Slovenia News (30 October 2006)

The week's top event, the local elections, saw the spotlight being taken by former CEO of retailer Mercator, Zoran Jankovic, who became the new Mayor of Ljubljana after taking more than 63% of the vote in the capital. Jankovic's independent list also grabbed a majority in the city council, delivering a major blow to parliamentary parties. Other major news included Slovenia stepping up its endeavours for the accession to to Schengen zone. Facing an ever more certain delay in the expansion of the Schengen zone due to problems in setting up the new Schengen information system SIS II, Slovenian Interior Minister Dragutin Mate has hinted that despite a possible support by EU members to a solution proposed by Portugal (SIS I plus), Slovenia's accession to the zone might not come in October 2007 as initially planed. A memorial plaque was unveiled at the Jezero Cottage in Brdo pri Kranju on Wednesday, marking the place where numerous key decisions in Slovenia's struggle for independence were made. "Many important things happened here that the public does not know about," Prime Minister Janez Jansa said as he inaugurated the plaque. More » The last soldier of the Yugoslav People's Army (JLA) left Slovenia in the morning of 26 October 1991, marking the closure of the final chapter of the struggle for Slovenia's independence. "It is from then on that we could finally start talking about peace and sovereignty," according to Srecko Lisjak, the head of the Association of the Veterans of the War for Slovenia. More » Celebrations were held in Koper to mark the day 15 years ago when the last soldier of the Yugoslav People's Army (JLA) left Slovenia. The end of the independence war brought democracy to the northernmost part of the Balkan Peninsula and gave Europe a new, free nation, Alojz Peterle, the keynote speaker, said in his address. More » A ministerial conference on the prevention of crime and illegal migration has found that the security cooperation of countries in Southeast Europe is steadily improving. "Data by law enforcement authorities in the region suggests that cooperation is improving and we are getting better at providing security," Slovenian Interior Minister Dragutin Mate told the press on Friday. More » Local elections held on Sunday 22 October saw independent Zoran Jankovic emerge as the new Mayor of Ljubljana with more than 63% of the vote. Unofficial results show that the independent list of the former CEO of retailer Mercator will also hold a majority in the capital's city council taking 23 of the 45 seats. While the race for mayor in Slovenia's second largest city Maribor will see a run-off between independent Gregor Pivec and the People's Party (SLS) candidate Franc Kangler, Celje and Koper witnessed convincing victories of incumbent mayors Bojan Srot (the People's Party - SLS) and Boris Popovic (Slovenia Is Ours - SJN), respectively. More » Big Slovenian carbon dioxide (Co2) polluters will be free to produce 41.5 million tonnes of CO2 in the 2008-2012 period according to a plan for the distribution of emission coupons that the government endorsed on Friday. More » A total of 10 Slovenian companies have made it to the list of 500 leading European companies in terms new jobs creation. The top-ranked Slovenian company on "Europe's 500" list is retailer Engrotus, which is ranked 30th, the Brussels-based Entrepreneurs for Growth association, which compiles the list, said on its website. More » The Economic and Social Council, the industrial relations forum, on Friday endorsed the programme of active employment policy measures for the 2007-2013 period and an action plan for the first two years of implementation, worth EUR 172.6m. More » Attending the real-estate fair EXPO REAL 2006 in Munich on Tuesday, Economy Minister Andrej Vizjak took the opportunity to present the possibilities that Slovenia has to offer to investors. More » Two large Slovenian insurance companies are planning a merger that would create a major player on the Slovenian insurance market and a serious competitor for the country's leading insurer, Zavarovalnica Triglav. More » Casino operators Hit and Harrah's Entertainment unveiled at Bled on Thursday an in-depth analysis of the planned construction of a mega gaming and entertainment centre near the western Slovenian town of Nova Gorica to government officials. Finance Ministry State Secretary Andrej Sircelj hailed the meeting as "injecting a new impetus into the talks". More » Slovenia's representative at the meeting of EU agriculture ministers in Brussels on Wednesday voiced the country's opposition to changing the system of geographical indications, reduction of vineyards and a ban on the use of saccharose to enrich wine. More » Economy Minister Andrej Vizjak has reiterated the importance of the EU forming a common energy policy in order to deal with the increasing challenges in ensuring a stable and cheap supply of energy. More » The European Commission has warned several EU members, including Slovenia, about the need to take additional measures to meet the greenhouse gases emission targets in the 2008-2012 Kyoto commitment period. More » As part of efforts to bring the EU closer to the people, the European Parliament's Information Office in Slovenia is to stage a number of public forums in the coming days. More » The Celje barracks saw a line up of 85 members of the Slovenian army's 20th motorised battalion on Thursday, marking the group's departure for Kosovo, where it will replace the 36 Slovenian soldiers participating in NATO's crisis response mission. More » Projections until 2023 suggest Slovenia will need EUR 6.3bn for the modernisation of road infrastructure until 2023 on top of the existing earmarks. Since it is impossible to secure all this money from the budget, private funding will have to be brought in, a conference on road transport has been told. More » The big winner of the 41st Borstnik Festival is the Ljubljana-based theatre company Slovensko mladinsko gledalisce (SMG). Its production "Fragile!", written by Tena Stivicic and directed by Matjaz Pograjc, bagged the Grand Prix for best performance at tonight's ceremony, with several other awards ending in the hands of those who collaborated in SMG productions. More » The SNG Maribor ballet company will be touring the Netherlands and Belgium over the following fortnight, staging "Radio and Juliet", the latest project of Edward Clug based on the music of the world-famous British band Radiohead. More » A 50-year period in the 16th century that had a profound impact on Slovenehood is to be remembered on Tuesday as the country observes Reformation Day. A ceremony is to be held in Ljubljana on Monday evening, featuring Education Minister Milan Zver as the keynote speaker, to mark the bank holiday. More » The bobbin lacemaking school in Idrija will mark its 130th anniversary on Friday with a conference featuring most recent findings on the traditional Idrija lace. More » Joachim Nshimirimana of Burundi is the winner of the men's competition at the 2006 Ljubljana Marathon. The women's race was won by Inga Juodeskiene of Lithuania. More » Slovenian Interior Minister Dragutin Mate is confident that Slovenia could join the Schengen passport-free zone by the end of 2007 if the EU Council endorses in December the proposal that the Portuguese Schengen Information System (SIS) be implemented in the EU newcomers. More » Schedule of Events from 30 Oct to 5 Nov More »

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