Slovenia News 7 December 2010
Editorial
Slovenia will host the European Basketball Championships for men in 2013, FIBA Europe unanimously decided on Sunday in Munich, Germany. The decision to award the tournament to Slovenia as the only candidate was broken at a news conference by FIBA Europe secretary general Nar Zanolin: "I'm very happy and honoured that the 2013 European Championships will be in Slovenia."
Slovenia switched from analogue to digital TV broadcasting on Wednesday as 250 analogue transmitters were shut down at 3 AM. The switch comes after 52 years of analogue broadcasting and is expected to cost around EUR 8m.
Cultural institutions throughout Slovenia held open day on Friday, 3 December, offering a variety of events admission-free as the country remembered the birth of its poet laureate France Preseren (1800-1849).
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| Press release |
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| Slovenia bidding for Eurobasket 2013 |
| At its session on Sunday, 5 December 2010, the Board of FIBA Europe will decide whether Slovenia will host EUROBASKET 2013. Slovenia has remained the only candidate for the organisation of the championship after Italy withdrew its candidature. The organisation of the European Basketball Championship... More » |
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| Domestic Policy |
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| Kresal Hosts Salzburg Forum Meeting on Schengen Enlargement |
| Brussels - Interior Minister Katarina Kresal hosted a meeting of the Salzburg Forum in Brussels on Wednesday. The interior ministers of eight member states agreed that the enlargement of the Schengen area to Bulgaria and Romania must be carried out under the same conditions as the 2007 Schengen enla... More » |
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| Foreign Affairs |
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| Slovenia and Israel Strengthening Ties |
| Ljubljana - Slovenian and Israeli foreign ministers, Samuel Zbogar and Avigdor Liberman, pledged to strengthen ties between their countries as they met in Ljubljana on Monday. They agreed that Slovenia will host a conference on high-tech solutions in May 2011.
Zbogar told the press that the confe... More » |
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| Slovenia Facilitates Application for Tourist Visas |
| Ljubljana - Foreign Minister Samuel Zbogar and Economy Minister Darja Radic signed on Wednesday a cooperation agreement that will facilitate the process of obtaining tourist visas for Slovenia. The agreement, focused mainly on Russian and Ukrainian tourists, regulates the cooperation between travel ... More » |
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| US Ambassador: There Was No Guantanamo Quid Pro Quo with Slovenia |
| Ljubljana - US Ambassador to Slovenia Joseph A. Mussomeli backed up on Wednesday PM Borut Pahor in his insistence that counter to claims made in a leaked US cable Pahor did not promise Slovenia would accept a Guantanamo prisoner in exchange for a meeting with US President Barack Obama.
Mussomeli,... More » |
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| Pahor Meets European and African Leaders in Tripoli |
| Tripoli - Prime Minister Borut Pahor held a number of bilateral meetings with leaders of European and African countries on the sidelines of the EU-Africa summit in Tripoli on Tuesday, Pahor's office said in a press release.
Pahor met the host, Libyan leader Muammar Al-Qadhafi and PM al-Baghdadi A... More » |
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| Pahor and Libyan PM Wrap Up EUR 30m Investment in Stozice |
| Tripoli - Prime Minister Borut Pahor has received an official confirmation from Libyan PM al-Baghdadi Ali al-Mahmudi that the Libyan state investment fund would provide the EUR 30m needed to finalise the new Stozice sport and shopping complex in Ljubljana.
According to Tuesday's press release fro... More » |
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| International Organisations |
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| Tuerk Calls for More Mutual Respect and Trust in OSCE |
| Astana - OSCE countries need more mutual respect and trust, which are crucial for ensuring better cooperation among the countries and organisations, Slovenian President Danilo Tuerk pointed out in his address to the summit of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Astana i... More » |
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| President Holds Several Bilateral Meetings at OSCE Summit |
| Astana - Slovenian President Danilo Tuerk held several bilateral meetings on Wednesday on the sidelines of a two-day summit of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Astana, Kazakhstan. He discussed topical international issues with European, Asian and Australian official... More » |
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| EU Topics |
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| EU Commissioner Hails Slovenia's Reform Efforts |
| Brussels - Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs Olli Rehn welcomed Slovenia's reform efforts as he met Finance Minister Franc Krizanic in Brussels on Monday, ahead of a meeting of the Eurogroup.
Rehn particularly welcomed consolidation of expenditure, current national fiscal framework a... More » |
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| Slovenia Backs EU Initiative in Fight against Organised Crime |
| Brussels - Slovenia supports the European Commission's initiative in the fight against organised crime for the setting up of a system for confiscating illegally obtained assets, said Interior Minister Katarina Kresal, who attended an EU justice and internal affairs ministerial in Brussels on Thursda... More » |
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| Economy & Finance |
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| Abanka Vipa Selected as Best Slovenian Bank |
| Ljubljana - Banking paper The Banker has selected Abanka Vipa as Slovenia's top bank for the second year in a row. Slovenia's third-largest bank was selected because of its good business results, technological advances and introduction of new products, Abanka said on Friday.
The Banker conferred ... More » |
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| Slovenian Economy Expands by 1.7% Y/Y in Q3 |
| Ljubljana - Slovenia's economy expanded at an annual rate of 1.7% in the the third quarter on the back of continuing export growth, the Statistics Office said on Tuesday. Quarterly growth adjusted for season and working days stood at 0.3%, down from 1.1% in the second quarter.
The annual growth r... More » |
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| Business |
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| Pahor Says Innovations Will Help Slovenia Exit Crisis |
| Ljubljana - Addressing the opening of the 5th Slovenian Innovation Forum, Prime Minister Borut Pahor stressed in Ljubljana on Thursday that Slovenia would prosper only if "we use our own brains".
Pahor told the forum, organised by the Slovenian Agency for Entrepreneurship and Foreign Investments ... More » |
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| Justice |
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| W Balkans Justice Ministers Discuss Mediation |
| Budva - Justice ministers of the Western Balkans, gathered at a regional conference in Budva, Montenegro on Thursday on boosting efficiency of the judiciary with the help of out-of-court settlements, showed much interest in Slovenia's experience in mediation, presented by Justice Minister Ales Zalar... More » |
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| Education | Science & Technology |
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| Drug Maker Krka Among Award Winners at Innovation Forum |
| Ljubljana - The national commission for innovation conferred on Thursday as part of the 5th Slovenian Innovation Forum this year's awards for the most innovative products, services and business model in Slovenia. The Novo mesto-based drug maker Krka, one of Slovenia's biggest companies, was also amo... More » |
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| Slovenia Completes Digital Switch |
| Ljubljana - Slovenia switched from analogue to digital TV broadcasting on Wednesday as 250 analogue transmitters were shut down at 3 AM. Head of the transmitters and connections at the national broadcaster RTV Slovenija, Miran Dolenec, told the STA that the transition was smooth.
"We detected no ... More » |
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| Slovenia Launches Cooperation with European Space Agency |
| Brdo pri Kranju - Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Gregor Golobic and European Space Agency (ESA) director of legal affairs, Peter Hulsroj, signed the European Cooperating State Charter plan in Ljubljana on Tuesday, launching the first phase of cooperation between Slovenia and the E... More » |
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| Culture & Media |
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| Exhibition Marks 70th Birthday of Poet Niko Grafenauer |
| Ljubljana - An exhibition on the life and work of one of Slovenia's most prolific poets Niko Grafenauer opened at the National and University Library (NUK) on Friday to mark the poet's 70th birthday.
On display are Grafenauer's books of poetry and manuscripts of his latest collection "Diham, da n... More » |
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| Merry Day of Culture Pays Tribute to Slovenia's Greatest Poet |
| Ljubljana - Cultural institutions throughout Slovenia are holding open day on Friday offering a variety of events admission-free as the country remembers the birth its poet laureate France Preseren (1800-1849).
While the anniversary of Preseren's death has been celebrated as public holiday since ... More » |
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| Health |
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| Awareness Campaigns Marking World AIDS Day |
| Ljubljana - A series of awareness campaigns organised by student organisations, health institutes, youth centres and other institutions with info stands and handing out of free condoms, red ribbons and promotional material in major cities around Slovenia will mark World AIDS Day on Wednesday.
Som... More » |
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| Sport |
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| Slovenia Awarded 2013 European Basketball Championships |
| Munich - Slovenia will host the European Basketball Championships for men in 2013, FIBA Europe unanimously decided on Sunday in Munich, Germany.
The decision to award the tournament to Slovenia as the only candidate was broken at a news conference by FIBA Europe secretary general Nar Zanolin: "I'... More » |
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| Slovenian Eurobasket Bid Will Be Confirmed, PM Says |
| Ljubljana - PM Borut Pahor is confident that FIBA Europe will give Slovenia the thumbs up to host the 2013 European Basketball Championships, after the government confirmed on Thursday a deal under which Slovenia will pay the tournament fee in installments.
The deal was reached on Wednesday as Pa... More » |
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| Events |
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| Charity Bazaar Presenting 30 Countries Opens in Ljubljana |
| Ljubljana - An international charity bazaar, organised by the Slovenian International Ladies Association (SILA) opened at Ljubljana's Gospodarsko razstavisce fairgrounds on Saturday, featuring stands by 30 countries. The money raised will be allocated to helping child victims of abuse, people with d... More » |
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| Merry December Festivities Getting Under Way |
| Ljubljana - December festivities are getting under way on Friday in Slovenia's capital Ljubljana as Christmas lights will be lit in the city centre at 5 PM. The period before New Year's known as "veseli december" (Merry December) will bring a number of events, including a St. Nicholas market along t... More » |
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| Slovenian Book Fair Opens with Award Ceremony |
| Ljubljana - Several awards for achievements in publishing, printing, translation, design and for literary debut were handed out at the gala opening of the 26th Slovenian Book Fair in Ljubljana's Cankarjev dom on Tuesday.
The ceremony was addressed by Culture Minister Majda Sirca, who noted that S... More » |
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| Schedule of Events for 6-12 December |
MONDAY, 6 december
- LJUBLJANA - Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman will pay a visit.
- TALLINN, Estonia - PM Borut Pahor will pay a working visit to Estonia. He will be accompanied by Minister of Development and European Affairs Mitja Gaspari.
- TIRANA, Albania - De... More »
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Slovenia News 14 December 2010
Editorial
The new act on public broadcaster RTV Slovenija was defeated resoundingly in Sunday's referendum, albeit on a low turnout of less than 15%. With nearly all votes counted, the share of votes against the government-sponsored law stood at 72.64%.
Of the 249,480 ballots counted, 179,530 (72.64%) were against the new act and 67,617 (27.36%) were in favour.
Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor congratulated Albania on its citizens soon no longer needing visas to travel to the EU as he paid an official visit to the country on Wednesday. He said the Schengen visa liberalisation was "a dream come true for Albania".
An exhibition of some of the most striking images published in the world's media in 2009 has opened at the Cankarjev dom arts centre in Ljubljana on Wednesday evening.
The exhibition, visiting 100 cities around the world, is considered the most prestigious in the field. As many as 2.5 million people in 45 countries see it every year.
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| Domestic Policy |
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| RTV Slovenija Act Defeated in Referendum |
| Ljubljana - The new act on public broadcaster RTV Slovenija was defeated resoundingly in a referendum marked by extremely low turnout on Sunday, in what is being billed as a vote of no confidence for the government and a stark message by an electorate fed up with politics.
With all the votes coun... More » |
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| Foreign Affairs |
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| Pahor Says Visa Liberation Is Dream Come True for Albania |
| Tirana - Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor congratulated Albania on its citizens soon no longer needing visas to travel to the EU, as he paid an official visit to the country on Wednesday. He said the Schengen visa liberalisation was "a dream come true for Albania".
"This is a dream come true ... More » |
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| Slovenia Sends Flood Aid to Montenegro |
| Ljubljana - Slovenia sent aid worth a total of EUR 26,000 to Montenegro on Wednesday to help it deal with floods that have been affecting the country since mid-November.
According to the Defence Ministry, Slovenia sent sand bags, boots and mobile electrical generators to Montenegro.
In its call ... More » |
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| Cable Leak Will Not Dent Relations, US Ambassador Says |
| Ljubljana - The release of secret US diplomatic cables will not hurt Slovenian-US relations, US Ambassador Joseph Mussomeli said in Ljubljana on Wednesday. He believes that while there may be some awkward moments as further cables are released, the story will end up being beneficial for relations.
... More » |
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| Zbogar Proposes New Approach to EU Foreign Policy to Ashton |
| Brussels - Foreign Minister Samuel Zbogar has addressed a letter to the EU's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton laying out Slovenia's proposal for the bloc's foreign policy. The minister sees the need for a policy that would be more result-oriented and focused on the role and interests of the EU.... More » |
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| International Organisations |
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| US NGO to Open Regional Headquarters in Slovenia |
| Ljubljana - International Relief and Development (IRD), a US NGO providing aid to the world's most vulnerable people, inaugurated its regional European office in Ljubljana on Wednesday evening with its president Arthur Keys noting the choice of Slovenia was prompted by the depth of relations and the... More » |
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| Defence & NATO |
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| Jelusic Discusses Cooperation with Albanian Counterpart |
| Tirana - Defence Minister Ljubica Jelusic wrapped up a two-day visit to Albania dedicated to defence cooperation by meeting her counterpart Arben Imami in Tirana on Tuesday.
Apart from cooperation in defence and military affairs, Jelusic and Imami also examined the security situation in the regio... More » |
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| Slovenia to Contribute Another Soldier to Atalanta Operation |
| Brussels - Slovenia will contribute another officer to the EU Atalanta operation against Somali pirates in 2011, head of the defence directorate at the Defence Ministry Primoz Savc told the press in Brussels on Thursday.
Two Slovenian officers working in the headquarters in Northwood will be join... More » |
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| Slovenia Sends EUR 20,000 in Flood Aid to Bosnia |
| Ljubljana - Slovenia has sent EUR 20,000 in aid to Bosnia-Herzegovina, which was hit by severe floods at the beginning of December. The aid includes 5,000 flood bags, 200 pairs of boots and six electricity generators, the Defence Ministry said in a press release on Friday.
The hardest-hit were ar... More » |
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| EU Topics |
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| Slovenia Favours Changing Lisbon Treaty |
| Ljubljana - The Slovenian government supports potential minor changes to the Lisbon Treaty in order to tighten financial discipline in a bid to bring about a European economic recovery.
Slovenia advocates introducing sanctions for the member states that are not sticking to agreed economic policie... More » |
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| EU: Slovenia Joins Calls for Visa Dialogue with Kosovo |
| Brussels - Slovenia joined calls by half a dozen EU countries for the bloc to start dialogue on visa liberalisation with Kosovo, as EU foreign ministers met in Brussels on Monday.
Such dialogue would be an important incentive for Kosovo as part of its dialogue with Belgrade being held under the a... More » |
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| Economy & Finance |
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| Minister Reiterates Commitment to Reducing Deficit by 2013 |
| Brussels - Finance Minister Franc Krizanic reiterated Slovenia's commitment to curbing its budget deficit to below 3% of GDP by 2013 as he took part in a meeting of EU finance ministers in Brussels on Tuesday.
Krizanic said he presented Slovenia's reforms and financial consolidation plans to Euro... More » |
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| New Gaming Strategy Rolls Out Welcome Mat for Foreign Investors |
| Ljubljana - Investors in casinos will be eligible for tax breaks if they also invest in tourism and the state is willing to reduce its minimum ownership stake to 51% according to a new gaming strategy that the government plans to adopt next week.
Gaming tax will be regressive, proportionate to ho... More » |
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| Environment |
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| Electric Bike Store Opens in Ljubljana |
| Ljubljana - The first specialised store offering electric bicycles, scooters and carts was opened in Ljubljana on Friday. As such vehicles are health- and environment-friendly, the launch was attended by representatives of the government and the City of Ljubljana.
Opened by bike and motorcycle de... More » |
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| Minister Says Slovenia Committed to Climate Change Goals |
| Cancun - Slovenian Environment and Spatial Planning Minister Roko Zarnic told the UN Climate Change Conference in Mexico's Cancun on Wednesday that Slovenia is meeting its commitments regarding the fight against climate change and called on his colleagues at the conference to come up with a positive... More » |
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| Zarnic Happy With Climate Change Agreement Adopted in Cancun |
| Cancun - Environment Minister Roko Zarnic labelled the climate agreement reached at the UN summit in Cancun in Saturday a deal that enables the process addressing the problems of climate change to continue.
"The agreement is at a level that we expected with optimism. The matter is moving forward ... More » |
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| Justice |
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| Slovenia's Top Jurists Comment on Topical Issues |
| Ljubljana - The ten most influential jurists in Slovenia in 2010 picked by visitors of the legal consultancy portal IUS Info received their awards at a ceremony on Thursday and took the occasion to comment on the relationship between law and politics and current political issues.
The list of the ... More » |
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| Social Affairs |
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| Foreign and Justice Ministries Review Work on Human Rights Day |
| Ljubljana - The foreign and justice ministries reviewed their work in the field of human rights in press releases marking International Human Rights Day on Friday. The Foreign Ministry welcomed the decision of the Council of Europe to dedicate the occasion this year to the fight against discriminati... More » |
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| Minorities |
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| Italy Keeps Funding for Slovenian Minority Level at EUR 5m |
| Rome - The Italian parliament confirmed on Tuesday EUR 5.3m in funds for the Slovenian minority in 2011, a EUR 240,000 improvement on this year, which come after initial government plans to cut the minority's budget in half.
The Italian government initially proposed EUR 2.8m, but Finance Ministry... More » |
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| Culture & Media |
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| Exhibition of Best Press Photos Opens in Ljubljana |
| Ljubljana - An exhibition of some of the most striking images published in the world's media in 2009 will open at the Cankarjev dom arts centre in Ljubljana on Wednesday evening.
The exhibition, visiting 100 cities around the world, is considered the most prestigious in the field. As many as 2.5 ... More » |
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| Work by Slovenia's Leading Cartoonist Displayed in Maribor |
| Maribor - More than 120 original works by the legendary Slovenian cartoonist Miki Muster were put on display at Naskov dvorec in Maribor on Wednesday evening. The exhibits include comic strips and books, advertisements, animated films and even a Vespa scooter with a paint job bearing the adventures ... More » |
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| Scholar Bernik Decorated by Austria |
| Ljubljana - Literary historian France Bernik received an Austrian decoration on Tuesday in recognition of his contribution to the advancement of Slovenian-Austrian relations in literary sciences.
Bernik, who chaired the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SAZU) between 1992 and 2002, was pres... More » |
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| Slovenian Embassy in Germany Presenting Poet and Two Painters |
| Berlin - The Slovenian Embassy in Berlin hosted on Monday a literary evening with poet Tomaz Salamun, who presented his collection "Lesen:Lieben" (To Love:To Read). On the occasion, an exhibition by painters Metka Krasovec and Karmen Bajec was also opened, according to the embassy.
Salamun, who i... More » |
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| Health |
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| Committee Endorses Simplified Hiring of Foreign Doctors |
| Ljubljana - The parliamentary Health Committee backed on Friday a bill on recognition of professional qualifications of doctors, which addresses a gaping shortage of doctors in Slovenia by simplifying the hiring of doctors from non-EU countries.
Health Minister Dorjan Marusic stressed in the deba... More » |
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| Society |
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| Slovenia with Lowest Inactivity Rate for Women in EU |
| Luxembourg - Slovenia had the lowest inactivity rate for women aged between 25 and 54 in the EU in 2009, with its rate of 12.1% comparing to an EU average of 22.1%, a survey released on Tuesday by Eurostat shows.
Slovenia is followed by Sweden (12.9%) and Denmark (13%) and also forms with them th... More » |
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| Events |
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| Schedule of Events for 13-19 December |
MONDAY, 13 December
- LJUBLJANA - PM Borut Pahor will meet public sector trade unions to review the activities regarding negotiated pay agreements.
- BRUSSELS, Belgium - FM Samuel Zbogar and State Secretary Dragoljuba Bencina will take part in a session of the EU General Affairs ... More »
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Slovenia News 21 December 2010
Editorial
Centre for Slovenian as a Second/Foreign Language presented a project helping migrants and their children socially and linguistically integrate into Slovenian society. The project lay the ground for systematic introduction of Slovenian as a second language to children of migrants, while also offering their parents a chance to learn Slovenian.
Labour Minister Ivan Svetlik and Bosnia-Herzegovina's Civil Affairs Minister Sredoje Novic signed an agreement to secure unemployment benefits to Bosnian workers in Slovenia. The agreement amending the bilateral welfare agreement between the countries will make Bosnian workers eligible for unemployment benefits under the same conditions as Slovenian and other migrant workers. This means that when both countries ratify this agreement, even workers with temporary residence will be able to apply for unemployment benefits.
The National Assembly passed the government-sponsored pension reform act in a 49:35 vote on Tuesday, gradually raising the full-pension retirement age to 65 by 2026 in a bid to put the pension system on a sustainable footing.
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| Domestic Policy |
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| Parliament Passes Pension Reform |
| Ljubljana - The National Assembly passed the government-sponsored pension reform act in a 49:35 vote on Tuesday, gradually raising the full-pension retirement age to 65 by 2026 in a bid to put the pension system on a sustainable footing.
Passage of the law, which is set to take effect on 1 Januar... More » |
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| Strategy Opening Gaming to Foreign Investment Adopted |
| Ljubljana - The cabinet confirmed a new gaming strategy that will enable foreigners to invest in mega gaming centres and provide tax breaks for investment in tourism infrastructure. In announcing the draft strategy, Finance Minister Franc Krizanic said that the document seeks to build on gaming as a... More » |
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| Government Earmarks EUR 11M for Flood Relief for Businesses |
| Ljubljana - The government adopted a relief programme for the economy following the devastating September floods. Economy Minister Darja Radic said the flood damage for companies is estimated at EUR 18m, so the government earmarked around EUR 11m of relief funds, a good EUR 6m for 2011 and another E... More » |
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| Foreign Affairs |
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| Foreign Minister Highlights Main Achievements in Past Two Years |
| Ljubljana - Foreign Minister Samuel Zbogar on Monday reviewed the ministry's work in the past two years, emphasising OECD membership, the successful bid for the seat of the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators, boosting of economic diplomacy and improving the relations with the neighbouri... More » |
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| Defence & NATO |
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| Defence Minister Pays First Visit to Afghanistan |
| Herat - Defence Minister Ljubica Jelusic began her first visit to Afghanistan. Together with the chair and vice-chair of the parliamentary Defence Committee, Jozef Jerovsek and Bogdan Cepic, Jelusic is visiting Slovenian soldiers serving in the NATO-led ISAF mission ahead of the Christmas holidays a... More » |
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| EU Topics |
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| MEP Fajon and Inzko Decorated in Bosnia-Herzegovina |
| Sarajevo - Slovenian MEP Tanja Fajon (S&D/SD) and high representative of the international community for Bosnia-Herzegovina Valentin Izko were decorated on Tuesday by the European Movement in Bosnia-Herzegovina for their contribution to the country's progress towards European integration.
Schenge... More » |
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| Parliamentary Committee Backs Closing of Croatia's Foreign Affairs Chapter |
| Ljubljana - The parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee gave a green light on Thursday for closing the foreign affairs, security and defence policy chapter in Croatia's EU accession negotiations. The temporary closure of Chapter 31 is expected to take place at the intergovernmental conference on 22 D... More » |
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| Slovenian EU Commissioner Presents Plans for 2011 |
| Ljubljana - Presenting the programme of the European Commission for 2011 and his plans for next year, European Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik told the parliamentary committees for EU affairs and economy that his priorities would be sustainable resource management, biodiversity and better im... More » |
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| PM Borut Pahor Says Euro Must Be Preserved as Heart of the EU |
| Brussels - Prime Minister Borut Pahor said on Friday that one of the main conclusions of the EU summit is that the common currency is the heart of the EU and that securing its stability will be the key issue in the coming years. He added that Slovenia does not support the Franco-German initiative fo... More » |
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| Economy & Finance |
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| Slovenia's GDP per Capita 88% of EU Average |
| Ljubljana - GDP per capita in Slovenia, expressed in purchasing power standards, was 88% of the average for the 27 member states of the EU in 2009, the national Statistics Office said Wednesday following a report released by Eurostat.
The year before Slovenia's GDP per capita was 91% of the EU27 av... More » |
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| Business |
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| Slovenian Companies to Make Electric Moped |
| Ljubljana - Three companies signed an agreement on the development of the first Slovenian electric moped in Ljubljana on Thursday. It is expected to be launched in Slovenia and selected markets in Northwestern Europe in the beginning of 2012.
The project is headed by Tomos, a successful maker of ... More » |
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| Luka Koper Presents Ambitious Profit Plans for 2011 |
| Koper - The supervisors of port operator Luka Koper discussed on Monday the 2011 business plan, which envisages turning this year's loss of EUR 300,000 into a EUR 7.6m profit next year at the group level. The core company meanwhile plans to boost profit from the estimated EUR 300,000 in 2010 to EUR ... More » |
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| Social Affairs |
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| Slovenian Language Project to Help Migrant Children Integrate |
| Ljubljana - Ahead of International Migrants Day, the Centre for Slovenian as a Second/Foreign Language presented a project helping migrants and their children socially and linguistically integrate into Slovenian society. The project lay the ground for systematic introduction of Slovenian as a second... More » |
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| Bosnian Workers to Gain More Rights With New Agreement |
| Brdo pri Kranju - Labour Minister Ivan Svetlik and Bosnia-Herzegovina's Civil Affairs Minister Sredoje Novic signed an agreement to secure unemployment benefits to Bosnian workers in Slovenia. The agreement amending the bilateral welfare agreement between the countries will make Bosnian workers elig... More » |
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| Culture & Media |
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| Natasa Matjasec Rosker and Renato Jencek Win Sever Awards for Best Actors |
| Skofja Loka - The 40th annual Sever Awards for outstanding achievements of Slovenian theatre actors were conferred on Sunday to Natasa Matjasec Rosker of the SNG Drama Maribor national theatre house and Renato Jencek of the SLG Celje.
Matjasec Rosker was awarded best actress of the past season fo... More » |
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| Health |
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| Parliament Backs Law Simplifying Employment of Non-EU Doctors |
| Ljubljana - The National Assembly passed on Monday in a 66:3 vote the act on the recognition of professional qualifications of doctors which will facilitate hiring of doctors from non-EU countries in a bid to deal with a shortage of doctors. Health Minister Dorjan Marusic, who presented the bill to ... More » |
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| Society |
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| First Slovenian Hospice Opens in Ljubljana |
| Ljubljana - The first hospice in Slovenia opened in Ljubljana on Tuesday amidst calls that other cities should follow suit to provide the terminally ill with a dignified place to spend the final days of their lives.
"For us dying is much more than a medical process, it is a process of conclusion ... More » |
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| Tourism |
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| Survey Shows Slovenian Youth Hostels of Top Quality |
| Ljubljana - The Slovenian youth hostels operated by the Travelling Association of Slovenia (PZS) placed first in the Hostelling International ranking of quality in November. Guests evaluated Slovenian hostels with an average of 93 out of 100 points.
The Hostelling International association is the... More » |
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| Events |
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| Schedule of events in the week for 21-26 December: |
TUESDAY, 21 December
- LJUBLJANA - The National Council, the upper chamber of parliament, will meet to veto the new pension and disability insurance act, which thoroughly reforms the pension system.
- LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Home Affairs, Public Administration an... More »
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Slovenia News 28 December 2010
Editorial
Slovenia celebrated the 20th anniversary of the independence referendum on Thursday, marking the event in which Slovenians voted almost unanimously in favour of splitting away from Yugoslavia, triggering a cascade of events that led to the declaration of independence in 1991.
Speaking at the national ceremony marking the day on Thursday, Prime Minister Borut Pahor highlighted the two decades of nationhood and stressed that 23 December was the day when Slovenians became "the masters of our destiny".
Petra Matos, a young environmentalist who initiated the Clean Up Slovenia in One Day campaign, was proclaimed the "Name of the Year" by public radio Val 202 in Ljubljana.
World boxing champion Dejan Zavec and double Olympic silver medalist Tina Maze were declared Slovenian Athletes of the Year for 2010 in Ljubljana on Wednesday evening. The national football team meanwhile defended its last year's title of the best team.
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| Foreign Affairs |
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| Slovenia Opens Consulates in Novi Sad, Mumbai |
| Ljubljana - The government decided on Thursday that Slovenia would open consulates in Serbia's Novi Sad and India's Mumbai, while consulates in Hong Kong, Manila, Bangkok and Aman will be promoted to consulates generals.
Serbia is one of strategic priorities of Slovenian foreign policy, while Ind... More » |
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| Defence & NATO |
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| PM, Defence Minister Visit Troops in Lebanon |
| Beirut - Prime Minister Borut Pahor and Defence Minister Ljubica Jelusic visited Slovenian peacekeepers serving in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on Saturday.
"The visit coming on the 20th anniversary of independence is a reminder that 20 years ago Slovenia was not on any UN... More » |
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| Environment |
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| New Climate Legislation and Strategy Entail Green Tax Reform |
| Ljubljana - Government Climate Change Office head Jernej Stritih stressed the need for a green tax reform that could increase Slovenia's CO2 tax revenues more than tenfold in the period 2030-2045 as he addressed a public exchange of views on a draft climate change bill on Tuesday.
The draft bill ... More » |
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| Social Affairs |
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| Social Services Draft Bill Enters Public Debate |
| Ljubljana - A new draft bill on social security services has been put up for public debate. Labour, Family and Social Affairs Minister Ivan Svetlik said the bill aimed at bringing the services closer to the people by introducing new services, reorganising social services centres and giving them more... More » |
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| Culture & Media |
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| Acclaimed Artists Join 2012 European Culture Capital Project |
| Maribor - The team in charge of Maribor's stint as the 2012 European Capital of Culture was completed with Wednesday's setting up of the Academy of the European Culture Capital featuring established artists from various fields, who will according to programme director Mitja Cander significantly cont... More » |
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| Sport |
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| Athletes of the Year: Boxer Zavec, Skier Maze, Football Team |
| Ljubljana - World boxing champion Dejan Zavec and double Olympic silver medalist Tina Maze were declared Slovenian Athletes of the Year for 2010 in Ljubljana on Wednesday evening. The national football team meanwhile defended its last year's title of the best team.
Zavec and Maze stood out in a p... More » |
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| Boxing Champ Receives National Decoration |
| Ljubljana - President Danilo Tuerk honoured top sportsmen with national decorations Wednesday, including reigning IBF welterweight champion Dejan Zavec.
Zavec, the Slovenian world boxing champion, was awarded the Golden Order for Services for his double defence of the title and for his ethics and... More » |
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| Events |
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| Environmentalist Petra Matos Becomes Name of the Year |
| Ljubljana - Petra Matos, a young environmentalist who initiated the Clean Up Slovenia in One Day campaign, was proclaimed the "Name of the Year" by public radio Val 202 in Ljubljana. Matos humbly said that the title was a recognition for 270,000 volunteers who joined forces on 17 April throughout th... More » |
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| Exhibition on Independence Referendum Opening at Cankarjev Dom |
| Ljubljana - An exhibition celebrating 20 years since the independence referendum will open at the Ljubljana arts centre Cankarjev dom on Thursday. The main idea of the exhibition is to bring back memories of the positive atmosphere that prevailed at the time.
The exhibition is designed to commemo... More » |
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| President Reflects on Two Decades of Slovenia's Independence |
| Ljubljana - Slovenians acquired independence with their own effort and sacrifice, President Danilo Tuerk said as he addressed the press on Wednesday ahead of Independence and Unity Day, 26 December, when Slovenia will celebrate two decades since its people decided in a referendum that they wanted to... More » |
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| Slovenia Celebrates 20 Years of Independence Referendum |
| Ljubljana - Slovenia will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the independence referendum on Thursday, marking the event in which Slovenians voted almost unanimously in favour of splitting away from Yugoslavia, triggering a cascade of events that led to the declaration of independence in 1991.
The ... More » |
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| Independence Referendum Highlighted as Key Moment in History |
| Ljubljana - Slovenia celebrated on Thursday the anniversary of the referendum on independence from Yugoslavia with a national ceremony highlighting two decades of nationhood that started with what Prime Minister Borut Pahor called "probably the most glorious part of our history".
The independence... More » |
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| Slovenia Celebrates Independence and Unity Day |
| Ljubljana - Slovenia celebrates Independence and Unity Day on Sunday, remembering two decades since its people decided in a referendum that they wanted to break away from Yugoslavia. On 26 December 1990, the results of a referendum on the country's independence were officially released.
In the re... More » |
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| Schedule of Events in the week for 27 December-2 January |
MONDAY, 27 December
- LJUBLJANA - PM Borut Pahor will meet the candidate for the new local government and regional development minister, Dusa Trobec Bucan.
- LJUBLJANA - Several confederations of trade unions will present their common stance on the new pension and disability insu... More »
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