News roundup - Friday, 17 May, until 3pm

Fajon highlights importance of Council of Europe values

STRASBOURG, France - The 75th anniversary of the Council of Europe is an opportunity to remember the importance of the values and norms of this organisation, said Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon as she attended a Council of Europe ministerial. "We all have to advocate for the protection of our European values, as unfortunately even in some parts of Europe we are witnessing the regression of democracy, the rule of law and human rights," said Fajon. The ministers also adopted the first global instrument on AI and human rights.

Banking conference calls for capital markets union

PORTOROŽ - Participants of a conference on financial systems in Central, Eastern and SE Europe hosted by the Slovenian central bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreed that further steps need to be taken in Europe towards a banking union and a union of capital markets to support the development of companies and economies.

Slovenia gains two places on Rainbow Map, but issues persist

BRUSSELS, Belgium/LJUBLJANA - Slovenia ranked 19th on the latest Rainbow Map, which is published annually by Europe's leading LGBTI organisation, ILGA-Europe. The country gained two places, but the NGO warns that the government has failed to renew its LGBTI action plan. An EU survey meanwhile suggests that bullying and harassment targetting LGBTI people is still rampant.

Petrol group's net profit drops 40% to EUR 15m in Q1

LJUBLJANA - The group around the fuel retailer Petrol generated EUR 1.5 billion in sales revenue in the first three months of the year, down 19% year-on-year, while net profit decreased by 40% to EUR 15 million. The group sold 855,700 tonnes of fuel and petroleum products, a year-on-year drop of 3%. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation were down 17% to EUR 49.2 million, mostly due to the "losses resulting from the energy price regulation".

Sava insurance group net profit increases by 48% in Q1

LJUBLJANA - The turnover of insurance group Sava increased by 18.4% to EUR 307.8 million in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period last year, with growth recorded in all operating segments. The group's net profit went up by 48.3% to EUR 29.8 million, shows a report published today. The year-on-year increase in turnover was primarily driven by growth in gross written premiums, which rose by 18.3% to EUR 301 million.

Freedom Movement MP Pekošak to be substituted by Zlobko

LJUBLJANA - Monika Pekošak, an MP for the senior coalition Freedom Movement who resigned in April citing personal reasons will be substituted by Branko Zlobko, the National Electoral Commission announced. In line with the law and based on the results of the 2022 general election, Pekošak should be succeeded by Dimitrij Zadel, the former CEO of port operator Luka Koper, but he gave up this right. Next in line is Zlobko, a retired military officer, president of the Kočevje hunting associations alliance and a member of the management board of the Hunters Association of Slovenia.

Heavy rainfall causes problems, rivers bursting banks

LJUBLJANA - Heavy rainfall caused problems in the northeast on Thursday evening. Rivers swell up with some of them bursting their banks. In Šmarje pri Jelšah some 30 buildings were flooded, while in some areas roads and underpasses were under water. Lightning also caused damage, the Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief said, adding that 53 emergencies were recorded and 36 units of firefighters were dispatched.

Prosecutor stripped of post because of drunk driving

MURSKA SOBOTA - The disciplinary tribunal of the Supreme State Prosecutor's Office has stripped Murska Sobota district prosecutor Anica Šoštarič of her post as a result of several disciplinary actions taken against her for drunk driving, reported the local Vestnik newspaper. Šoštarič reportedly caused a traffic accident while driving drunk and fled the scene and was also drunk at the workplace and behaved inappropriately towards her co-workers. She has appealed the decision, which the president of the disciplinary tribunal said would be made public once it becomes final.

Internet a mystery for 8% of Slovenians

LJUBLJANA - As many as 13% of Slovenians do not have digital skills and 8% have never used the internet, shows data by the Statistics Office, published ahead of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day. Last year 13% of Slovenians had no digital skills, which is one percentage point higher than the EU average. The highest share of Slovenians lacking skills was among those aged 65 to 74, where 43% had no digital skills.

Fear, climate change in focus of art triennial

MARIBOR - The Maribor Art Gallery, a leading museum of modern art in the northeast, is opening today the ninth iteration of the Triennial of Art and Environment (EKO), this time focussing on fear amid severe consequences of climate change. The exhibition, termed Eyes in the Stone, will be on show at the Old Sanatorium until 28 July.