Daily headlines - Thursday, 4 November

DELO

Coal phaseout
"After TEŠ blackout, nuclear and solar energy": The Šoštanj coal-fired thermal plant, which generates a third of Slovenia's electricity, may go bankrupt even before 2033 when the country is set to phase out coal. The plant is to be replaced by a new nuclear reactor and solar energy plants, heard a meeting called by PM Janez Janša yesterday. (front page, page 4)

State budget
"State spending going higher up": The parliamentary Finance Committee has endorsed a new budgeting regulation that raises this year's spending ceiling yet again, this time by an additional EUR 670 million to as much as EUR 15 billion. (front page, page 10)

Party tie-ups
"Efforts for survival": The delegates of the Economically Active Party (GAS) are meeting for a congress today to decide on a merger with the junior coalition Modern Centre Party (SMC), which endorsed the strategy of tie-ups and cooperation as a way to secure its survival in September. (front page, page 2)

Olive harvest
"Record poor olive crop": This year's olive yield is the poorest in 25 years. Due to temperature fluctuations some olive growers have no crop at all as oil output at extraction plants is down by 70% on average. (front page, page 5)

DNEVNIK

Covid outbreak management
"'Error in the minutes' regular occurrence": Following unofficial news that the Covid-19 advisory team was proposing the government declare a 10-day lockdown, the group's head Mateja Logar told reporters after a meeting with the government that there was an error in the minutes of the advisors' meeting. This is not the first time Logar subjugated science to politics. (front page, page 3)

EDP appointment
"Minister sets aside renewed bid by prosecutors": Justice Minister Marjan Dikaučič has struck out a renewed bid by the two candidates for European delegated prosecutors (EDP) after the government invoked the renewed call for applications in its decision not to implement the Administrative Court's judgement which made the original pick of the pair valid. (front page, page 4)

FINANCE

Inflation
"Craftsmen up to 30% more expensive": Craftsmen and entrepreneurs say they have already raised prices for end customers this year, and they will also raise them for retailers on 1 January 2022, while builders are negotiating on rises with each client separately. (front page, pages 2, 3)

Finance industry takeovers
"Kostić takes over Sberbank, Summit Leasing takes over Daimler's bank in Croatia": Russian Sberbank signed a contract in Vienna yesterday to sell all banks to the banking group and holding owned by Serb businessman Miodrag Kostić, which means Gorenjska Banka will become the owner of the Slovenian division of Sberbank. Meanwhile, Summit Leasing Slovenija, owned by NKBM bank, took over Mercedes-Benz Leasing in Croatia (front page, pages 4, 5)

Exporters
"Siliko successful in getting new deals for BMW, VW, Daimler and Volvo": The automotive industry supplier Siliko is planning to hire 130 new staff, mainly highly-qualified employees for development over the next two years. It has signed EUR 74 million worth of deals this year and finalising talks on a further EUR 41 million. (front page, page 12)

VEČER

Crime
"Repenters will be witnesses only": The prosecution filed an indictment against the Slovenian cell of the notorious Montenegrin crime syndicate known as the Kavač Clan on Friday. (front page, page 13)

Vaccination in the army
"Better paid tasks for vaccinated soldiers": The trade union says only vaccinated soldiers are being deployed to perform well-paid tasks in securing the border. (front page, page 3)

Coal phaseout
"Coal mine and TEŠ, how much longer yet?": The paper wonders whether Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec and PM Janez Janša will go back on their promises for the government to help in the restructuring of the Šalek Valley as government documents show the TEŠ power station and Velenje coal mine will soon be shut down. (front page, page 23)