MONDAY, 23 December LJUBLJANA - A ceremony will be held to mark the 26 December Independence and Unity Day. LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor will decorate constitutional jurist Peter Jambrek with Golden Order of Merit and Erhard Busek, coordinator of the South-Eastern Cooperative Initiative, with the Silver Order of Merit. LJUBLJANA - Slovenian researchers working abroad will come together for a symposium sponsored by Vtis, an association of Slovenians working abroad, and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. LJUBLJANA - Workers at hotel operator Terme Maribor are expected to start striking over pay and work conditions. LJUBLJANA - The 29th anniversary of Slovenia's independence referendum.
TUESDAY, 24 December LJUBLJANA - Midnight masses will be held around the country on Christmas Eve. LJUBLJANA - Maja Keuc - Amaya and the vocal ensemble Soul Out will perform a Christmas concert in front of Town Hall.
WEDNESDAY, 25 December LJUBLJANA - Christmas Day, a public holiday. LJUBLJANA/POSTOJNA - Live nativity scenes will be on show in Postojna Cave; until 30 December. BLED - A water spectacle will revive an ancient legend about the wishing bell in the church on the Lake Bled island. LJUBLJANA - Pop singer Magnifico will give a Christmas concert at Stožice Arena.
THURSDAY, 26 December LJUBLJANA - Slovenia observes Independence and Unity Day in memory of the 1990 independence referendum. LJUBLJANA/MARIBOR - Ana Frost, a festival of street theatre, will get under way. LJUBLJANA - A series of concerts will get under way in Congress Square, running until New Year's Day.
FRIDAY, 27 December No major events scheduled.
SATURDAY, 28 December BOVEC - Bovec Outdoor Film Festival will start, to run until 30 December.
The covers and editorials from leading weeklies of the Left and Right for the work-week ending Friday, 20 December
Mladina: Chinese-owned Gorenje seen as threat by Germany
STA, 20 December - The left-wing weekly Mladina is concerned about whether the Slovenian government is aware of the geostrategic interests involved in Gorenje becoming a Chinese company, predicting that Germany will make an all-out effort to prevent Hisense from making a foray into the European market through Slovenia.
In the latest editorial, headlined Angela Merkel Watching Gorenje, editor-in-chief Grega Repovž writes that Hisense has been unsuccessfully trying to get into the German market for almost two decades as all its attempts have been blocked by Germany and its industry, in particular the Bosch - Siemens group.
He says that this complicates the situation for the Slovenian household appliance company, because the moment it was acquired by Hisense, Gorenje became the company that the European industry and countries, in particular Germany, will do everything to stop in its expansion efforts.
"This is a big game that is not necessarily bad. Wise countries, especially small ones play at several sides, cooperate with various global superpowers thus establishing its power internationally.
"The German government does not feel any true sympathy for Slovenia, we are part of its interest but not its friends. To them, Hisense Slovenija is in fact a more important player than Slovenia," writes Repovž.
He goes on to say that China cares equally little about Slovenia, except when its geostrategic interests are concerned, wondering whether the Chinese government is extorting Slovenia over Gorenje into adopting Huawei's 5G technology, which he infers from Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit.
He wonders whether the Slovenian government and intelligence services think ahead far enough, including how Slovenia's position in the eyes of the German government has changed and what will the consequences be for Gorenje.
"It is intriguing that Slovenia is getting involved in these big geostrategic games, but the fundamental question is whether it is fit to play. We are a country without long-term alliances, we do not have an ally of our own like the Croatians, who have Germany, or the Serbs France (and Russia)."
Repovž also notes the geostrategic interests related to retailer Mercator, where it says Slovenia has become vulnerable against Russia, which controls Mercator.
Or Ljubljana airport, where Lufthansa, one of the shareholders of the German operator of the airport, has now taken over most of the air traffic to and from Slovenia. "There was no coincidence in Adria Airways's collapse, only a clear business plan on the part of the competition."
Reporter: Poor governance at state-owned companies
STA, 16 December 2019 - The right-wing weekly Reporter writes about corporate governance at Slovenian state-owned companies in the latest editorial, finding that the executives affiliated with former President Milan Kučan are on their way out.
"Members of Kučan's table on the front page of the latest issue of Reporter (...) are the part of the deep state that is on its way out, their businesses are being taken by a new guard, rift apart into several networks that fight each other ruthlessly for control of the (para)state sector," writes editor-in-chief Silvester Šurla.
He writes that, 20 years ago, three close "adjutants of Kučan ruled" in the energy company Petrol, which "has always been and will continue to be a political company, as long as the state has a major say there. A big sack of money that many of the chosen ones feed from (...)
"Two months ago Petrol saw a showdown between 'red' networks, the losing side being the Borut Jamnik clan, an important member of which was Tomaž Berločnik, who rose to the post [of Petrol CEO] eight years ago with the help of politics and will now likely leave the same way."
Šurla offers Petrol as well as retailer Mercator and household appliances maker Gorenje as examples of how deep in the doldrums Slovenian corporate governance at state-owned companies is.
He says that Mercator and Gorenje were driven to such a poor state by domestic owners and managers that they are now being salvaged by foreigners.
"These days it is priceless to hear and watch how representatives of Russian Sberbank and Chinese Hisense are trying to drive home to the Slovenian public that socialism is over."
Šurla goes on to say that a person from China, the cradle of Communism, had to come to Velenje to spell it out that socialism is over once and for all, that there will be no future for Gorenje without a profit.
Under the headline Thin Red Line, the editor concludes that Mercator and Gorenje are "paying the toll of the notorious 'national interest'. Other 'flagship' state-owned companies are bound to face a similar fate in the future. Once they have turned into a heap of rust and politics is forced to sell them."
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
Serious flaws found in contentious Ljubljana sewerage project
LJUBLJANA - An audit conducted by the Environment Ministry has 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 Slovenia's capital. The audit report, released by the environmental organisation Alpe Adria Green on Friday, finds that the Ljubljana city authorities obtained the development permit and necessary environmental consents for the C0 waste water collection channel before an environmental impact assessment procedure had been conducted.
Arrest warrant issued for militia leader
LJUBLJANA - An arrest warrant has been issued for Andrej Šiško, the self-styled leader of a militia that should have reported to prison to serve out his sentence for incitement to subversion of the constitutional order. Šiško, the leader of the militia that call themselves Štajerska Guarda, was sentenced to eight months in prison in March and has served most of his time on remand. He is wanted since Thursday.
Philharmonic director faces dismissal
LJUBLJANA - Culture Minister Zoran Poznič has formally launched the procedure to dismiss Marjetica Mahne as director of the Slovenian Philharmonic, after barely two years on the job, according to the newspaper Dnevnik. The paper reports that the minister notified Mahnič of her early dismissal in a letter on Thursday, unofficially due to violation of several pieces of legislation and the Philharmonic's financial shape, all of which Mahne denies.
Christmas strike at Terme Maribor called off
MARIBOR - A strike planned at hotels operated by Terme Maribor in and around Maribor for the Christmas and New Year holidays was called off after the management agreed to raise wages. Under the deal, the lowest base pay will be adjusted to the consumer price growth for up to 2% a year. The rule is to be set down in the company collective bargaining agreement. Terme Maribor is owned by MB Dailyrates Management Limited, a Cyprus-based undertaking.
More than half of Slovenians on private trips in Q3
LJUBLJANA - Over half of Slovenia's population took at least one private trip in the third quarter of the year. Seven out of ten trips were abroad, of which three out of four to Croatia, data from the Statistic Office show. Roughly 922,000 Slovenian residents or 52% of the population aged 15 or more were away on at least one private trip between July and September, making a total of 1.78 million trips. On average, Slovenians stayed 5.9 nights on a trip and spent on average EUR 43 a day.
Sundling and Chanavat win Planica XC sprint events
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. The best home favourite was Anamarija Lampič, who came in 5th in the women's sprint, 1.49 seconds behind Sundling. Swede Stina Nilsson placed second (+0.22), and Julia Kern from the US third (+0.79) in the women's event. In the men's, Italy's Federico Pellergino (+0.40) was the runner-up ahead of Norway's Erik Valnes (+0.83).
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 (23 - 29 December, 2019) 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.
Things you’ll see around town include the Land of Ice exhibition of ice sculptures in Congress Square / Zvezda Park, in a corner with a very good view of the Castle. That requires a ticket, but something free is the same area is the Magical Forest, 16:30 to 19:00, which will host creative workshops of making environmentally friendly Christmas decorations. The Ice Queen will also be appearing until 22 December and offering “ice artists who will impress with juggling, sorcery and acrobatic points that will convince even the most discerning viewers”. This will move around as the evening progresses, following this route from 17:00 to 19:00: Krekov trg Square, Petkovškovo Embankment, Prešernov trg Square, park Zvezda, Gallus Embankment, and Mestni trg Square. There will also be organ grinders wearing vintage clothing and performing without monkeys. There's also live music (and food, drink) in Pogačarjev trg (the square that usually hosts Open Kitchen) from 17:00 to 22:00
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.
The Castle has a festive fair, and it’s a great place to get a bird’s eye view of the city at night. On until 6 January, every evening 17:00 to 20:00 there’s Awaken the Dragon, a free to see architectural projection/3D mapping show that runs every 15 minutes. Note that you also get a great view of the lights from up on the hill.
This week’s focal event is Christmas, and so expect packed stores and bars until the day itself, when things will be rather quiet. Although not everywhere, to be sure, as 25 December (Wednesday) is when Magnifico will have his traditional show in Stožice, while the candles will be lit for Hanukkah at 18:30 at the Jewish Cultural Centre on Križevniška Street. Klub K4 also has a Christmas event, with Just A (Euro)Dance starting at 23:00, the dress code being 70s/80s/90s Après Ski Party and DJs DEN7EL, Von Meister, Elovetric and Pohalino.
Live music continues every day, including Christmas, from 19:00 to 20:00 in Novi trg.
Monday and Thursday, 18:00, SNG Opera and Ballet is staging Rossini’s Cinderella.
Tuesday, Christmas Eve, 17:00 to 18:00 in front of Town Hall you can enjoy the annual free Christmas Concert, right in the centre of the Old Town.
Thursday, the 26th, Dedek Mraz, or Grandpa Frost, will appear riding in his carriage, drawn by white Lipizzaner horses and accompanied by a procession of snowmen, bears, rabbits and other creatures from folk and fairy tales. He’ll visit the Festive Fair and venues that host children's events, with the magic starting at 17:00 and the route being Breg, Cobblers' Bridge, Mestni trg Square, Stritarjeva street, Prešernov trg Square, Wolfova street, Kongresni trg Square, and finally the stage at Novi trg Square.
The same evening, 17:00 to 19:30, there’s another free event, with Ana Mraz bringing performances by street theatre troupes, circus performers and other artistes to Špica, which you can reach if you follow the river upstream, on the same side as the Castle. Don’t worry about missing it for Grandpa Frost, though, as it’s on from 26 – 30 December.
Another thing that starts 26 December is the series of free concerts in Kongresni trg that run up until New Year. The artists take the stage at 20:00, and the biggest names – i.e. the ones I recognize – will be there on Friday, the 27th, with Eurovision’s Lea Sirk and the man himself, Vlado Kreslin.
Want to see Dedek Mraz, aka Grandpa Frost, back in 1959 and 1961? Click this way.
Friday night there’s also Jazz Club at the Castle, at 21:00, with the Balkan Boys.
Saturday night Cankarjev dom will see Cirque Éloize’s Hotel, with acrobatics, theatre, dance and live music “to guide you through this intimate refuge, styled with an avant-garde scenography inspired by the elegance of only the greatest hotels”.
There are no new movies this week, and the biggest ones in town seem to be the following:
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 until 17 November Mighty Guardians of the Past: Castles in the Slovenian Lands, a presentation that delivers on the promise of its title.
I try and get up there every Saturday morning to clear my head and move my feet on the trails, and never tire of that end of the hill. 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. On until January 2020 you can see plans and models for some of the things Plečnik planned but never built in Ljubljana. Take a look at some pictures here.
Image: Nejc Bernik. ZRC-SAZU
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. This month there's also an exhibition with more works like the one shown below for a show described as follows: “The concept of the exhibition “Awkwardly Close” in Balassi Institute is exactly the self-conscious unease coming from artistic and content similarities between the works of Kata Bereczki, and the Slovenian artistic collective Son:DA."
City Gallery - From 28 November until 19 January 2020 there's a sculpture by Jiři Bezlaj.
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
The Faces of Ljubljana in the City Museum. Photo: JL Flanner
Drink like a pro - find gallery openings. Photo: JL Flanner
Ljubljana -(Un)known Ljubljana is on at the top of the hill, a free to enter National Geographic exhibition with photographs of some of the lesser seen parts of the city, with one example below and more here.
MAO – The Museum of Architecture and Design has much of what you'd expect, along with some temporary shows and a good cafe.
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. The 9th Triennial of Contemporary Art U3 is also on here until 12 January 2020. Titled Dead and Alive: “The exhibition unfolds around three contradictory states of now – the dead and alive state of conceptualism, analogue and liquid materiality, and the subconscious as the battlefield of cognitive capitalism. Because – how do art and avant-garde progress? By making sensible what is beyond. At the end of the day, Dead and Alive is a quantum time search for an engaged form.” More details here, on one of the works on show below.
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 Ageshere. Art for the Brave New World runs until 5 January 2020: “The exhibition will present the beginnings and development of an early government art collection in Slovenia, which, despite the economic and political crisis, was created in the 1930s by artistic and professional personalities gathered around Dr Marko Natlačen, the last ban of the Drava Banovina.”
JL Flanner
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 2019 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.
Vžigalica Gallery – On until 12 January 2020 is SAEBORG: SLAUGHTER HOUSE 17 from the Japanese artist Saeborg, which is being promoted with the following image. Details here.
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.
What follows is a weekly review of events involving Slovenia, as prepared by the STA.
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FRIDAY, 13 December BRUSSELS, Belgium - PM Marjan Šarec expressed satisfaction that nearly all EU members had reached an agreement on carbon neutrality by 2050, saying Slovenia was happy that each member state determines its own energy mix in sustainable energy transition, indicating it would substitute nuclear energy for thermal. He warned however that carbon neutrality should not come at the expense of cohesion funding. BRUSSELS, Belgium - Commenting on the Conservatives' landslide victory in the UK general election, Prime Minister Marjan Šarec said Brexit by the end of January was probable and that a trade agreement with the UK could be reached next year if talks were conducted quickly. LJUBLJANA - The opposition Left made a renewed appeal on the government to push for Palestine's recognition at EU level, saying that in the EU failed to reach a consensus on the matter by the end of March 2020, Slovenia should take steps to recognise Palestine itself. SEOUL, South Korea - Slovenia was ranked 13th in the Global Sustainable Competitiveness Index compiled by Solability, a sustainability think-tank based in Switzerland and South Korea, among a total of 180 countries. The country fared best in terms of governance efficiency, and worst in natural capital and resource management.
SATURDAY, 14 December LJUBLJANA - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged protecting multilateralism against unilateralism as he visited Slovenia for talks with his counterpart Miro Cerar and the country's top officials. Both ministers also welcomed a preliminary trade agreement reached between the US and China. Cerar said China was an indispensable strategic partner of the EU even if the two sides did not always share the same positions. LJUBLJANA - Seasoned diplomat Andrej Logar told the weekly Večer that he had been tasked with reviving the Ljubljana-based International Center for Promotion of Enterprises, founded in 1974 at the UN's initiative to promote international cooperation of developing countries. "Since Slovenia does not have intensive contacts with African and Asian countries as potential ICPE members, the centre could be an important instrument of Slovenia's foreign policy," Logar said. KOČEVSKA REKA - A ceremony attended by several independence-era figures marked the lining up of a territorial defence unit seen as a precursor to the Slovenian army on 17 December 1990, just a week before the country held its independence referendum. The keynote speaker, Igor Bavčar, the then interior minister who is now serving prison for money laundering liked to shares trading, said that challenges faced by the EU and NATO undermined the foundations of the EU as had been known for 30 years.
SUNDAY, 15 December MADRID, Spain/LJUBLJANA - In response to the UN Climate Change Conference COP25 in Madrid, which put off a decision on a rulebook for meeting Paris Agreement targets to 2020, Environment Minister Simon Zajc said the event was "a disappointment, as expected". Climate expert Lučka Kajfež Bogataj called the conference far from noteworthy, except for the fact that negotiators ignored calls for action by millions of young people and other citizens who demand change. LJUBLJANA - The December Vox Populi poll showed the coalition Marjan Šarec Party (LMŠ) at the top of the party rankings with the support of 20.2% of respondents. The opposition Democrats (SDS) calme second at 16.6%. Moreover, 50.4% of respondents believe the government is doing a good job.
MONDAY, 16 December LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Marjan Šarec told reporters that incorporating a new airline in full or partial state ownership after flag carrier Adria Airways went into receivership was not very likely, because of the highs risks entailed. The Bank Assets Management Company later said it was in talks with several European regional carriers to increase flight frequencies on major routes connecting Ljubljana. LJUBLJANA - European Commissioner Janez Lenarčič urged the implementation of the European Green Deal, outlined by the European Commission the week before, as he met Slovenia's senior officials in his first official visit to the country as commissioner. He deems environmental issues one of Slovenia's major challenges for the future. MADRID, Spain - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar presented Slovenia's stance on multilateralism and efforts related to climate change, sustainable development and gender equality on the final day of the Asia-Europe Meeting, he also held several bilateral meetings. TRIESTE, Italy - Slovenian Consul General in Italy's Trieste Vojko Volk condemned the posters on which an Italian neo-fascist movement labelled five Slovenian victims of fascism as terrorists on 14 December, the eve of an event commemorating the victims, executed in 1941. LJUBLJANA - Just over a year after its launch, the Ljubljana-based European Blockchain Hub, a cooperative designed to act as a platform bringing together blockchain stakeholders, declared bankruptcy, the main reason being that some stakeholders had failed to deliver. PARIS, France - Slovenian painter Gregor Pratneker won the Eugene Boudin Prize at the Salon de Beaux Arts in Paris, a major international art showcase. He received the honour for his oil painting Spring in Mountains. LJUBLJANA - The Youth Committee of the European Trade Union Confederation elected Slovenian Tea Jarc its president, making her the first Slovenian to elected president of a European trade union confederation.
TUESDAY, 17 December NOVI SAD, Serbia - Prime Minister Marjan Šarec promised Slovenia's further assistance to Serbia in efforts to join the EU, as he visited the country with five ministers for a joint session of the two governments. Šarec said there was no alternative to Serbia joining the EU. His counterpart Ana Brnabić thanked Slovenia for its political and technical support. LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's central bank downgraded its projection for the country's economic growth for the year by 0.6 percentage points to 2.6%, decreasing the forecast for 2020 by 0.4 points to 2.5%, the level it is expected to remain in 2021 and 2022. The rates are above the euro area average. PULA, Croatia - The Croatian media reported that Croatia's fisheries inspectors had imposed over 270 fines worth over EUR 490,000 on Slovenia fishermen for fishing in what Croatia claims is its part of the Piran Bay since 15 March 2018. Since Slovenia implemented the arbitration award in December 2017, it issued over EUR 1 million in fines against Croatian fishermen in Slovenian waters. LJUBLJANA - Slovenian troops serving in international missions and operations discussed security situation in an annual video conference with the Slovenian president, defence minister and the chief of the general staff. They reported being satisfied with their equipment, except for those in Latvia, who complained about the light armoured vehicles. LJUBLJANA - The Ljubljana Stock Exchange marked its 30th anniversary with a ceremony at which its current boss Aleš Ipavec said the desire was to make the exchange more appealing to investors. The exchange was launched on 26 December 1989 as the Yugoslav Stock Exchange. BELGRADE, Serbia - The Serbian newspaper Blic reported that Slovenia's largest bank, NLB, had submitted a binding bid to take over the Serbian state-owned bank Komercijalna Banka, along with Austria's Raiffeisen Bank International and Serbia's AIK Banka. LJUBLJANA - Cyclist Primož Roglič, sport climber Janja Garnbret and the men's national volleyball team were declared athletes of the year by the Association of Sports Journalists.
WEDNESDAY, 18 December LJUBLJANA - The Competition Protection Agency confirmed it had temporarily seized 70% of shares of retailer Mercator shares from its owner, Croatia's Agrokor, so that Agrokor pay a EUR 53.9 million fine for failure to notify its 2016 takeover of Slovenian-based bottled water company Costella. The decision is not yet final and Agrokor's successor, Fortenova said it would fight it with all means available. Fortenova described the agency's move as a coordinated effort to secure Slovenian suppliers of Mercator favoured position in Mercator group. LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly endorsed a bill securing up to EUR 777 million in state loan guarantees for the construction of a new rail link connecting the Koper port and Divača, and two sections of an expressway connecting the north and south of the country. LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly reviewed a report on the 2015 wiretapping scandal during the Slovenia-Croatia border arbitration process behind closed doors. The report, compiled by the parliamentary Intelligence Oversight Commission, finds that the Slovenian government and the intel agency SOVA were not involved in the violation of the arbitration agreement, attributing the blame for the scandal, which Croatia used as an excuse to withdraw from the arbitration, on Simona Drenik, Slovenia's agent in the procedure. WOLFSBURG, Germany - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek and representatives of Slovenian automotive industry suppliers visited the headquarters of the Volkswagen Group in a bid to boost cooperation, especially in e-mobility and innovative solutions for carbon-neutral society. WASHINGTON, US - Slovenia placed 35th in the 2019 Human Freedom Index, level with last year. Austria is the only neighbour doing better, ranking 13th.
THURSDAY, 19 December LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly voted 44:43 to appoint Angelika Mlinar, an ethnic Slovenian from Austria, minister without portfolio in charge of cohesion policy, as the government secured a slim minority after several days of uncertainty. Mlinar said the vote showed that "we want to overcome borders". BRUSSELS, Belgium - Environment Minister Simon Zajc called on the EU to take taking into account specific circumstances of individual EU countries regarding their large-carnivore management, especially in cases like Slovenia's where animal populations are booming. He suggested the EU habitats directive may have to be changed. LJUBLJANA - The National Public Health Institute said that the number of confirmed cases of measles infection in Slovenian population this year rose to 40 plus two in foreigners. In one outbreak, unofficially at the Škofja Loka company Knauf Insulation, a person got infected in Belgium before infecting six more people, one of whom infected a further eight. LJUBLJANA - Archbishop of Ljubljana Stanislav Zore told the STA he would like the Catholic Church to settle practical matters with the state, so they do not change with every change of government. Some of the things that needs addressing are education, social security contributions for priests and financing of heritage. LJUBLJANA - The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption issued an opinion finding Infrastructure Minister Alenka Bratušek was in conflict of interest in 2014, when she nominated herself for EU commissioner. Bratušek said she would challenge the claim, just as she had successfully challenged a previous opinion, which was dismissed by courts on procedural grounds.
STA, 20 December 2019 - Slovenia's forest management is facing a number of challenges due to severe windstorms increasing in intensity and frequency, a consequence of climate change. This year's extent of related damages has been the greatest so far, with experts urging adapting forest management to global warming.
The bark beetle outbreak and spread, caused by the 2017 and 2018 windstorms, posed another threat, forcing the government to declare a natural disaster this year.
Slovenia is one of the most heavily forested European countries - forests cover more than 58% of the country, with 20% of woods being state-owned.
The annual forest increment has been nearing 9 million m3 of trees. Meanwhile, last year's allowed felling amounted to 6.8 million m3.
More trees had to be felled in the recent years, partly due to clean-up efforts resulting from windstorm damage.
After the 2014 ice storm, causing damage to more than 9 million m3 of trees, bark beetle poured gasoline on the fire and devastated more than 8 million m3, while windstorms wreaked havoc on some 3 million m3 of trees.
Since 2014, forest rangers have had to fell almost 18 million m3 of trees. Clean-up felling has accounted for at least half of all cutting down in the past years.
During winter, such removal efforts need to go on since the majority of bark beetles overwinter in adult development stages and have to be decimated during the wood removal and processing.
"Nature-friendly, sustainable and multi-purpose forest management as developed in Slovenia in the past 50 years is an effective framework for responding to climate change," said the Slovenian Forest Service.
One of the main future challenges in the field will be adapting tree species. The spruce is the most endangered one, with its share decreasing in areas unfit for its growth. On the other hand, the beech tree acclimatises more easily, which is reflected in its share being on the rise.
However, the experts believe that the beech tree will stop flourishing due to climate change as well, with the oak and other deciduous trees thriving in warm climate.
Whereas global warming has a negative impact on forests, trees play a major role in mitigating climate change since use of wood and wood products is beneficial for balancing out carbon emissions, maintaining the ability of forests to store carbon and introducing renewable materials and energy sources.
Strengthening Slovenia's timber supply chain is thus essential. The country exports some 4 million m3 of timber a year, which then becomes value-added wood abroad.
The target is to process at least 5 million m3. The Slovenian State Forests company plans to set up four centres for collecting and processing wood across the country.
Between December 20, 2019 and March 20, 2020 daily visits to ski resorts are possible with a shuttle bus from Bled.
The shuttle drives every day to Kranjska Gora, Krvavec, Pokljuka and Vogel, every Wednesday and Sunday to Tarvisio (Trbiž) in Italy, and to 3Laendereck (Podklošter) in Austria every Thursday and Sunday.
Return tickets cost €10 per adult and are free for children under 14 and holders of Julian Alps winter card.
For the timetables, tickets, reservations, and a map, please click here.
STA, 20 December 2019 - 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 released on Friday.
Prices of second-hand homes rose by 3.1% over the previous quarter and 5.3% on the year before, mostly due to a 6% increase in the prices of houses.
While the prices of used apartments, the biggest single category of real estate, grew at a slower rate, 1.6% at the quarterly level, in Ljubljana they rose by 2.3%.
"Compared to average 2015 prices, used apartments in Ljubljana are now a full 39.7% more expensive," the statisticians said.
New homes were on average 2% more expensive than in the second quarter, but the figure masks a 3.3% quarterly decline in prices of apartments, which was offset by a 12.7% surge in the prices of houses.
Transactions remained brisk as well, as homes worth EUR 320 million changed hands in the three months, just EUR 10 million less than in the second quarter.
There were very few sales of new homes: second-hand homes accounted for EUR 310 million of the total transactions.
STA, 20 December 2019 - Police processed more than 15,200 illegal crossings of the border by the end of November this year, as much as some 70% increase compared to the same period in 2018. A total of 3,640 migrants have asked for international protection.
Citizens from Pakistan, Algeria and Afghanistan were processed by police officers most often.
This year's situation shows a steeper increase year-on-year. August saw the greatest surge of illegal crossings of the border per month since the 2016 mass migrations, with the situation getting more manageable in autumn when the temperatures started dropping.
The police has recorded an increase in the number of asylums requests as well - in 2018, 2,875 asked for international protection, while in the first eleven months of 2019, 3,640 did the same. Most of those procedures have been completed, with 67 persons granted asylum.
Considerably more illegal migrants were handed over to the Croatian authorities this year as well - some 10,640 compared to 4,590 in 2018. Most of them were from Pakistan.
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A schedule of all the main events involving Slovenia this week can be found here
New cohesion minister urges faster EU funds absorption
LJUBLJANA - Angelika Mlinar, new cohesion policy minister, took over at the Government Office for Development and European Cohesion from Infrastructure Minister Alenka Bratušek, her party boss who stood in after the previous minister resigned. Mlinar said key challenges were speeding up EU funds absorption and opening dialogue with other ministries. Milnar's appointment was hailed by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS), which along with municipality associations expressed the expectation that she would make EU funds phasing more effective. The appointment of Mlinar, an ethnic Slovenian from Austria, was met enthusiasm among the Slovenian minority in Austria and Italy.
SNS deputy defects to SDS
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 as the SNS has helped the coalition out in parliament in several key votes. Ivanuša said on Facebook the SNS's willingness to help the government was the reason she decided to leave. "The SNS's recent acts do not reflect the goals and values laid out in the party's manifesto." SNS leader Zmago Jelinčič said the defection must have been in the works for a while, while the SDS rejected having actively courted her and said other like-minded MPs were welcome to join them as well.
DeSUS mulling parting ways with rebel MP
LJUBLJANA - The coalition Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) could part ways with a rebel MP who was the only coalition MP to vote against appointing Angelika Mlinar cohesion policy minister, after he already refused to vote for the budget bills in November. While it is still too early to reach a decision, the deputy group is "close to the point" of severing ties with Robert Polnar and will have a "thorough conversation" with him after the holidays, said deputy faction leader Franc Jurša. Polnar said he did not intend to leave the deputy group and would continue to vote as he pleases. He does not think DeSUS will let him go either, because he is "the best MP in the history of this party".
Changes to health insurance ready for third reading
LJUBLJANA - Parliament backed a set of changes to health insurance as it discussed on Thursday a bill eliminating top-up health insurance by folding it into mandatory insurance. The core of the bill remains the abolishment of a monthly levy of around EUR 35 and its replacement with a new monthly levy of EUR 29. The new levy will no longer be collected by insurers, but by the ZZZS public health fund, which now collects compulsory contributions paid by employers and employees. The MPs cancelled a provision under which a shortage of funds in the ZZZS's budget, estimated at EUR 70 million a year, would be covered by the state budget. The final reading is scheduled for January.
Police record spike in illegal crossings of border
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. A total of 3,640 migrants have asked for international protection. Citizens from Pakistan, Algeria and Afghanistan were processed by police officers most often. Asylums applications rose to 3,640 in the first eleven months, from 2,875 in 2018. Mayors of border regions affected by migration met Interior Minister Boštjan Pokljukar today, expressing satisfaction with the dialogue and efforts to find solutions.
Cengiz picked to build Karavanke motorway tunnel
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. The company offered to complete the contract for EUR 98.5 million, VAT excluded. The last chance for potential complaints expires in eight work days, but even if these are made, DARS expects the contractor will be introduced into the project in March 2020 at the latest.
Slovenia, Austria to jointly upgrade Karavanke rail tunnel
LJUBLJANA - Finance reported that the Slovenian Infrastructure Agency and the company operating Austrian railway infrastructure had published the first in what is expected to be three joint calls for bids to upgrade the Karavanke railway tunnel. Work on the Slovenian part of the tunnel is estimated at EUR 60 million. With the joint call, Slovenia wants to avoid complications that have arisen with the selection of the bidder for the Slovenian part of a second tube of the Karavanke motorway tunnel.
TPV to get EUR 6.5m in state incentive for major investment
NOVO MESTO - 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. The group will expand its facilities in the town of Brežice, where it now employs 120 workers, with a new factory, which is expected to create around 50 jobs. Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek announced the incentive at Thursday's ceremony marking TPV's 30th anniversary.
Mes reappointed railways operator CEO
LJUBLJANA - Dušan Mes was reappointed CEO of railways operator Slovenske Železnice, the state-owned company said in a press release. He will start his third four-year term on 23 March 2020. Since Mes became CEO, Slovenske Železnice has improved its operations. Last year, its revenue reached EUR 562 million, it generated EUR 73.5 million in EBITDA and a net profit of about EUR 30 million.
Bad bank wants to use its assets to build housing
LJUBLJANA - Matej Pirc, the chief executive officer of the Bank Assets Management Company (BAMC), believes that the state could change the mission of the bad bank and use the real estate in its ownership to pursue housing and demographic policy objectives. Pirc told the STA that BAMC could build rental apartments and retirement homes and provide for an additional 5,000 housing units. This could extend its life beyond the currently scheduled end of activities in 2022.
Money laundering law brought into line with EU rules
LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly amended on Thursday evening the act on the prevention of money laundering and financing of terrorism, bringing legislation in line with EU rules. Slovenia had transposed the 4th Anti-Money Laundering Directive in 2016, but this March the European Commission warned Slovenia and several other member states that some provisions were missing in their national laws. The amendments fix that.
Home price growth remains strong
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. Prices of second-hand homes rose by 3.1% over the previous quarter and 5.3% on the year before, mostly due to a 6% increase in the prices of houses.
Business sentiment up slightly, still lower y/y
LJUBLJANA - Business sentiment in December reached 3 percentage points (pp) and was slightly higher than the month before (up 0.8pp). It was, however, 8.1pp lower than in December 2018, data from the Statistics Office show. The Statistics Office noted that business sentiment has not been as low as this year since 2014. However, this year's numbers were still 3.3pp higher than the long-term average.
Consumer confidence up but still lower than in December 2018
LJUBLJANA - The end of the year brought the first increase in consumer confidence in four months, data from the Statistics Office show. The index is however still well below that in December 2018. In December, consumer confidence increased by 1 percentage point over November and was 5 points above the long-term average.
Roglič to skip Giro to focus on Tour de France
LJUBLJANA - Primož Roglič, the Slovenian rider topping the UCI world individual ranking, will compete in the world's No. 1 race next year, Tour de France, and in the Tokyo Olympics, but will give Giro a miss. The news was at the press conference of his Jumbo-Visma team. Roglič will captain the Jumbo-Visma team at the Tour, taking on a leading role along with Steven Kruijswijk and Tom Dumoulin.
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
Two years after launching the Slonline course is getting a second level, SLO 2, giving you a chance to expand your basic Slovene for courtesy of the (Centre for Slovenian as a Second and Foreign Language). (Center za slovenščino kot drugi in tuji jezik). Registration is required but everything is free, with support for the course available in English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Croatian, and Russian.
Eleven vocabulary areas are covered, as shown above, with options to learn the words – along with how to pronounce them – plus a memory game to test your knowledge. Putting things together into more useful chunks, especially important with regard to learning the declensions, aka skloni, you can learn phrases and dialogues covering the same vocabulary items. There’s also a “final test” for each of the eleven sections, with listening a component, plus crosswords (and example for food and drink here) and vocab lists to show what you should know (here). Then there’s a real final test, covering the whole thing, which is 770 words, 550 phrases, and 110 dialogues – enough to give you a grip on the basic vocabulary and sentence forms in most contexts.
This part of the food and drink vocab list gives you some idea of the level.
If you can already read children’s books then you’ll find the language rather basic, but thus all the more important for the beginner learner of Slovene as a second or foreign language, as a lack of content at the appropriate level is one of the biggest problems. You can check out SLO 1 and SLO 2 here, while if you want something a little more advanced to play with that still holds your hand then why not check out our growing collection of dual texts, in Slovene and English.
Image: Nejc Bernik. ZRC-SAZU
