29 Dec 2019, 09:32 AM

Last Week in Slovenia: 20 - 26 December, 2019

What follows is a weekly review of events involving Slovenia, as prepared by the STA.

If you’d like to keep up on the daily headlines then follow those here, or get all our stories in your feed on Facebook.

FRIDAY, 20 December
        LJUBLJANA - Angelika Mlinar, new cohesion policy minister, took over at the Government Office for Development and European Cohesion. She said the key challenges were speeding up EU funds absorption and opening dialogue with other ministries.
        LJUBLJANA - Lidija Ivanuša, an MP for the opposition National Party (SNS), defected to the opposition Democrats (SDS), a move that could further complicate the operational ability of the minority government.
        LJUBLJANA - The coalition Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) indicated it could part ways with MP Robert Polnar who was the only coalition MP to vote against appointing Angelika Mlinar cohesion policy minister. A decision was expected after New Year's.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenian police processed more than 15,200 illegal crossings of the border by the end of November this year, a 70% increase compared to the same period in 2018, fresh statistics showed.
        LJUBLJANA - The supervisory board of the motorway company DARS endorsed the selection of Turkish bidder Cengiz as the contractor to build the Slovenian section of the second tube of the Karavanke motorway tunnel for EUR 98.5 million, VAT excluded.
        NOVO MESTO - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek announced that TPV, an automotive industry supplier, will receive EUR 6.5 million in state incentive for a EUR 49 million investment into production expansion after it reached two major deals with car makers Volvo Cars and BMW last year.
        LJUBLJANA - Matej Pirc, the chief executive officer of the Bank Assets Management Company, told the STA that the bad bank could build rental apartments and retirement homes and provide for an additional 5,000 housing units, provided its mandate is extended beyond the currently planned end of operations in 2022.
        LJUBLJANA - Home price growth accelerated in the third quarter of 2019, with average prices rising by 8.5% year on year and 3.1% over the previous quarter on the back of strong growth in prices of used flats, show Statistics Office figures.

SATURDAY, 21 December
LJUBLJANA - An audit conducted by the Environment Ministry found serious shortcomings in approval procedures for a stretch of an EU-subsidised sewerage project that some say could jeopardise the source of drinking water for 300,000 residents of Ljubljana.
PLANICA - Swede Jonna Sundling and France's Lucas Chanavat won respective Cross-Country World Cup sprint freestyle events in extremely bad weather conditions in Planica.

SUNDAY, 22 December
        ERBIL, Iraq - Major General Alenka Ermenc, the chief of the general staff, visited Slovenian troops in Iraq.
        ENGELBERG, Switzerland - Ski jumper Peter Prevc finished second at a World Cup event in Engelberg in what was his first podium result this winter.
        ALTA BADIA, Italy - Slovenian alpine skier Žan Kranjec bagged his second podium finish in giant slalom World Cup this season, finishing third in Alta Badia.

MONDAY, 23 December
        LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor invoked independence-era unity as he called on political stakeholders to engage in dialogue and cooperation as a safeguard against potential threats against society and state in an address to the Independence and Unity Day ceremony.
        LJUBLJANA - Deputy Speaker Jože Tanko of the opposition Democrats (SDS) pinpointed the judiciary as the most problematic area 29 years after Slovenia opted for independence. Addressing the parliament's ceremonial session before Independence and Unity Day, he said equality before law was not guaranteed to all.
        LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor decorated constitutional jurist Peter Jambrek with the Golden Order of Merit and Austrian politician Erhard Busek with the Silver Order of Merit for their contribution to Slovenia's independence and international recognition.
        CELJE - The Celje District Court sentenced Uroš Rotnik, the former boss of the Šoštanj coal-fired power station (TEŠ), to ten months suspended for stealing an income statement from the Financial Administration in November 2013.
        LJUBLJANA - The owner and editor of the pozareport.si news portal, Bojan Požar, was ordered to pay Viktor Knavs, the father of US first lady Melania Trump, EUR 5,000 in damages and almost EUR 2,000 in litigation costs. He also has to publicly apologise for alleging Knavs was in prison due to tax evasion and illicit trade.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenian researchers working abroad gathered for a symposium designed to establish and strengthen networking opportunities between Slovenian scholars abroad and those researching in Slovenia.
        LJUBLJANA - Alfi, a private equity fund, acquired an 80% stake in Prevent & Deloza, Slovenia's leading maker of protective garments, for an undisclosed sum, a move it said would improve the company's development prospects and strengthen innovation.

TUESDAY, 24 December
LJUBLJANA - The National Council vetoed changes to the tonnage tax act which extend by ten years a special regulation under which shippers pay an alternative form of corporate tax.
LJUBLJANA/ZAGREB, Croatia - Agrokor, the owner of retailer Mercator, made good on its plan to challenge the seizure of 70% of Mercator shares by Slovenia's competition watchdog, as it appealed the decision at the Ljubljana Local Court.

WEDNESDAY, 25 December
LJUBLJANA - News portal 24ur.com reported that a brand new police helicopter, delivered in mid-October, was out of commission because of problems with the main rotor's transmission.

THURSDAY, 26 December
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia observed Independence and Unity Day, a bank holiday, remembering the 1990 independence referendum, in which people voted overwhelmingly for Slovenia to leave Yugoslavia.

All our posts in this series are here

29 Dec 2019, 09:32 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Sunday 29, December 2019

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:

NLB bank sells life insurer NLB Vita to Sava Re

LJUBLJANA - Bank NLB and Belgian KBC, NLB's former owner, sold their life insurance company NLB Vita to the country's second biggest insurer Sava Re. The sale means that NLB has met the last of several conditions upon which the European Commission approved the 2013 bailout. The cost of the deal has not been disclosed, but the business paper Finance recently reported that NLB and KBC expected to get EUR 20-30 million. Stocks of Sava Re gained ground on the news on the Ljubljana Stock Exchange.

Agrokor reports Mercator share seizure to EU authorities

LJUBLJANA/ZAGREB, Croatia - Bankrupt Croatian conglomerate Agrokor, the owner of Slovenian retailer Mercator, turned to the EU to complain about the seizure of Mercator stock by the Slovenian Competition Protection Agency. In a letter to Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager and the Commission's directorate general for competition, Agrokor chairman Fabris Peruško says the procedures contrary to EU and Slovenian law and motivated by "national political reasons".

Obrežje crossing closed for an hour due to bomb threat

OBREŽJE - The Obrežje border crossing with Croatia was closed for around an hour after a device, resembling a bomb was detected by an x-ray machine in a suitcase belonging to a Russian citizen travelling by bus. The device turned out to be a piano tuner with a charging device.

Embassy in Egypt honours Aleksandrinke

ALEXANDRIA/CAIRO, Egypt - Slovenia's Ambassador to Egypt Mateja Prevolšek unveiled on Christmas Eve a restored tomb and memorial plaque honouring Aleksandrinke, thousands of Slovenian women who worked for European and Arab families in Egypt as wet nurses and household help in the 19th and 20th century, many leaving behind their families and newborns. The tomb renovation was a joint effort of the Slovenian Culture Ministry and the Nova Gorica Municipality.

Basketball star Dončić joins Jordan Brand

DALLAS, US - Slovenian NBA star Luka Dončić has signed a lucrative endorsement deal with Nike Jordan Brand. After months of speculations, the shoe brand confirmed the news on Thursday, with unofficial sources saying it is a seven-figure deal. Nike and its Jordan Brand announced on Twitter that the 20-year-old was the latest contribution to their family. Dončić confirmed this on his official web page, adding that he had signed a five-year deal and that more details are to follow.

PM Šarec critical of coalition partners

LJUBLJANA - PM Marjan Šarec criticised some of his coalition partners in an interview for Dnevnik, displeased both with how he was put in the spotlight in the run-up to the vote on a new cohesion policy minister, and the way he is seen as having to act on the alleged transgressions by the agriculture minister. He does not agree with the opinion of the Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) the onus was on Šarec to provide the votes in parliament for the candidacy of Angelika Mlinar, saying that he personally would have opted for a technocrat. He also suggested he would not yield to pressure by DeSUS president Karl Erjavec to act against Agriculture Minister Aleksandra Pivec, who is suspected of having made money on the side with a publicly-funded project before she became minister and in the initial months in office.

Over thirty films at Bovec Outdoor Film Festival

BOVEC - The 13th Bovec Outdoor Film Festival (BOFF) will got under way today, bringing 32 mostly short films that deal with sports and the outdoors until 30 December. Topic-specific films are grouped together for the screenings, starting with environmental and female-focused films, while Slovenian films will be shown on Monday. "I'm glad the festival is developing and that we have so many films," BOFF director Jan Maček told the STA. Two audience awards will be conferred, for the best foreign and best Slovenian film.

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

23 Dec 2019, 16:23 PM

Happy Holidays - Back on 29 December, 2019

It's been a busy year, and the time's come to turn off the newsfeed, hang up the keyboard and relax with family and friends for a few days away from the machine to recalibrate and remember what's important.

However you're spending the time the team at TSN wish you a happy holidays and we'll see you again on 29 December - stay safe and be kind.

23 Dec 2019, 16:20 PM

Slovenia Marks 29th Anniversary of Independence Vote

STA, 23 December 2018 - Slovenia started annual celebrations of its independence on Monday, which marks the 29th anniversary of the independence plebiscite that culminated in the declaration of the results on 26 December 1990, now celebrated as Independence and Unity Day.

The main national Independence and Unity Day ceremony will be held this evening at Cankarjev Dom with a keynote address by President Borut Pahor, preceded by a ceremonial session of the National Assembly.

Prime Minister Marjan Šarec will host a reception for the relatives of those who died in the independence war, while Archbishop of Ljubljana Stanislav Zore will say homeland mass at the Ljubljana cathedral.

The rightist Association for the Values of Slovenian Independence (VSO) marked the independence anniversary last Monday with a ceremony featuring Democrat (SDS) leader Janez Janša as the keynote speaker.

Janša said the independence referendum almost three decades ago was the highlight in the history of the Slovenian nation.

Slovenians voted overwhelmingly in favour of independence in the 23 December 1990 referendum, endorsing leaving Yugoslavia with a majority of almost 95%, equalling 88.5% of all eligible voters.

Three days later, on 26 December 1990, the National Assembly declared the outcome, triggering a milestone year that included the declaration of independence in June 1990 and a ten-day war.

Legally speaking, the independence efforts were completed on 23 December 1991, when the National Assembly declared the Slovenian Constitution. This is why 23 December is observed as Constitution Day.

23 Dec 2019, 15:38 PM

Govt Set to Subsidise Regional Carriers to Offer Flights Between Ljubljana, Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich & Brussels

Ex-Yu Aviation reports that the Slovenian government is planning to support connections with the capital by subsiding flights between Ljubljana and Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich and Brussels, all key hubs served by the Lufthansa Group. The subsidies would increase the frequency on these routes, and to some extent make up for the loss in services due to the collapse of Adria Airways. Talks have said to have been held with three unnamed European regional carriers, with more news on the plans expected in the new year.

23 Dec 2019, 14:15 PM

Feature: Slovenia Carries Out Large Repatriation From Venezuela

STA, 23 December 2019 - A severe crisis in Venezuela has prompted the government to engage in repatriating Slovenians who would wish to leave the Latin American country. This has proved a major effort as Slovenia did not have a working repatriation system for a large number of people, despite a law governing repatriation having been passed in 2006.

Slovenian Interior Ministry data shows there are 335 Slovenian citizens in Venezuela, whereas the total number of people of Slovenian descent is estimated at 1,000.

Slovenian citizenship is not a condition for repatriation, which entails a special status and rights for 15 months, but Slovenian origin is.

Based on the expressed willingness of Slovenians in Venezuela to return home, the government assessed only up to 70 persons would ask to be resettled in Slovenia.

Until mid-December, 17 repatriation applications were granted for 30 people, Dejan Valentinčič, deputy head of the task force in charge of repatriation at the Office for Slovenians Abroad, told the STA.

He said that another eight applications for 23 people, which had been initially incomplete, were still being processed.

Valentinčič also said that the first group was expected to arrive in Slovenia before Christmas holidays and the second one after the holidays.

"The pace of arrivals will depend on individuals, on their or their families' obligations in Venezuela," he explained.

The office is issuing repatriation decisions on the basis of a detailed action plan it had drafted and which the government adopted in mid-November.

The cost of repatriation until 2021 was estimated at 1.2 million euro, State Secretary Olga Belec from the office, explained when the action plan was endorsed.

She did not discuss where exactly the repatriated people would settle, this being a sensitive issue.

However, she highlighted areas with good employment prospects alongside areas where the repatriated persons have relatives.

For instance, a 16-member family would be accommodated with their relatives.

Belec said this "pioneer project" was "an extremely demanding and complex matter" and a result of collaboration of seven government offices.

Until now, Slovenia had very limited experience with repatriation - one family from Syria was repatriated in 2013 due to the civil war there.

As for integration into society, the persons from Venezuela will have a 15-month repatriation status.

During this time they will be entitled to free healthcare and to a work permit as well as favourable treatment compared to third-country job seekers.

They will also have the right to Slovenian language courses and to more favourable higher education enrolment conditions.

But if they get a job, their repatriation status ends before the expiration of the 15-month period.

However, those who do not find a job after the 15 months will have different status options at their disposal.

Slovenian citizens will enjoy all rights stemming from citizenship, those without Slovenian citizenship but of Slovenian descent will be able to obtain a formal status in line with the law on relations with Slovenians abroad.

The third group - those who are not even of Slovenian origin, for instance spouses - will be subject to the law on foreigners.

The repatriation process from Venezuela remains open-ended. To close it, the government would have to take a decision to that effect, explained Velentinčič.

The project united Slovenian politics in that politicians from left and right agreed the country should help those who would like to leave crisis-stricken Venezuela.

The first cases of Slovenian immigrants in Venezuela date back to the time between the two world wars, but a larger wave was recorded after WWII, in the period until the end of the 1960s.

Slovenian Foreign Ministry data shows that an estimated 550 to 800 Slovenians, mostly from the western region of Primorska, emigrated there in that period.

The reasons were economic and partly political, but there was also a desire for adventure and the existing ties to Slovenians already in Venezuela.

23 Dec 2019, 11:15 AM

Giant Slalom: Kranjec Third in Alta Badia (Video)

STA, 22 December 2019 - Slovenian alpine skier Žan Kranjec bagged his second podium finish in giant slalom World Cup this season on Sunday, finishing third in Italy's Alta Badia. This is the sixth World Cup podium finish in his career.

Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen finished first today, winning 0.31 seconds over surprise podium, Cyprien Sarrazin from France, who was 22nd after the first run. Kranjec finished 0.39 seconds off of Kristoffersen.

This is the second podium finish for Kranjc this season after he won bronze in the season opening race in Austria's Sölden at the end of October. In the second World Cup event this season, in Beaver Creek at the beginning of the month, he was fourth.

After today's result, Kranjc has 170 points in the World Cup giant slalom overall, which puts him on the second place behind only Kristoffersen, who is 23 points ahead

23 Dec 2019, 11:10 AM

Ski Jumping: Prevc Second in Engelberg (Video)

STA, 22 December 2019 - Slovenian ski jumper Peter Prevc finished second at a World Cup event in Engelberg, Switzerland, on Sunday in what is his first podium result this winter.

"I'm very happy today. I managed to show good jumps at the race. I proved what I've been saying for a while: that I can make it to the podium," Prevc said.

Ryoyu Kobayashi is the winner of the last World Cup race ahead of the 68th Four Hills Tournament, and Austrian Jan Hörl was third.

Four other Slovenians made it to the finals in very unstable weather today: Anže Lanišek finished 14th, Rok Justin was 16th, Domen Prevc 19th and Tilen Bartol 30th.

Anže Semenič and Timi Zajc failed to qualify.

The next stop for ski jumpers is Oberstdorf on 28 December.

23 Dec 2019, 04:25 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Monday, 23 December 2019

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:

Ski jumps: Prevc second in Engelberg

ENGELBERG, Switzerland - Slovenian ski jumper Peter Prevc finished second at a World Cup event in Engelberg in what is his first podium result this winter. Ryoyu Kobayashi is the winner of the last World Cup race ahead of the 68th Four Hills Tournament, and Austrian Jan Hörl was third.

Kranjec third in Alta Badia giant slalom

ALTA BADIA, Italy - Slovenian alpine skier Žan Kranjec bagged his second podium finish in giant slalom World Cup this season, finishing third in Alta Badia. This is the sixth World Cup podium finish in his career. Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen finished first today, followed by Cyprien Sarrazin from France in second place.

Višnar, Lampič eighth at cross-country World Cup team event in Planica

PLANICA - Slovenia's Anamarija Lampič and Katja Višnar finished eighth in the team Cross-Country World Cup sprint freestyle event in Planica on Sunday. They finished 43.48 seconds behind the winning Swedish team of Maja Dahlqvist and Linn Svahn, which was followed by Stina Nilsson and Jonna Sundling also from Sweden. Lauren van der Graaff and Nadine Nadine Fähndrich from Switzerland finished third. In the men's event, two Norwegian teams celebrated, with Erik Valnes and Sindre Bjoernestad Skar in first, and Havard Solas Taugbol and Gjoeran Tefre in second place. Finland's Ristomatti Hakola and Joni Maeki were third.

Slovenia to benefit from NATO's ground surveillance programme

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Slovenia is one of the 15 NATO member countries involved in the acquisition of the Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) system, which is to provide state-of-the-art intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability. The system comprises five NATO RQ-4D remotely piloted aircraft and the associated European-sourced ground command and control stations. According to the defence Ministry, Slovenia's contribution is about EUR 7 million.

Corporate investment in 2018 highest since 2008

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's companies continued to increase their investment in fixed assets in 2018. Last year's total investment value reached EUR 5.9 billion, a 19% increase compared to 2017 and the greatest surge since 2008, show data released by the Statistics Office. The volume of such investments grew in most industry sectors, in particular in manufacturing where investments increased by 22% year-on-year.

Land for Magna's expansion purchased

HOČE - Canadian-Austrian automotive multinational Magna Steyr is tight-lipped about its plans to expand production in Slovenia, but the Hoče municipality, where Magna launched a paint shop this year, has already bought all 92 hectares of land needed for a potential expansion. The land was bought by the municipality, but the funds were provided by the state. Once the land is sold to Magna, the municipality will reimburse the state.

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

22 Dec 2019, 15:10 PM

Bovec Outdoor Film Festival, 28 – 30 December 2019

There can be few film festivals in which theme and location are better matched than the Bovec Outdoor Film Festival (BOFF). Bovec is, after all, the undisputed centre of outdoor pursuits in Slovenia, a base for all those who enjoy hiking, mountaineering, ice-climbing, skiing, snowboarding, sledding, kayaking, canyoning, whitewater rafting, fly-fishing, paragliding, parachuting, and so on. You can thus expect a warm welcome, even in the darkest days middle of winter, for the 13^th edition of BOFF.

A three-day event that will present over 30 short films, all screened in Bovec Cultural Centre (Kulturni Dom Bovec), along with lectures on various related topics, a bookstall, art exhibition, workshops, excursions and, perhaps best of all, a chance meet and hang out with likeminded folk in beautiful surroundings.

You can see the full schedule, in English, here, and a page with all the trailers here.

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