News roundup - Thursday, 11 July, until 3pm

Slovenia to buy APCs from Patria

WASHINGTON, US - Slovenia will buy armoured personnel carriers (APCs) from the Finnish defence company Patria, PM Robert Golob announced after meeting his Finnish counterpart Alexander Stubbs on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington on Wednesday. This comes after Slovenia withdrew from a EUR 281 million contract to purchase 45 Boxer APCs in 2022. Golob did not reveal any details about the price or the number of Patria APCs. Talks between the countries' defence ministries are ongoing and the contract will stipulate the transaction be carried out directly between the two ministries, said Golob, adding that this would ensure maximum transparency.

SDS says Patria defence deal is ironic, NSi welcomes the move

LJUBLJANA - The opposition responded to the PM Robert Golob's announcement that Slovenia will buy APCs from the Finnish defence company Patria, with the head of the Democrats (SDS), Janez Janša, who has been imprisoned over the Patria defence procurement deal he made as PM in 2006, calling it "the irony of history". Janša spent 145 days in prison for allegedly accepting a promise of a bribe as part of the 2006 tender won by Patria. The case was sent into retrial but then became statue barred, meaning he was formally acquitted. New Slovenia (NSi) head and former Defence Minister Matej Tonin welcomed the step.

Coalition moves to prevent glorification of Nazism, Fascism

LJUBLJANA - The deputy groups of all three coalition parties filed into parliamentary procedure legislative changes explicitly banning the glorification of Nazism and Fascism. The Left proposes that severe forms of glorification of Nazism and Fascism be treated as criminal acts, a proposal that is still being discussed. In line with the proposed changes to the Protection of Public Order Act, such behaviour will be defined as a misdemeanour carrying a fine of between EUR 1,000 and EUR 2,500.

Slovenia highlights reconciliation on Srebrenica memorial day

LJUBLJANA - Observing the day of remembrance of the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica is an important step towards reconciliation in Bosnia-Herzegovina, FM Tanja Fajon said on 29th anniversary of the massacre of several thousand Bosnian Muslims by Bosnian Serbs. President Nataša Pirc Musar pointed to leaders' responsibility to build peace and justice. This is the first time that the massacre of more than 8,300 Bosniak men and boys on 11 July 1995 during the Bosnian war is remembered as part of International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica, which the UN declared in May.

Krka group profit up 30% in January-June

KRKA - Drug maker Krka posted a group net profit of EUR 222 million for the first six months of 2024, up 30% on the same period last year, as revenue grew by 7% to EUR 985 million, show preliminary financials. Operating profit (EBIT) rose by 1% to EUR 238 million, whereas profit before income tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) declined by 2% to EUR 284 million. "We've grown in all sales regions and on most markets ... Estimated sales and estimated EBIT are the highest in the company's history," CEO Jože Colarič was quoted as saying in a press release. The shareholders also approved the highest dividend payout to date, totalling EUR 231 million.

Interior minister wraps up Montenegro visit

PODGORICA, Montenegro - Interior Minister Boštjan Poklukar and his Montenegrin counterpart Danilo Šaranović discussed a number of topics as Poklukar paid a visit to Podgorica on Tuesday and Wednesday, including cooperation among partners in the Western Balkans to fight illegal migration and migrant smuggling. Poklukar also confirmed Slovenia's readiness to help Montenegro in its efforts to meet conditions for joining the EU.

Slovenia first to ratify agreement to finance exhibition at Auschwitz

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly ratified on Wednesday an agreement of six former Yugoslav countries to finance a joint permanent exhibition at the Auschwitz-Birkenau memorial museum in Poland on the suffering of former Yugoslav nations, including Slovenians, at the former Nazi concentration camp. Slovenia will contribute EUR 320,000. The agreement was signed by Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and North Macedonia last January at UNESCO in Paris, with the signatories pledging to finance the exhibition at Block 17 at the museum.

Another community centre in Trieste passes into Slovenian minority's ownership

TRIESTE, Italy - National Hall at St John's, a community centre in Trieste, will formally pass into ownership of the Slovenian ethnic minority in Trieste, after Friuli Venezia Giulia, the region that is home to the minority, has made a formal decision to return it free of charge, the minority's newspaper Primorski Dnevnik reported. The community centre was renovated in recent years with the funds provided by Friuli Venezia Giulia and Trieste.

New investor enters Primorske Novice

KOPER - A company owned by businessman Aco Kabanica, a prominent real estate investor on the coast, has purchased a 12.5% stake in Koper-based newspaper publisher Primorske Novice as companies affiliated with Martin Odlazek reduced their stake below 50%, showed Agency for Public Legal Records (AJPES) filings. Following the transaction, which was completed in June according to AJPES records, the Odlazek companies now own a combined 39.95% stake.

Takeover bid announced for savings bank

LJUBLJANA - Businessman Otmar Zorn and the companies Zorn Plus and GIC Gradnje have announced a takeover bid for Hranilnica Lon, a small savings bank. Currently, Zorn holds a 21.03% share in Lon and the construction company GIC Gradnje a 20.28% share, the newspaper Delo said. Lon has been struggling due to unstable ownership. Kylin Prime Group, which owns about a quarter of Lon, is in liquidation and its stake will be auctioned off at the end of September.

Survey finds Slovenians stop feeling young at 44

LJUBLJANA - Slovenians stop feeling young at 44 and start to feel old at 57, a survey by polling agency Mediana found ahead of World Population Day, observed on 11 July. Compared to the rest of Europe, Slovenians stop feeling young a year later than the average European but start to feel old two years earlier, at 57.

The International Centre of Graphic Arts honours renowned artist with retrospective

LJUBLJANA - A retrospective exhibition honouring the Slovenian graphic artist Adriana Maraž (1931-2015) will open at Tivoli Castle this evening. Maraž is known for the technical perfection of her works, deeply personal motifs and the philosophical exploration of transience. Prepared by the International Centre of Graphic Arts, the display will run until 10 November. It will showcase both early works from the artist's student years and works from her mature period. Paintings, drawings, objects and video projections are all part of the exhibition.

Slovenian film for children premiers in Locarno

LOCARNO, Switzerland - A feature film about a group of kids fighting against their playground being turned into a parking lot, directed by Klemen Dvornik, will premiere at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland today. Block 5 is the first Slovenian film to be screened in Locarno Kids Screenings, the festival's section for the youngest audience. Dvornik said it means a lot to him to be selected for the Locarno Kids Screenings, where one of the main selection criteria is that films deepen a child's understanding of themselves and the world.

Four-day beer festival starts in Laško

LAŠKO - The four-day Beer and Flowers Festival will get under way in the eastern town of Laško this evening, bringing more than 20 concerts, culinary treats and of course an abundance of beer, for which the region is famous. Warming up the crowd tonight will be a number of Slovenian musicians such as Masayah and Mi2 as well as Baby Lasagna and Gibonni from Croatia.

Five businessmen suspected of VAT fraud

KOPER - Koper police have filed criminal reports against five businesspeople, one Slovenian and four Italian citizens, on suspicion of tax evasion and forgery of documents in defrauding the Slovenian national budget of over EUR 480,000 through a VAT fraud scheme in 2018-2020. Tax evasion carries a prison sentence of one to eight years, and forgery or destruction of business documents of up to two years. The police opened an investigation into the case based on two criminal reports by Slovenia's Financial Administration.