News roundup - Monday, 8 April, until 3pm

Slovenia guest of honour at Bologna Children's Book Fair

BOLOGNA, Italy - Slovenia is appearing as the guest of honour at the 61st Bologna Children's Book Fair, running until 11 April. The country is promoting its children's and youth literature with a major exhibition of illustration and a number of accompanying events. Addressing the fair's opening, Culture Ministry State Secretary Marko Rusjan said Slovenia is proud of its diverse children's and youth literature. Slovenian publishers has been attending the Bologna fair since its beginnings in 1964.

Slovenia can expect rest of EU post-flood funds only after summer

BRUSSELS, Belgium - European Cohesion Commissioner Elisa Ferreira announced that Slovenia can expect to be paid the remaining funds for post-flood reconstruction from the EU solidarity fund only in the second half of the year. The European Parliament will be approving the Commission's proposal, under which Slovenia expects up to EUR 300 million, after the June EU elections. As its maiden session is scheduled for mid-July, she expects Slovenia to be paid the remaining funds after the summer. In December, it received an advance payment of EUR 100 million.

Pirc Musar congratulates new Slovak President Pellegrini

LJUBLJANA - President Nataša Pirc Musar congratulated on Sunday Peter Pellegrini on his victory as Slovak president. "I look forward to working with him for a stronger EU and NATO and in promoting friendly relations between our two countries," she wrote on X. Pirc Musar simultaneously thanked outgoing President Zuzana Čaputova "for all her efforts to maintain and strengthen the friendship between Slovenia and Slovakia".

International Romani Day chance to highlight challenges

MURSKA SOBOTA - International Romani Day is an opportunity for the Roma to point to the challenges faced by the community and wider society, Jožek Horvat Muc, head of the Slovenian Roma Association, told the STA. The main cultural ceremony by the association to mark the day was held in Murska Sobota, northeast, on Saturday. There is still no utility infrastructure in some many Roma settlements, there are challenges in education and employment. To move forward, some of the measures that have proved to be outdated and ineffective in recent years would need to be replaced with new ones, he said.

Slovenian church in New York hosts International Day of Conscience event

NEW YORK, US - The Slovenian Church of St Cyril in New York hosted on Sunday the Portuguese and Brazilian communities for a ceremony honouring the memory of two diplomats from the two countries who helped thousands, mostly Jews, escape Nazism during WWII. The holy mass and the event, held to mark International Day of Conscience, which the UN declared in 2019, also honoured the memory of Pope John XXIII, who also helped save people from Nazism during WWII while serving as Apostolic Nuncio Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli.

Women's handball team qualifies for Euro, seeking Olympic berth

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian women's handball team concluded its successful qualifying campaign for this year's European Handball Championship with a win against Italy in Ljubljana on Sunday. Finishing second in their group, Slovenia qualified directly, and are now also eyeing their first Olympic berth. They will vie for the ticket at a tournament in Germany, starting next week.