News roundup - Saturday, 6 April

Ruling party picks Tomaž Vesel for EU commissioner candidate

MEDVODE - The ruling party Freedom Movement put forward Tomaž Vesel, a former president of the Court of Audit, as Slovenia's candidate for European commissioner. The proposal is likely to be endorsed by the government since Freedom Movement ministers form a majority. Vesel, 56, did not seek out responses from other coalition parties, he said, adding he assumed himself to be the candidate of coalition partners as well. The junior coalition parties were reserved in their responses to the bid as they expect talks on the matter. Among the portfolios Vesel would be interested in are finance, competition and democracy.

Freedom Movement presents EU election ticket

MEDVODE - The ruling party Freedom Movement presented its candidates for the upcoming EU elections at an event at Lake Zbilje. The slate, which is expected to be headed by Aleksander Merlo, the head of a maternity hospital, includes the party's current MEP Irena Joveva, Defence Minister Marjan Šarec, MP Janja Sluga and State Secretary Vojko Volk. The last three are yet to be officially confirmed as candidates by party bodies. The order of the candidates on the list has not yet been revealed.

NSi adopts its platform for EU elections

CELJE - The junior opposition party New Slovenia (NSi) adopted its platform for the upcoming elections to the European Parliament. The platform spotlights issues such as the green transition, EU agricultural subsidies and illegal migration. It calls for a Europe based on the values of the social market economy that would still remain attractive to investors. It also criticises the green transition plans as too ambitious and in need of a revision.

Slovenia sends more food aid to help Palestinians

AMMAN, Jordan/LJUBLJANA - Slovenia has sent additional food aid to help Palestinian civilians, the Defence Ministry said on X. What is the country's latest humanitarian aid shipment to Gaza includes baby food provided by the Slovenian Red Cross and Caritas Slovenia. Some 33 tonnes of aid already landed in Jordan, the Slovenian embassy in Egypt, which also covers Jordan, said, adding that the supplies would now be transported to Gaza.

Share of non-EU workers in Slovenia at 15% in January

LJUBLJANA - As companies are struggling to find workers, the share of non-EU workers in Slovenia has been increasing rapidly, hitting 15% last January, up 6.5 points in six years. Most of them have come to Slovenia from the Western Balkans, but the government is now looking towards Asia, hoping to facilitate employment of Philippine workers. A memorandum of understanding with the Philippines is to be finalised in the coming weeks, to be followed up with two agreements, on employment and social security.