News roundup - Saturday, 1 June

SDS leads EU election poll with 29% of decided voters

LJUBLJANA - The latest EU election public opinion poll by Ninamedia sees the list of the opposition Democrats (SDS) in lead with the support of 29% of the decided respondents, followed by the ruling Freedom Movement with 21.3%. The SDS improved by 1.6 percentage points, while the Freedom Movement gained 3.6 points compared to two weeks ago. Compared to the Ninamedia poll published by Dnevnik a fortnight ago, the number of undecided respondents dropped by more than eight points to 14.9%.

Parties see innovation as key for EU economic competitiveness

LJUBLJANA - The parties or lists standing in the EU election in Slovenia mostly believe that investing in research and innovation can help boost the EU's competitiveness. They are advocating for transparency, reducing red tape and strengthening strategic sectors.

Truth, decent burial urged at ceremony for post-WWII execution victims

KOČEVJE - Ljubljana Archbishop Stanislav Zore held a mass in Kočevski Rog in south of Slovenia on Saturday to commemorate the victims of post-WWII summary executions that were thrown in pits and caves there. He said that acknowledging what happened at the end of the war and proper burial of the victims was a prerequisite for reconciliation.

60-year-old German kayaker drowns in Soča River

TRNOVO OB SOČI - A 60-year-old German citizen died on Friday in a kayaking accident in the Soča River near Trnovo ob Soči in northwestern Slovenia. The man's kayak overturned and the swollen river took him downstream towards the town of Kobarid, the Nova Gorica Police Department reported. The man was part of a group of six German citizens had gone kayaking in the Soča. As the river was torrential due to heavy rains, the kayaker was unable to get out of the river, and drowned.