Schedule of Events for Thursday, 11 March

PARIS, France - President Janez Drnovsek is to begin an official, two-day visit to France at the invitation of his counterpart Jacques Chirac. Accompanied by Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel and Europe Minister Janez Potocnik, Drnovsek is to meet with heads of both chambers of French parliament on Thursday, and President Chirac and Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin on Friday. (STA)

PORTOROZ - The Slovenian, Italian and Croatian foreign ministry state secretaries are scheduled to meet at 9 AM in Portoroz in what will be their second meeting discussing the Croatian declaration of a protective ecological and fisheries zone in the Adriatic. (STA)

STRASBOURG, France - The European Parliament is due to take a vote on the final reports on the preparedness of Slovenia and the other acceding countries to join the EU. (STA)

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Economics Minister Tea Petrin is to attend a session of ministers of the EU and acceding countries in charge of competition.

PRAGUE, Czech Republic - A delegation of the parliamentary foreign policy committee, headed by chairman Jelko Kacin, is to pay a two-day visit to the Czech Republic.

LJUBLJANA - The cabinet is to hold a regular weekly session at 10.00 AM. (STA)

LJUBLJANA - The opposition Slovenian Democrats (SDS) are to hold a news conference at 11 AM. (STA)

PORTOROZ - The 5th conference on public contracting is to kick off. The two-day event is organised by the Agency for Management in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce, Public Contracting Association and the Ljubljana Euro Info Centre.

LJUBLJANA - A four-day international conference on crisis management in Europe is to be launched at Poljce.

LJUBLJANA - The assembly of the Pension and Disability Insurance Institute is to hold a session, whose agenda includes a report on the 2003 operations.

LJUBLJANA - Public utility Slovenian Railways is to present 2003 business results at a news conference at 11 AM.

CELJE - Four automotive industry fairs are to open at the Celje fair grounds: the 14th Car and Maintenance Fair, the 6th Moto Boom Fair, the 4th Commercial Vehicles Show and the 5th Logotrans fair.

LJUBLJANA - Union Olimpija will take on Turkey's Efes Pilsen in the playoff of the Euroleague. (STA)

LJUBLJANA - Press review. (STA)

In case of further queries please contact duty editor at +386 1 241 0109:

8:30 AM to 3:30 PM: Ela Petrovcic
3:30 PM to 10:00 PM: Gorazd Jukovic

Comments and suggestions may be sent to: english@sta.si