News roundup - Thursday, 29 August

Fajon supports sanctions against Israeli leaders who violate international law

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon called for sanctions against Israeli political leaders who violate international law at an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels. This was advocated earlier by EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell. During the debate she also called for a consideration on stricter trade or economic sanctions against Israel as well as for the continuation of sanctions against the leaders of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas. Fajon also called for an urgent humanitarian pause to allow children to be vaccinated against various diseases, notably polio.

Slovenia calls for just peace in Ukraine, solution for Syria crisis

NEW YORK, US - Slovenian Ambassador to the UN Security Council Samuel Žbogar called for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine at a session convened by Slovenia and the US on Wednesday. He said Russia's continued attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure "are in clear violation of international humanitarian law and must be stopped immediately". In a separate session yesterday, Deputy Ambassador Ondina Blokar Drobič urged efforts to find a political solution to the crisis in Syria.

SDS wants parliamentary session over pace of flood reconstruction

LJUBLJANA - The Democrats (SDS) called for an emergency session of parliament to discuss what the largest opposition party says is a lack progress in post-flood reconstruction and a worrying state of affairs on the ground despite over a year having passed since one of the worst natural disasters in Slovenian history. They pointed out that a single family has been provided with a new house in this period, but even this was not the result of state efforts but a contribution from donors.

Slovenia issues first yen-denominated bonds

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia issued its first senior notes denominated in Japanese yen, known as Samurai bonds. The treasury issued 50 billion yen or roughly EUR 311 million worth of three- and five-year bonds. The coupon rate of the three-year bonds is 0.75% and that of the five-year ones 0.89%, the Finance Ministry announced. "With a highly successful inaugural offering, Slovenia has established a strong footprint in the Japanese market," the ministry said.

Cinkarna Celje H1 net profit up by 5%

CELJE - The chemical company Cinkarna Celje posted EUR 7.4 million in net profit in the first half of the year, up 5.2% year-on-year, shows an unaudited report. The company recorded a 4.1% increase in sales revenue, which totalled EUR 100.3 million. This increase was driven by higher sales of its key product, titanium dioxide pigment. The results are above plans for the January-June period, and based on current figures, the company's projections for 2024 are also now more ambitious.

SIJ leaves entire EUR 101.1 million undistributed

LJUBLJANA - The shareholders of the steel group SIJ, nearly three-quarters owned by the Dilon company belonging to Russian oligarch Andrey Zubitsky, decided at today's annual general meeting to leave the balance sheet profit of EUR 101.1 million undistributed. The company was moreover authorised to purchase ten of its own shares currently held by Unior, a state-owned tool maker and automotive supplier.

Revenue from services and goods up 1.9% in H1

LJUBLJANA - The volume of sales in service activities and retail in Slovenia was 1.9% higher in the first half of the year compared to the same period last year. The largest increase was in information and communication activities. In the first six months, the volume of sales in service activities increased by 1.9%, and in retail by 1.7%, show data released by the Statistics Office.

Govt says Austria's Verbund paid EUR 14.9m to Slovenia over 2012 floods

LJUBLJANA - Austrian power utility Verbund, believed to be responsible for the Drava River flooding that occurred in Slovenia in 2012 south of the Austrian border, paid EUR 14.9 million in damages to Slovenia at the beginning of 2024, the Slovenian government said on Wednesday. The Slovenian state, claiming Verbund Hydro Power GmbH had botched up the release of water from the Edling and Annabruecke hydroelectric power plants' reservoirs, had brought a EUR 71 million damage lawsuit against Verbund before the Klagenfurt Regional Court, while the utility countered with a negative declaratory action against Slovenia before the same court.

Violent Roma student to be expelled from Brežice primary school

BREŽICE - The parent council of the Velika Dolina Primary School in Brežice, where a Roma student severely injured a fellow ninth-grader in June, has received a verbal assurance that the bully would no longer attend the school. The decision comes amidst heightened tension in southern and southeastern Slovenia connected with Roma-related issues. The incident happened as the 14-year old Roma boy attacked the fellow student in the classroom on 10 June, pushing him so hard that he fell on the ground and got injured, and had to seek medical assistance in the local hospital.

Ribnica mayor receives death threats after statements about water supply to Roma

LJUBLJANA - Ribnica Mayor Samo Pogorelc told Radio Slovenia he received death threats, which he already reported to the police. This comes after the mayor said on Wednesday that the municipality will connect Roma villages to the public water supply system when the Roma meet certain obligations and join the integration process. Interior Minister Boštjan Poklukar condemned the threats that the mayor received and said he was confident that the police would investigate the matter as soon as possible.

Slovenian researchers develop ultrasound-mediated control of genetically modified cells

LJUBLJANA - Researchers at the National Institute of Chemistry have developed a therapeutic cellular device that responds to ultrasound, an innovation that could enable more precise, non-invasive, rapid and targeted treatments, including for certain cancers, especially in hard-to-reach places deep in tissues.

Institute InnoRenew CoE sending fungal biofilm to space

IZOLA - A Slovenian research institute will conduct an experiment in space involving a fungal biofilm that can be used to protect various materials. The fungal biofilm is being developed at InnoRenew CoE as part of the ERC ARCHI-SKIN project in what is the first research of its kind to study the impact of space on engineered living materials.

Ljubljana's air quality poor, Maribor's a bit better

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's capital Ljubljana has placed 310th among 372 cities in Europe where the European Environment Agency (EEA) measured average levels of fine particles PM 2.5 in the air in 2022 and 2023. Ljubljana has thus ended up in the group of cities with poor air quality, while Slovenia's second largest city Maribor did a bit better, placing 253rd.

Golob visits Slovenian Paralympic team in Paris

PARIS, France - Prime Minister Robert Golob visited the Olympic Village in Paris to greet the Slovenian athletes competing in the 2024 Summer Paralympics. The visit came after Golob attended the opening ceremony and a reception at the Élysée Palace on Wednesday hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Handballer Ana Gros elected to IHF Athletes' Commission

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian handball star Ana Gros has been elected to the five-member Athletes' Commission of the International Handball Federation (IHF), which serves as the voice of handball players from all over the world within the IHF. The election was held at the recent Summer Olympic Games in Paris, where the Slovenian women's handball team participated in its first Olympic tournament ever, with Gros captaining the team and being one of the main players.