News roundup - Tuesday, 23 January, until 3pm

House searches under way at Ljubljana's Town Hall, mayor's home

LJUBLJANA - Nearly 60 house searches have been under way today as part of an investigation into corporate crime and corruption, including at Ljubljana's Town Hall and at the home of Mayor Zoran Janković. While police details are scare, the mayor seems to be one of the main suspects regarding the C0 sewerage project and football club sponsorship.

Gross minimum wage to be raised by 4.2% in 2024 to EUR 1,254

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's gross minimum wage will be raised by 4.2% to EUR 1,253.90 this year, Labour Minister Luka Mesec announced. This is a minimum indexation required under the law, as the increase will adjust the minimum wage only to annual inflation recorded at the end of 2023, which is what employers proposed. The ZSSS trade union confederation regretted what it sees as a wasted opportunity to ensure a higher increase amid rising costs of living that outpace inflation, but welcomed the fact that the government abandoned the initial idea to freeze the minimum wage.

Finance minister appointed deputy prime minister

LJUBLJANA - Finance Minister Klemen Boštjančič has become a third deputy prime minister, joining the foreign and labour ministers, Tanja Fajnon and Luka Mesec. He was appointed by the government on Tuesday upon Prime Minister Robert Golob's proposal to fill the post vacated by Daniel Bešič Loredan when he resigned as health minister in July 2023.

Judges write to European Commission about their pay grievances

LJUBLJANA - The Judicial Council has once again turned to the European Commission, this time notifying it that the government and the parliament have failed to implement the Constitutional Court ruling on judges' pay by the 3 January 2024 deadline. This is the second such letter the Slovenian judges have addressed to the Commission. The Constitutional Court said in June 2023 that the pay judges receive is much too low compared to the other two branches of government and gave the legislature six months to remedy the situation.

Pahor calls for release of hostages and ceasefire in Gaza

KRAKOW, Poland - Taking part in two-day international conference on antisemitism hosted by the European Jewish Association (EJA) in the Polish city of Krakow, former President Borut Pahor called for the release of Israeli hostages and Israel's cessation of military activities in Gaza so that peace talks can start. Attending the conference on the rise of antisemitism in the aftermath of the 7 October attack on Israel by Hamas, Pahor signed on Monday the charter of the EJA's Leaders' Forum, whose aim will be to combat antisemitism.

Audit finds Telekom wasn't very prudent in paying managers, selling subsidiaries

LJUBLJANA - The Court of Audit has reviewed Telekom Slovenije's finances to find that the operations of the state-owned telco between the start of 2019 and the end of October 2022 were only partly efficient. It found flaws in its management of subsidiaries, including their sale, in remuneration policy, advertising, and sponsorships and donations. During the nearly four years, more than two of which were under the previous Janez Janša government, Telekom had three different chairmen of the management board, Rudolf Skobe, Tomaž Seljak, and Cvetko Sršen.

Consumer confidence up in January

LJUBLJANA - The consumer confidence indicator rose by three percentage points in January compared to December 2023 and by eight points year-on-year. The indicator is still five percentage points below the long-term average, the Statistics Office said. All four sub-indicators improved at both monthly and annual levels.

Corruption watchdog to look into courthouse purchase case

LJUBLJANA - The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (KPK) will look into the purchase of an allegedly severely overpaid acquisition of a building meant to house several courts, which is already being investigated by the National Bureau of Investigation. The KPK told the STA today it would launch its own investigation into the purchase of the dilapidated building on Litijska Road in east Ljubljana for EUR 7.7 million based on a report it received on Monday.

Dončić helps promote Slovenia in US

DALLAS/AUSTIN, US - Business and tourism cooperation between Slovenia and Texas is being boosted further in this US state as part of a campaign that is under way between 21 and 27 January and builds strongly on the huge popularity of Slovenian NBA star Luka Dončić. Visiting San Antonio, Dallas and Austin, the Texas Feels Slovenia campaign features two business forums aimed at presenting Slovenia to the business community there as an attractive trading partner that has many investment opportunities to offer.

Andreja Ravnak Travel Photographer of the Year

LONDON, UK - Slovenian photographer Andreja Ravnak has been declared the overall winner of the Travel Photographer of the Year 2023, having impressed the jury with her images of hop growing in the Savinja Valley and the rolling fields in Italy and the Czech Republic. Declaring the winners, the competition founder Chris Coe praised the "subtle elegance" that comes through in both of Ravnak's winning portfolios.

Top minority award goes to politician Karel Smolle

KLAGENFURT, Austria - The Slovenian minority in Austria honoured in Klagenfurt on Monday politician Karel Smolle with the 45th Tischler Award, givAndreja Ravnak Travel Photographer of the Year

LONDON, UK - Slovenian photographer Andreja Ravnak has been declared the overall winner of the Travel Photographer of the Year 2023, having impressed the jury with her images of hop growing in the Savinja Valley and the rolling fields in Italy and the Czech Republic. Declaring the winners, the competition founder Chris Coe praised the "subtle elegance" that comes through in both of Ravnak's winning portfolios.en to Slovenians or Slovenian institutions promoting the cause of the Slovenian minority in the Austrian state of Carinthia. The National Council of Carinthian Slovenians (NSKS), an umbrella organisation of the Slovenian minority in Carinthia, and the Christian Cultural Association gave out the award to Smolle for his long-standing political activity at the federal and state levels in Austria and for extraordinary achievements to the benefit of the Slovenian minority in Carinthia, TV Slovenija reported.

Slovenian accused of helping US-wanted Russian businessman escape arrested

LJUBLJANA - A Slovenian man believed to have assisted in the March 2023 escape of US-wanted Russian businessman Artyom Uss from Italy to Russia was apprehended by police in the Ljubljana area last Friday, the General Police Directorate confirmed on Monday. The 39-year-old has been placed under house arrest. While the details are not know, a December report by the Italian news agency Ansa on the European arrest warrant issued for Uss and his helpers said the only Slovenian citizen among the defendants was Matej Janežič.

Moldovan citizen dies on ambulance ride after police intervention

GROSUPLJE - A Moldovan citizen died on Monday night during an ambulance ride to the Ljubljana psychiatry clinic. After he threatened the paramedics, the vehicle stopped and police intervened. The man lost consciousness and died despite attempts of resuscitation. The cause of the man's death has not been established yet. There will be a thorough investigation into all circumstances and any potential link between the death and the use of coercive means, said the Ljubljana Police Department.