News roundup - Tuesday, 2 July, until 3pm

SDS announces no-confidence vote in digital transformation minister

LJUBLJANA - The Democrats (SDS) announced a motion of no confidence in Digital Transformation Minister Emilija Stojmenova Duh after an audit report found a series of irregularities in the purchase of 13,000 budget laptops for underprivileged students. The Court of Audit designated the transaction as not being efficient or economical. The SDS said it was "helping" the minister in her decision whether or not she should resign. Stojmenova Duh survived a motion of no confidence over the same issue in March.

Slovenia delivers six drones to Montenegrin Armed Forces

PODGORICA, Montenegro - Slovenia has delivered six Belin-V drones to the Montenegrin Armed Forces in what is the first government-to-government deal in which a foreign country purchased military equipment from Slovenia. The deal, worth more than EUR 1 million, follows an agreement on cooperation in military reconnaissance and observation and aerial surveillance, signed by the defence ministries of the two countries last August, the Slovenian Defence Ministry announced.

Ministry does not object Court of Audit's findings on Litijska building

LJUBLJANA - The Justice Ministry said that it did not object the draft report the Court of Audit in the part relating to the controversial acquisition of a dilapidated building in Ljubljana meant to house a number of courts, after TV Slovenija reported yesterday that the ministry rejected the findings. It said it could not possibly object to it as the entire knowledge of the deal of the leadership of the ministry, which took over after the scandal escalated, is based on the available documentation.

Ljubljana councillors change rules preventing mass Tivoli park concert

LJUBLJANA - In a decision that seems to have been prompted by an environmental permit rejection of a planned mass concert in Ljubljana's Tivoli park by the pop star Magnifico, the Ljubljana city council amended on Monday a local ordinance governing procedures for public events in the Tivoli, Rožnik and Šika Hill Regional Park. The city councillors followed through with Mayor Zoran Janković's announcement that the ordinance would simply be changed so as to enable the 31 August event.

Coach Kek and Slovenia proud of football team despite bitter defeat to Portugal

FRANKFURT, Germany - Slovenian fans, who saw the men's national football team defeated by Portugal after a penalty shoot-out at Euro 2024 on Monday in the country's first ever knock-out game at large football events, will welcome the team in Ljubljana's Congress Square this evening. Pride is emerging as the main in a whirlwind of emotions after the dramatic match. Slovenia's manager Matjaž Kek acknowledged that a lot of sweetness can be found in the bitterness of this defeat.

Corruption risks detected in selection of Eurovision entrant

LJUBLJANA - The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (KPK) has concluded its investigation of alleged irregularities in the selection of Raiven with her song Veronika as Slovenia's entrant for this year's Eurovision Song Contest, detecting corruption risks and issuing several recommendations to the public broadcaster RTV Slovenija. KPK said it could not confirm any suspicion of alleged influence or privileging of the selected entrant on the basis of the available information.

Ljubljana park named in honour of lesbian couple

LJUBLJANA - A small park in the posh Ljubljana borough of Prule has been named in memory of a lesbian couple, poet Ada Škerl and translator Sonja Plaskan, the first time a public space in Slovenia will bear the name of homosexual persons. The naming of the park confirms that Ljubljana is a "democratic and emancipated city that respects personal liberty and equality of individuals, regardless of their political, religious, ideological or sexual orientation," says the local decree passed by the city council on Monday evening.