Ljubljana related
STA, 5 August 2022 - Outgoing British PM Boris Johnson is on a short private trip to Slovenia, the office of Slovenian Prime Minister Rober Golob confirmed British media reports for the STA on Friday. Golob's office also said that no meeting between the two prime ministers was planned.
While Downing Street declined to reveal where Johnson is holidaying this week, the British media have reported that he is believed to be in Slovenia with his wife Carrie for a belated honeymoon.
STA, 29 November 2021 - The Foreign Ministry has called on all UK citizens and their family members residing in Slovenia to submit applications for a new biometric permit for temporary residence or exchange the existing one for a new biometric permit for permanent residence on time. The deadline is 31 December.
The current permits issued to UK citizens or their family members who are not EU citizens expire on 31 December as a result of Brexit.
The applications can be submitted at the administrative unit of their residence. The permits are issued in line with the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement. More information is available at: https://www.gov.si/en/registries/projects/brexit/.
The agreement on the UK's withdrawal from the EU came into force on 1 February 2020. As of the day of its exit, the United Kingdom has become a third country, which means its citizens no longer enjoy the same conditions to reside in EU countries as before Brexit.
The Withdrawal Agreement envisages a transitional period for UK citizens residing in the EU to obtain residence permits. The deadline in Slovenia expires on 31 December 2021.
STA, 1 November 2021 - Prime Minister Janez Janša highlighted the need to create a realistic path to implement the goals from the Paris climate agreement as he addressed the World Leaders Summit, a high-level political event held in Glasgow as part of the ongoing COP26 climate conference.
Moving away from coal and oil is a key element in reaching the set goals, and nuclear energy could replace fossil fuels as a transition source of energy, Janša said.
He stressed it was urgent to act to limit climate warning. "It is high time to create a realistic path to the 1.5 degrees Celsius goal," he was quoted by his office.
As the presiding EU country, Slovenia makes efforts towards this goal, yet the EU, contributing just 8% of global CO2 emissions, cannot solve the problem on its own.
He thus urged all countries to produce their offers saying that "everyone must take their share of responsibility to ensure that our common efforts are effective".
"Our goal is to reduce emissions by 55% until 2030 and we are making efforts to modernise our climate and energy legislation," Janša said.
However, he stressed that the common measures are by far not enough to reach the goals set at the Paris climate conference in 2015.
"By the UN's estimate, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 will be by 16% higher than it was in 2010."
Janša also said he understood hesitation, so he stressed that "our efforts must not endanger social cohesion and economic development".
He believes that "technological and political innovations will enable finding new ways to implement all the three set goals".
He said more investment in new technologies is needed to develop cleaner, safer and more efficient energy, such as energy from hydrogen or fusion.
Slovenia remains firmly committed to reach the common goals with a realistic approach. "We have adopted a long-term strategy which sets the goal of climate neutrality by 2050 and the path to it."
Janša moreover urged all countries to contribute to the best of their abilities, and concluded by saying: "Let's make sure that this summit is a success."
On the sidelines of the two-day world leaders summit, Janša held several bilateral meetings, including with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Georgian PM Irakli Garibashvili, Indonesian President Joko Widodo and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
He also met Indian PM Narendra Modi, European Council President Charles Michel, Czech PM Andrej Babiš, Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez, Maltese PM Robert Abela, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, among others.
The prime minister, who will end his visit to Glasgow on Tuesday, is also scheduled to meet some other world leaders, and IAEA boss Rafael Mariano Grossi.
STA, 30 September 2021 - Prime Minister Janez Janša paid a working visit to the United Kingdom on Thursday for talks his British counterpart Boris Johnson. Bilateral political ties, fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and the EU-UK relations topped the agenda, the prime minister's office said.
Janša and Johnson also discussed cooperation in light of Slovenia's EU presidency and the presidency of the UK of the COP26 climate conference, and topical foreign policy issues, in particular Afghanistan and the Western Balkans.
The office of the British prime minister said in a press release that Janša and Johnson had discussed the strong bilateral relations in the last 30 years, including in trade and foreign policy.
It added that the prime ministers had agreed on the need to encourage stability and progress in the Western Balkans.
As part of the discussion on fighting Covid-19, they talked about the important role of vaccination in protecting people and opening of economies. They agreed about the importance of fight against misinformation regarding vaccines.
Ahead of the COP26 summit in October, Johnson said that all countries should adopt concrete commitments to fighting climate change, to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and to abandoning the use of coal.
Predsednik vlade ?? @JJansaSDS se danes na povabilo predsednika vlade ?? @BorisJohnson mudi na delovnem obisku v Londonu. Po jutranjih sestankih z @trussliz in @NCSC je premier prispel pred rezidenco in urad britanskega premierja @10DowningStreet. pic.twitter.com/kizkmbYGsi
— Vlada Republike Slovenije (@vladaRS) September 30, 2021
The Prime Minister welcomed Prime Minister @JJansaSDS of Slovenia to Downing Street today.
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) September 30, 2021
They discussed the strength of the UK-Slovenian relationship over the last 30 years, including in trade and our shared foreign policy work.
➡️ https://t.co/mO9QMwIDxv
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According to the office, Prime Minister Johnson praised the commitments taken by Slovenia so far in this field.
He also expressed concern about the Northern Ireland Protocol and its effect on the residents of Northern Ireland. He said the EU should make an effort to find a lasting solution to the problem that would not undermine the Good Friday Agreement.
Janša first met Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss, with whom he talked about bilateral relations, topical international issues and the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Slovenian prime minister and Truss also discussed ways to boost business ties, fight against cyber threats and deepen cultural relations.
Accompanied by Minister of State for Middle East and North Africa James Cleverly, Janša then visited the National Cyber Security Centre to meet its leadership.
International cooperation in cyber security issues is of key importance for protection from all hybrid threats, the office of the Slovenian prime minister said.
Janša also met Joao Vale de Almeida, the ambassador of the EU to the UK, over a working lunch.
The prime minister's office assessed that bilateral relations with the UK are very good and friendly, with today's visit meaning that political dialogue at the highest level is being intensified.
The UK is the 20th largest trade partner to Slovenia, and the volume of investments increases on both sides. Last year, direct investments from the UK stood at EUR 501 million, which makes the UK the 9th largest foreign investor in Slovenia.
STA, 5 August 2021 - Late on Wednesday, the British government updated its entry requirements and placed several countries, including Slovenia, on the green list. As of Sunday morning, travellers from Slovenia will only need a negative Covid test to enter England, regardless of the person's vaccination status, foreign news agencies report.
In addition to Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Latvia, Romania and Norway have also been added to the green list.
Travellers from these countries will no longer need a vaccination certificate, but must be tested for the new coronavirus before and after entering England. As part of the update, England has further relaxed restrictions for France.
The British government in London can impose health and travel restrictions for England. For Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, these decisions are taken by the authorities there, but often follow England's lead.
The UK has been phasing out restrictive measures in recent weeks, as the number of vaccinated persons increases and the number of hospital admissions of Covid patients decreases.
So far, around 88.7% of all adults in the UK have received the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, while 73.2% have already been fully immunised.
STA, 21 April 2021 - A 21-year-old British citizen was arrested on Saturday for illegally transporting a five-member family from Iraq after a wild chase during which he crashed into police vehicles several times. The man is in custody.
The 21-year-old driving a car with Spanish licence plates was pulled over by border police in Srednja Bistrica on Friday evening, but when asked to show documents he put the car in reverse and deliberately hit the front part of the police car before leaving in the direction of the motorway, the Murska Sobota police department said on Wednesday.
The police immediately followed him, but he hit the breaks several times to hit the police car behind him. He also collided with another police vehicle during the wild chase.
Police then used stingers with the 21-year-old bypassing the first one and driving right through the second one, being forced to pull over with flat tyres just before reaching the motorway. But the man continued to run on foot and police lost track of him.
After inspecting his vehicle, police found a five-member family from Iraq in the car. The foreigners, who entered the country illegally from Croatia, applied for international protection. The women sustained light injuries during the wild chase.
The Slovenian police informed their counterparts in other countries of the fugitive and he was apprehended by the Austrian police on Saturday morning.
The man faces charges for illegal crossing of the border, prevention of official proceedings and taking revenge on a public official. He has been remanded in custody.
The 21-year-old was already processed by the Radgona police at the beginning of the month after he refused to pull over but continued speeding on the motorway, where he caused a traffic accident. He tried to run away on foot, but police eventually caught him.
The man was also involved in a police chase in the Celje area last year, after he refused to pull over. The chase also involved deliberate collisions with police cars and running away on foot.
STA, 16 April 2021 - Slovenia has raised in an informal talk with Vice-President of the European Commission for Interinstitutional Relations Maroš Šefčovič the issue of unequal treatment of EU member states by the United Kingdom when it comes to payment of work visas.
After the exit of the UK from the EU, citizens of Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovenia are not eligible for the EUR 55 discount when applying for a work visa in the UK that is enjoyed by citizens of the remaining EU member states.
The Slovenian Permanent Representation in Brussels said on Friday it had noted in the talk as part of the Committee of Permanent Representatives that this unilateral decision put EU citizens in an unequal position and that the issue needed to be raised in future talks with the UK.
The UK argues that the discount applies only to the countries that signed and ratified the original European Social Charter from 1961.
The five listed countries, which signed and ratified the 1996 Revised Charter, on the other hand maintain that this is discrimination that needs to be eliminated.
The British International School of Ljubljana has been rated ‘Outstanding in every category’ in its latest inspection by PENTA International.
Penta International, one of the leading independent inspectorates of British Schools Overseas, accredited by the British Government’s Department for Education (DfE), recently completed a comprehensive inspection of the British International School of Ljubljana that included a 3-day site visit for lesson observations, learning walks, data analysis and discussions with groups of students, staff and parents. The resulting report, published last week, recognises the British International School of Ljubljana as an outstanding school, in every category, a historic first in its journey as a school.
“The British International School of Ljubljana (BISL) is an outstanding school. It is held in high regard by the local community,” highlights the report recently released by Penta International.
BISL is proud to have achieved not only an Outstanding rating overall but an Outstanding rating in every category assessed, making it the only Outstanding school in the region.
The purpose of regular inspections is to provide information for parents, teachers, senior managers and the school’s management on the overall effectiveness of the school, the standard of education it provides and its compatibility with independent schools in the United Kingdom and around the world.
The inspection and report covers the key areas of quality of the curriculum; quality of teaching and learning; the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of students; their welfare, health and safety; the suitability of the proprietor and staff; the school’s premises; and the school's complaints procedures. An essential part of the inspection is considering the extent to which the British character of the school is evident in its ethos, curriculum, teaching, care for students and their achievements.
“It has been my absolute privilege to lead our school through this inspection, and I am incredibly proud of our achievement. With such fantastic students and a dedicated team of professionals, this is something that our community truly deserves,” said Paul Walton, Principal of the British International School of Ljubljana.
The report elaborated by Penta International highlights as the school strengths, “the students, who are happy, confident, friendly, well-behaved, enthusiastic learners,” as well as, “the high standard of spoken English: students make excellent progress, thanks to a well-coordinated and coherent policy for students who speak English as an additional language (EAL) which is a very high proportion, and to a notable whole school approach to the teaching of the language,” along with ten other points.
“With strong, thoughtful leadership, the school has maintained a sharp focus on continuous improvement since the last BSO inspection. There is an evident emphasis on the quality of the students’ learning experiences and outcomes. As a result of a carefully planned curriculum and skilfully delivered lessons and activities, students make excellent progress,” concludes the report.
About the British International School of Ljubljana
Founded in 2008, the British International School of Ljubljana is a proud member of the Orbital Education family of schools.
The school offers a traditional British education for ages 2 to 18, with a personalised approach to learning, enabling each child to achieve beyond their perceived potential. Following the English National Curriculum, their ethos is to instil a passion for learning amongst young learners within a uniquely international setting, welcoming students from over 40 different nationalities, which, as well as providing a stimulating and cosmopolitan environment, also means that English is truly the common language, spoken throughout the school by all students and staff alike.
With a dedicated team of experienced and enthusiastic professionals, most of whom are native English speakers, the older students in Secondary School sit externally assessed IGCSE and A-Level examinations, which are considered gold standard qualifications as far as university admittance is concerned.
Click here for more information about the British International School of Ljubljana.
STA, 9 April 2021 - President Borut Pahor and Prime Minister Janez Janša expressed their condolences following the death of Prince Philip on Twitter on Friday after Buckingham Palace announced Queen Elizabeth II's husband died aged 99 this morning. The Slovenian Foreign Ministry and the country's embassy in London have also expressed condolences.
Pahor expressed sincere condolences to Queen Elizabeth II and the citizens of the UK on behalf of Slovenia on Twitter and so did the Foreign Ministry.
Also posting on Twitter, Prime Minister Janša said: "I express my deepest condolences to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Royal Family and the people of the United Kingdom on the passing of the Duke of Edinburgh."
I express my deepest condolences to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Royal Family and the people of the United Kingdom on the passing of the Duke of Edinburgh. pic.twitter.com/H5UrI9ODLV
— Janez Janša (@JJansaSDS) April 9, 2021
V imenu Republike Slovenije izrekam Njenemu Veličanstvu kraljici Elizabeti II. in državljanom Združenega kraljestva iskreno sožalje in sočutje ob smrti Njegove Kraljeve Visokosti vojvode Edinburškega.
— Borut Pahor (@BorutPahor) April 9, 2021
The Slovenian Foreign Ministry meanwhile tweeted that "we are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Slovenia conveys sincere condolences to Her Majesty The Queen and the Royal Family."
The Slovenian Embassy in London said this was a very sad day for the UK and the whole world.
"A very sad day for the UK and the whole world as we mourn and remember the life of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Our thoughts are with Her Majesty The Queen, the Royal Family and the British people."
Prince Philip spent more than 73 years by the queen's side and would have turned 100 in June.
In a statement shortly after midday, the Buckingham Palace announced that he died this morning at Windsor Castle.
The duke, who was the longest-serving consort in British history, had returned to Windsor Castle on 16 March after spending a month in hospital.
Prince Philip accompanied Queen Elizabeth II on many state visits around the world, including to Slovenia in the autumn of 2008, when they were in the country for three days.
It was the first visit of the kind to Slovenia that was an opportunity to boost relations between Slovenia and the UK. The royal couple were hosted by then President Danilo Türk.
On the occasion, Queen Elizabeth II symbolically received as a gift a Lipizzaner horse from Lipica, although the horse remained in the care of the stud farm here.
Among the highlights of Prince Philip's visit was him presenting gold MEPI Awards to 26 Slovenian students. It was the Duke of Edinburgh who founded the programme in 1956.
STA, 9 March 2021 - Slovenian police have arrested three of the five people they suspect were involved in a racket known as CEO fraud, a scam in which criminals impersonate executives to fool employees into making unauthorized wire transfers. The fraud was perpetrated mostly in the UK, while the money was laundered in Slovenia.
Martin Rupnik, the head of the white collar crime department at the Ljubljana Police District, told the press Tuesday that investigators had conducted 25 house searches during which three suspects were apprehended. They remain in detention.
The suspects are believed to have laundered the proceeds from criminal activities, mostly in the UK, after creating fake CEO identities and convincing employees to wire money to corporate accounts opened by a Slovenian legal entity.
They received wire transfers of around EUR 300,000, of which the police managed to seize EUR 170,000. The investigation is ongoing.
Police believe three to five foreign companies fell victim to the fraud, but the exact number will not be known until the investigation of electronic devices is completed.
"The pre-trial stage regarding fraud is under way abroad, not here. The Slovenian police have taken over the money laundering investigation," said Rupnik.
Večer writes that NLB bank alerted law enforcement authorities of bankers who gave loans to Raščan.
Money laundering in a criminal organisation carries a prison sentence of up to ten years in Slovenia.
