News roundup - Thursday, 18 April, until 3pm

National Assembly passes three referendum motions

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed late on Wednesday motions for consultative referendum on the preferential vote in general eletions, on assisted dying and on cannabis regulation. The opposition opposed the latter, with the coalition Social Democrats (SD) also expressing several reservations. Among other things, they don not want the referendums to be held alongside the EU election.

Fajon notes importance of constructive dialogue in China

BEIJING, China - Wrapping up the political part of her ongoing four-day visit to China, Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon said that Slovenia needs and wants to talk with China in a constructive manner. Fajon and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi agreed that peace needs to be reached in Gaza, and Fajon also noted the importance of the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.

Golob supports von der Leyen's bid for another term

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Prime Minister Robert Golob said as he arrived for the second day of the EU summit that he is satisfied with the work of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and is in favour of her bid for another term. His Freedom Movement has already selected a candidate for Slovenian commissioner so talks can start, he said.

PM says best response to Russian propaganda is voting in elections

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The most effective response to the anti-EU propaganda coming from Russia ahead of the June EU elections is to turn out to vote, Prime Minister Robert Golob said as he arrived for the second day of the EU Summit. It is crucial that the EU, member states and the European Parliament find an effective response, he stressed.

Slovenia does not support fully centralised capital markets union

BRUSSELS, Belgium - PM Robert Golob said that instead of speaking about strengthening the competitiveness of the EU economy, the focus should be on increasing its productivity, including by directing private capital to the most prolific investments. One way to do this is through a capital markets union but not a fully centralised one.

Golob congratulates Plenković on election victory

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Prime Minister Robert Golob congratulated Croatian Prime Minister and HDZ leader Andrej Plenković on the victory in the general election held in Croatia on Wednesday. He is confident that the excellent relations between Slovenia and Croatia would continue with a new government under the same leadership.

Žbogar says UNRWA employees are heroes of the Gaza war

NEW YORK, US - Slovenia's representative in the UN Security Council Samuel Žbogar said during a debate on the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) requested by Jordan in New York on Wednesday that the agency was a factor of stability in the Middle East and its workers the overlooked heroes of the war in Gaza.

NGOs call on government to offer shelter to Palestinians

LJUBLJANA - Representatives of over 20 NGOs called on the government to offer shelter in Slovenia to Palestinians in Gaza who have relatives in Slovenia through the system of complementary pathways. It is Slovenia's responsibility to adopt concrete measures against Israel with the goal to stop genocide, the NGOs stressed.

Slovenian minority member re-elected to Croatian parliament

ZAGREB, Croatia - Slovenian minority member Barbara Antolić Vupora will continue to serve as MP in the Croatian parliament after she was re-elected on the SPD slate in Wednesday's elections. She will continue her efforts for the Slovenian community in Croatia, she told the STA. Officially, however, Armin Hodžić, a member of the Bosniak minority, is the MP representing ethnic minorities, including the Slovenian one.

MPs adopt changes to Medical Services Act

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly adopted late on Wednesday the government-sponsored changes to the Medical Services Act which expand the range of services doctors must provide during strikes. The motion was passed in a 49:26 vote. The Fides trade union said it would challenge the changes at the Constitutional Court.

Former STA editor-in-chief appointed interim director

LJUBLJANA - The supervisory board of the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) appointed on Wednesday the agency's former editor-in-chief Barbara Štrukelj interim director. She will be filling in for two months, as outgoing director Igor Kadunc is leaving in mid-May and the newly appointed director Mojca Prelesnik is set to take over on 18 July.

Film by Prosenc competing at Tribeca film festival

NEW YORK, US - Family Therapy, a film by acclaimed Slovenian filmmaker Sonja Prosenc, has been selected among the ten films of the main international competition programme of the Tribeca film festival, which will be held between 5 and 16 June in New York. The ten films were selected from a record 13,016 applicants.

Sonica electronic music festival starts in Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - Sonica, a festival of contemporary electronic music and transitory art, is opening in Ljubljana. Under the central theme of Glocalisation, the festival will feature Slovenian and foreign artists, most notably Chilean-American Nicolas Jaar until Saturday.