News roundup - Thursday, 1 August, until 3pm

NLB bank reports 20% higher half-year profit

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's largest banking group, NLB, generated EUR 292 million in net profit in the first half of the year, an increase of 20% year-on-year that is attributed mainly to the favourable economic situation and high interest rates. Net interest income was up by 21% to EUR 460.4 million. The growth was driven by a combination of volume and margin growth, the bank said in the semi-annual report. Net non-interest income rose by 9% year-on-year and net fee and commission income was up by 11% as a result of the positive effect of economic activity and increased activity in investment funds and bancassurance.

Public finance deficit 37% lower in first six months

LJUBLJANA - Total budget revenue for the four main public finance accounts reached EUR 13.4 billion in the first half of the year, up 11.2% year-on-year, and although expenditure increased by 9.5% to EUR 13.6 billion, the overall deficit was 37% lower, at EUR 275 million, the Finance Ministry said on Wednesday. Tax revenue rose by 13.8% to almost EUR 6.1 billion. The government budget deficit amounted to EUR 346 million, which is largely attributed to reconstruction costs stemming from the 2023 floods.

Fiscal Council says unrealistic budget planning serious issue in 2020-2023

LJUBLJANA - The Fiscal Council issued a critical report of public finance planning by governments in the 2020-2023 period. A key finding, addressing discrepancies unrelated to the shocks experienced in this period, notes the trend of excessive projections of expenditure, which increase the risks of inefficient spending of the excess funds. Summing up the results of its analysis, it says that the discrepancies in macroeconomic and public finance forecasts between 2020 and 2023 were mostly greater because of the wider shocks, but it adds that they also got worse when factoring in the emergency measures.

Slovenians urged to leave Lebanon, advised against travel to Israel, Iran

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Foreign Ministry called on Slovenian citizens in Lebanon to leave the country due to the serious security situation. It also advised against all travel to Israel, and called on Slovenian citizens who are there to leave the country as soon as possible or to act with the greatest degree of caution. They were also advised against all travel to Iran due to dangerous incidents and the risk of a sudden escalation of political tensions in the region.

Slovenia to request delay in banning dental amalgam

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia will request a delay in banning dental amalgam, the use and export of which will be prohibited in the EU from 2025 as part of measures to make the EU mercury free, the Health Ministry told the newspaper Dnevnik. The public healthcare insurer ZZZS expects that mandatory health insurance rules will change in a way that white fillings will be covered by insurance for individuals under the age of 26 by the start of January 2025 and for the rest by July 2026 at the latest.

Slovenia deploying another chopper to help fight N Macedonia fires

LJUBLJANA - A Slovenian Armed Forces helicopter with a crew will be deployed to North Macedonia today to help fight wildfires, in line with a decision taken by the government last night. Slovenia sent two crewed helicopters to the country in mid-July to assist in the firefighting effort. Slovenia is responding to North Macedonia's request for assistance through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism with a Cougar helicopter, the Defence Ministry said in a press release.

Concrete dump kills hundreds of fish in stream near Maribor

RUŠE - Between 1,500 and 2,000 fish are believed to have been killed in the Lobnica creek in Smolnik near Maribor last weekend as an unknown perpetrator dumped up to 0.75 m3 of fresh concrete and cement water into the creek 500 metres upstream the place where it flows into the Drava River. Cement water contains chemicals harmful to gills and killed basically the entire aquatic fauna. It has been assessed that it will take two to three years for the creek to fully recover, Večer reported yesterday.

Experimental undersea structure attracts first organisms

PIRAN - An undersea structure installed a kilometre off the Slovenian coast in March as part of a project to develop an innovative way of farming indigenous marine organisms and monitor marine biodiversity has attracted first residents. It has been settled by polychaetes and bryozoa, and sea snail eggs have also been observed. The structure was installed by the YouSea non-profit organisation, which would like to see oyster larvae eventually settle the structure.