News roundup - Monday, 10 February, until 3pm

Electricity price regulation not to be extended, minister says

LJUBLJANA - Environment, Climate and Energy Minister Bojan Kumer announced on Sunday that the full electricity price regulation for households, which was introduced last November and expires at the end of this month, would not be extended. He called on suppliers to reduce their prices by adjusting them to real market conditions. He also said the government had no intention of extending the decree that exempts final consumers from paying the contribution to support electricity production from high-efficiency cogeneration and renewable energy sources. The decree is in place until the end of February. However, the amount of the contribution is expected to be reduced.

Kavač Clan prosecutor says police retaliating against her

LJUBLJANA - Prosecutor Mateja Gončin confirmed for the STA that the Security and Protection Centre, a police unit providing security to politicians and other officials, had again taken security detail away from her and other prosecutors in the high-profile Kavač Clan drugs and murder trials. She sees it as retaliation after she filed last week charges against a former police commissioner and the centre's two former heads over alleged irregularities at the centre, including allegations of spying on her.

Fuel prices to drop at midnight

LJUBLJANA - Regulated fuel prices will drop at midnight. Regular petrol sold off Slovenian motorways will be 1.5 cents cheaper at EUR 1.535 per litre and diesel will come 3.3 cents cheaper at EUR 1.586 per litre, according to the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy. The new prices, which only pertain to service stations outside the motorway network, will be in effect until 24 February. Heating oil will also get cheaper, by 3.4 cents, to sell at EUR 1,184 per litre.

Industrial output up monthly, year-on-year in December

LJUBLJANA - Industrial output in Slovenia was up by 1.2% in December 2024 over the month before and by 1.9% year-on-year. Sales revenue in industry and the value of stocks were also up on a monthly basis, the Statistics Office said. Sales revenue in industry increased by 1.5% compared to November and by 0.4% year-on-year, while the value of stocks was up 10.1% on a monthly basis and unchanged year-on-year.

Ministry finds inappropriate conduct of police officer responding to homophobic attacks

MARIBOR - After having been the target of several homophobic attacks in June 2023, the bookshop Mariborka in Maribor filed a complaint over inappropriate conduct of a police officer who responded to one of the calls of its staff. The Interior Ministry has now approved its complaint in its entirety, the bookshop announced. The verbal attacks that escalated into attempts of physical assault against its employees took place after Mariborka put up a rainbow flag expressing support for the LGBTQ community during Pride Month last year.

Women's team qualifies for EuroBasket in decisive fashion

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian women's basketball team qualified for this year's EuroBasket by decisively defeating Finland 96:47 in Ljubljana on Sunday in the last round of play in the qualifying Group B. Slovenia celebrated their fifth consecutive qualification for the European basketball championship for women in Kodeljevo Arena in front of some 1,500 spectators in what was their fifth win in the six qualifying matches. They secured the first place in Group B to earn a ticket for the EuroBasket.

Italy's Fabio Soli appointed new head coach of men's volleyball team

LJUBLJANA - Italy's Fabio Soli has been officially appointed the new head coach of the Slovenian men's volleyball team. The 45-year-old has signed a two-year contract with the possibility of a two-year extension, the Slovenian Volleyball Federation announced. Soli, who coaches the Italian club Trentino Volley, succeeds Romanian coach Gheorghe Cretu, who led Slovenia between 2022 and 2024.