News roundup - Friday, 6 September, until 3pm

Committee dismisses appeals to speed up post-flood reconstruction

LJUBLJANA - The Infrastructure Committee voted down on Thursday evening a motion calling on the government to speed up post-flood reconstruction, as opposition MPs accused the government of inefficiency and the coalition retorted that the opposition was cherry-picking the data. The SDS wanted to call on the government to speed up various administrative procedures, including zoning and the issuance of building permits, arguing that more than a year after the floods too little has been done. Both coalition MPs and government officials dismissed the claims saying that a lot had been done and more measures were coming.

Suicide rate in Slovenia in decline

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's suicide rate, measured as the number of suicides per 100,000 people, dropped to 16.96 last year, the lowest in the last decade. The rate fluctuated in 2014-2023 but a declining trend has been recorded in recent years and the rate has stabilised in the last three years, show data released ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day. "The data is certainly encouraging for further work on suicide prevention, which remains a task for the whole society and something that needs to be addressed throughout the year," psychologist Saška Roškar from the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) said.

German MPs visit Slovenia to discuss economic cooperation

LJUBLJANA - A delegation of the Committee on Economic Affairs of the German parliament paid a visit to Slovenia this week to meet with Economy Minister Matjaž Han and the Slovenian parliamentary Economy Committee. In focus of the talks were the strengthening of European competitiveness and opportunities to improve bilateral trade relations. Strengthening European competitiveness is a shared priority for Germany and Slovenia, the German Embassy in Slovenia said on the occasion.

Slovenian-led research in biofabrication architecture wins EU funding

IZOLA - Anna Sandak, deputy director of the InnoRenew research institute and a University of Primorska professor, has secured funding from the European Innovation Council (EIC) for her Remedy project, which seeks to develop engineered living materials and biofabrication processes for personalised, sustainable architecture. She has become the first scientist in Slovenia to receive funding as part of the EIC's Pathfinder programme, the Izola-based institute said in a press release. Remedy was chosen in the 2024 Pathfinder call, worth EUR 138 million in total, as one of the 45 projects winning funds among 1,110 applications.

Camping sites around Slovenia mostly happy with summer season

PIRAN - Campsite operators around Slovenia are mostly happy with the past summer season. Fewer guests than last year were recorded only on the coast in the early summer, while the Kolpa River in the southeast is becoming increasingly popular, although it retains its reputation of a quiet destination of sustainable tourism. On the coast, tourist numbers at camping sites were slightly lower in June and July year-on-year, but the August numbers should be comparable to last year.

Talent centre being launched in Murska Sobota

MURSKA SOBOTA - A plan to set up Talent Centre Slovenia, an incubator for career guidance for young people and adults who want to adapt to new trends on the labour market, was agreed on Thursday in Murska Sobota, a town in the far northeast of the country which has traditionally struggled with high unemployment rates. The aim is to help address the challenge of finding skilled workers in the Pomurje region and beyond, wrote representatives of the local authorities after signing a letter of intent with the chambers of commerce and small business.

Ship with explosives for Israel allegedly en route to Koper

KOPER - The MV Kathrin, a cargo ship en route to the Slovenian port of Koper is allegedly carrying explosives intended for Israel, a pro-Palestinian group said. It is currently sailing north along the west coast of Africa and was denied entry into Namibia's main port in late August due to the explosives onboard. Documents seen by Windhoek Observer, Namibia's largest newspaper, state that the ship is carrying 60 tonnes of TNT and eight crates of RDS, substances used as explosives. Slovenian Maritime Authority director Jadran Klinec told the STA that the ship had not submitted a notification about arriving in Koper.

Kamnik celebrating national costumes and clothing heritage

KAMNIK - The Days of National Costumes and Clothing Heritage, one of the biggest heritage festivals in the country, is getting underway in Kamnik. The programme will start with a promenade concert by the Kamnik Town Band accompanied by the local majorettes troupe. Throughout the evening and the weekend, there will be performances by various ensembles and folklore groups, including from Macedonia and Slovakia. The event will conclude on Sunday with a traditional procession of national costumes in the medieval town centre, featuring 2,000 participants from Slovenia and abroad.

New season starts for film buffs at Slovenian Cinematheque

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Cinematheque will offer several retrospectives in its new season that is opening in September, including on Slovenian director Matjaž Klopčič, Ukrainian film-maker Kira Muratova and Greek-French auteur Costa Gavras, Cinematheque representatives announced. As the late Slovenian film-maker Klopčič would have celebrated his 90th birthday in December, the Cinematheque will honour him with film screenings, exhibitions, podcasts and other events.