News roundup - Friday, 22 November

President's nominee for central bank governor rejected

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly rejected President Nataša Pirc Musar's nominee for central bank governor, Anton Rop, a former finance minister and prime minister. Only 24 MPs endorsed him in a secret ballot, well short of the 46-vote majority needed. Pirc Musar had picked him as the candidate best suited for the job, but the result of the vote was expected given that the coalition unanimously rejected him and threw its weight behind Finance Ministry State Secretary Saša Jazbec, one of the other candidates who applied for the job. Both Pirc Musar and Rop regretted the outcome of the vote.

Delo: Slovenia plans to buy EUR 31.5m worth of Israeli weapons

LJUBLJANA - By 2026, the government is planning to purchase Israeli weapons and ammunition worth EUR 31.5 million, the newspaper Delo reported, citing data the Left, a government coalition party, obtained by asking an MP question and from the budget documents. The Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) purchased EUR 57.5 million worth of weapons and ammunition from Israel between 2019 and 2023, said Delo. Although the government condemns Israeli aggression in Gaza, Delo said it confirmed it had not adopted regulations or guidance to stop buying weapons made by Israeli producers or their associated comapnies.

PM Golob says Slovenia respects ICC arrest warrants and will fully comply

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Robert Golob responded to the International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrants for leading Israeli and Hamas officials by saying that "Slovenia respects the decision of the ICC regarding arrest warrants for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity and will fully comply with it". Former President Danilo Türk said it shows the life force of international criminal law.

Golob blames former TEŠ management for Šalek Valley problems

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Robert Golob accused the former management of the TEŠ thermal power station of criminality in pushing through the EUR 1.4 billion construction of unit 6, which is being prepared for a wind-down just a decade later, telling the STA that the entire region is now hostage to that erroneous decision. An emergency bill on TEŠ that the government is currently drafting will "allow the time for the two main bills to be passed for a fair and socially sustainable transition of the Šalek Valley from its coal era", he said.

Slovenian, Montenegrin ministers discuss cooperation in fighting corruption

LJUBLJANA - Interior Minister Boštjan Poklukar met his Montenegrin counterpart Danilo Šaranović to discuss the strengthening of cooperation in the fight against corruption and organised crime. "Slovenia is striving to strengthen cooperation between the police forces of the Western Balkan countries in the fight against organised crime and terrorism and to transfer the security standards of the EU to the Western Balkans," Poklukar said.

Janša auctioning off personal belongings to cover litigation costs

LJUBLJANA - Former Prime Minister Janez Janša has auctioned some of his personal belongings to collect funds for EUR 30,000 in litigations costs he was ordered to pay to the Patria case prosecutor and judges he unsuccessfully sued for damages. Janša was initially sent to prison for corruption but the verdict was later annulled. While the final auction totals have not been published yet, he is believed to have made EUR 5,500 so far. Several paintings will be put to auction next week.

New critical infrastructure bill passed

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed a reform bill on critical infrastructure aimed at enhancing the resilience of vital services in line with the latest EU rules. The existing legislation recognises eight critical infrastructure sectors while the reform bill expands the requirements to eleven: energy, transport, banking, financial market infrastructure, health, drinking water, wastewater, digital infrastructure, public administration, space, and food production, processing and distribution.

More solar plants to qualify for net metering

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly confirmed amendments that relax the rules for entering the net metering system for household solar installations. The system of net metering at annual level, which is highly favourable for household solar, expires at the end of this year regardless. But under the amendments to the Act on the Promotion of Renewables, more installations that are already in the process of registering will qualify.

New method for tolling lorries, one-day vignette introduced

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed changes to the Road Tolling Act that transpose into national legislation provisions of an EU directive that requires toll for lorries be based on CO2 emissions. The changes also bring a new, one-day e-vignette, which would be introduced on 25 March 2030 at the latest. The goal is to have more modern, clean vehicles on the Slovenian roads and thus reduce environmental pollution, the government said.

Bill ends financial discrimination of cancer survivors, HIV patients

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly unanimously passed right-to-be-forgotten legislation that ends discrimination of cancer survivors and people living with hepatitis C or HIV when they apply for life insurance or a mortgage. Such persons have the right not to have their medical history considered when applying, ensuring that they are treated under the same conditions as individuals who have never had these conditions.

Bill passed to speed up inheritance proceedings

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed changes to the Inheritance Act to speed up inheritance procedures when heirs are not known. The period in which a court dealing with an inheritance case must call on potential heirs who are not known to come forward has been cut from one year to three months. The government says the legislation will speed up the registration of ownership changes and hence remove obstacles to planning procedures, and reduce court costs.

Referendum motion derails act on pensions for artists

LJUBLJANA - The Democratic Party (SDS) filed a motion for a consultative referendum on a bill on pension bonuses for artists hours before a parliamentary vote was scheduled. The government says the bill would more clearly define the eligibility criteria and the amount of the bonuses, but the SDS believes it would put artists in an unequal position and would undermine the existing pension system. The Culture Ministry says this could delay the vote by a month or two.

Exemption of pensioners from long-term care contribution voted down

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly rejected amendments tabled by the Democratic Party (SDS) that would exempt pensioners from the forthcoming mandatory contribution for long-term care. The opposition party argued that those with the lowest incomes should not "carry the burden of unnecessary taxes and contributions", but the government rejected this notion saying that exempting them would undermine the entire fledgling system of long-term care.

Nova Gorica, Gorizia receive European Capital of Culture title

BAD ISCHL, Austria - Slovenia's Nova Gorica and Italy's Gorizia formally received the joint title of European Capital of Culture in Bad Ischl, Austria, one of the three Capital of Culture cities in 2024. "In a region that saw the horrors of the 20th century we are trying to create something new: a new city, new artistic expression, new spaces for freedom and new forms of solidarity. Simply, new horizons for the future," said a representative of the Slovenian-Italian initiative.

Han discusses economic cooperation and support for Slovenian community in Trieste

TRIESTE, Italy - Seeking to boost economic cooperation and back the Slovenian minority in Italy, Economy Minister Matjaž Han visited Trieste for talks with the Slovenian Regional Economic Association leadership, representatives of the Slovenian ethnic community, and the Friuli Venezia Giulia region's commissioner for economic activities and tourism.

Acies Bio joins forces with US firm to develop plastic-eating enzymes

LJUBLJANA - Protein Evolution, a US firm that develops plastic recycling solutions, announced a partnership with Slovenian biotech company Acies Bio, which will use the US firm's advanced microbial platform for efficient protein production to develop and scale up the production of plastic-eating enzymes. The goal is to provide an efficient and low-carbon solution to address the global plastic waste crisis.

Insurance group Sava's nine-month net profit up by 70% to EUR 62m

LJUBLJANA - The insurance group Sava generated EUR 814.7 million in turnover in the first nine months of the year, which is 14.7% more year-on-year. Net profit soared by 70% in comparison to the same period last year, which was marked by natural disasters, to EUR 62.1 million, shows the business report published by the controlling company Sava Re.

Average wages down in September in monthly comparison, up annually

LJUBLJANA - The average gross salary in Slovenia was EUR 2,343.07 in September and the average net salary was EUR 1,478.43. Both were down by 0.5% from August in nominal and real terms. Compared to September 2023, the average gross salary increased by 6.1% in nominal and by 5.5% in real terms, shows data published by the Statistics Office.

Ground broken for new Mediterranean crops development centre

KOPER - The Science and Research Centre (ZRS) Koper broke ground on the Competence Centre for Olives and other Mediterranean Crops, a EUR 4.5 million project that is to be completed in two years. Located in the village of Plavje, a few kilometres northeast of Koper, the centre will house the Oliveculture Institute Laboratory, as well as the Institute of Viticulture and Wine Production.

Ex-Church treasurer turns to top court over damages amount

LJUBLJANA - Mirko Krašovec, former treasurer of the Maribor Archdiocese who has been acquitted of fraud in EU funds and of involvement in a resale of shares, has turned to the Constitutional Court as he finds the EUR 30,000 in damages awarded by the Ljubljana Higher Court after he sued the state insufficient, Delo reported. Krašovec was forced to resign as the treasurer in November 2010 and the Dicastery for the Clergy stripped him of his church titles in April 2013. He was rehabilitated in November 2019.

Six plead guilty to 2018 prison arson

CELJE - Six out of a total of ten defendants have pleaded guilty to arson at Celje prison in 2018, several media outlets reported. They have been given suspended sentences or prison sentence with the possibility of alternative ways of serving it. Ten former prisoners and detainees were charged with setting the fire at the Celje prison canteen on 29 January 2018, and faced the Celje District Court individually.

Probe into robbery by teens reportedly turns against potential paedophile

POLJČANE - An investigation into an October robbery case in the Poljčane area involving four teenagers has taken an unexpected turn, Večer reported, explaining that while the four face lesser charges of violent conduct, the alleged victim, reportedly a local politician, has himself become a subject of investigation. According to the paper, the 37-year-old man initially reported being robbed, but police are now investigating claims that he attempted to arrange a sexual encounter with a minor younger than 15.

Slovenia face Slovakia in UEFA Nations League play-offs

NYON, France - The Slovenian men's football team will play Slovakia in the relegation play-offs in the UEFA Nations League in a bid to stay in League B of the competition, determined a draw in Switzerland's Nyon. They will play two matches in March 2025. Slovenia is the third-placed team from Group 3 of League B of the UEFA Nations League, while Slovakia is the second-placed team from Group 1 of League C.