News roundup - Tuesday, 18 July, until 3pm

Foreign Ministry urges Moscow to return to grain deal

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Foreign Ministry urged Russia to reconsider its decision to suspend the international agreement that allowed Ukrainian grain exports through the Black Sea, warning that the decision will impact on the most vulnerable people in Africa. In a Twitter post the ministry also pointed out that Slovenia is actively contributing to the Black Sea Grain Initiative with a donation of EUR 1 million. It is moreover preparing a new aid package.

Anti-graft official under fire over Facebook comment

LJUBLJANA - Simon Savski, one of the deputy heads of the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption, has come under fire over a comment in a closed Facebook group in which he suggested that former Prime Minister Janez Janša and former Interior Minister Aleš Hojs were to blame for public distrust of police as manifested in growing violence against police officers. President Nataša Pirc Musar described the communication as inappropriate, while Savski's boss Robert Šumi will summon him over the matter.

Slovenia wins EUR 67m in damages over stake in Bosnian power plant

LJUBLJANA - Delo and Dnevnik reported that a Belgrade arbitral tribunal awarded Slovenia's energy group HSE EUR 67 million in damages in a long-running dispute over a Bosnian power plant's failure to supply it with electricity in exchange for the Slovenian energy industry's investment in the plant's construction in the 1980s. Apart from launching arbitration against the Ugljevik mine and thermal power station, Slovenia also took Bosnia-Herzegovina to the Washington International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes almost a decade ago. Including default interest, the damages claims now top one billion euros.

Damjan Petrič appointed new head of criminal police

LJUBLJANA - Acting Police Commissioner Senad Jušić has appointed Damjan Petrič, who served as the interim head of the Ljubljana Police Directorate since March 2022, to the helm of the criminal police administration at the General Police Department. This is the latest in a series of changes in leading positions of the police force in recent days. On Monday, Jušić appointed Beno Meglič the director of the Maribor Police Department, while last week Igor Juršič was appointed the head of the Novo mesto Police Department and Alenka Korošece Peruzin the head of the Koper Police Department.

Salus acquires 49% of Croatian Medorion

LJUBLJANA - Salus, a wholesaler of medications and medical equipment, completed the acquisition of a 49% stake in Medorion on Monday. This gives Salus control over the Croatian company, which holds a marketing authorisation for treatments of rare diseases. In June Salus entered into a sales contract with Rastislav Baričevac, Medorion's only shareholder, to buy up to 100% in Medorion over the next four years. The acquisition will allow Salus to branch out into rare diseases.

Storms to follow hottest day of summer

LJUBLJANA - Monday was the hottest day of the summer in Slovenia with temperatures rising as high as 37.2 degrees Celsius near Črnomelj in the south-east, according to the Environment Agency. However, metrologist Blaž Šter told the STA that the third heat wave of the summer was likely past its peak, forecasting that temperatures will fall below 30 degrees Celsius in the coming days, except for the western Primorska region. Moreover, storms with hail, strong winds and rain are expected today and tomorrow.

WWII bomb found in Nova Gorica, deactivation likely on Sunday

NOVA GORICA - A 250-kilogram aerial bomb from World War II was discovered near the Slovenian-Italian border in Nova Gorica on Monday. Preparations were launched for its removal, which will likely take place on Sunday. The deactivation will be coordinated with Italy because nearby residents will have to be evacuated. The bomb contains around 100 kg of explosive and is currently secure, Darko Zonjič, head of the national unit for the protection against unexploded ordnance, told the press.

NGO sees room for improvement in national energy and climate plan

LJUBLJANA - The environmental NGO Focus finds that a second draft of the updated national energy end climate plan, which the government approved at the end of June after a public consultation, contains several positive amendments and is a step in the right direction, but there is still room for improvement. The targets set out in the latest draft are not enough to keep global warming at a 1.5-degree Celsius threshold, Focus said in a written statement.

Ljubljana to host world's first official water volleyball tournament

LJUBLJANA - Ljubljana will host the world's first ever official water volleyball tournament on 12 and 13 August. Following two successful promotional events, real volleyball showdowns are now on the programme as part of the re:do Volleyball on Water Ljubljanica 2023 tournament, the Slovenian Volleyball Federation announced. The tournament will feature eight pairs each in the women's and men's competitions. It will take place on a court set up on the Ljubljanica next to Novi Trg square.