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This summary is provided by the STA:
Coalition agreement, cabinet line-up finalised
LJUBLJANA - The partners in the incoming coalition finalised the coalition agreement and determined most of the candidates for cabinet posts in an expanded government that will have 19 ministers and one minister without portfolio. Tanja Fajon, the leader of the Social Democrats (SD), is the candidate for foreign minister, and Left leader Luka Mesec will be in charge of the new ministry of solidarity-based future. Both will serve as deputy prime ministers, a title that will also be conferred on orthopaedic surgeon Danijel Bešič Loredan, who is slated for the health portfolio.
Defence minister signs memorandum with OCCAR on Boxer carriers
LJUBLJANA - Defence Minister Matej Tonin signed a memorandum with the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) that paves the way for the purchase of 45 armoured personnel carriers, just hours after he was authorised to do so and a day before the government is relegated to caretaker role. Presenting the new cabinet today, Left leader Luka Mesec said the new coalition was opposed to the purchase and Golob said a normal and good master would not cause damage to the country. He announced the use of all legal means available to "implement our view".
ECB's Lagarde suggests rate hike soon after asset purchases end
LJUBLJANA - European Central Bank (ECB) president Christine Lagarde that the ECB could conduct the first interest rate hike within weeks after it ends purchases under the asset purchase programme early in the third quarter. "The first rate hike ... will take place some time after the end of net asset purchases. We have not yet precisely defined the notion of 'some time', but I have been very clear that this could mean a period of only a few weeks," she told a conference in Ljubljana marking the 30th anniversary of Slovenia's central bank.
In Sarajevo, Pahor repeats call to EU to give Bosnia candidate status ASAP
SARAJEVO - President Borut Pahor discussed the significance of political stability for economic and social development of Bosnia-Herzegovina in his address to the 11th Sarajevo Business Forum. He warned that the process of enlargement to the Western Balkans was too slow and appealed for Bosnia to be awarded candidate status as soon as possible. Pahor believes the country should be given candidate status without additional pre-conditions and in exchange Bosnia-Herzegovina should commit to adopt the needed reforms, which is vital for a secure and successful future of the country and the EU as a whole.
Upper chamber launching constitutional review of 2022 budget
LJUBLJANA - The National Council decided to ask the Constitutional Court to review this year's state budget and the law on its implementation. The court is urged to scrutinise segments of both documents relating to the financial plans of independent constitutional authorities, including the National Council and the Constitutional Court. By the end of the summer the Council will run out of funds to pay councillors' allowances, so it will be left with no choice but to ask the Finance Ministry for additional funding, citing the legal basis, National Council President Alojz Kovšca said.
NLB Group net profit more than tripled to EUR 231.5m in Q1
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's largest banking group, NLB, posted EUR 231.5 million in net profit in the first quarter of 2022, more than triple the figure recorded in the same period last year, on the back of the acquisition of the Slovenian subsidiary of Russia's Sberbank in March. The profit of the core company NLB dropped to nearly EUR 33 million.
Cinkarna Celje more than doubles net profit in Q1
CELJE - Chemical company Cinkarna Celje posted sales of EUR 66.4 million for the first quarter of this year, up 32% on the same period in 2021. Net profit more than doubled to EUR 15.6 million on the back of high prices, the company said. Operating profit (EBIT) surged by 106% to EUR 19.1 million and profit before income tax, depreciation and amortisation was up by almost 80% to EUR 22.4 million. EU markets account for more than three quarters of the sales, and this is where revenue grew at the fastest pace.
Covid hospitalisations, cases continue to decline
LJUBLJANA - The Covid pandemic remains in retreat in Slovenia, as new cases were down by nearly half week-on-week on Tuesday, to 666, while hospital figures continued to decline, the latest figures show. There were only 66 people in regular wards due to Covid-19 plus another seven in intensive care units this morning, down by nine and two, respectively, over yesterday. The number of active cases dropped by almost 500 to just over 10,000, with the 14-day incidence per 100,000 population at 477, down by 20.
Ukraine, Bosnia in focus as writers meet in Bled
BLED - The 54th annual International Writers' Meeting is getting under way in Bled today to focus on topics ranging from ethics to Ukraine and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The writers will also call for humanity in a declaration. Organised by Slovenian PEN, the meeting is being held in hybrid form for the second year, which is to give authors from Africa a chance to take part. Some 90 delegates are expected to attend, a third of whom remotely.
Actor Ivo Ban honoured by Slovenian film directors
LJUBLJANA - Film, theatre and television actor Ivo Ban is the recipient of this year's Bert Award for lifetime achievement in film and television conferred by the Slovenian Directors' Guild. The jury said he was an actor whose face and voice had been "firmly and permanently anchored in the Slovenian cultural treasury and collective memory." It was noted that Ban, 72, had rung up an impressive list of 50 film roles and more than 20 television roles, which spoke about the actor being wanted by many directors. He will receive the award, which has been given out since 2014, at the Slovenian Cinematheque in Ljubljana on 17 May.
No final for Slovenia at Eurovision song contest
TURIN, Italy - Last Pizza Slice (LPS) did not make it past the semi-final of the Eurovision song contest, the second year in a row that the Slovenian entrant remained without the much coveted final. The high-school band from Celje performed Disko, an uplifting retro blend of pop and funk with sad lyrics about a painful breakup. "We're very grateful for the whole experience," singer Filip Vidušin said after the performance. Ten of the 17 countries featured in the first semi-final made the cut.
Power lines damaged in hot air balloon accident in Beltinci
BELTINCI - A hot air balloon accident took place near the town of Beltinci in north-eastern Slovenia on Tuesday as the gondola of the balloon hit power lines, cutting local electricity supply and causing an estimated EUR 11,000 in damage. No person was injured in the accident. A passenger reportedly had to jump out of the gondola, as instructed by the pilot, so that the balloon could be lifted again, gain some distance from the power lines and land safely. Police said the pilot was facing charges.
