Keep up with the daily news in Slovenia by checking the morning headlines here. What to find out what happened last week in Slovenia? Look no further.

The following schedule was prepared by the STA:

MONDAY, 11 November
        LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary inquiry commission investigating the late-2013 bank bailout will interview the finance and prime minister at the time, Aleš Čufer and Alenka Bratušek.
        LJUBLJANA - The Employment Service will talk about a shortage of labour force.
        LJUBLJANA - Employees at the national postal company are expected to go on strike.
        LJUBLJANA - Days of Slovenian Tourism, a three-day event for tourism industry professionals, will kick off.
        NURSULTAN, Kazakhstan - Danilo Türk, Slovenia's former president, will attend the annual meeting of the Astana Club.
        LJUBLJANA - A selection of books from the Frankfurt Book Fair will be displayed at the Frankfurt after Frankfurt show, until 16 November.

TUESDAY, 12 November
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - Defence Minister Karl Erjavec will attend a session of the EU's Foreign Affairs Council in the format of defence ministers discussing cooperation between the EU and NATO.
        GENEVA, Switzerland - A delegation headed by Foreign Minister Miro Cerar will present Slovenia's report on the state of human rights at a session of a UN Human Rights Council working group.
        LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor will host another round of talks on changes to electoral law.
        LJUBLJANA - Next Round, a showcase of Slovenian startups for Slovenian and foreign investors.
        LJUBLJANA - Some 150 representatives from 20 countries are expected to take part in the Ljubljana Creative Forum, organised by the Foreign Ministry, Union for the Mediterranean and German Agency for International Cooperation; until 15 Nov.

WEDNESDAY, 13 November
        LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee will discuss plans for an expansion of Slovenia's consular network.
        LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Justice Committee will hold a public presentation of views on the long-awaited amendments to the integrity and prevention of corruption act.
        LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary inquiry into prosecution of former Maribor Mayor Franc Kangler will interview State Prosecutor General Drago Šketa.
        LJUBLJANA - AmCham, the US chamber of commerce in Slovenia, will host a business breakfast dedicated to artificial intelligence and virtual reality.
        LJUBLJANA - Employers will hold their annual get-together.
        LJUBLJANA - The 30th Ljubljana International Film Festival will start, running until 24 November.

THURSDAY, 14 November
        PORTOROŽ - The start of the two-day Portorož Business Conference, one of the biggest business conferences in Slovenia.
        LJUBLJANA - Insurer Zavarovalnica Triglav is scheduled to release its financial statements for the third quarter.
        LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Directors' Association will host a conference on corporate governance.
        LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly and several NGOs will host a debate on climate change.
        LJUBLJANA - The weekly government session.
        LJUBLJANA - The opening of the 26th Design Biennial BIO; until 9 February.
        LJUBLJANA - An exhibition on the achievements of early new age in Ljubljana (1500-1800) will be launched in the City Museum.

FRIDAY, 15 November
        ŠKOFJA LOKA - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar and Bavarian Europe Minister Florian Herrmann will be on hand for an EU Commission-sponsored debate on the future of the EU.
        LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Finance Committee will debate amended budget documents for 2020 and 2021.
        LJUBLJANA - Energy group Petrol is scheduled to release its financial statements for the third quarter.
        ŽELEZNIKI - Janez Janša, Lojze Peterle, Marjan Podobnik and Aleš Primc will take part in an event in memory of independence figure Ivan Oman (1929-2019).
        LJUBLJANA - Environment Minister Simon Zajc will sign an agreement with an association of municipalities aimed at reducing the use of plastic cutlery.
        NOVA GORICA - The 20th Pixxelpoint, a festival of contemporary artistic practices will open; until 23 November.
        LJUBLJANA - Ana Plamenita, a street theatre festival dedicated to fire shows; until 16 November.
        LJUBLJANA - The period kicks in when winter gear for cars is mandatory; until 15 march.
        LJUBLJANA - A traditional Slovenian breakfast will be served on Slovenian Food Day.
        LJUBLJANA - The Statistics Office will release pay average data for September.

SATURDAY, 16 November
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia will face off Latvia in the penultimate round of qualifying for the Euro 2020.

SUNDAY, 17 November
        MARIBOR - The opposition conservative party New Slovenia (NSi) will meet for a conference to endorse a reformed party platform.

STA, 9 November 2019 - Postal workers in Slovenia will go on strike on Monday as the Trade Union of Postal Workers and the management of the national postal company Pošta Slovenije have failed to find common ground on the workers' demands, including higher wages, after the move was announced two weeks ago.

The strike was confirmed on Saturday after another round of unsuccessful talks, with Karmen Lebe Grajf, who represents Pošta Slovenije in the negotiations, announcing a new round for the next week.

The Trade Union of Postal Workers had announced the strike of employees of the national postal operator and its sheltered workshop for 11 November two weeks ago, saying that regular social dialogue would not do this time.

The union demands the number of employees to be increased by 300 so that Pošta Slovenije could meet its obligations and the workers could perform a normal number of hours.

It has also demanded a 10% raise in wages as they believe that the current wages are too low considering the nature and conditions of work.

The newspaper Delo reported at the time the trade union saying that the management of Pošta Slovenije had been rejecting its proposals in the past few months and had not been willing to talk about them.

Lebe Grajf recently said that the two sides had managed to come closer regarding certain points, while the demand for 10% higher wages remained open.

She said that a raise for 2019 and 2020 had already been agreed in February, and that an additional raise would have significant financial consequences on the company's operation.

"It would mean that labour costs would increase in 2020 by an additional EUR 12 million," she said, noting that the February agreement would increase operating costs by EUR 17.7 million.

In line with the trade union's announcement, the strike will start on Monday in the postal and logistics centres. All postal services the company is required to provide under the relevant law and the strike act will be provided.

According to Lebe Grajf, the strike will be felt when it comes to shipping of advertisements, parcels heavier than 10 kg, payment services and some other services, such as sale of goods.

Pošta Slovenije, which does not know how many workers will join the strike, added that the talks would continue next week, but not as early as Monday.

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:

SD congress confirms ambition for green and social future

VELENJE - Around 300 delegates of the junior coalition Social Democrats (SD) gathered for a programme and statute congress to confirm guidelines for future work, which launch the process of turning green and left, based on three packages - social, green and development packages. A part of the SD's programme is a plan for green investments worth more than EUR 30 billion for the next ten years, for facilitated investment in social, energy, transport, digital and development infrastructure. Delivering the introductory address earlier in the day, SD president Dejan Židan said he wanted to take the SD further, as he had a clear and convincing vision, adding that the party would make a shift to the "green and to the left".

Postal workers to go on strike on Monday

LJUBLJANA - Postal workers in Slovenia will go on strike on Monday as the Trade Union of Postal Workers and the management of the national postal company Pošta Slovenije have failed to find common ground on the workers' demands, including 10% higher wages, after the move was announced two weeks ago. The strike was confirmed after another round of unsuccessful talks, with Karmen Lebe Grajf, who represents Pošta Slovenije in the negotiations, announcing a new round for the next week. The employees of the national postal operator and its sheltered workshop for 11 November two weeks ago, saying that regular social dialogue would not do this time. The talks will continue next week, but not as early as Monday.

Kučan discusses Europe and Slovenia 30 years after Berlin Wall

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's first President Milan Kučan told Delo that the fall of the Berlin Wall 30 years ago was a historic moment, with Europe being ready to overcome divisions from the Cold War, but that the subsequent processes have not been as reciprocal as some had hoped. He said there were different expectations, but their common foundation was that the fall of the Berlin Wall brings a promised period of Europe without differences, with nations committed to the same values and building the future together. "When the happy moment came, it somewhat blurred the reality and objective differences. Later on, they became even more pronounced, especially given the expectations of the enlargement of European integration to the east."

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

In 1456 Ulrik II, the last male member of the Counts of Celje was murdered in Belgrade, which meant the end of the House of Celje and the Habsburgs inheriting their lands.

The Counts of Celje were one of the most successful feudal families that emerged in the present-day Slovenia, and seriously challenged the early dominance of the Habsburgs. The Counts were elevated to the rank of Princes in 1436, mostly thanks to a successful series of military campaigns and the marriage policies of Hermann II, the grandfather of Ulrik II.

Hermann II managed to establish a relationship of trust with King and later Emperor Sigismund of Luxemburg, expand his family’s territories from Styria deep into the Balkans and set the stage for his grandchild Ulrik II to attempt to take the Hungarian throne.

In 1388 Hermann II arranged the marriage of his first born son Frederick III with Elisabeth of the Frankopans, both babies at the time. Hermann’s goal was to establish a principality – a political entity subservient directly and only to the King. The marriage with the Frankopans, a Croat noble family, would help ease resistance in Slavonia that started to build up against the House of Celje due to its expansion into the Balkans. He also managed to secure a generous dowry that Elisabeth brought into the family, which included several estates in Kvarner on the Adriatic coast.

While the engaged were growing up, each with their own families, Hermann II made a smart move by joining King Sigismund of Luxemburg in his 1396 Crusade of Nicopolis, which was to save Constantinople and Byzantine Empire from the Ottoman Turks. During the campaign he saved Sigismund’s life and the King promised him to marry his daughter Barbara in return. Through this marriage, Barbara, once old enough, became the Empress of the Holy Roman Empire after Sigismund was elected Emperor in 1433.

The plans Hermann II had for his oldest son, Frederick II, however, didn’t go as he envisioned. When Elisabeth and Frederick were finally married in 1404 or 1405, they did not get along very well. Elisabeth gave birth to two boys, Ulrik II and Frederick III, the latter dying in early childhood. The couple lived separately from 1415 until Elisabeth’s suspicious death in 1422. How and where Elisabeth died is not very clear. According to one of the stories, especially popular among Frankopans who wanted Elisabeth’s dowry back, Frederick II strangled her so that he could get married with his mistress, Veronika of Desenice.

In 1424 or 1425 Veronica of Desenice and Frederick II of Celje got married, and Frederick built the Friedrichstein Castle above Kočevje, where they would presumably live happily ever after.

With this marriage he fell out of favour not only with the Frankopans, who took back control of the territories that had been included in Elisabeth’s dowry, but also his father Hermann II, whose political achievements he wasted, and the Hungarian court under King Sigismund, who felt obligated to his father. 

In 1425 Frederick II applied for asylum in Venice, claiming that his father and the Hungarian court were attempting to kill him and his wife, but the senate of the city state turned him down. Somehow King Sigismund managed to lure Frederick to his court where he was captured and handed over to his father, who threw him in jail and demolished Friedrichstein Castle.

Veronica was hiding in monasteries and forests until she was captured as well. In order to clear his son’s name in front of other noble families, Hermann headed to court accusing Veronica of witchcraft. He failed, the court found her not guilty. Hermann II then jailed Veronica in Ojstrica castle where she was drowned in a tub by Hermann’s guard on October 14, 1425.

Frederick, however, didn’t stay in prison for very long. In 1426 his only remaining brother Hermann III died. The only heirs of the Counts of Celje now were Frederick II and his son Ulrik II, so Hermann II released his son from jail.

Hermann II, however, was still reluctant to entrust Frederick with the management of the family estates. In 1429 Frederick II was given the title Count of Zagorje by King Sigismund of Hungary, something Hermann probably opposed. In 1435 Frederick II rebelled against his father by demanding concessions from the Hungarian King, now also the Holy Roman Emperor, placing Sigismund in the middle of the dispute he had with his father. These troubles stopped with Hermann’s death. On November 30, 1436, Frederick II and Ulrik II were elevated to the ranks of Princes, which came with the power granted to them over jurisdiction, currency production and mining.

The Princes of Celje now became legal contesters for the Empire’s crown, which endangered the unity of the Habsburg estates. Between the years of 1436 and 1443 a war ensued between the two families. Although the House of Celje proved stronger on the battlefield, they had to accept a ceasefire as by then Frederick III of the Habsburgs was already crowned a King. In 1443 a mutual inheritance contract was signed by the two families in case of dynastic extinction.

Meanwhile, Emperor Sigismund died in 1437, which triggered the succession crisis for the Hungarian crown. Ulrik II entered the intrigues that followed, and Frederick II helped by engaging in diplomatic missions, mobilizing the family’s vast connections abroad. Frederick II died in 1454, and a year later second Ulrik’s son died as well, rendering Urlic II the sole surviving heir of the House of Celje.

In 1456 Ulrik II was assassinated by the rival House of Hunyadis from Transylvania, while accompanying Hungarian King Ladislav to Belgrade. This meant that the House of Celje was extinct and according to the mutual inheritance contract, the Habsburgs became legal heirs of their estates, setting the stage for the Austrian Empire. 

If you're not in town for the week of this guide (11 - 17 November, 2019) then you can see all the editions here, and if there's event or activity you want to promote in a future edition of What's on in Ljubljana please get in touch with me at flanner(at)total-slovenia-news.com or try and find me on Facebook. If you want something a little different and easy to print, then a comprehensive PDF of events for the next seven days, as prepared by Ljubljana Tourism, is here. If you're in town and want to follow the news then check out our regular morning headlines for Slovenia here.

Jump to listings

From Tuesday, 13 November until 24 there’s LIFFE - Ljubljana International Film Festival. This has films long and short, from all over, and in all styles, so if you’re interested check out the full schedule here. Note – check the language of the soundtrack and subtitles if needed.

Tuesday sees the opening of an interesting looking show at Galerija Vžigalica Saeborg: Klavnica 17 / Slaughterhouse 17, as seen in the image at the top of this story.

Wednesday to Friday Festival Grounded 2019 is in town, “a festival of electronic music, critical thinking and activism that addresses current social issues by combining the seemingly incompatible: deinstitutionalised theoretical debates, every day social activism and progressive electronic club culture”. The theme is automation and power, and details are here

Thursday and Friday, 15 and 15 November, 16:00 to 21:00 the Slovenian Wine Festival is coming to Cankarjev dom, bringing wine lovers together for tastings, lectures, workshops and move, for €30 euros a ticket. Details here.

Thursday 20:00 Kino Šiška has a show from The Tiger Lillies, while the same time Saturday Lagwagon are there. Friday night Petar Grašo is at Arena Stožice and tickets are here. On Saturday you can head to K4 and enjoy drum’n’bass all night at K4DNB, with the sounds lined up by 2 Green, Rak3ta, LionShine, Kryptønite, and Skinitch.

Saturday SNG Opera and Ballet have a performance of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Sunday, 17 November, Prifarski muzikanti are at Cankarjev dom, with a selection of some of their finest love songs.

How much do tourists spend in Slovenia? Find out here

New or recent movies on this week include the following, with links to all the cinemas in the regular listings (scroll down):

Learn Slovene with memes, here

Interested in Slovenian craft beer? Find out what’s new with Damir, of Lajbah and more.

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

Ljubljana is forecast to be the fastest-warming city in the world over the next few decades.

You're in the town of Slavoj Žižek, but do you find yourself lost when conversation turns to the philosopher? If so, check out our collection of quotes and clips to learn more.

Screenshot from YouTube

Contents

• Cinemas and films
• Clubbing
• Live music
• Theatre and dance
• Harm reduction and drug testing
• Things to do with children
• LGBT+ Ljubljana
• Ljubljana Castle
• Museums and galleries
• Other things to do in Ljubljana
• Daytrips
• Getting around
• Emergencies

Cinemas and films

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.

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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.

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Live music

Balassi Institute – Free Hungarian music, when available, from the Hungarian cultural institute just a short walk downriver from Dragon Bridge.

Cankerjev dom – The main arts venue in the country hosts classical, opera jazz, folk and occassinally pop.

Cvetličarna – Regional pop and rock concerts can be found here.

Channel Zero – This Metelkova venue sees live shows from punk and rock bands, as well as others.

Gala Hala – Another Metelkova venue with indie bands of various styles.

Kino Šiška – One of the top live venues in the city, with a varied programme that include indie, rock, pop, experimental, hip hop, and so on.

Klub Gromka – Live music is often metal, from sludge to stoner, death to thrash, while punk bands also appear, as do others.

Križanke – The venue that hosts the Ljubljana Festival often has classical music, and some rock, in the open air.

Orto Bar– The home of live rock, metal, punk and other guitar-based genres.

Pinelina dnevna soba – LIve music is rare here, but it does happen.

Slovenska filharmonija– Classical music in the centre of town.

SNG Opera and Ballet - As the name suggests, here you'll find the best of opera and ballet in the country.

Španski borci - While dance is more common here, they also have some contemporary and experimental music shows.

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Slovenska cesta, 1959. Wikimedia. See more pictures of Old Ljubljana here

Theatre and dance

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.

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Harm reduction and drug testing

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 Flora here.

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Photo: Igor Andjelič. See more of his work here

Things to do with children

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 to six 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.

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LGBT+ Ljubljana

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.

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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.

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Museums and galleries

Most public galleries and museums are closed on Mondays, although not the National Museum.

From 15 October to 17 November various venues around town will be hosting events related to Transform 2019: Trans-form:action, featuring students from academies from Zagreb, Sofia, Bucharest, Skopje, Istanbul and Ljubljana. Details.

Bežigrajska galerija 2 – Take a trip to Vodovodna cesta 3 between 3 October and 13 November you can see “selected works by the Prešeren awards recipients originating from Slovenian Istria, coming from the collections of the Piran Coastal Galleries and the Prešeren Award Winners of Fine Arts Gallery Kranj.” The free to enter show includes the following work.

Živko Marušič, Ujetniki dima III, 1986, oil on canvas, 130 x 148 cm © Marko Tušek

Cankerjev dom – On until 3 March 2020 there's an exhibition on Ancient Greek Science and Technology. Details here.

Plečnik's desk. Photo: JL Flanner

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 - Until 10 November you can see After the Canal, there was only "our" world: “The exhibition is an invitation to explore a variety of historical and geographical connections between Europe, especially its Easts, and the Middle East, particularly Egypt, with the Suez Canal as the trigger, while contemplating their reflections in the mirror of the present.”

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 Castle on until 17 November Mighty Guardians of the Past: Castles in the Slovenian Lands, a presentation that delivers on the promise of its title. New at the Castle is (Un)known Ljubljana, 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.

© Aleksandra Vajd, Collage by K. E. Graebner Nature the Unknown Acquaintance (1971) and a unit of five hand-dyed photograms titled: ‘rivalry of superior vs. inferior’, 2017

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 Ages here. 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.

National Museum of Contemporary History - Tucked away in park Tivoli, you can see a permanent exhibition on Slovenians in the 20th century.

Slovene Ethnographic Museum – The museum has two permanent exhibitions. One of these is called Between Nature and Culture, and has a great collection of objects from Slovenia and around the world, well worth the trip up to the third floor to see it (as recounted here). 

Vžigalica Gallery – From 12 November to 1 December there's going to be a show from called SAEBORG: SLAUGHTER HOUSE 17 from the Japanese artist Saeborg which is being promoted with the following image. Details here.

SAEBORG: SLAUGHTER HOUSE 17. Photo: © DARKMOFO

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.

Volčji Potok Arboretum - Running until 3 November you can see a large collection of cacti here.

It's not a formal museum, but if you're interested in "Yugo-stalgia" then you'll enjoy a trip to Verba, a small, privately run space that's crammed with objects and pop culture items from the era, and is conveniently located at the start of one of the short walks to the castle. It's also a great place to take pictures, if you leave a donation, and you can read more about it here.

Verba. Photo: JL Flanner

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 Ljubljana here.

Photo: JL Flanner

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Other things to do in Ljubljana

Learn more about Ljubljana with "25 things to know about Slovenia's green city of dragons", or take a look at our guide to spending from four to 48 hours here.

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.

Open Kitchen has no finished for the year, to be back sometime in spring 2020. Read more about it here.

Photo: Open Kitchen

Ljubljana has some beautiful buildings from the early 20^th century, in the Secessionist style, like the one below. Learn where to find them here.

Photo: Neža Loštrek

For something a little more brual, check out Republika trg / Republic Square, in the heart of the political quarter.

Photo: JL Flanner

Photo: JL Flanner

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.

visitljubjana.si

Nataraja Studio

Want to stretch and breath? Then check out our list of drop-in yoga classes for tourists, visitors and the uncommitted. We go to Nataraja Studio, by Dragon Bridge, and here's a story about it.

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.

Photo: maxpixel.net, public domain

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Daytrips

Most of Slovenia is only a few hours from Ljubljana, and you can easily visit Lake Bled, Lipica Stud Farm, Postojna Cave, Predjama Castle, the coast and other locations, while if you'd like to take a photo of from that bench in Bled, then you can learn how to get there here. If you’re looking for something more ambitious, then check out our recent guide to the 17 members of the Association of Historical Towns of Slovenia. We've also written guides on spending from four to 48 hours in Bled and Piran.

Photo: Google Image Search

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Getting around

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.

Emergencies

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.

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STA, 8 November 2019 - Considering themselves a nation of wine lovers, Slovenians will celebrate St Martin's Day throughout this weekend. Every year, thousands turn out at public celebrations, while many wine makers throw their own parties and nearly all cooks in the country serve a traditional dinner of goose, red cabbage and mlinci, a flatbread speciality.

St Martin's Day, observed on 11 November, is arguably one of the most party-dense weekends in Slovenia. And being the day when, in folk tradition, grape juice turns into wine, it is always accompanied by police warnings against drunk driving.

Remember the Drink Driving Limit in Slovenia

The biggest public celebration will be held in Maribor, which prides itself on its wine-making tradition, on Monday, when 20,000 people are expected to gather in the city centre.

Between today and Monday, a variety of events featuring wine, food and music will take place across the country, even in regions where wine making is not a tradition. In Kranj, for example, a wine tour takes participants into the ancient catacombs under the city.

Ptuj in the northeast will also hold a number of events over the weekend and on Monday. Here St Martin's Day is not merely a day when juice turns into wine, but also the start of carnival celebrations, which will culminate in late February with the biggest carnival party in the country.

Meanwhile, many vineyard owners and winemakers will hold their own parties for friends and family. By tradition, these also feature a priest, or somebody dressed up as priest, blessing the barrels of young wine.

A dinner of roast goose, red cabbage and mlinci, a softened dry flatbread, is served at these parties, but also at low-key family meals in the days around St Martin's Day.

Slovenia Wine: Lower Sava Wine Growing Region

This year's wine harvest produced around 66 million litres of wine, some 30% less then last year. The harvest was very good nonetheless, as 2018 was an exceptionally good year in terms of quantity.

Slovenian wine makers can be relatively optimistic despite the additional demands put on them by the weather this year. Despite interchangeable spells of warm and dry weather, the quality of wine is satisfactory, Dušan Brejc, the head of the Slovenian Wine Company, an association of winemakers, has told the STA.

"Those who make their living with grapes and winemaking have made such a giant leap in know-how that they manage to meet all the demands to produce healthy grapes even in demanding circumstances," said Brejc.

Slovenian Wine: Littoral Wine Growing Region (Primorska)

The output of Slovenian vineyards in terms of quantity is moderate, which means that winemakers are building above all on quality, with the bigger ones focusing on export.

In the past five years, winemakers have started exporting more to China, which has allowed an increase in price of wine, while the US remains a key export market.

While import of wine was on the increase until 2016, there has now been a slight drop in imports. "Most of the imported wine is in the lower price range, the production of which Slovenian winemakers have abandoned," said Brejc.

Cheap Imports a Threat to Slovenian Winemakers

Slovenian winemakers, like their peers all over the world, face climate change challenges and will need to adapt to demands for lower pesticide use, according to Brejc.

"New varieties will be introduced, more resilient to some diseases. We could predict that Slovenia will face rather big changes in terms of weather predictability in the next ten years," he said, adding that a lower use of pesticides will drive the demand for more manual labour in vineyards.

The wine is blessed by some comedy religious figures before it becomes wine

The covers and editorials from leading weeklies of the Left and Right for the work-week ending Friday, 8 November

Mladina: Govt, Left must find common ground or face demise

STA, 8 November 2019 - The left-leaning weekly Mladina warns in its latest commentary that if the minority coalition and the opposition Left fail to come to a new agreement in the coming weeks, the government will not even survive until the spring, with Janez Janša of the Democrats lurking from behind and waiting for a snap election.

If the heads of the coalition parties and the Left do not start to actually talk to each other, instead of flexing muscles and promoting their own importance and self-confidence, the "government will fall, loudly," editor-in-chief Grega Repovž says in Risky Game.

Opposition leader Janez Janša, who has a (malicious) historical memory, is probably watching the elbowing within the coalition with a smile on his face, and he will definitely "help" bring the chaos in a few months to the point when snap election will be an option.

And if election is to be held soon, no party of the current coalition would gain from it, and would instead be severely punished by voters. The same is true for the Left, as voters will not care about details, having voted for a coalition and stability for the next four years.

According to Repovž, the absence of memory in the coalition party and the Left is astounding: they do not remember that the promise of normality was what attracted voters who did not want a coalition of hatred, but a normal government.

"And after one year they are not capable of talking to each other, everybody praises only themselves, and pointing finger at others? The only person who has managed to control himself ... is [DeSUS president Karl] Erjavec. Everybody else are throwing spanners in the works."

In the eyes of voters, including their own, the Left could become the party which has brought the government down and undermined stability, and made it possible for Janša to take over the government in a few months, with or without an election.

"They can ease the tensions and make a new agreement. But they can also destroy what looked like an achievement after the 2018 election in the increasingly nationalist Europe. They are putting a lot at stake. Of course, everybody has the right to miss their own historic opportunity," concludes the commentary.

Reporter: Petrol management resignation political move

STA, 4 November 2019 - Energy company "Petrol has always smelled not only of oil and petrol but also of politics," the weekly Reporter says in its commentary on Monday, more than a week after the company management resigned at a marathon supervisory board session.

The state owns a controlling 30% stake in Petrol and there is no point in pretending that the tentacles of politics do not reach the company, the magazine says under the headline Smell of Oil and Gunpowder.

The company's most recent CEO Tomaž Berločnik was appointed to the position because this was decided by the ruling politicians, in February 2011 this was the government of Borut Pahor, the then president of the Social Democrats (SD).

Berločnik was considered a key link in the network of Borut Jamnik, the wonder boy of the SD, who has been making staffing decisions in state-owned companies for a decade.

"Jamnik's clan has become a state within the state, a network that has grown over-ruling politicians' heads. The only thing above them was the blue sky.

Berločnik is likely not the angel the media is making him out to be. Apparently, there is a binder full of documents relating to allegedly harmful moves and plans, say sources close to the supervisory board.

The question remains the reason for the management's resignation. Innocent people do not just leave their jobs in a haste, allegedly also without severance.

There are many rumours: from Berločnik's links to Croatian tycoon Emil Tedeschi to contentious businesses in Russia. Maybe more details will surface in the future throwing more shadows on Berločnik's management and Jamnik will be even paler in his TV interviews.

After Telekom, this is the second blow to Jamnik's clan in the war among party networks in state companies. A political dimension cannot be denied in Petrol resignations, although all politicians have been denying involvement.

All our posts in this series are 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, 1 November
        LJUBLJANA - A group of unidentified persons stormed Tiffany Club, a popular venue for LGBT events at the Metelkova Mesto alternative arts centre in Ljubljana, in what circumstances suggest was an attack motivated by hate. No one was injured in the attack and the perpetrators fled the scene when the police arrived.

SATURDAY, 2 November
        LJUBLJANA - Veronika Stabej, former ambassador to France, has been charged with abuse of office and forgery and is expected in court next month, Delo reported. Stabej was recalled as ambassador to France in July 2015 on suspicion she misappropriated embassy funds.

SUNDAY, 3 November
        KUČIBREG, Croatia - Milan Kučan, Slovenia's first president, criticised political elites in Slovenia and Croatia for their lack of initiative to resolve issues troubling bilateral relations, as he addressed a ceremony commemorating WWII battles in which Croatian, Italian and Slovenian Partisan resistance members fought German forces together.
        MARIBOR - A 500kg World War Two bomb was safely defused in Maribor after hundreds of people were evacuated from their homes in the vicinity, the largest such operation in Slovenia's second largest city since 1945.

MONDAY, 4 November
        LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian and Italian police forces will further enhance cooperation in fighting illegal migrations, as the number of joint police patrols, launched on 1 July, will be doubled from four to eight, the General Police Department said. This was agreed in Trieste on 24 October.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH) sent a response to the government regarding the 24 October resignation of the Petrol management. The report, requested by the government, brings no new insight into the reasons for the move. Shareholders now expect to get more information at a shareholder meeting.
        LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor hosted parliamentary parties for a debate after a new initiative for devolution of government was launched by the National Council. The meeting showed differing opinions regarding the territorial division as well as the question of provinces' powers and financing.
        LJUBLJANA - PM Marjan Šarec met the mayors of border municipalities to discuss ways to reduce the impact of illegal migration on the lives of people living in border areas. They agreed to set up a task force that will prepare systemic solutions.
        LJUBLJANA - The ruling Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) declared that the time had come to ease up on the fiscal rule which was introduced to put constraints on public spending in mid-2015. It announced an amendment to relax the fiscal rule, which would need a two-thirds majority in parliament to pass.
        LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary inquiry into suspected abuse of office at the bad bank interviewed the former chairmen of NLB and NKBM, Janko Medja and Aleš Hauc, who said that the banks had no power in determining which assets were going to be transferred to the bad bank and which not as part of the 2013 bailout.
        LJUBLJANA - Telekom Slovenije, the telecoms incumbent, confirmed it had been ordered to pay EUR 17.6 million plus default interest to its Greek partner Antenna Group for its remaining 34% stake in a media joint venture that the Greeks have long sought to exit. The decision was handed down by the Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce on 31 October.

TUESDAY, 5 November
        PRAGUE, Czechia - A summit of the Friends of Cohesion, an informal group of EU members opposing cuts to cohesion funds, urged the EU to adopt a 2021-2027 budget with a sufficient amount of cohesion funds. Slovenian PM Marjan Šarec said that a strong EU needed a sufficient and future-oriented budget.
        PRAGUE, Czechia - PM Marjan Šarec strongly criticised the central bank's curbs on consumer loans out of fear that it might impact economic growth. He voiced the hope that Banka Slovenije and its governor, Boštjan Vasle, would take a step back.
        LJUBLJANA - The Russian-owned steel maker Sij dismissed speculation it was interested in taking over energy trader Petrol. It said it did not and that it does not have such an interest and also does not plan to enter Petrol's ownership structure in the future.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's first prime minister Lojze Peterle and Olympic medallist Jure Franko received Japanese state decorations for their work in promoting relations between Slovenia and Japan. Peterle received the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun and Franko the Order of the Rising Sun, Silver Rays.

WEDNESDAY, 6 November
        LJUBLJANA - The opposition Left declared its partnership with the minority government over after the coalition made its support for a key health insurance bill tabled by the Left conditional on adoption of amendments that would significantly change the Left's intention. PM Marjan Šarec said the government would complete its term in office, but acknowledged this would not be possible without compromise.
        OSLO, Norway - President Borut Pahor met King Harald V and Norway's senior officials as he started his two-day state visit to Norway. King Harald V decorated Pahor with the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav, while Pahor presented Haakon with the Golden Order of Merit for his efforts in the diplomatic and international fields. Pahor and Prime Minister Erna Solberg highlighted the excellent bilateral relations and shared views on a number of global challenges.
        OSLO, Norway - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar met his Norwegian counterpart Ine Marie Eriksen Soreide discussing cooperation, the Western Balkans, topical EU issues, the rule of law and migrations. Cerar and Soreide expressed satisfaction with what they labelled as excellent relations between the countries in various fields of cooperation, in particular in multilateral cooperation.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's central bank rejected criticism of lending curbs on households that took effect on 1 November, with its leadership arguing that lending trends simply had become too risky and threatened to undermine financial stability. The aim of the measure is to "prevent excessive crediting activity in the consumer loan segment," Banka Slovenije vice-governor Primož Dolenc said.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's top court annulled provisions of the media act under which commercial radio stations were required to dedicate 20% of their airtime to Slovenian music, reasoning the provisions were too vague and incompatible with the rule of law. Radio stations and media experts alike welcomed the decision as a fitting end of a poorly conceived system.
        LJUBLJANA - The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) downgraded its forecast for Slovenia's GDP growth for this year by 0.3 a percentage points to 3%, while keeping the projection for 2020 at 2.8%. The bank said that the main risk was weaker demand by the main trading partners.
        LJUBLJANA - Medex, Slovenia's biggest honey producer, said it had found traces of antibiotics in 2.5 tonnes of honey it bought from three Slovenian beekeepers last summer. The contaminated honey was destroyed before it could enter production.

THURSDAY, 7 November
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission forecast that Slovenia's economy will grow by 2.6% GDP in 2019 and 2.7% in 2020 and 2021, a downgrade of 0.6 and 0.1 percentage points respectively compared to its spring forecast. "Growth is cooling down but remaining robust," the Commission said.
        AMMAN, Jordan - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar met his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi and several other high-ranking officials as he started the first official visit by a Slovenian foreign minister in almost two decades. Cerar and Safadi talked about the combat against terrorism, development aid, the countries' cooperation in the Union for the Mediterranean and the situation in Syria.
        HANOI, Vietnam - A Slovenian government and business delegation led by Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek started a two-day visit to Vietnam. The second session of the intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation and a Slovenia-Vietnam business forum were held.
        LJUBLJANA - Telekom Slovenije reported a group net profit of EUR 29.4 million for the first nine months of the year, a 25% increase year-on-year despite a 6% drop in net sales revenue to EUR 507.4 million.

All our posts in this series are 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:

Pahor and Steinmeier hail EU idea in memory of Wall fall

BERLIN, Germany - German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier thanked Slovenia for being a committed member of the EU along with Germany, after meeting President Borut Pahor over a working breakfast amid celebrations of the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Pahor laid a wreath at the Berlin Wall Memorial and addressed a conference marking the anniversary. He described the Berlin Wall's fall as one of the most inspiring historical milestones of the 20th century and linked it to the European idea.

Šarec sees no alternative to EU membership for W Balkans

GENEVA, Switzerland - Prime Minister Marjan Šarec told the Strategic Dialogue on Western Balkans, held under the auspices of the World Economic Forum, that there is no alternative to EU enlargement in the region, echoing Slovenia's long-standing position that countries such as North Macedonia and Albania must join the EU as soon as possible. The prospect of EU membership is important for youths in the region and key keeping membership hopes alive an important motivation for continuation of reforms, stability, and resilience against third parties, Šarec said according to his office.

PM, aide to be quizzed about SOVA hiring

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Marjan Šarec, his state secretary Damir Črnčec and a number of senior officers of the intelligence agency SOVA will be questioned by the Commission for Oversight of Intelligence and Security Services over the agency's staffing. The decision by the opposition-controlled commission comes in the aftermath of reports implying Šarec had intervened to secure a job for a female acquaintance of his at SOVA. Commission chair Matej Tonin said the goal was to "secure comprehensive civilian oversight of intelligence and security services in a normal, sober way".

Intel commission adopts report on arbitration spy scandal

LJUBLJANA - The Commission for Oversight of Intelligence and Security Services adopted a report about intelligence aspects of the the Slovenia-Croatia border arbitration that commission chair Matej Tonin says reveals at least one person had lied. The commission examined the circumstances of 2015 wiretaps of communication between Slovenia's agent in the procedure and the Slovenian member of the panel of arbiters that led Croatia bail out on the arbitration declaring that the procedure has been compromised beyond repair. Only about ten percent of the 150-page report will be made public, presumably next week.

Cooperation opportunities with Vietnam in logistics, ICT and tourism

HANOI, Vietnam - Slovenia and Vietnam listed logistics, information and communications technology (ICT) and tourism as areas with most untapped potential for cooperation at the second session of the Slovenian-Vietnamese intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation, chaired by Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek and his counterpart Tran Tuan Anh. The ministers met ahead of the session, noting the potential to strengthen cooperation in particular in transport and logistics, ICT and tourism

Bankers want dialogue with central bank about lending curbs

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Slovenian bankers discussed the consumer lending restrictions introduced by the central bank on 1 November, calling on Banka Slovenije to engage in dialogue with key stakeholders and calling the measure excessive and premature. Banka Slovenije Governor Boštjan Vasle urged waiting for the effects first. Bank Association director Stanislava Zadravec Caprirolo said that "all macroeconomic and macroprudential measures which were introduced by Banka Slovenije ... should have been taken after dialogue with key stakeholders."

Slovenia sees double-digit growth in foreign trade

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's foreign trade continued to grow apace in September with merchandise exports increasing by 15.2% year-on-year to EUR 2.96bn and imports rising by 13.6% to EUR 2.93bn, the Statistics Office reported. The country recorded a trade surplus of EUR 29 million and an export/import ratio of 101%. Exports in the first three quarters of the year rose by 9.6% to EUR 25.11bn and imports increased by 11.8% to EUR 25.14bn.

Industrial output up slightly in September

LJUBLJANA - The value of industrial production in Slovenia in September was 0.4% up compared to August, when it decreased by 2%, and 1.9% higher year-on-year, show the Statistics Office data. Industrial output in September in manufacturing increased on a monthly level by 0.3%, while in electricity, gas and steam supply, as well as mining and quarrying it was down 0.1% and 2.7%, respectively. Sales revenue in industry decreased by 0.2% compared to August, while it was up 1.3% year-on-year.

Petrol supervisors say ex management submitted misleading documentation

LJUBLJANA - The supervisory board of energy trader Petrol, which had been subject to mounting criticism in recent weeks for failing to explain October's unexpected management board overhaul, said the former management had never put forward credible documentation to support plans that substantially departed from the company's strategy. The existing "material contained errors in the magnitude of several hundred millions when it comes to calculated cash flow and the amount of new debt needed to finance the investments". The former management meanwhile retorted by accusing the supervisory board of withholding information.

Syrian dies in front of police station in Ilirska Bistrica

ILIRSKA BISTRICA - A 20-year-old Syrian died on Thursday in front of the police station in Ilirska Bistrica due to hypothermia and exhaustion despite medical assistance and resuscitation attempts. According to the Koper Police Department, the 20-year-old called his brothers, who live in Germany as refugees, on the phone, asking them to come find him and sent them his coordinates. The brothers found the 20-year-old, taking him to the nearby police station, where the man died despite medical attention.

Ljubljana mayor potentially facing hefty tax bill

LJUBLJANA - Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković is potentially on the line for a significant tax bill stemming from transactions with companies owned by his sons, web portal Siol reported. The Tax Administration put a specific type of lien on his family house to the tune of EUR 335,000, a move it typically resorts to if it intends to issue a tax bill. While Janković has refused to comment on the details of the audit, Siol says the tax liability stems from payments the mayor had received from Electa Group, owned by his sons Jure and Damijan Janković.

Slovenia aims to lead circular economy transition in region

BLED - The Environment Ministry hosted an international conference on the circular economy, as Slovenia aims to become the leading country in the circular economy transition in the region and bringing together other countries to put in action this sustainable concept. The meeting titled Circular Economy in the Region - Integrated for Sustainability and Growth, was attended by representatives of Austria, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Croatia, Hungary and Slovakia, including experts and environment ministers or ministry officials from these countries.

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’ve ever wanted to write yourself into the gastronomic history of Slovenia then you now have a chance. The organisers of Gourmet November in Ljubljana have announced a competition to discover a culinary invention, one which will give the winning dish the title of the New Flavour of Ljubljana 2019.

At least three of the following ingredients (and as many of your own choice) have to be included in a competing recipe:

Study the list, imagine the flavours, textures, colours and behaviours of the potential ingredients, and let your imagination run wild in the kitchen. When your work is done upload your recipe together with a picture of the final dish using this form by November 13 2019.

An online vote will follow, which will run until November 20. The recipe with the most votes will become one of the three finalists, the other two selected by a three-member expert panel. All three finalists will be announced on November 21st.

The three finalists will get the opportunity to showcase their creativity and culinary skill live at the November Gourmet Finals on November 22, 2019. The winner will be awarded a €200 shopping voucher from Maxi Gourmet shop and their dish will get the honourable title of the New Flavour of Ljubljana 2019. The second placed winner will receive a dinner for two in the Maxim restaurant, and the third placed will receive a dinner for two in Romansa Restaurant in Ljubljana. All three contestants will also receive a package of prizes from the event’s sponsors.