News roundup - Friday, 1 September

President calls for reform of UN

ALPBACH, Austria - A country being discussed in the Security Council or at the UN General Assembly should not have the right to vote or veto, said President Nataša Pirc Musar in an interview with the Austrian news agency APA on the sidelines of the European Forum Alpbach. "When as the aggressor you are sitting at the table in a debate, you should not have the right to vote on what the rest of the world has to say. I am convinced of that," the president stressed, saying that this would be ethically just. She also believes that an African country should have a permanent seat on the Security Council.

School starts for all students despite flood devastation

LJUBLJANA - A new school year started for 194,000 primary and 82,000 secondary school students. Although the first day of school came less than a month after massive floods devastated large parts of the country, including many schools, all students were able to start instruction. The early-August floods damaged 12 kindergartens, 19 primary schools and five high-schools. Some schools were also damaged in storms in July. The schools which are still being repaired have found substitute locations or organised outdoor school activities for the time being.

International school programme launched in Maribor

MARIBOR - A primary school in Maribor launched the first International Baccalaureate (IB) primary education programme in this part of the country in what Maribor Mayor Saša Arsenovič believes is a great asset for the city. Currently, six children are enrolled, but the school and the municipality expect the number of pupils to grow throughout the year. Arsenović said that the programme would make Slovenia's second largest city more attractive to foreign experts and investors.

Business disagrees with mandatory solidarity contribution

LJUBLJANA - The corporate sector responded critically to a mandatory contribution on business to finance post-flood reconstruction, arguing that this will place an undue burden on already overtaxed businesses before all other available sources of funding have been tapped. Although the situation is urgent and calls for reciprocity and solidarity, the corporate sector is already under an enormous burden of taxes and contributions, the OZS said. The SBS wondered if the additional burden on business is truly necessary at a time when companies are under pressure because of factors such as geopolitical insecurity.

Post-flood reconstruction task force meets for the first time

LJUBLJANA - The task force coordinating the post-flood reconstruction effort, led by Boštjan Šefic, a state secretary in the prime minister's office, met for the first time, with Šefic noting on the occasion that the main aim was to prevent additional damage in potential extreme weather events. It will monitor activities on the ground, make analyses and provide guidelines, if needed. This is especially necessary so that reconstruction can be as well coordinated as possible. Daily reports about this will be provided, he said. The national technical office will have a seat in Ljubljana and most likely two branches to cover the largest area possible.

Slovenian part of Hungary-bound gas pipeline estimated at EUR 121m

LJUBLJANA/BUDAPEST, Hungary - The Ministry of Environment, Climate and Energy confirmed for the STA that Slovenia and Hungary would soon sign a memorandum on a gas pipeline linking the two countries. The investment is to cost Slovenia some EUR 121 million. The pipeline will also be suitable for hydrogen. According to the ministry, the two countries have agreed on the technical characteristics of the pipeline in the memorandum while also laying the foundations for an agreement on a solidarity-based gas supply. The memorandum is to be signed in Budapest in October.

Ministry provides EUR 57.1m boost for tourism infrastructure

LJUBLJANA - The Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport has secured EUR 57.1 million in support for 58 tourism infrastructure projects worth EUR 217 million. The support scheme, which primarily targets high-end facilities, will help generate 1,168 new units, Minister Matjaž Han told the press. He explained that the funding, which would boost economic growth and also help the construction sector, would go towards 33 new facilities and 25 full renovations to "raise added value, which is something we absolutely aspire to in hospitality and tourism". The ministry also announced new investment support for 2024 amounting to EUR 21.9 million.

First permanent exhibition in Slovenia on Holocaust opening

LJUBLJANA - The first permanent exhibition in Slovenia dedicated to the Holocaust opened in the Jewish Culture Centre in Ljubljana. The exhibition is based on research by several historians and Holocaust researchers, especially Boris Hajdinjak and Robert Waltl. The pair worked on the Stolpersteine (stumbling stones) project in Ljubljana, remembering the Jews who died in the Holocaust. An exhibition on Slovenians who helped Jews during WW2, risking their lives and the lives of their families, will also be on display in the centre until the end of October.

KLM testing Pipistrel's Velis Electro aircraft

LJUBLJANA - In a tentative step towards a future of electric passenger aviation, the Dutch airline KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is currently testing the Velis Electro aircraft developed by the Slovenian company Pipistrel. While there are no immediate plans to integrate these aircraft into its regular fleet, KLM firmly believes that electric planes will play a crucial role in the future of aviation. In a collective effort with the Electric Flying Connection association, KLM recently conducted 18 test flights with the assistance of expert professionals, gaining what the company's called unique insights into the intricacies of electric flight logistics and the associated challenges.

Fringe group collecting signatures to enshrine use of cash in constitution

LJUBLJANA - PovezaniSmo, an anti-LGBT, anti-transhumanism and anti-digitalisation association led by former police officer Ivan Jurgec, has launched an initiative to enshrine into the Slovenian constitution the right to cash payments with the aim of preventing what they dubbed as "digital slavery". The association needs to collect 30,000 signatures by 30 October for parliament to consider whether to start the process of amending the constitution.

Deal signed by ex head of RTV Slovenija with one of the trade unions annulled

LJUBLJANA - The new management of RTV Slovenija announced it had annulled a deal signed by the public broadcaster's former head Andrej Grah Whatmough with one of RTV Slovenija's trade unions in his final days in office when performing caretaker duties. The agreement, allegedly signed to protect staff from potential layoffs or other adverse measures by the new management team, had immediately been met by warnings from the remaining in-house trade unions.

Slovenia through to Basketball World Cup quarter-finals

OKINAWA, Japan - Slovenia defeated Australia 91:80 to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Basketball World Cup. While NBA star Luka Dončić spearheaded the team's fourth game at the World Cup, the win was a team effort. Slovenia led from start to finish and Australia never managed to get ahead, although they have nine NBA players in their roster. Slovenia have one more game in the second round, against Germany on Sunday, but the only thing that game will decide is who tops group K. Dončić said the aim was to defeat Germany to top Group K rankings.

Kogoj Days bringing ten concerts of classical music

KANAL - The 44th Kogoj Days festival of contemporary classical music will bring ten concerts from today to 15 October, with eight to be performed in Kanal, west, and one in Koper on the coast and in Lusevera in neighbouring Italy each. It will feature several up-and-coming musicians and composers, with several new pieces to be played for the first time. The chamber string orchestra Cantabile will give the opening concert, with opening address to be delivered by Pavel Mihelčič from the Slovenian Composers Association.

Celje fail to make it to UEFA Conference League

CELJE - Having drawn 1:1 with Maccabi Tel Aviv on their home ground on Thursday in the return leg of the last round of qualifications, Celje have failed to qualify for the UEFA Europa Conference League. The tie comes after Celje lost 4:1 to the Israel side in the first leg of the qualifier in Tel Aviv, meaning that the latter advanced with a 5:2 aggregate score. The only Slovenian club now left in the European club competitions is the national champion Olimpija, who will play in the Conference League group stage.