Schedule of Events for Wednesday, 15 February

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka/BANGALORE, India - President Janez Drnovsek is to travel to Sri Lanka and India, stopping in Qatar for a few hours on Wednesday to give an interview for the Al Jazeera news network.

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel and Interior Minister Dragutin Mate are to sign a contract with printing company Cetis on the production of biometric passports; at noon. (STA)

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary economic affairs committee is to examine the companies bill (9 AM), while the committee for finance and monetary policy is to examine the bill on the securities market and amendments to the income tax act (2 PM).

PTUJ - The National Council, the upper chamber of parliament, is to scrutinise the bill on chambers of commerce and the bill on public law and order at a session which starts at noon. Both bills are currently in parliamentary procedure.

LJUBLJANA - Austrian Ambassador to Slovenia Valentin Inzko is to deliver a lecture on Austria's EU presidency at 5 PM.

KOPER - Trading company Emona Obala, which asked the Constitutional Court to examine the conformity of provisions on Sunday opening hours of stores with the Constitution, is to talk about the court's decision at 10 AM.

NOVA GORICA - Holding slovenske elektrarne, Slovenia's biggest power producer, is to sign a loan agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB) at noon. The funds will be used for the construction of the Avce hydro station.

LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Jansa is to host a meeting of inspectors to discuss the work of inspection services following the December tragedy in which three girls were trampled to death in front of a nightclub near Ljubljana; at 10 AM.

LJUBLJANA - A press conference at noon prior to the Thursday opening of an exhibition of acclaimed Slovenian painter and graphic artist Lojze Spacal (1907-2000). A monograph on the artist is to be launched on this occasion.

LJUBLJANA - A documentary about Slovenia's first professional actress Marija Vera (1881-1954) is to premiere at 8 PM at Cankarjev dom. "I Want to Conquer the World" was directed by Maja Weiss.

LJUBLJANA - Press review. (STA)

SLOVENIAN APPEARANCES AT THE TURIN GAMES

- Alpine Skiing: women's downhill (noon)

In case of further queries please contact duty editor at +386 1 241 0109:

8:30 AM to 3:30 PM: Eva Horvat
3:30 PM to 10:00 PM: Sebastijan Macek

Comments and suggestions may be sent to: english@sta.si