News roundup - Thursday, 21 September, until 3pm

President echoes UN demands for end of invasion in Ukraine

NEW YORK, US - President Nataša Pirc Musar agreed with demands urging Russia to end its invasion of Ukraine during the UN Security Council's open debate in New York on Wednesday. She believes that justice must be served to achieve peace in the long-term, which includes punishments for those responsible. Slovenia condemns the Russian aggression against Ukraine, she said, noting there were 55 conflicts worldwide in 2022. All of them are important and require attention, she added.

Interior minister discusses migration with Bosnian security minister

LJUBLJANA - Interior Minister Boštjan Poklukar discussed migrations and border management with Bosnian Minister of Security Nenad Nešić as the pair spoke over the phone. Poklukar thanked Nešić for the aid that Bosnia-Herzegovina offered to Slovenia post-floods. The pair agreed that Nešić will visit Slovenia in November, the Interior Ministry said.

Consumer confidence improves slightly in September

LJUBLJANA - The consumer confidence indicator rose by one percentage point in September month-on-month to improve after a slight drop in August, the Statistics Office said. Year-on-year, consumer confidence went up by seven points, but it was down by eleven compared to the long-term average. What drove the improvement on the monthly basis was more optimism regarding expectations for major purchases and about the country's economy.

Half of Slovenians earned less than EUR 1,230 a month last year

LJUBLJANA - Over 63% of employees in Slovenia received lower monthly net wage last year than is the national average of EUR 1,424, shows data released by the Statistics Office. Half of the employed population earned less than EUR 1,229 net on average. Average monthly net pay of women in 2022 amounted to EUR 1,382, which is 5.1% less than men. A tenth of employed persons received less than EUR 830 a month on average, while 1% received more than EUR 4,051 net per month.

Slovenska Bistrica council opposes wind farms on Pohorje

SLOVENSKA BISTRICA - The local council of Slovenska Bistrica urged the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning to stop the procedure to issue a building permit for 35 wind turbines that the company Energija na Veter is planning to set up at two locations on Pohorje hills in the north-east of the country. The council discussed the municipality's opinion that the documents submitted for the building permit are not in line with municipal rules or the national legislation.