News roundup - Tuesday, 22 October

Golob, Biden discuss many topics, including Middle East and nuclear

WASHINGTON, US - Prime Minister Robert Golob met US President Joe Biden at the White House. They touched on a number of topics in what Golob described as a long and honest meeting, including the Middle East and the possible cooperation of the US company Westinghouse on the nuclear reactor planned by Slovenia. Biden once again thanked Slovenia for its contribution to a large prisoner swap between Russia and the West this summer and for its aid to Ukraine. Golob said that the meeting was an expression of trust and friendship built in preparations for the prisoner exchange.

Parliament to call off Krško 2 referendum

LJUBLJANA - National Assembly President Urška Klakočar Zupančič presented a procedural roadmap to call off the consultative referendum on a second unit at the Krško nuclear power station after parliamentary parties agreed to cancel the 24 November popular vote. The move to finalise this in parliament is expected on Thursday. Political commentator Tanja Starič assessed for the STA that the decision was an "unprecedented referendum fiasco" that further undermines the trust in politics and state institutions. Meanwhile, anti-nuclear NGOs demanded that key documents related to Krško 2 be revoked and several MPs as well as a state secretary resign due to revelations that parties in parliament passed a resolution on the peaceful use of nuclear energy knowing that it effectively cancels out the Krško 2 referendum.

IMF downgrades Slovenia's GDP growth for 2024

WASHINGTON, US - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) downgraded Slovenia's GDP growth forecast, projecting that it will expand by 1.5% this year, down half a point from its original forecast, before bouncing back to 2.6% growth in 2025, 0.1 points more than forecast in spring. The IMF predicts that annual consumer price growth will be at 2% this year and accelerate to 2.7% in 2025.

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.

Slovenia endorses resolutions on CAP after 2027

LUXEMBOURG - The EU ministers in charge of agriculture, including Slovenia's Mateja Čalušić, endorsed resolutions on the common agricultural policy (CAP) after 2027. Čalušić, who also met with European Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski, said she was happy with the resolutions supported by 26 member states.

Govt and unions initial collective agreement for public sector

LJUBLJANA - As part of the ongoing talks on EUR 1.3 billion worth public sector wage reform, the representatives of the government and trade unions initialled a collective bargaining agreement for the public sector before they plan to sign it by 15 November alongside a general wage agreement and sectoral collective agreements. The bill is on the parliament's agenda on Thursday, and should kick in on 1 January 2025.

SDS announces boycott of National Assembly president

LJUBLJANA - The deputies of the Democrats (SDS) said they will no longer attend sessions of the college of deputy group leaders, which are chaired by National Assembly President Urška Klakočar Zupančič. She has been accused of disregarding the rules of procedure and abusing her office. A dismissal motion is also a possibility, the party said.

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.

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.

Ombudsman worried over govt dismissing his recommendations

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly discussed Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina's report for 2023. He is concerned that the government has dismissed more than two dozen recommendations by his office, but what worries him especially is that most of those concern welfare state systems and vulnerable groups. MPs heard that the government disagreed with and hence dismissed two new recommendations and as many as 24 from previous years.

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.

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. Moreover, EUR 30,000 have been collected for Palestinian children being treated at Ljubljana's Soča rehabilitation centre.

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.

Top picture book award goes to Majda Koren, Ana Maraž

LJUBLJANA - The winners of this year's Kristina Brenk Award for the best original Slovenian picture book are author Majda Koren and illustrator Ana Maraž for their book Protideževna juha (Rainproof Soup). Rainproof Soup, published by KUD Sodobnost, is described as a conceptual work, teaching children through illustrations how to perceive moods and emotions, while also helping them recognise shapes of numbers, their sequences, and their relation to quantity.

Postdoctoral researchers to delve into quantum technologies as part of SQUASH

LJUBLJANA - The Jožef Stefan Institute (IJS) presented a EUR 11.5 million project that aims to attract top researchers in quantum science and technology. SQUASH - Slovenian Quantum Science Hub will recruit 40 postdoctoral researchers from around the globe while the IJS hopes it will also improve its research excellence and competitive edge.

European Capital of Culture to feature over 400 event, four highlights

NOVA GORICA - The Slovenian and Italian cities of Nova Gorica and Gorizia will offer more than 400 events as they jointly become the European Capital of Culture for roughly a year on 8 February 2025, featuring artistic, culinary and sports events. Numerous events are already taking place this year as an interlude to the series of events that will culminate on both sides of the Slovenian-Italian border next year.

Cocaine diver gets eight years in prison

KOPER - An Albanian was sentenced to eight years in prison by the Koper District Court after pleading guilty of attempting to retrieve a 260 kilo shipment of cocaine from a ship docked at Koper port in March. The second defendant, a Brazilian citizen pleaded not guilty and will face trial in December.