News roundup - Tuesday, 7 May

Croatia's Mplus buys 51% stake in Slovenian agri-food leader Panvita

ZAGREB, Croatia/MURSKA SOBOTA - Panvita, Slovenia's leading agri-food company, has been taken over by Croatian services company Mplus. A EUR 50 million capital increase gives Mplus a 51% stake in the group, which generated over EUR 117 million in revenue and EUR 10.3 million in gross operating profit in 2022. "The two groups are partnering up to position the new group as a leader in the food industry in SE Europe," Panvita said in a press release. The Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry expressed concern about the takeover.

Slovenia plans to create a complementary territorial force

LJUBLJANA - Defence Minister Marjan Šarec has announced that Slovenia will set up a territorial force on 1 July as a conceptual successor of the former territorial defence force that will complement the permanent force it in defending the country's territory. "In the past, NATO was oriented towards more expeditionary action, but today the reality is that all member states are aware that they should return to defending their territory," he said.

Committee amends Krško 2 referendum proposal

LJUBLJANA - The Infrastructure Committee endorsed a proposed motion for a referendum on the expansion of nuclear energy after amending the title of the motion and rephrasing the question to partially placate green groups. The new referendum question will be whether voters "support the implementation of Krško 2, which will ensure reliable supply of electricity along with other low-carbon sources."

Committee approves resolution on nuclear energy

LJUBLJANA - The Infrastructure Committee approved a resolution on the long-term peaceful use of nuclear energy after deflecting an attempt by the Left to tone down the endorsement of an expansion of the existing nuclear power station and to hold a second referendum on the issue, an idea also endorsed by Minister for the Environment, Climate and Energy Bojan Kumer . The Left's proposed amendments were rejected by all other parties.

Slovenia strongly condemns Israeli attack on Rafah

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia strongly condemns the Israeli attack on Rafah and calls on Israel to halt the military operation in the city in the southern Gaza Strip, FM Tanja Fajon said. She said the border crossings, including the Rafah crossing that has been captured by the Israeli forces, must remain open. "Border crossings for the delivery of humanitarian aid must remain open and secured," she said.

Judges to get up to 12% pay rise under emergency bill

LJUBLJANA - A draft emergency bill on judicial pay brings a pay rise of up to three pay brackets, or roughly 12%, for judges at courts of first instance, as the most disadvantaged group of judges in terms of pay. Other judges will also get higher pay, which is to kick in as of 2025, the Government Communication Office said. The draft bill is now ready for inter-departmental talks, and once the government has adopted it, it could be debated in parliament in November or December, Delo said.

Freedom Movement swears by young people in EU election

LJUBLJANA - The Freedom Movement noted that it swore by young people who believed in a united and solidarity-based Europe, as the ruling party formally registered its lists of candidates for EU election at the National Electoral Commission. The list was submitted by the party MPs and Prime Minister Robert Golob, who said that after a thorough deliberation, the party had decided to give the chance to young people.

SDS says EU election fight for Europe from 20 years ago

LJUBLJANA - The Democrats (SDS) announced that the 9 June EU election would be a fight for the European Union that Slovenia entered 20 years ago as the opposition party submitted its list of nine MEP candidates to the National Electoral Commission. "We are counting on a fourth consecutive victory in this election," SDS leader Janez Janša told the press on the occasion.

Solidarity, social security in focus for Left in EU elections

LJUBLJANA - The Left is entering the EU election campaign with optimism and hope for a better future, said party leader Asta Vrečko as the Left submitted its list of candidates to the National Electoral Commission. The party's programme will focus on solidarity, equality, social security and green transition. Lead candidate Nataša Sukič believes that the EU has to bring prosperity and social security to all.

Anti-vax party registers for EU election

LJUBLJANA - Resnica, the party that evolved from an anti-vaxxer movement during the Covid pandemic and recently faced accusations of being pro-Russian, submitted its list of candidates for the EU election with the National Electoral Commission. It promised to be the voice of those who have not been heard so far. Party leader Zoran Stevanović believes the party will appeal to those who no longer believe in politics.

Back and forth over judge Jaklič's side job continues

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly decided to refer the case of Constitutional Court judge Klemen Jaklič, who had sole proprietor status for the past five years, back to the Corruption Prevention Commission. The National Assembly is not the relevant authority on matters that relate to incompatibility of Constitutional Judges, said the chair of the Privileges and Credentials Commission, Janja Sluga.

Speaker discusses EU enlargement in Czechia

PRAGUE, Czech Republic - National Assembly President Urška Klakočar Zupančič is wrapping up a two-day official visit to the Czech Republic. Accompanied by two MPs, Klakočar Zupančič met her counterpart Marketa Pekarova Adamova and Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky on Monday, stressing the importance of EU enlargement to include Ukraine, Moldova and the Western Balkans.

Committee passes declaration on EU membership anniversary

LJUBLJANA - The Foreign Policy Committee approved a declaration at the 20th anniversary of Slovenia's membership in the EU which looks back at past achievements and sets a vision for Slovenia's activities in the EU in the future. Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon said parts of the declaration will be incorporated into a new declaration on Slovenia's orientation in the EU institutions that the ministry is working on. Only coalition MPs endorsed the document.

Controversial building in Litijska in Justice Ministry's hands

LJUBLJANA - The Justice Ministry was handed over a building it bought for EUR 7.7 million. It turned out in the meantime that the dilapidated building is not fit to house several courts, as planned upon the purchase at the end of December. Present at the handover was Nina Zidar Klemenčič, the lawyer of seller Sebastjan Vežnaver, who said the purchase price was in line with the appraisals carried out by experts for both the seller and the buyer. A recent reappraisal suggested the property was worth EUR 6 million.

President's secretary general leaving office

LJUBLJANA - Uroš Krek, the secretary general at the office of President Nataša Pirc Musar, will be leaving his position on 1 July to return to the Slovenian Armed Forces, the president's office confirmed Monday evening after the news was first reported by the news portal Necenzurirano. It is unclear why Krek is leaving his position. The office said that a successor would be appointed in due time.

Slovenia no longer under MONEYVAL supervision

STRASBOURG, France - Slovenia has further improved its measures to fight money-laundering and funding of terrorism, found the most recent report by the Council of Europe's Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism (MONEYVAL). This means the country will no longer be under enhanced supervision.

Registered jobless total down 7% y/y in April to lowest on record

LJUBLJANA - A total of 45,219 people were registered as unemployed at the Employment Service at the end of April, which is 3.5% less than in March and 7% less than in April 2023, and is the lowest number on record, the Employment Service said. The average monthly number of the registered unemployed people in the first four months of the year was 48,356, which is 6.9% less than in the same period last year.

New residential area opens in Lenart for 70 disabled

LENART - The Hrastovec institution for people with special needs has opened a new residential area with nine sheltered houses as part of its deinstitutionalisation efforts. Once a planned 70 people move into the new homes in August, over half of the institution's residents will live in local communities. The Lenart residential area is designed so that the disabled can do as much as possible on their own.