Slovenia News 1 February 2005

Prime Minister Janez Jansa sparked controversy this week after meeting NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer as he said Slovenia would consider sending troops to Iraq to train local security forces there. Although Jansa clarified the comments a day later, suggesting there was no change to current policy, he was criticised by the opposition. The coalition and opposition also clashed seriously on the home front. The apple of discord was the government's package of amendments to the public servants act that would enable it to dismiss undesirable public servants. More effort will be needed to produce the same results in Slovene tourism this year, since the competition is becoming much stronger. All countries are increasing their tourism marketing budgets and this will have to be done in Slovenia as well, says Bojan Meden, General Manager of the Slovenian Tourist Board. The organization will receive over two billion tolars (€ 8.4 m) for the promotion of Slovene tourism this year. More » The government's key priorities this year will be to meet the requirements for accession to the euro zone, and to secure a favourable support environment for economic growth and social stability. This is what PM Janez Jansa said after the first plenary meeting of the ruling centre-right coalition on Monday. More » On 25 January Prime Minister Janez Jansa payed an introductory visit to the EU and NATO headquarters in Brussels on Tuesday, where he discussed a number of topics regarding Slovenia's relations with the EU and NATO. More » "The train for the resolution of the Kosovo issue will depart this year," Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel said after meeting on Tuesday with Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the European external relations commissioner. More » The special coordinator of the Stability Pact for SE Europe has made a request for continued Slovenian involvement in SE Europe as he met Prime Minister Janez Jansa on Wednesday in Ljubljana. More » Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, the chairman-in-office of the OSCE, met NATO ambassadors at the North Atlantic Council on Wednesday to outline the priorities of Slovenia's stint at the helm of the OSCE. More » The government has decided to embark on a two-year public awareness campaign on the EU constitution. The Government PR and Media Office has been put in charge of issuing special publications, organising public debates and cooperating with NGOs. More » The government has put forward amendments to the public servants act that will allow it to pick civil servants for key positions in the state administration. Parliament is expected to pass the changes in a fast-track procedure. More » The National Assembly will convene this afternoon to ratify the EU constitutional treaty in a move that would make Slovenia the third EU country to do so. A two-thirds majority or 60 "yes" votes are needed for the document get the green light. More » The parliamentary EU affairs committee on Wednesday backed the government efforts for Slovenia to host the seat of the EU border management agency. The committee also backed the government standpoints to be represented by the interior and justice ministers at the informal meeting of justice and home affairs ministers in Luxembourg this week. More » The Defence Ministry will study the option of sending Slovenian army instructors to Iraq to participate in the mission of training local security forces. This is what Defence Minister Karl Erjavec told the press on Wednesday, adding that the decision depended on the Sunday election in Iraq. More » Five Slovenian companies have come in among top 100 firms from the ten EU newcomers. Slovenia's top company according to revenue is petrol retailer Petrol, which is 40th on the list. More » Economics Minister Andrej Vizjak has promised small-business owners that the government would address their greatest problems - tax legislation, inflexible labour market and red tape. "You can expect a favourable support environment for business, a stable legal framework and the promotion of conditions for economic growth," Vizjak told the Chamber of Trade on Wednesday. More » The government has adopted a package of measures relating to the regulation of agricultural markets in 2005, which set the total of direct payments for this year at SIT 24.3bn (EUR 101m). Along with other measures adopted on Thursday, the government earmarked more than SIT 56bn (EUR 233.6m) for agriculture, Minister Marija Lukacic said after the session on Thursday. More » The Environment Protection Institute on Thursday inaugurated a new management model and information system, the first phase of the largest environmental project so far in Slovenia. More » Most EU member states have voiced their readiness to conclude the negotiations of the the Community's financial arrangements between 2007 and 2013 as planned by June, a Slovenian official said on the sidelines of EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on Monday. More » Slovenia should have no problem in finding its place in the strategic objectives adopted on Wednesday by the European Commission for its five-year term, Slovenia's Commissioner Janez Potocnik has said. More » Four Slovenian projects have been approved for funds from the European Union's Cohesion Fund until the end of the current EU budget period, which ends in 2006. The total value of EU funds for these projects is EUR 81m. More » Just like several other EU members, Slovenia made only limited progress in carrying out employment priority tasks in 2004, says a report released by the European Commission on Thursday. More » A total of 60% of Slovenians are in favour of the European constitution, according to the latest Eurobarometer survey released on Friday. The poll has established that despite their high public support, Slovenians know little about the document itself. More » Schedule of Events from 1 - 6 February More »

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