News roundup - Thursday, 7 November

Slovenia's commissioner-designate Marta Kos passes hearing in EU Parliament

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Slovenia's candidate for EU commissioner for enlargement Marta Kos received the green light from the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs following today's hearing, Renew, the political group she belongs to, confirmed for the STA. In her first response, given before the news of the committee's go-ahead, Kos described the hearing as productive. During the presentation she said a bigger and reformed EU was a strategic imperative and deemed support for Ukraine as an absolute priority. Many questions from MEPs that followed pertained to Ukraine and Russia. She also faced accusations of having been a collaborator of the Yugoslav secret police, which she denied several times.

EIB sees great potential for further investments in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - The European Investment Bank (EIB) sees great potential for further investments in Slovenia, EIB president Nadia Calvino said after meeting Finance Minister Klemen Boštjančič. The range of Slovenian projects under consideration is vast and includes areas such as transport, energy infrastructure and support to business. "We are willing to support the government with financial means and the technical know-how needed for the construction of 20,000 affordable and non-profit flats, which the government plans in the upcoming years," Calvino said.

NLB group's net profit up 10% to EUR 427.5m in Jan-Sep

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's largest bank NLB posted a net profit of EUR 427.5 million in the first nine months of the year, up 10% from the same period last year, mainly as a result of favourable economic conditions and high interest rates, the NLB group said in a statement. Its income before impairments and provisions reached EUR 500.3 million, up 14% from the same nine months in 2023. Net revenue from interest increased by 15% from the same period last year, driven by a strong combination of volume and margin growth.

Žbogar urges South Sudan govt to move forward with elections

NEW YORK, US - Ambassador Samuel Žbogar strongly urged the government of South Sudan at a UN Security Council session that discussed the situation in the country to make concrete progress and ensure transparent preparations for credible elections.
As the term of the transitional government was extended again this September for another two years, Žbogar said that "we regret the decision to further extend the transitional period and call on the government and all parties to use this time constructively to fully implement the renewed peace agreement." He also expressed support for the UN mission in South Sudan.

Invite to Chinese president latest cause of bad blood between PM and president

LJUBLJANA - President Nataša Pirc Musar has allegedly caused upset at the prime minister's office by inviting her Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to visit Slovenia without consulting the government beforehand in an episode that comes amid recurring media reports about bad blood between her and PM Robert Golob. The gossip news site Požareport was the first to report that Pirc Musar invited the Chinese president to visit Slovenia without having consulted other foreign policy decision-makers, while the news portal N1 reported this caused quite some ill feeling among the government ranks.

Golob not to attend leaders' summit at COP29 in Baku

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia will not have a senior representative at the World Leaders Climate Action Summit as part of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, which will take place at the beginning of next week. Contrary to the initial plans, Prime Minister Robert Golob will not attend the summit due to other commitments, the prime minister's office confirmed for the STA. Last year, Slovenia was represented at the main plenary session of the world leaders by President Nataša Pirc Musar, who at the time of the leaders' summit will attend the 8th Paris Peace Forum.

Committee approves bill to ensure healthcare quality

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Health Committee approved late on Wednesday a bill on ensuring quality in healthcare. MPs were largely in favour of the bill but proposed some amendments, which were also approved. The bill would create a public agency for quality in healthcare to ensure the development of the quality management system in healthcare and to monitor the progress in meeting the principles of quality healthcare, Health Minister Valentina Prevolnik Rupel told the committee.

New bill to require vendors to offer electronic payment options

LJUBLJANA - The Finance Ministry sent into one-month public consultation a bill on electronic payment methods which would require most providers of goods and services to accept at least one electronic means of payment in physical stores and online. Under the bill, electronic payment methods include payment cards, credit payments, instant credit payments, direct debit, electronic money and other electronic payment methods that enable non-cash payments. Goods and services providers will have to clearly inform consumers about the possibility to pay with electronic payment methods.

Emonika commercial hub to come to life in 2027

LJUBLJANA - The Emonika commercial hub in the future Ljubljana Passenger Centre is expected to come to life in 2027, investor Mendota Invest said at the presentation of the project. The commercial hub will include retail space, two hotels, business premises and apartments and is currently the largest private real estate project in the country. Mendota Invest is part of the OTP group, whose real estate funds manage more than 550,000 m2 of commercial property in Slovenia worth more than EUR 1.5 billion, said Mendota Invest director Dora Kenez.

Šoštanj councillors not opposed to TEŠ emergency bill

ŠOŠTANJ - Šoštanj municipal councillors discussed a draft bill turning loss-making TEŠ from a full-fledged coal-fired power station to a provider of district heating for the Šalek Valley at a meeting. The councillors are not opposed to the new legislation if the government includes in it their proposals. They want the government to respect the commitments to just transition as set down in the national strategy for a coal phase-out and the restructuring of coal regions.

Second trade union at Pošta Slovenije joining announced strike

LJUBLJANA - The Trade Union of Transport Workers (SDPZ) announced it will join the strike called by the Postal Workers' Trade Union (SPD) at the national postal company Pošta Slovenije for 22 November. The SDPZ's demands closely align with those of the SPD, including a request for state co-funding of the company's non-profitable public service. The SDPZ considers the situation at Pošta Slovenije to be critical, with time running out to address escalating issues, the SDPZ's Majda Stubelj told the STA.

Govt adopts zoning plan for wind farm near Dravograd despite local opposition

LJUBLJANA - The government decided to push ahead with plans for a three-turbine wind farm near Dravograd in the north of the country despite continuing opposition from locals. It adopted a national zoning plan for the farm, which estimates suggest could allow the 19.8 megawatts facility to be ready at the beginning of 2028. The zoning documents for the Ojstrica farm north of Dravograd - plans for which were already scaled down from eight to three turbines years ago over concerns about the impact on the capercaillie bird population - were adopted in line with due procedure, the government said.

Cimos workers on strike, want information on future of company

SENOŽEČE - After a two-hour token strike in September, the workers at the Koper-based car part supplier Cimos initiated a 24-hour strike, with regional steel industry trade union SKEI president Aleš Hoge saying that no progress towards a social dialogue has been made since September, while workers are also demanding information on the future of the company. The workers demand the management immediately revoke its decision to cancel a collective bargaining agreement and equalise the lowest base pay with minimum wage by the end of 2024.

Slovenia to donate another half a million euros to people in Gaza

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia will send a new aid package of food and sanitation supplies, worth an estimated EUR 532,500, to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the government announced. The aid will be transported by an allied Boeing C-17 Globemaster III aircraft, expectedly in the first half of the month, and picked up in Amman by the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation. The government also instructed the Defence Ministry to examine the possibility of deploying an army helicopter to transport the aid, if a humanitarian airlift between Jordan and Gaza is established when the security situation permits.

Govt allocates EUR 2.8m to help wheat growers

LJUBLJANA - The government issued a decree providing EUR 2.8 million in financial aid for wheat growers for 2023 to help them cope with high production costs and low farm-gate prices, the Agriculture Ministry said. Wheat growers faced increased costs last year compared to 2022, mainly due to the rising prices of seed and plant protection products. According to model calculations by the Agricultural Institute, wheat production costs (lowered by the amount of direct payment subsidies) rose from EUR 250 per tonne in 2022 to EUR 282 per tonne in 2023. The compensation per hectare of wheat will be EUR 115.

Slovenia and Luxembourg to divide EUR 6.4m seized in Tušmobil case

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia and Luxembourg will divide 50/50 the EUR 6.4 million in assets that was confiscated in a criminal procedure against Mirko and Tanja Tuš over abuse of office and money laundering in connection to the transfer of Tušmobil brands, the government said. The agreement on the division of assets was made based on a ruling of the Celje District Court from June 2022 and the ruling of the Celje Higher Court from May 2023. The Celje District Court issued the decision in line with the EU rules, which was confirmed by the prosecutor's office in Luxembourg, which enforced the decision.

Five bridges will have to be built in tunnels on Divača-Koper track

ČRNI KAL - Five bridges will have to be built in the tunnels dug for the new Divača-Koper railway line because of karst caves. The construction will be very challenging due to specific conditions in the tunnels, 2TDK, the company in charge of building the rail connection, said. This is a unique case that surpasses standard engineering practice and sets new milestones in underground construction, it said, adding that the setback will delay the work for a month or two. Otherwise, the work on the Divača-Koper railway link is proceeding as planned, said 2TDK director general Matej Oset.

Celje hospital postpones heart surgery programme

CELJE - The Celje hospital postponed its first open-heart surgery scheduled for Friday as it is expecting representatives from the Health Ministry to visit the cardiac surgery department next week, the hospital told the STA. The hospital launched its cardiac surgery department on Monday and was supposed to have its first surgery on Friday, but the newspaper Dnevnik reported recently that the ministry expected the hospital to hold off on surgeries until its representatives could visit the surgery department. The hospital has now postponed its first surgery indefinitely.

Duol and Kolektor Etra declared companies of the year by Delo

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Publisher Delo handed out its Business Star award for the company of the year to the air dome maker Duol in the SME category and to the power transformer producer Kolektor Etra in the large company category. The Kamnik-based Duol generated a record profit of EUR 14 million last year, up almost 40% compared to the year before, while the Ljubljana-based Kolektor Etra increased its turnover by more than a quarter to EUR 228 million last year on the wave of the green transition, the award jury said. The companies Skitti and Intersocks were meanwhile picked as the readers' favourites.

Over 180 ancient Roman graves found at Emonika site

LJUBLJANA - Archaeologists have discovered 183 graves from the times of Emona, the ancient Roman city, at a site practically in the Ljubljana city centre where the Emonika commercial hub will be built next to the new main train station in Ljubljana. Part of a Roman road and some WWII finds have also been unearthed as part of an archaeological dig, head of excavations Matej Draksler told the press. The archaeologists documented objects from when the railway station was built in Ljubljana, and structures associated with the Italians consolidating their positions during WWII, when Ljubljana was occupied by Italy.

Roš Stojan wins title of best woman chef in the world

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Slovenian star chef Ana Roš Stojan, whose Hiša Franko is the only Slovenian restaurant with three Michelin stars, has been declared the best woman chef in the world at this year's The Best Chef Awards event in Dubai, the web portal The National reported. The prestigious title for Roš Stojan comes after she last year made it among the top three of the world's chefs list compiled by The Best Chef Awards. The best woman chef in the world runs the kitchen at Hiša Franko restaurant near Kobarid in the northwest, which ranks 32nd on the list of 50 best restaurants in the world.

Festival to explore speculation, decay as artistic processes

LJUBLJANA - Pixxelpoint, an international festival of contemporary arts involving new media, will get under way in the border city of Nova Gorica this evening, with the latest edition of the festival held under the title Speculation and Decay. The main art exhibition of the festival features ten artists and collectives from five European countries, said the exhibition curator Maja Burja.

Project to promote theatre in small European languages launched

KRANJ - Eight theatres or theatre agencies from Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Malta, Estonia, Kosovo and the Basque Country and Catalonia in Spain have joined forces in an EU-funded project to promote plays written in or productions staged in languages that are spoken by no more than a few million people. The two-year Drama of Small European Languages (DoSEL) project will result in 24 first translations of plays written in the languages of the participating partners into a major European language and another small European language. The partner from Slovenia is the Prešeren Theatre in Kranj.