Weekly review of events involving Slovenia, 15-21 November

FRIDAY, 15 November

LJUBLJANA - After almost two years of talks, the government and public sector unions signed collective agreements and accords that finalise the biggest overhaul of the public sector pay system in 15 years. A gradual rise of salaries is planned over the coming three years, at a projected cost of EUR 1.4 billion.

LJUBLJANA - Mercator, Slovenia's largest retailer, owned by Croatian group Fortenova, withdrew from the purchase of Engrotuš, which operates Tuš retail shops. The stated reason was that a year since signing the contract on 15 Novembver 2023, Mercator has not yet received the regulator's clearance.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission downgraded its GDP growth forecast for Slovenia for this year from 2.3% to 1.4% and for 2025 by 0.1 percentage points to 2.5%. 2.6% growth is meanwhile expected in 2026.

LJUBLJANA - It was confirmed that President Nataša Pirc Musar appointed on 13 November Slovenia's former Ambassador to China Alenka Suhadolnik ambassador to Russia. Suhadolnik will succeed Darja Bavdež Kuret, whose term is ending as Slovenian diplomats can only lead a mission or consulate until they turn 68.

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's largest energy group Petrol reported revenues of EUR 4.5 billion for the first nine months, a 13% decline compared to the same period last year. Despite the lower revenue, fuel sales volumes increased and the group's net profit rose by 30% to EUR 123.6 million.

LJUBLJANA - Economy Minister Matjaž Han told Forbes Slovenija that the production of Renault Twingo E-Tech in the Novo Mesto-based plant of the French car maker could bring up to 400 additional jobs to the Revoz plant in the long term and that the state will provide up to EUR 40 million in subsidies for the project.

VIENNA, Austria - Slovenia drew with Austria in the final game of the UEFA Nations League in Vienna to finish third in Group 3 in the B League. Following two draws agaisnt Austria, two wins against Kazaksharn and two defeats agains Norvay, Slovenia will try to prevent relegation from the B league in March.

SATURDAY, 16 November

MARIBOR - Anže Logar, former foreign minister and senior member of the Democratic Party (SDS), launched his own party, the Democrats, and became its president. It is time for a broad programme coalition, he said in his address, also promising not to introduce any new corporate taxes.

LJUBLJANA - A few hundred people gathered in Ljubljana city centre to protest against armed conflicts. The participants protested against a culture of killing promoted and exploited by many global leaders.

SUNDAY, 17 November

BELTINCI - Three people were killed as a small plane crashed in fog in the Beltinci municipality in the northeastern region of Prekmurje. The plane took off from Maribor airport at 11:20am and crashed in the Gančani village area shortly before noon. The investigation to determine the circumstances and cause of the accident is ongoing.

MONDAY, 18 November

LJUBLJANA - Olena Zelenska, Ukraine's first lady, arrived in Slovenia for a two-day visit at the invitation of Aleš Musar, the spouse of Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar. The main purpose of the visit was to present Ukraine's needs regarding humanitarian aid to war victims. Zelenska met Musar, Pirc Musar and PM Robert Golob.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Attending a ministerial, Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon said it was the EU's duty to continue supporting Ukraine as she called for efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace there. She also said Slovenia is willing to consider the proposal by EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell to suspend dialogue with Israel, Fajon however does not expect member states to reach a consensus on the issue.

LJUBLJANA - The price of natural gas in Slovenia will be going down, PM Robert Golob said during questions time in parliament two days after the Russian gas company Gazprom cut off supply to Austria. He noted the government relaunched supply from Algeria at the start of the energy crisis.

LJUBLJANA - PM Robert Golob dismissed reproaches he was failing to cooperate with institutions preventing and investigating criminal acts regarding his alleged meddling in the police force. He said he will respond to any summons and he will also testify before the corruption watchdog in December.

LJUBLJANA - The Infrastructure Committee urged the Energy Agency to adjust the new system of electricity network charges for both businesses and households, introduced in October, amid discontent over the new system and the higher costs it entails in winter.

ERFURT, Germany - Slovenia's former President Borut Pahor received the Wilhelm Bock Award for his exceptional commitment to social and democratic engagement in Central and Eastern Europe.

LJUBLJANA - Retailer Mercator announced the closure of the remaining brick and mortar outlets of its hardware arm Mercator Tehnika by the end of this year as it narrows its focus on its core business. The decision was made on the basis of the market trends, in particular online purchases. All 439 employees will be offered new jobs within the group.

LJUBLJANA - Anže Logar, the leader of the newly founded Democrats, was accused by his former ally Dejan Kaloh of exiting Slovenia's largest opposition party, the SDS, to form his own out of "sick desire" for power. Logar said Kaloh's letter is "further proof of our incompatibility".

LJUBLJANA - Nearly 41,400 illegal border crossings were recorded by Slovenian police in the first ten months of the year, which compares to over 50,600 during the same period last year. Syrians accounted for the majority of the migrants (over 14,100), followed by Afghans.

TUESDAY, 19 November

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Slovenia is worried about an escalation in the Ukraine war, Defence Minister Borut Sajovic told the press at the EU defence ministerial after Russia threatened to use nuclear weapons in response to the US's go-ahead for Ukraine to use its weapons in attacks on targets on Russian soil.

LJUBLJANA - The Celje Higher Court rejected opposition leader Janez Janša's appeal against a EUR 8,000 fine for calling STA director Bojan Veselinovič in 2021 an accomplice to the murderer of a journalist. Janša must pay the fine and the costs of appeal proceedings.

VIENNA, Austria - Minister for Slovenians Abroad Matej Arčon pledged further support for the Slovenian community and Slovenian language education as visited several Slovenian-run institutions in Vienna.

LJUBLJANA - Culture Minister Asta Vrečko has named Jana Kolar as director of the National and University Library (NUK) for a five-year term effective on 1 December. Kolar is an executive director of CERIC-ERIC, European research infrastructure.

WEDNESDAY, 20 November

LJUBLJANA - MPs passed budget bills for the coming two years, among them a revised budget for 2025 that increases expenditure by 8% to EUR 17.1 billion, mainly to fund the public sector wage reform. While the coalition is confident about the figures and priorities, opposition MPs see the record-high budgets as unrealistic and imprudent, given signs of a slowdown.

LJUBLJANA - Iza Sia and Samo Login, the former spouses who made their wealth with the hit mobile app Talking Tom, returned to the top the list of the wealthiest Slovenians compiled by the business portal Finance, each estimated to be worth EUR 414 million. The assets of 100 wealthiest Slovenians are estimated to have grown by 14% compared to last year to reach a record EUR 9.97 billion.

LJUBLJANA - The Infrastructure Ministry presented plans for upgrading the railway network, with Minister Alenka Bratušek saying that rather than finance, siting procedures are a major challenge. EUR 1.1 billion is earmarked for railway projects next year and EUR 1.2 billion in 2026.

LJUBLJANA - The insurance group Triglav reported EUR 106.8 million in net earnings for the first nine months of 2024 after recording a net loss of EUR 9.6 million in the same period in 2023. For 2025 the group projects net earnings of EUR 100-120 million.

LJUBLJANA - The full programme of the 2025 European Capital of Culture Nova Gorica-Gorizia was presented, with the organisers noting that, having been conceived as a sustainable, green and connective project, it will leave a lasting mark.

MARIBOR - Four weeks after a severe cyberattack on the University of Maribor, many processes have been restored and the university's e-mail system and websites are back online. The investigation into the attack is still ongoing but it does not appear that any data was stolen, the university said.
        
THURSDAY, 21 November

LJUBLJANA - The government got extended the checks at the internal Schengen borders with Croatia and Hungary, which are in place until 21 December. It said the measure will be extended by another six months, because of the increased terrorism threat.

BAKU, Azerbaijan - Environment, Climate and Energy Minister Bojan Kumer said on the sidelines of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) that in the opinion of the EU, the entire package of the first drafts of final documents is unsatisfactory and a huge disappointment. He is however optimistic that some progress will be made going forward at the conference.

MARIBOR/KOPER - Pošta Slovenije and the company's two unions reached an agreement to avert a strike planned to begin on Friday, the start of the holiday shopping season. While most of their demands, mainly revolving around working conditions, were met, the unions warn these deal only with the most pressing issues, while much larger problems still remain and will require long-term solutions.

KOPER - Luka Koper, the operator of Slovenia's sole commercial port, reported EUR 242.8 million in net sales revenue for the first nine months, a 4% increase compared to the same period in 2023 and in line with its business plan. Net profit also grew 4% year-on-year to EUR 49.3 million, exceeding projections by 25%.

LJUBLJANA - Finance Minister Klemen Boštjančič told the press that the wrapped up public sector wage reform has been met with praise from representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), who were in Slovenia on a routine interim mission. He said they described it as a "typical example of a serious long-term reform".

MARIBOR - The supervisory board of OTP Banka selected Andras Hamori as the new chairman of the bank, which emerged this year with the merger of NKBM and SKB Bank and is part of the Hungarian banking group OTP. Hamori will succeed John Denhof, whose term expires at the end of the year. He will expectedly join the bank in May 2025.