21 Jan 2020, 22:08 PM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Wednesday, 22 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:

Šarec urges EU membership for W Balkan candidates

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 on the Western Balkans at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He reiterated Slovenia's disappointment with the EU's failure to launch accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania. Debate on the EU's future will be incomplete if enlargement is not implemented, he said.

NLB requests constitutional review of tight loan restrictions

LJUBLJANA - Bank NLB asked the Constitutional Court to review tighter restrictions on lending imposed by the central bank in November. After filing the request, the bank expressed 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. NLB believes that the measures have to be abolished and any anomalies detected in "individual market players" should instead be addressed with targeted and not systemic measures.

Police announce token strike for 3 February

CELJE - Slovenian police officers plan to stage a four-hour token strike on 3 February over the government's failure to implement commitments made in the December 2018 agreement that had ended a protracted strike. The strike was announced by the Trade Union of Police Officers (SPS), one of the two unions in the force, which also invited the second union, the Police Trade Union of Slovenia (PSS), to join in. The union claims agreed pay raises and promotions had not been fully implemented.

White paper on defence raises issues

LJUBLJANA - A public presentation of the white paper on defence at the National Council raised a number of concerns, above all about plans to increase the number of soldiers and what some believe is a lack of focus on technological development. Several participants wondered how Slovenia was to reach the goal of a 8,000-strong professional military force and a 2000-strong standing reserve by 2035, up from 6,400 and 700, respectively. Officials argued the goal was feasible without a military draft.

Stern warnings issued over climate action

LJUBLJANA - The standing panel on climate policy set up by President Borut Pahor warned on Monday that Slovenia was running late in setting out and implementing climate policy. An even sterner rebuke came from Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina, as he spoke the Ombudsman's Council session dedicated to the environment. "We can speak in a very high-flying manner about climate and environmental policy by 2050, but over the past 20 years we haven't made small steps that would show the state actually means it."

Slovenia goes from below to above-average in drawing of EU funds

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Slovenia's new Development and EU Cohesion Policy Minister Angelika Mlinar was happy after her first meeting with European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferreira, saying that Slovenia had gone from below-average to above-average in drawing of EU funds at the end of last year. Moreover, the European Commission has withdrawn its warning that payments to Slovenia may be suspended due to problems with the IT system used in the process.

PM meets Croatian counterpart in Davos

DAVOS, Switzerland - Prime Minister Marjan Šarec held several high-level bilateral meetings as he participated in the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos. He exchanged views on the Slovenian-Croatian bilateral relations with his Croatian counterpart Andrej Plenković and discussed the current macroeconomic and economic situations in Slovenia with new Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva.

Dragonja to step down as state secretary in March

LJUBLJANA - Finance Ministry State Secretary Metod Dragonja is to retire in March, the ministry confirmed for the STA. The business newspaper Finance meanwhile speculates that Dragonja is bowing out mainly due to disagreements over the plans to extend the life of the Bank Assets Management Company (BAMC). Another reason for his retirement is, according to unofficial sources, his general disagreement with Alenka Bratušek, the leader of the Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB), the political faction he belongs to.

MPs call for more funds for railways in infrastructure investment plan

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Infrastructure Committee spent several hours debating the 2020-2025 road infrastructure investment plan, with members cautioning that the EUR 3 billion plan should not be changed by each new incoming government and calling for more funds for rail infrastructure.

Activists criticise asylum policy

LJUBLJANA - An event on integration of persons enjoying international protection, hosted by the Peace Institute, heard that debate on integration in Slovenia was of secondary importance, as things get stuck at the question of whether an asylum seeker should be accepted in the country at all. Iztok Šori, the institute's director, said that the Slovenian police were rejecting migrants on the border with Croatia, making it impossible for them to apply for international protection.

Finance Ministry expects trouble ahead for Green Deal fund

LJUBLJANA - The EU's finance ministers expressed their support for the European Green Deal, but only in theory. The debate indicated that the question of funding the climate agreement would prove to be a contentious issue. Certain member states seemed reluctant about the deal potentially leading to cuts in agricultural and cohesion funds. Finance Minister Andrej Bertoncelj said that strong measures were needed while taking into account individual member states' energy needs.

Economy minister and OZS to fight against populism

LJUBLJANA - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek and Slovenia's Chamber of Craft and Small Business (OZS) intend to fight against populism which prevents far-reaching change in economy and labour legislation. Addressing the OZS management board, Počivalšek said it was hard to implement change without strong support by all business chambers in the country, urging all employer organisations to close ranks in the talks with social partners - the government and trade unions.

Slovenia rapidly reducing risk of cervical cancer

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia is one of the most effective EU countries in fighting cervical cancer, mostly due to its successful ZORA screening programme. Moreover, prevention efficiency has been boosted by a steady increase in the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination rate among girls. The vaccination rate for 11-year-old girls rose by 10 percentage points to nearly 60% last year, health officials said on the occasion of European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week. To eradicate the disease in the entire population, at least 90% vaccination rate is required.

Border crossing in NE Slovenia gets revamped

ORMOŽ - The Ormož border crossing on the Slovenian-Croatian border was inaugurated on Tuesday following a renovation designed to make it more passenger-friendly and to strengthen the cooperation of Slovenian and Croatian police forces. The investment's price tag is estimated at almost EUR 1 million. Interior Minister Boštjan Poklukar, Public Administration Minister Rudi Medved and Police Commissioner Tatjana Bobnar attended the inauguration, praising the reconstruction project.

Over 327,000 lorries registered in electronic tolling

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian electronic tolling system for cargo vehicles DarsGo, which was introduced in April 2018, had more than 91,000 users at the end of last year who entered more than 327,000 vehicles into the system. Most users are from Slovenia, followed by those from Romania, Poland, Germany and Hungary. Last year, 85% of DarsGo users covered their costs using the service, while the share of pre-paid users is decreasing. At the end of 2019, the number was almost 10% lower than in December 2018.

New shopping mall opening in Ljubljana in March

LJUBLJANA - The new shopping mall in Ljubljana's Šiška borough, which is being constructed by Spar European Shopping Centers (SES), will open its doors on 19 March. Announcing the launch, SES Slovenija said the EUR 150 million project was expected to create 700 jobs. The 32,000 square-metre three-storage Aleja shopping mall with two underground car parks will house 80 shops, a food court of 2,300 square metres and several coffee shops with sports facilities on its green roof.

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

21 Jan 2020, 14:59 PM

BTS Swap K-pop for Art Featuring Slovenian MN Dance Company (Video)

BTS, also known as Bangtan Boys, is a Korean boy band of enormous global popularity, second on the list of the IFPI best-selling artists in 2018, just after Drake and in front of, well, everyone else.

With their latest music video release, ahead of the upcoming new album, BTS have made a sharp and bold break with the usual K-pop style of music, and especially video, by leaving the stage to the Slovenian MN Dance Company from Nova Gorica, which choreographed a dance film to a version of the group’s new song, Black Swan, with an orchestral background. The location of the film appears to be at the abandoned Hawthorne Mall in California.

On its fourth day of release the video is already approaching 22 million views and seems to have been very well received by the group’s fans. Even the band members themselves appeared surprised by artistic quality of the final product when they saw it for the first time just before its release.

The dancers in the video, as well as the choreography, are from a relatively small dance company from Nova Gorica, Slovenia. MN Dance Company, as it is called, was established in 2008 by the artistic directors Michal Rynia and Nastja Bremec Rynia, who are also responsible for the group’s distinctive choreographic style and its global presence.

At the company’s website we read that “lately, the company has been creating pieces for Slovene National Theatre Nova Gorica, Opera and Ballet Ljubljana, Cankarjev dom Ljubljana, Opera Graz, Theatre Rotterdam, CODARTS Rotterdam Dance Academy, International Storytelling Festival Austria, DAP Festival Italy…” and as we’ve just learned, BTS latest music video as well.

For more on NM Dance Company, Please click here.

21 Jan 2020, 09:32 AM

40% Fall in Housing Loans, 60% in Consumer Loans, After Slovenia Tightened Credit Rules

STA, 20 January - Data from the Slovenian Bank Association show that the number of loans approved by banks in Slovenia in November and December, after the central bank's new crediting restrictions kicked in on 1 November, plummeted.

Data from ten banks show that the number of consumer loans dropped by around 60% over October and the number of housing loans by around 40%.

The number of consumer loans totalled 10,015 in October, but decreased to 3,804 in November and 3,624 in December, whereas the number of housing loans dropped from 1,424 in October to 923 in November and 812 in December.

The new rules took effect after Banka Slovenije announced them on 9 October in a bid to curb imprudent consumer lending practices.

The association noted that Banka Slovenije data also showed a steep drop in both types of loans after a major rise in October.

It added the surge was most probably a result of the central bank's announcement of the new rules, which prompted many to take out loans while still creditworthy.

The restrictions include a maximum 84-month maturity for consumer loans, down from 120 months recommended in 2018, and, most notably, curbs on housing loans.

Banks for the most part have to keep loan-to-value ratios (loan payments relative to the client's annual income) to below 50% for clients with monthly income of up to twice the gross minimum wage and below 67% for those making more than that.

Households with children are subject to additional restrictions since a certain monthly allowance needs to be left over for each child.

After the announcement of the new rules, the association estimated over 300,000 individuals would no longer be creditworthy.

Earlier this month the central bank said it was too early to fully assess the effect of the stricter rules.

21 Jan 2020, 09:30 AM

€195m Road Toll Stickers Sold in 2019, Mostly Monthly Vignette

STA, 20 January 2020 - National motorway operator DARS sold toll stickers (vignette) worth EUR 195 million between 1 December 2018 and 30 November 2019, up almost four percent over the year before, as revenue across all segments rose.

The period roughly covers the validity of annual toll stickers, but DARS also sells monthly and weekly toll stickers, which are mostly used by tourists and for transit.

The company generates the bulk of toll revenue for personal vehicles from annual toll stickers, of which it sold more than 883,000 in this period, up 4% year-on-year.

Volume-wise the biggest seller were monthly toll stickers for cars, of which 1.5 million were sold, an increase of 3%.

In general toll-sticker revenue account for a smaller portion of total revenue than toll for lorries.

Learn more about the toll stickers at DARS

21 Jan 2020, 09:12 AM

First 21 Slovenes Repatriated from Venezuela

STA, 20 January 2020 - Twenty-one Slovenians who asked for repatriation from Venezuela have already arrived in Slovenia, State Secretary at the Government Office for Slovenians Abroad Olga Belec told the press in Ljubljana on Monday. Six repatriates arrived in December and fifteen in January.

Of some 50 persons who asked for repatriation, 29 have been granted the status, while some of the applications are still being processed because the applicants had to supplement them. The office thus expects 15 more persons to move to their new homeland.

It was mostly young families that asked for repatriation, but the process remains open until the government decides otherwise, so new applications can still be submitted.

Repatriation procedures took rather long because safety was put first, Dejan Valentinčič, deputy head of the task force in charge of repatriation at the office, explained at today's press conference.

Two-thirds of the repatriates, who are dispersed around the country, live with their relatives, whereas the state has helped find the accommodation for the rest.

The repatriates have mostly settled in towns where they are expected to find a job easily. Some have already had their first job interviews, said Belec.

Many of the repatriates have completed higher education, and are also of very different ages, with the youngest being five years old.

Although many do not speak Slovenian, they have already started learning it, but they all mostly feel fine and are happy they can live in peace and freedom.

"We're happy that we're here and that we're safe," said Adreas Hočevar, who has moved here with his sister, wife and child.

While he has a hi-tech company in Venezuela, his sister would like to have a dance school here. "Dance is running through my veins," she said.

According to the office's estimates, there are up to 1,000 persons of Slovenian descent in Venezuela, but not all of them qualify for repatriation.

To qualify, the applicants have to meet several criteria, including proving their Slovenian origin, having no criminal record, and having "active ties with Slovenia, that is being active in Slovenian societies".

However, they do not have to speak Slovenian. Valentičič explained that language was one of the first features of national identity to disappear.

"You can be a good Slovenian without speaking the Slovenian language," he said, adding many preserve their identity with customs, such as baking the potica cake for holidays.

"For Slovenia, this was a pioneering project," Belec said about the Venezuela repatriation.

She noted this was the first time Slovenia had produced such an extensive repatriation action plan, which came with many challenges, from the very arrival of the repatriates to their accommodation and employment.

21 Jan 2020, 09:07 AM

Slovenia’s Defence Spending to Reach 2% of GDP by 2035

STA, 20 January 2020 - Slovenia's defence budget will finally reach 2% of GDP by 2035, according to a white paper released online by the Defence Ministry on Monday. The document also shows plans for the Armed Forces to gradually grow by more than 1,500 soldiers, reaching 8,000 by 2035.

The long-awaited document shows that the military reserve force is to more than double, going from 700 today to 1,500 in 2035.

The white paper says that unless the measures foreseen attract additional force members, Slovenia will have to "reconsider the concept of the state's defence system, the scope and structure of the Armed Forces, and consider the introduction of other elements of military duty". Thus the country may think about reintroducing obligatory military duty in the future.

In terms of finance, the 2% spending foreseen in the white paper means that Slovenia would finally meet the defence funding target set by NATO in 2035. Moreover, 20% of the funds is to be spent on investments.

This year, defence spending will reach EUR 545.85 million, some EUR 40 million more than in 2019. Another increase is planned for 2021, when the defence budget is to reach EUR 561 million.

When the 2020 and 2021 budgets were discussed in parliament, Major General Alenka Ermenc, the chief of the general staff, said that additional funds planned for this year and the next will not allow a development breakthrough for the Armed Forces.

In the white paper, the ministry also wants to introduce territorial organisation of the Armed Forces and ensure that they are involved in local environments.

Moreover, a reorganisation of the military reserve force is planned. Under the plan, a part of the reserve could also be deployed on missions abroad, while the rest would be active exclusively in Slovenia and could be activated as part of the national system of protection and rescue.

The white paper also sees Slovenia becoming more resistant to cyber threats and its civil defence system strengthened.

This regards uninterrupted operation of authorities and branches of power at all levels, uninterrupted operation of public infrastructure and services, and uninterrupted energy supply, as well as ICT support and other sources vital for the functioning of the state and the security of its people.

Moreover, Slovenia is to upgrade its crisis response system, boost the use of ICT technologies in defence and create a comprehensive system for the management of cyber security in defence.

In terms of equipment, the white paper underlines the importance of cost optimisation and purchase transparency, and the possibility of joint purchasing with other countries. The paper also does not exclude the possibility of purchasing used equipment and weapons.

The document, which will not be binding, was drafted under the leadership of former Defence Ministry State Secretary Klemen Grošelj.

He left the ministry in July 2019 after being elected MEP. It took another six months before the document was made available online. Tomorrow, the white paper will be presented at the National Council.

21 Jan 2020, 03:58 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Tuesday, 21 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 reshuffle ruled out as Šarec and Pivec meet

LJUBLJANA - The option of a government reshuffle arising after Karl Erjavec announced his resignation as defence minister in the wake of losing the vote for the presidency of the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) was ruled out as the new DeSUS leader, Aleksandra Pivec, met Prime Minister Marjan Šarec. In a written statement issued after the meeting, Šarec's office said that the prime minister and Pivec had an in-depth discussion, agreeing on "continued constructive and proactive cooperation in the government".

White paper shows defence spending to reach 2% of GDP by 2035

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's defence budget will finally reach 2% of GDP by 2035, according to a white paper released online by the Defence Ministry. The document also shows plans for the Armed Forces to gradually grow by more than 1,500 soldiers, reaching 8,000 by 2035. The white paper also implies that unless the Armed Forces manage to attract more members, Slovenia will have to think about reintroducing obligatory military duty in the future.

Cerar: Slovenia willing to cooperate in changed Operation Sophia

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Slovenia is willing to cooperate in a changed Operation Sophia to the best of its abilities, Foreign Minister Miro Cerar said 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. Slovenia, which has taken part in Sophia Operation since it was set up in 2015, is seen as a reliable and trustworthy partner, stressed the minister.

New Russian ambassador presents credentials

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor was presented with the credentials of five new ambassadors, among them the new Ambassador of Russia Timur Rafailovic Eyvazov, who is succeeding Doku Zavgayev, who served in Ljubljana for a decade. Apart from Eyvazov, the new ambassador of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah bin Khalid Al Saud, Italian Carlo Campanile, Australian Richard Travers Sadleir and Paraguayan Juan Francisco Facetti presented their credentials to Pahor.

Šarec party remains in the lead in Vox Populi poll

LJUBLJANA - The party of Prime Minister Marjan Šarec (LMŠ) continues 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 the newspapers Dnevnik and Večer.

Majority favour troop withdrawal from Iraq, NATO membership

LJUBLJANA - A majority of Slovenians are in favour of the pull-out of troops from Iraq in the wake of Iran's attack on two airbases there, according to a poll run by Dnevnik and Večer, which also shows strong backing for Slovenia's NATO membership. Over 54% of respondents expressed support for the troop withdrawal versus just under 38% who were opposed. The strongest support for the pull-out was registered among leftist voters and youths.

Following tougher restrictions, number of new loans plummets

LJUBLJANA - Data from the Slovenian Bank Association show that the number of loans approved by banks in Slovenia in November and December, after the central bank's new crediting restrictions kicked in on 1 November, plummeted. Data show that 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 rules, which prompted many to take out loans while still creditworthy.

Over 20 Slovenians from Venezuela already in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - Twenty-one Slovenians who asked for repatriation from Venezuela have already arrived in Slovenia, State Secretary at the Government Office for Slovenians Abroad Olga Belec told the press. Six repatriates arrived in December and fifteen in January. Of some 50 persons who asked for repatriation, 29 have been granted the status, while some of the applications are still being processed because the applicants had to supplement them. The office thus expects 15 more persons to move to their new homeland.

Three Slovenian experts joining European Space Agency

LJUBLJANA - Three Slovenian experts are soon expected to start working at the European Space Agency (ESA) research and technology centre in the Netherlands. Their employment at the ESA is one of the advantages of Slovenia as an ESA associated member, the Economy Ministry said. The three experts picked by the ESA come from the software company Cosylab, aerospace and space service provider Balmar and the Jožef Stefan Institute. They will be working at the European Space Research and Technology Centre for up to a year, developing general technologies and conducting human-robot interaction research.

Photo exhibition launches festival exploring Slovenia's future

LJUBLJANA - An international photo exhibition opened at Cankarjev Dom launching the Slovenia 2050 Festival, a series dedicated to reflection about Slovenia's future in a global context. The exhibition entitled Rabbit Hole features photographs by French photographer Marion Balac, Jojakim Cortis & Adrian Sonderegger from Switzerland, Miha Godec & Valerie Wolf Gang and Špela Škulj from Slovenia and Simon Menner from Germany.

Toll sticker revenue up

LJUBLJANA - National motorway operator DARS sold toll stickers worth EUR 195 million between 1 December 2018 and 30 November 2019, up almost four percent over the year before, as revenue across all segments rose. The period roughly covers the validity of annual toll stickers, but DARS also sells monthly and weekly toll stickers, which are mostly used by tourists and for transit.

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

20 Jan 2020, 20:21 PM

More Details on Russian-UAE Plan to Revive Adria Airways

Ex-Yu Aviation, always on top of the region’s air travel news, has added more details to an earlier report that Russian investors are interested in reviving the name Adria Airways, with the collapsed carrier’s remaining assets – its name, some training manuals and the all-important air operator's certificate (AOC) – due to be auctioned this Thursday, with a starting price of €45,000, although this is expected to be exceeded since the average price of an AOC in Europe is €300,000.

According to the report, the group of investors from Russian and the United Arab Emirates are, linked to Sukhoi, the Russian aircraft manufacturer, and would be using a fleet of Superjet 100. As Oleg Evdokimov, a representative of the Russian investors, told RTV SLO: "Adria Airways’ certificates allow us to operate not only out of Ljubljana but from any airport in Europe. The Slovenian market is very interesting. There is no real competition. Currently, it is only possible to fly to just ten destinations and the fares are very expensive.”

Mr Evdokimov went on to say “We plan to start in the summer with the primary task of providing flights for Slovenians and Austrians (from Villach and Klagenfurt) to primary vacation destinations. We plan to serve these routes with SSJ aircraft. The second goal is to compete with "weak" competitors such as Lufthansa and Swiss on three important destinations from Ljubljana: Zurich, Munich and Frankfurt.”

More details can be found at Ex-Yu Aviation.

20 Jan 2020, 14:00 PM

Intercontinental Ljubljana, City’s Only 5-Star Hotel, Doing Better Than Expected

STA, 18 January 2020 - Intercontinental Ljubljana, the Slovenian capital's sole five-star hotel, is exceeding the expectations of its owner. Opened in August 2017, it has a higher-than-planned occupancy rate and it is among the best rated hotels in the group worldwide, according to general manager Miloš Cerović.

The EUR 42 million investment was initially expected to have a payback period of 16-18 years, but after two years of operation it is now closer to 13 and Cerović believes they could reach the point even sooner. "Before coming to Ljubljana the investor did its homework," he told the STA about the Serbian group Delta Holding.

Occupancy rate went from 65% in 2018, "extraordinary for a newly opened hotel," to 75% in 2019. "We're in no way behind the competition when it comes to occupancy but our prices are almost 70% higher. This shows how large the market for five-star hotels is in Ljubljana and how much people are willing to pay for quality."

Cerović considers Intercontinental "a pioneer of luxury tourism" in the Slovenian capital which has blazed the trail by showing other investors that this business pays.

He also thinks each hotel needs to have its identity and concept and is a big advocate of hotel chains. "It's not the same if you have an unrecognised hotel or one of the world brands. A brand places Ljubljana on the world map, which attracts other investments as well as new airlines."

In the coming years Intercontinental Ljubljana wants to improve occupancy and raise prices, but in order to do that the competition must follow suit.

"We have a product that we could sell for 600 pounds in London and 500 euros in Paris, but here we cannot even set the price at 200 euros. This is also the consequence of a small and undeveloped market. I therefore urge my colleagues not to be afraid to raise prices," he said.

According to Cerović, tourists still see Ljubljana as a low-cost destination with cheap restaurants, limited entertainment options, a city dominated by three- or four-star hotels.

Ljubljana does not need to become a luxurious or boutique destination, it does however need to have clear goals. "There should not be three- or four-star hotels in the very centre of the city... There are places that are not five-star destinations, but it is clear what the hotels in the very centre are like."

He also thinks the city needs a clear vision to extend the tourism season to the whole year. Currently, the majority of guests arrive from May to October and in the off-season everyone is drawing from the same limited supply of guests, competing on price.

"Everyone thinks the only way to attract guests is with a lower price. We're not getting into that. We have quality, products and service, and this is the basis of our offer. The impact [of price competition] on the market is very detrimental."

Riding on the success of Intercontinental Ljubljana, Delta Holding is already drawing up plans to launch a four- to five-star hotel that would operate under the Holiday Inn brand. Cerović said this would be a futuristic, technological hotel that would open in 2021 or 2022.

20 Jan 2020, 13:57 PM

Slovenia Rises to #21 in Bloomberg’s 2020 Innovation Index

Slovenia rose 10 places to #21 in Bloomberg’s 2020 Innovation Index, between Australia and Canada, with this year’s list headed by Germany, ending South Korea’s six-year run at the top, the Asian nation now at #2, with Singapore at #3.

The index is based on dozens of criteria under seven broad headings: R&D intensity, manufacturing value-added, productivity, high-tech density, tertiary efficiency (enrollment in tertiary education, percentage of the workforce with degree and the number of STEM graduates), researcher concentration and patent activity. It’s this last category where Slovenia excelled in the last 12 months, enabling it to leap ahead of such countries and territories as Canada (22), Iceland (23), Luxembourg (31), Estonia (36) and Hong Kong (39).

Notably, Slovenia is the highest ranked of the former communist or socialist states – with the next being the Czech Republic at 24, although note that China, operating under a self-proclaimed system of “socialism with Chinese characteristics”, is at 5. Slovenia is also the only member of the former Yugoslavia to appear in the top 60. More details on the list can be found here, while the top 21 are listed below.

Germany
South Korea
Singapore
Switzerland
Sweden
Israel
Finland
Denmark
US
France
Austria
Japan
Netherlands
Belgium
China
Ireland
Norway
UK
Italy
Australia
Slovenia

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