News roundup - Sunday, 17 November

Plane crash kills at least three in NE Slovenia

BELTINCI - At least three people were killed as a small plane crashed in fog in the Beltinci municipality in the northeastern region of Prekmurje just before noon. Police are yet to establish how many people were on board, everyone on board died. The plane took off from Maribor airport at 11:20am and crashed in the Gančani village area shortly before noon, Robert Roudi of the Murska Sobota Police Department told reporters. The investigation to determine the circumstances and cause of the accident is ongoing. Media have reported that four people were registered for the flight but one of them did not in fact come.

Budget documents ready for final passage

LJUBLJANA - All budget documents are ready for passage at the plenary session of parliament next week after the Finance Committee endorsed on Saturday the revised budget proposal for 2025 and the budget implementation bill for 2025 in 2026. It confirmed the 2026 budget proposal last month. Projected expenditure in 2025 is being raised by 8% to EUR 17.1 billion with the budget deficit projected to amount to 2.6% of GDP. Meanwhile, the 2025-2026 budget implementation bill brings more funds for local government, a higher annual allowance for pensioners, full indexation of income tax brackets and caps state borrowing and guarantees.

More growth companies in Slovenia over past five years

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia has seen an increase in the number growth companies in the most recent period. Between 2019 and 2023 their number rose by 6.6% over the previous period to 3,277. Fourteen of those companies have been posting high growth for 13 years, while 834 made the list for the first time. The list is compiled by AJPES, the agency for public legal records, every year for the past five years. The latest survey, for the period between 2019 and 2023, included 122,280 companies and sole proprietors and 2.7% met criteria for growth companies. In the 2018-2022 period 3,074 subjects or 2.6% of all qualified as growth companies.

Terme Olimia seeing solid growth

PODČETRTEK - Spa company Terme Olimia generated EUR 33 million in sales revenue last year, up 15% over the year before, as net profit soared by 63% to 4.2 million. They expect further growth this year. Owned by the state, Terme Olimia operates the eponymous spa in Podčetrtek in eastern Slovenia and the Terme Tuhelj across the border in Croatia. It employs some 340 people. Vasja Čretnik, director of sales and marketing, said the company expects even higher sales revenue this year, trumping last year's by 6%.

Avsenik Brothers Ensemble descendant to promote Alpine tourism

BEGUNJE NA GORENJSKEM - The ensemble of a grandson of one of the famous Avsenik brothers will help promote the Julian Alps community of Alpine tourism destinations, which generate almost 30% of tourism turnover in Slovenia. The Sašo Avsenik Ensemble, who play in the popular style invented by the original Avsenik Brothers Ensemble, will promote the beauties of the region and the country's rich musical heritage at concerts at home and abroad and participate in promotion and advertising campaigns.

Slovenia face relegation playoffs after a tie in Vienna

VIENNA, Austria - Slovenia drew with Austria 1:1 in the final game of the UEFA Nations League in Vienna to finish third in Group 3 in B League to head for the relegation playoffs in March. Romano Schmid scored for Austria in the 27th minute and Adam Gnezda Čerin equalised in the 81st. Promotion and relegation playoff pairings will be determined in a draw in Nyon, Switzerland on Friday.