News roundup - Friday, 28 June

Pirc Musar and Zelensky talk about path to peace in Ukraine

KYIV/BUCHA, Ukraine - President Nataša Pirc Musar held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv about a bilateral security agreement and preparations for the second peace conference for Ukraine. The countries also signed a memorandum on cooperation in the support for Ukrainian citizens temporarily displaced in Slovenia. Pirc Musar was also in Bucha to commemorate Ukrainian victims of the Russian aggression.

Golob trusts in wisdom of new EU leadership

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Prime Minister Robert Golob believes the new EU leadership will lead the Union with a great deal of common sense, wisdom and optimism through the turbulent times. His statement comes after EU leaders agreed yesterday to nominate Ursula von der Leyen, Antonio Costa and Kaja Kallas to lead the EU in the next five years. He also welcomed the positions the summit adopted on the war in the Middle East, saying they noted the Palestinian authorities had to be empowered and that the path to a two-state solution had to be sought.

Social dialogue resumes after a year

LJUBLJANA - Representatives of employers, trade unions and the government signed a declaration to respect and encourage social dialogue as they resumed work on the Economic and Social Council (ESS) almost a year after it broke down after the employers walked out in protest. The declaration is to pave the way for more effective dialogue and faster resolution of disputes between the social partners by clarifying the rules on the ESS "where they were not clear enough" and making it possible "for the ESS to get involved in the government's work on preparing blueprints of laws, rather than only after laws have been drawn up", said Labour Minister Luka Mesec.

Slovenia expresses support for Central African Republic

NEW YORK, US - Slovenia completely supports the UN MINUSCA mission in the Central African Republic and its work, said deputy Slovenian ambassador to the UN Saša Jurečko at Thursday's meeting of the UN Security Council. She expressed support for the country and its citizens on the path to lasting peace, sustainable development and political stability.

Alleged victims, cardinal call on Church to remove Rupnik mosaics

ROME, Italy - Five alleged victims of Marko Rupnik, a disgraced Slovenian priest and artist who was expelled by the Jesuits last year following sexual abuse allegations by a number of nuns, have called on bishops from across the globe to remove Rupnik's mosaics from their churches. Moreover, the American cardinal Sean O'Malley, the head of the pontifical commission in charge of protection of minors, also called on the Vatican to stop displaying Rupnik's works, the US press agency AP reported.

Committee approves bill to alleviate staff shortages at care homes

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Labour Committee unanimously endorsed legislation designed to alleviate staff shortages in elderly care, amidst warnings by the opposition that the stop-gap measures will not suffice. The bill includes subsidies for training programmes in which individuals can obtain a national professional qualification for occupations in demand at care homes. Special incentives will be available for employees, care homes will be able to give out scholarships for studies such as physical therapy, and there will be financial incentives for greater involvement of volunteers.

General govt deficit and debt down in Q1

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's general government deficit stood at EUR 309 million in the first quarter of 2024, or 2% of Slovenia's GDP, down 1.1 points year-on-year, the Statistics Office said. General government debt stood at EUR 45.4 billion, or 70.7% of GDP, down 1.5 points. The general government sector saw an increase in total revenue for the 13th consecutive quarter. The revenue was at 7.06 billion, a 11.4% rise year-on-year.

Annual inflation down a percentage point in June to 1.5%

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's annual inflation rate declined by a full percentage point in June to 1.5%, the lowest it has been since June 2021, the latest Statistics Office data show. A year ago it stood at 6.9%. Services prices remain the driving force of consumer price growth, having increased by 4.2% in a year due largely to higher prices in hotels and restaurants. Goods prices rose by 0.2%, while energy prices meanwhile exerted strong downward pressure on inflation.

Stock of inward foreign direct investments up 9% in 2023

LJUBLJANA - The stock of inward foreign direct investments (FDI) in Slovenia increased by 9.1% in a year to stand at EUR 22.1 billion at the end of 2023, mostly as a result of reinvested profits, according to preliminary figures by the Bank of Slovenia. The largest investor in Slovenia was Austria (21.6% of the total), followed by Luxembourg (13.1%) and Switzerland (11.0%). Slovenia's outward FDI increased at a slightly higher rate, 9.7%, to EUR 9.4 billion. Slovenian investors' largest holdings were in Croatia (35.4% of the total) and Serbia (20.4%).

Croatian regulator approves NLB's entry into leasing market

LJUBLJANA - The Croatian regulator has approved the indirect acquisition of the outright stake in the Croatian leasing firm Mobil Leasing by the Slovenian NLB bank. NLB is acquiring the leasing firm that controls slightly more than a 3% market share in Croatia through the acquisition of Summit Leasing Slovenija. The approval comes after NLB agreed last November with the US fund Apollo and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to acquire 100% stake in SLS Holdco, the parent company of Summit Leasing Slovenija, and its subsidiaries.

Two new state secretaries in PM's office appointed

LJUBLJANA - The government has appointed Petra Aršič and Metka Paragi state secretaries in the prime minister's office, with Aršič to take over strategic communication, and Paragi to be in charge of public health as of 1 July. The former will succeed Melita Župevc who has been appointed ambassador to Vienna-based international organisations.

Jan Kovačič appointed new head of president's office

LJUBLJANA - President Nataša Pirc Musar appointed Jan Kovačič the new secretary-general of the president's office. Kovačič, who has been employed in the office since March 2017, will take over on 1 July, when the current secretary-general Uroš Krek will leave the office.

Slovenian double win at bouldering World Cup

INNSBRUCK, Austria - Slovenia had two competitors on the podium at Thursday's bouldering World Cup event in Innsbruck, Austria, as reigning Olympic champion Janja Garnbret finished first and was joined by another Slovenian, 17-year-old Jennifer Eucharia Buckley, who competed in the World Cup for the first time. Garnbret easily climbed all the boulders in the finals, while Buckley got three of the four, which was enough for second place.