20 Jun 2021, 11:10 AM

Ljubljana Pride Parade 2021 Celebrates Freedom, Equality & Human Rights in Slovenia, the Balkans & Beyond

STA, 20 June 2021 - The LGBTIQ+ community staged the Pride Parade in Ljubljana on Saturday afternoon under the slogan Resist the Oppression as a culmination of a week-long festival, demanding freedom, equality and unconditional respect for human rights of LGBTIQ+ persons. The annual parade was for the first time accompanied by the Balkan Trans Intersex March.

The rights the LGBTIQ+ community has acquired and perceived as unalienable are today again at stake, the Pride Parade Association, the event's organisers, said in a statement.

"Just like every year, we're fighting for our rights. But since we're witnessing a rise in hate and regression in what we've already achieved, it's now even more important to preserve what we've achieved," activist Katja Štefanec from the association told the STA.

The parade urged resistance against authoritative authorities and against the illiberalism of the incumbent government, which perceives as threat everything that is different, the organisers said.

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The focus was also on the consequences the coronavirus epidemic and restrictions had for LGBTIQ+ persons, including rising homelessness and deteriorating mental health.

The Balkan Trans Intersex March meanwhile brought together members of the transgender, intersex and non-normative sexuality communities to march in Ljubljana's streets.

Held under the slogan With Love, the march addressed transphobia, interphobia, violence, lack of legal protection, violations of private rights and shortcomings in healthcare for the transgender, intersex and non-normative sexuality communities.

"Due to their sex change, transgender and intersex persons are faced with even more discrimination," the march's representative Edi Klobučar told the STA.

"There is an additional stigma in our country because of pathologisation, that is medicalisation. So the message of this year's parade is the need for access to healthcare, which has been additionally hindered due to the epidemic over the past year."

The march also called on the media to report on this community without additional stigmatisation.

Mayor Zoran Janković, addressing the parade as it arrived in Congress Square, said Ljubljana is a city that has always been and will remain open.

Simona Muršec, the association's president, said the past year had been hard, frustrating and hopeless for the entire LGBTIQ+ community, stressing that "the political measures to fight the epidemic pushed the bulk of our community into more poverty and more precariousness, back into the closet or even into homelessness."

She believes that after the epidemic, the LGBTIQ+ community will have to once again fight for its physical presence in society.

"In a society which does not have freedom, solidarity and dignity for all, there will soon be no freedom for anyone," stressed Matjaž Gruden, the head of the Council of Europe directorate for democratic participation, via video call.

The head of the European Commission Representation in Slovenia, Jerneja Jug Jerše, said the EU was striving to be a union of equality, pointing to its adoption of a strategy on LGBTIQ+ equality last year.

Since 12 June, the Pride Parade Festival has featured a number of events, such as exhibitions, workshops, discussions, and literary events.

The first Pride Parade in Ljubljana was organised in 2001.

20 Jun 2021, 08:01 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Sunday, 20 June 2021

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.

This summary is provided by the STA:

Janez Janša gets another term as SDS head

SLOVENSKE KONJICE - Janez Janša won another term at the helm of the Democratic Party (SDS) at a party congress in Slovenske Konjice. He was endorsed by 650 of the 656 delegates as the only candidate for party head. Janša, who is serving his third terms as prime minister, has been firmly at the helm of the SDS since 1993. He is the third SDS president of the party.

Janša: SDS always in government when burden of responsibility needs to be carried

SLOVENSKE KONJICE - The Democratic Party (SDS) is the only party founded before the independence that is still in one piece, still in parliament and still a political force with the largest voter support, PM and SDS head Janez Janša said at the party congress. Although it was in the government for only ten years, it has always carried the heaviest burden, he said.

Ljubo Jasnič becomes new DeSUS head

LJUBLJANA - The Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) elected Ljubo Jasnič, a former secretary general of the party, the new party head at a congress in Ljubljana. He received 54 out of 117 votes. Addressing the delegates, Jasnič expressed the wish for genuine cooperation with everyone. "I understand your vote as a voice for unity and the values of DeSUS," he said, adding everything would be done for DeSUS to enter parliament again at the next election.

84 new coronavirus infections confirmed on Friday, one death

LJUBLJANA - A total of 84 coronavirus infections were confirmed in 2,237 PCR tests in Slovenia on Friday, down four from the day before. The positivity rate stood at 3.8%. There are still 101 Covid-10 patients in hospitals, including 37 in intensive care. Fifteen people were discharged from hospital and one patient died, the government said.

Govt puts communicable diseases act in line with Constitution

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted at a correspondence session on Friday changes to the communicable diseases act after the Constitutional Court declared parts of the act and thus measures introduced during the epidemic unconstitutional. It also changed Covid-19-related conditions for entry to Slovenia. According to the government, the amended act "fully addresses all aspects of the current legal arrangement that the Constitutional Court highlighted as constitutionally problematic and significantly narrows the field of government freedom in adopting possible restrictive measures".

Slovenia's new ambassador to UN taking over on Monday

NEW YORK, US - As the term of Slovenian Ambassador at the UN Darja Bavdaž Kuret expired at the end of last week, she will be succeeded by Boštjan Malovrh, deputy ambassador to China. Between 2011 and 2017, Malovrh led the central Asia desk at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Before that he served as a political advisor to the EU special representative for the crisis in Georgia.

State secretary calls for strengthening of EU's resilience

STRASBOURG, France - Foreign Ministry State Secretary Gašper Dovžan took part in the first plenary of the conference on the future of Europe on Saturday. In his video address he called for continuation of the EU integration process and boosting of the bloc's resilience.The EU's resilience should be boosted so that it "will become a true player, also on the global level", Dovžan said.

Fitch affirms Slovenia rating

LJUBLJANA - Rating agency Fitch has affirmed Slovenia's credit rating at A with a stable outlook, the Finance Ministry said, adding that this showed the agency acknowledged Slovenia's strong institutional structure, focus on human development and a credible policy framework supported by EU membership.

Steklarna Hrastnik's net revenue, profit down in 2020

HRASTNIK - Slovenia's glass manufacturer Steklarna Hrastnik generated EUR 56.3 million in net sales revenue in 2020, down 13% on 2019, with its net profit decreasing by 8% to EUR 6.7 million, both as a result of the Covid pandemic. "2020 was one of the most uncertain and unusual years for the company while 2019 was one of the most successful ones in its history," director general Peter Čas says in the company's annual business report.

Museum Summer Night brings 300 events across Slovenia

MARIBOR - More than 75 museums and galleries opened their doors free of charge to visitors as part of the 19th Museum Summer Night bringing almost 300 events at around 160 locations around the country on Saturday evening until midnight. With the epidemiological situation improving, many more events than last year were held live.

19 Jun 2021, 13:30 PM

Last Week in Slovenia: 11-17 June, 2021

What follows is a weekly review of events involving Slovenia, as prepared by the STA.

If you’d like to keep up on the daily headlines then follow those here, or get all our stories in your feed on Facebook.

FRIDAY, 11 June
        LJUBLJANA - Former Slovenian President Milan Kučan said that the government declassifying a 2011 document compiled by him on possible further paths in the process of Bosnia-Herzegovina's constitutional reform was a move to divert attention from the allegations that PM Janez Janša was spreading a non-paper on re-drawing of Western Balkans borders in the Western Balkans.
        LJUBLJANA - The heads of four independent oversight state bodies signed a joint statement calling for appropriate communication in the country and respect for independent state bodies. Signed by the Information Commissioner, Commission for Corruption Prevention, Court of Audit and Human Rights Ombudsman, the statement expressed concern about the relentless pressure of politics on institutions.
        LJUBLJANA - The Prosecution Council announced it had proposed that the State Attorney's Office file a lawsuit against the government for breach of law to the detriment of public interest after the government annulled the procedure to appoint Slovenia's two European delegated prosecutors.
        LJUBLJANA - The government decided on 10 June that Slovenia will donate 10,530 doses of the Pfizer vaccine to the Czech Republic in an expression of solidarity. The donation will be made from one of the future supplies of the vaccine destined for Slovenia and will be delivered directly by Pfizer.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - It was announced that Slovenia had asked for a extension of the two-month term for the assessment of its national recovery and resilience plan along with Poland, Sweden, Croatia and Romania. The European Commission granted the request and the deadline was extended by two weeks.
        LJUBLJANA - A building in the centre of Ljubljana where the coalition New Slovenia (NSi) has its headquarters was defaced with paint the night before, an act that the party said reflected the growing intolerance in society.
        LJUBLJANA - The executive committee of FIBA Europe decided Slovenia will host the 2023 European Women Basketball Championship, with two groups of the preliminary round to be played in Celje and Koper, and the elimination round in the capital of Ljubljana.

SATURDAY, 12 June
LJUBELJ - A ceremony marking the 76th anniversary of the liberation of the Ljubelj labour camp, a Mauthausen sub-camp, heard warnings of the dangers of the spread of hatred. "There are too many politicians who sow hatred and politicians who allow and calmly observe this or pretend there is no danger," said keynote speaker Dragan Petrovec.
LJUBLJANA - National Council President Alojz Kovšca argued in an interview with the STA that Slovenia would not be successful until politics was capable of compromise and the government featured individuals of leftist and rightist political proclivity. He also called for a stronger stance on sovereignty.

SUNDAY, 13 June
LJUBLJANA - Igor Kršinar, a journalist for the magazine Reporter, initiated a private prosecution against PM Janez Janša over two Twitter posts in 2019 that implied he was a drug user. Kršinar said the claim that he was a drug user "exceeds the boundaries of appropriate and permitted communication".
NOVO MESTO - Slovenia's Tadej Pogačar won the Tour of Slovenia, the country's biggest cycling road race, after defending the leading position in the final stage from Ljubljana to Novo Mesto. This marked the 25th career victory for the 22-year-old UAE Team Emirates rider, who won last year's Tour de France.

MONDAY, 14 June
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - Arriving at a NATO summit, PM Janez Janša said Slovenia would not be able to reach the NATO target of 2% of GDP in defence spending by 2024, but it must do its homework. He noted that under the current government the spending trend had been reversed.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - China is NATO's key challenge, PM Janez Janša said ahead of a NATO summit. "The world has changed in the last three decades and threats have changed as well," Janša said, adding that China was definitely a topic that would dominate not only this but future summits as well.
        ROME, Italy - FM Anže Logar and his Italian counterpart Luigi di Maio chaired the 7th session of the Coordinating Committee of Ministers between Slovenia and Italy. They voiced the desire for stronger cooperation in security and migrations, infrastructure, sustainable mobility, industry, the green transition and science.
        LJUBLJANA - Police Commissioner Anton Olaj filed a criminal complaint against the opposition Left on suspicion of making false accusations against him in response to the party filing a complaint against him on suspicion of abuse of office. Olaj highlighted that the police were unbiased and professional.
        MEŽICA - TAB, the maker of starter batteries for cars and industrial batteries, announced it would launch production of lithium-ion cells in Prevalje in the first such facility in Slovenia in spring 2022 in a joint venture with the Chinese company Haidi Energy Technology.
        LJUBLJANA - Four former and current police officers who organised a police patrol in 2015 to pull over and breathalyze the then Public Administration Minister Boris Koprivnikar received suspended sentences at the Ljubljana District Court.
        LJUBLJANA - The average mark for the government's performance slightly increased for the second month in a row in the latest poll run by the newspaper Delo, however more than half of respondents remained unsatisfied with the government. The ruling SDS remained in the lead. The share of undecided voters rose to almost 20%.

TUESDAY, 15 June
        LJUBLJANA - Marjan Dikaučič, an official receiver, became Slovenia's new justice minister after a 44:41 vote in parliament. Dikaučič would not comment on the setback in the appointment of European delegated prosecutors from Slovenia, the reason for his predecessor's resignation.
        LJUBLJANA - The Covid-19 epidemic, which was declared in Slovenia in October, officially ended, but all existing restrictions remained in place. Proof of either Covid recovery or vaccination or a negative test result will still be required in many cases.
        LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor attended a ceremony at the Linden Tree of Reconciliation at Ljubljana's Žale cemetery, marking Day of Guilt, Forgiveness and Reconciliation. Recalling long-standing efforts to right wrongs, Pahor endorsed a declaration adopted by the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SAZU).
        CELJE - GE STEAM Power Systems, the legal successor to Alstom, struck a plea bargain with the prosecution in a case involving an alleged bribery scheme in the construction of TEŠ6. GE STEAM Power Systems agreed to pay EUR 23 million in damages plus EUR 50,000 in legal costs, subject to approval by the judge.
        LJUBLJANA - The SD leader Tanja Fajon proposed that four opposition parties forge a closer partnership, starting with a "partnership discussion" that would chart the way forward. Fajon wants the opposition to convince people of its capabilities.
        LJUBLJANA - With new coronavirus infections steadily declining, the NIJZ relaunched the active tracing of contacts of those who have tested positive, which had been suspended in autumn due to an unmanageable inflow of daily cases. Between 70 and 100 contact tracers will be available each day.
        LJUBLJANA - More than half of Slovenian respondents (51%) believe that corruption increased last year, showed the Global Corruption Barometer for the EU 2021, a survey by Transparency International. Responses by Slovenian participants suggested the second worst deterioration of the situation in the EU.
        LJUBLJANA - The Supreme Court upheld a guilty verdict against Andrej Šiško, the leader of Štajerska Guard, a self-proclaimed militia, who was found guilty in March 2019 of trying to subvert the constitutional order. He had already served out his eight-month sentence.

WEDNESDAY, 16 June
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's central bank markedly upgraded its economic growth forecast for the country, projecting the economy to expand by 5.2% this year, up 2.1 percentage points on the December forecast, followed by a 4.8% growth in 2022, up from 4.5%.
        BRNIK - A new passenger terminal was inaugurated at the Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport. The expansion brings 10,000 square metres of new surfaces. The new terminal will open on 1 July, just in time for the start of Slovenia's EU presidency.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded no daily Covid-19 deaths for the first time since 10 October as 83 new cases were logged, pushing the 7-day average case count and 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents below 100. Government data show 250,288 people had recovered from Covid-19 and 4,724 died had died.
        LJUBLJANA - US President Joe Biden sent his congratulations ahead of Statehood Day to President Borut Pahor. Biden sees the coming Slovenian EU presidency as a great opportunity for the country to contribute to the EU's resilience to health crises and cyber attacks.
        BRATISLAVA, Slovakia - FM Anže Logar argued for a credible continuation of the process to expand the EU to the Western Balkans as he took part in the Global Security Forum. Logar argued the EU should think geo-strategically and preserve and enhance a high level of trust for the Western Balkans.
        LJUBLJANA - It was announced that the government will host the College of European Commissioners, including EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, as Slovenia takes over the rotating EU presidency on 1 July.
        LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor nominated Damjan Kukovec, senior lecturer in law at Middlesex School of Law in London, for one of Slovenia's two judicial posts on the EU's General Court. Kukovec was endorsed as the most suitable out of eight candidates by the Judicial Council.
        LJUBLJANA - Finance reported that the Serbian AIK Banka was close to signing a deal to buy all of Russian Sberbank's operations in SE Europe, including those in Slovenia. A potential merger of Sberbank in Slovenia and Gorenjska Banka, which is owned by AIK, would create the third largest banking group in the country.

THURSDAY, 17 June
        LJUBLJANA - The government passed an emergency law to help the embattled tourism sector. The package is worth EUR 243.5 million, with new tourist vouchers accounting for the bulk of new spending. Businesses think the aid falls short.
        LJUBLJANA - The government adopted legislation that involves EUR 1.9 billion in spending on health investments over the next ten years for hospitals and educational institutions to beef up the capacity of the national health system. The money will be secured in regular annual budgets from 2021 to 2031.
        LJUBLJANA - The government decided to lift many existing restrictions in retail and services sectors as of 21 June, including the 10pm cap. A new restriction was introduced for public rallies and events with more than 100 persons. Participants of such events will need to be vaccinated, tested or reconvalescent from 21 June. The new rule will be in force until 27 June.
        LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a long-awaited bill on long-term care. A gradual approach is planned and a special mandatory contribution for long-term care, a key component of the system, will be put in place later, by mid-2024 at the latest.
        ANTALYA, Turkey - FM Anže Logar attended a ministerial of the South-East European Cooperation Process, discussing the possibilities for regional cooperation. In his address, Logar highlighted the importance of strengthening regional cooperation in the period following the Covid-19 pandemic.
        PODGORICA, Montenegro - Speaker Igor Zorčič started a two-day official visit to Montenegro by meeting his counterpart Aleksa Bečić. Zorčič said Slovenia would do everything in its power during its six-month stint at the helm of the Council of the EU to speed up Montenegro's EU accession talks.
        LJUBLJANA - The Court of Audit assessed that Slovenia was partly successful in achieving the objectives of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the 2013-2019 period. It noted that 2030 targets were very ambitious and would be difficult to reach with the current structure and pace of measures.
        LJUBLJANA - Two members of the European Parliament from the Greens-European Free Alliance group concluded their three-day mission to Slovenia, assessing that, politically-speaking, the situation was very complex, and that they were leaving the country feeling concerned.
        LJUBLJANA - Foreign Ministry State Secretary Stanislav Raščan announced at a virtual donors' conference in solidarity with Venezuela's migrants and refugees in Latin America that Slovenia will donate EUR 60,000.

19 Jun 2021, 11:40 AM

Museum Summer Night Brings 300 Events Across Slovenia Tonight

STA, 19 June 2021 - More than 75 museums and galleries will open their doors free of charge to visitors as part of the 19th Museum Summer Night (Poletna muzejska noč) bringing almost 300 events at around 160 locations around the country on Saturday evening until midnight. With the epidemiological situation improving, many more events than last year will be held live.

Slovenia's biggest museum campaign is designed to promote museums and galleries as well as Slovenian cultural heritage.

It is organised by the Association of Slovenian Museum, for the last four years in collaboration with the Museum of National Liberation in Maribor as the coordinator.

Despite losing the Culture Ministry's financial support for the first time, the organisers went ahead with their well-established and well-received project, continuing to educate the public and promote various institutions promoting cultural heritage, the association's president Aleksandra Berberih Slana told the press earlier this week.

"And despite the inconsistent information regarding the Covid pandemic, a plethora of museums and galleries have decided to participate and have adapted well to the situation," she added at Thursday's press conference in Maribor.

The project's coordinator Simona Tripkovič said that several new organisations had joined this year either for the first time or after withdrawing from the project.

"This shows the vital importance of the Museum Summer Night for the promotion of Slovenian cultural heritage," said Berberih Slana.

Starting at 6pm, the Museum Summer Night will offer guided tours, exhibition openings, workshops for children or families, and concerts, while visitors will also be able to just explore history and art on their own.

Visitors are advised to check the entry conditions beforehand, as they vary from site to site.

19 Jun 2021, 11:30 AM

Janša Gets Another Term as SDS Leader, in Charge Since 1993

STA, 19 June 2021 - Janez Janša won another term at the helm of the Democratic Party (SDS) at a party congress in Slovenske Konjice on Saturday. He was endorsed by 650 of the 656 delegates as the only candidate for party head.

In his address after the vote, Janša thanked everyone who had organised the congress in challenging conditions. He pointed to the programme resolution adopted at the congress, which says that the party is already looking 30 years into the future.

While noting that his generation still had a lot to offer, he said a lot was expected from the party's youth wing in the coming years.

He said their time in the SDS, Slovenia and Europe was coming. "We know you are capable of accepting this challenge and that you will be up to the task."

He used the opportunity to point to 11 July and the referendum on the water act, saying that a yes vote would be a vote to protect drinking water. Those who will vote against will put drinking water in jeopardy, he said.

He said that those campaigning against the act were "more or less known names with known backgrounds", who had already bought plots on river banks, by the lakes and on the coast and were bothered by the act.

"Since people do not read acts it is our task to spread this truth among our team and convince them to vote in favour. We are the ones who are building, so we vote in favour," he stressed.

Janša said a challenging election year was ahead, so after a few months the team appointed today to party bodies would have to give their best.

He said that since many candidates were needed for elections, everyone would be given their chance.

SDS deputy group head Danijel Krivec said the committee's support to Janša had been expected. "There has always been some votes against and it was so this year as well, but the support was plebiscitary. We are happy with this result, all resolutions adopted and today's debate," he said after the congress.

The delegates at the 12th congress of the SDS adopted five programme resolutions addressing the problems of the youth and the elderly, and recognising the need for efforts for equal opportunities for both genders.

They also discussed a resolution entitled For Defence of the Constitutional Foundations of the Slovenian State, which warns of the danger of extremists and the Left. The document raised some dust in the past weeks, especially due to an assessment that any more tensions could lead to a civil war.

"We wished to warn that free functioning of anti-establishment movements, parties could create risks or lead to major political conflicts or even a civil war. We do not want that, that was just a warning," said SDS MEP Milan Zver.

He said some media had abused these statements in the past weeks, so some party committees had proposed that the controversial sections be scrapped but the delegates rejected this overwhelmingly.

The 62-year-old Janša, who is serving his third terms as prime minister, has been firmly at the helm of the SDS since 1993. Throughout this time, the party has always been at the top of party rankings.

He is the third SDS president of the party, which was initially called the Social-democratic Alliance of Slovenia and was renamed twice.

Its first president was France Tomšič, who led it between March 1989 and November 1989. He was succeeded by Jože Pučnik in 1989 - 1993.

Janša was elected party head at the congresses in 1993, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2021, and never had a rival except in 1993.

19 Jun 2021, 07:37 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Saturday, 19 June 2021

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.

This summary is provided by the STA:

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor is convinced that Slovenians can be proud of what the country has achieved in the last thirty years. Speaking for the STA, he said the nation had done great things when it worked together. He acknowledged that there was a rift, but said it was not as deep as some made it out to be. Pahor warned that the election as such will not necessarily result in change, even if there is a change in government, adding that having an election now would "not be as fateful as during the epidemic".

Slovenia, France discuss EU presidency priorities

PARIS, France - Slovenia's EU presidency priorities and the shared interests of both countries in the EU topped the agenda as Foreign Minister Anže Logar held talks with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian. The two countries share interests when it comes to the bloc's post-Covid recovery, the build-up of strategic sovereignty and resilience, and greater autonomy in healthcare and cybersecurity, the Foreign Ministry said. Logar also highlighted the Conference on the Future of the EU as a shared interest of the successive EU presidencies.

Weekly fall in coronavirus continues

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 88 new coronavirus cases for Thursday, as the 7-day average dropped by a further five to 92. After zero deaths the day before, two patients with Covid-19 died, government figures show. The number of patients hospitalised with Covid-19 has dropped by a further three to 109 this morning; 39 are in intensive care, one more than the day before. The cumulative 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents has fallen by a further nine to 90, data from the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) show.

Šircelj expects Slovenia's recovery plan to be assessed as soon as possible

BRUSSELS - Finance Minister Andrej Šircelj would not speculate on when the European Commission will assess Slovenia's recovery plan or when it could be confirmed. Asked whether the country's plan would be among the first that are expected to be confirmed in mid-July, he said he expected it to be assessed as soon as possible but that the Commission had not said which countries would be next. This is not "up for bargaining", he said.

Education in focus of minister's visit to Carinthia

KLAGENFURT, Austria Minister for Slovenians Abroad Helena Jaklitsch met with representatives of several educational institutions offering instruction in Slovenian as she paid a visit to Klagenfurt. She held talks with the head teachers of Slovenian secondary schools and kindergartens as well as professors of Slavic studies at the University of Klagenfurt and the university's rector, Oliver Vitouch.

Telekom Slovenije shareholders to get EUR 4.50 dividend

LJUBLJANA - The shareholders of Telekom Slovenije backed a dividend payout of EUR 4.50 gross per share, endorsing a counter-proposal by the Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH) that is 50 cents above the amount proposed by the management. The decision means that out of the EUR 35 million in distributable profit for 2020, EUR 29.3 million will be paid out to shareholders. The shareholders also appointed two new members of the supervisory board, Karla Pinter, an Economy Ministry official, and Jurij Toplak, a constitutional scholar and law professor.

GZS says Slovenia's drop in IMD Raking a serious warning

LJUBLJANA - The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) sees Slovenia's losing five spots in the IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking as a serious warning. Slovenia ranked 40th among 64 countries in this year's index, with the GZS noting that the country's score deteriorated most sharply in business efficiency and in efficiency of government, while it improved in business excellence. The chamber pointed to digitalisation at companies, noting there there were not enough apprentices or qualified foreign experts.

Prospects for hiring for third quarter remain cautiously optimistic

LJUBLJANA - Just like in the previous quarter, Slovenian employers are cautiously optimistic about hiring prospects in the third quarter of the year. A 9% net growth is expected, a survey by employment company Manpower Group shows. Employers in all ten sectors included in the survey plan to hire, especially in construction and manufacturing. Of all employers included, 14% announced hiring, 1% layoffs, and 78% stable employment. About 7% are still undecided.

Cost of long-term care estimated at EUR 744 million by 2025

LJUBLJANA - Health Minister Janez Poklukar said the new bill on long-term care was necessary as the population was ageing fast ans there would be almost 70,000 beneficiaries by 2025. The costs of services for that year are estimated at EUR 744 million, with a third of that to be secured with a new contribution. The ministry estimates there will be around 63,400 beneficiaries of long-term care next year, and almost 69,300 in 2025.

Slovenia co-host of AI and gender equality event in New York

NEW YORK, US - Slovenia organised on Thursday a virtual UN event dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI) and gender equality alongside the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Australia, Grenada, Maldives and UN Women. Taking place in New York, UN ambassadors and experts called for use of AI to boost gender equality and a stepped up integration of women in AI development.

Imago Sloveniae, Summer in Old Ljubljana festivals kick off

LJUBLJANA - The 33rd edition of the Imago Sloveniae and Summer in Old Ljubljana festivals starts in Congress Square with opera excerpts by the SNG Maribor theatre ensemble. The gala concert led by conductor Simon Dvoršak will be held in celebration of last year's 100th anniversary of the SNG Maribor opera and ballet house. Both festivals will offer some 30 classical music and jazz concerts that will take place at various sites in the capital over the next two months.

Banking museum opens in Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - Bankarium, the museum of Slovenian banking, opened in Ljubljana and will admit the first visitors on Saturday. The museum is managed by the NLB Group, and its mission will be to give visitors an insight into the history of Slovenian banking, experience banking practice and broaden their financial knowledge. Museum visitors will be able to see a collection of currencies used in Slovenia over the last 200 years, as well as the inside of an ATM and a bank vault.

Four detained over illegal sewage sludge dumping

MARIBOR - Four suspects have been remanded in custody following a series of police raids earlier this week in connection to illegal dumping of nearly 200 tonnes of sewage sludge in the village of Pivola, south of Maribor, as new dumpsites are being discovered around the country. The head of Maribor crime investigators Beno Meglič said a total of six suspects and two legal entities faced criminal charges in the case, with the four detained to be brought before an investigating judge tomorrow.

18 Jun 2021, 13:25 PM

Crossmoby Coastal Shuttle Ferry to Run 26 June to 3 October

STA, 18 June 2021 - The cross-border project Crossmoby will set up a ferry service this summer again, connecting four Slovenian coastal towns - Ankaran, Koper, Izola and Piran. Last year, the service was only available at weekends, now it will run every day except Mondays. The ferry will be available for a symbolic fare between one and three euros.

The shuttle ferry service will start on 26 June and run until 3 October, according to the project manager Heidi Olenik from the Regional Development Centre (RDC) Koper, who spoke at Friday's presentation.

She added that they will be using a boat with a capacity of 71 passengers, but due to Covid-19 prevention measures, it will be limited to a maximum of 21 people, slightly more in the event of a group. There will be 16 spaces for transporting bicycles as well.

Reservations will not be possible. In case of bad weather, the shuttle ferry will be cancelled, which will be announced on their website and social media.

The ferry service is a pilot initiative of the Crossmoby project, which is a part of the Interreg V-A Italy-Slovenia 2014-2020 programme and promotes sustainable mobility by launching intermodal passenger transport options.

According to the director of RDC Koper, Giuliano Nemarnik, the ferry will operate in the mornings and afternoons. Due to the increased frequency of trips, they have decided to introduce a symbolic fare between one and three euros.

He also admitted that they had some problems last year, as some passengers did not use the shuttle ferry as a way to get from point A to point B, but rather as a sort of a round trip.

Nemarnik expressed his wish for the ferry to continue operating after the end of the project. He estimated that the cost would not be sustainable, so they will try to reach an agreement with other Istrian municipalities regarding the funds for co-financing the ferry.

He also pointed out that in addition to the shuttle ferry, the bicycle bus (Kolobus) service is set to continue running free of charge on Fridays and weekends on the Koper - Štanjel route. A daily beach shuttle service between Brkini and Koper will also be operating in July and August.

18 Jun 2021, 12:32 PM

Pride Parade Hits the Streets of Ljubljana, Saturday 18 June

Saturday, 18 July, sees the main event of Pride Month take to the streets in Ljubljana – the annual parade and associated events. This year there’s a focus on Balkan Trans Inter solidarity, but as usual it’s open and welcoming to all, a fun day out to celebrate some of the freedoms Slovenians enjoy, in this the 30^th year since the country gained independence.

You can start the day with the LGBTIQ+ Bazaar in Kongresni trg / Park Zvezda, which runs from 10:00 to 15:00 and should see various stalls presenting the work and goods of related organisations.

The parade itself gathers in Metelkova at 17:00, and at 18:00 will set out for an hour’s march around the streets of the city, taking in Masarykova, Dunajska cesta, Slovenska cesta and ending up in Kongresni Trg / Park Zvezda, the same as the afternoon bazaar. There you can expect speeches, music and more until 23:00, when attendees will break out into different groups to enjoy various parties and events around town. While the organisers are following the covid rules with regard to being tested, recovered or vaccinated, these are not required for attendees – but do bring a mask, and if have any paperwork, like a vaccination certificate or recent test, it’s probably a good idea to carry that too.

Ljubljana Pride has an English language website and a Facebook group

18 Jun 2021, 11:33 AM

Imago Sloveniae Free Music Festival Starts in Ljubljana Old Town

STA, 18 June 2021 - The 33rd edition of the Imago Sloveniae and Summer in Old Ljubljana festivals starts today in Congress Square with opera excerpts by the SNG Maribor theatre ensemble. The gala concert led by conductor Simon Dvoršak will be held in celebration of last year's 100th anniversary of the SNG Maribor opera and ballet house.

The excerpts, taken from the traditional Italian opera's legacy, will be performed by the SNG Maribor Symphonic Orchestra, opera ensemble and soloists. The opening concert's programme also marks 100 years since the passing of composer Josip Ipavec and will include an excerpt from his Princess Dizzyhead (Princesa Vrtoglavka) operetta.

The Imago Sloveniae festival coincides with the Summer in Old Ljubljana festival, offering around 30 classical music and jazz concerts that will take place at various sites over the next two months. The three-day Nights in Old Ljubljana Town festival that will be held from 26 to 28 August will conclude the festivities.

This year's Imago Sloveniae programme marks other anniversaries as well: 100 years since the birth of tango master Astor Piazzolla will be marked with a concert by Switzerland-based musicians Maja Lisac Barroso and Marcelo Nisinman, and the Italian Chagall Quartet will hold a multi-media concert marking 700 years since the death of Dante Alighieri, said the programme coordinator Jan Kern at a recent press conference.

The programme will also feature three concerts co-organised by the Austrian Culture Forum in Ljubljana, including a performance by the Berlin Brass Band, which will also play in Piran. Jazz lovers will enjoy music by saxophonist Jure Pukl, pianist Milan Stanisavljević and his quartet, jazz vocalist Ana Čop and the ZZ Quartet group led by Croatian guitarist Ratko Zjaca.

Visitors will also get a chance to enjoy performances by the Ljubljana Academy of Music's Camerata Academica Ensemble and the Croatian-Slovenian quartet 4Syrinx. Joining them will be flute player Katarina Šantl Zupan. Slovenian musical prodigies will take centre stage as well.

Most of the concerts will take place at the Ljubljana City Museum. All events are admission-free.

Learn more at the website or follow on Facebook

18 Jun 2021, 04:22 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Friday, 18 June 2021

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.

This summary is provided by the STA:

Zero daily Covid deaths for first time in eight months

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported no daily fatalities from Covid-19 for the first time since 10 October as only 83 new cases were logged for Wednesday, pushing the 7-day average case count and the 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents below 100. The number of patients hospitalised with Covid-19 has dropped to 112 as 38 remain in intensive care. Government data show 250,288 people have so far recovered from Covid-19. A total of 4,724 have lost their lives.

EUR 243 million stimulus package for tourism confirmed

LJUBLJANA - The government passed an emergency law to help the embattled tourism sector. The package is worth EUR 243.5 million, with new tourist vouchers accounting for the bulk of new spending. Businesses think the aid falls short. All adults residing in Slovenia as of 30 June will get a EUR 100 voucher to spend on activities ranging from tourism and restaurants to sports and culture. Those under 18 will get vouchers worth EUR 50. The total value of the vouchers is EUR 192 million.

Healthcare investments worth EUR 1.9 billion planned through 2031

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted legislation that involves EUR 1.9 billion in spending on health investments over the next ten years for hospitals and educational institutions to beef up the capacity of the national health system. The money will be secured in regular annual budgets from 2021 to 2031.

Additional relaxation of restrictions in retail and services as of Monday

LJUBLJANA - The government decided to lift many existing restrictions in the retail and services sector as of 21 June as the epidemiological situation continues to improve. The relaxation affects shop, bar and restaurant opening hours, which will no longer be restricted, even as rules on minimum space per customer remain in place.

Govt introduces new restriction for mass events, rallies

LJUBLJANA - The government introduced a new restriction for public rallies and events featuring more than 100 participants. In line with the decision adopted today, participants of such events will need to be vaccinated, tested or reconvalescent as of next Monday.
The new rule will be in force until 27 June, the Government Communication Office said.

Umbrella bill on long-term care adopted

LJUBLJANA - The government has adopted a long-awaited bill on long-term care. A gradual approach is planned and a special mandatory contribution for long-term care, a key component of the system, will be put in place later, by mid-2024 at the latest. Various governments have been drafting legislation on long-term care for nearly two decades, but none of the various versions have ever been finalised. Slovenia has for years been receiving warnings from various international institutions that it must devise a system of long-term care.

Upgrade of construction and spatial planning legislation confirmed

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted amendments to two major laws that govern the construction sector, the construction act and the spatial planning act. The goal is to make planning and siting easier and faster, Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak said after a cabinet session. Amendments to the construction act draw on an analysis of the implementation of existing legislation, with Vizjak saying the concept remained the same and was upgraded rather than upended.

Civil protection members to get epidemic hazard bonus

LJUBLJANA - Members of Slovenia's Civil Protection and other rescue services will get hazard pay bonuses under the 2020 emergency law mitigating the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic in line with the government's decision adopted today. The bonuses will amount to EUR 10 for work up to four hours and EUR 20 for being active between four and eight hours, whereas those working a shift longer than eight hours will get EUR 30.

Logar discusses regional cooperation in SE Europe at meeting in Turkey

ANTALYA, Turkey - Foreign Minister Anže Logar attended a ministerial of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) in Antalya, discussing the possibilities for regional cooperation. The ministers and high representatives of SEECP countries adopted the annual report of the Regional Cooperation Council. In his address, Logar highlighted the importance of strengthening regional cooperation in the period following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speakers discuss EU path for Montenegro, Slovenia's EU presidency

PODGORICA, Montenegro - Speaker Igor Zorčič started a two-day official visit to Montenegro by meeting his counterpart Aleksa Bečić. The pair expressed satisfaction over the traditionally friendly bilateral relations, and discussed Montenegro's efforts to join the EU as well as Slovenia's upcoming EU presidency. Zorčič said Slovenia would do everything in its power during its six-month stint at the helm of the EU Council to speed up Montenegro's EU accession talks.

Minister presents presidency priorities to DigitalEurope

LJUBLJANA - Public Administration Minister Boštjan Koritnik presented at a virtual DigitalEurope summit the priorities of the Slovenian EU presidency in digitalisation, emphasising digital transformation, digital technologies and cyber security. He said that digitalisation should make life easier for citizens.

Committee okays higher public funding of private primaries

LJUBLJANA - The Education Committee endorsed on Wednesday a legislative proposal sponsored by coalition MPs to secure a full state funding of obligatory curriculum in private primary schools and 85% of optional programmes in these schools. It is the latest attempt to implement the December 2014 ruling by the Constitutional Court which mandated full funding of the publicly prescribed curricula at private primary schools. They currently only received 85% of the funds.

Slovenia drops five spots in IMD Digital Competitiveness Raking

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia has slid five spots in the IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking to 40th among 64 countries, with the Covid-19 pandemic perceived as the main reason as it has significantly affected the competitiveness of all regions, countries and industries. Presenting the report, Peter Stanovnik, director of the Slovenian partner to IMD, the Institute for Economic Research, said "shifts in the crisis are not as important as response to it in the coming years."

Audit: Slovenia partly successful in GHG emission cuts

LJUBLJANA - The Court of Audit assessed that Slovenia was partly successful in achieving the objectives of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the 2013-2019 period. It also noted that the international and national targets until 2030 are very ambitious and would be difficult to reach with the current structure and pace of measures. The report notes the role of forests as natural greenhouse gas emission sinks, which after 2013 became even a source of emissions as a consequence of natural disasters.

Greens MEPs expresses concern after mission to Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - Two members of the European Parliament from the Greens-European Free Alliance group have concluded their three-day mission to Slovenia, assessing that, politically-speaking, the situation was very complex, and that they are leaving the country feeling concerned. The Germans Daniel Freund and Sergey Lagodinsky visited Slovenia between Tuesday to Thursday for a mission ahead of Slovenia's presidency of the Council of the EU.

Slovenia, Hungary mull development fund for minority areas

LJUBLJANA - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek and Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó agreed on the signing of an agreement on a joint fund for the development of the regions in Slovenia and Hungary where the two countries' respective minorities live. The agreement on the fund, which will boost economic and infrastructural development of both countries, could be signed as early as this September, Počivalšek said on Twitter.

HIT posts EUR 10m loss for 2020

NOVA GORICA - Slovenia's largest gaming company HIT, whose facilities were closed for almost six months last year, generated EUR 100.7 million in gross revenue in 2020 and a loss of EUR 10.4 million. The shareholders did not confirm the proposal on the sharing of profit at today's meeting. The proposal envisaged the sharing of up to 10% of net profit that the company would generate in 2022.

Hungarian foreign minister named freeman of Lendava

LENDAVA - Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó was presented with the title of Freeman of Lendava with Mayor Janez Magyar saying that many of the Hungarian incentives for Lendava's economy were linked to his name. Szijjártó said relations between Slovenia and Hungary were based on sincere respect and genuine friendship, and the Hungarian ethnic community in Pomurje played a very important role in these relations. Szijjártó also laid the foundation stone for the new Lendava Football Academy.

Commission finds MPs coaching not incompatible with public office

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Privileges and Credentials Commission found that Gregor Židan, an MP for the Social Democrats (SD), had not committed a breach of incompatibility of office by coaching a junior football team, for which he received per diem payments. It did however conclude he had not informed parliament thereof. The decision means Židan has effectively been cleared of a transgression that could have potentially cost him his seat in parliament. If he did the coalition would gain one crucial vote in parliament since Židan defected from the coalition Modern Centre Party (SMC) to the SD in May 2020.

Slovenia to donate EUR 60,000 for Venezuela's migrants and refugees

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Ministry State Secretary Stanislav Raščan has announced at a virtual donors' conference in solidarity with Venezuela's migrants and refugees in Latin America that Slovenia will donate EUR 60,000, the Foreign Ministry said. The contribution through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will be donated in two instalments, this year and in 2022.

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