Slovenia News 19 April 2005

The government dominated headlines last week, first with a visit to Primorsko, western Slovenia, and then, only a day later, with a package of laws. The government has confirmed the bill on public broadcaster RTV Slovenija, which will bring about major management and editorial changes. The government has also amended the acts on disabled war veterans, victims of war crimes and war grave sites, which it says will eliminate the differentiation that is based on ideology, and emphasise what unites Slovenia. The southwestern region of Slovenia has good development potential and there is no reason why it should not continue to prosper if it utilises all of this potential, Prime Minister Janez Jansa said on Wednesday. More » The recent stirring of old differences between World War II foes Italy and Slovenia has moved to the European Parliament, where an Italian MP called for "the forgotten and denied" story about foibe to be laid bare. This prompted a response from a Slovenian MEP, who said Italy was using the story as an alibi for its own war crimes. More » The presidents of Slovenia and Poland, Janez Drnovsek and Aleksander Kwasniewski, have called on all EU countries to endorse the European constitutional treaty. Beginning his two-day official visit to Poland on Wednesday, Drnovsek said "ratification procedures must continue even if a referendum in some member state may fail". More » The government has confirmed the bill on public broadcaster RTV Slovenija, which will bring about major management and editorial changes. According to the bill, the director general would retain the powers for business decisions but also take over significant responsibilities for the programme. More » The government has amended the acts on disabled war veterans, victims of war crimes and war grave sites, which it says will eliminate the differentiation that is based on ideology, and emphasise what unites Slovenia. More » The government adopted Thursday a zoning act for the construction of a second rail line between Divaca and Koper, in southwestern Slovenia. The investment is valued at SIT 168bn (EUR 700m). More » On Spring Day in Europe pupils discussed the EU constitution in Slovenian parliament. They agreed that Slovenia is faced with new challenges in the EU. They were wondering, however, how to turn this situation to their own advantage. More » Slovenian companies shared their experience in setting up shop in distant and unfamiliar places, in a round table held as part of the 3rd annual Business Week. More » Slovenia's national airline carried 885,000 passengers in 2004, up 2 percent over the year before. Adria Airways generated EUR 136m in revenues and finished the year with a profit of EUR 171,000, the company's chairman told the press on Wednesday. More » Slovenia's economy will expand by 4% annually in 2005 and 2006, according to the World Economic Outlook, a report released on Wednesday by the International Monetary Fund. IMF believes inflation will stand at 2.6% this year and 2% in 2006. More » Slovenia is well prepared for the adoption of the euro, while inflation remains its greatest challenge in meeting the convergence criteria, Andrej Rant, a vice-governor of the Bank of Slovenia, told a symposium on accounting, finances and auditing on Wednesday. More » Almost one year into EU membership, Slovenian companies are feeling the positive and negative effects of the single European market and the fact that trade is governed by EU regulations. While they have unlimited access to a market with 450 million consumers, they also feel the negative consequences of the termination of free trade agreements with CEFTA and countries of the former Yugoslavia. More » Adria Mobil, the Novo mesto-based maker of campers and caravans, saw rapid growth in 2004, when its net sales revenues grew by 41.5 percent to 209 million euros. Its operating profit was up 31 percent to over 10 million euros, the company said on Wednesday. More » A delegation of the World Food Programme (WFP) is due in Ljubljana on Tuesday for a two-day working visit aimed at boosting cooperation between Slovenia and this UN agency. More » Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Jure Zupan said that Slovenia is in favour of the framework programme for research and development for the period 2007-2013, which was presented to EU ministers by Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik on Monday. More » Cooperation between regions is important in the face of new challenges, but also new opportunities brought on by the EU's enlargement. To promote interregional cooperation, Germany's Saxony, Austria's Styria, northern Hungary and Slovenia initiated a project called REVITAE. More » "After the first year of membership, the economic advantages of EU accession are becoming clear in the EU newcomers," Economics Minister Andrej Vizjak told a round-table analysing the first year of membership for the ten newcomers. More » Adria Airways will fly Slovenian officials to and from Brussels until October under a deal for 2,000 tickets worth SIT 294m (EUR 1.23m) that was signed on Tuesday by the flag carrier and the government. More » The 10th annual Slovenian Book Days opened in Ljubljana's Zvezda park on Monday with a ceremony at which an award for best short story was conferred on Janez Kajzer for "Zaznamek za dosje" (File Note). More » "Ruins", a feature film by Janez Burger, has received a special award at the 6th Festival of European Cinema in Italy's Lecce in what is the first international recognition for this drama about art and emotions. More » The 11th annual Exodos festival of performing arts will feature stars such as Robert Lepage, Forced Entertainment and Lydia Lunch, offering a programme varying from theoretic discourse and workshops to hip hop and breakdance. More » Slovenia has the highest rate for the employment of women with children under 12 in the EU, according to a survey released on Tuesday by Eurostat, the EU's statistical office. While the EU average was 60 percent in 2003, Slovenia's was 85 percent, according to the survey. More » The National and University Library (NUK) has staged an in-depth exhibition to pay tribute to Slovenian traveller and writer Alma Maksimiljana Karlin (1889-1950), who died 55 years ago. The show will last until 5 May. More » Marko Baloh has managed to tour Slovenia on his bicycle in 46 hours and three minutes, finishing on Sunday at 11.03 AM in Ljubljana. Baloh has thus improved his personal best from 2003, when he did practically the same route in 50 hours and 10 minutes. More » Schedule of Events More »

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