News roundup - Thursday, 25 May, until 3pm

Fajon meets Indonesian counterpart

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon, who began an official visit to Indonesia, discussed with counterpart Retna Marsudi ways to strengthen political and economic ties between the two countries, as well as between the EU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Slovenia's UN Security Council candidacy was presented as well. Fajon pointed to many untapped opportunities to strengthen relations between the two countries, particularly in the economy, investment, science and research, and cooperation among universities.

Oštro launches asset monitor for officials

LJUBLJANA - The news portal Oštro launched an online database sourcing publicly available data on the wealth of Slovenian political officials. Oštro said it launched the Wealth Detector because the Corruption Prevention Commission is the only body that knows how much officials are worth, and there is only one staff member who keeps an eye on the data. Today, the portal released information about the wealth of government members and will continue adding into the database in autumn and next year.

Judges lodging complaints over modest pay rise

LJUBLJANA - The newspaper Dnevnik reported that a number of judges had lodged complaints with the Judicial Council after their salaries were raised by a single bracket, in line with the changes to the Public Sector Salary System Act. Judges believe that the salary scale and job ranking are unconstitutional.
The complaints also draw attention to the fact that judges are not eligible for compensation for incompatibility of office, which they believe is in breach of several constitutional provisions.

International military exercise starts in Gorenjska

BOHINJSKA BELA - Triglav Star 2023, an international military exercise featuring 760 participants, started in the Gorenjska region in the north-west. Running until early June, the 8th annual exercise will focus on mountain warfare. Members of the Slovenian Armed Forces, including reserves, will train with members of armed forces from the US, Hungary, Italy, Germany, North Macedonia, Albania and the Czech Republic to exchange know-how and standardise tactical procedures, thus raising the level of joint operations.

Motorway toll up by 6.8% from 15 June

LJUBLJANA - The government has confirmed a 6.8% increase in motorway toll for all vehicles other than lorries as of 15 June, the first toll increase in ten years. As a result, the motorway operator expects EUR 5.3 million in additional revenue this year and EUR 14.6 million next year. The toll increase is necessary because DARS, the motorway company, must be provided with long-term financial sustainability to carry out all planned projects, Infrastructure Minister Alenka Bratušek said.

New investment for Brežice-based start-up

BREŽICE - Juicefast, a start-up based in Brežice that produces healthy meals and juices, has received an investment by two Croatian entrepreneurs Mate Rimac and Sandro Mur. The amount has not been disclosed. The investment will allow Juicefast to continue the development of innovative production technology and expand to other European markets. Juicefas was founded in 2020 by brothers David and Marko Dravinec and has been successful in the Croatian market. This year it will also focus on the Slovenian market.

Business sentiment declines further in May

LJUBLJANA - Business sentiment in Slovenia has been decreasing since December, as the indicator fell to -2.9 percentage points in April, down 0.2 points on the previous month and 5.5 points lower in yearly comparison, shows Statistics Office data. Year-on-year, the outlook in manufacturing was down by 4.4 points and 0.7 points in retail. Construction and services sectors posted 0.6 and 0.2-point drops, respectively. Meanwhile, consumer confidence improved by 0.3 points.

Personal assistants strike over pay, working conditions

LJUBLJANA - The Personal Assistance Trade Union staged a strike to warn of deteriorating working conditions of its members. Personal assistants and those eligible for personal assistance due to disabilities staged a rally in front of the Ministry of Labour, the Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities. Their demands include higher wages for personal assistants, a collective bargaining agreement and adoption of standards and norms for personal assistance.

Modern art showcased this weekend in Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - Ljubljana Art Weekend will see a diverse programme of art exhibitions, round tables, an international conference, workshops and panel discussions until Sunday. New this year are "art walks", guided tours around Ljubljana, focusing on different spaces, which are the main theme of this year's Art Weekend. The festival is opening at the Cukrarna art centre with two round table discussions, the first centring on the inaccessibility of atelier workspaces and the second on the challenges of art magazines.

Izola film festival to see more than 100 films

IZOLA - The 19th Kino Otok - Isola Cinema international film festival will bring 45 full-length and 75 short films. In early June, screenings are scheduled in the coastal town of Izola, Ljubljana's Kinodvor and the Slovenian Cinematheque. Art cinemas in Tolmin, Idrija and Sežana will also join the festival. The programme will kick off on 30 May at the Slovenian Cinematheque, which will screen six films by Indian director Satyajit Ray. The main part of the festival will take place between 7 and 11 June in Izola.

Europe's best rowers competing in Bled

BLED - The best rowers in Europe will be on Lake Bled from Thursday through Sunday for the European Rowing Championships. A total of 560 competitors from 33 countries will be vying for medals. Slovenia has sent nine Slovenian boats into the race. Overall rowing superpower Great Britain has the largest number of boats and will compete in 18 of the 21 events. Germany will compete in 17. Bled first hosted the European Championships in 1956.