STA, 24 May 2019 - The decision of the governing board of the Traffic Safety Agency to propose dismissal of director Igor Velov was expected and justified, the newspaper Dnevnik says in Friday's commentary, adding that Velov hiding from the media who wants him to explain how he has damaged his car was inadmissible.

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Pahor and Finnish President Niinistö urge focus on what unites EU

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor and his visiting Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinistö stressed the need for the EU to continue to focus on what its people have in common and what unites them as they met in Ljubljana. Pahor said he was content that Finland would take over the EU presidency in the first half of the year, meaning in the period after the EU election that will be marked by a complex process of a transformation of the bloc's institutions and their leadership. Niinistö spoke of the need to find an original European spirit, arguing views can differ but results will still come if there is a shared spirit. He also met PM Marjan Šarec and Speaker Dejan Židan.

Environment ministry pushes for special climate change bill

LJUBLJANA - Environment Minister Simon Zajc announced he would like the government to adopt a special bill to facilitate fighting against climate change. He believes having a special law is important to secure a broad political consensus. "The bill is important because we want the goal we'll set for 2050 to enjoy a very broad political consensus." At EU level, Slovenia will advocate setting a goal of reaching a neutral society by 2050, said Zajc, noting this put Slovenia among the ambitious EU members.

GZS head issues stirring appeal against agreed minimum wage growth

LJUBLJANA - Seeming to step up what trade unions have called a push by employers against fully enforcing the minimum wage increase backed by parliament last year, Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) director general Sonja Šmuc described the increase as a rushed step that would cause major damage, including to the most vulnerable groups. Trade unions and the Left called these claims as exaggerated.

Russian FM Lavrov paying working visit next week

LJUBLJANA - Russian FM Sergey Lavrov will pay a working visit to Slovenia on 28 and 29 May to meet Slovenian counterpart Miro Cerar as well as President Borut Pahor and PM Marjan Šarec, announced the Foreign Ministry, adding the visit was a continuation of bilateral dialogue. Lavrov and Cerar are expected to discuss bilateral relations, economic cooperation, and topical issues in the international community. Lavrov will also attend the unveiling of a bust of Davorin Hostnik (1853-1929), the author of the first Slovenian-Russian dictionary, in Šmartno pri Litiji.

TV Slovenija poll shows win for SDS+SLS, LMŠ as runner-up

LJUBLJANA - A poll commissioned by the public broadcaster TV Slovenija shows the joint list of the Democrats (SDS) and People's Party (SLS) as the likely winners of the EU election with a four-point lead on the ruling Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ). The SDS+SLS list polls at 21.2%, with the LMŠ at 17.4% and the Social Democrats (SD) in third at 13.4%. New Slovenia (NSi) polled at 8.4%, the Left at 6.8% and the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) at 6.4%. The Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) at 4.1%, National Party (SNS) at 3.1%, Greens at 2.3% and Modern Centre Party (SMC) at 1.2% are the only other lists that polled above 1%.

Krka Q1 net profit up 42% y/y to EUR 70.3m

NOVO MESTO - The pharma company Krka reported a net profit of EUR 70.4 million at group level for the first quarter of 2019, a 42% increase year-on-year. Revenue increased by 12% to EUR 378.5 million. The group recorded EUR 72.2 million of operating profit, a 17% year-on-year increase, while earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) amounted to EUR 99.9 million, a 10.5% improvement. Krka, which generates 94% of its sales on foreign markets, saw sales increase in all regions, but the largest absolute increase was recorded in East Europe, where sales grew by 15% to EUR 122.1 million. Revenue in Slovenia was up 3% to EUR 22 million.

Intereuropa's profit down in Q1

KOPER - Logistics company Intereuropa reported a net profit of EUR 831,000 for the first quarter of the year, down 35% on the year before, even as sales revenue rose 2% to EUR 39.7 million. Profit before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) slumped by 18% year-on-year to EUR 2.9 million, and operating profit was down 37% to EUR 1.3 million, the company said. Net financial debt was reduced by EUR 1.6 million compared to the end of 2018, to EUR 58.6 million.

Traffic safety supremo on chopping block over road conduct

LJUBLJANA - The man in charge of Slovenia's Traffic Safety Agency appears on the way out after he damaged an agency car in suspicious circumstances that he has been unwilling to explain. The governing board of the Traffic Safety Agency proposed today that Igor Velov be relieved of his duties after his car was found damaged earlier this week in what tabloids have suggested may have been drunk driving.

Slovenia mulling full ESA membership

PARIS, France - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek met with Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA) Johann-Dietrich Wörner to discuss the possibility of Slovenia becoming a full-fledged member of the agency. Slovenia has been an associate member since December 2016, with its membership being valid until 2021, the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology said in a press release.

Two arrested after 300kg of heroin found in Koper last year

KOPER - Two suspected drug traffickers have been arrested after the police discovered more than 300 kilos of high-purity heroin in the port of Koper in April 2018, in what is one of the biggest drug busts in Slovenia in 20 years. The police, who are still searching for another two suspects, estimate the drug would net EUR 30-50 million, according to Koper Criminal Police head Dean Jurič. The drug was found when customs officers decided to check a container which arrived on a Turkish ship from Iran and was addressed to a company in the Ljubljana area.

More conflicts in prison last year, but fewer drugs

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian prisons recorded more conflicts and escapes last year, but there were fewer drug finds and assaults on employees, show prison statistics for 2019. Prison guards had to use restraint much more often, 120 times, as the number of conflicts between inmates rose to 231 along with the number of incidents requiring that the offender be moved to a separate space, Jasmin Musić, the head of the security department at the Prison Administration, told the press. On the other hand, the number of assaults on prison employees nearly halved to 12, with the number of drug finds decreasing as well, to 365.

Dummy bomb smuggled past security at Ljubljana airport in test

LJUBLJANA - The public broadcaster TV Slovenija reported that a security inspector of the Civil Aviation Agency pretending to be a passenger managed to bring a dummy explosive device past the checkpoints at the Jože Pučnik Airport Ljubljana last week. Citing unofficial but reliable sources, TV Slovenija said that the dummy explosive device went undetected by a member of the security personnel from GS4, a private security firm the airport operator Fraport Slovenija outsources security to. In correspondence with TV Slovenija, Civil Aviation Agency director Rok Marolt confirmed the agency had carried out a security check at the Ljubljana airport last week.

More measles cases this year already than in entire 2018

LJUBLJANA - The National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) has registered twelve cases of measles in Slovenia this year so far, including in a child who had not been vaccinated. The number of cases indicates an increase compared to last year, when nine cases were registered. Travelling, migrations and some parents' refusal to vaccinate their children also contribute to the increase. The majority of measles cases in Slovenia result from contracting the disease abroad, said the Health Ministry. Among this year's cases, three patients have been infected that way.

Icons from leading Russian museums on display in Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - A collection of more than 80 icons from leading Russian museums will be on display at the City Museum in Ljubljana from this evening until 15 September. The exhibition Icons: Treasures from Russian Museums will be accompanied by the project Was ist Kunst Hugo Ball by art collective Irwin. The selected 85 icons from Russia's three biggest museums - the State Tretyakov Gallery, the Sergiev Posad State History and Art Museum and the Yaroslavl Art Museum - offer a unique insight into the Russian culture and spirituality, the museum said.

Desetnica Prize goes to poet and writer Roza

LJUBLJANA - Author, actor and street theatre producer Andrej Rozman - Roza has won this year's Desetnica Prize for youth literature for his collection of poems Pesmi iz Galerije (Poems from the Gallery). Pesmi iz Galerije is a witty and educational take on 35 celebrated paintings which are part of the National Gallery's permanent collection, said the Slovenian Writers' Association (DSP), which gives out the award.

Jan Polanc takes pink jersey at Giro d'Italia

GENOA, Italy - Slovenian cyclist Jan Polanc won the pink jersey at the Giro d'Italia after finishing in the leading group of cyclists in stage 12 of the race. Polanc (UAE Emirates) is followed in the overall rankings by Slovenia's star rider Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma), in what is the first Slovenian double lead ever at the Giro. Polanc finished sixth in today's stage, 25 seconds behind Italy's Benedetti Cesare, while Roglič was 24th.

Slovenia to host ice hockey division I world championship in 2020

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia - Slovenia performed poorly at the recent IIHF World Championship Division I in Kazakhstan, but a consolation prize is coming as the country is to be selected to host the second-tier world championship in 2020 and have a chance to return to the ice hockey elite with support of the home crowd. The formal decision to select the host of the 2020 World Championship Division I will be made on Friday, but it is already clear that this will be Slovenia as the country has remained the only candidate. Like in 2010, the tournament will be held in Ljubljana's Stožice Arena. The date of the event will be determined at Friday's IIHF congress in Bratislava.

STA, 23 May 2019 - A security inspector of the Civil Aviation Agency pretending to be a passenger managed to bring a dummy explosive device past the checkpoints at the Jože Pučnik Airport Ljubljana last week, public broadcaster TV Slovenija reported on Thursday. 

Citing unofficial but reliable sources, TV Slovenija said that the dummy explosive device went undetected by a member of the security personnel. Airport operator Fraport Slovenija outsources security to GS4, a private security firm.

The report says that the inspector, posing as a passenger en route to Frankfurt, walked past the X-ray machine and the personal check, carrying the device in his backpack.

In correspondence with TV Slovenija, Civil Aviation Agency director Rok Marolt initially denied the agency having carried out a security check at the Ljubljana airport last week, but he eventually confirmed it.

The journalist indicated that Marolt had not been aware of the inspection earlier in the day, while Marolt said that he had not been trying to sweep the results under the rug.

The airport operator meanwhile said that "the described event did not take place. There was, however, an internal check, which the company will not comment on," the report says.

The agency told the STA that it received a classified report on the check at the beginning of the week. It added that the check was conducted according to protocol and that it recommended appropriate corrective measures.

In its statement for the STA, Fraport also pointed to the confidential nature of the report. When asked about hiring a different security firm, Fraport said that a call for bids was open at the moment. However, this has nothing to do with the internal check, as GS4's five-year contract is running out.

STA, 23 May 2019 - Climate change is bringing some major challenges for tourism, with skiing being among the sectors already suffering substantially under its impact. Participants of the Green Day of Slovenian Tourism conference heard on Wednesday that the number of ski destinations in the Alps with sufficient natural snow could drop by 70% in this century.

Talking about the impact of climate change on ski resorts at the annual conference promoting sustainable tourism was Cenk Demiroglu of the Umea University in Sweden, who said the number of skiers in the US had fallen by 15 million between 2000 and 2015.

Revenue in the sector in the US fell by US$1 billion in the same period, while the number of jobs lost is estimated between 13,000 and 27,000.

Future prospects are also bleak, as some resorts in the US will see their season shortened by 50% by 2050 and by 80% by 2090. This entails the number of skier falling by 25 million and revenue by US$ 2 billion.

Similarly worrying forecasts are coming from the Alps, where the projected rise in global temperatures by 4 degrees Celsius by the end of the century would reduce the number of resorts that can rely fully on natural snow from 666 to 202.

While conditions could improve for some resorts, many would no longer be able to operate even with artificial snow, Demiroglu warned, while also noting that artificial snow required a lot of water.

Climate change will also be felt by Slovenia, Renato Bertalanič of the Slovenian Environment Agency said. He said the number of hot days will be rising and they will also be recorded at higher altitudes. The most pessimistic projections suggest the number of snow cover days could decrease by over a month.

Economy Ministry State Secretary Eva Štravs Podlogar added that Slovenian ski resorts are already having to supplement their operations with strong and attractive summer programmes. Only two resorts, Vogel and Kanin, are operating without artificial snow, she noted.

Štravs Podlogar also explained that the ministry, in cooperation with mountain resorts, recently ordered a study on ski resorts. The results are expected to be in by the end of the summer.

STA, 23 May 2019 - Two Slovenian mountaineers have completed a series of climbs in remote mountains of Alaska on routes that no human ever set foot on before, conquering three virgin peaks in the process.

Janez Svoljšak and Miha Zupin pioneered five complex new routes in the total length of 4,250 metres in the mountains above the Revelation Glacier between mid-March and mid-April.

The longest and toughest to descend was a 1,300 metre Slovenian route up Apocalypse North, a 2,750 metre peak never climbed before. It took the pair eight hours and a half to climb the mountain.

The expedition was supported by the Slovenian Mountaineering Association, which noted in a press release that the area explored had been visited by one mountaineering expedition a year on average over the past decade, and that the base camp was only accessible by aircraft.

"The area is remote, which means communication is limited to satellite phone messages, and access to the base camp depends on the weather," said Svoljšak, the head of the expedition.

"The weather there is very unsettled, which was hardest during the first few days when the wind bent the poles supporting our tent, and forced us to move on our knees while climbing the ridge."

The strong winds blew large amounts of snow into the face of the mountain, which they had to remove in order to hit the rock or ice, which Svoljšak said was harder than climbing.

Svoljšak, like Zupin member of the Kranj mountaineering section, won the European ice climbing championship title plus a World Cup event in 2016.

The Slovenian Alaska expedition also pioneered the conquest of Four Horsemen East (2,600 m) via a 600 metre East Ridge route, and a peak that they named Wailing Wall (2,450 m).

They also climbed the east face of Golgotha (2,724 m) up a virgin 900 metre route that they named Farther, and Seraph (2,650 m) up a 700 metre new route they christened as The Last Supper for Snow Strugglers.

STA, 23 May 2019 - Based on the so far collected data on bird poaching in Slovenia between 2000 and 2018, the Bird Wathcing Association (DOPPS) has determined that up tp 50,000 Slovenian birds are poached or killed every year. Slovenia thus appears to be not only a transit country for bird smugglers but also a source country. 

Bookmark this link and find the headlines faster each morning, or follow us on Facebook

A schedule of all the main events involving Slovenia this week can be found here

Visiting Ljubljana? Check out what's on this week, while all our stories on Slovenia, from newest to oldest, are here

This summary is provided by the STA:

Germany-Portugal-Slovenia trio discusses EU presidency plans

BERLIN, Germany - The first meeting of the foreign ministers of the Germany-Portugal-Slovenia trio that is to successively preside over the Council of the EU in 2020-2021 showed the countries have similar views on the bloc's challenges and priorities, the Slovenian Foreign Ministry said after talks in Berlin. Hosted by Germany's Heiko Maas and attended by Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva and Slovenia's Miro Cerar, the meeting brought a debate on the importance of the rule of law, on the situation of the EU, including its relations with China and Africa.

SDS+SLS in lead in Valicon EU poll ahead of LMŠ and SD

LJUBLJANA - The Valicon poll projects for the partnership between the opposition Democratic Party and non-parliamentary People's Party (SDS+SLS) to win Sunday's EU election in Slovenia, ahead of PM Marjan Šarec's LMŠ party. Each are projected to secure two of the eight seats in the European Parliament reserved for Slovenia. The coalition Social Democrats (SD) are also close to securing two seats and the opposition New Slovenia (NSi) is likely to win one, while it is still open who will get the final seat. It may either go to one of the smaller parties or to SDS+SKD, LMŠ or the SD.

Courts continue to reduce backlog in 2018, spatial issues persist

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian courts continued to reduce the backlog from the past in 2018 and also brought down the processing time for new cases, Supreme Court president Damijan Florjančič said as he presented the annual report on the work of the judiciary. Slovenian courts received 840,000 new cases in 2018, while they solved 853,000, meaning the number of open cases was reduced by 9% compared to 2017 to 145,000. The average duration of proceedings also continued to decrease, with the exception of succession, adversary and some other proceedings.

Left seeks greater parliamentary powers over troop deployment

LJUBLJANA - The Left tabled a motion to give the National Assembly the final say over deployment of Slovenian Armed Forces personnel in international military operations, ending government prerogative on the matter. The current system is "opaque and undemocratic," Left MP Matej T. Vatovec said as he presented amendments to the defence act. The party claims the change would "create space for public debate," with members of parliament assuming responsibility. Defence Minister Karl Erjavec said the ministry was working on legislative changes of its own and does not support the Left's motion.

GZS optimistic about exports, added value and investments

LJUBLJANA - The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) is happy with record aggregate revenue and profit posted by Slovenian companies in 2018, and is optimistic about 2019 and 2020. It anticipates 7% growth in sales, 6% growth in added value and 8% growth in investment for this year. Revenue generated by companies in Slovenia in 2018 exceeded EUR 100 billion for the first time, with a record EUR 4.2 billion posted in net profit, according to data from Agency for Public Legal Records (AJPES).

Opportunities for boosting business with Germany still exist

LJUBLJANA - Germany is Slovenia's top trade partner and last year's trade between the countries was record high but there is still room for boosting business ties and increasing exports to Germany, heard the participants of an event hosted by the Slovenian-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Slovenia's exports to Germany have been growing by 5-6% a year, reaching EUR 6.3 billion last year. There are however still many opportunities for Slovenian companies in the German market, stressed the chamber's head Gertrud Rantzen. She highlighted the automotive industry among the industries with the most potential.

Slovenia advocates digital transformation at OECD ministerial

PARIS, France - Slovenia stressed the importance of digital transformation, especially in business and education at the annual OECD ministerial. Today's meeting, which adopted new OECD principles on artificial intelligence, was attended by four Slovenian ministers, with the minister of economic development and technology, Zdravko Počivalšek, saying beforehand that Slovenia was aware of the fact that e-skills would play a crucial role in the retraining of staff in the future. The ministry has also drawn up a special programme to support the digitalisation and digital transformation of SMEs with EUR 32.8 million in state funds.

Majority of EU election candidates sign ethics vow

LJUBLJANA - About two-thirds of candidates running in the European Parliament election in Slovenia have signed a vow of transparency and ethics initiated by Transparency International Slovenia (TI Slovenia). Those who signed it promised to strive for transparency, responsibility and integrity in public institutions and in policy making and implementation. The document was signed by all or nearly all candidates of the Social Democrats (SD), the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS), the Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB), New Slovenia (NSi), the Good State, Let's Connect and the Modern Centre Party (SMC).

Slovenian beehive newest addition to Vatican Gardens

VATICAN CITY - A Slovenian beehive became the newest addition to the Vatican Gardens. It was presented by Agriculture Minister Aleksandra Pivec to Pope Francis during an audience to convey to the Holy See the message of World Bee Day, and highlight Slovenia's efforts for bee conservation.

City wins legal battle in Rog squat dispute, users determined to stay

LJUBLJANA - In what could be a key development in the stand-off involving Ljubljana's squatted former bicycle factory Rog, the city authorities have won ownership lawsuits against eight of Rog's users. The city is ready to start with a commercial makeover of the arts centre, but the Rog community, albeit ready for dialogue, maintains nothing has changed. Rog, which developed into an alternative arts and social centre in 2006, saw tensions boil over in 2016, when an attempt to bulldoze some of its buildings was prevented via "passive resistance" by the centre's users.

Bird poaching more prevalent in Slovenia than believed

LJUBLJANA - Based on the so far collected data on bird poaching in Slovenia between 2000 and 2018, the Bird Watching Association (DOPPS) has determined that up to 50,000 Slovenian birds are poached or killed every year. Slovenia thus appears to be not only a transit country for bird smugglers but also a source country. Before collecting the data, the association assumed that Slovenia a sort of an oasis where birds were safe from poaching, particularly compared to Italy and the Balkan countries.

Slovenia one of Europe's most biodiverse countries

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia is among the European countries with the biggest diversity of flora and fauna. Some 24,000 species have been recorded, among them 800 animal and 66 plant species that are endemic, which means they are found only in Slovenia. This data was released by the United Nations in a recent report that highlights the dangers of extinction faced by millions of plant and animal species, the Environmental Ministry pointed out on International Day for Biological Diversity.

Slovenian climbers hit virgin trails in Alaska

ANCHORAGE, US - Slovenian mountaineers Janez Svoljšak in Miha Zupin completed a series of climbs in remote mountains of Alaska, pioneering five complex routes and conquering three virgin peaks in the process between mid-March and mid-April. They pioneered routes in the total length of 4,250 metres in the mountains above the Revelation Glacier. The longest and toughest to descend was a 1,300 metre Slovenian route up Apocalypse North, a 2,750 metre peak never climbed before.

Exhibition explores Alan Ford comics phenomenon

LJUBLJANA - An exhibition marking the 50th anniversary of the first edition of the Italian comic book Alan Ford, which gained a cult following in the former Yugoslavia, will open in the evening at the National Gallery featuring original drawings. Entitled Alan Ford Runs a Lap of Honour, the exhibition will present 162 original comic book pages written by Max Bunker and illustrated by Magnus between 1969 and 1975 - issues #1 to #75.

May 22, 2019

With the European parliamentary elections approaching it is perhaps appropriate to look back in time at the polity that used to rule these lands in the late Middle Ages, when “nations” didn’t exist, and the rising Ottoman Empire was the main external threat to the ruling families of the Holy Roman Empire.

One of the most successful feudal families that emerged in the present-day Slovenia and seriously challenged the dominance of the Habsburgs were Counts of Celje (GER: Grafen von Cilli), who were elevated to the rank of Princes in 1436, following a successful series of military campaigns and the marriage policies of Hermann II.

Hermann II, who is mostly known to Slovenian historic memory as the person who killed his daughter-in-law Veronica of Desenice, 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 Balkan and set the stage for his grandchild Ulric II to attempt to take the Hungarian throne. With Ulric’s death, however, the male line of the Counts of Celje was extinct and their estates went to the House of Hapsburgs, who were in a mutual inheritance contract with the House of Celje.

Hermann II and his political ambitions

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.

Frederick II of Celje and Veronika of Desenice

The plans Hermann II had for 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, Ulric 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.

Before Elisabeth’s death, Frederick met a girl from a lower class in the village of Desenice and fell in love with her. In 1424 or 1425 Veronica of Desenice and Frederick II of Celje got married, and Frederick built a 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 he 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 Castel.

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 Ulric II, so Hermann II released his son from jail.

Principality of Celje

The relationship between Hermann II and Frederick II smoothed a little, but the two remained rivals. Hermann II was now reluctant to entrust Frederick with management of the family estates. In 1429 Frederick 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 trouble stopped with Hermann’s death. On November 30, 1436, Frederick II and Ulric II were elevated to the ranks of Princes, which came with 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 in the battlefield, they had to accept the 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, Sigismund died in 1437, which triggered the succession crisis for the Hungarian crown. Ulric 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 Ulric’s son died as well, rendering Urlic II the sole surviving heir of the House of Celje.

The end of the House of Celje

In 1456 Ulric 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, Habsburgs became legal heirs of their estates, setting the stage for the Austrian Empire. 

STA, 22 May 2019 - Slovenia is among the European countries with the biggest diversity of flora and fauna. Some 24,000 species have been recorded, among them 800 animal and 66 plant species that are endemic, which means they are found only in Slovenia.

This data was released by the United Nations in a recent report that highlights the dangers of extinction faced by millions of plant and animal species, the Environmental Ministry pointed out on International Day for Biological Diversity.

According to a report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), in the past ten years biodiversity around the world has declined.

The report can be found here

The main reasons for this are changes in land and sea use, the direct exploitation of animals and plants (for example for food), climate change, pollution and invasive species.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation has launched its first-ever global report on the state of biodiversity, which underpins humanity's food systems. The report that points out how declining biodiversity poses a threat to food sources, human health and the environment.

The Slovenian Agriculture Ministry says that in areas of high natural value, agriculture can ensure the appropriate biodiversity levels are maintained, provided the right technological solutions are employed. Extensive agriculture helps preserve the diversity of species and habitats.

This year's International Day for Biological Diversity, celebrated every year on 22 May, bears the slogan Our Biodiversity, Our Food, Our Health. The theme focuses on biodiversity as the foundation of food and health and as a key catalyst to transforming food systems and improving human well-being.

The day marks the signing of the Convention on Biological Diversity, signed in 1992. In Slovenia, it has been celebrated since 1996 when Slovenia became one of the signataries of the convention.

STA, 21 May 2019 - The favourable economic situation in Slovenia reflected in the domestic capital market last year, with total market capitalisation of the financial instruments listed on the Ljubljana Stock Exchange (LJSE) increasing by more than 12% compared to 2017, according to a report by the Securities Market Agency (ATVP).

The ATVP noted in the report, published on Tuesday, that total market capitalisation of the financial instruments listed on the LJSE stood at EUR 33.37 billion at the end of the year.

The bulk of this were bonds (EUR 27.02 billion), while total market capitalisation of all shares combined was EUR 6.35 billion.

The report adds that the volume of transactions had meanwhile dropped by 2.91% to EUR 337.32 million. The value of the SBI TOP blue chip index was also down somewhat, by 0.18% to 805.06 points.

The number of securities listed in Ljubljana continued to drop last year, also due to takeovers, whose number was unusually high in 2018, with the agency recording a total of 15 successful and completed acquisitions.

The number of securities on the LJSE stood at 41 at the end of the year, including two new ones - shares of the NLB bank and bonds of power producer Gen-I.

Related: Slovenian Blue Chips – the most liquid stocks on the market

Seven shares and one bond were delisted from the LJSE last year, including the stock of the household appliances maker Gorenje, which was acquired last spring by China's Hisense, which bought out small shareholders in the autumn.

Issuers are withdrawing from the market, for example after ownership consolidation, while new ones rarely decide to enter the Slovenian capital market, the ATVP commented in the report.

In order to raise awareness of Slovenian issuers about the importance of the capital market, the agency said it had implemented last year a pilot programme of support for listing of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Last year, investors could pick among 100 mutual funds in Slovenia, which were managed by six asset management firms, one fewer than in 2017, as the consolidation of the market in this field continued, the agency said.

Their combined assets amounted to EUR 2.48 billion at the end of last year, EUR 187 million less than at the end of 2017. The ATVP attributes this largely to the negative trends at international stock exchanges at the end of 2018.

The agency noted regretfully that the share of securities of domestic issuers in the portfolios of mutual funds had continued to drop last year.

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