News roundup - Wednesday, 20 September, until 3pm

Pirc Musar meets Zelensky in New York

NEW YORK, US - President Nataša Pirc Musar met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Monday. She assured him that Slovenia stood firmly by Ukraine, her office said in a press release. The message of Slovenia about Ukraine is firm and clear: "We must stay united in the protection of international law. We firmly stand by Ukraine!" Pirc Musar said as she met Zelensky.

Slovenia confirms humanitarian aid for Morocco and Libya

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia will donate EUR 400,000 to Morocco and EUR 600,000 to Libya, which were respectively hit by an earthquake and heavy flooding, the Government Communications Office said. The aid for Morocco will be partially channelled through the International Red Cross and Red Crescent and partially through the Slovenian Caritas, while for Libya, the contribution will be transferred to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Opposition MP involved in conflict of interest for years, says report

LJUBLJANA - Danijel Krivec, an MP for the largest opposition party, was in breach of incompatibility of dual offices for years before resigning as a council member of a municipalities-founded tourism organisation in the summer when the anti-graft watchdog opened proceedings against him, the newspaper Dnevnik reported.

Steklarna Hrastnik glassworks named Exporter of the Year

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Steklarna Hrastnik glassworks won the title of Exporter of the Year at the 10th Conference of Slovenian exporters, hosted by the newspaper Finance. The glassworks recorded an exceptional growth in sales and profitability, the jury wrote. The glassworks employing more than 600 people saw sales go up by 75% in the last two years, recording EUR 99 million in sales revenue in 2022. A further 20% growth is planned this year. In the last six years, the company invested more than EUR 93 million in modernisation.

Drago Jančar becomes first Slovenian to win Prozart Award

SKOPJE, North Macedonia - Slovenian author Drago Jančar won the Prozart Award at the 11th international literary festival Pro-Za Balkan in Skopje, North Macedonia. Jančar is an author with a sharp sense for modern narration and the skill to write original fiction in the Slovenian and Balkan literary environments. He is one of the most prominent Slovenian authors who has received an unparalleled number of awards in Slovenia and abroad.

Grošelj presents 33 climbs to highest mountains in a new book

LJUBLJANA - Viki Grošelj, one of the most successful Slovenian mountaineers, launched a book which brings an insight into 33 of his climbs to some of the highest mountains in the world, from Makalu in 1975 to Himlung in 2022. Grošelj, 71, said on the occasion that it is based on the extensive notes he had written about Slovenian, European and other mountains, which had to be considerably narrowed down to one "book, a review of more than 50 years of mountaineering". The foreword of the book, published by Buča, was written by legendary mountaineer Reinhold Messner, which Grošelj sees as a great honour.

Letters exchanged by Tesla and J. P. Morgan published in Slovenian translation

LJUBLJANA - A book featuring a Slovenian translation of letters inventor Nikola Tesla exchanged with American investment banker J. P. Morgan and his son J. P. Morgan Jr. in the early 20th century to secure funding for his groundbreaking projects was published in Ljubljana. Its English title would read Nikola Tesla: Correspondence with J. P. Morgan & Co. This is the first time ever that this correspondence, which dates from between 1900 and 1939, has been published while it is also the first translation of the letters to Slovenian.

Technology and art merge at Speculum Artium

TRBOVLJE - Speculum Artium, a festival of new media art in Trbovlje, best known for its exploration of the cross-section between art, science and technology, will be held between today and Saturday, seeking answers to fundamental questions posed by contemporary art. The featured productions that explore the synthesis of artistic and scientific principles, socialization of new media production, dialogue between traditional visual and new media practice, and "revitalization of the degraded social space trough new media practice," say the organisers, the Trbovlje-based Delavski Dom.

American tourist killed in Soča rafting accident

NOVA GORICA - A 55-year-old American man died while rafting on the Soča river close to Trnovo, a village in Kobarid municipality, on Tuesday. Two others were injured as the group's boat steered of the right course due into deep water, Nova Gorica police said. Two rafts carrying a total of 16 passengers and a guide each set off from Boka towards Trnovo at around 10.30am. The passengers were UK, US, Canadian and Belgian citizens and the trip was organized by a local rafting provider.