Schedule of Events for Friday, 18 November

LJUBLJANA - Macedonian PM Vlado Buckovski is to end an official visit to Slovenia by meeting Economics Minister Andrej Vizjak and the head of the Chamber of Commerce (GZS) Jozko Cuk at the GZS, which will stage a business conference on this occasion at 9 AM. (STA)

PORTOROZ - Debates on SE Europe and its EU integration as well as on the Russian and Chinese economies are to be held on the last day of the "Global Economy and Cultural Diversity" conference.

KRANJSKA GORA - The EU constitution, Slovenia's integration into the Schengen regime, state aid, and competition on the telecommunications market are to be in the focus of day two of Days of European Law.

LJUBLJANA - President Janez Drnovsek is to host the 9th talk on the future of Slovenia, this time focusing on climate change; begins at 10 AM. (STA)

BELGRADE, Serbia-Montenegro - Aiming at a 10% market share in Serbia, hardware retailer Merkur is to open its biggest shop abroad. The EUR 10m investment extends on almost 10,000 sq. metres; at 10 AM. (STA)

VARPALOTA, Hungary - Defence Minister Karl Erjavec is to pay a working visit to Hungary to meet his counterpart Ferenc Juhasz, and visit a Slovenian Armed Forces unit on training at Varpalota.

LJUBLJANA - A meeting of Slovenian business people and researchers of the Jozef Stefan Institute is to begin at 10 AM, with addresses by the economics minister and the minister of higher education, science and technology.

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary EU affairs committee is to discuss the upcoming sessions of the EU Council for General and Foreign Affairs; Economic and Financial Affairs; and Agriculture and Fisheries, at 2 PM.

LJUBLJANA - A conference on the challenges of researching ethnicity and minorities in the 21st century is to begin 9:30 AM upon the 80th anniversary of the Institute for Ethnic Studies.

LJUBLJANA - Economics Minister Andrej Vizjak and MEP Romana Jordan Cizelj are to present at 1 PM a report on the use of funds for N-plant decomissioning, and an EU directive on the registration and authorisation of chemical substances (REACH).

KLAGENFURT, Austria - The president of the National Council Janez Susnik is to meet representatives of the Slovenian minority in Austria's Carinthia and Austrian business people as he visits a fair about family, health and national custom.

LJUBLJANA - The results of the latest Politbarometer public opinion poll are to be presented to the press at noon. (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: Sebastijan Macek
3:30 PM to 10:00 PM: Gorazd Jukovic

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