Slovenia News - January 2008

Slovenia News 29 January 2008

Brdo castle played host on 25 January to the first meeting ever between UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Prime Minister Janez Jansa. The discussion between Ban Ki-moon and his host Janez Jansa mainly focused on the common priorities shared by the United Nations and the European Union. According to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia and President of the European Council, the European Union is an important part of this organisation since it contributes almost 40 percent to the capacity of United Nations peacekeeping operations, while also providing contributions to a number of other common priorities, such as climate change, intercultural dialogue and the challenges in the Western Balkan region. In this issue we also write about the results of the first Informal Ministerial Meeting hosted by the Slovenian Presidency. Between 24 and 26 January EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministers met at Brdo pri Kranju congress centre, discussing some of the new challenges the European Union is going to face in the area of freedom, security and justice. Prime Minister Jansa today responded to statements made by the president of the Social Democrats, Borut Pahor, who said that his party would vote against regional legislation in Parliament and that a referendum on this issue should be called. In the Prime Minister's view, the opposition's proposal for a consultative referendum, which is non-binding, would be both misleading and a waste of money. Mr Jansa took this opportunity to point out that the opposition had never been clear as to which of the proposed 14 regions should be given up. More » Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel met in Brussels on Wednesday Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, who said that the date when the province would proclaim its independence from Serbia would be announced soon More » The European Union today offered Serbia an interim agreement to accelerate Serbia’s drawing closer to the Union. This conclusion of the General Affairs and External Relations Council was communicated by Slovenian Foreign Minister and GAERC President Dimitrij Rupel, who in this regard emphasised that this agreement proves the Union’s unity on Serbia’s European future. More » At a press conference during the afternoon break, GAERC President Rupel said that this time the Council's primary focus is on the Middle East. "The Council is deeply concerned about the latest events in Gaza and on the border with Egypt as well as the growing violence in Gaza and southern Israel," said the GAERC President. More » The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia and President of the European Council, Mr Janez Jansa, met at Brdo pri Kranju with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr Ban Ki-moon, who payed a two-day visit to Slovenia at the Prime Minister's invitation. After the meeting concluded, Mr Jansa observed that it was indeed taking place at an appropriate time and expressed his conviction that the meeting would contribute to a more effective and timely response to common challenges in the future. More » Slovenian ministers continued presenting Slovenia's EU presidency priorities at the European Parliament, appearing on Tuesday before the Committee on Regional Development, the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee and the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs. More » The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr Janez Jansa, today commented on some of the most topical European and domestic issues. On this occasion the PM pointed to the legislative package on energy and climate change presented the day before by the European Commission. More » Defence Minister Karl Erjavec told the parliamentary defence committee on Wednesday that the Slovenian Army would send 15 soldiers and one commissioned officer to the EU-led mission in Chad. More » A survey has found Slovenia well ahead of the rest of Eastern Europe in terms of purchasing power. According to the RegioData survey from Austria, an average Slovenian's purchasing power now stands at 80% of that of Austria's average. More » First services in the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) project are available as of Monday in the 27 EU member states, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and nine territories under administration of EU countries, in what is seen as the first step towards a more efficient and transparent payments in the EU. More » EU justice ministers expressed support on Saturday for a framework decision on strengthening rights in cases of trial in absentia that sets down clarified rules in court cases in which a defendant is sentenced even if they have not attended the proceedings. More » Economy Minister Andrej Vizjak met in Ljubljana on Friday German Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries to discuss intellectual property, in particular the future unified EU patent system, and said after the meeting that Slovenia wanted to make headway in that area during its EU presidency. More » EU justice ministers were unable to reach agreement on Saturday on a new regulation that would allow transnational EU couples to choose where to divorce but end "forum shopping", an increasingly common practice couples seek the most favourable settlement in different member states. More » Progress in e-justice topped the agenda of an informal meeting of EU justice ministers at Brdo pri Kranju on Friday, most notably an e-justice portal, which would be used by the member states to exchange justice information. More » EU home ministers expressed general support for plans to establish an EU-wide system of collection of data on airline passengers, Slovenian Interior Minister Dragutin Mate has told the press. More » Prime Minister Janez Jansa paid tribute to the Holocaust victims on Sunday by saying that the tragic events from the past should serve as a lesson and reminder to be passed on to future generations. More » Slovenia's best skier of the season Andrej Jerman bagged bronze on Saturday at the downhill event in France's Chamonix in what was the first podium finish of the season for him and the entire Slovene alpine skiing team. More » The Prime Minister today visited the University Medical Centre Ljubljana (UMC), together with the Minister of Health, Mrs Zofija Mazej-Kukovic, and the Director-General of the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia, Mr Samo Fakin. The Prime Minister was given a tour of the Intensive Care Unit, and subsequently held a meeting with the UMC management at which he was informed about the achievements, but also some problems, of the University Medical Centre. More » Slovenian Interior Minister Dragutin Mate dismissed fears Thursday about security in the expanded Schengen borderless zone, going into an informal meeting with his EU counterparts confident that the new Schengen members were able to provide security for the block. More » Calendar of Events for 29 January - 3 February More »

Slovenia News 22 January 2008

Prime Minister Janez Jansa presented Slovenia's EU presidency programme to the Members of the European Parliament at its 16 January plenary part-session. In Strasbourg, the Prime Minister focused chiefly on Slovenia's six-month presidency priority tasks. The Prime Minister said that Slovenia would undertake these tasks with a highly conscientious attitude and he hoped that Slovenia's contribution would, month by month, increase the general happiness of European citizens. The Prime Minister mentioned the Lisbon Treaty as one of the priorities and said he hoped the Treaty would be ratified by as many Member States as possible by the end of the Slovenian Presidency. Special attention would be devoted to the Western Balkans and enlargement of the EU. “It is vital that this process should continue, in compliance with commitments already undertaken and on the basis of fundamental principles, primarily the fulfilment of membership criteria. These are the bases on which Slovenian Presidency will make every effort to pursue accession negotiations with Croatia and Turkey,” announced the Prime Minister on the subject of EU enlargement. The President of the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dr Dimitrij Rupel, today met the Pakistani President, Mr Pervez Musharraf, in Brussels. Discussions at the meeting focused on the situation in Pakistan and preparations for the elections as well as other important issues in the region, including the situation in Afghanistan. More » French Defence Minister Herve Morin and his Slovenian counterpart Karl Erjavec discussed at a meeting on Thursday the priorities of their successive EU presidencies in a bid to ensure the continuum of policies launched by the German EU presidency through 2008. More » At a press conference today, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr Janez Jansa, explained certain measures recently adopted by the Slovenian Government to mitigate the adverse impact of inflation and on which the Slovenian Parliament is to decide in the near future. The Prime Minister also outlined the response to his presentation of the Slovenian EU Council Presidency Programme at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday. More » After the government decided last week to cut its spending, a measure that is to affect especially the Defence Ministry, minister Karl Erjavec presented on Monday his ministry's supplementary budget. More » Finance Minister Andrej Bajuk, the current chair of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN), highlighted on Tuesday economic reforms, financial stability, the quality of public finances, the fight against tax fraud and reduced VAT rates as the main priorities of the Slovenian EU presidency. More » The Finance Ministry launched on Monday a roadshow presenting a new EUR 1bn issue of benchmark euro bonds with lead managers NLB, ABN Amro and BNP Paribas. The bond issue will be presented through January in Amsterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, Reykjavik, Helsinki, London and Budapest. More » Construction company Primorje from Ajdovscina signed on Wednesday a EUR 19.9m contract with a Belgrade utility on the overhaul of its water purification system aimed at doubling the current supply of potable water to the Serbian capital. More » Factory-gate prices were up 0.2% in December compared to the month before, while the annual growth was 3.4%, the national Statistics Office said on Monday. More » Iskra Avtoelektrika Group, the Nova Gorica-based maker of electrical components for the car industry, posted sales revenues of EUR 239m in 2007, a hefty 20% increase over the year before. Net profit amounted to EUR 4.1m, the company said at a press conference on Friday. More » EU agriculture ministers reached in Brussels on Monday agreement on cross compliance within the framework of direct payments in agriculture. The compromise must be observed by all new EU member states, including Bulgaria and Romania, but excluding Slovenia and Malta. More » The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia and President of the European Council, Janez Jansa, today presented the six-month Slovenian EU Council Presidency programme to Members of the European Parliament at its plenary part-session in Strasbourg. The Prime Minister focused chiefly on the priority tasks Slovenia had set for its Presidency. More » The deployment of an EU mission to Kosovo and the independence of the province are two separate issues, Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel said after a meeting of EU foreign ministers from the Mediterranean in Cyprus on Friday. More » The Prime Minister Jansa today attended the opening ceremony to celebrate the adoption of the euro in the Republic of Cyprus. The official ceremony in Nicosia, at which Mr Jansa delivered an address, was attended not only by the Cypriot President but also by President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso, Vice-President of the European Parliament Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou, President of the European Central Bank Jean-Claude Trichet and other distinguished guests. More » Public Administration Minister Gregor Virant pledged full support of Slovenia's EU presidency for the elimination of red tape as he held working talks on Friday with former Bavarian premier Edmund Stoiber, the head of the EU High Level Group on Administrative Burdens. More » The biggest Slovenian box office hit in the last four years and the second most popular Slovenian film ever, "Petelinji Zajtrk" (Rooster's Breakfast), received on Tuesday the Great Golden Roll Award for surpassing the 125,000-ticket milestone. More » Head of infant care unit at Ljubljana maternity hospital Lilijana Kornhauser Cerar was named on Thursday Slovenian Woman of the Year by readers of one of the most popular Slovenian women's magazines, Jana. More » Snowboard parallel giant slalom world champion Rok Flader recovered from two mediocre finishes on Sunday, taking first place at the parallel slalom World Cup event in Spain's La Molina. More » Calendar of Events for 22 - 27 January More »

Slovenia News 15 January 2008

Prime Minister Janez Jansa met the Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, who payed on 14 January an official visit to Slovenia at the invitation of President Danilo Tuerk. PM Jansa and President Napolitano agreed that Italy and Slovenia have reached a high level of cooperation and that intensive dialogue was underway at all levels. The pair also discussed the need for a long-term stabilisation of the Western Balkans and confirmed that the EU's unity was of key importance for solving open issues in the region. At the meeting with President Danilo Tuerk, Napolitano stressed the importance of cooperation between Italy and Slovenia. "Our bilateral relations are close but they have to be even closer, including because of the minorities," Napolitano said, adding that minorities were an asset that should be seen as a basis for the furthering of bilateral cooperation. "In this sense we should forget the events that divided us in the past. We have to focus more on cooperation in Europe and erase any trace of misunderstanding," Napolitano added. The Middle East Peace Process will continue to be one of the EU’s key political issues during Slovenia’s EU Council Presidency, underlined the current President of the General Affairs and External Relations Council, Slovenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dimitrij Rupel, after meeting the Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs Riad Malki on a visit to Ljubljana today. More » The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr Janez Jansa, today met the President of the Italian Republic, Mr Giorgio Napolitano, who payed an official visit to Slovenia at the invitation of President Danilo Tuerk. More » The President of the General Affairs and External Relations Council, Dr Dimitrij Rupel, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, today received the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, Mr Vuk Jeremic. Their discussions focused on the main theme of bringing Serbia closer to the European Union. More » The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Janez Jansa, today received the representatives of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). Both the Prime Minister and General Secretary of the ETUC, John Monks, supported the development and promotion of the European social model and they discussed the key issues in the field of social affairs to be dealt with during Slovenia’s EU Council Presidency. More » The industrial output in November was up 2.4% year-on-year and 4% down on October, the national Statistics Office said on Thursday. More » Zito, the bread and pasta group, generated EUR 120m in sales revenues last year, which is up 3% over the same period in 2006. In 2008, the group expects to increase sales by 5% to EUR 126m, while profits are projected to slightly decline due to the relocation of several product lines. More » Slovenia's Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX), which measures policies to integrate migrants, is above the EU average and the highest among the EU newcomers, according to a survey presented on Thursday by the Ljubljana Faculty of Social Sciences and the British Council. More » Slovenia inaugurated the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue with a grand ceremony on Tuesday, with keynote speakers stressing how auspicious it is to launch the project in a country that stands at the crossroads of so many different cultures and religions. At the ceremony the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia and the current President of the European Council, Mr Janez Jansa, spoke in favour of an in-depth discussion on the importance of culture, to be held both within Europe and with all actors outside Europe. More » The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia and current President of the European Council, Mr Janez Jansa, was today on a one-day visit to Valletta at the invitation of the Maltese Prime Minister, Mr Lawrence Gonzi, where he was attending the official ceremony on the occasion of Malta’s entry into the eurozone. More » Slovenia's EU presidency agenda on human rights will revolve around embedding human rights in EU policies to third countries, the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights was told on Thursday. More » The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia Janez Jansa, today received Mr Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary-General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, who was in Ljubljana attending an international conference at the beginning of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. PM Janez Jansa and Mr Ihsanoglu both agreed that intercultural dialogue was important both for the co-existence of Europeans in their cultural and religious diversity and for the EU’s relations within a complex global environment. More » The headquarters of the EU's mission to the United Nations in New York are traditionally artistically adorned by the presiding country. For the next six months the premises in Manhattan will bear life-sized images of what photographer Aleksandra Vajd associates with life in Slovenia. More » The Slovenian Philharmonic celebrates its hundredth anniversary this year, marking it with a gala concert on 13 January, a number of concerts abroad and a performance of the opera "Ekvinokcij" (Equinox) by Slovenian composer Marjan Kozina. More » The Education Ministry will present during Slovenia's EU presidency the country's educational system with the help of two booklets and a CD, published in 4,000 copies each, Alenka Sverc, state secretary at the Education Ministry, told the press on Friday. More » Nicole Hosp of Austria took a commanding victory in the women's slalom meet in Maribor on Sunday to extend her lead in the overall World Cup standings and take the prestigious Golden Fox trophy. More » Calendar of Events for 15 - 20 January More »

Slovenia News 8 January 2008

The Slovenian cabinet met on 8 January the European Commission in the traditional working meeting which is the introduction to each Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The meeting focussed on the priorities of the EU during Slovenia's term at the helm of the bloc in the first half of the year. European Commission Vice-President Margot Wallstroem said after the talks at Brdo pri Kranju that the goal for 2008 was to achieve a "Europe of results". According to Wallstroem, who led the visiting delegation in the absence of Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso - who was ill with the flu - the Commission "fully supports Slovenia's presidency priorities". At Tuesday's meeting in Brdo pri Kranju the Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel announced the formation of the Serbia Task Force. In charge of promoting Serbian EU integration, the proposed task force would be made up of the current and next EU presidencies, as well as the European Commission and the EU Council. Following Saturday's swearing-in ceremony in parliament, Danilo Tuerk, the new Slovenian president, formally took over presidential duties from his predecessor Janez Drnovsek at the presidential palace in Ljubljana on Sunday. More » The Slovenian presidency of the EU on Thursday called for free and fair election in Pakistan, which should allow for a democratic and transparent electoral process under proper security conditions. More » Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel announced on Tuesday the formation of an EU task force for Serbia. In charge of promoting Serbian EU integration, the proposed task force would be made up of the current and next EU presidencies, as well as the European Commission and the EU Council. More » Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel on Monday assured EU Special Envoy for Burma/Myanmar Piero Fassino of full support of the Slovenian EU presidency for his mission and added that the presidency was following the developments in Myanmar with all due attention. More » Denmark and Slovenia see eye to eye on Slovenian EU presidency priorities, Economy Minister Andrej Vizjak and Danish Minister of Economic Affairs, Business and Trade Bendt Bendtsen said after a meeting in Ljubljana on Monday. More » Today the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Janez Jansa, met his key co-workers at the EU Presidency project, leaders of working groups, national delegates and organisers and coordinators from various ministries and government agencies. He took the opportunity to thank everyone for the hard work they have invested in the preparations for the EU Presidency in the past three years. More » "For the first time in history, Slovenia will end the year 2007 with a budget surplus," said the PM Jansa at today's press conference, adding that at the last regular cabinet session in 2007 the Government had focused on measures which will be put forward in 2008 with a view to helping those Slovenian citizens who were the most affected by recent food price rises. More » The government adopted on Thursday a bill on income support for pensioners, which stipulates that income support for pensioners, widowers' pensions and support for pensioners claimed in the countries of the former Yugoslavia will be adjusted for inflation not once but twice a year, like pensions. More » Slovenia took over from Portugal the six-month EU presidency on Tuesday. The priorities of Slovenia's stint at the helm of the bloc will be overseeing the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, the Western Balkans, the Lisbon Strategy, the energy-climate package and intercultural dialogue. More » At a press conference today, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr Janez Jansa, spoke about the Croatian Ecological and Fisheries Protection Zone (EFPZ) in the Adriatic Sea. According to the Prime Minister, Croatia's unilateral declaration and enforcement of the zone raises a problem which concerns the European Union, since by enforcing the zone Croatia is failing to honour its pre-accession commitments to the European Union. More » This morning, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr Janez Jansa, met a group of 60 members of the European press corps in Brussels, who are currently visiting Slovenia. Mr Jansa outlined the priority tasks of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, stressing that Slovenia had prepared itself thoroughly to handle the issues, organisation and logistics to carry out the project successfully. According to the Prime Minister, the Slovenes have sufficient knowledge and experience to justify their looking forward optimistically to a successful conclusion of the Presidency. More » European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn has urged the incoming Croatian government to urgently deal with its contentious ecological and fisheries zone in the Adriatic, which has caused a stand off with neighbours Italy and Slovenia. More » As Portugal gets ready to hand over the helm of the EU to Slovenia, the foreign ministers of the current EU presiding troika of Portugal, Slovenia and Germany issued on Friday a joint statement, stressing that Portugal's clear priorities, based on the idea of freedom, security and the rule of law, played an important part in rounding off EU's priority tasks, such as the Schengen expansion. More » Participants of a conference entitled "Intercultural Dialogue as a Fundamental Value of the EU", including European Education and Culture Commissioner Jan Figel, Culture Minister Vasko Simoniti and European Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik, agreed on Monday that European nations should move beyond mere coexistence and become intercultural societies. More » One hundred years will have passed in 2008 since the establishing of the Slovenian philharmonic orchestra, the precursor of today's national orchestra, which is the orchestra with the longest tradition in Slovenia. More » This year Slovenia will be honouring the man who wrote and published the first Slovenian books, thus laying the foundations for Slovenian written language and cultural development in general. Primoz Trubar (1508-1586) was the central figure of Protestant Reformation in Slovenia who followed the belief of this 16th century European movement that books should be written in a language that people can understand. More » Schedule of Events for 8 - 13 January More »

Archive

year month 2008 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12 2007 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12 2006 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12 2005 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12 2004 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12

© Government Communication Office, Gregorčičeva 25, SI-1000 Ljubljana
tel.: +386 1 478 2600, fax: +386 1 251 2312, www.ukom.gov.si/eng/, e-mail: gp.ukom@gov.si