News roundup - Wednesday, 2 October

Slovenia condemns latest escalation in Middle East

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia has condemned the latest escalation in the Middle East after Iran launched missiles into Israel in retaliation for the killing of senior Hezbollah, Hamas and Iranian officials. The Foreign Ministry said on X that the continuing escalation is becoming "dangerously volatile and can only lead to destruction and catastrophe. A ceasefire is urgent and critical to protect civilians. We repeat our call for restraint from all parties involved."

Slovenian citizens advised to leave Iran

LJUBLJANA - The Foreign Ministry has issued a travel advisory for Iran urging all citizens currently in the country to leave. It also advises against any travel to Iran, as well as other risk areas in the region, specifically Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and the border areas of Jordan.

Committee approves 24 November as Krško 2 referendum date

LJUBLJANA - The relevant parliamentary committee approved in a bi-partisan vote the government's proposal that a consultative referendum at which voters will decide whether a new unit at the Krško nuclear power station would be constructed be held on 24 November. The debate revolved around interpretations of the referendum question. The Infrastructure, Environment and Spatial Planning Committee approved the proposal with 12 votes in favour, with the only two votes against coming from Matej T. Vatovec of the coalition Left and Miroslav Gregorič of the ruling Freedom Movement.

SDS wants to exempt pensioners from long-term care contribution

LJUBLJANA - The Democrats (SDS) tabled a bill that would exempt pensioners from the forthcoming mandatory contribution for long-term care. "It is not right that those with the lowest incomes carry the burden of unnecessary taxes and contributions," the opposition party's MP Zvone Černač told the press. The SDS-led government had passed a bill on long-term care without a special contribution, but the legislation was changed by the current government, which added provisions on a mandatory contribution to finance long-term care services.

Report: Govt office presses charges over hostile comment on X

LJUBLJANA - The Government Communication Office (UKOM) has pressed charges over public incitement of hatred, violence and intolerance in a comment under a government post on X about an interview given by Prime Minister Robert Golob. UKOM filed the criminal charges at the Ljubljana District State Prosecutor's Office against an X user who posts under the handle Marko Zidar, who wished for violence against a "kindergarten of children" in the comment, saying that this would "sober up the people", web portal N1 has reported.

Analyst says Iran unlikely seeking to escalate conflict

LJUBLJANA - Despite the recent attack on Israel, it is unlikely that Iran is looking to escalate the conflict further, regional expert Fin Lucu Dražovič assessed for the STA. He argued that Iran's missile strike was more symbolic than strategic and aimed primarily at maintaining its image as the last major Muslim state willing to stand up to Israel. Dražovič feels that even though the intensity of Tuesday's attack was notable, it should be seen, much like April's attack, more as a symbolic gesture than a real attempt to inflict substantial material damage.

Slovenians to travel visa-free to China as of 15 October

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian citizens will not need a visa when staying in China for up to 15 days in the period between 15 October this year and 31 December 2025, the Foreign Ministry said. This will include private, tourist, transit and business travel. Visas will still be needed for longer stays.

50 Ukrainian children ending 12-day vacation in Slovenia

STRUNJAN - The Slovenian Caritas and the Foreign Ministry enabled 50 Ukrainian children to spend a 12-day vacation in the coastal town of Strunjan. The was carried out by the Slovenian Caritas to help Ukraine. What the children have in common is that their fathers are fighting on the front, and some of them have even lost their parents in the war. During their 12-day vacation, which was based in Strunjan on the Slovenian coast, the hosts wanted to enable the children to have a carefree childhood again at least for a little while, and organised a variety of activities.

GEN-I builds its second biggest solar plant in N Macedonia

SKOPJE, N Macedonia - GEN-I, a Slovenian electricity group, has launched a 12 megawatt solar power plant in Kavadarci, which will generate up to 15,500 megawatt hours of energy annually. Their second biggest solar plant in North Macedonia will contribute to the decarbonisation of the energy system, GEN-I said.

Sports hall roof collapses in Maribor, none injured

MARIBOR - A large part a school sports hall roof in Maribor collapsed, the newspaper Večer reported. The facility is part of the Catholic Anton Martin Slomšek Institute. No one was injured in the incident, the Maribor police said, adding that the first damage estimates are at around EUR 500,000. "What we can say at the moment is that there were no deaths which is practically a miracle because the sports hall is full from morning until night," the headteacher of the Anton Martin Slomšek secondary school Samo Repolusk told Večer. There were some children nearby but not where the roof collapsed, he added.

Tone Stojko's theatre photos put on show in Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - A selection of photos of theatre productions and actors taken by Tone Stojko, one of the most acclaimed Slovenian photographers, will be put on show at the Slovenian Theatre Institute (Slogi) this evening. After the opening event, Stojko and Jakopič Gallery head Marija Skočir will discuss links between theatre and photography. Stojko's body of photos also features portraits of celebrities such as film director Alfred Hitchcock, musician John Lennon, artist Yoko Ono and singer Tina Turner, but he is best known for his photojournalistic work.

Slovenian beekeeping presented in China

Sjan, China - The Slovenian Ethnographic Museum's (SEM) travelling exhibition on the history of Slovenian beekeeping has been put on show in China, bringing nearly 70 items to the Museum of Fine Arts in Xi'an in the province of Shaanxi, including 60 beehive panels with various folk motifs painted on them. The show opened on Monday and will be on until March.

Festival merging design and philosophy back in town

LJUBLJANA - The Indigo festival started with talks, presentations, music performances and DJ sets at the Cukrarna Gallery. Providing a platform for contemporary trends in the arts, culture, design and philosophy, the festival runs until Friday. The festival will feature talks between Slovenian philosopher Mladen Dolar and French philosopher and musicologist Peter Szendy, as well as a discussion between star philosopher Slavoj Žižek and Labour Minister Luka Mesec, former leader of the Left.

Slovenian woman climbers set four new routes in Himalayas

LJUBLJANA - A team of four Slovenian woman climbers have climbed a combined four new routes in the mountains above the Lalung Valley in the Indian Himalayas. Standing out in terms of length and difficulty is the 2,000-metre route Here Comes the Sun on the eastern ridge of the previously unclimbed peak Lalung I (6,243 m).

Missing American hiker found dead

KRANJ - An American hiker who went missing in the Slovenian Alps on 14 September has been found dead below Mount Erjavec, the Kranj Police Department said. It appears the 33-year-old plunged to his death in what is believed to have been an accident, the police said. A search and rescue mission was launched on 15 September after the man, who planned to climb Mount Triglav solo, did not return to the valley.

Murska Sobota library hosts literary evening with Roma authors

MURSKA SOBOTA - The Murska Sobota Regional Library hosted on Tuesday a literary evening with Sandi Horvat and Marcel Baranja, who presented their new books while shedding light on Roma literary creativity while speaking about their experiences, challenges and cultural identity. In Beli Rom (A White Roma), Horvat describes his growing up after he happened to learn at the age of 13 during a family conversation that his father and thus himself are Roma. Baranja presented his debut collection of poems, Tvoj Ciganski Obraz Bledi (Your Gypsy Face Is Fading), a result of his personal experiences and reflections as he describes his growing up in a Roma village.

Celje start UEFA Conference League with loss against Vitoria Guimaraes

GUIMARAES, Portugal - Slovenian football champions Celje began their UEFA Conference League campaign with a 1:3 (0:2) away defeat against Portugal's Vitoria Guimaraes. Celje, managed by Spanish coach Albert Riera, will play their second group match on 24 October, when they host Istanbul Basaksehir.