News roundup - Tuesday, 22 October, until 3pm

PM Golob meeting President Biden at White House

WASHINGTON, US - Prime Minister Robert Golob will meet US President Joe Biden at the White House today to discuss energy security, as well as a number of other issues, including the Western Balkans, the Middle East and Ukraine. Leading up to what will be the first visit to a US president by a Slovenian prime minister in 18 years, both sides have pointed to the largest prisoner swap between Russia and the West earlier this year, which involved two Russian spies imprisoned in Slovenia.

Slovenia warns war in Ukraine escalating

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia warned that the war in Ukraine is intensifying as the UN Security Council debated on Monday the situation in the region amidst intelligence reports that North Korea has sent troops to Russia to fight alongside the Russians in Ukraine. "We are witness to a surprising escalation of the war on multiple fronts. The number of civilian casualties is growing, critical civilian infrastructure is collapsing, vessels shipping Ukrainian grain are attacked," Žbogar said.

Global challenges discussed with heads of UN agencies

LJUBLJANA - The world would be a perfect place if every UN country respected the UN Charter, Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon told the 2nd Slovenian Humanitarian Forum, an event wrapping up the 12th Slovenian Development Days. In such a world, Slovenia wants to be a voice of reason, said Fajon. Through its action in the UN Security Council, it wants to show that multilateralism can play a role in ensuring security.

Krško 2 siting procedure launched

LJUBLJANA - Gen Energija, the state-owned power utility, has submitted a motion for a national spatial plan for Krško 2, kicking off a multi-stage siting process that will take several years. The motion, announced on Monday, has been submitted to the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy, which will then forward it to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning.

Velenje's city councillors say govt TEŠ plans a punishment for region

VELENJE - Velenje's city councillors voiced opposition to the government's proposal for a framework bill concerning the winding down of the country's biggest coal-fired power station, TEŠ, and the adjacent Velenje mine. As the councillors discussed last week's draft bill, which envisages EUR 833 million in state assistance to TEŠ until 2029, after which the plant's role will be mostly reduced to providing heating for the Šalek Valley, Velenje Mayor Peter Dermol spoke of a self-willed political decision that punishes the municipality and signals the closure of the Velenje mine.

Ljubljana city council revises budgets for 2024, 2025

LJUBLJANA - The Ljubljana city council revised the budgets for this year and next on Monday, largely to accommodate several major investments, including a new gas unit at the municipal co-generation plant and completion of the new Ilirija pool. For 2024, outlays are planned at EUR 510 million, down by EUR 37 million compared to the original budget. In 2025, expenditure will rise substantially, to EUR 571 million. In both years the city plans to borrow up to EUR 20 million to bridge the gap between revenue and expenditure.

Labour cost in Slovenia up 10% last year

LJUBLJANA - Average monthly labour costs per employee in Slovenia amounted to EUR 3,015 last year, up 9.7% from 2022, the latest statistics show. Labour costs were highest in electricity, gas and steam supply, at EUR 4,753, followed by the financial and insurance sector at EUR 4,409. They were the lowest in what the statisticians label as other service activities, at EUR 2,262. Workers'income made up 86.5% of the labour costs, the Statistics Office said.

August salary down from July, up annually

LJUBLJANA - Average gross salary in Slovenia was EUR 2,354 in August, down 1.1% and 0.9% in nominal and real terms, respectively, from July. Average net salary also dropped from July, by 0.9% and 0.7%, respectively, to EUR 1,495, the Statistics Office said. Compared to August 2023, salaries increased - average gross salary increased by 5.8% nominally and by 4.7% in real terms.

Growth in disposable income slows to 8.1% last year

LJUBLJANA - Disposable income per capita in Slovenia reached EUR 16,615 last year, an 8.1% increase compared to 2022. This growth was slightly lower than the previous year, when it stood at 10.0%. Net disposable income grew somewhat faster in Western Slovenia, which additionally widened regional disparities, the Statistics Office said.

Arčon visits Slovenian community in N Macedonia

SKOPJE, N Macedonia - Minister for Slovenians Abroad Matej Arčon ended a two-day visit to the Slovenian community in North Macedonia on Monday. He attended a ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of the France Prešeren Skopje Slovenian Association to honour the organisation for its contribution to efforts to preserve the Slovenian language and identity.

Muslims in Slovenia donate EUR 100,000 for flood victims in Bosnia

LJUBLJANA - The governing body of the Islamic Community in Slovenia has collected EUR 100,000 in donations for families in Bosnia-Herzegovina that were hit by severe floods in early October, the community said. Most of the Muslims in Slovenia are from Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Pharmacy Chamber warns about staff shortages

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia faces a serious lack of staff with a master's in pharmacy and pharmacy technicians, which puts at risk the accessibility and quality of health services. There is a shortage of several hundred pharmacists, said the Pharmacy Chamber, warning that if the authorities do not take action, some pharmacies may be forced to close.

Ljubljana grain silos to be replaced by affordable neighbourhood

LJUBLJANA - A ten-hectare plot on the edge of Ljubljana's BTC shopping district best known for its grain silos will be converted into an affordable mixed-use neighbourhood with a thousand apartments according to plans unveiled by property developer Boscarol today. The company had explored multiple options, including preserving the grain silos, but decided they could not be repurposed. The silos will be torn down by August next year.