Daily headlines - Friday, 23 December

DELO

New president
"First woman president of Slovenia sworn in": Nataša Pirc Musar has promised Slovenians she would dedicate every day to them as she addressed the National Assembly yesterday, and that she would continue to fight for human rights and dignity. (front page)

Minimum wage
"Largest increase in past decade": Labour Minister Luka Mesec has fulfilled the expectations of trade unions and raised the minimum wage up to EUR 1,225 gross or 878 net as of next year in what is the largest increase of guaranteed earnings in the past decade. (front page, 3)

Kosovo
"Endless fragility of peace in Balkans": As tensions in the north of Kosovo are escalating, Defence Minister Marjan Šarec visited Slovenian troops as part of the KFOR mission in Kosovo yesterday to declare that the Western Balkans remains a strategic priority for Slovenia. (front page, 3)

DNEVNIK

New president
"'I will never bow my head'": Nataša Pirc Musar was sworn in at the National Assembly yesterday as the fifth president of Slovenia and the first woman to hold the post, saying that she would give her best in working for the well-being of the country. Pirc Musar will officially start the five-year term today. (front page, 2, commentary 14)

Festive December
"Not only ćevapčići are on stands": While the bulk of the food offered on the holiday stands in the centre of Ljubljana consists of grilled meat and mulled wine, there are stands that offer an alternative, such as miške, a sort of tiny doughnuts, and hot aperol. (front page, 8)

VEČER

New president
"President sworn in": Before Nataša Pirc Musar starts her five-year term as the president of Slovenia today, she told the National Assembly as she was sworn in that she would fight for human rights and dignity. Her predecessor Borut Pahor said he feels satisfied as he is leaving the post after ten years. (front page, 2)

Pensions
"Higher pensions in February with back pay": The pension purse will amount to seven billion euros next year, and pensioners can look forward to a 4.9% indexation of pensions in February with back pay for January. Annual bonuses will be paid out in five amounts and will be five euros higher than this year. (front page, 3)

Rupnik case
"Should Rupnik return Prešeren Prize?": While there is no legal basis for stripping someone of the Prešeren Prize, the Culture Ministry thinks that it would appropriate for painter and Jesuit priest Marko Ivan Rupnik, who is facing allegations of sexual abuse of nuns, to himself return the highest national award for achievements in arts that he received in 2000. (front page, 7)

Maribor city council
"First session, first dispute": While the confirmation of terms of the 45 councillors of the new Maribor city council went well yesterday, things got complicated during the appointment of the commission for mandate issues, with the SDS party announcing an administrative dispute over the proportionality of representation. (front page, 13)