June 17, 2019

Heavy traffic has become a problem at one of the main tourist destinations in Slovenia, Bled, which is why last year public transport was introduced into the area, connecting the village of Bled with Vintgar and Pokljuka.

Related: How to Spend Four to 48 hours in Bled

Due to last year’s great success, an additional line has been introduced. Thus, between June 15 and September 15 (2019), green and blue lines will be in service for locals and tourists alike. A ticket costs one euro, and the ride is free for guests staying at Bled for at least three days and having a Julian Alps card for Bled.

For details on the timetable and routes, please click here or here.

STA, 16 June 2019 - The National Assembly will discuss the opposition-sponsored motion to oust Defence Minister Karl Erjavec as it convenes two sessions this week. The opposition Democrats (SDS) believe that Erjavec abused the military intelligence service and unlawfully dismissed the army's force commander. Erjavec appears to enjoy sufficient support to stay on.

Pressure on Erjavec has been rising because a parliamentary commission investigating Erjavec's alleged abuse of the intelligence service has interviewed the dismissed Force Commander Miha Škerbinc last week.

Škerbinc's appearance before the Commission for the Oversight of Intelligence and Security Services behind closed doors on Thursday allegedly showed that Erjavec had been lying about the reasons for Škerbinc's dismissal.

Commission chair Žan Mahnič, an MP for the SDS, said that Škerbinc had provided a report by Chief of the General Staff Alenka Ermenc showing that Škerbinc had not broken the chain of command as regards late-night shooting at training grounds near Postojna.

Commenting on a report by Ermenc saying that the military had been following closely the ministry's order about activities on the training ground, Prime Minister Marjan Šarec said on Friday that Erjavec will have to explain what happened.

The prime minister however also said that the parliamentary commission was a political body. "It has an investigative role but there is a thin line between having powers and abusing powers," the prime minister said, echoing Erjavec's position that the commission had abused its powers for political purposes.

Moreover, Mahnič said that Škerbinc told the commission he had not spread rumours about Ermenc's ill health, which was another reason cited by Erjavec after the dismissal.

Škerbinc said that he had 200 witnesses to prove that he did not spread lies, according to Mahnič, who said that the former force commander told the commission that he condemned the rumours about her poor health that had been going around in an address.

Before debating the motion to oust Erjavec in a dedicated session on Friday, the National Assembly will convene a regular session starting on Monday with questions time for the government.

Other business: Apppointments, energy infrastructure, private schools, bear & wolf culls, tobacco sales

On Tuesday, the MPs will take a vote on the reappointment of Information Commissioner Mojca Prelesnik, the appointment of Rok Čeferin to the Constitutional Court and the appointment of Peter Golob as Electoral Commission chairman.

Moreover, the MPs will conduct the second reading of changes to the energy act transposing two relevant EU regulations and changing compensation procedures for the construction of public energy infrastructure, which was ordered by the Constitutional Court.

The most heated debates can be expected on Wednesday, when parliament is scheduled to launch the first reading of legislative changes drafted to implement a decision by the Constitutional Court ordering the National Assembly to provide equal funding to private primary schools.

Private schools, as well as the opposition Democrats (SDS) and New Slovenia (NSi) believe the changes do not transpose the decision of the Constitutional Court.

On Thursday, MPs are expected to pass a emergency bill ordering the culling of bears and wolves in the wake of attacks on farm animals and increasingly frequent sightings after an environmental NGO successfully challenged the government's decree with the same cull order in Administrative Court.

The parliament is also expected to fast-track changes to the tobacco act postponing by three years the introduction of uniform packaging for tobacco products, initially planned for January 2020. The proponents of the changes want to conduct studies whether the measure is actually effective.

STA, 16 June 2019 - Slovenia ranks eighth among 163 countries in the latest Global Peace Index (GPI), having climbed two spots from last year. Iceland remains the world's most peaceful country for the 12th year running.

This year's GPI report finds that the average level of global peacefulness improved slightly in what is the first improvement in five years. However, the world continues to be less peaceful than a decade ago.

Peacefulness improved in 86 countries, deteriorating in 76, with the average level of global peacefulness deteriorating by 3.78% in a decade, according to the report, released on the website of the organisation Vision of Humanity.

Iceland at the top is followed by New Zealand and Portugal, which climbed a spot to come ahead of Austria, which lost a spot to 4th. Denmark ranks 5th.

Slovenia placed after Singapore in 7th and Japan in 9th. Of the neighbouring countries only Austria ranks higher (4th), while Hungary, Croatia and Italy trail in 21st, 28th and 39th spots.

The index ranks three key factors: societal safety and security, ongoing conflicts and militarisation. Slovenia ranked third in militarisation.

Europe has maintained its position as the most peaceful region in the world, which it has held for every year of the GPI, which was first launched in 2007.

By contrast, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) remains the least peaceful region for the fifth year in a row, although it did become more peaceful last year.

Afghanistan is now the least peaceful country, replacing Syria, which is now the second least peaceful. South Sudan, Yemen, and Iraq are the remaining five least peaceful countries.

Bhutan has recorded the largest improvement of any country in the top 20, rising 43 places in the last 12 years to 15th.

The report is produced by the Sydney-based Institute for Economics and Peace and developed in consultation with an international panel of peace experts from peace institutes and think tanks with data collected and collated by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

The GPI covers 99.7% of the global population, using 23 quality and quantity indicators.

The full report can be found here

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Maribor judge target of attempted murder

MARIBOR - A Maribor district judge was severely injured in an attack outside her home in the wee hours in an incident the police are investigating on suspicion of an attempted murder. Head of Maribor crime investigators, Andrej Kolbl, confirmed the victim was Daniela Ružić, a judge at the corporate crime department of the Maribor District Court, known for being responsible for several high-profile cases. The judge is outside life-threatening condition. The motive for the attack, which drew widespread condemnation, remains unclear.

Šarec party keeps ahead in Vox Populi poll

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Marjan Šarec's party remains in the lead in the latest Vox Populi poll at 24%, nearly six percentage points ahead of the opposition Democratic Party (SDS), at 18.1%. Both parties gained ground on the month before. The coalition SocDems are third on 9.8%, followed by the opposition New Slovenia on 6.5% in fourth. The proportion of respondents happy with the government's job rose by one percentage point to 59.5%. President Borut Pahor continues to rank as the most popular politician.

Slovenia gains two spots to 8th on Global Peace Index

SYDNEY, Australia - Slovenia placed eighth among 163 countries in the latest Global Peace Index, having climbed two spots from last year. Iceland remains the world's most peaceful country for the 12th year running, ahead of New Zealand and Portugal. Slovenia placed below Singapore in 7th and Japan in 9th. Of the neighbouring countries only Austria ranks higher, in 4th. The report is produced by the Sydney-based Institute for Economics and Peace with data collected and collated by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

Amendments in pipeline to streamline public contracting

LJUBLJANA - The Public Administration Ministry has drawn up legislative amendments in a bid to provide full legal remedy in public contracting procedures and make public procurement law more effective. The amendments will make it possible to challenge decisions by the National Review Commission, Slovenia's topmost public procurement authority, in the Administrative Court within 15 days. The review commission will be expanded from five to seven members and conditions for candidates will be stiffened.

Maribor airport operator deep in red in 2018

MARIBOR - Aerodrom Maribor, the operator of Maribor Airport, made a loss of EUR 2.2 million under Chinese ownership last year on a mere EUR 810,000 in revenue, according the annual report posted with AJPES, the agency for public legal records. Overall revenue was by about 100,000 higher than the year before, but still insufficient to cover the cost of the lease. The airport served 2,700 passengers and 234 tonnes of cargo. The airport's management will taken over by the state-owned firm DRI in mid-July.

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

If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here

STA, 16 June 2019 - A Maribor district judge was severely injured in an attack in the wee hours on Sunday in an incident that the police said were investigating as a suspected attempted murder.

Head of Maribor crime investigators, Andrej Kolbl, confirmed that the victim was Daniela Ružić, a judge at the corporate crime department of the Maribor District Court.

"Her condition is stable and not life threatening," Kolbl told reporters in Maribor after earlier reports described the judge's condition as critical.

He confirmed that the judge was ambushed and attacked by an unidentified attacker or attackers in front of her house in the vicinity of Maribor.

She was injured severely with an object, Kolbl said, but would not say what type of object it was, citing interests of the investigation.

The motive of the attack remains unclear. "The investigation is being conducted in several directions to establish the possible motive, which could be linked to the judge's work or her private life," said Kolbl.

He repeated the appeal to potential eyewitnesses or anyone that would have any information regarding the attack to come forward.

"The police are handling the attack on the judge very seriously," the chief inspector said, adding that inquiries were being conducted in cooperation with the District Court, National Forensic Laboratory and Institute of Forensic Medicine to find the perpetrators.

The police were notified of the attack at about 1.15am this morning. Police and paramedics arrived at the scene, as well as an investigating judge and state prosecutor.

After being given emergency aid, the judge was taken to the UKC Maribor hospital, where she is being treated.

Ružič has been responsible for several high-profile cases, including the damages suit brought by Bank Assets Management Bank against the former management of the bank Probanka.

She also presided over the case brought by Iskra Sistemi against the Maribor city for rescinding the contract for the infamous Maribor speed traps, and damages suits against Austria's power utility Verbund over the 2012 flood damage.

The brutal attack has been condemned in the strongest terms by the judiciary, the Justice Ministry and political officials, all of whom wished the judge a speedy recovery.

Supreme Court President Damijan Florjančič and President of the Maribor District Court issued a joint statement expressing shock and indignation at the "brutal attack at our colleague".

"We wonder whether this violent outburst may be a consequence of developments in recent years as disrespect of the judicial office and unwarranted verbal attacks against the judiciary have become commonplace," they said.

Constitutional Court President Rajko Knez said the outrageous attack called for a swift response by law enforcement authorities, and a clear message from political authorities that the judiciary cannot be intimidated and that such a development of society will not be tolerated.

"Attacks on judges are unacceptable from the aspect of the victim and her relatives, and from the aspect of society as a whole," said Knez, adding that the judiciary's role in society is underrated.

The Slovenian Judges' Association underscored that "physical violence was a grave attack on the rule of law and the judiciary's independence", warning that any verbal threats against judges should be taken seriously.

The Justice Ministry called for zero tolerance to any violence, either verbal or physical, and emphasized the importance of judges and other members of the judiciary in defending the rule of law.

"Judicial officials and staff are subject daily to risks and danger, which is why we seek to ensure all the appropriate conditions to perform their important functions", reads a release from the ministry.

"Appalling and unacceptable. The perpetrators deserve the harshest punishment! We cannot let judges be intimidated ... Law and justice are above force," tweeted National Council President Alojz Kovšca.

Foreign Minister Miro Cerar posted a tweet expressing shock and indignation at the attack, underscoring that the rule of law and independent judiciary are key to society's democracy and development.

Maribor Mayor Saša Arsenovič urged "sharp measures in response to criminal mafia rings in the city", pledging to continue unwavering in honouring his commitment to restore Maribor as a city of non-violence and tolerance.

The attack was also condemned by party officials, including the leader of the opposition Democrats (SDS), Janez Janša, representatives of the Social Democrats (SD) and New Slovenia (NSi).

Slovenian judges have been targets of attacks before. In September 1996, a bomb exploded outside the home of the then Maribor judge Konrad Rebernik, gravely injuring his wife. The attack was linked to his work.

Anton Panjan, now serving as the president of the Ljubljana Higher Court, was attacked with a firearm at his Črnomelj home in 2002 when he served as a Novo Mesto district judge.

An explosive device also blew up in front of the Radovljica home of Ljubljana District Court judge Katarina Turk Lukan in November 2009, injuring one of her underage daughters. That attack was allegedly linked to the judge's work as well.

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

This summary is provided by the STA:

Diaspora minister hopeful about young leaders

LJUBLJANA - Minister for Slovenians Abroad Peter J. Česnik expressed concern in an interview with the STA about nationalist sentiment expressed in Italy and Hungary. He also hopes that young generations taking over minority organisations will be able to work together even more closely than the old guard. In recent weeks, maps indicating territorial tendencies have been shared online by an official Twitter account of the Hungarian government and a right-leaning Forza Italia member. Soon after, another Forza Italia member proposed legislative changes to hold a population census in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region to determine language groups.

Steel group SIJ's revenue up, profit down

LJUBLJANA - Steel group SIJ revenue grew by 6.3% to EUR 802.8 million in 2018, but net profit was down by 66% to EUR 4.9 million, the group said on the web site of the Ljubljana Stock Exchange on Friday. Despite the drop in profit, the group is still stable, SIJ said, noting that in 2018 its steel production rose further and the share of steel with higher added value in its sales remained high. "We increased sales and being an export-oriented company, we generated most revenue in foreign markets," SIJ said in the press release. Exports accounted for 84.6% of the group's total revenue or EUR 679.3 million.

Fire near Cerknica did not affect air quality

CERKNICA - The fire that broke out at an insulation facility near the town of Cerknica in SW on Thursday evening has not caused air pollution, analyses have shown. Data on air quality collected near a local primary school on Saturday are comparable to those collected elsewhere in the country, the Environment Ministry said. The ministry is still analysing water samples from the Rak stream. The fire broke out at Fragmat, a thermal insulation panel maker. It started on the styrodur panel machine and then spread onto the warehouse, encompassing a total of 40,000 square metres. The facility has been completely destroyed.

Youth organisation wins WHO award for anti-tobacco efforts

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The youth organisation No Excuse Slovenia has won a prestigious award by the World Health Organization (WHO) for its contribution to the global anti-tobacco efforts and the passage of anti-tobacco legislation in Slovenia in 2017. Founded in 2006, No Excuse Slovenia has been striving for positive social change, especially in terms of sustainable development and public health. Through various projects it encourages young people to think critically, propose changes and act.

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

STA, 15 June 2019 - Minister for Slovenians Abroad Peter J. Česnik expressed concern in an interview for the STA about nationalist sentiment expressed in Italy and Hungary. He also hopes that young generations taking over minority organisations will be able to work together even more closely than the old guard.

In recent weeks, maps indicating territorial tendencies have been shared online by an official Twitter account of the Hungarian government and a right-leaning Forza Italia member.

Soon after, another Forza Italia member proposed legislative changes to hold a population census in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region to determine language groups.

Česnik told the STA that the latter was a political move of a politician hoping to boost his popularity. Nonetheless, it sounded an alarm indicating that the rights of the minority might be in danger.

"It is hard to comment. Our people on the other side of the border are worried. So am I. We have a very strong community there... There are other open issues, like the relocation of the [Slovenian] RAI editorial board from Rome back to Trieste."

The minority in Hungary faces different challenges. "There are few children and good bilingual primary education is a challenge." Investing in the Raba valley, the home of the Slovenian minority in west Hungary, "also demands road infrastructure investments by Hungary."

The minister is meanwhile optimistic about the change in leadership taking place in minority organisations. He believes that Ksenija Dobrila, who replaced Rudi Pavšič at the helm of the Slovenian Cultural and Economic Union (SKGZ) in Italy, is doing a job.

Meanwhile, Marjan Sturm "is showing the ropes to the young" Manuel Jug, who has taken over the Association of Slovenian Organisations (ZSO) in Klagenfurt, Austria.

"Personally, I believe that if Slovenians joined forces like the German-speaking community in South Tyrol, they could achieve more effective representation in the parliaments of both neighbours," said Česnik.

Cooperation has been getting stronger in recent years. "With years, organisations may merge. The young are our future but Slovenians beyond borders have pushed them aside for too long."

When asked about the representation of Slovenians abroad in Slovenia's National Assembly, Česnik said that the communities are represented by the parliamentary Commission for Slovenians Abroad.

The commission and two government councils, one for minorities in neighbouring countries and the other for communities across the world, ensure that the positions of Slovenians abroad are heard.

"In principle, I am all for representation. But somebody please give me a formula to do this the right way. Not to mention how much this would cost and the fact that this money could be used to the benefit of the communities."

One of the most topical issues of the government's Office for Slovenians Abroad, as Česnik's department is officially called, is the repatriation of Slovenian living in Venezuela.

"Two months ago, we received the first message expressing the wish for humanitarian aid and repatriation. So far, the office has received 21 repatriation requests. Legal grounds exist, now it is time for technical implementation, to see how we can carry this out."

Moreover, "the government must yet adopt a decree to start the repatriation process," said Česnik, who returned to Slovenia after decades in Australia.

When asked about his experience in returning to Slovenia, he said that once you decide to leave your country, there is no turning back.

"When you return, you are often seen as the rich uncle from America and at the same time you need to deal with long bureaucratic procedures, problems having your qualifications recognised, trouble with investment. Those who succeeded are the exception to the rule."

"The number of Slovenians who come back is relatively low compared to the number of young people leaving the country every year," he added.

The minister said that the department was working on legislative changes to bring the relevant laws up to date. "Legislation needs to adapt to new circumstances. Old generations are dying out and the young have different demands."

He believes that Slovenia needs a special repatriation law and a systemic approach to the process.

Nonetheless, the single biggest improvement for Slovenian communities abroad would be more funds. He hopes that the money for the department would increase from EUR 8.6 million this year to EUR 10.3 million the next.

About 80% of the funds go to the Slovenian minorities in neighbouring countries. "If we lose the language in an area we have lived in for 1500 years, we lose the area."

Touching on the upcoming annual Welcome Home event for Slovenians living abroad, Česnik said that this year it will not be organised by his department but by diaspora organisation.

"Decades ago, this was called a picnic. I still find it is a picnic where the family comes together, talks and spends time together. We also have a meeting at the National Assembly. It's a forum for official representatives of the communities to voice their comments and proposals."

Keep up with the daily news in Slovenia by checking the morning headlines here

This schedule was prepared by the STA:

MONDAY, 17 June
        LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly will start its plenary for June with a Q&A session with members of the cabinet.
        LJUBLJANA - The Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta Giacomo Dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetta will meet President Borut Pahor and parliamentary Speaker Dejan Židan.
        LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Infrastructure, Environment and Spatial Planning Committee will debate the emergency bill on the culling of brown bears and wolves.
        LJUBLJANA - Infrastructure Minister Alenka Bratušek will speak about her recent visit to China at a press conference.
        LJUBLJANA - A concert by the Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Spanish tenor Placido Domingo.
        LJUBLJANA - The start of the four-day Festival of Migrant Film.

TUESDAY, 18 June
        LUXEMBOURG - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar will attend a session of the EU's Foreign Affairs Council.
        LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly will debate amendments to the energy act and the act on drivers as it continues its plenary.
        LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Commission for Oversight of Intelligence and Security Services will interview Maj-Gen Alenka Ermenc, chief of the general staff, over the sacking of force commander Miha Škerbinc.
        GOSZTOLA, Hungary - Maj-Gen Alenka Ermenc, chief of the general staff, will meet with her Hungarian counterpart, Lt-Gen Ferenc Korom.
        BRDO PRI KRANJU - The Chamber of Trade Crafts and Small Business will host its annual summit of small business.
        LJUBLJANA - Electricity distributor Elektro Ljubljana will present results for 2018 and challenges in the transition to a low-carbon economy.
        LJUBLJANA - A round table debate will be hosted by a civil initiative to discuss changes to the electoral legislation.
        PORTOROŽ - The International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation Measurement Methods and their Applications (Animma) will be hosted by the Association of Slovenian Nuclear Experts and the Jožef Stefan Institute; until 21 June.
        LJUBLJANA - The 60th Ljubljana Jazz Festival will kick off with a concert by the Big Band RTV Slovenija and Slovenian soloists.
        LJUBLJANA - British singer Tom Jones will play in Stožice Arena.

WEDNESDAY, 19 June
        LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly will debate the national crime prevention programme until 2023 as it continues its plenary.
        LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Commission for Oversight of Intelligence and Security Services will interview Miha Škerbinc, who was recently dismissed as force commander.
        LJUBLJANA - The Education Ministry will present the results of Talis 2018, a teaching and learning survey conducted by the OECD.
        LJUBLJANA - Archbishop of Ljubljana Stanislav Zore will celebrate a mass for the homeland ahead of Statehood Day.
        LJUBLJANA - The Tour of Slovenia, the country's biggest cycling race, will start with a 171-kilometre stage from Ljubljana to Rogaška Slatina.

THURSDAY, 20 June
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - Prime Minister Marjan Šarec will attend the EU summit; until 21 June.
        LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly will examine the annual report of the Human Rights Ombudsman and an emergency bill on the culling of brown bears and wolves.
        LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Commission for Oversight of Intelligence and Security Services will interview Dejan Matijevič, the boss of the military intelligence, over the recent sacking of force commander Miha Škerbinc.
        LJUBLJANA - Weekly cabinet session.
        SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina - Speaker Dejan Židan will attend a plenary of South-East European Cooperation Process's parliamentary assembly.
        LJUBLJANA - Focus, an NGO, and the Jožef Stefan Institute will host a debate on Slovenia's long-term climate strategy.
        LJUBLJANA - A group of NGOs and the Government Office for the Support and Integration of Migrants will hold a press conference to mark World Refugee Day.
        LJUBLJANA - The Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce, the Slovenian chamber and the Slovenian-German chamber will sign an agreement on cooperation.
        RIBNICA - A debate with UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin at the Škrabec Homestead.
        MARIBOR - The start of Lent Festival, the biggest summer festival in Slovenia.
        LJUBLJANA - The Statistics Office will release the latest consumer confidence index.

FRIDAY, 21 June
        LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly will vote on a motion of no confidence in Defence Minister Karl Erjavec.
        MOKRICE - A business breakfast of the Slovenian-Croatian Business Club will be held to mark Statehood Day. The event will be attended by the Slovenian and Croatian economy ministers, Zdravko Počivalšek and Darko Horvat.
        LJUBLJANA - Left leader Luka Mesec will be arraigned in a case brought against him by far-right politician Bernard Brščič.
        LJUBLJANA - The Statistics Office will release June business sentiment data.

SATURDAY, 22 June
        LJUBLJANA - Pride Parade will be held as the final event of the Pride Festival.
        LJUBLJANA - Japan Day, the biggest festival of Japanese culture in Slovenia.

SUNDAY, 23 June
        LJUBLJANA - The Kresnik Prize for the best novel of the year will be handed out by the publisher Delo.

If you're not in town for the week of this guide (17 to 23 June, 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.

As ever, links to the basic listings are after the following selection, while a comprehensive PDF of events for the next seven days, as prepared by Ljubljana Tourism, is here.

In town and want to follow the news? Check out our regular morning headlines for Slovenia here.

 Jump to listings

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

Photo: Neža Loštrek

The June in Ljubljana Festival runs until the 21^st, with  free events in Kongresni trg / Congress Square – the big square in the centre of town that’s next to Zvezda Park – with a varied programme of music, dance, children’s shows, and so on. Some details are here, but in short Monday is circus day, Tuesday ballet, and Friday World music day.

The Summer in Ljubljana Old Town and goes on until 28 August. This presents classical concerts, many of which are free, in the churches, inner courtyards and squares in the old city centre. The programme is here.

Ljubljana Jazz Festival starts on Tuesday and continues until 22 June. Details here.

Also on Tuesday, 20:00, Tom Jones is playing Stožice Sports Park Arena. Tickets here.

Wednesday the Tour de Slovenia cycling race starts in Kongresni trg. The teams are presented at 10:50 and the race starts in 12:15.

Thursday night Kino Šiška plays host to the French trio Lysistrata., while on Friday the Black Lips play the same venue.

Also on Thursday evening is the opening of a new show by one of the best photographers of the city, Igor Andjelič, on the theme of Bauhaus. It's on at Galerija ŠKUC (here).

Photo: Igor Andjelič. See more of his work here

The 8th annual Japanese Day is on this Saturday, 10:00 - 17:00, in the museum quarter of Metelkova, brining art, music, food, drink and more, and promoted with the following poster.

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.

Volčji Potok Arboretum (Volčji Potok 3) has a rose garden in bloom until 31 August, nature permitting.

Ljubljana Pride Festival continues until the 22^nd, when it climaxes with the annual parade before a concert in Novi trg and then various parties around town. Read more about the schedule here.

While the Old Town is quaint, and full of music, where does Ljubljana really shop? One popular answer is BTC City, a vast complex of malls, entertainment facilities and more, including more than 70 different food vendors, offering everything from Slovenian to Thai, Indian to Italian, Mexican to Chinese. Check out our recent visit here.

If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here

Contents

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

Cinemas and films

You can read about all the cinemas in town here, while a selection of what’s playing this week is below, and note that kids' movies tend to be shown in dubbed versions, while non-English language movies for older viewers will have Slovenian subtitles.Parents should also pay attention to Kinobalon, which is Kinodvor's regular weekend series of film screenings and events for children, from babies on up, with special parent/child events, "first time in a cinema" screenings, and babysitting. Learn more about it here, and see the current schedule here.

Kinodvor –This is an arts cinema, not far from the train station, that shows new features as well as hosting the occassional festival, and this week, starting the 13th, it's the Let it Roll festival of music documentaries.

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.

Back to the top

Clubbing

Compared to some European capitals it can seem that nightlife in Ljubljana ends rather early, especially along the river, but there are still bars that stay open late and clubs were you can dance until dawn, and perhaps the best place to stumble across something interesting is the legendary Metelkova. Be aware it's a grungy kind of place and not for all tastes, but also that there's considerable variety to found within the various clubs there, from death metal to electropop, gay cabaret to art noise. You can read "the rules" of the place here. And if you're curious about how the place started then read our story, and look at some pictures, about last year's 25th anniversary.

Božidar - DJ events aren't too common here, but when they happen they often have a big name.

Channel Zero – DJs shows here include regular dub nights as well as electronic music.

Gala Hala – Another Metelkova venue, you can sometimes hear bhangra and Bollywood here, but more often funk, hip hop, breakbeat and so on.

Klub Cirkus – The more commercial end of clubland, and a venue that aims to serve the student party scene. Expect house, anthems, and bangers.

Klub K4 – The home of techno, old and new, along with various other electronic genres,

Koncertna Dvorana Rog– There are irregular DJ sets at this underground (not literally) venue at the far end of Trubarjeva cesta, and they range from techno to goa to drum'n'bass.

Orto Bar– 80s and 90s throwback nights can often be found here, along with rock-based DJ sets.

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Live music

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ljubljana Castle – Jazz, funk and pop every Friday night.

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

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

Slovenska filharmonija– Classical music in the centre of town.

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

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

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Theatre and dance

Cankerjev dom- The main arts venue in the country always has something of interest going on.

Gledališče IGLU - IGLU Theatre – Saturday night this group is usually putting on an English improv show somewhere in town, but it’s generally promoted after this is written, so check the Facebook before putting on your shoes.

Kino Šiška – One of the top live venues in the city also hosts some dance performance, often of the more experimental variety.

Mini Teater Ljubljana –The English schedule of varied performances, for adults and children, for the month is here.

Ljubljana Puppet Theatre - Puppetry has a long and noble tradition in Slovenia, and you can see performances for children and adults (including non-puppet shows) drawing from the Theatre's rich repetoire as well as new productons.

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

Španski borci - The home ofcontemporary dance(and the EnKnapGroup) in Slovenia.

Pocket Teater Studio– There are regular flamenco evenings at perhaps the smallest venue town, but note that the number of seats is very limited, and thus you should make a reservation via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 070 325 522.

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Harm reduction and drug testing

Drogart is an organization that aims to minimise harm on the party scene, and offers drug-testing services and reports on their webpage. It’s in Slovene, but you can Google translate it or work things out yourself, and our story on the group is here.You can find the latest warnings on fake drugs and high strength pills and powders (in Slovene) here. However, be aware that all the usual drugs are illegal in Slovenia.CBD is legal, though, and our retailer of choice can be found on Trubarjeva cesta - read more about Sena Flora here.

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Things to do with children

You can find our Top 12 list of things to do with kids in Ljubljana here. If want to read more about the philosophy behind the wonderful House of Experiments look here, while our trip to the Museum of Illusions is documented here, and there’s always riverside walks, pizza and ice cream. With regard to the latter, take a look at our guide to six places that serve good ice cream in winter, and thus are serious about the dessert.

Mini Teater Ljubljana – The season sees a lot of puppet performances for children, in Slovene, at this theatre not far from Križanke. The English schedule for the month is here.

Ljubljana Puppet Theatre - The puppet theatre near the Central Market and next to the Castle funicular has a full programme or shows, for children and adults, with the schedule here.

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LGBT+ Ljubljana

Ljubljana Pride Festival starts on Tuesday, 11 June, and continues until the 22^nd. There’s a lot going on, and you can see the schedule here.

If you want to learn more about Ljubljana Pride, then take a look at our interview with its president 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 – Thislesbian barin Metelkova is open every Friday, although sometimes there are other events

Klub Tiffany –And the gay bar next door is also open on Fridays, while every Monday until June 2019 there'stangoat 18:00. Other things coulds also be planned, so click on the name to find out.

Pritličje – This seems to be the only "always open" LGBT-friendly cafe / bar / events space in town, and perhaps the country, so it's a good thing it's such a good one, open from morning to night, and with fliers and posters letting you know what's happening outside the narrow confines of, say, a general interest online what's on... guide.

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Screenshot from Google Maps, showing the location of the Castle vineyard

Ljubljana Castle

The city’s main attraction is said to be the top tourist draw in the country overall, and to my mind it earns a spot near the top just for the history and views. But beyond that the current owners, the City of Ljubljana, have laid out a varied, interesting and enjoyable programme of events, one that rewards regular revisits. On until 17 November Mighty Guardians of the Past: Castles in the Slovenian Lands, a presentation that delivers on the promise of its title.

I try and get up there every Saturday morning to clear my head and move my feet on the trails, and never tire of that end of the hill. At the other end, where the Castle sits, there’s a lot more than fresh air on offer. There are guided tours, restaurants, a café, Castle museum, puppet museum, a Watchtower you can climb to the highest point in the city, art shows, dances, live music, movies under the stars, festival days and more – enough to reward multiple trips up the hill through the year. All of these activities and events can be found on the Castle website, while on TSN you can see “25 things to know about Ljubljana Castle” here, and “Ten Ways to Enjoy Ljubljana Castle” here.

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Museums and galleries

Most public galleries and museums are closed on Mondays, although not the National Museum, and - as noted at the start

Cankerjev dom – A free to see show called Subterranean Worlds, showing cave photography, runs until June 16^th.

Plečnik's desk. Photo: JL Flanner

Plečnik’s House is worth a visit if you want to learn more about the architect who gave Ljubljana much of its character, and it's also in a really nice part of town, Trnovo, just a short walk or cycle upriver. Read about our guided tour here.

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.

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. On until 25 September is Treasures from Russian Museums, an exhibition showcasing more than 80 Russian icons from leading Russian museums.

The Faces of Ljubljana in the City Museum. Photo: JL Flanner

International Centre of Graphic Art  – The 33^rd Biennial of Graphic Arts runs until 29 September. It's called Crack Up – Crack Down, and is curated by the collective Slavs and Tartars, with a focus satire and the graphic arts. Learn more here.

Ljubljana Castle on until 17 November Mighty Guardians of the Past: Castles in the Slovenian Lands, a presentation that delivers on the promise of its title.

MAO – The Museum of Architecture and Design has much of what you'd expect, along with some temporary shows and a good cafe. On until 19 September is a show called Creators, on contemporary Slovenian fashion and textile design, which is being promoted with the following image.

Photo: Urša Premik

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. Opening Thursday, April 25^th, 20:00, The Visual Arts in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, 1929–1941, which then runs until September 15^th 2019. This offers “an overview of painting, sculpture, printmaking, drawing, photography, and film from the time the king's dictatorship was set up (6 January 1929) to the beginning of World War II on Yugoslav soil (April 1941)” - you can read more about it here. The museum's Metelkova branch also has a big new show, runing until at least September 2019, an the art of the Non-Aligned Movement, with an example shown 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 at the National Gallery

National Gallery – The country’s main gallery has “the best” of what’s on offer from the Middle Ages to non-contemporary modern visual arts, and is in a great location for exploring other areas, just by Tivoli Park and opposite the main branch of the Moderna galerija. You can read about our visit to the room containing sacred art from the Middle Ages here. The Space Within the Space: Scenography in Slovenia before 1991 will provide a comprehensive historic, stylistic, visual and theatrical overview of Slovenian scenography until 8 September. There’s also a big show on Alan Ford, one of the great comic books of the Yugoslav era, on until 13 October.

JL Flanner

The real Robba Fountain can be found in the entrance to the National Gallery - the one you see in the Old Town is a genuine fake, as seen below and reported here.

Photo: JL Flanner

National Museum of Slovenia – There’s plenty to see in the permanent collection here, from Roman times, Egypt and more. Meanwhile, the museum's Metelkova branch, located between one branch of the Moderna galerija and the Ethnographic Museum has some rooms on Church art, furniture and weapons, with the latter including more guns than you'll see anywhere else in town, and quite a thrill if coming from a nation where such objects are not household items.

Natural History Museum – On until the end of June 2019 is Our Little Big Sea, which takes a look at the oceans.

 Roma Aeterna: Masterpieces of Classical Sculpture - see below

National Museum of Contemporary History - Tucked away in park Tivoli, in addition to his permanent collection will be showingIn Search Of Freedom: 1968-2018 until 16 August. Until 29 September there also a retrospective on the photographer Edi Šelhaus, which is being promoted with the following image. Opening 4 June and closing 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.

Photo: Edi Šelhaus

Slovene Ethnographic Museum – The museum currently has a temporary show on Bees and Beekeeping, on until June 16 2019, as well two permanent exhibitions. One of these is called Between Nature and Culture, and has a great collection of objects from Slovenia and around the world, well worth the trip up to the third floor to see it (as recounted here). From April 18 until October 19 (2019) you can also see a show calledShamanism of the Peoples of Siberia, from the Russian Museum of Ethnography, Saint Petersburg. The place is located near the newer branch of the Moderna galerija and Metelkova. You can read about this fascinating show here. On until September 15 is Petra Šink: The circle between design and nature, in which the award-winning designer takes visitors through the life cycle of useful products for the home which are made from natural biodegradable fungal materials.

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

Union Experience – The Ljubljana-based brewer has a museum showing the history of the company, with the ticket also including access to part of the factory and a few samples of the product. You can read about our visit here.

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

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

Verba. Photo: JL Flanner

Alternative Ljubljana isn't a museum or gallery, as such, but instead turns the city streets into a museum and gallery. Learn more about their tours of street art, history and LGBT Ljubljana here.

Photo: JL Flanner

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Other things to do in Ljubljana

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

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

Photo: JL Flanner

Some view of the city you can only get from the river. If you'd like to take a boat ride then read about my experience here. If you prefer to get in the water rather than on it, then here's a guide to the various open air pools in Ljubljana. Note that it was written last year and so the prices and times may have changed, so do click the links and check.

If you'd like to spend an evening painting with others, then take a look at Design with Wine, which organises painting parties on Trubarjeva cesta,

If you want to see some antiques, then check out the wonderful Antika Carniola, as discussed here. The man behind it, Jaka Prijatelj, has a fine eye for life on this street, as you can see on his Facebook account.

Photo: JL Flanner

If you’re in town and want to go jogging or walking in nature, why not take another look at the Castle, with a brief guide to the trails here. If you want something bigger, head to Tivoli Park.

And if you're bored with the Old Town, why not take a walk, cycle or boat ride to nearby Špica and enjoy the riverside life. Learn more about that here.

visitljubjana.si

maxpixel.net, public domain

Want to stretch and breath? Then check out our list of drop-in yoga classes for tourists, visitors and the uncommitted. If you're heading to the coast, check out our interview with a yoga teacher who offers breakfast sessions there, while if you're staying in town (or nearby) and want to try some "family yoga" then you can learn more about that here and maybe get your kids to calm down a moment or two.

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.

Photo: maxpixel.net, public domain

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Daytrips

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

Photo: Google Image Search

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Getting around & miscellaneous

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 part, our guide to how to park in Ljubljana is here.

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.

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

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STA, 14 June 2019 - The 26th Tour of Slovenia, the country's biggest road cycling event, will get under way on 19 June. While the 808.5-kilometre race, divided into five stages, also features a number of international stars, the top favourite is Slovenia's young cycling sensation Tadej Pogačar.

This year's Tour of Slovenia will not feature Slovenia's best cyclist Primož Roglič, as the race's two-time winner, including last year, is taking a break after recently finishing third overall in the Giro D'Italia.

There will however be no lack of star power at the race, which was upgraded this year to HC (hors class) status, the second highest category on the race calendar of the International Cycling Union.

Some of the big sprinter names with stage win ambitions include former world champion Mark Cavendish from Britain, as well as the best sprinter of this year's Giro, Germany's Pascal Ackermann, while Pogačar's likely main rival for the overall win is Esteban Chaves.

The Columbian, whose career highlights include a second overall finish at the Giro and a third-place overall finish in Spain's La Vuelta, also won a Giro stage this year, as did three more participants of the Slovenian race - Italian riders Damiano Cima, Cesare Benedetti and Fausto Masnada.

Expectations are running high for 20-year-old Pogačar, who won the WorldTour race in California in May after also taking the overall victory at the Volta ao Algarve in Portugal in February.

Pogačar, looking to clinch the 13th Slovenian victory at the Tour of Slovenia after he was the race's best young rider in the last two years, will have the backing of his Slovenian UAE team Emirates teammate Jan Polanc. A two-time Giro stage winner, the 27-year-old held the pink jersey of the overall leader in the Italy race in two stages this year.

The race, which will be broadcast live by Eurosport and public broadcaster TV Slovenija, will start next Wednesday in Ljubljana and end on 23 June in Slovenia's unofficial cycling capital Novo Mesto.

The route will provide opportunities for sprinters in the opening and final stage, while the remaining stages, in particular no. 3 and 4 will require some serious climbing power.

Meanwhile, deserving special mention is Croatian rider Radoslav Rogina, who will be participating in the race for the 20th time. The member of the Slovenian team Adria Mobile won the race in 2013.

Standing out among teams will be Novo Nordisk, all of whose riders compete with type 1 diabetes. "We race to inspire, educate and empower everyone affected by diabetes as we compete against the best cyclists in the world," the team wrote on its website.

The Tour of Slovenia website can be found here