Schedule of Events from 20 to 26 October

MONDAY, 20 October

LJUBLJANA - The parliament is to convene for an extraordinary session on the government bill for the next two years' state budgets. Together with the budget memorandum for 2004 and 2005, the bills will be presented by Prime Minister Anton Rop. Afterwards there will not be a discussion. Instead the documents will be inspected by the parliamentary bodies in the next 14 days.

LJUBLJANA - On the invitation of Economics Minister Tea Petrin, French Minister for Foreign Trade Francois Loos is to arrive on a visit to Slovenia. The guest will also be received by Europe Minister Janez Potocnik.

LJUBLJANA - Ombudsman Matjaz Hanzek is organising a two-day round table on the national institution for human rights in Slovenia. The panel will involve representatives of the government, NGO's and experts, representatives of the Council of Europe, a representative of the UN, EU Ambassador to Slovenia Erwan Fouere and Ombudsman of Bosnia-Herzegovina Frank Orton.

OPATIJA - Under the patronage of the Council of Europe, a three day meeting of culture ministers will discuss the role of culture in eliminating conflicts and establishing peace. Slovenia's Andreja Rihter will join more than 20 ministers from 48 countries, signatories of the European Culture Convention, meeting with counterparts from Canada, Morocco, Japan and the Arab League. The conference will wrap up on 22 October.

LJUBLJANA - The Ljubljana Central Hospital will give a press conference at 10 AM about a revolutionary endoscopic technique which has been used for the first time ever to replace an aorta valve in Slovenia.

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary committee for health, labour, family, social policy and the disabled is to hold a public panel on the health reform. The key-note speaker will be Health Minister Dusan Keber.

LJUBLJANA/KOPER - The joint commission for economic co-operation between Slovenia and Bulgaria will begin its third session.

ROME - Regional Development Minister Zdenka Kovac is to attend a meeting of ministers from the EU and acceding countries for cohesion policy.

LUXEMBOURG - Labour Minister Vlado Dimovski is to attend a meeting of ministers from the EU and acceding countries for employment and social policy. The gathering is to discuss co-ordination of social security policies.

TUESDAY, 21 October

LJUBLJANA - Czech President Vaclav Klaus is to pay a two-day official visit to Slovenia on the invitation of President Janez Drnovsek.

PARIS - Speaker of Parliament Borut Pahor and a parliamentary delegation will pay a first official visit to France for two days.

BRUSSELS - Europe Minister Janez Potocnik is to present Slovenia's experience from EU negotiations to the working group for Western Balkans at the ministerial council.

BRUSSELS - The higher extended political committee of NATO and the Slovenian side will discuss the country's progress in carrying out reforms in line with the time frame set as part of the preparations for NATO membership. Slovenia will be represented by Foreign Ministry State Secretary Samuel Zbogar.

LJUBLJANA - Public panels on the bills on preventing conflicts of interest and corruption and on the Triglav national park will be held in the parliament.

POSTOJNA - The manager of the world-renown carstic cave in Postojna, Postonjska jama turizem, will give a press conference to outline its development goals and ambitions in tourism.

LJUBLJANA - The Association of Free Trade Unions of Slovenia will hold a press conference, presenting its negotiating stances on the collective agreement in the corporate sector and wage policy.

LJUBLJANA - The main IT show in Slovenia, Infos will open its doors until 24 October. The fair will feature 100 exhibitors.

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Advertising Chamber will present the third quarter data of the national reading habits survey.

WEDNESDAY, 22 October

BLED - The eleventh regional business meeting point (RBMP) 2003 will kick off for two days. The forum will discuss regional co-operation, stability and new EU borders. Slovenian and Czech Presidents Janez Drnovsek and Vaclav Klaus will launch the event.

LJUBLJANA - The autumn meeting of foreign military attaches in Slovenia will take place until 24 october at the Defence Ministry.

LJUBLJANA - The 34th fair Nature-Health is opening its door until 26 October. About 4,000 sq metres will feature about 80 exhibitors.

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Tourism Board will present a new official tourist portal www.slovenia-tourism.si.

THURSDAY, 23 October

LJUBLJANA - French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin is to visit Slovenia on the invitation of FM Dimitrij Rupel.

GRAZ - Defence Minister Anton Grizold will attend a two-day fifth meeting of defence ministers from countries of the Central European partnership for co-operation in supporting peace CENCOOP.

KARLOVAC - The standing joint commission for the implementation of the Slovenian-Croatian cross-border co-operation agreement (SOPS) will beet in Ozalje, Croatia.

LJUBLJANA - Weekly cabinet session.

ROME - Chair of the parliamentary foreign committee Jelko Kacin is to attend a meeting of counterparts from the EU and acceding countries, candidates and the European Parliament. The topics will touch on the world situation, especially the Middle East and Iraq.

LJUBLJANA - A joint commission for economic co-operation between Slovenia and Macedonia will convene for a two-day session. The co-chairs will be Slovenian Economics Minister Tea Petrin and Macedonian Economics Minister Ilija Filipovski.

LJUBLJANA - FM Dimitrij Rupel will receive secretary general of the The Hague Permanent Court of Arbitration Tjac van der Haut.

SLOVENJ GRADEC - Parliament Speaker Borut Pahor will honour the national ceremony marking the United Nations Organisation world day.

ANKARAN - Journalism days 2003 will begin in Ankaran and last until 25 October. The conference will be divided in three sections, on profession, society and language.

FRIDAY, 24 October

LJUBLJANA - Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian will come on a visit to Slovenia on the invitation of FM Dimitrij Rupel.

MADRID - Slovenia will attend an international donors conference for Iraq.

MOTOVUN - Businessmen from Slovenia and Croatia will gather in Croatia's Motovun. Among guests will be Slovenian Economics Minister Tea Petrin, Regional Development Minister Zdenka Kovac, Croatian Deputy PM Slavko Linic and chairs of both countries' chambers of commerce, Jozko Cuk and Nadan Vidosevic.

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary commission probing into the attack on journalist Miro Petek will question former employee of bank Nova Kreditna banka Maribor Bogdan Ribic.

PORTOROZ - The European week of security and health in the work place 2003 will conclude. In this frame an international conference on careful handling of dangerous substances will be held with participation of Slovenian Health Minister Dusan Keber.

SATURDAY, 25 October

DOMZALE - Defence Minister Anton Grizold will be the key-note speaker at a ceremony marking the day the last soldier of the former Yugoslav army left Slovenian territory in 1991.

SUNDAY, 26 October

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia will change back from Daylight Saving Time at 3 AM. The clocks will be moved back an hour to 2 AM.