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
Pledges to boost ties on bridge linking Slovenia and Austria
GORNJA RADGONA - The border communities of Gornja Radgona in Slovenia and Bad Radkersburg in Austria marked the 50th anniversary of the bridge linking them with a high-profile ceremony that sent out a message that the countries would like to make their cooperation even better. The ceremony was addressed by Slovenian Foreign Minister Miro Cerar and the Governor of Austrian Styria, Hermann Schützenhöfer, who also met for an informal meeting that confirmed good relations between Slovenia, Austria and Styria. The concrete bridge over the Mura was inaugurated on 12 October 1969 by Yugoslavia's leader of the time Josip Broz Tito and Austrian President Franz Jonas. The two countries built the bridge together.
FinMin discusses EU capital markets union in Slovakia
POPRAD, Slovakia - Finance Minister Andrej Bertoncelj talked about the significance of establishing an EU capital markets union for the countries of Central and East Europe, as he addressed the Tatra Summit in Slovakia, which saw finance ministers, European commissioners and other senior finance officials discuss various aspects of the EU's competitiveness. Bertoncelj also urged finding balanced solutions at the EU level for a shift away from fossil fuels that would take into consideration country specifics.
MPs want Adria Airways privatisation audited
LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Finance Committee decided to ask the Court of Audit to review the 2016 sale of Adria Airways to the German turnaround fund 4K, and to present its findings to parliament as soon as possible. The decision was taken at a session late on Friday called by the opposition Left after the carrier declared insolvency and entered receivership at the start of the month. Gabrijel Škof, the CEO of Slovenia Sovereign Holding, said the sale, along with the EUR 3.2 million capital injection cost the state less than what it would had Adria ended in receivership back in 2016.
Ljubljana Airport yet to evaluate impact of Adria collapse
LJUBLJANA - Zmago Skobir, the CEO of Fraport Slovenija, spoke about the impact of Adria Airways's collapse on Ljubljana Airport in an interview with Dnevnik. While he could not talk about concrete figures yet, he said that there would certainly be consequences, stemming from Adria's debt as well as from a loss of income. Out of 29 links, the airport lost eight, but Skobir expects most to be re-established. He does not favour founding a new flag carrier for the time being.
Wizzair to fly from Ljubljana to Brussels in winter
LJUBLJANA - The Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizzair will fly between Ljubljana and Brussels in winter despite its initial decision to suspend flights for the 2019-20 winter season. According to the newspaper Finance, Wizzair will be operating flights between Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport and Brussels Charleroi Airport on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 19 December on. After Adria Airways went bust, Brussels Airlines too announced it would provide six weekly flights to Ljubljana starting from 4 November.
Courts reorganisation afoot, none to be abolished
LJUBLJANA - Justice Minister Andreja Katič talked about a reorganisation of the court network in an interview with the newspaper Večer, promising that no courts would be abolished. The ministry has draw up a draft proposal but it now faces a lengthy discussion in the judiciary and at the political level before it can be put to parliament. Despite the promise in the coalition agreement, the minister does not expect appointment of judges to be transferred from parliament to the Judicial Council this term.
Hidria posts lower profit on higher revenue
IDRIJA - Hidria Holding, the company controlling a group that mostly manufactures hi-tech products for the car industry, posted a net profit of EUR 12.3 million for 2018, down 21% over 2017 despite net sales revenue rising by 6.6% to EUR 266.1 million. The Idrija-based group's operating profit dropped by nearly 16% to EUR 16.4 million. The bulk of net revenue, EUR 236.7 million, was generated abroad with EU sales accounting for EUR 218.3 million.
Austrian group acquires another Slovenian casino
PORTOROŽ - The newspapers Delo and Dnevnik reported that the Austrian gaming group Novomatic had taken over Casino Riviera in the Slovenian seaside resort of Portorož a few days ago, which means it now controls nine out of 26 licensed casinos in the country. Through the company Novo Investicije, Novomatic acquired Casino Princess in Nova Gorica in June. In the past few years it took over casinos from Slovenian entrepreneur Joc Pečečnik.
Kidričevo honours post-WWII victims
KIDRIČEVO - A commemoration for soldiers fallen in World War I was held at the Austro-Hungarian military cemetery in the town of Kidričevo. Moreover, a mosaic was unveiled at a new park in town centre to honour those who died at the Sterntal concentration camp after World War II. It is estimated that up to 5,000 people died at the camp after World War II, when the Yugoslav authorities used it as a camp for ethnic Germans living in Slovenia, as well as ethnic Hungarians from the region of Prekmurje.
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
The Treetop Walk is a forest trail, built at the level of the treetops level rather than on the forest floor, and set on the green hills of the Pohorje alpine massif in Central Styria.
More precisely, the Treetop Walk is built on Rogla hill with an elevation of 1517 metres, which also hosts one of Slovenia’s most popular ski resorts.
The Pohorje Treetop Walk is just over a kilometre long in total and includes a 37-metre high tower with a view of all the surrounding hills, Kamnik-Savinja Alps and even Triglav.
The Walk is fully barrier-free, and hence stroller and wheelchair friendly. The path to the tower climbs gently with a maximum climb of 2-6% and transparent meshes along the sides of the walk ensure perfect visibility for wheelchair users and young children.
There are several information stations on the way, where visitors can learn about the flora and fauna of the environment below them.
Less mobile visitors have the option on obtaining a wheelchair for free at the ticket office. Dogs are not permitted, and your pet will have to wait for you in the kennel by the entrance.
Each year new content is planned to be added to the existing structure, starting with a 40m-long toboggan, a slide from a tower back to the walkway, expected for spring 2020.
Opening hours are adjusted to the daylight hours. You can find more information on the walk, tickets and opening hours at the Pohorje Treetop Walk’s website.
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor will host a debate on Slovenia's vision of the EU's development, involving experts, government and parliament officials and MEPs. LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar will take part in a session of the EU Foreign Affairs Council discussing relations with Turkey. BELGRADE, Serbia - National Assembly Speaker Dejan Židan is attending the Assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union focusing on sustainable development and enhancement of international law. LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Agriculture Minister Aleksandra Pivec will take part in a meeting of EU ministers of agriculture. LJUBLJANA - The Peace Institute will hold a debate on migration and political responsibility. LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Committee on Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Disabled will debate alleged maltreatment of the elderly in pension homes. LJUBLJANA - Environment and Spatial Planning Minister will set out amendments to the housing act. LJUBLJANA - A conference on micromobility organised by the European Commission to talk about electric bikes, scooters and drones; introductory address by Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc. BRDO PRI KRANJU - An international conference on occupational diseases and psychosocial risks on the job from the gender aspect. SORICA - A media presentation of the multinational military exercise Triglav Star 2019. MARIBOR - The 54th Maribor Theatre Festival, the country's largest, will get under way featuring a record 42 productions from Slovenia and abroad, until 27 Oct.
TUESDAY, 15 October LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar will take part in a session of the EU General Affairs Council focusing on launch of accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania. VENICE, Italy - Defence Minister Karl Erjavec will take part in a defence ministerial of the Adriatic and Ionian Initiative. LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Intelligence Oversight Commission will be in session, discussing staffing at the intelligence agency SOVA, and budget documents for 2021 and 2020. LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Health Committee will discuss treatment of rare diseases. WASHINGTON, US - The International Monetary Fund will release its latest global economic outlook, including forecasts for Slovenia. LJUBLJANA - The National and University Library will launch an exhibition marking the 200th anniversary of the death of Žiga Zois (1747-1819), a key Enlightenment figure in Slovenia. LJUBLJANA - The Statistics Office will release August pay data. PARIS, France - Primož Roglič will be one of the favourites to win Vélo d'Or as the French cycling magazine Vélo Magazine presents the road cycle racing award.
WEDNESDAY, 16 October LJUBLJANA - Day of National Security, a conference, with keynote addresses by Interior Minister Boštjan Poklukar and Defence Minister Karl Erjavec. LJUBLJANA - The budget documents for the coming two years will be discussed by the parliamentary committees on foreign policy and economy and by the public finance oversight commission. LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Finance Committee will debate amendments to several tax laws. LJUBLJANA - A conference by the Employers' Association will discuss the impact of the higher minimum wage on collective bargaining agreements. FRANKFURT, Germany - Culture Minister Zoran Poznič will attend the opening of the Frankfurt Book Fair. LJUBLJANA - A photo exhibition by the National Geographic Slovenia themed (Un)Known will be launched, showcasing little known parts of Ljubljana.
THURSDAY, 17 October BRUSSELS, Belgium - PM Marjan Šarec will join other EU leaders for a two-day European Council meeting to discuss EU long-term budget, priorities for the next 5 years and Brexit, among other things. NICOSIA, Cyprus - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar will start an official two-day visit to Cyprus, accompanied by a business delegation. LJUBLJANA - The weekly government session. LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly will hold a special session on long-term care at the behest of the opposition Democrats (SDS). LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary inquiry into alleged wrongdoing at Bank Asset Management Company will interview central bank officials. LJUBLJANA - Budget documents for the coming two years will be discussed by the parliamentary commission for the Italian and Hungarian minorities. LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Justice Committee will debate a report on courts' efficiency in 2018, among other things. LJUBLJANA - A panel debate on women in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics featuring US Ambassador Lynda Blanchard and Labour Minister Ksenija Klampfer. LJUBLJANA - A concert will mark World Day against Trafficking in Persons. LJUBLJANA - A press conference before IKEA starts building its Ljubljana store. PORTOROŽ - Golden Drum, an international two-day advertising festival, will get under way. TRBOVLJE - Speculum Artium, an international three-day festival of new media, will open.
FRIDAY, 18 October LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Finance Committee will prepare budget documents for 2020 and 2021 for the plenary session of parliament. LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary EU Affairs Committee will debate a report on the implementation of European cohesion policy by the end of June 2019. LJUBLJANA - A committee in support of Catalan leaders imprisoned in Spain will be established. LJUBLJANA - The Statistics Office will release the latest general government surplus and public debt estimates. LJUBLJANA - An exhibition of select unrealised projects for Ljubljana by architect Jože Plečnik. VIPAVA - The University of Nova Gorica will hold a scientific conference to mark the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci. ORMOŽ - The Grossmann Fantasy, Sci-Fi and Comics Festival will get under way, until 20 Oct.
SATURDAY, 19 October LJUBLJANA - Ljubljana will hold a chocolate festival.
If you're not in town for the week of this guide (14 - 20 October, 2019) then you can see all the editions here, and if there's event or activity you want to promote in a future edition of What's on in Ljubljana please get in touch with me at flanner(at)total-slovenia-news.com or try and find me on Facebook. If you want something a little different and easy to print, then a comprehensive PDF of events for the next seven days, as prepared by Ljubljana Tourism, is here. If you're in town and want to follow the news then check out our regular morning headlines for Sloveniahere.
The annual Month of Design continues until 8 November, with details here and the food and travel part of the season coming on Thursday. More details here.
Monday 20:00 Kino Šiška has a concert from the pianist Manca Udovič and her band Romanca, while Wednesday 20:30 there’s U pol ‘9 kod Sabe, “humorous and melodic songs at the crossroads of indie pop and cabaret”. The week in Šiška then ends on Saturday with a show at 20:00 by the Police Orchestra with soloists Stéphane Rudaz and Bratko Krivokapič on the soprano and tenor helicon. Don’t know what a helicon is? See the third video below – they’re very cute.
Thursday Cankarjev dom has Kormatika 3 at 19:30, with the South Korean pianist Yeol Eum Son the RTV Symphony Orchestra playing Prokofiev, Symphony No.1; Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 24; Mozart, Piano Concerto No. 8; and Dubugnon, Chamber Symphony No. 2 (Slovenian premiere).
New movies opening this week include Abominable (Mali jeti) – and note that most kid’s movies are dubbed – Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Preboj and Zombieland: Double Tap.
Friday, 18 October at 20:00 the Oslo Philharmonic are in town, playing at Cankarjev dom with Leif Ove Andsnes on the piano. The programme is Richard Strauss, Don Juan; Edvard Grieg, Piano Concerto in A minor; and Shostakovich, Symphony No 10 in E minor. Also on Friday, this time at Orto Bar, there’s a very different show on offer from Gutalax, Spasm, and Guineapig.
Open Kitchen ends soon, at the end of the month, so catch it while you can. Meanwhile, on Saturday the same square will host the Čokoljana Chocolate Fair, bringing sweet treats to the Central Market / Pogačarjev trg from 09:00 to 21:00.
Saturday and Sunday you can see and buy minerals at MineralFest, starting 09:00 at Cankarjev dom. Looking further ahead, you can now get tickets for Vlado Kreslin’s traditional December shows at the same venue – Slovenia’s biggest arts centre – with the dates being 9 and 10 December.
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.
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).
Friday night SHXCXCHCXSH will be playing at Klub K4
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.
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.
Looking to buy some high end, big name local art from a trusted gallery? Check out our look at Sloart.
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.
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.
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
Galerija Kresija – The gallery between the Triple Brdge and City Hall has some architecture-related activities this week.
Galerijia Y – Walk along to Trubarjeva cesta 79 and until 19 October you can see some contemporary art from four Slovenian painters, with all the works for sale. See some of them here.
Drink like a pro - find gallery openings. Photo: JL Flanner
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.
Rafikun Nabi: Poet, 1980, print, 96.5 x 110 cm. Courtesy of the Contemporary Art Center of Montenegro. On display at the Metelova branch of the Moderna galerija
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. Running until 3 November is Roma Aeterna: Masterpieces of Classical Sculpture. With sculptures from the collection of the Santarelli family in Rome, ranging from the age of the Roman Empire to that of neoclassicism. 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.
Natural History Museum – On until the end of December 2019 is Our Little Big Sea, which takes a look at the oceans.
Roma Aeterna: Masterpieces of Classical Sculpture - see below
Union is "the Ljubljana beer", but now both it and Laško are owned by Heineken. There are many local brews on offer around town, though, if you want to explore IPAs, stouts, wheatbeers, sours and so on Photo: JL Flanner
Vžigalica Gallery – Until 27 October you can explore a spatial installation from the Berlin-based artist Sinta Werner.
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.
Vžigalica Gallery – If you’re curious about the man who commissioned that Melania Trump sculpture, then you can see more of activities here, in a show called Brad Downey: This Echo.
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 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.
Open Kitchen brings market stalls selling food and drink from some of the best restaurants in town every Friday, from 11am to 11pm, in the square between the cathedral and the river - just follow your nose and the crowds. Read more about it here.
Photo: Open Kitchen
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, 11 October
Mladina: The government moves to the right
STA, 11 October 2019 - There is little chance the Left does not pull out of its cooperation deal with Marjan Šarec's minority government, the left-wing weekly Mladina says in Friday's editorial, as it takes a look at how the government will turn right as it tries to justify its break with the opposition party.
"It has been clear since the early summer that the reactionary and neoliberal views will prevail in the coalition over the progressive views promoted by the Left."
Mladina's editor-in-chief Grega Repovž says the Left's views could hardly be labelled extremist, saying they are aligned with contemporary trends in Europe.
The only difference is that in Europe, such views are also promoted by conservative governments, which understand the role the state must play to secure long-term stability.
However, the Šarec coalition is starting to go down a similar path like Eastern European governments.
It has started with an economic policy cutting taxes for the rich and for companies and leaving industries and companies of national importance to the mercy of market forces.
This will be followed by an ideological shift towards the right, Repovž says under the headline Political Shift to the Right.
The funny thing is the shift will not happen for political or ideological reasons, but because this is the easiest way, enabling the government to avoid a conflict with centres of power and the public.
The more the government assumes neoliberal views in the coming months and the more it tries to justify its break with the Left, the more populist and conservative rhetoric it will use, resembling ever more those on the right.
This will bring it exactly to the point where the previous Miro Cerar government had found itself. Šarec's government will continue to avoid change, while neglecting the contemporary political agenda, which also includes the climate crisis.
Demokracija: Support for Save Slovenia protest in the face of “great replacement”
STA, 10 October 2019 - The right-wing weekly Demokracija expresses support in its commentary on Thursday for the Save Slovenia protest, a rally to be held in Ljubljana this afternoon.
Under the headline Rebellion, its editor-in-chief Jože Biščak draws parallels between Slovenia and "ominous" regulation planned in New York that might spark a civil war in the US "which might be much bloodier than the one a century and a half ago".
The magazine refers to reports that New York is to ban the use of words "illegal alien", saying that this would encroach on the 1st amendment. This, alongside the 2nd amendment, which allows US citizens to carry weapons, is the last bulwark of freedom in the US, Biščak says.
Things are even worse in Europe, where "a 'great replacement' scheme is taking place right before our eyes" in which European natives are being replaced by Arab and African immigrants, with the latter enjoying increasingly more rights than the natives.
"European taxpayers are forced to pay for their integration. I use integration here because the intention of illegal immigration is not assimilation. At the same time, the all-encompassing climate change hysteria is leading to measures that go against common sense, and above all, raise taxes."
This sparked the yellow vests protests in France, while Dutch farmers have also taken to the streets because the "politically correct want to lower animal production, because farm animals are supposedly one of the main culprits for nitrogen emissions".
"The globalist elites have crossed the Rubicon and sparks of rebellion are flying across Europe. Slovenians are joining this trend with the all-Slovenian protest Save Slovenia."
The state has been drowning and the leftist elite, while stealing from the people, has been responding [to the criticism] with attacks about racism, xenophobia and fascism.
"They are spreading fear among people, nobody dares to say what they think and how they want to live any more. The right to self-defence has been criminalised and tyranny has become embedded everywhere."
The weekly hopes that protests for the rule of law, freedom and protection of the people will become regular weekly events. "There is still time to destroy the seed of evil sawn by the devastating cultural Marxism without a civil war, which has already broken out in some parts of Europe."
"I truly hope that I never have to start this commentary with the words: 'Slovenians, patriots, brothers and sisters, time has come'."
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
Šarec says dialogue with Turkey a must as refugee crisis looms
SKOPJE, North Macedonia - In the wake of Turkey's threats to open the door to the EU to millions of refugees accommodated in its territory, Slovenian Prime Minister Marjan Šarec said that dialogue with Ankara was a must. Speaking for the public TV station RTV Slovenija on Thursday as he visited North Macedonia, Šarec said he believed that the EU would still be able to find solutions to regulate migration in an effective way. Slovenia has called on Turkey to end the military operation, protect civilians and respect international humanitarian law, with the Foreign Ministry expressing deep concern over the operation.
EU was more dedicated to resolving economic than migration crisis, Pahor says
ATHENS, Greece - Slovenian President Borut Pahor attended a meeting of the Arraiolos group which focussed on solidarity in addressing internal and external security challenges plus the economic and refugee crises, as the key to a stronger EU. He said at the meeting, which featured heads of state of Greece, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Poland and Portugal, the EU had been much more successful in addressing the economic crisis than it was now in addressing the migration crisis. He believes a coordinated and effective approach of the entire international community will be needed to address the refugee crisis.
Pahor and Mattarella to commemorate centenary of burning down of Trieste institution
ATHENS, Greece - President Borut Pahor met Italian President Sergio Mattarella on the sidelines of the Arraiolos meeting in Athens. The pair agreed they will together attend a ceremony marking 100 years since the Fascists burnt down Narodni Dom (National Home) in Trieste next year. They believe this will reaffirm the genuine friendship between the two neighbouring countries and nations, Pahor's office said. The Arraiolos meeting, also featuring the presidents of Bulgaria, Estonia, Greece, Croatia, Ireland, Latvia, Hungary, Malta, Germany, Poland and Portugal, is discussing the economic situation, migration crisis and the safety of the EU.
Japanese forwarder sets up subsidiary in Slovenia
KOPER - Yusen Logistics, a Japanese supply chain logistics company, opened its subsidiary in the port city of Koper, thus becoming the first Japanese freight forwarder in Slovenia. The launch is an important step for the Slovenian port operator Luka Koper as well since it promotes the transport route via Koper. Yusen Logistics, employing more than 24,000 workers and managing a global network of subsidiaries, has been so far providing services for Slovenia from their Budapest division.
Cerar calls for empowering youth through education
BARCELONA, Spain - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar called for empowering youth through education and intercultural dialogue at the Regional Forum of the Union for the Mediterranean in Barcelona, which was attended by foreign ministers of northern and southern Mediterranean. In his address at the plenary, Cerar said that Slovenia had contributed to the Union for the Mediterranean by initiating the Positive Agenda for the Young in the Mediterranean campaign, which encourages youth empowerment through education and intercultural dialogue.
More funds for defence, yet still not enough for breakthrough
LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Defence Committee discussed the state budgets for 2020 and 2021, when funds for the national defence system will nominally rise. In 2020, the Defence Ministry will get EUR 545.85 million and in 2021 EUR 561 million. The latter figure is nominally higher but not if measured as a share in GDP, Defence Minister Karl Erjavec told the MPs. Maj Gen Alenka Ermenc, chief of the general staff, said the funds would be enough to improve the army's readiness and consolidate the achieved level of development, but not "for the much needed development breakthrough".
SOVA says its boss will not resign
LJUBLJANA - Rajko Kozmelj, director of Slovenia's intelligence and security agency SOVA, will not step down, SOVA said as it responded to yesterday's call by opposition SDS leader Janez Janša for Kozmelj to resign. The call came after SOVA refused to give the parliamentary Intelligence Oversight Commission certain information on its staffing practices, arguing it feared further leaks of classified information. SOVA said Kozmelj would continue to focus his efforts on "implementing the strategic goals of SOVA's development". It also said that under Slovenian law, its staffing practices can only be checked by the public administration inspection service.
SDS, NSi and SNS challenge wine, forest, park fines at top court
LJUBLJANA - The opposition Democrats (SDS), New Slovenia (NSi) and National Party (SNS) have asked the Constitutional Court to review fines set in the wine, forests and Triglav National Park (TNP) acts. The parties believe the fines are not only too high but also uncalled-for. The parties recalled a court ruling stating that over-the-top fines without a justifiable reason meant violating the principle of equality before the law, the SDS told the press.
Slovenia suffer setback in Euro 2020 qualifiers in Skopje
SKOPJE, North Macedonia - After scoring three wins in a row, the Slovenian men's national football team suffered a setback on its way to the final tournament as it lost 1:2 to North Macedonia in Skopje last evening. Slovenia will now have to go for a win against Austria in Ljubljana on Sunday to remain in play. Three matches to go in Group E of the qualifiers, Slovenia are tied with North Macedonia at eleven points, trailing Poland (16) and Austria (13).
LJUBLJANA - Simon Špilak, one of the most successful Slovenian cyclists, announced retirement from professional competition at the age of 33. His top results include two Tour de Suisse victories and one overall win at the Tour de Romandie. The member of the Swiss team Katusha-Alpecin, who is known for targeting one-week races rather than the three-week Grand Tour races, said the decision had been made "intuitively, from my gut, as they say".
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What follows is a weekly review of events involving Slovenia, as prepared by the STA.
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FRIDAY, 4 October LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Labour Committee nodded to a government proposal abolishing a special bonus for working welfare recipients. While the Left, also upset by the proposed tax reform, threatened to withdraw its support to the minority government, PM Marjan Šarec insisted the government remained welfare-oriented. He said the allowance plus bonus had come too close to the minimum wage. LJUBLJANA - The ZSSS trade union confederation stressed it did not support the government-proposed package of changes to tax legislation that are meant to reduce taxes on labour. The changes are supported by employers, with the Slovenian Business Club arguing that "wages in Slovenia are among the most taxed in the EU". ZAGREB, Croatia - Reports confirmed that career diplomat Vojislav Šuc had taken over as the new Slovenian ambassador to Croatia on Thursday. MARIBOR - Večer reported that the Maribor Higher Court had upheld a guilty verdict against Andrej Šiško, the leader of Štajerska Guard militia. In March, he was found guilty of trying to subvert the constitutional order through armed resistance and sentenced to eight months in prison, but has since been released after having served much of the sentence in detention. LJUBLJANA - A Slovenia-Japan business forum heard that economic cooperation between the countries is good, but there is still ample room to deepen it, for instance in the industrial sector, in energy and in ICT. KOPER - An officer of the Koper Police Department who was, according to unofficial media reports, the head of the district's narcotics task force, was arrested on charges of drug trafficking.
SATURDAY, 5 October LJUBLJANA - Coalition SocDems head Dejan Židan said the clash between the minority coalition and the opposition partner Left over social security issues was harmful and called for a meeting to iron out the differences. The SocDems sided with the Left in opposing the scraping of a bonus for working welfare recipients. BOLOGNA, Italy - Slovenian cyclist Primož Roglič of the Dutch team Team Jumbo-Visma won the single-stage Giro d'Emillia race to add to his numerous feats this year, which include the overall win at the prestigious Vuelta a Espana.
SUNDAY, 6 October TEHARJE - Retired Celje Bishop Stanislav Lipovšek stressed at the annual Teharje ceremony remembering an estimated 5,000 victims of war and post-war summary executions the need "for true reconciliation with the past" if Slovenia wants to build a safe and happy future. He expressed gratitude to all who made sure the execution sites around the country are finally being tended to. EDINBURGH, UK - Lučka Rakovec became the European lead champion in Edinburgh, adding another highlight to what has been a spectacular season for Slovenian sports climbing. LJUBLJANA- Slovenian boxer Ema Kozin won five world titles, having out-boxed Swedish Maria Lindberg at Stožice Arena in Ljubljana and defended her World Boxing Federation (WBF) Women's World Champion title of the Super Middleweight class.
MONDAY, 7 October LJUBLJANA - PM Marjan Šarec and Finance Minister Andrej Bertoncelj presented the 2020 and 2021 draft budgets in parliament, noting that, despite the expected slowdown of economic growth, the budgets would see a surplus, and that more money would be available than earlier. The National Assembly is expected to vote on both budgets at the end of November. BRNIK - The official receiver of Adria Airways started serving notices of job termination to the airline's employees, while pilots and cabin staff are reported to be interviewed with potential new employers. Adria's audited financial statement, released on 8 October, showed the German-owned Slovenian airline ended 2018 with a net loss of EUR 18.6 million, up from EUR 5.4 million in 2017. LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary inquiry into the operations of the Bank Asset Management Company (BAMC) began its work by quizzing several individuals in charge of critical developments in 2013, when the country's bad bank was incorporated. The first hearings focused on the contentious selection of Deloitte as the auditor and on the criteria for the transfer of bad claims. LJUBLJANA - Slovenian trade unions urged employers to provide for decent work and reflect on the workers' contribution to economic growth and prosperity as World Day for Decent Work was observed. The Movement for Decent Work and Welfare State moreover highlighted young workers in precarious jobs, who earn less than half of their colleagues working on permanent contracts. LJUBLJANA - Former Health Minister Tomaž Gantar confirmed he had stepped down as vice-president of the coalition Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) in September. Gantar, who is returning to medical profession and remains a DeSUS member, was critical of the way Karl Erjavec is leading the party, saying his style was increasingly less democratic. LJUBLJANA - The women's section of Slovenian PEN honoured Neda Rusjan Bric with this year's Mira Prize, an award it introduced in 2013 to honour outstanding women authors. An actress by profession, Rusjan Bric, 57, is an author who has directed a number of multimedia productions based on her own texts.
TUESDAY, 8 October BRUSSELS, Belgium - Slovenia earned a new reproof for the slow uptake of EU funds as the country's member of the European Court of Auditors Samo Jereb reported that by the end of 2018 the country had only used 24.2% of funding available for 2014-2020. The Government Development and Cohesion Policy Office said Jereb had considered only the final phase of EU funds uptake and that Slovenia was on track to securing all of the funds available. LJUBLJANA - PM Marjan Šarec helped end the boycott of social dialogue by employers and trade unions - caused by bills being filed into parliamentary procedure without having been discussed by the industrial relations forum - with a deal that will allow the Economic and Social Council (ESS) to also debate bills filed by the opposition. LJUBLJANA - It was confirmed that a consortium of Slovenian construction companies Pomgrad, Kolektor, SŽ-ŽGP, GH-Holding and Gorenjska Gradbena Družba has been chosen to build a new section of the rail line between Maribor and the Šentilj border crossing with Austria, a project valued at EUR 101 million. LJUBLJANA - The financial fund Alfi, the biggest creditor of the Tuš group with about a third of the claims, was reported being in talks for acquiring about 27% more of the claims to the struggling group around grocer Engrotuš. LJUBLJANA - The news web portal Siol reported that Fortenova, the successor of the bankrupt Croatian food conglomerate Agrokor, is devising a secret plan to slash up the Slovenian retail group Mercator into parts and take control of the cash flows between the core company and its subsidiaries in Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia. LJUBLJANA - The Month of Design event, bringing together around 300 participants from 19 countries in Southeast Europe, got under way in Ljubljana with the Design Expo fair.
WEDNESDAY, 9 October LJUBLJANA - PM Marjan Šarec and his Belgian counterpart Charles Michel, the next president of the European Council, were optimistic the UK and the EU could still reach an agreement on Brexit as Michel visited Slovenia as he prepares to assume the new EU top job. Šarec expressed confidence the new president of the EU Council would respect the rule of law, including in Schengen zone enlargement. LJUBLJANA - Bilateral ties and Schengen zone expansion topped the agenda as Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok met his counterpart Miro Cerar, with the pair urging respect for international law and dedication to multilateralism. As for Schengen zone expansion, with Croatia tipped as the next country to enter, the ministers stressed new members needed to meet all conditions. LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary foreign policy and EU affairs committees met for a joint session behind closed doors to discuss Slovenia's position on the expansion of the Schengen area. No formal decisions were expected to be taken, with the idea being to notify the committees and invite them to help form a position. LJUBLJANA - After issuing a set of recommendations last November to warn against imprudent consumer lending practices, Banka Slovenije said it will introduce binding restrictions in November which also stiffen conditions for consumer as well as housing loans. LJUBLJANA - The national intelligence agency SOVA, declined to give the parliamentary Intelligence Oversight Commission information on the agency's staffing, requested in the wake of allegations PM Marjan Šarec had intervened to secure a job to a female friend. While SOVA referred the investigation to the public employees inspectorate, the opposition-controlled commission insisted SOVA staffing also fell under its purview. SDS head Janez Janša demanded that SOVA head Rajko Kozmelj resign. LJUBLJANA - Representatives of the Slovenian minority in Italy expressed concern over the law that will drastically reduce the number of seats in the Italian parliament as of next election, and believe that the urgent next move should be to secure parliamentary representation of the minority with a relevant law. LJUBLJANA - Slovenia remained 35th in the 2019 World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report, scoring 70.2 points on a scale from 0 to 100, up from 69.6 points in 2018.
THURSDAY, 10 October LJUBLJANA - Slovenia called on Turkey to end its military operation in north-eastern Syria, protect civilians and respect international humanitarian law. LJUBLJANA - The government endorsed a bill on state guarantee for the loans taken out to fund the planned Koper-Divača rail expansion, and an expressway connecting the north and south of the country, two major infrastructure projects in Slovenia. The guarantee for the rail project was restricted to EUR 417m, and for the Third Development Axis at EUR 360m. LJUBLJANA - According to unofficial information obtained by the weekly Mladina, constitutional judges have annulled a controversial clause of the aliens act that would allow the country to take steps to suspend asylum law in the event of mass migration. The court told the STA the review was still ongoing. LJUBLJANA - A bill that would allow the government to subsidise air links vital to Slovenia after flag carrier Adria Airways was sent into receivership was defeated by the parliamentary Infrastructure Committee. On the same day, Adria's receiver published an invitation for bids for all remaining assets of the insolvent airline. SKOPJE, Macedonia - Relations between Slovenia and North Macedonia were in focus as PM Marjan Šarec visited Skopje. He reiterated Slovenia's support that North Macedonia be allowed to launch EU accession talks. LJUBLJANA - Right-wing parties organised a rally, headlined Save Slovenia. Protestors called against corruption and expressed their dissatisfaction with PM Marjan Šarec. LJUBLJANA - Slovenia exported EUR 2.32 billion worth of goods in August, which is 4.9% more year-on-year, while imports were up by 4.3% to EUR 2.3 billion. Trade surplus thus stood at EUR 20 million in August, for an exports-to-imports coverage of 100.88%. LJUBLJANA - The value of industrial output in Slovenia in August was 2% down compared to July and 0.8% higher year-on-year. MARIBOR - Marinka Štern was announced as the recipient of this year's Borštnik Ring for lifetime achievement, the highest accolade conferred in theatre acting. The 72-year-old stage and screen actor worked at the Mladinsko Theatre (SMG) and as also performed in television and radio productions and cooperated with other national and independent theatres.
STA, 10 October 2019 - Slovenia has called on Turkey on Thursday to end its military operation in north-eastern Syria, protect civilians and respect the international humanitarian law. It has also expressed deep concern over the operation. President Borut Pahor meanwhile labelled the operation unacceptable.
The Slovenian Foreign Ministry pointed out in a press release on Thursday that the operation could jeopardise the stability of the region, and the progress achieved in the battle against Islamic State and other terrorist organisations.
It also undermines the political process for the solving of the Syrian crisis, the ministry added.
Turkey launched a planned military offensive into north-eastern Syria on Wednesday, launching airstrikes and artillery fire across the border just days after the US announced it was pulling its troops back from the area.
The operation is aimed at pushing Kurdish forces, who were a key ally of the US in the fight against Islamic State, away from Turkey's border.
According to data provided by activists, 15 people have been killed so far, including eight civilians, among them two children. The international community has condemned the operation.
As a result of the operation people's lives are in danger and the humanitarian situation in the country is deteriorating, which could lead to more refugees, the Foreign Ministry said.
It also stressed that a permanent solution of the Syrian conflict could be reached only if Syria's territorial integrity is respected in the political process led by the UN in line with the 2015 UN Security Council resolution 2254.
Pahor, who is in Greece for the Athens Democracy Forum, told the Slovenian press that the international community must do everything it can to deter Turkish President Reccep Tayyip Erdogan from using force against Kurds.
He added that he had brought up his concerns about Kurdish issues with Erdogan several times. Pahor also said that some ten years ago Erdogan, in the capacity of prime minister, was instrumental in bridging the conflict between Turks and Kurds.
But cooperation between Erdogan and Kurds has soured since then to a degree that they are now on opposite sides.
Everything must be done to preserve dialogues between the international community and Turkey and between Turkey and Kurds, Pahor underlined.
The Guardian reports that Slavoj Žižek and Miha Mazzini are among those writers less than impressed with Peter Handke winning the Nobel Prize for Literature, due to his support for Slobodan Milošević during the Balkan War, joining names such as Salman Rushdie and Hari Kunzru in their condemnation of the Austrian author, who has Slovenian roots on his maternal side.
Žižek, the “rock star philosopher” and most famous Slovenian cultural figure on the international scene told the British publication:
In 2014, Handke called for the Nobel to be abolished, saying it was a ‘false canonisation’ of literature. The fact that he got it now proves that he was right. This is Sweden today: an apologist of war crimes gets a Nobel prize while the country fully participated in the character assassination of the true hero of our times, Julian Assange. Our reaction should be: not the literature Nobel prize for Handke but the Nobel peace prize for Assange.
The story also quotes the Slovenian author Miha Mazzini as follows:
Some artists sold their human souls for ideologies (Hamsun and Nazism), some for hate (Celine and his rabid antisemitism), some for money and power (Kusturica) but the one that offended me the most was Handke with his naivety for the Milošević regime. And it’s personal. I will never forget the cold winter when Yugoslavia was falling apart and there was nothing on the shelves of the stores. We were a young family and my daughter was a toddler and it was bitterly cold. I’d spent the whole day in the queue for the heating oil and in the evening, almost frozen, I started reading Handke’s essay about Yugoslavia. He wrote of how he envied me: while those Austrians and Germans, those westerners, had fallen for consumerism, we, Yugoslavs, had to queue and fight for everything. Oh, how close to the nature we were! How less materialistic and more spiritualised we were! Even at the time, I found him cruel and totally self-absorbed in his naivety.
On Wednesday, October 9, Ljubljana was awarded the Digitalisation Award in the European Capital of Smart Tourism 2020 at a gala event in Helsinki, held as part of the European Tourism Forum.
In addition to two overall winners, Gothenburg (Sweden) and Málaga (Spain), four cities have been recognised with 2020 European Smart Tourism Awards for their outstanding achievements in the four categories of the competition. These four cities received the highest scores in individual categories among all 35 applicant cities during a preselection phase, carried out by independent experts.
The 2020 European Smart Tourism Award in Accessibility went to Breda, Netherlands; the Award in Sustainability went to Gothenburg, Sweden; the Award in Cultural heritage and creativity went to Karlsruhe, Germany and the Award in Digitalization went to Ljubljana, Slovenia.
The jury was impressed by Ljubljana's various smart solutions including the official tourism website with its rich content and a series of apps - especially the tap water app for locating water fountains all around the city, and the Ljubljana by Wheelchair app.
TheEuropean Capital of Smart Tourism is an initiative launched by the European Commission to increase Europe’s profile as a tourist destination and establish a platform for the exchange of best tourism practices between European cities.
By being awarded the title, Ljubljana has received the confirmation that within a year it has succeeded in upgrading and improving the city for its citizens and also as a travel destination. Furthermore, it has once again become an inspiration to other tourist destinations across Europe.
For more on the award and the current city improvement plans, go to visitljubljana.com.
On Saturday, October 12, Open Kitchen will visit the coast for the last time this season. Stalls full of local and foreign delicacies will re-fill the picturesque Carpaccio Square and the friendly Tavern Shadow in Koper. The event, organized by the Open Kitchen team in cooperation with the Municipality of Koper, will start at 11am and last until 9pm.
To ensure that no one on the coast needs to cook at home this Saturday, a colorful selection of tastes and flavors will make sure that nobody goes home hungry or dissatisfied.
At the Turkish Yildiz Han booth, for example, visitors will choose between Turkish delicacies such as kebab on a saber, traditional Turkish burek, sarmas in vine leafs and baklava.
Thai Pink Elephant booth will serve Suki Yaki noodles which will come with a learning lesson on what different levels of “hot” actually mean. Namaste Indian Restaurant stand will offer meditation with chewing yoga practiced on delicious rumali roti rolls.
For those of sharp sense of aesthetics, a special workshop on how to make something really tasty and beautiful from the simplest things, such as hot dogs will be held by professors from the JEDU Wurst & Dogs team.
Visitors to Stari pisker pub and Guesthouse and Argentino Steakhouse stalls will learn about what a really good piece of meat is and how it should be prepared to get the best out of it.
At the Land of Flavors (Dežela okusov) stall you’ll be able to learn how to eat like an Egyptian and the Chinese garden Restaurant will be stirring the legendary fried noodles.
That mixing of culinary traditions leads to some very tasty results will be proven at the Super hrusta stall, where suckling will be roasted on a Chinese grill then served with sauerkraut and pan fried potatoes.
And for the end of the day, deserts will be served by TWISTER Ice Cream Rolls, Dvor jezeršek and Atelier Karim, and liquids mixed and poured by Experiment, J&B Winehouse and Craft beer.
