STA, 25 January - Slovenia's team placed third with 1,125.0 points at Saturday's World Cup event, finishing after the winners Germany and second-placed Norway. The team featured Anže Lanišek, Domen Prevc, Timi Zajc and Peter Prevc.
Slovenia was also third after the first series, entering a fierce battle for third place with Austria and Poland, while Germany and Norway proved much too good to be caught up.
* Results:
1. Germany 1,182.2
(Constantin Schmid 123.0/136.5 m, Markus Eisenbichler 133.0/
132.5 m, Stephan Leyhe 139.0/136.5 m, Karl Geiger 133.0/142.0 m)
2. Norway 1,142.2
(Marius Lindvik 131.5/140.0 m, Robert Johansson 134.0/133.5 m,
Daniel Andre Tande 131.0/129.5 m, Johann Andre
Forfang 122.5/132.0 m)
3. Slovenia 1,125.0
(Anže Lanišek 128.0/140.5 m, Domen Prevc 122.0/135.0 m, Timi Zajc
137.0/129.5 m, Peter Prevc 127.0/1320 m)
4. Japan 1,122.5
5. Poland 1,118.6
6. Austria 1,114.9
7. Czech Republic 974.6
8. Switzerland 965.1
STA, 25 January 2020 - The Slovenian men's handball team finished fourth at the European Championship after losing to Norway 20:28 in the third-place match in Stockholm on Saturday, in what is the second-best result for Slovenia ever at such tournaments.
Slovenia did not manage to bounce back from yesterday's semi-final match against Spain (32:34), while the Norwegians celebrated after a painful loss to Croatia in the last seconds of the other semi-final.
It was a sloppy and slow affair in the first half, with Norway making a run by the 20th minute to secure a four-goal lead, and never looked back thereafter. They did not let Slovenia to come close, also with help from some stellar goalkeeping.
Slovenian head coach Ljubomir Vranješ, who took over the team only a month ago, said that the player had done a tremendous job at the tournament but "it is not enough", adding that the whole tournament had been difficult.
Captain Vid Kavtičnik, who did not play in the match due to injury, said that "of course we are sad, but still, the fourth place is amazing," noting that the team did not have much time to prepare for the tournament.
Borut Mačkovšek said that the team would continue to work hard, and Jure Dolenec said that "we should be proud of what we have done at this major competition," adding that Slovenia had been in a very bad place only six months ago.
The fourth place is actually the second-best results for Slovenia at the European championships, coming after the national won silver medal at home in 2004.
While Slovenia have failed to win a medal, they have secured a berth in an Olympic qualifying tournament hosted by Berlin, Germany between 17 and 19 April.
At the tournament Slovenia will play against Germany, Sweden and an African national team, with the top two teams making it to the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
As for the qualifications, Vranješ said that the team would be prepared tactically by March and then a training camp would be scheduled.
STA, 23 January 2020 - Around 1.34 million tourists visited Ljubljana Castle, one of the most popular Slovenian sights, in 2019, when the castle area offered more than 600 various events.
Among the visitors recorded on the basis of tickets sold, nearly 76% came from abroad, foremost Italy, the UK, Germany, the US, South Korea, France and Spain.
The funicular transported over 590,000 visitors from the city to the castle last year, up 9.5% over 2018, the public institute running the castle has said in a release.
A milestone came on 5 April, when the 4 millionth visitor was taken to the castle since the funicular was launched at the end of 2006.
The castle featured 610 events, including an exhibition of acclaimed costume designer Alan Hranitelj, which earned him one of this year's national Prešeren Fund Prizes.
The castle's cafe and the gallery were renovated and a new permanent exhibition on castle weapons launched.
A new wine cellar opened as wine from the castle's vineyard was bottled for the first time last year.
The castle organised over 1,200 various guided tours for more than 17,600 visitors.
Its Escape Castle, an adventure game modelled on escape room experience, was played by almost 6,200 people.
Ljubljana Castle plans to launch a new tourist product involving wine this year as a prelude to Slovenia turning into the European Region of Gastronomy in 2021.
Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.
A schedule of all the main events involving Slovenia this week can be found here
LJUBLJANA - On Global 5G Protest Day, several NGOs staged a rally in the centre of Ljubljana protesting against 5G wireless technology, arguing Slovenia is introducing it without testing its safety for people and without environmental impact assessment. Introducing 5G without proper tests violates the law and puts at risk the safety of people, animals, plants and the entire ecosystem, said the protest organisers. Some 200 protesters thus urged the government to prevent 5G's introduction to protect the health of its citizens. 5G has raised health as well as security concerns in many countries since its start, with a heated debate on pros and cons also under way in Slovenia. The government has set 30 June 2020 as the deadline for awarding the 5G broadband spectrum for commercial use, but the deadline may well not be met.
SOVA boss insists intel agency needs new powers
LJUBLJANA - Rajko Kozmelj, director of Slovenia's intelligence and security agency SOVA, will insist the agency be given new powers to fight against violent extremism. The public and some politicians will probably find it hard to understand SOVA's arguments for more powers "until we are faced with a concrete threat", he told the newspaper Delo. The new powers envisaged in the draft resolution on the national security strategy would facilitate early detection of violent extremism, such as the Štajerska Varda para-military group, by allow the agency to secretly enter the homes of Slovenian citizens without ties to foreigners to gather data, which many found problematic. The parliamentary Defence Committee consequently voted against these provisions before the resolution was passed without them last September.
Culture minister sees publisher Mladinska Knjiga as strategic investment
LJUBLJANA - Culture Minister Zoran Poznič said Mladinska Knjiga, the country's No.1 publisher, would be transferred from the bad bank to Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH) and labelled a strategic investment. In an interview for Delo, he said "this is not an easy process, since there are many bureaucrats who think culture is just a burden and 'good for noting' Some have already been eyeing some 50 Mladinska Knjiga bookshops to turn them into shops and fast food restaurants". However, the bad bank told the STA "there is no activity under way at the moment to transfer the investment to SSH". It added "restructuring is under way at Mladinska Knjiga, and a decision on its future management will be formed at the BAMC once it is completed". It also noted the final decision would be taken by the bad bank's owner, the state.
Perutnina CEO says group doing well under new Ukrainian owner
PTUJ - Perutnina Ptuj, the country's largest poultry producer, has had a successful year since it was taken over by Ukrainian holding MHP last February. Its chairman Enver Šišić attributed the excellent results to the synergies with the new owner, although he did not yet reveal concrete figures. In an interview for the STA, he said the first year had focussed largely on harmonising their modes of operation. Optimisation and raising the technological quality of production were at the forefront, which reflects in significantly better business results. Šišić believes MHP is a strategic investor interested in Perutnina's long-term development, which can be seen from the initial investments. He considers this to be the biggest difference with the previous owners, who had not invested in modernisation and development for quite some time. Perutnina's financial plan for 2020 is ambitious, planning a rise in production, sales and revenues in all markets.
*Slovenia finish fourth at handball Euro
STOCKHOLM, Sweden - The Slovenian men's handball team finished fourth at the European Championship after losing to Norway 20:28 in the third-place match, in what is the second-best result for Slovenia ever at such tournaments. It was a sloppy and slow affair in the first half, with Norway making a run by the 20th minute to secure a four-goal lead, and never looked back thereafter. They did not let Slovenia to come close, also with help from some stellar goalkeeping. While Slovenia have failed to win a medal, they have secured a berth in an Olympic qualifying tournament hosted by Berlin on 17-19 April. Slovenia will play against Germany, Sweden and an African team, with the top two teams making it to the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
Ski jumping: Slovenia third in Zakopane
ZAKOPANE, Poland - Slovenia's team placed third with 1,125.0 points at today's World Cup event, finishing after the winners Germany and second-placed Norway. The team featured Anže Lanišek, Domen Prevc, Timi Zajc and Peter Prevc. Slovenia were also third after the first series, entering a fierce battle for third place with Austria and Poland, while Germany and Norway proved much too good to be caught up with.
Biathlon: France win both races at Pokljuka
POKLJUKA - The third day of the Biathlon World Cup meet in Slovenia's Pokljuka saw France win the single mixed relay and the mixed relay events. France's Emilien Jacquelin and Anais Bescond won the first race, beating Estonia's Rene Zahkna in Regina Oja (0+3) by 5.9 seconds and Austria's Simon Eder and Lisa Hauser (0+6), which lagged behind 12.1 seconds. France also dominated the mixed relay, beating Norway and Germany, with all three having fought for the first place throughout the race. The meet at the Slovenian plateau Pokljuka within the Triglav National Park will end on Sunday with a men's 15-km mass start and a women's 12.5-km mass start races.
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
If you're not in town for the week of this guide (27 January to 2 February, 2020) then you can see all the editions here, and if there's event or activity you want to promote in a future edition of What's on in Ljubljana please get in touch with me at flanner(at)total-slovenia-news.com or try and find me on Facebook. If you want something a little different and easy to print, then a comprehensive PDF of events for the next seven days, as prepared by Ljubljana Tourism, is here. If you're in town and want to follow the news then check out our regular morning headlines for Sloveniahere.
It’s another relatively quiet week in the city that often sleeps, with things heading into what many locals feel is the greyest, dullest month of the year. But we’d dispute that analysis, as the days are getting longer, the mornings lighter, and there’s still plenty of fun to be had around town, whether in galleries or bars, concert halls or parks, convention centres or out on the streets.
You can see more about upcoming events and festivals in Slovenia here, to fill your calendar with things to look forward to, while below is a selection of entertainments, educations and diversions on around the capital in the next seven days.
The Alpe-Adria Tourism Fair is back at the convention centre on Dunajska from Wednesday 29 January to 1 February. Learn more about it here. At the same place, same dates, there’s also Fairs of Tastes, which covers the delights of gastronomy, beverage, coffee, confectionery, bakery, catering and hospitality, ice cream and wine. More here.
Alcoholics Anonymous has an English language meeting every Tuesday, 19:00 in Poljane – email for more details: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tuesday Prulček will host Bordó Sárkány, who mix authentic Hungarian and European medieval songs with their own creative ideas.
Thursday to Sunday SNG Opera and Ballet will be performing Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty at various times, including the morning (but the same times each day, so check the schedule here)
Thursday, 21:00, the stage at Kino Šiška will be owned by BaBa Zula, “the unrivalled masters of so-called Istanbul psychedelia”. The show is a pre-MENT event, and you can learn more about that upcoming music festival here. Friday to Saturday the Ljubljana Blues Exchange is back for a long weekend of music and dancing, with the website here
Friday night is Jazz at the Castle, and this week it’s the turns of Ljubljanski Jazz quintet saksofonov. Saturday evening Orto Bar has show from Potnik, presenting their first album
On Sunday, 2 February, the 4th Winter Festivalv opens, with a focus on pianists. The first show features Imogen Cooper (piano) and Aleksej Volodin (piano) playing Beethoven. Details.
Still open until 5 March, 2020, Magic Ice-rink Lumpi Park offers 600 m2 of the covered ice surface and 180 m of ice-skating paths which enable you to skate through the Sports park Savsko naselje, at Kranjčeva ulica 24. Details here.
New or new-ish movies in town this week include the following:
Kinoteka, the classic movie centre, is showing David Lynch’s Wild at Heart on Tuesday, and Return of the Jedi on Saturday (website). Kinodvor, the art move place just around the corder, is showing among other features, a version of the new Slovene movie Polsestra (Half-Sister) with English subtitles. The same place is also showing Little Women.
How much do tourists spend in Slovenia? Find out here
You may have heard about Free Tour Ljubljana, the tour company that’s #1 on TripAdvisor for the city and gives away its main product. What’s the deal with that? Find out here.
While the Old Town is quaint, and full of music, where does Ljubljana really shop? One popular answer is BTC City, a vast complex of malls, entertainment facilities and more, including more than 70 different food vendors, offering everything from Slovenian to Thai, Indian to Italian, Mexican to Chinese. Check out my recent visit here.
Looking for something different to eat? Trubajeva cesta, running right by Dragon Bridge, has the greatest concentration of "ethnic food" places in Ljubljana, and thus perhaps the country. Check out our walk through guide as of June 2019.
In warmer days than you'll see this week. Photo: JL Flanner
You can read about all the cinemas in town here, while a selection of what’s playing this week is below, and note that kids' movies tend to be shown in dubbed versions, while non-English language movies for older viewers will have Slovenian subtitles.Parents should also pay attention to Kinobalon, which is Kinodvor's regular weekend series of film screenings and events for children, from babies on up, with special parent/child events, "first time in a cinema" screenings, and babysitting. Learn more about it here, and see the current schedule here.
Note - most children's films will be dubbed (sinhronizirano) - for subtitles look for 'podnapisi'.
Kinodvor –This is an arts cinema, not far from the train station, that shows new features as well as hosting the occassional festival.
Kinoteka – And not far from Kinodvor you can find this revival cinema, which shows art house classics along with some deep dives in the archives.
Kino Bežigrad - A relatively small theatre, but one which usually has the biggest of the new releases.
Kolosej -The multiplex out at BTC City Mall shows all the big movies, with well over a dozen titles on the schedule, although note that there are far more movies than screens, so some of the older ones mayonly be playing once or twice a week.
Komuna – The cinema in a basement behind Nama department store shows two or three different features a week, usually including the biggest titles.
Looking for a souvenir you'll really enjoy? Take a look at Broken Bones Gin, the first gin made in Ljubljana (learn more here, and try it at the Central Market or selected downtown bars).
Photo: Genius loci d.o.o.
Know that big triangular building behind the train station? Learn what's inside here.
Clubbing
Compared to some European capitals it can seem that nightlife in Ljubljana ends rather early, especially along the river, but there are still bars that stay open late and clubs were you can dance until dawn, and perhaps the best place to stumble across something interesting is the legendary Metelkova. Be aware it's a grungy kind of place and not for all tastes, but also that there's considerable variety to found within the various clubs there, from death metal to electropop, gay cabaret to art noise. You can read "the rules" of the place here. And if you're curious about how the place started then read our story, and look at some pictures, about last year's 25th anniversary.
Božidar - DJ events aren't too common here, but when they happen they often have a big name.
Channel Zero – DJs shows here include regular dub nights as well as electronic music.
Gala Hala – Another Metelkova venue, you can sometimes hear bhangra and Bollywood here, but more often funk, hip hop, breakbeat and so on.
Klub Cirkus – The more commercial end of clubland, and a venue that aims to serve the student party scene. Expect house, anthems, and bangers.
Klub K4 – The home of techno, old and new, along with various other electronic genres,
Koncertna Dvorana Rog– There are irregular DJ sets at this underground (not literally) venue at the far end of Trubarjeva cesta, and they range from techno to goa to drum'n'bass.
Orto Bar– 80s and 90s throwback nights can often be found here, along with rock-based DJ sets.
Cankerjev dom- The main arts venue in the country always has something of interest going on.
Gledališče IGLU - IGLU Theatre – Saturday night this group is usually putting on an English improv show somewhere in town, but it’s generally promoted after this is written, so check the Facebook before putting on your shoes.
Kino Šiška – One of the top live venues in the city also hosts some dance performance, often of the more experimental variety.
Mini Teater Ljubljana –The English schedule of varied performances, for adults and children, for the month is here.
Ljubljana Puppet Theatre - Puppetry has a long and noble tradition in Slovenia, and you can see performances for children and adults (including non-puppet shows) drawing from the Theatre's rich repetoire as well as new productons.
SNG Opera and Ballet - As the name suggests, here you'll find the best of opera and ballet in the country.
Španski borci - The home ofcontemporary dance(and the EnKnapGroup) in Slovenia.
Pocket Teater Studio– There are regular flamenco evenings at perhaps the smallest venue town, but note that the number of seats is very limited, and thus you should make a reservation via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 070 325 522.
Drogart is an organization that aims to minimise harm on the party scene, and offers drug-testing services and reports on their webpage. It’s in Slovene, but you can Google translate it or work things out yourself, and our story on the group is here.You can find the latest warnings on fake drugs and high strength pills and powders (in Slovene) here. However, be aware that all the usual drugs are illegal in Slovenia.CBD is legal, though, and our retailer of choice can be found on Trubarjeva cesta - read more about Sena Florahere.
You can find our Top 12 list of things to do with kids in Ljubljana here. If want to read more about the philosophy behind the wonderful House of Experiments look here, while our trip to the Museum of Illusions is documented here, and there’s always riverside walks, pizza and ice cream. With regard to the latter, take a look at our guide tosix places that serve good ice cream in winter, and thus are serious about the dessert.
Mini Teater Ljubljana – The season sees a lot of puppet performances for children, in Slovene, at this theatre not far from Križanke. The English schedule for the month is here.
Ljubljana Puppet Theatre - The puppet theatre near the Central Market and next to the Castle funicular has a full programme or shows, for children and adults, with the schedule here.
If you're looking for more general links on "gay Slovenia", including a history of the scene and various projects, then you can find that here, while our stories about the community can be found here.
Klub Monokel– This lesbian bar in Metelkova is open every Friday, although sometimes there are other events
Klub Tiffany –And the gay bar next door is also open on Fridays. Other things coulds also be planned, so click on the name to find out.
Pritličje – This seems to be the only "always open" LGBT-friendly cafe / bar / events space in town, and perhaps the country, so it's a good thing it's such a good one, open from morning to night, and with fliers and posters letting you know what's happening outside the narrow confines of, say, a general interest online what's on... guide.
Screenshot from Google Maps, showing the location of the Castle vineyard
Ljubljana Castle
The city’s main attraction is said to be the top tourist draw in the country overall, and to my mind it earns a spot near the top just for the history and views. But beyond that the current owners, the City of Ljubljana, have laid out a varied, interesting and enjoyable programme of events, one that rewards regular revisits.
On all 2020 is an Exhibition of Slovenian History, included in the price of a Castle ticket, that takes you through prehistory and the Romans, the Middle and early Modern Ages, the 19th century and WWI, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and WWII, Yugoslavia, independence and after.
At one of Castle hill there's a many walking and jogging paths, with good views of the city. At the other end, where the Castle sits, there’s a lot more than fresh air on offer. There are guided tours, restaurants, a café, Castle museum, puppet museum, a Watchtower you can climb to the highest point in the city, art shows, dances, live music, movies under the stars, festival days and more – enough to reward multiple trips up the hill through the year. All of these activities and events can be found on the Castle website, while on TSN you can see “25 things to know about Ljubljana Castle” here, and “Ten Ways to Enjoy Ljubljana Castle” here.
Most public galleries and museums are closed on Mondays, although not the National Museum.
Bežigrajska galerija 2 – Take a trip to Vodovodna cesta 3 and until 8 February 2020 you can see Lojze Spacal (1907–2000): From the Littoral and the Karst Region.
Plečnik’s House is worth a visit if you want to learn more about the architect who gave Ljubljana much of its character, and it's also in a really nice part of town, Trnovo, just a short walk or cycle upriver. Read about our guided tour here.
Balassi Institute – The Hungarian culture centre is next to a Spar and Hofer, and not far from Dragon Bridge, and always has something interesting going on. Learn more here.
City Museum – The Museum in French Revolution Square an interesting permanent exhibition on the history of Ljubljana, from prehistoric times to the present day, with many artefacts, models and so on that bring the story alive.You can read about my visit here. On until August 2020 there’s Book. Reason. Knowledge. From Protestantism to Enlightenment (1500–1800), which presents the processes and events that encouraged and fostered the cultural and spiritual development in Ljubljana from the end of the 15th to the beginning of the 19th century – from humanism and Protestantism to the Enlightenment. More on that here.
The Faces of Ljubljana in the City Museum. Photo: JL Flanner
Drink like a pro - find gallery openings. Photo: JL Flanner
Galerija Vžigalica – Until 15 March you can enjoy Counter:Movement / Gegen:Bewegung, an exhibition of contemporary artistic positions in Carinthia, selected by the Klagenfurt University Cultural Centre – the Universitätskulturzentrum UNIKUM.
MAO – The Museum of Architecture and Design has much of what you'd expect, along with some temporary shows and a good cafe. BIO 26: Common Knowledge is on until 9 February, looking at information, fake news and citizenship, with details here.
Moderna galerija – The main branch of this gallery, to be found near the entrance to Tivoli Park, has a good collection of modern art, as well a nice café in the basement.
Alan Ford was recently at the National Gallery - read more about this comic book here.
National Gallery – The country’s main gallery has “the best” of what’s on offer from the Middle Ages to non-contemporary modern visual arts, and is in a great location for exploring other areas, just by Tivoli Park and opposite the main branch of the Moderna galerija. You can read about our visit to the room containing sacred art from the Middle Ages
The real Robba Fountain can be found in the entrance to the National Gallery - the one you see in the Old Town is a genuine fake, as seen below and reported here.
Photo: JL Flanner
National Museum of Slovenia – There’s plenty to see in the permanent collection here, from Roman times, Egypt and more. Meanwhile, the museum's Metelkova branch, located between one branch of the Moderna galerija and the Ethnographic Museum has some rooms on Church art, furniture and weapons, with the latter including more guns than you'll see anywhere else in town, and quite a thrill if coming from a nation where such objects are not household items.
A fragment of a Coptic textile; 5th–6th cent.: Upper Egypt; linen, wool; National Museum of Slovenia. Photo: Tomaž Lauko
Until 24 May 2020 you can see Coptic Textiles from the Collection of the National Museum of Slovenia at the branch in the Metelkova museum quarter, by the Ethnographic Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Details.
Natural History Museum – On until the end of December 2019 is Our Little Big Sea, which takes a look at the oceans.
Union Experience – The Ljubljana-based brewer has a museum showing the history of the company, with the ticket also including access to part of the factory and a few samples of the product. You can read about our visit here.
Alternative Ljubljana isn't a museum or gallery, as such, but instead turns the city streets into a museum and gallery. Learn more about their tours of street art, history and LGBT Ljubljanahere.
If you like the city's architecture then check out this great book, Let’s See the City - Ljubljana: Architectural Walks & Tours, with our review here and a page from the book shown above. We took a walk with one of the authors who showed us how much there is to learn and enjoy if you slow down and pay attention - read about that here.
Ljubljana has some beautiful buildings from the early 20th century, in the Secessionist style, like the one below. Learn where to find them here.
Some view of the city you can only get from the river. If you'd like to take a boat ride then read about my experience here. If you'd like to spend an evening painting with others, then take a look at Design with Wine, which organises painting parties on Trubarjeva cesta,
If you want to see some antiques, then check out the wonderful Antika Carniola, as discussed here. The man behind it, Jaka Prijatelj, has a fine eye for life on this street, as you can see on his Facebook account.
Photo: JL Flanner
If you’re in town and want to go jogging or walking in nature, why not take another look at the Castle, with a brief guide to the trails here. If you want something bigger, head to Tivoli Park.
And if you're bored with the Old Town, why not take a walk, cycle or boat ride to nearby Špica and enjoy the riverside life. Learn more about that here.
Prefer to have someone else stretch you? The check out the totally legit massages you can get from Sense Wellness - either in one of their spas or in you home, office or hotel. (And - to repeat - these are legit and non-sexual in nature)
There are some golf courses near Ljubljana, but even ones further away are not far, as seen in our list of all the golf courses in Slovenia, which usually run until the first snow.
If you want to get a Ljubljana Tourist Card, which gives you travel on the city buses and entry to a lot of attractions, then you can read more about that here, and if you want to use the bike share system, as useful for visitors as it is for residents, then you can learn more by clicking this. Visitors with reduced mobility will be pleased to find that downtown Ljubljana is generally rated as good with regard to accessibility, and that there’s a free, city-sponsored app called Ljubljana by Wheelchair highlighting cafés, attractions and so on with ramps, disabled bathrooms and Eurokey facilities, which you can read about and download here. Manual wheelchair users can also borrow, for free, an attachment that will motorise their equipment, as reported here.
Screenshot from a Twitter video
If you’re driving into town and don’t know where to park, our guide to how to park in Ljubljana is here.
Ljubljana is a small and relatively safe city, but if need to contact the police then there’s a special number for foreigners, and that’s 113.
Photo: JL Flanner
There aren't many places to eat after midnight, and most of them are by the train station, as reported here.
Want / need cigarettes but the stores have closed? Here's an incomplete list of bars downtown that will satisfy your craving for the demon weed. While if you’re having trouble with the ATMs then here’s a guide to the Slovene you’ll see on screen. If you get a hangover then find out where to get paracetamol (and prescription drugs) in Ljubljana here, while details on emergency birth control can be found here.
Andrei Kashcha has created a wonderful webpage where you can enter a place name and receive a map showing only the roads – the transport arterial system of the area. Here are some examples drawn from Slovenia.
It’s a lot of fun to play around with, and the resulting maps are available for download (in relatively low res versions, as shown here) or printing on mugs.
If you find this interesting, and would like to make more maps of anywhere – it works all over the world, with Timbuktu having an especially striking map – then do check out the original site. It’s the best place to view these images, make more of your own, and then zoom in and see the pleasing, fractal nature of the system.
STA, 24 January - The opposition Democrats (SDS) tabled on Friday a proposal to raise the age of eligibility for child maintenance allowance from 18 to 26 or until parents are obliged to provide financial support for their children.
The party believes that the changes to the public guarantee and maintenance fund would reduce the number of cases where child support is not provided for those above the age of 18.
The amendment would ensure equal treatment of all those eligible for child support, said the SDS, adding that those who are furthering their education and are not employed after turning 18 are currently not entitled to financial protection and child support recovery and are thus worse off.
Children's right to maintenance is one of the basic children's rights, ensuring a favourable environment for their development, highlighted the party.
In 2017, some 4,300 minors received child support allowance, quite an increase compared to 1,900 in 2000. Given this surge, the party has concluded that unpaid child support cases are on the rise. Last year, some 17,100 persons of age and studying were eligible for child support, according to the SDS.
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
EU court to announce Slovenia-v-Croatia suit admissibility on 31 Jan
LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - The EU's Court of Justice said it would announce on 31 January whether it will admit Slovenia's suit against Croatia over the latter's failure to implement the 2017 border arbitration award. In early December 2019, the court's Advocate General Priit Pikamäe proposed to the court to rule the case inadmissible, which came as a surprise to many in Slovenia. However, while many agreed the opinion did not bode well for the fate of the procedure, the opinion does not prejudge the court's final decision on admissibility.
Poklukar urges launching Frontex in Western Balkans
ZAGREB, Croatia - Attending an informal meeting of EU home ministers in Zagreb, Interior Minister Boštjan Poklukar said that "mounting fully functioning Frontex operations in the Western Balkans as soon as possible and signing status agreements with the region's countries" was necessary for the effective management of migrations. The minister called for such measures during a discussion on challenges and plans regarding implementing border and coastguard regulations. He also proposed drawing up an operational system of Frontex postings to fully tap into the agency's potential.
Commission finds systemic flaws in intel agency hiring
LJUBLJANA - The opposition-led parliamentary Commission for Oversight of Intelligence and Security Services released a report finding that an acquaintance of PM Marjan Šarec was given special treatment when being hired by the intelligence agency SOVA. The commission also found systemic flaws in SOVA staffing. The commission established that Šarec's acquaintance had not met all the requirements for the job she was given, although she was later reassigned to a post she met requirements for. Šarec, who was interviewed by the commission today, denied the woman was given the job because being his acquaintance.
NGOs warn about ramifications of handing over refugees
LJUBLJANA - A group of NGOs noted at a press conference that, by handing asylum seekers over to the Croatian authorities, Slovenia was aggravating one of the most severe humanitarian crises in Europe. The NGOs, including Amnesty International Slovenija and the Legal and Information Centre, argue that such measures are illegal and that the country should immediately cease implementing the relevant agreement with Croatia. They also expressed their concern over conditions at refugee camps in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Croatian police violence against migrants. The Interior Ministry denied the claims.
Justice Ministry: Rupnik judgement not rehabilitating his actions
LJUBLJANA - In its first reaction to the controversy about the Supreme Court's decision to quash the 1946 conviction of collaborationist official Leon Rupnik, the Justice Ministry said that court decisions in appeals over post-war judgements were not denying the abject nature of concrete cases, even less did they rehabilitate them. Meanwhile, Ljubo Bavcon, professor emeritus of penal law at the Ljubljana Faculty of Law, whose mother was tortured by Rupnik's police, indicated that he might mount a joint appeal with Rupnik's other victims at the Constitutional Court over the matter.
Slovenian MEP attracts ire of Serbian officials
BELGRADE, Serbia - Slovenian MEP Tanja Fajon (S&D/SD), the chair of the European Parliament's delegation for relations with Serbia, drew the ire of Serbian officials with an article in which she expresses concern for democracy and the freedom of the press in Serbia. In an op-ed for the Serbian newspaper NIN, Fajon said that "democracy and media freedom [in the country] are seriously threatened as national channels do not treat all political parties the same way". Serbian Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimović accused Fajon of overstepping her mandate and making biased assessments.
Defence Ministry to set up network of renewables hubs
LJUBLJANA - The Defence Ministry announced it would set up a network of energy hubs at Slovenian army barracks to provide for more self-sufficient energy supply. This was after its project designed to improve energy efficiency in the defence sector, supported by the European Defence Agency, received EUR 310,000 in funding under the Structural Reform Support Programme of the European Commission. The network of hubs is to support military and civilian electric mobility.
Slovenia ratifies revised CoE film co-production convention
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia ratified the Council of Europe's (CoE) revised convention on cinematographic co-production, which envisages co-productions with countries which are not CoE members. The instrument of ratification was deposited by Andrej Slapničar, Slovenia's permanent representative at the CoE. Jelka Stergel, Slovenia's representative in Eurimages, told the STA the revised convention was important for European producers because it improved the prospects for co-productions.
Slovenia fall to Spain in handball Euro Semi-finals
STOCKHOLM, Sweden - The Slovenian men's handball team lost to Spain 32:34 in the semi-finals of the European Championship, and will play Norway in the third-place match. The reigning European champions Spain were too much for Slovenia who were looking to make it to what would be their second European champions finals ever, taking advantage of many fast-breaks to build a 20:15 lead in the half-time. Slovenia will try to bounce back from the loss on Saturday as they try to win the bronze medal against Norway, who lost to Croatia 28:29 in a double overtime thriller in the other semi-final earlier today.
Dončić selected as starter for NBA All-Star Game
NEW YORK, US - Luka Dončić has been selected as a Western Conference starter for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game, becoming the youngest European and the first Slovenian ever to be selected directly to play in the prestigious exhibition game. In the fan voting, the 20-year-old was second only to the NBA great LeBron James. Dončić will be the second Slovenian ever to appear in the NBA All-Star Game, following Goran Dragić in 2018, who made the team as an injury replacement and did not get voted in directly.
Biathlon: Germany's Herrmann wins women's 15km at Pokljuka
POKLJUKA - The second day of the Biathlon World Cup meet on Pokljuka saw German Denise Herrmann win the women's 15km individual event, ahead of Swede Hanna Oeberg and France's Anais Bescond. Herrmann was perfect in the shooting, while Oeberg missed one target to finish 59.2 seconds behind the winner. Bescond hit all targets but was slower in the running part (+1:15.7). The race featured two Slovenian athletes, with Lea Einfalt finishing 76th (+9:20.9) and Polona Klemenčič finishing 87th (+10:49.8).
Slovenian table tennis team make first Olympic qualification
GONDOMAR, Portugal - The Slovenian men's table tennis team qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo in what is its first Olympic qualification ever. After beating Iran on Wednesday, Slovenia defeated India today to make it among the eight teams to secure a berth for Tokyo at the qualifying tournament in Portugal's Gondomart. The duel with the favoured India ended with 3:1 for Slovenia, with two wins contributed by Darko Jorgić and one by veteran Bojan Tokić.
Scientific vaudeville to explore human evolution, fate
LJUBLJANA - A major theatre production, 2020, directed by Ivica Buljan based on writings by contemporary Israeli historian Yuval Noah Harari, will open at Cankarjev Dom on Saturday. The scientific vaudeville is focusing on human evolution and fate. The goal was to "create a clever, entertaining and educational artwork about evolution, space and our place in it," Buljan said. The production is based on Harari's books Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow, and 21 Lessons for the 21st Century.
Snow castle competition hopes to bring winter feel to Koroška
ČRNA NA KOROŠKEM - Several thousand people are expected in the northern town of Črna na Koroškem this weekend for the 28th annual snow castle-building competition. Slovenia has had virtually no snow this winter, but with a bit of luck weather forecast will hold and it will be snowing at the weekend. The events kicked off with a hike and a treasure hunt, followed by torch-lit a ski race. Some 30 teams are expected to take part in the castle-building competition starting on Saturday morning.
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STA, 24 January 2020 - The Slovenian men's handball team lost to Spain 32:34 in the semi-finals of the European Championship in Stockholm on Friday, and will play Norway in the third-place match tomorrow.
The reigning European champions Spain were too much for Slovenia who were looking to make it to what would be their second European champions finals ever, taking advantage of many fast-breaks to build a 20:15 lead in the half-time.
The five-goal lead proved to be too much to recover from for Slovenia, who nevertheless fought to the final whistle and were only one goal behind in the last minute.
After what was the third loss for Slovenia in the four semi-finals at major competitions so far, Slovenia's Jure Dolenec said the team played a very bad defence in the first half and that he was "honestly really disappointed."
Slovenian head coach Ljubomir Vranješ said that the Spaniards were much better in the first half as his players had made very bad mistakes on defence, but what was important that they had fought until the last minute.
"They did not give up at all, but they fought the entire time, and this is good," he said, admitting that it would be hard to motivate players and find energy for the third-place match.
Slovenia will try to bounce back from the loss on Saturday as they try to win the bronze medal against Norway, who lost to Croatia 28:29 in a double overtime thriller in the other semi-final earlier today.
Slovenia already played Norway in the last match of the second round of the ongoing European championship on Wednesday, losing 30:33.
What follows is a weekly review of events involving Slovenia, as prepared by the STA.
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FRIDAY, 17 January LJUBLJANA - European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said it was urgent for all EU members to work together in tackling migrations. She said a new EU pact on migration and asylum should bring a fresh start in this field. Interior Minister Boštjan Poklukar said Slovenia was ready to debate new concepts and had been constructive all along. LJUBLJANA - The Infrastructure Ministry said that the EU Commission would provide technical assistance in bringing about a green transition in Slovenia's mining regions. The country is also expected to reap the benefits of the emerging EUR 7.5 billion Just Transition Fund, where it should be entitled to roughly EUR 92 million. LJUBLJANA - More than two dozen companies from Slovenia, China, Turkey and several other countries submitted bids for the principal construction works on the new rail section from Divača to Koper, kicking off what promises to be a fierce contest for an estimated EUR 700 million. The bidders include some of the biggest construction companies in the world. LJUBLJANA - Croatian Ambassador to Slovenia Boris Grigić highlighted the importance of EU enlargement to the Western Balkans as he addressed Slovenian MPs to present Croatia's EU presidency's priorities in the first half of 2020. He said that the region would be brought closer to the EU when the desire and will for the enlargement was again stressed. LJUBLJANA - Representatives of small business complained at a meeting with Prime Minister Marjan Šarec that their demands remained unmet, with PM assuring them the government was working on solving their problems. Branko Meh, the head of the Chamber of Trade Crafts and Small Business (OZS), noted that small business represented 99.3% of the Slovenian economy. LJUBLJANA - The Environment Ministry announced it was looking for a sustainable solution after Hungary had decided to stop importing sewage sludge, including from Slovenia. Minister Simon Zajc announced more concrete plans would be presented soon, adding that Slovenia was striving to become self-sufficient in this field.
SATURDAY, 18 January LJUBLJANA - Agriculture Minister Aleksandra Pivec surprisingly defeated Defence Minister Karl Erjavec for the presidency of the coalition Pensioners' Party (DeSUS), prompting Erjavec to announce his resignation as minister and withdrawal from public life. The option of a government reshuffle arising after these developments was ruled out as Pivec and PM Marjan Šarec met after her landslide win. BERLIN, Germany - Slovenia's agriculture delegation talked about providing support to the Western Balkans countries in their EU enlargement efforts with the region's representatives as it attended the International Green Week agricultural trade show. They discussed assistance in implementation of EU regulations in particular.
SUNDAY, 19 January LJUBLJANA - Ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina told a memorial ceremony that the unimaginable horrors and hardship of that time must not be forgotten, urging standing up to hatred and xenophobia. President Borut Pahor said young generations should be reminded where hatred leads. BRUSSELS, Belgium - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar attended a ministerial meeting of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance ahead of International Holocaust Remembrance Day. In his address, Cerar pledged Slovenia's continued commitment to preserving the awareness and historical records of the Holocaust, genocide against the Roma and persecution of other victims.
MONDAY, 20 January LJUBLJANA - The Defence Ministry released a white paper on defence under which Slovenia's defence budget is to reach 2% of GDP, a NATO target, by 2035. The document also implies that unless the national army manages to attract more members, Slovenia would have to consider reintroducing conscription. At a subsequent debate at the National Council a number of concerns were raised, above all about plans to increase the number of soldiers and lack of focus on technological development. BRUSSELS, Belgium - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar said that Slovenia was willing to cooperate in a changed Operation Sophia to the best of its abilities and stressed that the country was seen as a reliable partner. His statements came after EU foreign ministers decided on upgrading the bloc's military operation in the Mediterranean by shifting its focus from migrants to the arms embargo on Libya. LJUBLJANA - The Government Office for Slovenians Abroad announced that twenty-one Venezuelans of Slovenian descent who asked for repatriation had already arrived in Slovenia. Of some 50 persons who asked for repatriation, 29 have been granted the status, while some of the applications are still being processed and are expected to be granted. LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor was presented with the credentials of five new ambassadors, among them the new Ambassador of Russia, Timur Rafailovic Eyvazov, Italian Carlo Campanile and Australian Richard Travers Sadleir. LJUBLJANA - A poll run by Dnevnik and Večer showed that a majority of Slovenians (over 54%) are in favour of the pull-out of troops from Iraq in the wake of Iran's attack on two airbases there. It also demonstrated strong backing for Slovenia's NATO membership. The strongest support for the pull-out was registered among leftist voters and youths. LJUBLJANA - The party of Prime Minister Marjan Šarec (LMŠ) continued to lead the field in the latest Vox Populi poll, albeit with a slightly narrower margin ahead of the opposition Democrats (SDS). The LMŠ slipped back 0.8 percentage points from the month before to 19.4% as the SDS gained 0.3 points to 16.9%, shows the poll, conducted by Ninamedia for Dnevnik and Večer. LJUBLJANA - Data from the Slovenian Bank Association showed that the number of loans approved by banks in Slovenia in November and December plummeted. The number of consumer loans dropped by around 60% over October and the number of housing loans by around 40%. The association said the surge was most probably a result of the central bank's announcement of the new lending curbs, which kicked in on 1 November.
TUESDAY, 21 January DAVOS, Switzerland - Prime Minister Marjan Šarec said the EU's enlargement to the Western Balkans was key to the region's stabilisation and transformation, as he spoke at a panel on resuming strategic dialogue in the region at the World Economic Forum. He reiterated Slovenia's disappointment with the EU's failure to launch accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania. LJUBLJANA - NLB bank asked the Constitutional Court to review tighter restrictions on lending imposed by the central bank in November. The bank expressed the belief that its request would be a matter of priority for the court because of the "radical effect" the measures had on the quality of Slovenians' lives. CELJE - The Trade Union of Police Officers (SPS) announced they planned to stage a four-hour token strike on 3 February over the government's failure to fully implement commitments, agreed pay rises and promotions that had been made in the December 2018 agreement that had ended a protracted strike. BRUSSELS, Belgium - After her first meeting with European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferreira, Slovenia's new Development and EU Cohesion Policy Minister Angelika Mlinar said that Slovenia had gone from below-average to above-average in drawing of EU funds at the end of last year. The EU Commission withdrew its warning that payments to Slovenia may be suspended due to problems with the IT system used in the process. LJUBLJANA - The Finance Ministry confirmed that State Secretary Metod Dragonja would retire in March. The business newspaper Finance alleged that Dragonja was leaving mainly due to disagreements over the plans to extend the life of the Bank Assets Management Company and general disagreements with Alenka Bratušek, the leader of the Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB), the political faction he belongs to.
WEDNESDAY, 22 January JERUSALEM, Israel - President Borut Pahor arrived in Jerusalem to take part in the World Holocaust Forum, marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp. He met his counterpart Reuven Rivlin, with whom he agreed that awareness was key if the world wanted to avoid the same atrocities again. The pair said that relations between the countries were built on firm foundations and a true friendship. The next day Pahor attended the ceremony at the Yad Vashem Holocaust remembrance centre, where he laid a wreath. DAVOS, Switzerland - Attending the World Economic Forum, Prime Minister Marjan Šarec participated in a debate on bringing artificial intelligence (AI) closer to the public sector. Artificial intelligence has the potential to serve humanity and benefit individuals and society, he highlighted, adding that cooperation and respecting human rights were key in tapping AI potential. LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar discussed with MPs on the Foreign Policy Committee the situation in Libya and Iran and the recent annulment of the 1946 verdict against a collaborationist Slovenian general. Cerar commended the EU's determination to boost its diplomatic efforts for Libya. As for Iran, he said the EU was still making efforts to preserve the Iran nuclear deal. LJUBLJANA - Nada Drobne Popović was appointed for full term as CEO of the energy group Petrol after she shifted from chief supervisor to acting CEO following the resignation of the Tomaž Berločnik-led management at the end of October. She was given 21 days to form her management team. VELENJE - The household appliances maker Gorenje, owned by the Chinese conglomerate Hisense, announced that it would streamline its production by reducing the number employees in support services in production by 176 in different ways by mid-April due to "poor business results". The in-house trade union expressed concern, expecting the total number of dismissals to be rather high. LJUBLJANA - The EU officials said at a meeting with the national task force for the management of brown bear, wolf and lynx that the key goal of European policies was cohabitation with large carnivores, thus nipping in the bud Slovenia's efforts to convince the EU Commission to loosen rules on the protection of large carnivores when animal populations are booming. MALMÖ, Sweden - The Slovenian men's handball team made it among the top four teams at the European championships after finishing second in the main round Group II play. Slovenia attained their first goal at the tournament - a berth in one of the three qualifying tournaments for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
THURSDAY, 23 January LJUBLJANA - Adria Airways operating licences were auctioned off to Air Adriatic, a newly established company owned by Slovenian developer and fruit importer Izet Rastoder, at the asking price of EUR 45,000. Receiver Janez Pustatičnik said that there were three bidders, "the asking price was accepted and there was no bidding". LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar urged the Defence Ministry to send Slovenia's six soldiers back to Iraq as soon as possible, or else the country's reputation will suffer. The Defence Ministry responded that the soldiers were ready to go back "as planned". Earlier, it was said they would return no later than 1 February. JERUSALEM, Israel - President Borut Pahor held talks with his Italian counterpart Sergio Matterella focusing on the future of the EU and current issues that the bloc faces, including Brexit, the Western Balkans and migrations. The pair agreed that broader dialogue was needed for taking on these challenges. LJUBLJANA - Slovenia ranked 35th among 180 countries in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index rankings for 2019, up one spot from the year before, making no major progress since 2012. TI Slovenia said the country's score was below the EU and OECD averages, highlighting there was an absence of any systemic measures to make the fight against corruption in Slovenia more efficient. LJUBLJANA - Robert Strayer, the US deputy assistant secretary for cyber and international communications and information policy, was in Slovenia to raise concerns about the security aspect in deciding about 5G technology providers, suggesting providers from China could not be trusted. LJUBLJANA - The government decided to formally seek a UNESCO listing of famed architect Jože Plečnik's (1872-1952) works in the capital Ljubljana after an earlier joint bid with the Czech Republic was abandoned. All of Plečnik's major works in Ljubljana will be nominated for the world heritage list, except for the dilapidated Bežigrad Stadium.
STA, 24 January 2020 - The second day of the Biathlon World Cup meet in Slovenia's Pokljuka on Friday saw Denise Herrmann of Germany win the women's 15km individual event, ahead of Hanna Oeberg of Sweden and France's Anais Bescond.
Herrmann was perfect in the shooting, while Oeberg missed one target to finish 59.2 seconds behind the winner. Bescond also hit all targets but was slower in the running part (+1:15.7).
The race featured two Slovenian athletes, with Lea Einfalt finishing 76th (+9:20.9) and Polona Klemenčič finishing 87th (+10:49.8).
The meet at the plateau within the Triglav National Park continues on Saturday with the single mixed relay and the 4x7.5km mixed relay.
The event will wrap up on Sunday with the men's 15km mass start and a women's 12.5km mass start competitions.
