Schedule of Events for Friday, 9 September

LJUBLJANA - President Janez Drnovsek is to talk to the press ahead of his departure to the US, where he will be attending the 60th session of the UN General Assembly next week; at 10 AM. (STA)

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel is to comment on current topics and outline the ministry's plans until the end of the year at a press conference scheduled for 11 AM. (STA)

MANCHESTER, the UK - Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk and central bank Governor Mitja Gaspari will be attending an informal meeting of the EU's Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN), where economic growth in the face of surging oil prices is to top the agenda.

NEWCASTLE, the UK - The end of an informal meeting of EU justice and home ministers. Justice Minister Lovro Sturm and Interior Minister Dragutin Mate are in attendance.

LJUBLJANA - The results of the latest Politbarometer public opinion survey are to be presented to the press at noon. (STA)

LJUBLJANA - The Statistical Office is to present preliminary GDP figures for the second quarter of the year at a press conference scheduled for 10:30 AM. (STA)

LJUBLJANA - Members of the European Parliament Ljudmila Novak (NSi/EPP) and Mojca Drcar Murko (LDS/ALDE) are to hold press conferences at 10:30 AM and noon, respectively, to talk about the new act on RTV Slovenija.

LJUBLJANA - The European Commission representation office is to present the results of the national Eurobarometer survey; at 9:30 AM.

NEW YORK, the US - The final day of a world conference of parliamentary presidents, organised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). The Slovenian delegation is headed by Speaker France Cukjati.

LJUBLJANA - The president of the junior coalition Pensioners' Party (DeSUS), Karl Erjavec, is to hold a press conference at 1:30 PM to talk about current issues and the implementation of the coalition agreement.

LJUBLJANA - The Assembly for the Republic is to present the 25th issue of the human rights magazine Dignitas, which includes the debate from the May public forum on democracy and Slovenian media; at 11 AM.

LJUBLJANA - A Slovenian-Chinese business conference is to be organised by the Chamber of Commerce (GZS) at 9:30 AM as part of a visit by a Chinese government and business delegation.

TOLMIN - Construction of a new R&D centre is to start as AET, a subsidiary of industrial conglomerate Hidria, celebrates its 50th anniversary. PM Janez Jansa and Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Jure Zupan are to be on hand for the celebrations; at 10 AM.

LJUBLJANA - A team of four inspectors from the EU Food and Veterinary Office are to wrap up their five-day visit, during which they examined the implementation of legislation regarding plant passport requirements and plant pest outbreaks.

BRDO PRI KRANJU - The conclusion of the 4th conference of Slovenian scientists and businessmen working at home and abroad, an event organised by the Slovenian World Congress.

NOVO MESTO - The official opening at 9:15 AM of the conference "Social Economy - Innovative Employment Approaches," an event organised by the mental health NGO Sent.

LIPICA - A discussion on the promotion of literature, dubbed "Crossroads of Literatures: East and West" is to be held at 9:30 AM as part of the Vilenica Internatonal Literary Festival.

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: Eva Horvat
3:30 PM to 10:00 PM: Gorazd Jukovic

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