Slovenia News - November 2008

Slovenia News 25 November 2008

Slovenia got its ninth government since independence as parliament endorsed in a 56:30 vote on Friday the line-up proposed by Prime Minister Borut Pahor. The 18-member cabinet, which includes five women, will get down to business immediately and convene the first session Saturday to adopt further measures to tackle the economic crisis. Incoming Foreign Minister Samuel Zbogar, who has been sworn on Friday, does not expect to change Slovenia's foreign policy direction. "Slovenian foreign policy is in good shape. The results show that and there is no dilemma that as a small country, we are relatively active in international relations," he said in an interview for STA. More » The minister without portfolio for Slovenians abroad, Bostjan Zeks, giving an interview for STA. The invitation to become the minister without portfolio for Slovenians abroad came in the right moment for me personally, as there is a unity regarding this ministry, Bostjan Zeks has told STA in an interview. He believes that the tough task of coordinating all Slovenians living abroad can be achieved with fair dialogue. More » Slovenia got its ninth government since independence as parliament endorsed in a 56:30 vote on Friday the line-up proposed by Prime Minister Borut Pahor. The 18-member cabinet, which includes five women, will get down to business immediately and convene the first session Saturday to adopt further measures to tackle the economic crisis. More » The cabinet proposed by Prime Minister-elect Borut Pahor enjoys wide support in the National assembly, with only the opposition Slovenian Democrats (SDS) and People's Party (SLS) announcing they would not endorse it in Friday's vote. More » Without the resoluteness and capability of General Rudolf Maister the entire Slovenian history after WWI would be different, President Danilo Tuerk said on Saturday, addressing the ceremony marking the 90th anniversary of the battle fought by General Maister for what later became Slovenia's northern border. More » European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso congratulated the new Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor and wished him a lot of success in his new position. "I am looking forward to cooperating with you in forming a strong, economically and socially confident Europe, which is our common responsibility," he wrote. More » President Danilo Tuerk welcomed the new Slovenian government Monday saying that people expected a lot from it. People have received the new government with great expectations and the belief that the professionalism and political wisdom of cabinet members are a guarantee that it will be successful, he said. More » The new foreign minister Samuel Zbogar, who was endorsed by the Foreign Policy Committee in a 13:1 vote Wednesday, promised a modern, innovative and ethical foreign policy and foreign ministry that will be able to tackle contemporary challenges. More » In an unprecedented move Slovenian President Danilo Tuerk has failed to endorse government nominees for several ambassadors, according to a press release from his office. More » President Danilo Tuerk will pay his first official visit to Croatia on Wednesday. He is scheduled to meet his host, President Stipe Mesic, as well as Prime Minister Ivo Sanader and Parliament Speaker Luka Bebic, Tuerk's office said on Friday. More » "I am sure one of the priorities of the new Slovenian government will be good relations with Croatia," Croatian Foreign Minister Goran Jandrokovic said in an interview for STA. All open issues need to be resolved through dialogue, he said. More » Croatian President Stipe Mesic commended the new Slovenian government Monday for a change of tone in statements about Croatia. "From former foreign minister Dimitrij Rupel we always heard only statements that heightened bilateral tensions, now statements from Ljubljana are easing tensions," Mesic told Croatian radio. More » The Borut Pahor government appointed several senior officials at its maiden session on Saturday, while it also decided to resume visits to Slovenia's regions, a practice introduced by the former government. More » New Prime Minister Borut Pahor announced on Saturday that his first visit abroad would be to Brussels on 2 December. He will meet top EU officials. More » The Slovenian Student Organisation (SOS) expects an invitation from the new government for partnership and cooperation in changing the higher education legislation. SOS calls on incoming Higher Education Minister Gregor Golobic to introduce a strategic regulation, SOS representative Tone Lun tod the press on Thursday. More » Slovenia got its ninth government since independence as parliament endorsed in a 56:30 vote on Friday the line-up proposed by Prime Minister Borut Pahor. The 18-member cabinet, which includes five women, will get down to business immediately and convene the first session Saturday to adopt further measures to tackle the economic crisis. More » The registered unemployment rate in Slovenia decreased by a monthly 0.2 percentage points in September, to 6.3%, the National Statistics Office said on Tuesday. More » The European Commission employment report for 2008 puts employment quality - wages and working conditions - in Slovenia in the same group as France and Germany. Slovenia and Cyprus are the only new member states which are not in the group with low salaries and poor working conditions. More » The Slovenian Armed Forces will deploy up to 40 reserve soldiers to the KFOR mission in Kosovo in the second half of 2009 to join professional soldiers who are already serving in the mission, the Defence Ministry said Friday. More » Apartment prices in Slovenia dropped by 5% on average in the third quarter of 2008 compared to the previous quarter, according to a report by the Slovenian Surveying and Mapping Authority. More » The Koper district court has granted the request of energy group Petrol for an extraordinary audit of energy-through-tourism holding Istrabenz's annual report for 2007, Istrabenz said on Thursday. More » The government will not interfere with individual corporate decisions, but it takes a strong government to create appropriate conditions, he said in a speech to the Portoroz Business Conference, a high-profile annual corporate get-together. More » Airport operator Aerodrom Ljubljana generated over EUR 31m in operating revenues in the first nine months of 2008, which is a rise of 9.7% year-on-year. Its net profit dropped by EUR 5.9m to EUR 9.7m for the same period, the company said on Thursday. More » After looking at the company's results for the first nine months of 2008, the supervisory board of Istrabenz, the energy-through-tourism conglomerate, gave the management the go-ahead Wednesday to offload stakes in food producer Droga Kolinska or energy group Petrol. More » Participants of the second day of the 10th annual Portoroz Business Conference, including executives from companies which promote environmental protection as the key growth factor, agreed on Friday that corporate eco-strategies and operating results complemented each other. More » Zito, the Ljubljana-based bread and pasta manufacturer, will take over three leading product lines of Droga Kolinska, the food company owned by conglomerate Istrabenz, as well as the 95 workers. More » Factory-gate prices were down 0.6% in October over the month before, but were up 3.7% in the first ten months of 2008, which is 4 percentage points over the same period last year, the national Statistics Office said on Thursday. More » Just over half of those questioned in the monthly Vox populi survey (55%) expect Prime Minister Borut Pahor to be more successful than his predecessor Janez Jansa, while 37.6% believe his line-up is better than Jansa's. More » Historian Ignacij Voje and physicist Robert Blinc have won the Zois Award, the highest national prize given out once a year for lifetime achievements in science. More » Slovenia is the most successful EU newcomer in drawing funds for the development of rural areas, acquiring 17.6% of the money it was entitled to for 2007 and 2008 by October 2008, the Agriculture Ministry said on Thursday. By the end of the year the share is to increase to 19.8%. More » The Slovenian government opposes in principle the draft directive on excise duties, as it believes it would cause unequal treatment of EU members, the Government Communication Office said on Thursday. More » A source close to the European Commission told STA on Tuesday that a signal from Slovenia that it had plans to introduce short-term toll stickers would suffice for the Commission to resume with the confirming of funding for a motorway project in the country. More » The 8th Biennial of Slovenian Illustration will open at the Cankarjev dom arts centre on Wednesday. As part of the event, the illustration section of Slovenian Fine Artists' Association will hand out awards named after Hinko Smrekar (1883-1942), one of the pioneers of Slovenian illustration. More » British film "Hunger" by Steve McQueen won the Kingfisher Award, the top award handed out at the 19th Ljubljana International Film Festival (LIFFe) which concluded on Sunday. More » The Constitutional Court has ruled as incompatible with the Constitution a provision of the asylum law which states that an applicant must get approval from the appropriate authorities before he or she can start residing at a private address. More » Slovenia's Mitja Petkovsek has become the first gymnast in history to gather over 1,000 points in World Cup rankings of the International Federation of Gymnastics (FIG), the FIG said on Wednesday. More » Jure Zdovc, one of the best Slovenian basketball players of all time, was appointed the new head coach of the Slovenian men's basketball team on Monday. More » The first tourist guide to Ljubljana for children and their parents has been published in Slovenian and English under the title "Ljubo and ana in Ljubljana". The book presents tourist, leisure and cultural sites using illustrations by school children instead of photographs, the author, Miha Svalj, said at Wednesday's presentation. More » Schedule of events in the week for 25-30 November: More »

Slovenia News 18 November 2008

Prime Minister-elect Borut Pahor presented Tuesday the candidates for his new government cabinet. Pahor said the 18-member cabinet, which includes seven non-partisan candidates, a record five women and a few surprise names, would be capable of "surmounting all obstacles". The four centre-left parties that will lead the next government signed the coalition agreement in Ljubljana on Thursday. Expressing satisfaction about the development, Prime Minister-elect Borut Pahor said that all partners were aware of their responsibility and he expected them to do a good job. Most of those questioned in a survey carried by Monday's issue of daily Delo believe that the ministerial candidates proposed by Prime Minister-elect Borut Pahor are good or very good and that the number of women in the proposed line-up is just right. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will close down its office in Ljubljana next week after 16 years of operations. The bank's director for Slovenia Francois Lecavalier told STA in an interview that the EBRD would probably stay active in Slovenia until the end of 2010. More » Prime Minister-elect Borut Pahor on Tuesday met union representatives of half of the 160,000 employees in the public sector for talks about the new wage system. He promised them dialogue on any changes to the system. More » The four centre-left parties that will lead the next government signed the coalition agreement in Ljubljana on Thursday. Expressing satisfaction about the development, Prime Minister-elect Borut Pahor said that all partners were aware of their responsibility and he expected them to do a good job. More » Slovenia should become more EU-like in terms of the development of NGOs, the Centre for Information Service, Co-operation and Development of NGOs (CNVOS) said on Friday. It added it welcomed the pledges of the new coalition in this area, but noted that all cabinets so far had pledged the same, with none of them making all the necessary steps. More » Prime Minister-elect Borut Pahor, whose cabinet will take office shortly pending a vote of confidence in parliament next week, forecasts tough times ahead as the economic crisis escalates. But he told Saturday's Delo that he had a good team which would take action to mitigate the effects of the economic downturn. More » The parliament passed on Tuesday in a majority vote amendments to the government act, introducing the minister without portfolio for the relations with Slovenians abroad. MPs also endorsed amendments to the deputies act reducing the number of state officials who can reclaim their deputy posts after their terms expire. More » The Italian Chamber of Deputies backed on Wednesday a government state budget proposal, which envisages a gradual cutting of funds for the Slovenian minority from the current EUR 5.25m to EUR 3.12m by 2011, the Tieste-based Primorski dnevnik reported on Thursday. The Slovenian Foreign Ministry has expressed regret about the decision. More » The presidents of two organisations of Slovenian minority in Italy welcomed on Thursday the decision of Prime Minister-elect Borut Pahor to introduce the post of the minister responsible for Slovenians abroad. More » National Assembly Speaker Pavel Gantar and representatives of the Slovenian minority in the Austrian province of Carinthia agreed on Thursday that cooperation between Slovenia and Austria strengthened the position of the minority and that conflicts could be solved with positive projects in economic, cultural and other areas. More » Slovenia and Austria on Wednesday signed an agreement regulating the exchange and mutual protection of classified information. The agreement was penned by the director of the Government Office for the Protection of Classified Information, Milan Tarman, and Austrian Ambassador Valentin Inzko, the office said in a press release. More » Visiting Croatia on Wednesday, European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn reiterated his position that Croatia and Slovenia needed to solve their open issues at bilateral level. Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader on the other hand pointed out that Slovenia also entered the EU as well as NATO without having resolved the border issue with Croatia. More » The candidate for new foreign minister, Samuel Zbogar, has suggested that the change in government would not mean a change of policy towards Croatia. "Slovenia needs to protect its interest. The outgoing government has been doing that and we shall continue," he said in a video interview for the online edition of Delo. More » Canada's Governor General Michaelle Jean will visit Slovenia as part of a four-nation Central European tour in early December, the Slovenian Embassy in Canada has announced. More » Prime Minister-elect Borut Pahor presented Tuesday the candidates for his new government cabinet. Pahor said the 18-member cabinet, which includes seven non-partisan candidates, a record five women and a few surprise names, would be capable of "surmounting all obstacles". More » The Slovenian Armed Forces is to launch a media campaign aimed at recruiting professional soldiers, contractual reserve soldiers and voluntary reserves, and attracting staff through scholarships. The campaign, running under the motto "Proud of Yourself", is expected to attract 300 new soldiers every year. More » Fuel retailer Petrol and the national postal company Posta Slovenije expanded their cooperation as of 15 October by introducing a new service "Petrol Letter" that allows people to post letters at Petrol's service stations around Slovenia, Petrol vice CEO Igor Irgolic told the press on Tuesday. More » Japanese conglomerate Mitsubishi Heavy Industries might invest in a coal-gasification power plant in the central Slovenian town of Trbovlje. Mitsubishi representatives have already visited the Trbovlje coal-fired power plant and looked at the potential location, said Janez Zlak, deputy director of the Trbovlje power plant. More » Fitch, the credit rating agency, has affirmed Slovenia's issuer default ratings at "AA" with a stable outlook, the Finance Ministry said Tuesday. Fitch however expects Slovenia's GDP growth to halve to 3.1% this year and the current account deficit to rise to 6.3%. More » Mol, the Hungarian oil company, which also owns Croatia's Ina and Slovakia's Slovnaft, will offer the new Slovenian government a strategic partnership with Petrol, the Slovenian counterpart, according to a report in Wednesday's edition of Dnevnik. More » The state-run SOD fund published on Wednesday a tender for the sale of 10% of telecoms operator Telekom Slovenije. Bidders may offer to buy at least 3% or the entire stake. The tender is open until 3 December and is non-binding on SOD. More » Newspaper publisher Delo's purchase of nearly 60% of rival newspaper publisher Vecer has come under fire from various circles in Slovenia, including journalists at Vecer. Newspaper publisher Delo underlined on Thursday its conviction that its recent purchase of an almost 60% stake in rival publisher Vecer was legal and transparent. More » The National Council, the upper chamber of parliament, hosted a panel on the financial crisis on Wednesday, with participants discussing measures that Slovenia, which is already feeling the impact of the crisis and economic slowdown, should take. More » The Slovenian economy is still expanding at a brisk pace and GDP growth is projected to top out at about 4% this year. But the outlook is grim - and getting grimmer now that Germany, Slovenia's biggest trading partner, has technically slipped into a recession, defined as two consecutive quarters of negative growth. More » Slovenia will carry out a EUR 1bn bond issue in the coming months due to the uncertainty in financial markets, the Finance Ministry said Thursday. The proceeds would be deposited in banks to shore up the banking system. More » The state-run Pension Fund Management (KAD) and DSU Management and Consultancy Company published a call for bids on Friday for the purchase of stakes in seven companies, including Slovenia's biggest poultry producer and the company operating the Ljubljana fairgrounds. More » The two main Slovenian parties, the senior coalition Social Democrats (SD) and the opposition Slovenian Democrats (SDS), have expressed concern over newspaper publisher Delo's purchase of nearly 60% in its rival Vecer. Delo now holds a 79.25% stake in Vecer. More » Slovenian hardware wholesaler and retailer Merkur has opened a refurbished steel factory in the Serbian town of Gornji Milanovac. The EUR 10m investment will churn out some of the steel products that are expected to net Merkur EUR 500m in sales this year. More » The Securities Market Agency has rejected a request by the Vienna Stock Exchange to decide which takeovers act applies in its acquisition of the Ljubljana Stock Exchange Operator, Delo reports Friday. The securities watchdog would not confirm the report for STA, saying this information was confidential. More » Beverage group Pivovarna Lasko and financial company Infond Holding, Lasko's biggest owner, are drafting the documents for an international public bid for the 48% stake they hold in retailer Mercator, Lasko said on Friday. Lasko expects the documents to be ready by the end of the month. More » Participants in a panel on the financial crisis agreed on Monday that those who are jeopardised the most by the crisis - workers, students, pensioners and NGOs - should join forces. More » Most of those questioned in a survey carried by Monday's issue of daily Delo believe that the ministerial candidates proposed by Prime Minister-elect Borut Pahor are good or very good and that the number of women in the proposed line-up is just right. More » The Slovenian Customs Administration and the Veterinary Administration (VURS) presented on Wednesday their activities related to the European Veterinary Week, which was launched on Monday. The initiative's inaugural programme "Diseases Don't Respect Borders" focuses on bio-security measures in place on EU borders. More » The Slovenian Academy of Arts and Sciences (SAZU) marked its 70th anniversary on Wednesday. SAZU president Joze Trontelj addressed the ceremony, stressing the academy's creative and independent position striving for long-term development goals. More » The New Slovenia (NSi) elected on Saturday Member of the European Parliament Ljudmila Novak to head the party, after Dolenjske Toplice Mayor Franc Vovk withdrew his candidacy before the vote saying that his "time has obviously not come yet". More » Regional Policy Minister Ivan Zagar and European Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Huebner signed on Tuesday an agreement which secures Slovenia EUR 8.25m in aid from the EU's Solidarity Fund. The country asked for help in the aftermath of devastating floods in September 2007. More » President Danilo Tuerk visited on Friday the University of Oxford and the Centre for Islamic Studies, where he delivered a lecture on coexistence of religious communities and the integration of Muslim communities into the European society, his office said in a press release. More » Slovenia's Ziga Turk will be the secretary-general of the EU reflection group, which will try to find answers to the bloc's future challenges, the French presidency of the EU and prime minister's office told STA on Friday. Turk is development minister in the outgoing government. More » Mitja Gaspari, the candidate for minister without portfolio for development and EU affairs, told Saturday's edition of the daily Vecer that way the drawing of the EU's cohesion funds is organised would be changed. More » Attending the third edition of European Development Days, Foreign Ministry State Secretary Andrej Ster told STA on Sunday that the current global turmoil cannot be a reason to neglect the Millennium Development Goals. More » The Slovenian telecoms watchdog wants to extend the regulation of the wholesale mobile market, fearing that Mobitel and Simobil have a dominant position which is used to prevent other mobile operators from accessing existing mobile networks. But the European Commission said today it needed additional information before it approves the move. More » A mixed Slovenian-Russian commission for international road transport signed a protocol on Tuesday that sets the number of haulier permits for 2009. Bilateral transit transport will have 10,000 permits for lorries without environmental restrictions and 4,500 for environment-friendly lorries. More » Slovenia should consider introducing short-time motorway toll stickers aside from the existing annual and half-year vignettes, outgoing Transport Minister Radovan Zerjav told public broadcaster TV Slovenija on Wednesday. More » Acclaimed writer Boris Pahor, a member of the Slovenian minority in Italy, has won a prestigious Italian literary prize, the Premio Napoli, for the best foreign-language novel in Italy. More » A tasty selection of some of the finest art films of the past year, including by the most acclaimed film makers, and tributes to contemporary Catalan film, Indian director Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Britain's Terence Davies, are the main treats of the 19th Ljubljana International Film Festival, which gets underway on Wednesday. More » Polonist, translator and author Niko Jez has been decorated with Knight's Cross Order of Polonia Restituta by the Polish president for his work comparing Slovenian and Polish literature and poetry of the 19th and 20th centuries. More » Boris A. Novak, an author and literature and comparative philosophy lecturer at the Ljubljana Faculty of Arts, has been decorated with France's Ordre des Palmes academiques (Order of Academic Palms) for his devoted efforts for the French language and culture. More » Almost 600 wines by a total of 220 Slovenian and foreign wine makers and wine cellars will be showcased in Ljubljana as the 11th Slovenian Wine Festival opens its doors for three days on 19 November. More » Il Silenzio was played in the memory of those killed in the WW I at the top of the Krn mountain on Tuesday, exactly 90 year after Germany and the Entente forces signed the truce. More » Former US Vice President and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Al Gore, is set to visit Slovenia upon an invitation by Diners Club Slovenija. The environmental activist will join holders of DC Exclusive card on 10 December at an event at the Ljubljana fairgrounds, Diners Club Slovenija said on Friday. More » A campaign aimed at bridging the gap between the Roma and the majority population was launched in Ljubljana on Monday. Parliamentary Speaker Pavel Gantar said on the occasion that he was convinced that the campaign would contribute to better understanding between cultures and eliminate many prejudices. More » The exhibition "Leon Stukelj 1898-1999-2008" in memory of Slovenia's most famous Olympic medalist will open on Stukelj's birth date in his hometown Novo mesto on Wednesday. The documentary exhibition and booklet outlines Stukelj's life and achievements in sports, Zdenko Picelj, the author of the project told STA. More » Hammer throw Olympic gold medalist Primoz Kozmus and triple jumper Marija Sestak, who finished sixth in Beijing, were declared Slovenian track and field athletes of the year on Saturday. More » The 29th World Travel Market, running in London between Monday and Thursday, presents Slovenia as a destination with diverse and unspoiled natural sights attracting tourists who cherish the countryside and clean environment, the Slovenian Tourist Board (STO) director Dimitrij Piciga said at a press conference on Tuesday. More » he Slovenian health care system is the 20th most user friendly among 31 European countries, according to the latest Euro Health Consumer Index (EHCI). Scoring 582 points out of 1000, Slovenia climbed one spot compared to last year. More » Slovenia's smoking ban protected many people from tobacco smoke, however a number of problems remain, Mihaela Lovse of Slovenian Tobacco Control, an association of anti-tobacco NGOs, told the press in Ljubljana on Thursday. The association would like to see Slovenia introduce a tobacco euro. More » The Celje region celebrated on Thursday the 430th anniversary since the first pharmacy opened in the region and forty years since the establishment of its public pharmacy chain Celjske lekarne. More » The government decided at Friday's correspondence session to earmark EUR 40,000 to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) for this year. The Slovenian Caritas charity will meanwhile get EUR 18,750 from the government for co-funding of an AIDS project. More » Schedule of events in the week for 18-23 November: More »

Slovenia News 11 November 2008

The National Assembly has endorsed Borut Pahor to lead the next government with 59 votes for and 24 against. Thus, Pahor became Slovenia's sixth prime minister. Borut Pahor expects the new cabinet to be confirmed next week. There is one final name to confirm before the presidents of the four coalition partners meet Tuesday to give the line-up the final seal of approval. The government reacted to the fallout from the financial crisis on Thursday by adopting a proposal to expand tax breaks for investment and lower the corporate income tax rate. SocDem leader and prime minister-designate Borut Pahor, Zares head Gregor Golobic, Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) president Karl Erjavec, and Liberal Democracy's (LDS) Katarina Kresal initialled the substantive part of the coalition agreement on Thursday. They remain to agree on the names of the future ministers. More » Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, Prime minister-designate Borut Pahor, as well as all parties bar the National Party (SNS) welcomed on Wednesday the US presidential election victory of Barack Obama. Prime Minister Janez Jansa and President Danilo Tuerk congratulated Obama immediately after the announcement of the results. More » Outgoing Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel presented the Italian Ambassador to Slovenia, Alessandro Pietromarchi, on Wednesday a document in which the government calls upon the Italian side to reconsider budget cuts which would affect the activities of the Slovenian minority in Italy. More » The premier of Italy's Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, Renzo Tondo, told representatives of the Slovenian minority in Italy in Udine on Thursday that he would probably sign in short a decree of the minority protection act, which would enable the use of the Slovenian language in public. More » The Government Office for Local Government and Regional Policy held a presentation in Nova Gorica on Wednesday in a bid to encourage partners from Slovenia and Italy to apply for a total of EUR 40m available in the first call for strategic cross-border projects. More » Prime Minister Janez Jansa and the visiting Polish President Lech Kaczynski have called for a quick and coordinated international response to the ongoing global financial turmoil. The pair met in Ljubljana on Thursday, a day before they are to join other EU leaders for a special summit discussing the crisis. More » National Assembly Speaker Pavel Gantar received on Monday the Humanitarian Affairs Coordinator for the Sudanese Liberation Army Suleiman Jammous. With his visit to Slovenia, Jammous wants to inform the people in Slovenia and Europe of the crisis in Darfur. Gantar pointed out that Slovenia was relatively familiar with the crisis. More » The outgoing government reacted to the fallout from the financial crisis on Thursday by adopting a proposal to expand tax breaks for investment and lower the corporate income tax rate. More » Deputy group leaders agreed on the composition and chairing of parliamentary working bodies on Thursday. The ruling coalition will have the majority in 19 of the bodies and the opposition in three. More » The National Assembly on Friday endorsed Aurelio Juri of the Social Democrats (SD) as Slovenia's MEP replacing Borut Pahor, the country's new prime minister. Juri, whose term in secure until the next election in June 2009, was next on the SD's list at the last election into the EP. More » The National Assembly has endorsed Borut Pahor to lead the next government with 59 votes for and 24 against. He becomes Slovenia's sixth prime minister. More » Slovenia joined the initiative for better protection of soldiers by developing new technologies, outgoing Defence Minister Karl Erjavec said on the sidelines of the EU defence ministers' meeting in Brussels on Monday. He explained that Slovenia would contribute EUR 500,000 for the EUR 15m project. More » Participants of Wednesday's panel discussing Russia as a development opportunity for Slovenian business agreed that there were many opportunities for further economic cooperation, which should encourage Slovenia's investment on the Russian market. More » Slovenia's stock market watchdog has said that it has not registered elevated risk at the country's brokerages and asset managers due to the financial crisis. More » The group around home appliance maker Gorenje posted EUR 992m in consolidated sales revenues in the first nine months of 2008, 4.5% more than in the same period last year. Net profit increased 14% year-on-year to EUR 15.4m. More » As part of a two-day international investment conference awards were conferred in Portoroz on Thursday on foreign investors that contributed importantly to Slovenia's economic development last year. The awards went to foreign investors in BSH Hisni aparati, Carrera Optyl in GKN Driveline Slovenija. More » The group around Zavarovalnica Triglav, Slovenia's no. 1 insurer, posted gross premium revenues of EUR 772.3m for the first three quarters of 2007, up 10% year-on-year, leading the management to stick to the target of EUR 1bn in premiums by year-end. More » The boss of beverage group Pivovarna Lasko deems it unlikely for the company to sell its 48% stake in retailer Mercator to the state or state-run funds as suggested by trade unions. Bosko Srot also told the public broadcaster late on Thursday that Lasko had so far not talked to any prospective buyer. More » Publisher Delo has acquired an additional 59.25% stake in Vecer, increasing its hold on the Maribor-based newspaper publisher to 79.25%, the dailies published by the two companies reported on Tuesday. More » The Court of Audits presented on Thursday its report on Slovenia's public debt between 2003 and 2006. The debt increased in this period by 0.4 percentage points, reaching EUR 11.56bn in 2006 according to the national account system (38% of GDP), and EUR 8.25bn according to European System of Accounts (27.1% GDP). More » Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development (IMAD), a government think-tank, said on Thursday that the situation in the world as well as in Slovenia was deteriorating at a faster pace than it had recently forecast. More » Industrial output in September increased by 2.4% on August, and was also up 1.5% year-on-year, according to the seasonally adjusted data published on Monday by the national Statistics Office. More » Slovenian innovators have won one gold, four silver and two bronze medals at the international IENA innovation fair in Nuremberg. Apart from gold, a mini portable chainsaw sharpener won Izola-based innovator Drago Cendak a special award for genius, according to ASI Innovation Centre. More » Slovenia has been exceptionally constructive in Croatia's negotiations on EU accession and is strategically interested in Croatia becoming an EU member as soon as possible, but it cannot allow Croatia to use disputable approach, Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel told TV Slovenija on Wednesday. More » Outgoing Prime Minister Janez Jansa said on Friday that Slovenia had already put forward a candidate for the post of secretary-general of the EU reflection group, which will discuss the bloc's future challenges. His or her name however remains to be revealed by the French EU presidency, Jansa added in Brussels. More » EU leaders reached a consensus Friday on positions for a reform of global finance that the bloc will represent at the world summit in Washington on 15 November. "If this position gets the support of the US, China and other major economies, it will be a revolution in global finance," said Slovenia's outgoing Prime Minister Janez Jansa. More » Outgoing Prime Minister Janez Jansa has said that Slovenia has offered Croatia a compromise that could have seen it open four to five negotiating chapters with the EU, but that Slovenia's southern neighbour has not responded. More » As EU foreign ministers expressed in Brussels on Monday their concern over the rise of nationalist speech in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the outgoing Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel said that the EU should also take into account the positive shifts in the country and give it more encouraging signals. More » Dennis Abbott, the spokesman for the EU regional policy commissioner, confirmed on Wednesday that the Commission had put on hold the process of confirming funding for a motorway project in Slovenia because of the country's refusal to start offering short-time motorway stickers aside from existing annual and half-year vignettes. More » Slovenia's second largest city, Maribor, which is slated to be the European Capital of Culture in 2012, is convinced of getting the formal go-ahead from the European Commission. Maribor will definitely be confirmed, deputy mayor Andrej Verlic and the head of the organising committee Vladimir Rukavina said in Brussels on Wednesday. More » The 14th annual Exodos festival of performing arts, taking place from 20 to 25 November, will deal with the accessibility of cultural commodities to people with special needs. Most of the performances of the festival will be adjusted to people with special needs, the organisers said. More » Bostjan Slatensek's film "Handful of Grief" was selected best Slovenian documentary at the 5th annual international festival of documentary film in Maribor, while Croatian "Facing the Day" by Ivona Juka won the interregional category. More » Vandals have drawn Nazi symbols and smashed windows on houses of members of Slovenian minority in Austria in the last few nights, reported Primorski dnevnik. The paper says that the vandals' acts are clearly aimed against the Slovenian minority. More » An organisation representing the Slovenian minority in the Austrian province of Carinthia warned against the rise of Neo-Nazi sentiment in the province in a statement issued to mark the anniversary of the Night of the Broken Glass. More » Wednesday's charity concert for the war-torn Sudanese region of Darfur, featuring some of Slovenia's top acts, sold 375 tickets and raised about EUR 6,000, which will be given to some of the poorest families in the region, Joze Biscak of the Giedon agency said on Monday. More » One of Slovenia's most successful female track athletes, Alenka Bikar, on Wednesday officially ended her successful career. The 34-year-old athlete is most famous for her second place at the 2000 European Athletics Indoor Championship in Belgium's Ghent in the 200m event. More » Slovenia was drawn into a tough group for the 2009 European Basketball Championships on Saturday in Wroclaw. Group C features Olympic runners-up Spain and the always dangerous Serbia alongside basketball minnows Great Britain. More » Slovenians and travellers from abroad will be able from Friday on to learn more about Slovenia's heritage at a new internet portal www.slotraveler.com. The goal of the new site is not to draw masses of tourists to Slovenia, but to increase the awareness of those travelling through the country, said Miha Jersek of the Museum of National History. More » The 29th World Travel Market, running in London between Monday and Thursday, will also see Slovenia presenting the new country brand built around the slogan "I feel Slovenia" and Slovenian tourist destinations. More » Slovenian consumers support obligatory nutrition fact labels on food products, a survey by the Health Ministry has found. They give special attention to fat, vitamins, minerals and sugar contents. More » The Health Ministry rejected on Wednesday allegations that new rules on spiritual and religious care in health care institutions display signs of discriminatory treatment against small religious groups. The ministry says the rules are written in line with the law governing the field. More » The most deaths in Slovenia are caused by diseases related to the heart and veins. A good 90% of all deaths from 2000 to 2007 are attributed to heart and veins related diseases, cancer, injuries, respiratory and digestive diseases. More » Schedule of Events for 10 -16 November More »

Slovenia News 4 November 2008

President Danilo Tuerk formally proposed to the National Assembly on Monday to endorse SocDem leader Borut Pahor as the prime minister-designate. Heads of deputy factions have decided the vote will be taken on Friday. The Slovenian government confirmed Thursday amendments to the act on public finances that provide EUR 8bn in guarantees for bank loans, but Prime Minister Janez Jansa said further measures were being mulled. President Danilo Tuerk addressed on Thursday the national ceremony on the eve of Reformation Day, stressing that present-day Slovenia needed reformers and their spirit to raise its morals and develop a responsible attitude toward the state and the rule of law. President Danilo Tuerk formally proposed to the National Assembly on Monday to endorse SocDem leader Borut Pahor as the prime minister-designate. Heads of deputy factions have decided the vote will be taken on Friday. More » One of the two umbrella organisations of the Slovenian minority in Italy, the Slovenian Cultural and Economic Association (SKGZ), has proposed that the minority organisations form a task force to warn of the increasingly difficult situation that the minority faces. More » Participants of a debate on the US election and EU-US relations agreed in Ljubljana on Tuesday that a victory of Barack Obama in the US presidential race, which seems all but certain, would not necessarily radically transform relations between the two powers. More » A panel of established experts and journalists discussed in Ljubljana late on Tuesday the role of the media in the recent general election. The debate saw diverging views on the nature of the media coverage of the elections and its impact on voters. More » The government discussed the situation of the Slovenian minority in Italy at its weekly session on Thursday and produced a document it will send to Rome, said the outgoing Prime Minister Janez Jansa, adding that no policies of the Italian government should harm the Slovenian minority. More » A business delegation from Slovenia has returned from a visit in Ukraine. The goal of the visit was to deepen the existing and create new business relations between the two countries, especially new cooperation for the Slovenian export-import sector. More » The People's Party (SLS) on Tuesday called on the parliament again to vote on a resolution on the border with Croatia. The party filed the same proposal already last year, it was however never put on the parliament's agenda. More » Slovenia has told Italy that the cross-border impact of a liquefied natural gas terminal which Spanish company Gas Natural wants to build on land near the city of Trieste is unacceptable for Slovenia. More » The largest Slovenian union confederation, the Association of Free Trade Unions (ZSSS), said in Ljubljana on Wednesday that it would propose that the minimum net wage be raised to at least EUR 500 after the new government is formed. More » Average monthly labour costs per employee in Slovenia amounted to EUR 1,867 in 2007, which was 5.6% more than the previous year, according to provisional data of the National Statistics Office. Meanwhile, average costs per working hour stood at EUR 12.74. More » A two-day military exercise known as Capabilities 2008 was concluded on Wednesday at the military training grounds in Pocek pri Postojni. The exercise, displaying the firepower capabilities of all units of the Slovenian army, was also attended by President Danilo Tuerk, the armed forces commander-in-chief. More » Slovenia is reporting to the European Commission measures which it adopts in response to the global financial crisis, a source at the Finance Ministry has told STA. More » Slovenia's leading retailer, Mercator, on Tuesday petitioned the Constitutional Court to review the restriction of competition act, arguing it enabled the Competition Protection Office (CPO) to "encroach on constitutionally guaranteed rights in a disproportionate fashion". More » As part of the efforts to deal with the global financial crisis, representatives of the government and the central bank met business representatives on Tuesday. The Finance Ministry announced measures for better liquidity and access to financial resources. More » The reasons for the financial crisis should not be sought only in sub-prime mortgages but also in the past, central bank governor Marko Kranjec believes. The crisis has been in the making for the past 30 years through a gradual deformation of financial systems, Kranjec told Tuesday's conference on the impact of the crisis on Slovenia. More » Banka Celje, Slovenia's fourth-largest bank by assets, has completed a EUR 35m capital injection. The fresh capital was supplied by existing shareholders in two rounds in October. More » "Reforms must continue - not despite but because of the recession. Recession is a good motive for reform," Development Minister Ziga Turk said after the Lisbon Council meeting in Brussels on Wednesday. He pointed out that fiscal policies in Slovenia were better than ever and the state can afford reforms. More » Industrial conglomerate Hidria is forced to reduce costs in the wake of the market situation. The downfall of orders will cause delays in investments, temporary employment will be reduced, the natural outflow will not be replaced, and some companies will introduce a 36-hour working week, the conglomerate told STA on Wednesday. More » The Skimar group, which comprises ski manufacturer Elan, yachting manufacturer Elan Marine and sports equipment maker Elan Inventa, will dismiss 180 of its 800 employees due to problems caused by the decline in the yachting and ski markets and the financial crisis. Workers' representatives are surprised by the number. More » The Slovenian government confirmed Thursday amendments to the act on public finances that provide EUR 8bn in guarantees for bank loans, but Prime Minister Janez Jansa said further measures were being mulled. More » The number of construction companies increased in 2007 by 16.9%, while the number of employees in construction rose by 13.9% over the year before. This is the biggest growth recorded since the base year 1995, according to the Institute for Macroeconomic Analysis and Development (IMAD). More » The European Commission has upgraded its economic outlook for Slovenia for this year in its autumn economic forecast, while increasing the projected inflation rate. According to the document released on Monday, Slovenian economic growth is to stand at 4.4% and inflation at 6.2% this year. More » Magazine publisher Delo prodaja and publisher DZS announced on Tuesday a takeover bid for the biggest Slovenian spa operator, Terme Catez. The bidders are offering 30 newly issued bonds of Delo prodaja for each share of Terme Catez. More » The world's leading rating firm, Dun&Bradstreet, has kept Slovenia's risk rating at DB2b, which means low risk, but the trend is deteriorating. The latest report notes that the country has suffered a limited impact of the ongoing financial turmoil. More » Heads of chambers of commerce from former Yugoslav republics and other SE countries, including Slovenia, discussed in Macedonia on Monday the potential impact of the financial crisis on the real sector in the region, concluding they would step up cooperation. More » While politics in the country has for a while been confined to coalition negotiations, public opinion pollsters continue with their work, establishing this time for daily Delo a slight increase in support for the Social Democrats (SD) on top and a corresponding drop for the Slovenian Democrats (SDS) in second place. More » Slovenian population rose by 0.5% to 2,039,399 in the second quarter of 2008. A total of 1,027,122 women and 1,012,277 men lived in Slovenia on 30 June, according to the national Statistics Office. More » Agriculture Minister Iztok Jarc said in Luxembourg on Tuesday on the sidelines of a EU agriculture ministerial that the French EU presidency was harmonising different positions of EU member states on the review of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), but that many issues remain open. More » The first European food congress, starting in Ljubljana on Tuesday, brought together over 1,000 participants from 45 European countries. Food experts will discuss food habits and food processing and distribution at over 30 symposiums. More » Croatia was unable to open four policy chapters in its negotiations on EU accession Thursday due to reservations by Slovenia, but the French EU presidency said it was optimistic that once Slovenia formed a new government, a solution for Croatia's disputed negotiating positions would be found quickly. More » Croatia's failure to launch talks last week on four more policy ares in negotiations on EU accession continue to stir dust in Slovenian-Croatian relations, as Slovenia has been accused of being the culprit for the delay, which it vehemently denies. More » The foreign ministers of the EU and countries with a Mediterranean littoral reached an agreement late on Monday in Marseilles to seat the secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean in Barcelona. Slovenia, which endorsed Barcelona's bid, is happy with the decision. More » The government adopted on Tuesday a reply to European Commission's notice regarding Slovenia's failure to introduce short-time motorway toll stickers. The government denied the Commission's opinion that the new tolling system was discriminatory against foreigners. More » The national motorway company DARS opened on Thursday the last 26 kilometres of motorway in northeastern Slovenia between Lenart and Vucja vas. This finishes the 80-kilometre section through the Pomurje (NE) region and completes the motorway link between Hungary and Italy. More » The grand prize of the 43rd Borstnik Meeting theatre festival for best performance was awarded on Wednesday to the show "Ordeal by Fire" directed by Francois-Michel Pesenti and performed by Slovenia's leading theatre house, SNG Drama Ljubljana. The performance also won Pesenti the best director prize at the festival. More » Reformation Day, a national holiday marking a 50-year period in the 16th century that had a profound impact on Slovenian culture, is observed on 31 October. This year it coincides with the 500th birth anniversary of the author of the first book in Slovenian, protestant priest Primoz Trubar. More » A new ossuary was opened at the Maribor cemetery Dobrava on Tuesday for temporary or permanent storage of the remains of Slovenian victims of postwar killings after WWII found in mass graves. The ossuary was built by the Labour, Family and Social Affairs Ministry, the Maribor City Municipality, and the Maribor funeral home. More » President Danilo Tuerk addressed on Thursday the national ceremony on the eve of Reformation Day, stressing that present-day Slovenia needed reformers and their spirit to raise its morals and develop a responsible attitude toward the state and the rule of law. More » On the occasion of All Saints' Day, Slovenian President Danilo Tuerk on Saturday visited memorial sites around the country to pay respects to those killed during WWII as part of the resistance movement and the victims of post-war summary killings. He also visited the grave of the former president Janez Drnovsek in Zagorje. More » The executive committee of the Hockey Association of Slovenia named Monday Doug Bradley the new coach of the national ice hockey team. More » Schedule of events in the week for 4-9 November: More »

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