Petrol supervisors provide no details about overhaul, KNOVS visits SOVA

LJUBLJANA - Acting upon a request by SSH state asset custodian and by extension the government, the supervisors of energy group Petrol failed to provide details on why the company's entire management board resigned last week. The supervisors said the departing managers had agreed to a potential publishing of documents showing the move was by mutual agreement, but they did not consent to disclosing the circumstances. Meanwhile, parliamentary Commission for the Oversight of Intelligence and Security Services (KNOVS) visited the SOVA national intelligence and security agency in the morning in connection to a current development in Slovenia's economy. The inquiry was allegedly prompted by the Petrol development, but no details were provided.

Slovenia's annual inflation at 1.4% in October

LJUBLJANA - Consumer prices in Slovenia grew at an annual rate of 1.4% in October, down from 1.7% in September, while monthly inflation was 0.1%. Annual inflation is driven by higher prices of services, which were up 3.2% to contribute 1 p. p. to the rise. Pushing annual inflation up by 0.4 p. p. were higher prices of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, also as a result of prices of refuse collection increasing by 18.2%, the Statistics Office said. Inflation was pushed down by 0.2 points by lower prices of motor fuels. Higher prices of clothing (3.8%) and footwear (5%) stand out at the monthly level.

Number of tourists up 5.7% in first nine months

LJUBLJANA - A total of 5.2 million tourists were recorded in Slovenia in the first nine months, generating 13.2 million overnight stays, with the numbers going up 5.7% and 1.9%, respectively, the Statistics Office said. The number of foreign tourists recorded in Slovenia in the period was up by 7.1% and the number of overnight stays they generated by 3.5%. At the annual level, the number of German tourists increased the most, by 15%. In September alone, the number of tourists reached 630,000 which is 3.7% more year-on-year. Almost 1.5 million overnight stays were recorded.

Fraud suspected in EU-funded project involving Minister Pivec

LJUBLJANA - The Economy Ministry has reported to the prosecution suspicion of fraud and document forgery involving the Tourism and Hospitality Chamber, its director the former Education Minister Klavdija Perger and other persons. Media reports indicate that Agriculture Minister Aleksandra Pivec was also involved, but she is allegedly not among those reported. The ministry said it had reported the suspicion in June after going through co-funding contracts for the Strategic Development Innovation Partnership Tourism (SRIPT), a project of the chamber eligible for EUR 390,000 in EU funding.

Počivalšek: Regional airline potential partner of new flag carrier

LJUBLJANA - A potential partner of a new flag carrier which might be set up to fill the void left by Adria Airways's bankruptcy is a regional airline, Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek told the weekly Mladina in an interview. "The talks with this potential partner are at quite an advanced stage, but I cannot for the moment reveal the name of this company" said the minister, who also did he confirm whether Slovenia would indeed establish a new Adria.

Chamber of Commerce joins calls against consumer loan limitations

LJUBLJANA - The Chamber of Commerce (TZS) is the next to take issue with the central bank stiffening the conditions for consumer loans, saying the measure will have negative effect on consumption, and calling for the decision to be changed and its negative consequences mitigated. While agreeing that the forecasts of economic slow-down should be taken seriously, the TZS added that the "macroprudential measure by Banka Slovenije is disproportionate and excessive." The chamber's call follows criticism expressed by PM Marjan Šarec as well as the Bank Association.

Spirit of Reformation still topical, Protestant leader says

LJUBLJANA - Geza Filo, the outgoing head of Slovenia's Evangelical Lutheran Church, believes the spirit and teachings of the Reformation are still topical 500 years after the movement to reform the Roman Catholic Church shook Europe. "There are many challenges which call for many reforms. Reformation Day is always an opportunity to ask ourselves how we live, and whether we need everything we buy and whether it's good for our fellow man," the bishop has told the STA prior to Reformation Day, observed on 31 October. In the evening Slovenia observed the holiday with a national ceremony, with parliamentary Speaker Dejan Židan delivering the keynote.