News roundup - Wednesday, 6 September, until 3pm

Slovenian, Croatian speakers happy with bilateral cooperation

LJUBLJANA - President of Slovenian National Assembly Urška Klakočar Zupančič hosted her Croatian counterpart Gordan Jandroković for a visit with the pair expressing satisfaction over the cooperation of their countries and underlined the importance of parliamentary cooperation. It is of utmost importance that parliaments of the two countries establish a continuous dialogue, Jandroković said, while his Slovenian counterpart said she was a great advocate of parliamentary diplomacy.

Statistics Office on defensive over GDP estimate correction

LJUBLJANA - Tomaž Smrekar, director-general of the national Statistics Office, denied the allegation by some media that their calculations had been swayed by the government after the office made a substantial downward correction in the GDP growth estimate for 2022. Smrekar told reporters on Tuesday the difference between the February estimate of 5.4% growth and the reviewed estimate of 2.5% growth was not a matter of mistake, but a review based on new, aggregate annual data, which had not been available when the original estimate was made. Finance Minister Klemen Boštjančič said the methodology used by the office would obviously have to be improved. He also said they would have to explain to investors how "this difference came about", but he does not expect the review to significantly affect Slovenia's borrowing costs.

Foreign flood relief teams slowly wrapping up work

LJUBLJANA - Six more bridges are planned for construction in the Savinjska and Koroška regions by the foreign flood relief teams who are otherwise slowly wrapping up their work. After staying in Slovenia for a month, a 14-strong French team returned home on Tuesday for some well-deserved rest, according to Civil Protection and Disaster Relief Administration head Leon Behin. The aid that is part of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism is meant as a first response after a natural disaster.

Ministry advises caution to those travelling to Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria

LJUBLJANA - The Foreign Ministry advises extra caution to Slovenian citizens travelling to Greece, Turkey or Bulgaria due to deadly flash floods that have devastated parts of these countries. Citizens who are already there are advised to heed local authorities' instructions, the ministry said, expressing Slovenia's willingness to provide aid to the countries. Severe storms triggered flooding in the three countries, killing at least ten people, including tourists.

Steel group SIJ revenue, profit down in H1 y/y

LJUBLJANA - The steel producing group SIJ generated EUR 601.5 million in sales revenue in the first half of 2023, a drop of 17.6% over the same period last year. Net profit also dropped, by 72.9% to EUR 14.2 million. The group said that the figures were hard to compare to last year's when the burden of high energy costs was carried by their buyers. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) reached EUR 53.7 million, while the group's EBITDA margin was 8.9%, the company said.

Suicide on slight downward trend, but prevention still needs to improve

LJUBLJANA - A total of 402 people in Slovenia committed suicide in 2021, of which 338 were men and 94 women, the National Institute of Public Health said ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day. Despite the slight downward trend in the 2013-2022 period a lot of work still needs to be done to improve suicide prevention, the health authorities added. In the past nine years, the suicide quotient fluctuated each year but on average the number of suicides has been in slight decline.

Study shows teenagers able to access alcohol easily online

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia ranks among the world's top countries in per capita alcohol consumption, and this includes its youth population. A study by the Consumers' Association has shown that teenagers can easily purchase alcohol online, which reflects the general ease of access to alcohol in the country. The association conducted a test in July which showed that not one of ten selected retailers or alcohol delivery providers requested a document to verify the buyer's age. Selling alcoholic drinks to minors is prohibited.

Photo exhibition brings artists' studios to life

LJUBLJANA - A new photo exhibition titled The Artist's Studio is opening in the evening at the National Gallery in Ljubljana. Featuring ninety digital reproductions of original photos, it gives visitors a peak into famous Spanish artists' studios from the end of the 19th to the mid-20th centuries. The photographs come from the photographic archives of the Spanish Cultural Heritage Institute. They are complemented by a selection of photographs showing Slovenian artists active in the period. The show runs until 26 November.

Slovenia emerge undefeated from EuroVolley group stage

VARNA, Bulgaria - The Slovenian men's volleyball team finished the preliminaries of the European Volleyball Championship with five wins in as many matches after defeating host Bulgaria on Tuesday 3:0 (29, 22, 30). In the round of 16 Slovenia will face off Turkey, who placed fourth in Pool D. Turkey's coach Alberto Giuliani is Slovenia's former coach and the one that took the team to second place in the European championships in 2019 and 2021.