Schedule of Events for Friday, 8 April

VATICAN - President Janez Drnovsek, PM Janez Jansa and FM Dimitrij Rupel, the OSCE chair, are to attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II. The Church delegation includes Ljubljana Archbishop Alojz Uran, Maribor Bishop Franc Kramberger and Koper Bishop Metod Pirih.

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia will observe a day of mourning for the late Pope John Paul II. People have been urged to pay their respects to the pope by observing a three-minute silence at 10 AM. Also at 10 AM, church bells around the country will start ringing for 15 minutes.

LJUBLJANA - Concluding her two-day visit, Swedish Defence Minister Leni Bjoerklund is scheduled to meet Defence Ministry State Secretary Bozo Cerar and the parliamentary defence committee. A statement for the media is scheduled for 11:45 AM. (STA)

LJUBLJANA - The British Embassy, the Chamber of Commerce and the Ministry of Finance are to organise a seminar on public-private partnership at 9 AM. Invited speakers include Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk, British Ambassador Hugh Mortimer and Chamber of Commerce president Jozko Cuk. (STA)

PORTOROZ - A debate on corporate profits sharing in the EU, and the possible introduction of such a system in Slovenia, is to be staged as part of the spring meeting of the Association of Managers; at 10 AM.

LJUBLJANA - The department for journalist at the Faculty of Social Sciences is to hold a press conference at 11 AM to comment on the proposed changes to the act on RTV Slovenija, the public broadcaster. (STA)

OREHOVA VAS - The parliamentary committee on transport is to examine the development of civil aviation at a session scheduled for 10 AM.

LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - EU ministers in charge of labour and social affairs are to hold an informal meeting. Slovenia's Janez Drobnic is scheduled to attend.

HELSINKI, Finland - The final day of a Council of Europe conference of ministers of justice, attended by Slovenia's Lovro Sturm.

LJUBLJANA - World Roma Day. The Ethnology Museum is to stage a round-table debate entitled "Views of Roma Culture" at 10 AM.

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: Katja Kos
3:30 PM to 10:00 PM: Vlasta Horvat

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