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STA, 11 December 2019 – The ECJ Advocate General Priit Pikamäe has stated that the EU Court of Justice is not competent to rule Slovenia's case against Croatia over its failure to implement the border arbitration award, having assessed that the case is an international border dispute outside the scope of EU law and thus outside the court's jurisdiction.

"The infringements of EU law of which Slovenia accuses Croatia are ancillary to the issue of determining the boundary between those two states, which is a matter of public international law," the advocate general stated in his opinion, released by the court on Wednesday.

The opinion is not binding on the court. Available statistics show that the court's Grand Chamber, which is deliberating on Slovenia's case, agrees with the advocate general's opinion in about half of the cases.

In its case Slovenia argues that Croatia infringes several articles of EU law by refusing to implement the award as declared by the mutually appointed arbitration tribunal in June 2017.

Slovenia alleges Croatia's infringements of the principles of the rule of law and sincere cooperation, regulation on the Common Fisheries Policy, Schengen rules governing the movement of persons across borders and the directive establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning.

Slovenia has been insisting that its legal action against Croatia is not about the border dispute, which has been resolved through the arbitration award, which is final.

In his opinion, Pikamäe notes that the purpose of an action for failure to fulfil obligations under Article 259 of Treaty on the Functioning of the EU is to obtain a declaration that the conduct of a member state is in breach of EU law and to terminate that conduct.

The advocate general notes that the situations in which the EU is bound by international law are well-established; "it is bound by international conventions concluded by the EU pursuant to the provisions of the Treaties, by international conventions where the EU assumes powers previously exercised by the member states, and by rules of customary international law when the EU exercises its powers".

"International conventions that do not fall within those categories are not acts of the EU and do not bind it," the advocate general finds.

Relying on the court's case law, he points out that "the territorial scope of the Treaties is an objective fact predetermined by the member states which the EU has to accept".

Consequently, he is of the opinion that "delimitation of national territory does not fall within the sphere of competence of the EU or, therefore, of the Court of Justice".

As regards the relationship between, on the one hand, the arbitration agreement and the arbitration award and, on the other hand, EU law, the advocate general says that it does not fall within any of the situations in which the EU is bound by international law.

Concerning the alleged infringement of the value of the rule of law and of the principle of sincere cooperation, he finds that those "are merely ancillary to the issue of delimitation of the land and maritime boundaries between the two member states concerned and that, accordingly, the Court does not have jurisdiction to hear and determine those complaints".

Citing case law, the advocate says that the principle of sincere cooperation has constituted an independent basis for obligations in cases where the EU was party to a mixed agreement or where the obligations being fulfilled arose under the EU Treaties. "However, the conduct at issue does not fall within either of those two situations."

Regarding the alleged failure to fulfil obligations related to the common fisheries policy, border control and maritime spatial planning, Pikamäe says that "Slovenia is relying on the premiss that the boundary has been determined by the arbitration award.

"However (...) the award has not been implemented in the relations between the two member states concerned," so the advocate general "is of the opinion that, from an EU law perspective, the boundary between those two member states has not been established".

Hence, Pikamäe infers that "Slovenia is seeking, by implication, to have the arbitration award implemented, which falls outside the EU's sphere of competence".

His conclusion is that "the alleged infringements of EU law are ancillary to the issue of determining the boundary between Croatia and Slovenia. Determining that boundary is, by its very nature, a matter of public international law in respect of which the Court does not have jurisdiction."

In releasing the advocate general's opinion, the court made a point of noting that the opinion is not binding on the Court of Justice.

"It is the role of the Advocates General to propose to the Court, in complete independence, a legal solution to the cases for which they are responsible."

Now the court's judges will start deliberations on the admissibility of the case. "Judgement will be given at a later date," the release said. Unofficially, it is expected in the first quarter of 2020.

If the court finds the case outside its jurisdiction, the case is closed. However, if it finds the case admissible or partly admissible, another hearing will follow, followed by another opinion of the advocate general and another judgement.

Slovenia rejects Advocate General's opinion

STA, 11 December 2019 - Slovenia did not expect the EU Court of Justice (EJC) advocate general would deem the country's lawsuit against Croatia over EU law violation inadmissible. Foreign Minister Miro Cerar believes the advocate general's reasoning is weak, indicating that the court's decision might be different.

President Borut Pahor said the opinion of the advocate general does not change the fact the border between Slovenia and Croatia had been drawn by a Hague-based international arbitration tribunal.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Marjan Šarec said that Slovenia remained determined to implement the arbitration decision and that bilateral talks or returning to square one was out of the question.

The Foreign Ministry stressed in a release that Advocate General Priit Pikamäe's position was not binding on the court, noting the procedure at the ECJ would not affect the fact the border arbitration decision from 2017 was valid and binding for Slovenia and Croatia.

Cerar, who called a news conference to comment on the opinion, said the court had so far decided in only five cases brought against a fellow member state and that the court followed the advocate's position in only three of the cases.

He added that the decision had "absolutely no effect on the validity of the arbitration award" and that arguments were on Slovenia's side.

Cerar also highlighted the fact that nobody had ever said Croatia did not have to implement the arbitration award, while many countries had urged it to do so.

When asked whether Slovenia had plan B if the court decided the case was inadmissible, Cerar said plan B was not needed because "there is plan A, which is completely clear: Croatia must implement the arbitration award".

The lawsuit brought against Croatia is in no direct relation to the border arbitration as such, but discusses violations of EU law committed by Croatia, the ministry said in a release.

Slovenia has taken measures and adopted legislation to implement the border arbitration decision, while Croatia is yet to fulfil this obligation, it added.

Pahor and Šarec commented on the matter following a tradition December meeting of the president, the prime minister, the presidents of both chambers of president.

Pahor stressed Slovenia would insist on setting up a Slovenian-Croatian demarcation commission which will set the land border, as envisaged in the arbitrtaion award.

Šarec explained Slovenia had called on Croatia to appoint its members to the commission four times now, but Croatia had failed to respond.

Slovenia's agent Maja Menard meanwhile believes Pikamäe ignored Slovenia's claim and was deciding as if Slovenia had expected the EU court to define the border. On the basis of Croatia's refusal to implement the arbitration award, he also argued the border had not been drawn.

Menard is however reserved in any further comments, saying she must read the full opinion first. This was also echoed by Marko Vrevc of the Foreign Ministry, who said that the advocate general's position was not what Slovenia had expected.

"Slovenia is not taking Croatia to court because the course of the border was unclear but because it realised Croatia was hindering Slovenia from following EU law," Vrevc said, expressing belief that the Luxembourg-based court would decide differently than Pikamäe.

The opposition New Slovenia (NSi) regretted the advocate's position and hopes the ECJ will decide differently. A decision by a panel of judges is expected in a few months' time.

On the other hand, head of the National Party (SNS) Zmago Jelinčič said Slovenia displayed a poor understanding of international law.

Democrats (SDS) head Janez Janša tweeted the Slovenian government had known the outcome in advance and that Cerar, who was prime minister when Slovenia decided to sue Croatia, should cover the expenses from his own pocket.

When asked whether Cerar should be held responsible if thecourt follows the advocate's position, Šarec said the decision to take Croatia to court was a political one, taken after consultations of parliamentary party leaders.

Speaker Dejan Židan was very happy that the prime minister, the president, the upper chamber president and himself displayed complete unity in the face of today's development.

Alojz Kovšca, the National Council president, meanwhile, warned the border dispute between Slovenia and Croatia was a bad signal for other nations with unresolved border issues in the Balkans.

On the other hand, the opposition Left believes Slovenia should take a different approach instead of taking Croatia to court. MP Matej Vatovec reiterated the party's position the lawsuit was barely legitimate.

The coalition Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) said Slovenia must persist in getting Croatia to implement the arbitration award even if the court decided the lawsuit was indeed inadmissible.

The SAB, as well as the coalition Social Democrats (SD) underlined the advocate general's position had no bearing on the validity of the arbitration award, which remains a binding element of international law.

All our stories on the border dispute can be found here

STA, 11 December 2019 - A priest from the Murska Sobota diocese has been found guilty of sexual violence by the Vatican's top doctrinaire body and ordered to undergo therapy, in the latest chapter of a case that has caused a huge rift in a rural parish in eastern Slovenia, several media have reported.

Andrej Zrim, a priest at the Murska Sobota parish, has been "found guilty in an out-of-court criminal procedure of sexual violence against minors and adults in accordance with the instructions of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith", reads a short notice carried in the diocese bulletin in Murska Sobota last Sunday.

"He has been ordered to take certain measures, including apologising to the victims and the parish community. He is prohibited from returning to parish service without the bishop's explicit approval, and banned from giving mass in public until the appropriate therapy is successfully concluded."

Zrim had been deposed as Ljutomer parish priest in April 2018 under instructions from a task force for resolving sexual abuse cases at the Slovenian Bishops' Conference.

But the decision, executed by Murska Sobota Bishop Peter Štumf, proved highly controversial and split the Ljutomer parish, according to the newspaper Dnevnik and domovina.je, a conservative news portal.

A camp supporting the priest started sending out anonymous and public letters in his defence and some alleged that Zrim was the victim of revenge by the bishop.

The supporters stepped up in his defence despite the priest having been convicted of assault on a minor 15 years ago and having a reputation in the local community for using severe corporeal punishment methods in Sunday school.

What therapy exactly the priest is supposed to undergo remains unclear, but Bishop Štumf indicated in a statement for Dnevnik it may be some kind of psychotherapy.

He mentioned a German Benedictine priest, Anselm Grün, as an example of "an extraordinarily successful psychotherapist" and several institutions in Italy.

Dnevnik said Zrim had never shown remorse and was a repeat offender, which raises questions about the effectiveness of any sort of psychological counselling for paedophiles.

The case against the priest was brought by three families, who decided to use Church channels instead of going to the police. However, Dnevnik reported that the police may yet take up the case as a matter of official duty considering the latest revelations.

STA, 10 December 2019 - A Ljubljana stadium designed by acclaimed architect Jože Plečnik in the 1920s has been shortlisted as one of the 14 pieces of European cultural heritage that could be put on a list of seven most endangered pieces.

The 7 Most Endangered pieces of European heritage will be declared in March 2020, the European Commission Representation in Slovenia said in a release on Tuesday.

The stadium was nominated for protection within a campaign of the pan-European Europa Nostra organisation and the European Investment Bank Institute by the Ljubljana Association of Architects.

The association would like to protect this masterpiece of Plečnik's, which has been been decaying for a decade, so that it could be used again in its original form.

Related: Shameful Condition of Plečnik's Stadium in Ljubljana: An Example of Poor Governance?

The landmark stadium began to be built in 1925 for a Catholic sports association as one of the first such facilities in Europe.

In 2003, Slovenian rock band Siddharta filled it with 30,000 fans for a memorable concert, while Depeche Mode played there in 2006.

One of the most notorious events associated with it is the oath the Slovenian pro-Nazi militia Domobranci swore to Adolf Hitler in 1944.

The Bežigrad stadium, as it is sometimes referred to, was used for sport events and concerts until 2007, while efforts to renovate it have turned into a saga.

At the time, entrepreneur Joc Pečečnik's GSA company entered a partnership with the city of Ljubljana and the Slovenian Olympic Committee to renovate it.

Their company BŠP closed the stadium in January 2008, while in 2009 the Berlin-based GMP studio was selected in a public tender to renovate it.

But since then, a combination of problems surrounding the environmental permit, locals complaining about a piece of land between the stadium and their blocks of flats, and a civil initiative insisting the stadium be preserved in its original form has pushed the project into a limbo.

The 7 Most Endangered programme was launched in January 2013 as a civil society campaign to protect European heritage, although it brings no direct funding.

It identifies the most threatened monuments, sites and landscapes in Europe and mobilises public and private partners to find viable solutions.

All our stories on Plečnik are here, while those on architecture are here

STA, 10 December 2019 - The supervisory board of the telecoms incumbent Telekom Slovenije appointed on Tuesday Tomaž Seljak the new chairman for a full, four-year term. Seljak previously served as interim chairman following the resignation of Matjaž Merkan in mid-November.

Meanwhile appointed to the management board for a four-year term was Matjaž Beričič, who will be in charge of technology, the post previously held by the new chairman.

Seljak, who started his second term on the management board in May 2018, started working in Telekom Slovenije in 1997, becoming the head of the service in charge of the telecommunication cable network in 2004.

Before being appointed to the management board, he also headed the sector for the elimination of malfunctions and the sector for access networks.

Commenting on the appointment, chief supervisor Barbara Kürner Čad said that the company was facing numerous challenges related to the implementation of the strategic plan and new development and technological milestones.

"Telekom Slovenije needs continuity of management, which provides the company with stability, and excellent knowledge and experience in telecommunications," she added.

According to Kürner Čad, Seljak has proved to be a prudent manager with the knack for development of operations and as a good expert in telecommunications and trends.

Seljak succeeds Merkan after the latter resigned as chairman and CEO of the state-owned company on 14 November less than two months on the job.

While Telekom Slovenije said at the time that Merkan had resigned for personal reasons, Radio Slovenija said he stepped down after refusing to launch an inquiry into his predecessor Rudolf Skobe.

Skobe's tenure has been in the spotlight after Telekom has been ordered by an arbitration court to pay millions to the Greek Antenna Group, which wants to exit a media joint venture.

The public broadcaster TV Slovenija had meanwhile quoted anonymous sources privy to information that he was not up to the job.

Today, the supervisors also adopted the company's business plan for 2020, projecting EUR 676 million in operating revenue, EUR 210.6 million in EBITDA, EUR 27.5 million in net profit and EUR 209.7 million in investments.

All our business stories can be found here

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:

Tomaž Seljak appointed new chairman of Telekom Slovenije

LJUBLJANA - The supervisory board of the telecoms incumbent Telekom Slovenije appointed Tomaž Seljak the new chairman for a full, four-year term. Seljak previously served as interim chairman following the resignation of Matjaž Merkan in mid-November. Seljak, who started his second term on the management board in May 2018, started working in Telekom Slovenije in 1997, becoming the head of the service in charge of the telecommunication cable network in 2004. Chief supervisor Barbara Kürner Čad said that "Telekom Slovenije needs continuity of management, which provides the company with stability, and excellent knowledge and experience in telecommunications."

Trade with non-EU markets pushing up Slovenia's external trade

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's external trade in goods continued to grow in October, despite a drop in trade with EU countries. However, imports rose at a faster rate year-on-year than exports, creating a trade deficit. According to the Statistics Office, exports rose by 7.1% year-on-year to almost EUR 3.08 billion in October, as imports increased by 7.6% to EUR 3.18 billion. The country posted a trade deficit of EUR 103 million, mostly due to increased imports from markets outside the EU. The export-import coverage for October was 96.8%.

Hiring outlook in Slovenia not so bright

LJUBLJANA - Employment prospects for Slovenia for the first quarter of 2020 are not as upbeat as they were for the last quarter of this year, shows the latest employment forecast by temping agency Manpower. The share of employers who plan to hire is only 7 percentage points higher than the share of employers who announced a drop in employment. "The employment outlook for Slovenia dropped by 13 percentage points compared to the same period last year, but is still positive," Gašper Kleč of Manpower Slovenia told the STA. He labelled the outlook for Q1 as "moderately optimistic", noting that companies would be faced with significant challenges at the beginning of next year.

Foreign minister calls for rules for ethical use of AI

BERLIN, Germany - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar advocated that rules be put in place for the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI), as he participated at the conference Advocating Human Rights in the 21st Century. Cerar participated in a panel debate on AI, saying that education was key to raising awareness about the challenges of artificial intelligence. He also held bilateral meetings with German counterpart Heiko Maas and Canadian colleague Francois-Philipp Champagne.

Motorway company sued over e-tolling contract

LJUBLJANA - Iskratel, the company that was outbid in a tender to build a motorway e-tolling system for lorries in 2016, has brought a EUR 17.7 million damages suit against the motorway company DARS, arguing that the annexes signed with the selected bidder since have materially changed the subject matter of the tender. The contract was won by the telecoms incumbent Telekom Slovenije in partnership with Norwegian company Q-Free, which submitted the lowest bid at just shy of EUR 100 million, ten million more than telecommunications equipment maker Iskratel and its Slovak partner SkyToll as the second cheapest bidder. Addressing reporters, Iskratel CEO Željko Puljić said he was convinced that DARS as well as the National Review Commission had abused the selection procedure.

Parties step in to support minister's sentient animals motion

LJUBLJANA - Four coalition parties and the Left have come to aid Justice Minister Andreja Katič in her efforts to define animals as sentient beings in the property code law, filing a relevant amendment to the government-proposed changes with the wording initially proposed by the Justice Ministry. In late November, the government adopted legislative changes that redefine animals, until now considered things by Slovenian legislation, as living beings. The government did not adopt the version proposed by the ministry defining animals as sentient beings, with Katič announcing she had already talked to MPs and expressing hope that the changes would be amended in parliament.

Industrial output up in October

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's industrial output increased by 2.1% in October over September and by 2.7% compared to October 2018, the Statistics Office said. Output in manufacturing and in mining rose by 2.4% and 2.1%, respectively, over September, while dropping in electricity, gas and steam supply for the fourth month running, this time by 0.5%.
Consumer goods and capital goods industries rose by 6.3% and 1.3, respectively, from September. Industrial revenue likewise increased, by 2.7% over September and 3.1% over a year ago, mostly on account of 6.2% increases in sales abroad.

State aid up for second consecutive year in 2018

LJUBLJANA - The volume of state aid granted by Slovenia grew for the second consecutive year in 2018, according to a report released by the Finance Ministry. The figure rose by 12.7% to EUR 482 million over 2017, but was still below the levels in the period between 2011 and 2015, when the aid reached around EUR 550 million annually. State aid reached the equivalent of 1.05% of the country's GDP last year, while in 2017 it was at 0.99% of GDP. This was the second increase since 2013, when state aid and crisis measures in total reached the equivalent of 10.8% of GDP.

Election legislation reform raising issue about gender quotas

LJUBLJANA - Discussions on solutions aimed at increasing gender-balanced representation in Slovenia's electoral system and women's participation in politics has been bound to pop up during talks about reforming the election act, with today's debate hearing calls for higher gender quotas and adopting the zipper system. Bojana Muršič, an MP of the Social Democrats (SD) and the head of the Women Parliamentarians Club, said it was vital to address the issue of women's political participation. Parliamentary Speaker Dejan Židan agreed, saying that what is missing from the prepared changes to the election act is a proposal to raise gender quotas from the current 35% to 40%.

Fire at hazardous waste processing company upsets locals

KRANJ - A fire broke out last evening at Ekol, a hazardous waste processing plant near Kranj (NE), but the authorities say it has not polluted the air or water. It has, however, upset the locals, who have been warning for years about the hazard the Laze industrial zone poses to the environment and public health. Catching fire were textile and air filters kept under a projecting roof, whereas dangerous substances, stored at a different section, did not ignite. The tests carried out so far have shown no dangerous substances in the air or water. Ekol estimates the damage caused by the fire, which over 100 local firefighters put out in two hours, at around EUR 40,000.

Slovenia worse off in fighting climate change, report shows

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia has ranked 44th in the 2020 Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), dropping one place compared to last year. The country was graded 41.91 points, scoring the lowest in renewable energy and climate policy, while it did better in energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Slovenia was preceded by the Czech Republic and Argentina, and followed by Cyprus and Algeria. It got the lowest grade for its renewable resources strategy (25.64 points or 46th place) and climate policy (36.63 points or 45th place), while its performance in the energy use (51.06 points or 42nd place) and GHG emissions categories (48.11 points or 40th place) was better.

Plečnik stadium candidate for Europa Nostra protection

BRUSSELS, Belgium - A Ljubljana stadium designed by acclaimed architect Jože Plečnik in the 1920s has been shortlisted as one of the 14 pieces of European cultural heritage that could be put on a list of seven most endangered pieces. The 7 Most Endangered pieces of European heritage will be declared in March 2020, the European Commission Representation in Slovenia said. The stadium was nominated for protection within a campaign of the pan-European Europa Nostra organisation and the European Investment Bank Institute by the Ljubljana Association of Architects.

Exhibition showing five millennia of metallurgy in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - An exhibition on the use of metals in Slovenian lands will open in the evening at the National Museum in Ljubljana, providing insight into the tradition that has lasted more than five millennia, from the casting of copper in the 4th century BC to metals used in space technology. Also marking the 100th anniversary of the University of Ljubljana, the event aims at acquainting the public with the frequently overlooked role of metallurgy and metalworking in Slovenia. On display until 3 May 2020, it will be accompanied by presentations of job opportunities in metallurgy and workshops presenting ancient methods for extracting iron from the iron ore.

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

According to reports by the news portal Siol.net, the companies through which the German 4K Invest group controlled Adria Airways, the Slovenian air carrier which declared bankruptcy this September, are shutting down one by one.

The disappearance of companies which were in control of Adria Airways since its purchase in 2016 will make it difficult for the bankruptcy administrator Janez Pustatičnik and law enforcement agencies to search for documents and information on millions of euros of transfers to tax havens and other countries, and to track assets to pay back tens of millions of Adria debts to creditors, reports Siol, continuing that criminal investigations into the business of the German owners of Adria are now ongoing. The investigation would probably include a forensic audit of Adria’s transactions, which would, says Siol, serve as the basis for legal actions against those responsible.

STA, 10 December 2019 - Shares listed on the Ljubljana and Zagreb stock exchanges were described as excellent investment opportunities as the two stock markets held a joint investment conference in Ljubljana on Tuesday.

The shares comprising the benchmark SBI TOP index are undervalued, considering comparable indices in the region, Mark Štemberger of the brokerage Ilirika told the event in presenting the latest trends in Slovenia.

Slovenia's economy is projected to expand for the seventh consecutive year in 2020. Although growth is slowing down and despite dampened business confidence, Ilirika expects positive labour market trends to continue.

The listed companies have been doing well this year and mostly above projections. Pharma company Krka and chemical company Cinkarna Celje attained the planned annual profitability levels by the end of September, Štemberger reported.

He said that the dividend yield of the companies listed in SBI TOP over the past 10 years was almost double that of the companies in the benchmark index of the Zagreb Stock Exchange, and substantially above those on other stock markets in Central Europe.

Ilirika would advise buying virtually all shares in the index, especially given the low-interest environment and the high indebtedness and high dividend yield of Slovenian public companies.

Similarly, Matko Maravić from the Zagreb brokerage Intercapital Securities argued in favour of investing in shares. He too described Croatian stocks as undervalued.

The joint investment conference featured 15 major public companies from both countries as well as 25 investment companies and banks and 34 analysts and investors from Slovenia, Croatia, Turkey, Estonia, Malta and Sweden.

The joint event is being held in Ljubljana for the first time, being usually held in Zagreb in spring. The Ljubljana Stock Exchange (LJSE) is part of the Zagreb Stock Exchange Group.

The CEO of the LJSE manager, Aleš Ipavec said the exchange was trying to diversify its client base and expand on the range of investors.

After NLB bank shares were listed on the LJSE prime market in November last year, Ipavec indicated the possibility of new listings on the standard market.

The LJSE also presented awards for best member, which went to Intercapital Securities, while Krka took the awards for best prime market share and for best investor relations.

Update - this story appears to be false, with more details here

Ghana Web reports that an unnamed Nigerian football player at an also unnamed Slovenian club has been fired six months’ after joining the team for getting the daughter of the club’s President pregnant. According to the story, four Nigerians currently play in Slovenia: Bede Osuji (ND Gorica), Temitope Nelson (NŠ Drava Ptuj), Gerald Chiyoke (team unknown) and Sulaiman Adedoja (team unknown).

The player has now returned to Nigeria, fearing public opinion in Slovenia, and is considering contacting FIFA to register a formal complaint at being fired for a personal matter. He is quoted as follows in the story:

The club got to know [that my girlfriend was pregnant] and summoned me for a meeting. I got there and admitted that I am responsible for the pregnancy and I was told to stay at home and not to be seen around the club premises until I am instructed to return.

A week later I was called to the office and told that my agent has been informed about their plans to terminate my contract for gross misconduct and indiscipline.

Now I don't know what will happen to her and the child since I'm back in Nigeria. They have forced her to block me on all social media platforms so we have not been communicating. The few friends I made at the club are also scared of speaking to me about her apparently they don't want to run into trouble with the team. I'm confused right now.

STA, 10 December 2019 - A fire broke out last evening at Ekol, a hazardous waste processing company in the area of Kranj, north-west, but has not polluted the air or water. It has, however, upset the locals, who are warning about the hazard the Laze industrial zone poses to the environment and public health.

Ekol estimates the damage caused by the fire, which over 100 local firefighters put out in two hours, at around EUR 40,000.

The site of the fire, which was visited by an inspector for natural and other disasters, is now safe and the company has already relaunched its business.

Preliminary tests carried out so far have shown no dangerous substances in the air or water, according to the Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief.

Kranj police excluded arson, saying the fire was caused by self-combustion in one of the containers with miscellaneous industrial waste under a projecting roof.

The fire then spread to another two containers and a truck nearby. Dangerous substances, stored at a different section of the company, did not ignite.

Ekol said today the waste from the 30-cubic-metre container with plastic waste, oil soaked rags, oils and air filters was destined to be incinerated abroad.

The fire spread to more than 100 square metres, and while 30 workers working at the industrial zone at the time were evacuated, nobody was injured.

Nevertheless, the locals from the near-by towns Laze and Stražišče are worried, even more so since several fires have broken out in hazardous waste processing companies around Slovenia in recent years, notably at Kemis in May 2017.

The locals have been warning about the hazards posed by the industrial zone for years, arguing it has an inadequate sewage and water infrastructure, which should either be properly upgraded or the industrial zone should be moved to another location.

They believe those who have issued environmental permits should be prosecuted and demand an independent review of all installations that could cause a large-scale pollution.

NGO Alpe Adria Green has said another two minor fires have broken out at Laze in recent years and emission of dangerous substances into the nearby brook has happened several times.

Since the industrial zone is located very close to homes, the NGO is worried that a major fire could put 500 to 1,000 residents of Laze and its surroundings in danger.

Playing down the worries, Tina Zupančič said Ekol was a different plant than Kemis, a Vrhnika-based company hit by a major fire which spelled an environmental disaster.

According to Zupančič, Ekol does not chemically treat waste, it merely sorts it before it is exported.

"Security at the company is at the highest level,", she said, explaining that two years ago Ekol had upgraded its fire safety, including by installing an automatic fire alert system, which provides for swift response in case of an emergency.

Last evening, the fire fighters were at the site five minutes after the alert alarm went off.

This does not convince Marko Špolad from a local civil initiative, who would like to see the results of full-fledged water tests before excluding the possibility of pollution of a nearby water source for the Škofja Loka and Ljubljana areas.

Špolad, who is afraid of an ecological disaster since Ekol has a permit to process 70 tonnes of hazardous waste a day, is determined the locals will fight such companies to leave the industrial zone.

In the wake of the collapse of Adria Airways, which cut 60% of Slovenian’s international seat capacity, four airlines have announced plans to boost their services to Ljubljana Airport next year, as reported on Ex-Yu Aviation.

British Airways will increase the number of flights between the Ljubljana and London from two to four per week, and will also start the season two months earlier than in 2019, with the connections running from May 22 until September 26. Aeroflot will launch a second daily flight from Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, starting March 29, while Air France will also offer to flights a day, up from seven a week this year. Finally, Montenegro Airlines is offering six flights a week to and from Podgorica, up from the three seen for most of this summer.

Other airlines, while not doubling their services, have also announced more frequent and convenient connections. For example Finnair will raise the number of flights from five a week to one a day at the height of the summer season. Travellers can also celebrate the fact that Lufthansa’s evening service from Frankfurt will from 29 March spend the night in Ljubljana, offering the chance to fly to Germany at a more civilised hour the next morning.