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This summary is provided by the STA:
TV Slovenija journalist appointed UKOM boss
LJUBLJANA - The government appointed journalist Petra Bezjak Cirman, most recently the head of the broadcaster's works council and the workers' representative on RTV Slovenija's supervisory board, acting director of the Government Communications Office. She succeeds Dragan Barbutovski, who stepped down earlier this week. Prime Minister Robert Golob said that Barbutovski was being replaced because he lacked the organisational and managerial skills to run an office that the government would want to get help from in the war on hate speech.
Govt launches dialogue with NGOs representing old and young
LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Rober Golob met with representatives of NGOs advocating for the young and the old. The meeting, which Golob said was "definitely not the last", agreed on the creation of task forces which will address some of the most urgent issues. Golob listed issues such as scholarships for the young, the pensioners' expectations regarding pension increase, and access to mental health services for the young, which he said required immediate and decisive action. He said a clear wish was expressed that the young and the old addressed issues together.
NLB doubles H1 profit to EUR 287m
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's largest banking group, NLB, reported EUR 287 million in profit after tax for the first half of 2022, a 105% increase year-on-year. The growth was mainly driven by positive effects related to the acquisition of N Banka, formerly Sberbank. The profit of the core bank NLB fell from EUR 77.1 million to EUR 66.9 million. NLB Group's operating profit rose by 7% to EUR 358.1 million, with N Banka, part of NLB since March, contributing EUR 14 million to the result.
Job vacancies at 15-year high in Q2
LJUBLJANA - There were almost 25,900 job vacancies advertised in Slovenia in the second quarter of the year, the highest number since the Statistics Office started carrying out this survey in 2008. Most of the vacancies were available in the hospitality sector. Vacancies in quarter two rose by 6% compared to the first quarter and by a quarter, or almost 5,100 vacancies, compared to the second quarter last year. Demand for workers was higher in all industries expect in mining, manufacturing and real estate.
Businesses unhappy with reversal of tax reform
LJUBLJANA - Business associations expressed opposition to government plan to revoke parts of the tax reform adopted by the previous government, including a progressive increase in the general tax relief for all earners, urging the government to withdraw the legislative proposal and draw up a comprehensive reform instead. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chamber of Commerce, Chamber of Trade Crafts and Small Business and the Association of Employers in Trade Crafts and Smalls Business find the proposal would annul the positive effects of the amendments to the personal income tax act passed in March even before they are fully implemented.
Wednesday's Covid case count broadly flat w/w
LJUBLJANA - A total of 1,614 people tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday, only 1.3% fewer than the same day a week ago as the pace of decline in infections has been slowing down. Official data shows three patients with Covid-19 died on Wednesday as 100 required hospital treatment for the disease, then of whom required intensive care. A total of 275 hospitalised patients were infected. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 of the population has dropped to 964 and the 7-day case average to 1,406.
Grounded festival to foreground issue of responsibility
LJUBLJANA - The 6th edition of Grounded, a festival that blends critical thought and activism with electronic music, got under way in Ljubljana, with its discursive part focusing on responsibility, which the organisers say remains a non-topic in both the social and legal spheres. The three-day festival opened with a discussion on the responsibility for war and peace in Ukraine, while other topics featured include responsibility for a decent life for culture workers, the state's past transgressions towards vulnerable groups, and the free speech vs hate speech dilemma.
Young cross-country skier killed in crash in Norway
STAVANGER, Norway - Hana Mazi Jamnik, an up-and-coming cross-country skier, has been killed in a traffic accident during training in Norway, the Slovenian Ski Association said. The 19-year-old was roller skiing through a tunnel on the road between Forsand and Joerpeland in south Norway when she was hit by a lorry. She was badly injured in the crash and airlifted to a hospital in Stavanger, where she died, according to Sportal, a sports news website.
Maribor out of contention for Europa League
HELSINKI, Finland - Slovenian football champions Maribor have failed to qualify for the Europa League, having lost to HJK Helsinki 1:0 in the return leg of the third round of qualifying. The score was 3:0 on aggregate. The club, which currently ranks last in the domestic championship with a single win in four games, will now enter the qualifying for the third-tier Conference League.
Slovenian makes graphic novel based on Pahor's Necropolis
AURISINA, Italy - Jurij Devetak, a Slovenian from Trieste, has finalised a graphic novel based on Necropolis, the 1967 autobiographical novel by his fellow Triestine author Boris Pahor, who participated in the creation of the book. Pahor died on the same day when Devetak finished the graphic novel, on 30 May. Mladinska Knjiga will publish the book in mid-August.
