News roundup - Monday, 27 May, until 3pm

Golob visiting Algeria, gas supply contract to be extended

ALGIERS, Algeria - PM Robert Golob is visiting Algeria to discuss with Algerian PM Nadir Larbaoui and President Abdelmadjid Tebboune efforts to further strengthen bialteral cooperation. He will attend the official opening of the Slovenian Embassy in Algiers and an event where Slovenia and Algeria will extend their gas supply contract.

Anti-graft watchdog points at circumvention of law in 2023 report

LJUBLJANA - The Corruption Prevention Commission (KPK) described 2023 in its latest annual report as a challenging but successful year. It reiterated concerns about efforts to circumvent the law, and noted that most detected violations of anti-corruption legislation involved integrity issues, conflict of interest and business activity restrictions. The report was sent to the National Assembly and the office of President Nataša Pirc Musar last week.

Business sentiment slightly deteriorates in May

LJUBLJANA - Business sentiment in Slovenia deteriorated in May on a monthly basis, with the relevant indicator standing at -2.3, down by 0.3 percentage points, while improving on an annual basis by 0.8 points, the Statistics Office said. The monthly drop is a result of a decline in the sentiment indicators for retail (by 0.4 percentage points) and services (by 0.1 percentage points).

NGO gives remarks to bill restricting short-term rentals

LJUBLJANA - An NGO launched an anti-Airbnb campaign highlighting the negative impacts of short-term renting on the rental market and proposing several corrections to the draft hospitality bill. While welcoming the bill which caps short-term rentals to 30 days a year, Danes Je Nov Dan (Today Is a New Day) proposes short-term rentals be allowed only to persons who have permanent residence in the apartment offered for rent, which would be in line with the original purpose of short-term renting.

SNG Drama Ljubljana excited about 8 premieres in 2024/2025 season, new location

LJUBLJANA - The country's leading theatre, SNG Drama Ljubljana, unveiled its 2024/2025 programme on Friday, starting in September at its substitute L56 location in the capital. The programme features eight premieres, including Brecht's The Threepenny Novel, which will bring the theatre's first ever collaboration with the Ljubljana Opera ensemble.

SNG Maribor to stage Jančar, Verdi and Clug next season

MARIBOR - The new season of SNG Maribor, the leading cultural centre in Slovenia's second largest city, will feature a play based on a novel by one of Slovenia's greatest authors, Drago Jančar, Verdi's opera Othello, and a ballet staged to music based on songs of the French Revolution. Dubbed the Season of Great Titles, the season will bring a diverse programme to help address many key societal and existential issues despite the uncertainties and changes of the time.

Petrol developing charging stations for heavy vehicles

LJUBLJANA - The energy company Petrol has successfully conducted test charging of two electric buses of the Ljubljana public transport provider LPP in what is a major step in the announced development of such infrastructure by Petrol in Slovenia and Croatia. The test charging of two LPP buses was conducted at one of Petrol's points of sale in Ljubljana, where ultra-fast chargers are installed. The buses were charged by chargers with a capacity of 300 kW to 350 kW.

Yugoslav war film co-produced by Slovenia wins short film Palme d'Or

CANNES, France - The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent, a film co-produced by Slovenian producer Boštjan Virc, won the Golden Palm award in the short film competition programme at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. Situated in Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1993 and based on true events, it depicts the stopping of a passenger train by Serb paramilitaries. As the soldiers start picking on innocent civilians, only one of the 500 passengers dares stand up to them.