News roundup - Wednesday, 28 August

Tax changes ready to be endorsed by govt

LJUBLJANA - The government has found common ground on the fist package of changes to tax legislation which is expected to enter into force in 2025. The changes are expected to be endorsed and sent to parliament on Friday. Finance Minister Klemen Boštjančič told the press after today's government session that only a few minor technical issues remain open regarding the package, which the ministry sent to public consultation before the summer and then made some corrections.

RTV Slovenija licence fee to go up by 10% next year

LJUBLJANA - Come 2025 the compulsory monthly license fee for the public broadcaster RTV Slovenija, which has stood at EUR 12.75 since 2012, will increase by 10% to EUR 14.02 per household, the government agreed as it endorsed a resent proposal by the Culture Ministry. The fee, which accounts for more than two-thirds of the broadcaster's total revenue, has been increased after lengthy discussions, said Culture Minister Asta Vrečko, who is responsible for media policy.

Vesel holds introductory meeting with von der Leyen

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Slovenia's candidate for EU commissioner Tomaž Vesel met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as part of preparations for the appointment of a new Commission. The details of the introductory meeting have not been disclosed, but the pair are expected to speak again soon. It is not yet known which portfolio Vesel, a former president of the Slovenian Court of Auditors, could take over. He has singled out budget, administration and EU enlargement as his preferences.

Left urges boycott of BSF due to Livni's appearance

LJUBLJANA - The junior coalition party Left has joined an appeal by a couple of civil society organisations to disinvite Tzipi Livni, a former Israeli foreign minister, from next week's Bled Strategic Forum (BSF). If she attends nevertheless, they call for the boycott of the event. Slovenia recognised a Palestinian statehood several months ago, and this diplomatic step must now be followed by a more determined policy of boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel, the party said. Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon responded by saying that the aim of the BSF platform was to confront different views.

Govt planning multi-purpose Roma centres, boosting social work efforts

LJUBLJANA - Following beefed up security measures in response to endemic crime involving members of the Roma community in the south-east of Slovenia, the government also announced a number of socially and education-minded efforts meant to help with integration. Igor Feketija, a state secretary at the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, spoke about plans to open several multi-purpose Roma centres, secure 130 additional jobs in individual social work centres, and open three day centres for children from the Roma community.

Telekom Slovenije's net profit up by 25% in first half of year

LJUBLJANA - Telekom Slovenije saw group net profit rise by 25% in the first six months of the year to EUR 29.6 million as sales revenue increased by 4% to EUR 346.6 million on the back of user growth and higher sales of IT merchandise and services, show unaudited results. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) amounted to EUR 38.7 million, an increase of 7%, while earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 4% to EUR 121.4 million.

Govt wants to extend solar self-supply net metering system deadline

LJUBLJANA - The government confirmed a proposal to amend the Renewable Energy Sources Promotion Act so as to, among other things, extend the deadline for applications to the end of 2024 and registration even further. The net metering system allows the owners of new solar power plants to pay grid fees only for the annually calculated difference between electricity received from and fed into the grid. The government stated the excessive interest in the scheme as the reason.

Czech nuclear power tender seen as proof Krško 2 cost estimate realistic

LJUBLJANA - Gen Energija, the state-company that owns the Slovenian stake in the Krško nuclear power station and is responsible for the project of a new nuclear unit there has pointed to the cost estimate in a tender for a similar Czech project as proof that its cost estimate of Krško 2 project is realistic. The company's CEO Dejan Paravan said the investment value of the Czech project was also important for Slovenia, "considering Gen Energija's internal economics assessment has shown a nuclear unit with identical capacity would cost about EUR 9.3 billion".

Minister calls for boosting business cooperation with Bulgaria

GORNJA RADGONA - Economy Minister Matjaž Han told a Slovenian-Bulgarian business forum, held as part of the AGRA fair, that Bulgaria is a very important business partner of Slovenia and that cooperation should and can be boosted. The head of the SPIRIT agency Rok Capl said that Slovenia, a very export-oriented country, has not tapped into the potential of the Bulgarian market, so cooperation should be stepped up.

Slovenia expresses support for extension of UNIFIL mandate

NEW YORK, US - As the UN Security Council unanimously extended the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), Slovenia's Deputy Ambassador Ondina Blokar Drobič expressed after the vote the country's strong support for the mandate of the mission and the countries that contribute the peacekeeping forces. She said "Slovenia is still very concerned about the hostilities along the Blue Line", where intense shelling between Israel and members of the Shia paramilitary group Hezbollah took place a few days ago, noting that this "could drag the broader region into full-scale war."

Roma in Ribnica to get water supply when they start meeting their obligations

RIBNICA - Local officials held talks with representatives of the Roma in Ribnica to discuss the demands for water supply of the Roma living in Otavice and Goriča Vas, agreeing that the municipality will connect them to the public water supply system when the Roma meet certain obligations and join the integration process. In line with the agreement, the National Council of the Roma Community together with the Roma from three villages in the Ribnica municipality will draw up an action plan for the inclusion of the Roma into the society by 5 September.

Festival in Murska Sobota showing contemporary dance is universal

MURSKA SOBOTA - Murska Sobota will host between Wednesday and Saturday Front@, an international festival of contemporary dance. Artistic director Matjaž Farič told the STA the festival wants to highlight non-Europocentric performances. One early highlight will the opening performance Grand Bolero by Spanish choreographer Jesus Rubio Gamo and two professional dance formations, En - Knap and the Zagreb Dance Ensemble.

Brežice hosts first local festival of European film

BREŽICE - The eastern town of Brežice is hosting for the first time ever the European Film Festival Brežice, a four-day event the organisers hope will become an annual tradition. The festival, which starts tonight, will screen ten features, and the audience will get to pick their favourite. The films will be screened in the Posavje Museum Brežice, which is located in Brežice Castle.

First kindergarten built entirely from Slovenian wood opens

SELNICA OB DRAVI - The first kindergarten in Slovenia built entirely from Slovenian wood was officially opened, with officials praising the EUR 6 million project as a showcase of the potential of the domestic wood processing industry and a significant step towards a greener, healthier future. The Kobanček Kindergarten in the small town west of Maribor will welcome 150 children starting Monday, with the number expected to increase later in the year.

Walk to commemorate daring WWII allied forces prison break

MARIBOR - Eighty years will pass this weekend since the most successful prisoner of war break of World War II was executed near Maribor by locals, the Slovenian Partisans and British intelligence, and the operation, which liberated some 100 POWs, will be honoured in the coming weeks with a trek along the 273-kilometre path that led them to freedom. The commemorative trail, named The Crow's Flight, runs from Ožbalt, where the POWs were maintaining a railway line for the Germans, to Otok near Metlika, from where they were flown to Bari.