STA, 5 December 2019 - The government has adopted a national strategy on the prevention of terrorism and violent extremism which provides a basis for a systemic approach to reducing Slovenia's vulnerability to terrorism and violent extremism. The document is aligned with the recently passed resolution on national security.
The strategy aims to prevent radicalisation which leads to terrorism and violent extremism, and to protect residents against acts of terrorism and violent extremism, the Government Communication Office said after the government session on Thursday.
The document, which is largely preventive in nature, also aims to improve preparedness to take measures in the wake of an act of terror and to prosecute terrorists.
Its goals will now be specified in an action plan, the drafting of which will be coordinated by an inter-departmental anti-terrorism task force.
The same task force drafted the strategy, after it was tasked to do so by the National Security Council already in its previous term.
Activities and exchange of information in the field of terrorism and violent extremism prevention are coordinated by the country's national coordinator for the prevention of terrorism and violent extremism and the national coordinator for the prevention of radicalisation.
Intelligence agency SOVA director Rajko Kozmelj has just recently been appointed the national coordinator for the prevention of terrorism and violent extremism.
The Government Communication Office explained that Slovenia was one of a few EU members without a basic systemic document setting down a coordinated fight against terrorism and violent extremism.
The National Security Council, a government advisory body, also called on the government last month to draft legislation that would allow law enforcement to prosecute paramilitary militias which have recently sprung up and started to patrol the border to keep illegal migrants out.
The appeal came in the aftermath of increased activity by militias including the Štajerska Guard (Štajerska vlada), whose leader Andrej Šiško was sentenced to eight months in prison earlier this year for attempting to subvert the constitutional order.
The logo of Štajerska vlada, from the group's Facebook page
Militia leader requests deferral of jail sentence
STA, 6 December 2019 - Andrej Šiško, the self-styled leader of a militia that calls itself the Štajerska Guard (Štajerska vlada), has requested a deferral of a prison sentence that he received for incitement to subversion of the constitutional order.
Šiško told the STA he was to report to prison on Friday but submitted a formal request for deferral on Wednesday.
While sentenced to eight months in prison in March, Šiško had spent almost seven months in detention before and during his trial, time which counts towards his overall sentence.
Since the trial, Šiško and his militia have stepped up their activities, most notably by patrolling the border with Croatia in fatigues and faux weapons.
While their activities do not constitute criminal conduct under existing law, the government has already proposed legislative changes that would make it a crime for individuals or groups to imitate police border patrol activities.
Activities that impede the police in conducting border surveillance will also be banned.
STA, 6 December 2019 - Gabrijel Škof, the new chairman of Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH / Slovenski državni holding - SDH), believes the strategy for managing state assets needs to be revised and adjusted to the changes in the portfolio as well as economic and political changes.
The strategy for managing state assets was adopted in 2015 and a lot has changed since then in SSH's portfolio and also in business and politics, he said. "This alone is reason enough for a new strategy," Škof said in an interview with the STA.
He thinks the Finance Ministry is also aware of that, which is why talks on this had been under way even before he took over at SSH.
Now, the results of those talks will be revised and then the views of the new management will be sent to the ministry again, said Škof, former chief executive of insurer Adriatic Slovenica, who was appointed SSH chairman in August.
In 2016, SSH proposed changes to the classification of assets. Škof admits this is partly a political matter but thinks the valid strategies for individual fields must be taken into account here and that the classification must reflect that too.
Škof believes transferring the strategic investments to the state, which is envisaged by the end of 2020 by an amendment to the 2017 Slovenian compensation fund act, would mean that SSH would lose its financial independence and its independence in general.
Talks on this are under way with the finance minister, as the sources of the holding's financing will subsequently have to be determined anew.
"With the transfer of these investments SSH will lose its financial independence. Maybe somebody would say it will not lose its independence as such but I think these things are quite connected," Škof said, pointing to the OECD's guidelines for managing state-owned companies.
The SSH management is "pretty sure" that plans regarding the return on equity (ROE) in companies in which the state has a share will be realised. The ROE is to reach 5.9% in 2020.
"Even if the goal is 0.3 percentage points lower than the projection for this year, given the circumstances, a 5.9% profitability is quite optimistic," he said.
He expects no major impact from the projected slow-down of economic growth in 2020, so this was only part taken into account in the projections for 2020.
However, the slow-down is already starting to affect some areas, for example the transshipment at the port operator Luka Koper, cargo transport on roads and railways, and in particular orders in the automotive industry.
SSH meanwhile still awaits a government decision on the management of state investments in tourism.
Škof finds the proposal on the setting up of a state hospitality fund, tabled in July, sensible, given that the state holds a significant share in tourist companies. Currently, there is no synergy among them because they are so fragmented, he said.
He believes it would be best for SSH to manage the fund, but this would require some staffing reinforcement. "With the results we have been achieving in recent years, we have proved we can manage companies and increase profitability."
Škof also supports the idea about a potential entry of private capital into the fund's ownership. He could not, however, say how big a share of the fund could be offered to such investors.
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
There's not much news this morning, but this summary is provided by the STA:
Pivka group ups revenue, profit
PIVKA - The Pivka group finished 2018 with a higher revenue and profit than in 2017 despite challenges in meat sales and staffing issues, with its investment also record high. Revenue rose by 10% to EUR 57.26 million and net profit by 27% to EUR 1.38 million.
Star choreographer's masterpiece hits London Coliseum
LONDON, UK - Choreographer and artistic director of the acclaimed SNG Maribor Ballet company Edward Clug continues to make headlines. Clug's ensemble will put on two guest performances of his celebrated work Radio and Juliet at the London Coliseum, the West End's largest theatre, over the weekend.
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 in the euro zone and have some coins then there’s a chance you’ve got some icons of Slovenia in your pocket. This is because the EU allows countries to choose their own designs for the reverse sides of coins, and back in 2004 and 2005 Slovenia chose eight, one for each denomination. (Although if this comes up on quiz night, note that the country didn’t start using the currency until 1 January 2007.)
Each design represents something from Slovenian culture, which we’ll present below should you decide to take an interest in numismatics and want to collect the whole set, or find yourself left to your own devices, without a phone, friend or book, and only a pocketful of change for entertainment.
France Prešeren, the 19th century poet, appears on the two euro coin, as befits the man whose words would go on to become the Slovenian national anthem. Since there’s no attested authentic portrait of the man, despite the images of him you’ll often see, and the statue that stands in his namesake square in Ljubljana, his face is only shown in silhouette. However, the first line of the poem that’s used in the Slovenian anthem is shown in his handwriting: Žive naj vsi narodi (May all nations live).
Primož Trubar (1508 – 1586) is the other literary figure shown on Slovenian coinage, the author of the first two books printed in the Slovene language, Catechismus and Abecedarium, a religious work and one to help people learn the alphabet, respectively. Along with the man’s portrait the coin bears the words Stati inu Obstati (To exist and persevere).
Triglav is the tallest mountain in Slovenia, and “all true Slovenes” are supposed to climb it at least once in their lives. The triple peak, which is easier to see in stylized representations that real life, was used as a symbol by those fighting against occupation in World War 2 and can be seen on the Slovenian flag. Also shown on the coin, above the peak, is the constellation of Cancer, the sign of zodiac under which the nation finally achieved independence, on 23 December 1990. The inscription reads Oj Triglav moj dom (Oh Triglav, My Home).
While Austria makes a claim to Lipizzaner horses, because they served the imperial court under the Austro-Hungarian Empire, they were (and are) bred and trained in Lipica. The 20-cent coin shows two of them at play. The inscription says Lipicanec, or Lipizzaner.
Jože Plečnik is the architect mostly closely associated with Ljubljana, responsible for the Triple Bridge, Križanke, the Central Market, the Arcades, the National University Library and more (although not Dragon Bridge). The 10-cent coin shows one of his many unrealised and perhaps overambitious works – a structure formally known as the Slovene Acropolis or Cathedral of Freedom (Slovenska akropola / Katedrala svobode), with that latter name appearing along with the image. You can see more of Plečnik’s unrealised works for the city here.
The five-cent coin shows a man sowing seeds in a field, which – according to the Bank of Slovenia – represents the moment when a farmer is closest to God. The design is based on a famous painting called The Sower(Sejalec) by the Slovene impressionist Ivan Grohar, with can be found in the National Gallery.
This unassuming looking stump is in fact “the Prince’s Stone” (knežji kamen), the reversed base of an ancient Ionic column, thought to be from the Roman city of Claudium Virunum (today’s Zollfeld, Austria), which was used in the ceremony for the coronation of the Dukes of Carinthia.
The stork shown on the humble one-cent coin is a vestige of Slovenia’s pre-euro currency, the tolar, which lasted from 8 October 1991 to 1 January 2007. This motif originally appeared on the 20 tolar coin.
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina/PRISHTINA, Kosovo - Prime Minister Marjan Šarec will visit Slovenian troops serving in peacekeeping missions in Bosnia and Kosovo. BERLIN, Germany - Parliamentary Speaker Dejan Židan will meet President of the Bundestag Wolfgang Schäuble for informal talks. BRUSSELS, Belgium - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar will attend a session of the EU's Foreign Affairs Council. BRUSSELS, Belgium - Health Minister Aleš Šabeder will attend a meeting of EU ministers in charge of health. KOČEVJE - The signing of a sales and purchase agreement for a plot of land on which Yaskawa Europe Robotics plans to expand its existing production facility. LJUBLJANA - The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption will speak to the press as it marks the International Anti-Corruption Day. LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Health Committee will debate staff shortages in healthcare.
TUESDAY, 10 December BERLIN, Germany - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar will participate as a panellist in a high-level conference on human rights called Advocating Human Rights in the 21st Century. MADRID, Spain - Environment Minister Simon Zajc is expected to attend a ministerial meeting at the UN climate conference COP25. BRUSSELS, Belgium - Labour Minister Ksenija Klampfer will attend a session of the EU's Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council. LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Commission for Oversight of Intelligence and Security Services will debate hiring practices at intelligence agency SOVA. LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary EU Affairs Committee is expected to endorse Slovenia's position for the final part of negotiations on the EU's multi-year budget framework. TIRANA, Albania - Defence Ministry State Secretary Miloš Bizjak will attend a ministerial of the Adriatic Charter. LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary inquiry investigating the financing of political parties will interview security expert Denis Ćaleta. LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Agriculture, Forestry and Food Committee will debate food safety in the aftermath of revelations of problems at the national food safety administration. LJUBLJANA - The Statistics Office will release foreign trade and industrial production data for October. LJUBLJANA - An exhibition on the use of metals in Slovenian lands will open at the National Museum. LJUBLJANA - The Yugoslav Drama Theatre (JDP) from Belgrade will play Uncle Vanya at its Slovenian peer theatre SNG Drama Ljubljana.
WEDNESDAY, 11 December LUXEMBOURG - The EU Court solicitor general is expected to release their opinion on Slovenia's lawsuit against Croatia over the non-implementation of the border arbitration tribunal's award. LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Commission for Oversight of Public Finances will debate governance at state-owned Telekom Slovenije. LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Justice Committee will host a public presentation of opinions on proposed changes to the criminal code. ZADAR, Croatia - Defence Minister Karl Erjavec will attend the inauguration of an aircraft training centre set up in the framework of NATO's Multinational Special Aviation Programme. LJUBLJANA - The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption will host a debate on staffing at state-owned companies. LJUBLJANA - A Slovenia-Luxembourg business conference will be organised as a business delegation from Luxembourg pays a visit. LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor will host Prime Minister Marjan Šarec, Parliamentary Speaker Dejan Židan and National Council President Alojz Kovšca for an end-of-year reception. VILLACH, Austria - A selection of Slovenian films will be screened at a film festival under the sponsorship of the Slovenian Film Centre.
THURSDAY, 12 December BRUSSELS, Belgium - Prime Minister Marjan Šarec will be on hand for the EU summit dedicated to the European Green Deal and the bloc's next multi-year budget; until 13 December. BLED - Hungarian Defence Minister Tibor Benko will pay a working visit. LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary defence and home policy committees will debate an SDS-sponsored motion to activate an expansion of the army's policing powers for deployment on the border with Croatia. LJUBLJANA - Weekly government session. LJUBLJANA - Finance Minister Andrej Bertoncelj will present tax policy plans at a session of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) management board. LJUBLJANA - Shareholders of energy group Petrol will be informed about the causes of the termination of the previous management board and vote on whether there should be an audit of the company's operations going back five years. LJUBLJANA - The European Commission Representation in Slovenia will present the Slovenian chapter of a report on the state of health in the EU. LJUBLJANA - The assembly of ZZZS, the public health insurance, will debate the financial plan for next year. MURSKA SOBOTA - A monument dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the reunification with Prekmurje will be unveiled. LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's National Committee of the International Council of Museums will honour best museum projects recognised abroad.
FRIDAY, 13 December LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Finance Committee will examine amendments to the act on ship tonnage. LJUBLJANA - The Spanish Embassy will host a debate on climate change.
SATURDAY, 14 December LJUBLJANA - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will pay an official visit.
If you're not in town for the week of this guide (9 - 15 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, although bear in mind I'm moving house over the coming week and will be stressed, busy and possibly slow to respond. 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.
As with last week, and the next few, the biggest attraction is now the city itself – the lights set up, the stalls set out, and the streets full of locals and visitors, from outside Ljubljana and around the world. Move around, follow the lights, seek out some food and some music, and you’ll have enough fun without any plans.
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
The Castle has a festive fair, and it’s a great place to get a bird’s eye view of the city at night.
December 10 – 14 (Tuesday to Saturday) the seasonal Nutcracker (Hrestač) will be performed by SNG Opera in balet Ljubljana, although note that the video above is from a different ballet company (no good videos from Ljubljana online).
Elsewhere, on Wednesday (11/12) Cankerjev dom plays host to the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra at 20:00, playing – not Liszt – but Mozart and Beethoven.
Thursday the stage at Kino Šiška will be held by GWAR, while on Friday you can enjoy My Baby. Then on Saturday it’s the turn of the Prince’s one-time backing band New Power Generation.
Friday is jazz night at the Castle, and at 21:00 there’s a show by Swingatan. Tatovi podob / Image Snatchers have an early new year show at Klub Gromka on Saturday, 21:00 to 03:00, bringing their form of technoburlesque to Metelkova.
Saturday (14/12) sees the start of a series of free concerts in Novi trg from 18:00 to 21:00. The show on Sunday is Milizza - Sting & Police Tribute Band. On Sunday Ljubljana’s home of metal, Orto Bar, you can see Archspire, Beneath the Massacre, Vulvodynia, and Inferi.
New movies on this week include the following:
New or recent movies this week include the following, with the usual warning that kids' films are usually shown dubbed:
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.
The covers and editorials from leading weeklies of the Left and Right for the work-week ending Friday, 6 December
Mladina: Macron is right, NATO is brain dead
STA, 6 December 2019 - In its latest commentary, Mladina agrees with French President Emmanuel Macron's assessment that NATO is brain dead, as it has been proven by the acts of Turkey and the US. The weekly says this could actually be good news for those who already think that Slovenia has no business being a NATO member state.
"Of course Macron is right. What will be the next thing that NATO members, including Slovenia, will have to swallow," Grega Repovž, the editor-in-chief of the left-leaning weekly, wonders under the headline Of Course NATO is Dead!.
He notes that Slovenia, as a NATO member state, has apparently not been informed that "another member state will carry out ethnic cleansing of Kurds on the Syrian side of the Turkey-Syria border", adding that consulting other members is an obligation written down in the North Atlantic Treaty.
If no one but Macron is protesting, it is our obligation to conclude that NATO member states, including Slovenia, had been informed about Turkey's intentions and that they had decided to tolerate them. "Can we conclude that the US consulted other members when it decided to exit the international nuclear deal with Iran?".
Repovž argues that neither Turkey nor the US cared what other NATO members thought. "Why? Because they don't take it seriously. For the US and Turkey, NATO has been clinically dead long ago - and they don't care if they violated the alliance's rules."
This is why Macron's words should be taken seriously by those who actually believe in NATO and in its mission. It is about those, in fear of Trump's America and Erdogan's Turkey, are being "calculated in tolerating the usurping of international law and rules, and destroying any credibility in the long run".
Repovž also wonders how it will be possible for NATO members to point a finger at Russia for violating democratic standards or criticise China if they tolerate grave violations of these standards by their allies.
"NATO is brain dead - Turkey and the US have shown this with their actions, and Macron with words. Which could be good news for all those who already think that Slovenia has no business being in this organisation," concludes the commentary.
Demokracija: Govt cares more for state apparatus than citizens
STA, 5 December 2019 - Demokracija says in its latest commentary that the government of Marjan Šarec does not only have the pathological desire for full control and for suffocating the free business initiative with regulation, but that it, first and foremost, cares more for the state apparatus than citizens.
"Just take a look at the budget: nine tenths will go for wages, material costs, welfare and other transfers, and only a tenth for investments," says Jože Biščak, the editor-in-chief of the right-leaning weekly.
Investments are something all citizens not only certain groups of people benefit from, which should be the purpose of public financing, he adds under the headline Doors Without a Lock.
"But the government says that citizens have obligations towards it. Of course, this is not true. In modern societies, governments have obligations towards citizen, and they as executive bodies have the power to decide only in rare cases."
These are defence of the population (military), maintaining order and peace (police) and making unbiased rulings in disputes (judiciary). "Everything else is abuse of authority, as the government must serve to citizens and not vice versa."
According to Biščak, Šarec and "his comrades", which make up by far the worst government in independent Slovenia, have "brought their authoritarian perversions to the point where they actually threaten democracy and freedom."
Their measures are ranking from "fully subordinating" the National Security Council and the intelligence agency SOVA, to heavily fining "free gathering of people into village guards" and persecuting media and opposition leaders.
If stricter forms of punishment were used in socialism, more sophisticated measures are available in the digital era, which force an individual to lose any desire for freedom and let themselves be controlled by the state.
"It is not socialism as such anymore, but a perfidious form of progressive democracy, which calls itself democratic socialism, where the deep state has the desire to control literally everything with help from a mass of loyal bureaucrats."
According to Demokracija, citizens are becoming prisoners of modern-day government despots. "When you are terrorised and exploited by the government, which uses the most detestable methods in the process, you have nowhere to go. But then you know what you have to do."
STA, 6 December 2019 - Luka Dončić has been named Sports Illustrated's 2019 Breakout of the Year in what is only the latest in a series of titles won by the 20-year-old Slovenian NBA superstar.
"Each year, sports fans witness a performance that someday we'll look back on as the moment that a star was born," which is the "spirit of achievement and arrival" that the American sports magazine honours.
The Breakout of the Year title winners in recent years been US NFL footballer Alvin Kamara, Cameroon basketball player Joel Embiid and Puerto Rican baseball player Francisco Lindor.
The Dallas Mavericks small forward, who made his debut in the US National Basketball Association (NBA) in 2018, was named NBA player of the month for October and November.
He also holds the record for the most triple-doubles by a player before his 21st birthday in NBA history and currently leads the NBA in triple-doubles.
After 19 games this season Dončić ranks third in the league in scoring (30.6 points), second in assists per game (9.6) and 15th in rebounding (9.9 rebounds per game).
Sports Illustrated will present the Breakout of the Year honour at its Sportsperson of the Year event in New York on 9 December.
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
Official at centre of arbitration scandal seeks withdrawal of parliamentary report
LJUBLJANA - Simona Drenik Bavdek, the official at the centre of a scandal that led to Croatia renouncing the border arbitration procedure, demands the withdrawal of a report by the parliamentary Commission for Oversight of Intelligence and Security Services that pins the blame on her. She asked Speaker Dejan Židan to remove the report from the National Assembly's website and from the agenda of the next plenary and plans to seek an Administrative Court injunction if her request is not granted.
Cerar, Di Maio agree solutions at EU level needed for migrations
ROME, Italy - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar and his Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio called for EU-level solutions to tackle migrations. Such solutions "must include enhanced protection of the EU's external borders, reform of asylum law and cooperation with third countries," the Foreign Ministry said. The meeting came on the margins of Rome Med 2019 - Mediterranean Dialogues, a high-level conference dedicated to Mediterranean and Middle Eastern issues at which Cerar participated in a panel on migrations.
Govt adopts positions for final stage of EU budget talks
LJUBLJANA - The government adopted positions for the final stage of negotiations on the EU's next long-term budget. Those remain confidential, but unofficial information indicates that Slovenia will try to reduce cutbacks to cohesion funds that are being proposed by the Finnish presidency. The draft negotiating positions on the Council's proposal for the multi-annual financial framework for 2021-2027 and guidelines for the final stage of talks will now be debated by the National Assembly before EU leaders, among them PM Marjan Šarec, discuss the proposal in Brussels next week.
IMAD: Raising production key to Slovenia's future development
LJUBLJANA - A productivity report compiled by IMAD, the government's macroeconomic think tank, shows that increasing productivity will be key to Slovenia's economic and social development, and to achieve the goal, innovation and R&D will have to be enhanced . "The future economic and social development will vitally depend on the ability to enhance productivity growth, for which innovation and R&D will have to be boosted," IMAD director Maja Bednaš told the press as she presented the report. The state should increase investment, provide for an encouraging and predictable business environment, strengthen cooperation, facilitate adequate training of human resources and secure adequate infrastructure.
New SSH chairman calls for new strategy in managing state assets
LJUBLJANA - Gabrijel Škof, the new chairman of Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH), believes the strategy for managing state assets needs to be revised and adjusted to the changes in the portfolio as well as economic and political changes. The strategy for managing state assets was adopted in 2015 and a lot has changed since then in SSH's portfolio and also in business and politics, he said. "This alone is reason enough for a new strategy," Škof told the STA, adding that talks with the Finance Ministry had been under way even before he took over at SSH in August.
Fortenova hopes open issues regarding Mercator resolved by year's end
LJUBLJANA - Fortenova, the owner of Croatian conglomerate Agrokor's healthy assets, has confirmed the goal of resolving open issues regarding Slovenian retailer Mercator by the end of the year, after holding talks with Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek. "We clearly have common objectives [regarding] Mercator and are completely aligned on the interdependency of local suppliers with Mercator and on importance of keeping Mercator headquarters in Ljubljana for the next several years," Fortenova chairman Maxim Poletaev said.
Malgaj Lenarčič's top aide, Kocijančič in Varhelyi's cabinet
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Slovenia's European Commissioner Janez Lenarčič has appointed Matjaž Malgaj as head of his team, while Maja Kocijančič is the only Slovenian in a cabinet of another commissioner. Malgaj has already served as head of the cabinet of former Slovenian Commissioner Janez Potočnik while Kocijančič served as spokesperson for the EU's foreign policy chief for the past ten years, first for Catherine Ashton and then Federica Mogherini.
Self-styled militia leader requests deferral of jail sentence
LJUBLJANA - Andrej Šiško, the self-styled leader of a militia that calls itself the Štajerska Guard, has requested a deferral of a prison sentence that he received for incitement to subversion of the constitutional order. Šiško told the STA he was to report to prison on Friday but submitted a formal request for deferral on Wednesday. While sentenced to eight months in prison in March, Šiško had spent almost seven months in detention before and during his trial, time which counts towards his overall sentence.
Dončić named Sports Illustrated Breakout of the Year
NEW YORK, US - Luka Dončić has been named Sports Illustrated's 2019 Breakout of the Year in what is only the latest in a series of titles for the 20-year-old Slovenian NBA star. "Each year, sports fans witness a performance that someday we'll look back on as the moment that a star was born," which is the "spirit of achievement and arrival" that the American sports magazine honours. The Dallas Mavericks small forward, who made his debut in the US National Basketball Association (NBA) in 2018, was also named NBA player of the month for October and November.
Women handballers out of medal contention at world championship
KUMAMOTO, Japan - The Slovenian women's national handball team has failed to advance to the main round of the World Championship and eventually battle for medals as it lost to Serbia 27:29 in the last match of the preliminary round today. Serbia sent Slovenia to the brackets in which teams will play the play-off for places 13-24. Slovenia may thus still improve on their 14th place from the previous world championship in 2017. The best result ever (8th place in 2003) is meanwhile out of reach as Slovenia are making their sixth appearance at such tournaments.
Slovenia to participate in UEFA eEURO 2020
LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Football Association (NZS) is joining the first ever UEFA-sponsored national-team efootball championship. Slovenia will compete with two gamers, who will be picked in national tournaments. "UEFA is organising a European championship in simulation football for the first time in history, involving 55 UEFA national associations," NZS secretary-general Martin Koželj announced. To nominate their national teams, each national association will hold a tournament, either online or at special events. In Slovenia, the tournament will be held in December.
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
What follows is a weekly review of events involving Slovenia, as prepared by the STA.
If you’d like to keep up on the daily headlines then follow those here, or get all our stories in your feed on Facebook.
FRIDAY, 29 November LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's economy expanded by 2.3% at the annual level in the third quarter of the year or a seasonally adjusted 2%, the slowest rate in three years, as growth continued to decelerate in line with predictions, the Statistics Office said. LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed a mini pension reform, amendments to the pension and disability insurance act that will raise the pension base for men to equate it with women's and offer incentives to those who continue working after meeting retirement requirements. LJUBLJANA - Inspectors reported irregularities in the hiring practices at the Slovenian Intelligence and Security Agency (SOVA), in a case connected with the employment of a friend of Prime Minister Marjan Šarec. But Lidija Apohal Vučkovič, the chief inspector, said they were not of the kind that had been mentioned in the public and did not warrant action beyond guidance for the future. LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed amendments to the labour market regulation act that significantly increase the minimum monthly unemployment benefit while stiffening eligibility conditions across the board. The minimum benefit will be raised from EUR 350 to EUR 530 gross. LJUBLJANA - NLB, Slovenia's largest bank, posted a group net profit of EUR 162.2 million for the first nine months of 2019, up 2% over the same period last year. All banks within the group generated profit, with the parent company's profit rising by 21% to almost EUR 163 million. KOPER - Luka Koper, the operator of Slovenia's sole maritime port, reported its nine-month net profit drop by 29% year-on-year to EUR 34.5 million. Net sales revenue rose by 3% in the period to EUR 173.8 million. LJUBLJANA - Consumer prices in Slovenia grew at an annual rate of 1.4% in November, which is level with the month before. On the monthly level, prices grew by 0.1%. The annual inflation was driven by higher prices of services and goods, the Statistics Office said.
SATURDAY, 30 November MARIBOR - PM Marjan Šarec dismissed criticism about border security and said police were doing a fine job protecting the EU's external border, as he addressed a ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of Operation North, a police campaign which prevented a disputed rally that Serbian nationalists wanted to stage in Ljubljana. LJUBLJANA/KOPER - The police officer who was injured in the 2016 shooting at the Izola general hospital is suing the state for damages, media reported. He is still on a sick leave, while the damages he received from insurers did not cover his costs. He also wants compensation for physical and emotional pain.
SUNDAY, 1 December LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor commented on the latest row over the parliamentary report on the arbitration intelligence scandal in a televised interview, finding that while the report was useful for the country, its publication at the moment was not. MURSKA SOBOTA - The new religious leadership of the Slovenian protestant community formally took over as Leon Novak was installed bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church succeeding Geza Filo and Geza Erniša before him. Novak likened himself to the captain of a ship using the Bible as a navigational aid. LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian police recorded 14,066 illegal crossings of the border in the first ten months of the year, up 72% year-on-year, the latest statistics showed. The number of people who expressed the wish to stay in Slovenia was also up, from 3,952 to 4,441, but the figures show most people treat Slovenia as a transit country. LJUBLJANA - An idiosyncratic graphic novel that was originally released in instalments on Facebook won the Grand Prix for book of the year at the Slovenian Book Fair. "Vinjete Straholjubca" (The Bête Noire Vignettes) is a joint project by writer Eva Mahkovic and illustrator Eva Mlinar.
MONDAY, 2 December BELGRADE, Serbia - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar met his Serbian counterpart Ivica Dačić as he started an official two-day visit to Serbia dedicated to preparations for a joint 17 December government session. Cerar said Slovenia would make an effort for EU enlargement to the Western Balkans to be given a fresh impetus with the new European Commission. BRUSSELS, Belgium - Interior Minister Boštjan Poklukar told a session of the EU's Justice and Home Affairs Council that Slovenia advocated a comprehensive approach to migrations in the future EU migration and asylum policy. The underlying goal must be to reduce illegal migrations, he said. LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly overturned both vetoes the upper chamber imposed last week to block the state budget for 2020 and 2021, meaning the 2020 budget will start to be implemented on 1 January as planned. Prime Minister Marjan Šarec said common sense had prevailed. LJUBLJANA - Opposition Democrat (SDS) leader Janez Janša said he expected "an early election sooner or later" because the government coalition is running out of "candy" to distribute among voters, "which will cause big trouble". If fragmented, minority governments do not last long, Janša said.
TUESDAY, 3 December BELGRADE, Serbia - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar continued his official visit to Serbia by meeting President Aleksandar Vučić, who hailed Slovenia's active engagement in the Western Balkan Region. The pair discussed bilateral economic cooperation, succession to the former Yugoslavia and Slovenia's support for EU enlargement. LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Slovenia, the European Commission and Croatia presented to the General Court of the European Union their arguments in a case related to a derogation enabling Croatia to use Teran as the name of a red wine protected by Slovenia. A ruling is expected by the end of next year. LJUBLJANA - A parliamentary commission inquiring into the prosecution of former Maribor Mayor Franc Kangler, which had been thwarted by the Constitutional Court, said it planned to file a criminal complaint against two judges at the court, Rajko Knez and judge Matej Accetto, arguing they had acted unlawfully and arbitrarily in decisions connected with the commission's work. LJUBLJANA - The results of Slovenian 15-year-olds in reading, scientific and mathematical literacy tests are above the OECD average, shows the recent PISA study. Compared to the previous such study, the students have come off as less accomplished in reading and science literacy though. LJUBLJANA - Turkish builder Cengiz announced it had won the contract to build the Slovenian section of the second tube of the Karavanke motorway tunnel, as the motorway company concluded talks with three bidders. The decision is yet to be confirmed by the DARS management. LJUBLJANA - The central bank warned that there were "substantial downside risks" in budgetary plans for 2020 and 2021 that the National Assembly confirmed in a revote. The risks "stem from a possible acceleration of the slowing of economic growth," it said.
WEDNESDAY, 4 December LONDON, UK - After attending a NATO summit in London, PM Marjan Šarec said he was happy that NATO leaders had again shown unity, solidarity and effort for democracy. While there were disagreements between some members states ahead of the meeting, he said everything had been settled during the discussion, which he described as constructive. LJUBLJANA - The migration crisis, security issues, EU enlargement, and nuclear waste management were discussed as President Borut Pahor met the presidency of Bosnia-Herzegovina at the outset of an official two-day visit. Pahor said that Slovenia supported Bosnia and respected its results despite the numerous challenges it faced. BRUSSELS, Belgium - In the wake of last week's earthquake, Slovenia's European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič left for Albania for his first official visit after taking over as EU commissioner. The visit was designed to assess the extent of aid the country needs after the quake. LJUBLJANA - Parliamentary Speaker Dejan Židan urged the government to declare a climate crisis in Slovenia to ensure the necessary resources for drawing up a comprehensive strategy to fight climate change. He based his appeal on conclusions reached at a climate change debate at the National Assembly last month. NAPLES, Italy - Environment Minister Simon Zajc called for cooperation among all countries in the Mediterranean at a Barcelona Convention ministerial. He urged joint efforts for sustainable development and preservation of natural resources.
THURSDAY, 5 December LJUBLJANA - Mercator's bankrupt Croatian owner Agrokor and the newly established Fortenova group, which has taken over Agrokor's assets, reported the Slovenian Economy Ministry led by Zdravko Počivalšek to the European Commission over his interference in the transfer of Slovenian retailer Mercator to Fortenova. Počivalšek said he had been merely striving to protect Slovenian suppliers under existing competition rules and had always been open about his intentions. LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a national strategy on the prevention of terrorism and violent extremism which lays the groundwork for a systemic approach to reducing Slovenia's vulnerability to terrorism and violent extremism. The strategy aims to prevent radicalisation, and protect residents against acts of terrorism and violent extremism. BRATISLAVA, Slovakia - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar reiterated his call for effective multilateralism at the 26th OSCE ministerial. He stressed the importance of OSCE for improving democratic processes. LJUBLJANA - The government revealed plans to invest EUR 5.6 billion in transport and transport infrastructure in 2020-2025. Under the plan, the funds will be spent on air and maritime transport, investments in and reconstruction of state roads and toll roads, modernisation of railways, sustainable measures and traffic control. LJUBLJANA - The Administrative Court decided that several documents pertaining to treatment of migrants and asylum seekers on the state border are public information, ordering the Interior Ministry and the police to disclose the documents. LJUBLJANA - The District Court of Koper initiated bankruptcy proceedings for Istrabenz, a once mighty financial holding, as the request of the Bank Assets Management Company (BAMC), its biggest creditor. The move is designed to give BAMC control of Istrabenz's remaining assets.
STA, 5 December 2019 - The government adopted on Thursday a 2020-2025 plan of investments in transport and transport infrastructure. Investments totalling EUR 5.6 billion are planned in the next six years.
Under the plan, the funds will be spent on air and maritime transport, investments in and reconstruction of state roads and toll roads, modernisation of railways, sustainable measures and traffic control.
EUR 653 million will be earmarked next year, EUR 718 million in 2021 and EUR 1.1 billion in the following year.
The funding will drop somewhat, to EUR 992.5 million in 2023, and will be almost level in 2024 (EUR 997.5 million), while reaching the highest annual value in 2025, EUR 1.15 billion.
Between EUR 431.9 million and EUR 453 million will be available annually for regular maintenance of roads and railways, and public transportation subsidies.
While the funding of railways and sustainable mobility is increasing, the amount of planned funds for state roads and toll roads is lower than that planned in the resolution on the national transport development programme.
The biggest departure is observed in roads, where investments in construction and reconstruction are being delayed for the coming years.
While the Infrastructure Agency received EUR 260 million and EUR 280 million in 2018 and 2019, respectively, as planned in the resolution, the funds are being reduced to EUR 212 million and EUR 213 million in 2020 and 2021.
The government said it would start revising next year the resolution to take into account the national energy and climate plan and studies of regional railway lines, including the Ljubljana railway hub.
Image: Nejc Bernik. ZRC-SAZU
