News roundup - Tuesday, 10 September, until 3pm

EU Commission presentation postponed due to Slovenia's candidate change

BRUSSELS, Belgium - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen postponed the presentation of the new European Commission, planned for tomorrow, to 17 September, as Slovenia has not yet concluded the process of appointing its commissioner candidate yet, the Commission's chief spokesperson Eric Mamer said, adding that the Commission had been informed the Slovenian parliament will take a vote on the new candidate, Marta Kos, on Friday.

Industrial output up 0.3% in July year-on-year

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's industrial output increased by 0.3% in July year-on-year and total turnover in industry was up by 0.8%, the country's Statistics Office reported. In manufacturing, industrial output in July increased by 1.2%, while in mining and quarrying and in the electricity, gas and steam supply it decreased by 7.5% and 2.9% year-on-year, respectively.

Slovenian competition watchdog looking into food delivery services market

LJUBLJANA - The Competition Protection Agency (AVK) told the STA that it was looking into the market of online food delivery services as part of a market survey, denying a report by the news portal Necenzurirano that it was investigating the food delivery service platform Wolt. The agency said that certain circumstances on the market, including rigid prices, indicated that competition may be limited or distorted. The study was commissioned in late April, when food delivery service Glovo announced it would leave Slovenia, which it then did in May.

Conference in Portorož discussing future of nuclear energy

PORTOROŽ - Some 230 leading nuclear experts from 27 countries are in Portorož this week for Nuclear Energy for New Europe conference, discussing research, development and deployment of nuclear technologies, science-industry cooperation, and the importance and role of nuclear energy for a reliable and predictable supply of low-carbon electricity and heat. After the opening on Monday, Greenpeace staged a protest, warning that all issues related to the planned construction of a second reactor of the Krško Nuclear Power Plant must be resolved before the autumn referendum about a new generator.

Price of regular petrol down by 1.1 cents

LJUBLJANA - The price of regular petrol sold at service stations outside the Slovenian motorway network fell by 1.1 cents to EUR 1.475 per litre, while the prices of diesel and heating oil remained unchanged at EUR 1.519 and EUR 1.125, respectively. The new prices will apply until 23 September.

Anti-graft watchdog, business reps call for stronger integrity

LJUBLJANA - The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (KPK) and several business associations called on the state and society in general to strengthen integrity. They advocate for fair cooperation between businesses and the state by means of transparent transactions, leading by example, assuming responsibility and penalising violations.

Sacral heritage of Slovenian protestants in US finds new home in Prekmurje

MURSKA SOBOTA - Sacral but also some secular items Slovenian expats kept at their protestant church in Bethlehem in Pennsylvania, US, have been put on display at the Evangelical Lutheran Centre in Murska Sobota after being transferred to Slovenia because the community was forced to sell St John's Evangelical Lutheran Church last year. The initiative to bring the items to Slovenia was given by Evangelical Lutheran Bishop Leon Novak.

Slovenia beat Kazakhstan 3:0 to remain unbeaten in Nations League

LJUBLJANA - Following a 1:1 draw with Austria in their UEFA Nations League Group B3 opener last Friday, the Slovenia national men's football team beat Kazakhstan 3:0 on the wings of a hat-trick by striker Benjamin Šeško in Ljubljana's Stožice Stadium Monday evening.