News roundup - Saturday, 17 August

Slovenia marks Prekmurje Unification Day

BELTINCI/MURSKA SOBOTA - Slovenia observed the Unification of Prekmurje Slovenians with the Mother Nation Day. At a state ceremony commemorating the region's 1919 unification with the rest of the nation on the eve of the holiday, National Assembly President Urška Klakočar Zupančič said that the act itself bore a cultural and political significance. PM Robert Golob said in his message that today "we celebrate the courage and efforts of our ancestors, their persistent resistance to foreign assimilation, and efforts for the preservation of our language, our culture and our identity".

POP TV: Travel agency Kompas cancels all charter flights to Karpathos in September

LJUBLJANA - Travel agency Kompas has cancelled all charter flights to the Greek island of Karpathos scheduled for September, commercial broadcaster POP TV reported on Friday. The agency had previously also cancelled flights to the island of Lefkada and Samos. Last week passengers had to wait more than 24 hours for a return flight from Karpathos. The agency, which did not submit its annual report for 2023 by the 2 April deadline, has not responded to POP TV's requests for explanations.

Fire raging close to UNESCO-protected primaeval forest in the south

KOČEVJE - A fire has been raging close to the village of Borovec near Kočevska Reka in the south since Friday evening, the Civil Protection and Disaster Relief Administration told the STA. The root fire, which is still not under control, is very close to the UNESCO-protected Krokar primaeval forest, news portal MMC reported. A helicopter and an air tractor were deployed to the site on Friday and the efforts to put out the fire continue today.

Rail transport in Postojna restored after rail car tip-over

POSTOJNA - After a tank car carrying diesel fuel tipped over at the Postojna railway station on Friday afternoon, rail transport runs again in the area but only on one track, so delays will still occur, the Slovenian Railways said on Saturday. Nobody was injured, but current estimates put the damage at some EUR 600,000.

Wind rattle reverberating through vineyards

MARIBOR - Klopotec, a wooden mechanical device that makes a rattling sound in wind, has been a familiar sight in vineyards in parts of Slovenia for centuries. Meant to scare birds away from ripening grapes, nowadays these rattles invite people to come together and call for a good harvest. They are one of the symbols of Slovenian viticulture.