News roundup - Monday, 13 February, until 3pm

EU Commission upgrades Slovenia's growth forecast

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission upgraded Slovenia's economic growth forecast to 1% for this year and 2% for 2024, up by 0.2 and 0.3 percentage points, respectively, from its autumn forecast. Inflation is expected to slow to 6.1% this year in the winter forecast, an improvement from 6.5% projected in the autumn. Meanwhile, the forecast for Slovenia's GDP growth last year was downgraded from 6.2% to 5.1%. The Slovenian Statistics Office will release 2022 GDP growth data on Tuesday.

Report alleges car parks for Nordic ski worlds built in protected areas

PLANICA - While the final preparations for the upcoming Nordic World Ski Championships are in full swing at Planica, web portal n1info.si reported that temporary car parks for the event had been built in protected areas and without the necessary environmental permits. The portal cited Kranjska Gora Mayor Henrika Zupan in claiming that the organising committee failed to cooperate with the municipality and did not ask for an environmental permit. The organisers deny the allegations.

Job vacancies down in last quarter of 2022

LJUBLJANA - The number of job vacancies dropped for the second consecutive quarter in the final quarter of 2022 after rising for a year and a half. Still, the demand for workers remains high, data from the Statistics Office shows. In the final quarter of 2022, more than 23,000 vacancies were reported, down 5.5% compared to the previous quarter but 6,400 more than in the pre-Covid final quarter of 2019. Compared to the last quarter of 2021, the number of vacancies was up by 1.4%.

Court confirms integrity breach by former C-bank vice-governor

LJUBLJANA - The Administrative Court has upheld the anti-graft watchdog's decision in the case of Marko Bošnjak, who resigned as vice-governor of Slovenia's central bank in 2020 following the accusations that he evaded rental income tax. Bošnjak turned to court after the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption found in late 2019 that he was unable to provide evidence that he paid tax from the rent he earned for his apartment in Ljubljana. The watchdog called the ruling an important precedent.

Festival shows best of world mountaineering films

LJUBLJANA - Some of the best mountaineering films from around the globe will be on show at the 17th Mountain Film Festival taking place in Ljubljana, Domžale, Radovljica and Celje until Saturday. The opening film, screened at Cankarjev Dom tonight, One for the River: The Story of the Sava joins four kayakers as they paddle down the Sava sampling water, surveying birds, and getting to know the river's wild past, dark history, and uncertain future. The winning films will be announced on Friday.

Maribor ballet to perform in Hong Kong

HONG KONG, China - The SNG Maribor Ballet ensemble will start their five-day guest appearance in Hong Kong on Thursday by performing Radio and Juliet, and Le Sacre Du Printemps, both productions directed by Edward Clug. The ensemble will also perform both ballets at Friday'a official opening of the 51st Hong Kong Arts Festival. The ensemble's itinerary also features four performances based on Henrik Ibsen's Peer Gynt.