says.

Most of the suspects have been previously involved in drug trafficking crimes or thefts.

29 Jan 2020, 13:41 PM

Free Academic Journals & Books from the Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana

The other week we presented a review of recent scientific research and discoveries that were made in Slovenia, so this week we thought we’d point to some of the work on the humanities that you can find online.

The Faculty of Arts at the University of Ljubljana (Filozofska fakulteta Univerze v Ljubljani) currently publishes 15 academic journals, and makes each edition freely available as a PDF. These include Acta Neophilologica (promoting scholarly articles on English and American literature, on other literatures written in English as well as on German and Romance literatures), Documenta Praehistorica (a yearly journal of archaeological interdisciplinary scientific research), Keria (covering all fields of Greek and Latin studies), The Musicological Annual (with publishing papers from various fields of musicology and ethnomusicology), Slovenščina 2.0: empirical, applied and interdisciplinary research (presenting theoretical and interdisciplinary research on the Slovene language, and perhaps most interesting to readers of TSN) and Verba Hispanica (on linguistics and literature in Spanish). The full list is here, and although not every article is published in English there’s plenty to explore if you’re looking for some insight into what’s happening at this part of the University.

Publishing in English at the University of Ljubljana

Beyond journals the Faculty also publishes books. Again, not everything is in English – this is the University of Ljubljana – but there’s plenty to browse and PDF versions are available for free.

To give some taste of the variety, there’s 101 ENGLISH TIPS: A Quick Guide to Avoiding “Slovenglish” (plus volume 2) in the English Language & Literature section, Sounds of Attraction: Yugoslav and Post-Yugoslav Popular Music in Ethnology & Cultural Anthropology, and Dictionary of Modern Slovene: Problems and Solutions in Translation Studies, Among the Slavs in Slavistics, with the full list of publications here.

29 Jan 2020, 13:13 PM

Interview with UK Ambassador on Brits in Slovenia after Brexit

STA, 29 January 2020 - There are some 800 UK citizens living in Slovenia and their main concern about Brexit is whether they will be able to continue their lives as before, UK Ambassador to Slovenia Sophie Honey told the STA, stressing that their rights were protected under the December EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement.

The agreement protects the rights and status of British citizens in Slovenia but also Slovenians in the UK, the ambassador told the STA in an interview.

The ambassador explained that the embassy has been in regular contact with the British community in Slovenia, updating them on the latest developments, and explaining them what the Withdrawal Agreement means for them. It has also been working very closely with the Slovenian government.

"The Withdrawal Agreement protects the rights of all those who are legally resident in Slovenia by the end of December to continue to live and work in Slovenia as they do now. So it protects their residency status, but also their rights to access healthcare and social security, to access their pensions as previously."

To be eligible, UK nationals have to be legally resident in Slovenia, whether as temporary or permanent residents, by the end of 2020.

As for travelling, holiday, and business visits, the ambassador said everything would remain the same after the implementation period, in 2021. "It is already agreed that there will be visa free travel for short visits."

Arrangements for British people coming to live permanently in Slovenia after 2020 and vice-versa, are yet to be decided. But the ambassador believes "the UK will always want to welcome talented individuals, so there will still be significant flow of people. For instance this week the UK launched a new visa scheme specifically for people in science and research."

During the transition period, the UK and EU will negotiate the new relationship, including new arrangements that will apply in areas like trade.

"The transition period means that there would be limited impact for businesses and people who are travelling during 2020. That means that current EU rules apply. That gives us the opportunity to agree the new partnership between the UK and the EU that will start on 1 January next year.

"There we are looking for a really positive and constructive partnership given our shared interest, our shared history, and values. So we are looking for a broad free trade agreement covering goods and services, but our prime minister has also spoken of the need to work as partners in other areas, for instance to tackle climate change, and to build cooperation in education and science," Honey said.

David Limon, a retired professor from the Faculty of Arts, applied for Slovenian citizenship in March 2019 but it looks like his application may be rejected due to what he thinks is a technicality, relating to his income as a self-employed translator since leaving the faculty.

He has been living in Slovenia since 1998 but his connections with Slovenia go back to 1983 when he married a Slovenian. Both his wife and their daughter, who was born in the UK but educated in Slovenia, have dual citizenship.

"It is clear that the Interior Ministry applies very strict (even unfair) criteria for citizenship applications. I am very disappointed about this after contributing for over 20 years to Slovenian society (as an academic and a translator), learning the language and even climbing Triglav."

He expects travel within the EU to get more complicated for British passport holders after Brexit. "It is also possible that if the British government makes life more difficult for EU citizens, reducing their legal rights, then EU countries will understandably reciprocate," he told the STA.

Chris Wherry, English programme moderator at Radio Slovenia International, is a permanent resident and this will not change regardless of the relationship between the UK and the EU.

He came to Slovenia in 2002 and is married to a Slovenian. Both of their two children, 15 and 11, are registered British citizens so they will be able to choose where they wish to live after their education.

Asked about any concerns regarding Brexit, he said there were many. "I believe the UK has much to lose by operating alone. I further treasure the EU free movement of people as a way of allowing individuals to access the best education and personal opportunities.

"Cooperation between countries is vital to resolve many international issues and trading as a more powerful block makes real sense. Both the EU and the UK will be weaker unless they come to significant agreements over the next 11 months regarding these issues."

Paul Steed, editor and writer for Total Slovenia News, has been in Slovenia for five and a half years, moving here from Taiwan. He has permanent resident status, is married to a Slovenian, has a child and owns property here, so he plans to stay after Brexit. He would like to get dual nationality, to "further confirm my status in Slovenia, but this is complicated because of Brexit".

"My concerns regarding Brexit are wide and varied. But on a personal level I'm worried about dual nationality, and pensions and healthcare in the future," he told the STA.

With regard to Slovenia, he noted that the direct trade links with the UK were very small, and would get smaller in the future. "The increased barriers to trade, if only in terms of rules of origin paperwork in a tariff- and quota-free deal, will make things more difficult, especially for smaller firms."

On the positive side, Slovenia has strong automotive and pharmaceutical industries, two areas that will be hurt in the UK if London does not opt for close regulatory alignment with the EU, so the country could maybe benefit there, he said.

There are many partnerships between British and Slovene businesses, including in high-tech, the pharmaceutical industry and the automotive sector, and around 4500 Slovenian companies importing goods and services from the UK. According to Ambassador Honey, she is not aware of any British company thinking about leaving Slovenia because of Brexit.

"We have a really strong and growing bilateral partnership with Slovenia", the ambassador told the STA, highlighting growing trade and education ties, and the first Slovenia-UK Friendship Day in 2019. "So I want to see all of those trends continue, as we continue to build a new and positive relationship between the UK and EU as a whole."

29 Jan 2020, 10:49 AM

Lonstroff Announces Expansion in Logatec after €48m Investment

STA, 28 January 2020 - Lonstroff, the Swiss subsidiary of Sumitomo Rubber Industries, launched elastomer production in Logatec this month. Currently, the facility employs almost 40 people, with the company planning to expand its capacities and workforce by additional 50 in two months' time, reported the newspaper Finance on Tuesday.

Lonstroff, which launched test production in April last year, said at the start of the facility's construction that it planned to employ 180 people in total.

The company currently operates only one shift in Logatec since Lonstroff is waiting for buyers' approval of products, said Matjaž Klipšteter of the communication management agency Taktik on behalf of Lonstroff, adding that this procedure could take a while.

The investment in Logatec reached a price tag of EUR 48 million, with Slovenia providing up to 10% of this sum.

But even before the facility started operating, the real-estate deal for the plots on which the plant was built was in the centre of scandal involving the bad bank, and is being investigated.

The plots, owned by the bad bank, ended up in Lonstroff's hands only after the bad bank sold them to a real estate agency, which charged Lonstroff a lot more than it paid for the plots to the bad bank.

29 Jan 2020, 09:19 AM

Only Half the Slovenes Living in UK Register to Stay after Brexit (Feature)

STA, 28 January 2020 - Roughly half of some 5,000 Slovenians living in the UK have applied for settled or pre-settled status so far ahead of Brexit, according to the British Home Office. Slovenian Ambassador to the UK Tadej Rupel expects the number of Slovenians in the UK to "drop somewhat, but not drastically".

Most of the Slovenians that have already applied for the post-Brexit status have opted for the settled status.

EU citizens that have been living and working in the UK for less than five years can apply for the pre-settled status, while those who have been in the UK for more than five years can apply to stay in the country under the settled status scheme.

Some Slovenians have acquired British citizenship and are thus not obligated to enter into any of the two schemes, Rupel told the STA. On the other hand, some have left the UK due to Brexit-related reasons.

The deadline for applying is 31 December 2020, however there have been political and public assurances that EU citizens will not be automatically deported if they fail to apply for the status by the deadline, said the ambassador, adding that settled and pre-settled status applications were mostly granted.

The UK is interested in keeping EU citizens who work and contribute to its economy, he added.

Slovenians in the UK are "well-organised and keeping track of the Brexit-related circumstances", Rupel said, adding that they did not seem to be panicking.

There are some doubts and questions remaining in terms of marriage registration, getting citizenship, the validity of IDs and options for crossing the border.

The Slovenian embassy has regular contacts with the British authorities and informs Slovenian citizens living in the UK of their replies. Last year, it also held a couple of events with British legal experts, informing the public about the situation.

Moreover, the embassy's social media is another platform to provide relevant information, however Rupel expressed concern that the elderly and other vulnerable groups would find it more difficult to access the information.

He explained that everyone who would move to the UK until the end of this year would be entitled to the pre-settled status scheme, while next year a new immigration mechanism would probably enter into force.

No immediate drastic changes will follow the latest Brexit deadline, 31 January, said Rupel, with a transition period taking place.

Some 5,000 Slovenians live in the UK, according to the embassy's data, most of them (85-90%) in the south-east of the country or the London area. They work in the City or at universities, study there, some of them are artists, doctors and entrepreneurs. A small part of them came to the UK in the mid-20th century.

Janja Hadalin, a 35-year-old Slovenian working for an NGO helping the disabled on the outskirts of London, has been living in the UK for almost four years. Even though she is content there, Hadalin does not plan to apply under the pre-settled status scheme since she would like to return to Slovenia.

According to her, most Slovenians living in the UK she knows are planning to stay. Signing up to the scheme is not difficult, she added.

Meanwhile Lana Mak, a 26-year-old working as purchasing officer and living in Bedford near London, plans to stay since she has settled in the UK and started a family there. She sees no difference between living in Slovenia or the UK. "When you settle somewhere, you get used to it," she said.

She and her partner have not yet applied for the settled status, but expect to get it since they have been living in the country for more than five years. Mak has not noticed any Brexit-related changes in day-to-day life.

Žan Florjanič Baronič, a 20-year-old studying medicine at UCL in London, has already applied for the status. He does not know any foreigner living in the UK who has not yet taken care of that - there was even a "mild hysteria" regarding that last summer, he added.

Florjanič Baronič estimated that Brexit would affect UK science funding in the long-term, which might bear on his career as well since major UCL research projects have been mainly EU-funded.

Moreover, following Brexit, EU citizens could pay international tuition fees to study in the UK, which might deter them from enrolling in UK universities, said Rupel.

Currently, there are between 500 and 700 Slovenian students studying in the UK.

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