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A schedule of all the main events involving Slovenia this week can be found here
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This summary is provided by the STA:
Slovenia wants EU to give N Macedonia accession talks date in June
LJUBLJANA - PM Marjan Šarec voiced Slovenia's strong advocacy for North Macedonia to get a date for the launch of EU accession talks in June, as he met his counterpart Zoran Zaev. Addressing a joint press conference, Šarec described Zaev's official visit to Slovenia as very important, noting that North Macedonia was at a crossroads. Moreover, Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek said at a business conference that the countries plan to increase the volume of bilateral trade from EUR 300 million to EUR 500 million over the medium term.
Lawyer Čeferin most likely new Constitutional Court judge
LJUBLJANA - Lawyer Rok Čeferin is the most likely new Constitutional Court judge, as most parliamentary parties backed him in consultations with President Borut Pahor. While the two biggest parties, the opposition Democrats (SDS) and the ruling Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) are yet to decide, the opposition New Slovenia (NSi) is more in favour of Janez Pogorelec, while the colaition Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) would support either one. The opposition National Party (SNS) and MPs representing the two national minorities did not participate due to absence.
Slovenia remains 37th in IMD competitiveness rankings
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia remains level in the latest World Competitiveness Rankings, retaining 37th place among 63 countries after climbing six places last year. While it made gains in business efficiency, government efficiency and development of infrastructure, it fell behind in economic efficiency. Slovenia slipped four places in economic efficiency to rank 33rd, while gaining seven spots in business efficiency (40th), one spot in infrastructure (27th) and three spots in government efficiency (39th). Singapore tops the IMD rankings, followed by Hong Kong and the US.
Parliament ratifies agreement on Serbian migrant workers
LJUBLJANA - MPs ratified a Slovenia-Serbia agreement governing the employment of Serbian workers in Slovenia. The agreement, which for instance ties Serbian citizens to a single employer for a year, is meant to help address the needs of Slovenian companies and safeguard worker rights, but a rights group has not welcomed it. The agreement, reached under the previous governments in February 2018, is modelled on a similar accord Slovenia had signed with Bosnia, the country from which it has the largest number of foreign workers; Serbia places second.
Parliament transposes EU tax info exchange directives
LJUBLJANA - The MPs endorsed amendments to the tax procedure act that transpose EU directives that expand mandatory automatic exchange of information to potentially aggressive cross-border tax planning arrangements and upgrade mechanisms for resolution of cross-border tax disputes. The government expects that the more transparent tax would enhance trust in the tax system and encourage taxable persons to meet their tax liabilities. As a result of the amendments, legal entities doing business across borders are also expected to be more willing to invest in Slovenia.
Slovenian banks' quarterly profit flat
LJUBLJANA - The brisk pace of profit growth in the Slovenian banking sector after the crisis appears to have tapered off, with banks reporting a cumulative net profit of EUR 130.2 million for the first quarter, up 1.1% over the same period last year. Profit before tax was up 4.8% to EUR 149.5 million, shows a monthly central bank report. Gross revenue dropped by 0.2% to EUR 290.5 million, as net interest revenue rose 6.2% to EUR 165.7 million whereas non-interest revenue was down 7.6% to EUR 124.9 million. Banks' total assets rose 4.8% year-on-year to EUR 39.5 billion.
Environment Ministry moves to have govt scrap Mura hydro plant project
LJUBLJANA - The Environment Ministry proposed to the government to halt the drafting of zoning plans for a potential hydro power plant on the Mura river in the north-east of the country. The ministry has examined three proposed options for the plant and found them all environmentally inappropriate. The proposal comes after the government, acting in line with the coalition agreement, had announced the scrapping of plans for hydro power plants on the river but has not yet rescinded a license granted for the project to state-owned utility HSE in 2005.
Law passed for bids for European Public Prosecutor's Office
LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed two sets of legislative amendments that will allow Slovenia to nominate candidates for the European Public Prosecutor's Office, and allow lawyers form the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland to do business in Slovenia. The main piece are amendments to the state prosecution service act transpose the EU directive establishing the European Public Prosecutor's Office, an independent supranational prosecution office authorised to investigate, prosecute and bring to judgement crimes against the EU budget.
Prelesnik expected to remain information commissioner
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor consultations with the heads of parliamentary groups to discuss the candidacy of Information Commissioner Mojca Prelesnik for another term. Prelesnik, who is the only candidate for the post, was backed by a majority of factions although some have not yet come to a formal decision. Two candidates had responded to Pahor's public call for applications for the information commissioner - besides Prelesnik, whose five-year term will end on 17 July, journalist Rajko Gerič applied as well, but later withdrew his candidacy.
Triglav shareholders to get EUR 2.50 dividends
LJUBLJANA - Shareholders of the insurer Zavarovalnica Triglav endorsed the proposal from the management and supervisory boards that EUR 56.8 million in distributable profit or EUR 2.50 gross per share be earmarked for dividends. The proposed payout represents 70% of the consolidated net profit for 2018 or 85% of the insurer's distributable profit. The ex-dividend date is 12 June, Zavarovalnica Triglav said in a press release.
Gorenje no longer public company
VELENJE - The owners of the bonds of Gorenje that continued to be listed on the Ljubljana Stock Exchange after the withdrawal of its shares by the new owner, China's Hisense, agreed to have them delisted. This means the household appliance maker is no longer bound to the responsibilities of a public company. Gorenje will enable the holders of the GV02 bonds to sell them to the issuer at EUR 1,025 plus interest apiece, the company said after an assembly. Hisense acquired 95.4% in Gorenje in mid-2018 and then squeezed out small shareholders to become the sole owner.
Survey shows hiring to continue in second half of 2019
LJUBLJANA - Employers' projections for hiring in the second half of the year are encouraging, shows an Employment Service survey, as companies plan to increase headcount by 2.6% or 31,100 staff. They plan to create some 17,300 new jobs and are mainly looking for staff because of retirement, parental leave and resignations, but also because of the growing demand for their products or services, or expansion of business. The sector expected to employ the most people is construction, where a 9.3% rise is planned, but hiring is also planned in other industries (+6.2%).
Slovenian banks working on instant payment system
LJUBLJANA - The business paper Finance reported that Slovenian banks are working with the national payment processor Bankart to develop a national system for instant peer-to-peer money transfers. Developed in conjunction with Nets, a Danish company, the system will allow transfers of up to EUR 15,000 between the accounts of physical persons and will work in mobile banks and online banks or in mobile apps. Finance says that this requires building an interbank payment system from scratch as domestic transactions of up to EUR 50,000 are currently settled every two hours.
