News roundup - Wednesday, 6 November

Slovenian officials congratulate Trump

LJUBLJANA - President Nataša Pirc Musar, Prime Minister Robert Golob and National Assembly President Urška Klakočar Zupančič, as well as Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon extended their congratulations to Republican Donald Trump for his victory in the US presidential election. Pirc Musar, Golob and Fajon highlighted cooperation, while Klakočar Zupančič expressed the hope that Trump's decisions will contribute to a peaceful resolution of the crises in the Middle East, Ukraine and other parts of the world.

Politicians extend congratulations to Trump

LJUBLJANA - Heads of parliamentary parties congratulated the newly elected US President Donald Trump. The first to congratulate Trump was Democrats (SDS) head Janez Janša, who said that Slovenia was "next to make our streets safe, our economy strong and our people proud." New Slovenia (NSi) head Matej Tonin said the American people were "fed up with the radical left and their activism". While coalition Social Democrats (SD) congratulated Trump, the coalition Left did not, saying the result demonstrated a misguided approach by the Democrats.

Two Congressmen of Slovenian descent re-elected

MINNEAPOLIS/PHOENIX, US - As the Americans headed to the polls to not only to elect a new president but also members of Congress, Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat of Slovenian descent, has been re-elected for her fourth term as senator from Minnesota and far-right Republican Paul Gosar from Arizona has been re-elected to the House of Representatives.

Businesses worried about possible excessive protectionism of US

LJUBLJANA/BRDO PRI KRANJU - Representatives of businesses warned about possible excessive protectionism following Donald Trump's win in the US presidential election. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) finds it important that there are no measures that would result in production being moved to the US and that would be in conflict with the principles of free trade.

Trump brings uncertainty for US, Europe, the world, analysts say

LJUBLJANA - The issue of the economy has tipped the scales of the US presidential race in Republican Donald Trump's favour while Democrat Kamala Harris has proved a weak candidate, political scientist Blaž Vrečko Ilc said. Economist Rok Spruk meanwhile expressed concerns that Trump's election would bring nothing good for the economy while being worried about security policy as well.

PM says he has complete trust in finance minister

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Robert Golob has complete trust in Finance Minister Klemen Boštjančič, the prime minister's office told the STA after the opposition Democrats (SDS) said they would file a motion to oust the minister on Tuesday. Golob sees the ouster motion as an opportunity for Boštjančič to present his achievements, which are also recognised by international financial institutions, such as the International Monetary Fund, the prime minister's office said.

Committee approves changes to critical infrastructure act

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Defence Committee approved the changes to the Critical Infrastructure Act which transpose into Slovenia's legislation an EU directive to strengthen the resilience of critical infrastructure. The amendments aim to increase the number of critical infrastructure sectors from eight to eleven to strengthen security, said Defence Ministry State Secretary Damir Črnčec.

Parliamentary committee gives green light to changes to Local Elections Act

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Home Policy Committee approved the changes to the Local Election Act seeking to eliminate the unconstitutionality regarding electoral disputes and to make the organisation of local elections more simple and transparent. The committee adopted some amendments to the bill. The changes aim to implement the June 2020 decision of the Constitutional Court regarding access to legal remedy in case of electoral disputes, said Public Administration Ministry State Secretary Jure Trbič.

Parliament committee approves stricter ban on Nazi, Fascist symbols

LJUBLJANA - A proposal introducing a ban on the public display of Nazi, Fascist symbols received the green light at committee level in parliament. While the originally proposed fine was lowered from up to EUR 2,500 to between EUR 500 and EUR 1,000, the opposition failed to push through a proposal to expand the list to include Communism. The changes to the Protection of Public Order Act were first demanded by the Left, following a 7 June rally in Ljubljana by the so-called Slovenian Defence Guard.

Slovenia opposed to EU cohesion policy centralisation, minister says

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia is opposed to the plan for the centralisation of European cohesion policy on the model of the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, said Minister for Cohesion and Regional Development Aleksander Jevšek at a cohesion policy 2028-2034 event, adding that other "friends of cohesion" felt the same.

Culture minister promises more support for minority in Austria

KLAGENFURT, Austria - Culture Minister Asta Vrečko met representatives of cultural organisations of the Slovenian ethnic minority in the Austrian province of Carinthia to examine ways how the ministry could help the community financially and with systemic solutions. Addressing reporters in Klagenfurt after discussions with the Christian Cultural Association and the Slovenian Cultural Association, Vrečko praised cooperation with both organisations.

State to fund research into rare children's disease

LJUBLJANA - A case of a five-year-old boy Urban Miroševič, who has a congenital CTNNB1 gene mutation and whose mother initiated research to develop a therapy for treating the disorder and a high-profile fund-raising campaign to finance the project, has prompted the state to draft legislative changes that will allow the funding for the final stages of research of treatment for rare children's diseases.

Business club wants provinces as booster of economic environment

BRDO PRI KRANJU - The Slovenian Business Club (SBC) believes that provinces should be introduced in Slovenia at an administrative level in order to improve the business environment. Proposals on how these administrative divisions should work and how they should be distributed will be made as part of an upcoming strategy, SBC president Joc Pečečnik announced.

Number of jobless up in October

LJUBLJANA - The number of people registered as unemployed with the country's Employment Service increased by 3.7% to 45,463 at the end of October compared to September but decreased by 3.7% over October last year. The monthly increase was expected, as more first-time jobseekers usually register as jobless in October after completing their studies. As many as 7,217 newly registered as unemployed, a rise of 35.7% over September and 4.4% more than in October 2023.

No interest for 80% stake in steel mill Štore Steel

LJUBLJANA - A consortium of owners holding a combined 80% stake in Štore Steel is trying to sell their stakes in what is one of the largest steel mills in the country, but apparently there is no interest as the latest attempt to sell has failed. The stake is comprised of shares owned by the four largest owners: the Zreče-based tool maker Unior, which holds 29%, Železar Štore, which owns more than 20%, and Kovintrade and Dinos, which own around 15% each. Reportedly the SIJ steel group submitted the highest of seven bids, offering EUR 70 million, but withdrew the bid shortly before the deadline for binding offers.

Ljubljana central market overhaul finally on track

LJUBLJANA - Nearly two decades after Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković promised to renovate the city's central market before being elected for the first time in 2006, the municipality has finally acquired all the necessary approvals needed for a construction permit for the project was scaled down. Janković said on Tuesday he expected the permit to be issued by the end of the year, but did not reveal the estimated cost.

Man gets seven years in prison for killing his partner in the street

LJUBLJANA - A 46-year-old man was sentenced on Tuesday to seven years in prison for killing his partner, the newspaper Dnevnik reported. Slobodan Bogdanović stabbed the 44-year-old woman several times in July in the street in Ljubljana's Vič borough, causing her wounds so severe that she died on the spot. Bogdanović regretted the act, asking judge Neva Bizjak for a shorter sentence than the seven years the prosecutor proposed when he confessed to the crime.

Half of 28 drug ring defendants plead guilty, get prison

LJUBLJANA - Half of the total of 28 defendants arrested by the police last year over drug trafficking charges have entered plea agreements with the prosecution and have been given sentences of up to five years and seven months in prison. Only one suspect who admitted guilt has been given a suspended sentence, Večer reported about a case that dates back to January 2023, when the police arrested several suspected drug dealers in the Ljubljana and Gorenjska areas.