News roundup - Saturday, 19 October

Tonin re-elected NSi head for another two years

ŠKOFJA LOKA - Matej Tonin was re-elected for his fourth consecutive term at the helm of the opposition party New Slovenia (NSi) at a party congress. NSi also expressed support for a new reactor at the Krško power plant and called for an early election that would result in a stable centre-right government to take over from what it sees as an ineffective and incompetent government.

Kaloh third MP to leave SDS

LJUBLJANA - Dejan Kaloh, an MP for the opposition Democrats (SDS), announced he was leaving the party. Coming on the heels of resignations by MPs Anže Logar and Eva Irgl, the move was not unexpected. Kaloh said that the final straw was the fact that the Maribor local committee, which he had previously chaired, had recently discussed ousting him from the party. He did not say whether he would leave the SDS deputy group, but he did indicate he would be involved in the party Logar plans to establish before the end of the year.

Ceremony marks start of Ljubljana rail hub upgrade

LJUBLJANA - A plaque was unveiled at the Ljubljana train station to mark the start of construction of a new, EUR 244 million, passenger centre that is to open in two years. Prime Minister Robert Golob said that the significance of the centre extended beyond Slovenia's borders because it sits at a crossroads of key European rail corridors. Jerneja Jug Jerše, the head of the European Commission representation in Slovenia, said this was the largest project funded by the Recovery and Resilience Facility in Slovenia.

Environmental protection spending up 9% to EUR 698m in 2022

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia increased total expenditure for environmental protection by 9% on an annual basis in 2022 to EUR 697.7 million, which is 1.2% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). The value of performed environmental protection services was 15.5% higher at EUR 550.8 million, the Statistics Office said. State expenditure for environmental protection in 2022 amounted to EUR 325.5 million, which is 26.2% more than in 2021.