News roundup - Friday, 16 February, until 3pm

Debate participants underline support for Ukraine

MENGEŠ - Marking two years since the start of the war in Ukraine, a debate hosted by the Centre for European Perspective (CEP) heard that support for Ukraine must remain unwavering. Peace will only be possible after justice is served, Slovenia's Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon underlined, adding that Russia must not go unpunished. Slovenia remains a firm supporter of Ukraine and will remain at its side until the country becomes a member of the EU, she said. US Ambassador Jamie L. Harpootlian also reiterated her country's firm support for Ukraine.

Number of employed in December 2023 highest so far

LJUBLJANA - The number of persons in employment in Slovenia reached the highest level on record last December, rising by 0.3% in monthly comparison to 941,300, the Statistics Office said. The average age of those in employment also increased last year, to 43.6 years. Last December, the number of employees increased by almost 2,900 or 0.3%, while the number of self-employed slightly decreased, by 50.

Brežice will host local European Youth Event in May

BREŽICE - Brežice, a small town in eastern Slovenia, has been picked as a host of the next European Youth Event (EYE) alongside Berlin, Vilnius and Italy's Forli. The Brežice event, one of the four local EYE meetings, to be held between 23 and 26 May, brings together young people from all over the EU to discuss topical issues and share and shape their ideas on Europe's future.

Doctors remove stomach of wrong patient after mix-up, N1 reports

LJUBLJANA - The news portal N1 reported that a mix-up in tissue samples has led to a wrong patient having his stomach removed at the Ljubljana Oncology Institute in January. N1 cited unofficial sources as saying that the patient had been diagnosed with gastric cancer and had his stomach removed. A few weeks after the surgery, he was informed that he had been misdiagnosed. The hospital and diagnostics providers have scheduled a press conference for this afternoon.

Film and TV director Anton Tomašič wins lifetime achievement award

LJUBLJANA - Film and TV director and screenwriter Anton Tomašič, known for his many children and youth TV shows and series, and a couple of feature films, is the winner of this year's France Štiglic lifetime achievement award in film and theatre directing. He started working for the public broadcaster RTV Slovenija in 1966, where he stayed until he retired in 2004. The award will be conferred at a ceremony at the Slovenian Cinematheque on 29 February.

Ljubljana to host top musicians during Winter Festival

LJUBLJANA - The 7th Winter Festival, the winter edition of the Ljubljana Festival, will get under way in Slovenia's capital on Sunday. Running until next Friday, it will feature six concerts, including performances by Spanish tenor Celso Albelo, Russian-American pianist Olga Kern and Soviet-born Israeli violinist Maxim Vengerov. The first two concerts will be held at the Cankarjev Dom arts centre, and the rest will take place in the Slovenian Philharmonic.

Perception in focus of new group exhibition at Cukrarna

LJUBLJANA - Paintings, photos, videos, objects, and installations will be put on show as the Extended Vision exhibition opens at Cukrarna in Ljubljana this evening. Curator Alenka Trebušak says it brings works by 20 Slovenian artists spanning 50 years which focus on the human being and sensibility. Every work of art is oriented towards perception, but this exhibition focuses on the doubt the works create, offering different ways of seeing and perceiving, the curator explained at a news conference before the opening.