Slovenia News 3 May 2011
Editorial
Representatives of the Austrian federal government, of the government of the province of Carinthia and of three organisations representing the Slovenian minority reached on Tuesday after years of unsuccessful efforts agreement on the number of bilingual city limits and other minority rights in the province.
"The Book of Things", the English translation of a collection of poems by Ales Steger, won the Best Translation Book Award (BTBA) in the US, the Slovenian publisher Studentska zalozba said on Tuesday.
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| Foreign Affairs |
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| Slovenia and Austria Celebrate 10 Years of Cultural Agreement |
| Ljubljana - Ten years are passing on Saturday since Slovenia and Austria signed an agreement on co-operation in culture, education and science. Also addressing the situation of minorities, the document was the result of more than three years of negotiations and was hailed as a major contribution to ... More » |
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| Business |
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| Govt Approves EUR 8M Grant for Bosch-Siemens Expansion in Slovenia |
| Ljubljana/Nazarje - The government decided to allocate on Thursday a EUR 7.9m production expansion boost to BSH Hisni aparati, a Nazarje-based home appliance maker in Austrian ownership. The company's expansion in Slovenia is expected to create 51 new jobs.
Economy Minister Darja Radic explained ... More » |
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| Justice |
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| Slovenia Supports Most Ideas in European Court of Human Rights Reform |
| Ljubljana - Slovenia welcomes the planned reforms relieving some of the burden from the European Court of Human Rights, but opposes the introduction of court fees, Justice Minister Ales Zalar said while attending in Turkey a conference on the future of the court on Tuesday.
The reform will reliev... More » |
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| Education | Science & Technology |
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| Slovenia Determines Research Infrastructure Priorities |
| Ljubljana - The government adopted on Thursday a plan for the development of research infrastructure for the 2011-2020 period, determining Slovenia's priorities in the participation in major European research infrastructure projects and the creation of support infrastructure at home.
The plan is ... More » |
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| Minorities |
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| Agreement on Bilingual Signs and Minority Rights in Carinthia Clinched |
| Klagenfurt - Representatives of the Austrian federal government, of the government of the province of Carinthia and of three organisations representing the Slovenian minority reached on Tuesday after years of unsuccessful efforts agreement on the number of bilingual city limits and other minority ri... More » |
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| Negotiators Happy with Bilingual Signs Agreement |
| Klagenfurt - The negotiators in the bilingual city limit sign talks held by the Slovenian minority in Austria, the Austrian federal government and the Carinthian provincial government expressed satisfaction with the agreement they reached Tuesday evening in Klagenfurt.
The agreement envisages Ger... More » |
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| PM Says Bilingual Signs Agreement Milestone, New Beginning |
| Ljubljana - Prime Minister Borut Pahor welcomed on Thursday the bilingual city limit signs agreement reached by the Slovenian minority, the Austrian federal government and the Carinthian provincial government on Tuesday. He said that the agreement was a milestone which however did not mark the end o... More » |
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| Culture & Media |
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| Slovenian Poet Ales Steger Wins US Translation Award |
| New York - "The Book of Things", the English translation of a collection of poems by Ales Steger, won the Best Translation Book Award (BTBA) in the US, the Slovenian publisher Studentska zalozba said on Tuesday.
The translation by Brian Henry was published in autumn 2010 by American pub... More » |
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| Events |
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| President Calls for Break with "Transition Trash" |
| Ljubljana - The key message of the 70th anniversary of the Liberation Front is that the when this is crucial, the Slovenian nation is capable of breaking with its passive past, President Danilo Tuerk said on the eve of Resistance Day.
Slovenia needs another break today, a break with the delusions... More » |
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| Schedule of Events in the week for 2-8 May |
MONDAY, 2 May
- LJUBLJANA - The two-day Labour Day bank holiday will end.
- PARIS, France - Labour, Family and Social Affairs Minister Ivan Svetlik will take part in a meeting of OECD ministers for social affairs running until 3 May.
TUESDAY, 3 MayMore » |
Slovenia News 10 May 2011
Editorial
The Slovenian-run International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance (ITF) and the Arab League signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate in the development of medical assistance and rehabilitation for victims of mines or other explosive devices. The ITF will help the Arab League set up a network for telemedicine, which offers exchange of knowledge and medical assistance through the use of telecommunication technology.
President Danilo Türk decorated Mohammed Al-Khashman, president and CEO of Jordan Aviation, with the Order for Services for his help and cooperation with the International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance (ITF) and Soca rehabilitation institute in a rehabilitation project for Gaza children. Mr Al-Khashman has an active part in the project offering treatment at the Soca rehabilitation centre to children from Gaza who sustained severe physical injuries.
Composer and conductor Mojmir Sepe and author Svetlana Makarovic were bestowed the title Honorary Citizen of Ljubljana at the traditional gala meeting of the City of Ljubljana City Council at Ljubljana Castle to celebrate the city’s main holiday 9 May.
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| Domestic Policy |
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| Slovenia's EU Commissioner Urges Structural Reforms at Home |
| Brussels - European Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik voiced support Wednesday for the Slovenian government's efforts for structural reforms, while expressing concern about the political situation and what he sees as a lack of capacity for serious dialogue.
The commissioner, whom some see a... More » |
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| PM Pahor Says No Governemnt Shuffle Until After 5 June Referenda |
| Ljubljana - The decision by the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) to quit the coalition will not have an immediate impact on the cabinet, as DeSUS's cabinet members say they are willing to stay on and Prime Minister Borut Pahor says he will not be shuffling the cabinet before the 5 June referendum on pensio... More » |
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| Foreign Affairs |
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| Slovenia and Iceland Looking to Boost Economic Cooperation |
| Reykjavik - President Danilo Tuerk and his Icelandic counterpart Olafur Ragnar Grimsson opened a business conference in Reykjavik on Wednesday, stressing the opportunities that globalisation brings to small and dynamic economies such as Slovenia's and Iceland's.
Tuerk told the conference held as ... More » |
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| Slovenia and Estonia Plan Stronger Cooperation in IT |
| Tallinn - An Estonian-Slovenian business forum, held as part of President Danilo Tuerk's visit to Estonia, highlighted on Friday new opportunities for stronger cooperation, especially in the area of information and communications technology (ICT). Economy Minister Darja Radic took the opportunity to... More » |
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| Minister Zeks receives Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson |
| The Minister for Slovenians Abroad, Boštjan Žekš, received the Mayor of Cleveland, Frank G. Jackson, and a delegation from Cleveland on 9 May 2011. The delegation included representatives of the Slovenian community in the United States of America - Cleveland city councillors Michael D. Polensek a... More » |
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| International Organisations |
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| ITF Signs Agreement with Arab League |
| Cairo - The Slovenian-run International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance (ITF) and the Arab League signed a memorandum of understanding in Cairo on Monday to cooperate in the development of medical assistance and rehabilitation for victims of mines or other explosive devices.
T... More » |
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| Business |
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| Slovenia and Norway Strengthen Business Ties |
| Ljubljana - King of Norway Harald V and President Danilo Tuerk addressed some 300 representatives of Slovenian and Norwegian business and politics at a conference held in Ljubljana on Tuesday as part of the king's state visit to Slovenia. Both officials called for strengthening of cooperation, espec... More » |
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| Justice |
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| Zvnoko Fiser Appointed New State Prosecutor General |
| Ljubljana - The National Assembly appointed Zvonko Fiser the new state prosecutor general for a six-year term in a 47-28 vote on Wednesday. Fiser, who has already been sworn in, will take over the office on Thursday, a day after the term of the previous top prosecutor Barbara Brezigar runs out.
F... More » |
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| Culture & Media |
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| Ziga Koritnik's Photo Exhibitions in Ljubljana and Nova Gorica |
Ljubljana/Nova Gorica - Internationally acclaimed Slovenian photographer Ziga Koritnik, who is best known for his portrays of musicians, will be showcased at two exhibitions this week. One will open in the main promenade of Ljubjana's Tivoli Park on Thursday, while the... More » |
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| Druga Godba World Music Festival Begins |
| Ljubljana - A concert by Staff Benda Bilili from the Democratic Republic of the Congo will launch the 27th Druga godba world music festival in Ljubljana. The Congolese band, which consists of paraplegic street musicians, will open the festival at the Kino Siska venue with a mixture of rumba, soul, f... More » |
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| European Culture Capital Representatives Meeting in Maribor |
| Maribor - Representatives of former and future European capitals of culture projects are meeting in Maribor to exchange their views and experience as Slovenia's second largest city is gearing up for its European Capital of Culture 2012 stint together with Portugal's Guimaraes.
The participants ag... More » |
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| Health |
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| Slovenia Gets EUR 30m in EU Funds for Emergency Units |
| Ljubljana - The European Commission has granted Slovenia EUR 30m in EU cohesion funds for setting up a network of ten regional emergency units around to country, Health Minister Dorjan Marusic said on Friday. The government will provide an additional EUR 5m for the project from the budget.
The pr... More » |
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| Energy |
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| Nuclear Waste Directive Nothing New for Slovenia |
| Ljubljana - The new EU directive proposal on the management of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel will bring almost nothing new for Slovenia, which already has the same principles covered in its national legislation, head of the Nuclear Safety Administration Andrej Stritar said at a panel deba... More » |
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| Society |
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| Dark Chocolate Becoming Increasingly Popular in Slovenia |
Ljubljana - While Slovenians still mainly consume chocolate bars of traditional and classic brands, dark chocolate is becoming increasingly popular in Slovenia, according to Slovenia's biggest chocolate producer Gorenjka. Slovenians mostly eat chocolate in the form of ... More » |
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| OECD: Slovenia among World's Hardest Working Nations |
| Paris - The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has recently released a survey which examined the number of hours the population of its member countries spent in paid and unpaid work and how much they spent in leisure activities. Slovenia ranks among the ten hardest working ... More » |
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| President Decorates Jordanian Businessman with Order for Services |
| Ljubljana - President Danilo Tuerk decorated Mohammed Al-Khashman, president and CEO of Jordan Aviation, with the Order for Services for his help and cooperation with the Slovenian-run International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance (ITF) and Ljubljana's Soca rehabilitation institu... More » |
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| Events |
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| Composer Mojmir Sepe and poet Svetlana Makarovic Honoured by City of Ljubljana |
| Ljubljana - Composer and conductor Mojmir Sepe and author Svetlana Makarovic were bestowed the title Honorary Citizen of Ljubljana as the City Council held a ceremonial session at Ljubljana Castle to mark the city's main holiday 9 May.
Mojmir Sepe, who turned 80 last year, "lived with t... More » |
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| Ljubljana Celebrates Anniversary of WWII Liberation |
| Ljubljana - Ljubljana is celebrating the anniversary of liberation from Fascist occupation with a traditional hike along the barb wire line that encircled the city between 1942 and 1945. A different ceremony in the city centre celebrated the 70th anniversary of the Liberation Front. Ljubljana was li... More » |
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| Schedule of events in the week for 9 to 15 May |
TUESDAY, 10 May
- LJUBLJANA - A trial against 16 persons charged with drug-trafficking after a massive regional sting dubbed the Balkan Warrior in May 2010 will get under way at the Ljubljana District Court.
- ISTANBUL, Turkey - Fo... More »
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Slovenia News 17 May 2011
Editorial
President Danilo Tuerk and Russian counterpart counterpart Dmitry Medvedev established during Tuerk's working visit to Russia on Monday that bilateral relations are very good and developing successfully in all areas. The pair focused on international issues, especially the development of security and cooperation mechanisms in Europe, and certain open issues related to European security.
Prime Minister Borut Pahor told MPs during questions time on Monday that the government had done a lot for the Slovenian minority in Austria. Together with minority officials and the Austrian government it has spurred the adoption of a constitutional bill on minority rights, which is to be passed in the coming months, he said. Responding to accusations by Radovan Zerjav of the opposition People's Party (SLS) that the Environment Agency was too slow in issuing permits and was thus undermining investments, Pahorannounced that a programme for reducing administrative barriers, which are leading to delays in investments, would be adopted before the end of May.
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| Foreign Affairs |
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| Slovenian, Croatian Speakers Glad about Improving Relations |
| Ljubljana - National Assembly Speaker Pavel Gantar met on Tuesday his Croatian counterpart Luka Bebic, who is in Slovenia for a two-day official visit. The two speakers said they were glad about the improving relations and agreed that cooperation in all fields should be strengthened even further.
... More » |
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| Tuerk and Medvedev Happy with Bilateral Ties, Talk Global Issues |
| Moscow - President Danilo Tuerk and Russian counterpart counterpart Dmitry Medvedev established during Tuerk's working visit to Russia on Monday that bilateral relations are very good and developing successfully in all areas. According to a press release by Tuerk's office, the pair focused on intern... More » |
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| Defence & NATO |
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| President Hails Army on Anniversary |
| Cerklje ob Krki - President Danilo Tuerk heaped praise on the Slovenian army as he addressed a ceremony celebrating the 20th anniversary of the force on Sunday. Tuerk told a ceremony at the Cerklje ob Krki barracks that Slovenians should be proud of their army, which has achieved much and is adaptin... More » |
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| EU Topics |
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| Pahor Threatens to Cancel Aid to Greece |
| Ljubljana - If a report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the EU and the European Central Bank (ECB) shows that Greece is not fulfilling its obligations from the agreement on international financial aid, Slovenia will not give it the next installment of the planned loan, PM Borut Pahor said ... More » |
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| Kresal Urges Better Protection of External Schengen Border |
| Brussels - Interior Minister Katarina Kresal came out of a meeting with her EU colleagues in Brussels on Thursday by stressing that the bloc's ministers were in agreement that "the Schengen zone of course will not fall". She added Slovenia was in favour of measures against countries that a... More » |
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| Ljubljana-Based ACER Planing to Open More Offices Abroad |
| Ljubljana - Alberto Pototschnig, the director of the Agency for Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER), the first EU agency seated in Slovenia, presented the agency's goals to the parliamentary EU Affairs Committee on Friday, noting that the agency was considering opening offices in other Euro... More » |
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| Economy & Finance |
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| EU Commission Forecasts Growth of 1.9%, Deficit of 5.8% for Slovenia |
| Brussels - The European Commission anticipates Slovenia's economy to grow by 1.9% this year and 2.5% next year in economic forecasts issued on Friday. The country's budget deficit is meanwhile expected to stand at 5.8% this year. The Commission's growth forecasts for Slovenia are above the average g... More » |
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| Business |
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| Panel Discusses Slovenia as Foreign Investment Destination |
| Ljubljana - A panel on investing in Slovenia on Tuesday expressed the view that the country, because of limitations of the domestic financial sources, needs a pragmatic approach to attracting foreign investments. The participants are also convinced that some successful investments have to be carried... More » |
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| Slovenian, Indian Business Chambers Sign Cooperation Agreement |
| Ljubljana - The Slovenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) signed on Monday a cooperation agreement with EU India Chambers, as an Indian business delegation launched a Europe tour in Ljubljana. The GZS also hosted a business forum dedicated to boosting business ties between the countries.
G... More » |
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| Agriculture |
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| Zidan Talks Cooperation in Serbia |
| Belgrade - Agriculture Food and Forestry Minister Dejan Zidan wrapped up a two-day visit to Serbia on Saturday, during which he attended a Central European Initiative ministerial and an international agriculture fair. He also met Serbian President Boris Tadic and several counterparts, discussing pos... More » |
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| Social Affairs |
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| Slovenian, Austrian Ministers Talk Cross-Border Employment |
| Maribor - Slovenian and Austrian labour ministers, Ivan Svetlik and Rudolf Hundstorfer respectively, took part on Tuesday in a conference focusing on the opportunities and challenges created after EU labour market restrictions were fully lifted on 1 May for workers from the members that joined the b... More » |
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| Minister Presents Welfare State Measures |
| Ljubljana, 13 May (STA) - Labour, Family and Social Affairs Minister Ivan Svetlik presented on Friday the government's welfare measures, saying that the state annually earmarks EUR 1.3bn for social transfers. He added that 30% more funds are intended for welfare programmes compared to pre-crisis tim... More » |
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| Minorities |
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| Slovenia Disapproves of Carinthia Referendum, But Won't Protest |
| Ljubljana - Foreign Minister Samuel Zbogar spoke against the planned referendum in Austria's Carinthia over bilingual place names as he addressed a parliamentary meeting on Thursday, but said there was no need for any public calls over the matter for now. Zbogar attended a joint session of the parli... More » |
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| Gantar Meets Representatives of Minority in Hungary |
| Ljubljana - National Assembly Speaker Pavel Gantar decribed situation of the Slovenian minority in Hungary as very unfavourable as received representatives of two umbrella organisations of the minority in Hungary on Monday. It is in Hungary's interest to take care of national minorities on its soil,... More » |
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| Culture & Media |
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| Essl Art Award for Slovenia Goes to Rozman, Brborovic |
| Ljubljana - Maja Rozman and Suzana Brborovic are the winners of this year's Essl Art Award for Slovenia. The winners were declared on Friday evening at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Ljubljana, where an exhibition of all Slovenian nominees opened. The award was launched by Austrian art... More » |
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| Slovenian Cinematography Presented at Cannes Film Market |
| Cannes - The Slovenian Film Centre will represent Slovenian film makers between 11 and 20 May at the 52nd film market as part of this year's Cannes Film Festival. Slovenian cinematography will be presented in the International Village in the South East European Pavilion. Slovenia will share the pavi... More » |
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| First Russian Centre Opens in Maribor |
| Maribor - The first Russian information and cultural centre "Ruski dom" opened its doors to visitors in Maribor on Thursday. Run by the Russian Peace Foundation, the centre will strive to strengthen ties between Slovenia and Russia and promote the Russian culture, history and language. The... More » |
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| New Theatre Award Presented in Trieste |
| Trieste - Theatre director Mario Ursic was rewarded for his lifetime achievements at the Slovenian-minority theatre house in Trieste (SSG) on Thursday as three Slovenian theatres from the Primorsko region presented the first ever Tantadruj award in a bid to promote the idea of a common theatre ... More » |
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| Moderna galerija Collection on Display in Barcelona |
| Barcelona - A collection of works kept by the Slovenian Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art dubbed "Museum of Simultaneous Narratives" will be displayed at the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art (MACBA) between 13 May and 2 October. The exhibition, which is a part of a transinstitution... More » |
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| Eurosong: Talent Star Takes 13th Place for Slovenia |
| Düsseldorf - Maja Keuc, the 19-year-old singer who shot to prominence in Slovenia's Got Talent show, took 13th place for Slovenia in the Eurovision Song Contest in Duesseldorf on Saturday. The winner of the 56th competition was Azerbaijan, with the duo Eli/Nikki.
Teenage star Keuc, whose st... More » |
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| Health |
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| King of Norway Visits Soca Rehab Centre |
| Ljubljana - The Norwegian royal couple, King Harald V and Queen Sonja, visited on Tuesday the University Rehabilitation Institute Soca in Ljubljana. Accompanied by their host, President Danilo Tuerk, the couple met children from the Gaza Strip who are being treated there.
The king and queen were ... More » |
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| Transport |
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| Ljubljana Launches Public Bike Project |
| Ljubljana - Ljubljana has launched a bicycle sharing system with 300 bikes available at 31 stations across the wider area of the city centre. The system, dubbed "Bicikelj", is a public-private partnership between the municipality and advertiser Europlakat, which received 140 new adver... More » |
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| International Boat Show Internautica Opens |
| Portoroz - Slovenia's biggest boat show got under way in the Portoroz marina on Tuesday with Transport Minister Patrick Vlacic praising its growth and novelties presented. Internautica will showcase a number of prestigious yachts and speedboats as well as nautical equipment and sportswear until Sund... More » |
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| PM Touts Future of Electric Vehicles at Debate on Green Transport |
| Ljubljana - PM Borut Pahor hailed electric vehicles as a key solution in building a low-carbon society in Europe by 2050 at a debate on green transport in Ljubljana on Tuesday. Pahor called on Europe to ensure continued development of its automotive sector in order to push ahead with its solutions o... More » |
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| Officials Sign Agreement to Increase Road Safety by 2020 |
| Ljubljana - Slovenian president, ministers of transport, health and interior and representatives of governmental and non-governmental organisations signed on Wednesday an agreement aiming to halve the number of deaths and injuries resulting form traffic accidents.
Transport Minister Patrick Vlaci... More » |
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| Energy |
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| Energy Officials Debate Coexistence of Energy and Environment |
Brdo pri Kranju - Energy officials from the government and Slovenia's energy companies discussed at Brdo pri Kranju on Tuesday the relation between energy and the environment, with all participants stressing that a way to an efficient coexistence has to be found a... More » |
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| Tourism |
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| Slovenian Tourism Promoted in Zagreb |
| Zagreb - A two-day presentation of Slovenian tourism will get under way in Croatia's central square on Tuesday with a series of promotional and entertainment events, including a concert featuring Croatian pop star Josipa Lisac. Eighteen Slovenian tourism companies and destinations will be presented ... More » |
Slovenia News 24 May 2011
Editorial
PM Borut Pahor addressed on Friday over 250 entrepreneurs from SE Europe gathered at the 5th regional conference of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Executive Development (CEED) at Bled. Slovenia's exports fell considerably in the economic crisis, but the country is witnessing a new momentum, boosting economic growth, said Pahor, who believes that Slovenia is doing quite well and only has trouble in the construction sector.
Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor, who took part in a conference on regional an global politics in Wachau near Vienna, met on Saturday Austrian President Heinz Fischer to discuss EU issues and development as well as bilateral relations. The meeting focused on financial troubles in some eurozone countries and the measures the bloc should take to help the common currency and boost the eurozone's competitiveness.
Thousands of secondary-school graduates danced on Friday in the streets of cities and towns across Slovenia and seven other countries around Europe to the tune of Strauss' quadrille from the opera "Bat" in a traditional event attempting to break a new world record.
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| Foreign Affairs |
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| FM Discusses Development and Priorities of Slovenian Diplomacy |
| Ljubljana - Foreign Minister Samuel Zbogar, giving a lecture to mark 20 years of Slovenian diplomacy at Ljubljana's Faculty of Social Sciences on Tuesday, presented the development and priorities of Slovenia's foreign policy, dividing it into three periods.
Zbogar said that the past 20 years was ... More » |
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| Slovenia-Italy Forum Examines Ways to Boost Business Cooperation |
| Ljubljana - A Slovenia-Italy forum hosted by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) in Ljubljana on Thursday saw around 80 business representatives and officials, including the economy ministers of the countries looking for ways to strengthen cooperation.
Italian Economy Minister Paolo Romani... More » |
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| FM Zbogar Discusses Western Balkans in Vienna |
| Vienna - Foreign Minister Samuel Zbogar addressed a conference on the Western Balkans in Vienna on Saturday, noting that there was not enough foreign investment in the region, putting the blame on the lack of good corporate governance, the Foreign Ministry said in a press release.
Zbogar spoke at... More » |
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| Pahor and Austrian President Discuss EU Issues |
| Vienna - Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor, who is taking part in a conference on regional an global politics in Wachau near Vienna, met on Saturday Austrian President Heinz Fischer to discuss EU issues and development as well as bilateral relations.
The meeting focused on financial troubles i... More » |
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| Zbogar Stresses Cross-Borders Cooperation on Diplomacy Day |
| Dobrovo - The world has changed much since the atrocities committed by the Nazi regime and instead of ideological differences cross-borders cooperation is strengthening, Foreign Minister Samuel Zbogar said in Sunday's speech at a ceremony in remembrance of the victims of WWII in Dobrovo (W).
Sinc... More » |
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| International Organisations |
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| Switzerland Contributes Funds for Demining in Bosnia |
| Ig - Switzerland made a donation of CHF 300.000 (some EUR 243,000) to the Slovenian-run International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance (ITF) on Monday for demining operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Under the agreement signed by Swiss Ambassador to Slovenia Rober Reich and ITF d... More » |
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| Economy & Finance |
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| Slovenia, Germany Upgrade Tax Cooperation |
| Ljubljana - Finance Ministry State Secretary Mateja Vranicar and German Ambassador to Slovenia Werner Burkart signed on Tuesday a protocol amending the bilateral agreement on the avoidance of double taxation for income and luxury tax. The protocol amends the existing regulation of data exchange betw... More » |
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| Slovenia's Position on Greece Aligned with Eurozone Partners |
| Brussels - Finance Minister Franc Krizanic said in Brussels on Tuesday that when it comes to future developments related to the loan scheme to Greece, Slovenia would act in line with the approach taken by its eurozone partners.
While the head of the group of eurozone finance ministers, Jean-Claud... More » |
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| Krka Best Rated Company, Its Boss Most Respected CEO |
| Ljubljana - The Novo mesto-based pharmaceutical company Krka is the most respected Slovenian company and its chairman Joze Colaric the most admired Slovenian business executive, according to a survey carried by Monday's edition of daily Dnevnik.
Krka, which has been topping the ranking since the ... More » |
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| Business |
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| PM Addresses SE Europe Business Conference |
| Bled - PM Borut Pahor addressed on Friday over 250 entrepreneurs from SE Europe gathered at the 5th regional conference of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Executive Development (CEED) at Bled.
Fast-growing businesses represented at the conference are looking for opportunities and ways to attr... More » |
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| Agriculture |
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| Minister Hails EU Council Resolutions on Preserving Bees |
| Brussels - Slovenian Agriculture Minister Dejan Zidan welcomed the resolutions on health and preservation of honey bees adopted by the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels on Tuesday.
The minister said the resolutions were important for Slovenia, which recently witnessed extensive bee... More » |
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| Justice |
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| W Balkan Countries Enhancing Police Cooperation |
| Brdo pri Kranju - Police cooperation in the Western Balkans is very successful, which has been proven in the international sting Balkan Warrior, participants of a two-day meeting of police commissioners from the Western Balkans at Brdo pri Kranju agreed on Thursday.
"In the past year police ... More » |
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| Culture & Media |
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| Biggest Display of Grohar's Portraits to Open in Skofja Loka |
| Skofja Loka - On the eve of International Museum Day and exactly a month after the 100th anniversary of the death of Ivan Grohar (1867-1911), the biggest exhibition of portraits by the leading Slovenian Impressionist painter will open at Skofja Loka Castle on Tuesday evening.
"The Power of L... More » |
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| Museum Day to Explore Role of Museums in Preserving Memory |
| Ljubljana - Marking International Museum Day, over 40 museums across the country will open their doors admission free on Wednesday. Running under the banner "Museums and Memory", the Museum Day will explore the very core activity of museums, preservation of memory.
According to the head... More » |
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| Lipizzaner Museum Opens at Legendary Stud Farm |
| Lipica - A new museum dedicated to the town of Lipica (SW), its stud farm and the famous white Lipizzaner horses opened on Wednesday. Culture Minister Majda Sirca said it was especially gratifying to open the museum created with the vision to establish Lipica and its horses as one of the most import... More » |
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| Award for Best Children Book Goes to Two Authors |
| Ljubljana - The Slovenian Writers' Association conferred on Thursday evening the Desetnica Prize for the best book for children and youth on Milan Dekleva for a collection of humorous poems and on Bina Stampe Zmavc for a collection of short stories examining issues of human existence.
A collectio... More » |
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| Slovenia, France to Cooperate in Film-Making |
| Brussels - Slovenia and France signed an agreement on cooperation in film production in Brussels on Thursday. "In the future we can expect for example Isabelle Huppert to star in a Jan Cvitkovic film," Slovenian Culture Minister Majda Sirca illustrated the possibilities provided by the agr... More » |
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| Energy |
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| Gazprom Boss Presents Works on South Stream to Pahor |
| Ljubljana - Prime Minister Borut Pahor and Economy Minister Darja Radic met on Wednesday Alexei Miller, the boss of Russian gas giant Gazprom, who acquainted the Slovenian officials with preparations for the construction of the South Stream pipeline, a part of which is to run through Slovenia.
Ac... More » |
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| Events |
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| Thousands of Secondary-School Graduates Join Quadrille Dance |
| Ljubljana/Maribor - Thousands of secondary-school graduates danced on Friday in the streets of cities and towns across Slovenia and seven other countries around Europe to the tune of Strauss' quadrille from the opera "Bat" in a traditional event attempting to break a new world record.
Y... More » |
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| Tuerk Praises Courage of Civilians on Pekre Clash Anniversary |
| Pekre - President Danilo Tuerk addressed on Saturday a ceremony marking 20 years since the first military clash in Slovenia's independence efforts in 1991, saying that the events at Pekre was a successful rebellion of the civil society against an armed force, showing the courage of the people of Mar... More » |
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| Schedule of Events in the week for 23-29 May |
MONDAY, 23 May
- BRUSSELS, Belgium - Defence Minister Ljubica Jelusic and Foreign Ministry State Secretary Dragoljuba Bencina will take part in a two-day meeting of EU ministers for foreign affairs, defence and development.
- PARIS, France - President Danilo Tuerk will ... More »
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Slovenia News 31 May 2011
Editorial
Prime Minister Borut Pahor expressed confidence that Slovenians will be able to overcome all obstacles ahead, as they had always been able to set aside their differences in key moments so far. Speaking at the opening of a photo exhibition marking 20 years of Slovenia's independence in Ljubljana on Wednesday, the prime minister underlined the importance of national pride.
Slovenia and Croatia registered with the UN Secretariat on Wednesday their arbitration agreement from 2009, upon which the lasting dispute about several parts of the border between the two countries is to be resolved. According to the Foreign Ministry's press release on Thursday, Slovenia and Croatia thus fulfiled the last obligation from the treaty's part concerning its validity.
Slovenia's biggest natural park, the Triglav National Park (TNP), has celebrated its 30th birthday with a ceremony that pointed to the need to find a balance between wild Alpine nature and the people living inside the park.
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| Foreign Affairs |
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| Ministry Allocates Nearly EUR 1M for Development Aid Projects |
| Ljubljana - The Foreign Ministry has picked 13 international development and humanitarian projects among which it will distribute EUR 943,389 until 2013 as part of its international development cooperation and humanitarian aid activities. The projects were selected in a public call from among 3... More » |
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| Gantar and Chinese Official Praise Bilateral Cooperation |
| Ljubljana - Speaker Pavel Gantar received on Tuesday Vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress Han Qide, with the officials agreeing that cooperation between Slovenia and China is excellent and friendly, as is confirmed by Han's visit. Gantar said that politi... More » |
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| Slovenian-Croatian Border Arbitration Deal Registered with UN |
| New York - Slovenia and Croatia registered with the UN Secretariat on Wednesday their arbitration agreement from 2009, upon which the lasting dispute about several parts of the border between the two countries is to be resolved. According to the Foreign Ministry's press release on Thursday, Slovenia... More » |
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| PM Congratulates Serbia on Mladic's Arrest |
| Ljubljana - Prime Minister Borut Pahor has congratulated Serbia on today's arrest of Ratko Mladic, a wanted war crime suspects facing trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). President Danilo Tuerk expressed satisfaction, saying Serbia has overcome one of the bi... More » |
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| Gantar Receives Hungarian Counterpart |
| Ljubljana - National Assembly Speaker Pavel Gantar received his Hungarian counterpart Laszlo Koever on Thursday, discussing all important aspects of the relations between Slovenia and Hungary and the possibility to boost cooperation, focusing on respective minorities. Gantar told the press after the... More » |
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| President: Democracy Cannot Be Enforced from Outside |
| Warsaw - President Danilo Tuerk called for reflection on democracy as a theoretical concept as opposed to democracy in practice, as a two-day summit of leaders from Central and Eastern Europe kicked off in Warsaw on Friday. He stressed that democracy cannot be imposed from outside, it must come from... More » |
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| President Opens Slovenian Square in Warsaw, Holds Bilateral Talks |
| Warsaw - Slovenian President Danilo Tuerk, who is attending a two-day summit of leaders from Central and Eastern Europe, held a series of bilateral meetings in Warsaw on Saturday and cut the ribbon on the new "Slovenian Square" in the Polish capital. He has said at the opening ceremony tha... More » |
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| International Organisations |
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| Germany Donates EUR 490,000 to ITF for Demining in Bosnia |
| Ljubljana - Germany donated EUR 490,000 to the Slovenian-run International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance (ITF) on Tuesday for the fund's demining efforts in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the ITF said in a press release. The donation agreement was signed today at the German Embassy in... More » |
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| Tuerk Lauds New OECD Index |
| Paris - As part of the celebration of its 50th anniversary, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) launched a new index of better life on Tuesday. The key-note speaker was Slovenian President Danilo Tuerk, who stressed the index allowed for a more comprehensive and less po... More » |
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| EU Topics |
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| Slovenia to Provide EUR 155M in Loan Guarantees to Portugal |
| Ljubljana - Slovenia will provide EUR 155m in loan guarantees to Portugal as part of the temporary euro stability mechanism. The government gave on Thursday Slovenia's consent for the special company funded by euro member states to take out a loan to help Portugal. EU finance ministers endorsed a th... More » |
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| Kresal Discusses Topical Issues with EU Commissioner |
| Ljubljana - European Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmstroem visited Slovenia on Friday, meeting her host, Interior Minister Katarina Kresal. After visiting an asylum centre and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Ljubljana, the pair discussed asylum policy, corruption, and refuge... More » |
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| Economy & Finance |
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| OECD Head Stresses Importance of Slovenian Pension Reform |
| Paris - OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria called on Slovenian voters in Paris on Tuesday to bear in mind intergenerational solidarity as they hit the polls in the 5 June referendum on the pension reform, adding that their choice was very important both in the medium and long term. The head of the ... More » |
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| President: Pension Reform Worthy of Support in Referendum |
| Paris - President Danilo Tuerk underlined on Tuesday that the planned pension reform was worthy of support in the 5 June referendum. He believes, however, that the pre-referendum debate was of poor quality and that the dialogue between the government and the trade unions had failed to bring results.... More » |
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| OECD Projects 1.8% Growth for Slovenia in 2011 |
| Paris, 25 May (STA) - Slovenia's economic recovery continues to rest on external demand and the filling of inventories, the OECD says in its latest economic forecast for Slovenia published on Wednesday. The organisation projects a 1.8% economic growth for Slovenia in 2011 and a 2.6% growth for 2012.... More » |
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| Business |
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| Companies to Form Consortium to Enter Russian Market |
| Ljubljana - Three Slovenian companies and two chambers of commerce signed a letter of intent on Tuesday in Ljubljana to work together in the area of efficient energy use in the Russian market. The move is the first step towards forming a consortium of Slovenian companies which will try to get busine... More » |
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| GZS General Manager Becomes Chamber's President |
| Ljubljana - Samo Hribar Milic will swap the post of general manager of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) for the more ceremonial post of president. He was appointed president for the next nine-year term at the maiden session of the GZS assembly on Wednesday. Hribar Milic was backed by ... More » |
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| GZS General Manager Thinks Trust Is Crucial for Development |
| Portoroz - In order for Slovenia to become a fast growing, business-oriented and competitive country, people's attitude to necessary changes will need to change, general manager of the the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) Samo Hribar Milic said on Thursday. Speaking at a financial conference i... More » |
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| Agriculture |
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| National Assembly Backs Protection of Farmland |
| Ljubljana - The deputies backed in a 47-19 vote on Tuesday changes to the agricultural land act that is to improve protection of farmland by introducing a number of safeguards in order to promote a strategic level of food supply. The changed act will identify permanent agricultural land most importa... More » |
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| Slovenia Trying to Restore Forest-to-Wood Chain |
| Ljubljana - Agriculture Minister Dejan Zidan presented several measures on Friday aimed at restoring the chain from wood harvesting to timber products, in which 30,000 jobs were lost in Slovenia in the past 20 years. "Everyone of us can help the revival of the forest-to-wood chain. It's very si... More » |
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| Environment |
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| Triglav Natural Park Celebrates 30th Anniversary |
| Bled - Slovenia's biggest natural park, the Triglav National Park (TNP), has celebrated its 30th birthday with a ceremony that pointed to the need to find a balance between wild Alpine nature and the people living inside the park. The ceremony held in the lake resort of Bled late on Saturday was add... More » |
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| Education | Science & Technology |
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| MPs Back Higher Education, Research and Innovation Programmes |
| Ljubljana - The National Assembly backed on Tuesday resolutions on two strategic science documents for until 2020. The national higher education programme and research and innovation strategy are both aimed at boosting the quality, mobility and international ties of the Slovenian higher education an... More » |
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| Minister Underlines Need to Invest in Education at OECD Event |
| Ljubljana - Education and Sport Minister Igor Luksic underlined the importance of investing in education as he addressed in Ljubljana on Wednesday a two-day seminar on OECD-sponsored education activities. He said that investing in education was the best investment for long-term development of s... More » |
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| Culture & Media |
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| Izola Film Festival to Feature More than 40 Films |
| Izola/Ljubljana - Cinema-goers will be able to enjoy more than 40 screenings of films during the 7th "Kino Otok - Isola Cinema" film festival, running between 8 and 12 June in Izola. According to its director Lorena Pavlic, the festival will abandon the competition section and introduce a ... More » |
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| Maribor to Get EUR 1.5M from EU for Culture Capital Project |
| Maribor - The Maribor 2012 institute, which is organising the European Capital of Culture 2012 project, will get the EUR 1.5m Melina Mercouri prize, the only direct EU funding of the project. The Maribor 2012 institute received on Monday a comprehensive report on its presentation of the preparations... More » |
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| Romanian Author Wins Vilenica Award (adds) |
Ljubljana - The winner of the 2011 Vilenica Award for literature, to be presented at the International Vilenica Literary Festival in September, is Romanian poet, novelist and essayist Mircea Cartarescu, the judging panel revealed on Wednesday in Ljubljana. Cartarescu h... More » |
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| Local & Regional Topics |
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| CoE Bank Provides EUR 40M for Developemet of Municipalities |
| Ljubljana, 25 May (STA) - SID banka, the Slovenian state-owned development and export bank, and the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) signed a contract on Wednesday in Ljubljana on a EUR 40m loan to finance the development of Slovenian municipalities. The contract was signed by SID banka chai... More » |
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| Slovenian, Italian Border Towns Launch Development Association |
| Gorizia - The Slovenian municipalities of Nova Gorica and Sempeter-Vrtojba, bordering Italy, and the Italian municipality of Gorizia launched on Friday an association aimed at boosting the economic development of the border region. The ceremony in Gorizia launching the European Association for ... More » |
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| Tourism |
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| Tourism Sector Happy about Positive Start of 2011 |
| Podcetrtek - The positive trend in Slovenia's tourism sector in the first months of 2011 was in the centre of focus at the launch of the 14th annual Slovenian Incoming Workshop (SIW), a market-type event presenting Slovenian tourism destinations and services to potential foreign partners.
Acting ... More » |
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| Pahor Opens Spa Resort in Central Slovenia |
Rimske Toplice - Prime Minister Borut Pahor expressed satisfaction as he opened the Rimske terme spa resort in central Slovenia on Friday. He said that the resort, its surroundings and the people living there passed a milestone as the renovation of the spa finally... More » |
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| Events |
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| PM Confident Slovenia Will Overcome Obstacles |
| Ljubljana - Prime Minister Borut Pahor expressed confidence that Slovenians will be able to overcome all obstacles ahead, as they had always been able to set aside their differences in key moments so far. Speaking at the opening of a photo exhibition marking 20 years of Slovenia's independence in Lj... More » |
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| Schedule of Events in the week for 30 May-5 June |
MONDAY, 30 May
- LJUBLJANA - Slovakia PM Iveta Radicova, accompanied by a business delegation, will pay an official visit to Slovenia to discuss economic cooperation and EU issues with PM Borut Pahor.
- LJUBLJANA - Bosnian Health Minister Rusmir Mesihovic will pay a wor... More »
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