News roundup - Monday, 12 August, until 3pm

Youth reps say govt not really addressing their struggles

LJUBLJANA - The Youth Council of Slovenia (MSS), an umbrella association of youth organisations, voiced discontent over what it says is the government's failure to honour commitments and really lend an ear to youth representatives. On International Youth Day, MSS president Eva Kotnik said that youth participation is the cornerstone of any modern and inclusive society, but that despite the council's efforts, Slovenia is still lagging far behind international standards and modern approaches in this area. The youth trade union Mladi Plus meanwhile urged measures for more job and housing security and mental health support.

BSH Hišni Aparati's results drop in wake of 2023 floods

NAZARJE - The Nazarje-based home appliance maker BSH Hišni Aparati, one of the companies worst hit in the August 2023 floods, posted EUR 364 million in net revenue in 2023, 25% less than the previous year. The worst natural disaster in Slovenia's history also affected the company's net profit, which dropped by 19% to EUR 9.6 million. The company, which employs some 1,400 workers, estimates the damage, which includes both damage to property as well as loss of turnover, at more than EUR 100 million.

Police injured as locals resist juvenile driver's detention

KOČEVJE - Two police officers sustained minor injuries on Sunday evening in Kočevje as a group of locals assisted a minor resisting arrest after he refused to pull over his vehicle during a traffic stop. The group approached the officers, attempting to prevent the detention of the minor by punching, pushing off and threatening the officers, with one of the suspects also throwing a stone at the police vehicle. The event occurred as police presence was reinforced in the town following a shooting incident on 8 August, as a 25-year-old shooter fired several shots at two cars during the night, but nobody was injured.

Kanal bridge diving once more draw adrenaline junkies

KANAL - Like nearly every year since the late 1980s, the small town of Kanal in western Slovenia on Sunday attracted several dozen diving enthusiasts to test their skills in diving off the town's landmark 17-metre bridge into the emerald depths of the Soča River. Competitors from Denmark, Serbia, Slovenia and the US, including two women, faced off in the swallow, feet-first, figure diving and free-style categories. Vincent Aleithe won the feet-first competition, while Fabian Wurzinger won in figure diving and free-style.

Laibach exhibiting in Zagreb

TRBOVLJE - The iconic Slovenian arts collective Laibach is exhibiting in Zagreb this summer, with the focal point of the exhibition being the Assimilator, a cube-shaped speaker, developed by the software company Dewesoft, that produces sound based on thermal imaging of visitors moving in the gallery. Running until 20 August, the exhibition titled Ausstellung! Laibach Kunst: Unternehmen Barbarossa + Assimilator focuses on political and slippery themes.