IMF downgrades Slovenia's GDP growth projection to 2.9%

LJUBLJANA - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has downgraded its projection of growth of the Slovenian gross domestic product (GDP) for this year from 3.4% to 2.9%, with the correction following the recent downgrade by the government macroeconomic think tank IMAD to 2.8%. In its latest World Economic Outlook Report, the IMF says that the growth rate of 2.9% is also expected to be recorded in Slovenia in 2020.

FM regrets France's objections to EU enlargement

LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar expressed regret over France's opposition to North Macedonia and Albania joining the bloc, which prevented EU affairs ministers from initiating accession talks for the two countries. Cerar believes that North Macedonia and Albania could still receive a go-ahead to start the negotiations at an EU summit starting on Thursday. He also commented once more on the guilty verdicts handed down to former Catalan leaders on Monday. Reiterating that this was an internal affair and Slovenia would not interfere, he also said today that he found the sentences harsh and long. He also called for a restoration of dialogue between Spain and Catalonia and a peaceful solution.

Constitutional Court head defends judge accused of bias

LJUBLJANA - Constitutional Court President Rajko Knez denied the allegation by court judge Klemen Jaklič, who in his dissenting opinion to the court's decision on the amendments to the foreigners act yesterday accused fellow judge Matej Accetto of political bias and lying. Knez denied that Accetto mislead the court about his ties with the Modern Centre Party (SMC) when the court deliberated on whether he should exclude himself from decision-making about a 2017 referendum on the Koper-Divača rail project. Knez declared the attempt to publicly discredit Accetto as unacceptable.

Economy Ministry and BAMC officials meeting Lufthansa after Adria shutdown

FRANKFURT, Germany - Economy Ministry State Secretary Eva Štravs Podlogar, accompanied by the top executives of Slovenia's bad bank, met with representatives of Lufthansa in Frankfurt to analyse the aviation market in the wake of the receivership of the German-owned Slovenian flag carrier Adria Airways. The ministry said the visit was part of the market analysis and that any potential decisions on the part of the government would also need to consider the plans of Lufthansa, former Adria's key partner, which has already established a few new links with the Ljubljana airport through its subsidiaries.

Commission calls on govt to allow SOVA staffing investigation

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Commission for the Oversight of Intelligence and Security Services, which is examining allegations that PM Marjan Šarec intervened to secure a job at the SOVA intelligence agency for a friend, expressed expectation that the government would allow it to conduct an inquiry into the matter. While SOVA refused to reveal any staffing-related matters to the commission, commission chair Matej Tonin presented a legal opinion he commissioned, stating that data about the hiring of individuals should only be off limits to the commission in case their identity was classified. While the parliamentary legal service would not take a position, jurist Rajko Pirnat said that the legal solution envisaged in such situations gave the final word to the government.

Alpina doing well after restructuring, launching new brands

ŽIRI - The shoe maker Alpina is doing relatively well after undergoing financial restructuring by the new owners. It is remodelling its business and sale concept, and also plans to revive in the spring the once celebrated shoe brand Peko, acquired at the beginning of last year. Interim director Gregor Krajnc told the STA that Alpina improved its performance in 2017 and 2018. Last year the group generated EUR 52 million in sales revenue and EUR 2 million in net profit, with some extra revenue coming as a result of the financial restructuring.

Anti-trust watchdog imposes EUR 54m fine on Agrokor

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Competition Protection Agency has imposed a EUR 53.9 million fine on Croatia's Agrokor for failing to notify it of the takeover of the water bottling company Costella. In the procedure over failure to notify concentration between Agrokor AG in Ardeya Global Ltd., the agency also issued a EUR 5,000 fine to the executive in charge.

Banned additive in minced meat mixture sparks controversy

LJUBLJANA - The government body in charge of food safety has come under fire for not informing consumers on time of the discovery of a banned additive in minced meat sold in five shops in Slovenia. Responding to the criticism, it said today consumers need not be informed if the product was no longer in circulation. The story broke in the media after the Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary Sector and Plant Protection published last week the names of the shops where the presence of a sulfite in minced meat mixtures had been detected in June.

Draft budget plan sent to European Commission

BRUSSELS, Belgium - In keeping with the EU rules on budgetary procedures, the government has already sent Slovenia's draft budget plan for 2020 to the European Commission, which published it today. The budget plan involves not only the government budget but the public finances as a whole. It also takes into account the latest forecasts by government macroeconomic think tank IMAD.

August wages down in monthly comparison

LJUBLJANA - The average wage in Slovenia in August was EUR 1,725.91 gross or EUR 1,114.16 net. Compared to July, the gross wage was down 0.7% in nominal and 1.1% in real terms, while the net wage was down 0.4% and 0.8%, respectively, the Statistics Office said. Compared to the month before, net wages in August were down by 0.9% in the public and by 0.2% in the private sector.

Radon responsible for 90 to 180 deaths a year in Slovenia

CELJE - An estimated 90 to 180 people die in Slovenia each year as a result of exposure to radon, a gas causing lung cancer. While lung cancer is on average responsible for 1,300 deaths, radon-related deaths exceed the 90 to 150 deaths a year caused by road accidents, the Slovenian Radiation Protection Administration noted at a debate on radon exposure in Celje. The south-eastern Dolenjska region and central Slovenia have the highest amounts of radon.

First Partisan movement film in independent Slovenia premiering tonight

LJUBLJANA - The Partisan film, a subgenre of war films that used to be a staple of Yugoslav cinema, made a comeback with the premiere of Preboj (Breakthrough). The first Partisan film since Slovenia became independent celebrates a 1945 battle of 500 Partisan insurgents surrounded by a 12,000-strong SS division. The low-budget film, financed by voluntary contributions, is directed by Dejan Babosek.

Mysterious WWII tunnels popular tourist sight in Maribor

MARIBOR - Tunnels dug by Nazi Germany in the Slovenian city of Maribor at the end of 1943 for protection against air raids by the Allies have become an increasingly popular tourist sight since they were opened to public two years ago. The tunnels were made when the Nazis launched a Luftfahrtwerke Steiermar aircraft engine factory in the city they occupied two days after invading Yugoslavia on 6 April 1941.

Novo Mesto police bust migrant smuggling ring

DOBOVA - The Novo Mesto police, which noticed signs of a migrant smuggling ring on the south-eastern section of the border with Croatia a year ago, said they had caught 11 individuals suspected of involvement in at least 30 smuggling operations. The investigation showed that prices for the transport of individual migrants ranged between 300 and 400 euros.

Police seize 13 kilos of heroin on train destined for Austria

DOBOVA - Police officers at the Dobova border crossing with Croatia (E) have discovered 13 kilos of heroin on a passenger train from Turkey destined for Austria. After the train stopped at the border on Saturday, the police officers checking it found the heroin in a duffel bag located in the wagon used by the train staff.

Slovenia ranks 11th in EU in gender equality

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia places 11th on the EU-28 Gender Equality Index, a benchmark for gender equality in the bloc, which was released on Tuesday by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE). The country's score is 0.9 points higher than the EU average of 67.4.