News roundup - Tuesday, 3 September

Fajon says discussions at Bled Strategic Forum exceeded expectations

BLED - Addressing the press on the last day of the Bled Strategic Forum, Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon said that the contents of the panels held at the forum had exceeded expectations. The debates on the challenges of the international community were lively, and even intense, she said. More than 180 panellists from 48 countries gathered in Bled, with the number of participants at 2,500 plus online listeners. But more importantly, the debates were richer content-wise than in the previous years, she said, also because the situation is much more complex and challenging.

BSF panel cautious about success of UN Summit of the Future

BLED - Key issues and possible solutions for the upcoming UN Summit of the Future were discussed at a panel at the Bled Strategic Forum, with the participants highlighting inequality, impunity and population ageing as some of the main things to address, but also pointed out that a breakthrough might not actually be possible at the moment. The debate covered a broad spectrum of issues, from demographic change, justice and the perspective of the Global South, to how successful a global summit can actually be.

NATO fit for future, deterrence will remain key, BSF panel hears

BLED - A panel debate at the Bled Strategic Forum (BSF) about the future of NATO underlined the importance of deterrence, military capabilities and increased investments. In fact, the alliance will launch detailed talks with members about their defence investments in the future, NATO Assistant Secretary General Angus Lapsley said. Slovenia's Defence Ministry State Secretary Damir Črnčec said that military and dual use capabilities must be strengthened, as he talked above all about Slovenia's views.

EU faces plethora of challenges post-election, BSF panel hears

BLED - The EU faces even bigger challenges than in the Commission's and Parliament's previous term, heard a Bled Strategic Forum panel. Competitiveness, the technological dominance of the US and China, and inadequate defence spending were highlighted as some of the key concerns along with incomplete integration and political gridlock. Several challenges in the near term were listed, including the fact that crises are accelerating and that the US and China are investing heavily in science and technology at a pace that Europe cannot match.

Emergency bill in works to prevent TEŠ receivership

ŠOŠTANJ - As the financial situation of the Šoštanj Thermal Power Plant (TEŠ) has worsened to the extent that the plant would have to file for receivership in 2025 without an intervention by the state, Energy Minister Bojan Kumer announced that an emergency bill is being drafted to address the issue. A temporary solution would limit the operations of the thermal division of the state-owned power utility HSE, which includes TEŠ and the Velenje coal mine, only to heating, and TEŠ and the mine would be managed directly by Slovenian Sovereign Holding. HSE welcomed the move, while the Chamber of Commerce and Industry said it would make Slovenia even more dependant on energy import. The Velenje municipality meanwhile stressed the importance of laws on coal-phase out and region restructuring.

TEŠ posts nearly EUR 46m loss last year

LJUBLJANA/ŠOŠTANJ - The Šoštanj Thermal Power Plant (TEŠ), which is part of the state-owned power utility HSE, posted a EUR 45.9 million net loss in 2023. Due to the poor financial situation at the company, which employed more than 300 workers at the end of last year, the government will step in to prevent TEŠ's receivership, a move that was announced on the same day as the release of HSE's annual report for 2023. TEŠ, which produces more than a quarter of electricity in Slovenia but has been struggling for a while now, generated EUR 478.70 million in revenue last year. It is estimated that the state spends some EUR 150 million annually on maintaining TEŠ and the coal mine.

Gregor Makuc new CEO of Lek

LJUBLJANA - Gregor Makuc took over as Lek's chief executive officer as the Slovenian pharmaceuticals company that is part of the group Sandoz adopted one-tier management. Robert Ljoljo, Lek's CEO until now and Sandoz Slovenia president until the end of September, is meanwhile leaving the company at the end of the month. A decision on a one-tier system was made by the shareholders at the end of August, and kicked in on 2 September. Lek said the change was necessary to optimise and streamline corporate governance and adjust it to other companies in the group.

A1 takes Telekom to court over alleged abuse of market position

LJUBLJANA - The mobile and telecommunications provider A1 has taken telecoms incumbent Telekom Slovenije to court over what it believes is abuse of dominant market position in landline wholesale telecommunication services, AI said. It filed the lawsuit with the Ljubljana District Court in late July, demanding EUR 33.7 million in damages. Unless Telekom Slovenije ceases its abuse of position, A1 will supplement its damage claim, the company added. Telekom Slovenije rejected A1's allegation, saying it remained one of the most regulated operators within the EU.

Trenta trial starts for Janša and two co-defendants

CELJE - A trial began at the District Court in Celje with opposition leader Janez Janša and two businessmen standing accused of shady deals involving a piece of land in the Trenta Valley and Janša's purchase of a flat in Ljubljana. The trial started after his July request for exclusion of the presiding judge and lay judges was denied. The indictment, which was read today, says that former Imos director Branko Kastelic, the main defendant, caused around EUR 110,000 in damage to Imos. Janša and Klemen Gantar, former Eurogradnje director, are accused of complicity. They all dismissed the allegations.

New Slovenia disappointed by tax changes

LJUBLJANA - The opposition New Slovenia (NSi) is disappointed by the government's proposal of tax changes, said NSi MP Jernej Vrtovec at a press conference in Ljubljana. "After two years and three months of this government we went from big promises to completely nothing," he said. The NSi wants the government to withdraw the bill and replace it with one that would reduce the tax burden on salaries. Because that will not happen, it is ready to take both legal and political measures to prevent the bill from coming into force. The ruling party Freedom Movement dismissed the criticism as populism.

Beverage industry protesting VAT increase for drinks with added sugar

LJUBLJANA - The Beverage Industry Association reiterated its protest against a bill raising VAT on sugary drinks with added sugar or sweeteners and energy drinks from 9.5% to 22%. "The proposal is unacceptable and harmful to the economy and consumers," they wrote, calling for its withdrawal. The association wrote that the proposal, adopted by the government last Friday as part of a planned series of tax changes, "is expected to increase the retail price of sugary drinks by 10-20 cents".

Slovenian police help dismantle intl. people smuggling ring

LJUBLJANA - A criminal ring smuggling migrants from Romania to Italy via Hungary and Slovenia has been dismantled in an international operation involving law enforcement authorities from several countries, including Slovenia. On an action day conducted on Monday across Romania, law enforcement authorities carried out a number of house searchers and detained 19 members of the network, Europol announced. The criminal group is suspected of having been involved in over 30 smuggling incidents since January 2023, illegally transporting at least 726 migrants across European borders.

Collection of signatures underway to challenge Ljubljana's Tivoli Park decision

LJUBLJANA - A campaign started in Ljubljana on Monday to collect signatures in support of a referendum in which a group of residents would like to challenge the city council's decision which allows public events to be held in five locations in the broader area of Tivoli Park, a nature reserve, without approval from the Institute for Natural Conservation. This comes after a recent controversy about a big pop concert that was initially meant to be held in Tivoli Park but was later moved to another location.

Over 50,000 Slovenians studied abroad via Erasmus+ in past decade

LJUBLJANA - The Erasmus+ student exchange scheme remains one of the most popular EU programmes in Slovenia. In the past decade, nearly 51,000 Slovenian students, adults in education, teachers and other staff have spent a period abroad with the help of the programme, according to data provided by the Centre for Mobility and European Education and Training Programmes. Spain has been the most popular destination for Slovenians, followed by Portugal and Germany.

Vilenica Literary Festival opening in Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - The 39th International Vilenica Literary Festival opened in Ljubljana, bringing together writers from Central Europe. The central theme this year is technological change and the question how human literature (still) is. The festival, which is being held in the Slovenian capital and the southwestern region of Kras, will open with the presentation of the Central European Initiative award for up-and-coming writers to Croatian poet, playwright and editor Monika Herceg.

New hope for glioblastoma treatment emerging in research in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - Researchers at the National Institute of Biology are exploring new avenues for more effective treatment of glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain cancer. Having discovered different biomarkers that could be used as drug targets, the team will present their groundbreaking findings at an international conference held from 4 to 6 September.