Bookmark this link and find the headlines faster each morning

STA - Below is a roundup of major news stories for the morning of Friday, 29 March 2019:

Govt endorses new national security strategy

LJUBLJANA - The government endorsed a new resolution on the national security strategy. According to Defence Ministry State Secretary Klemen Grošelj, the strategy factors in new security threats, such as terrorism and violent extremism. Most notably, national intelligence agency SOVA will get new powers. Besides the existing political oversight in the form of a parliamentary commission, judicial oversight will be enhanced and "a third pillar" added in the form of a panel of intelligence experts.

Govt exempts holiday allowance from taxes

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted legislative changes raising the threshold for exemption of annual holiday allowance from income tax and social security contributions. The threshold is being raised from allowance equivalent to 70% of average pay to that equivalent to 100% of average pay. "Every euro that employers spend on holiday allowance will be transferred to the employees, the state has given up income tax and contributions," Finance Minister Andrej Bertoncelj commented.

Šarec's top foreign policy aide resigns

LJUBLJANA - State Secretary Roman Kirn, the foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Marjan Šarec, resigned, unofficially due to differences with other top aides. Šarec's office said the resignation was not a result of their differences but rather Kirn's personal decision. News portal Siol reported that Kirn, a seasoned diplomat, stepped down due to differences with State Secretary Igor Mally. Siol said Mally was one of those who advised Šarec not to address the European Parliament.

Pahor urges climate action in New York

NEW YORK, UN - President Borut Pahor addressed a UN high-level meeting on climate protection in New York, urging the participants to take action to tackle climate change. "The leaders and other participants in the climate summit, we must take responsibly and work together to send out a strong message for immediate climate action with the goal of zero carbon emissions by 2050," Pahor said. Together with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Pahor was also due to open a photo exhibition marking 20th years of Slovenian-run demining organisation ITF.

SDS and SLS to field joint list for EU elections

LJUBLJANA - TV Slovenija reported that the opposition Democrats (SDS) and the non-parliamentary People's Party (SLS) had agreed to field a joint list of candidates for the May elections to the European Parliament. The list is to be presented on Saturday, but TV Slovenija said it would feature the three SDS MEPs, SLS MEP Franc Bogovič and possibly former Maribor Mayor Franc Kangler. Meanwhile, POP TV reported that Austrian MEP Angelika Mlinar would run on the ticket of the Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB).

Telekom Slovenije profit up almost four-fold in 2018

LJUBLJANA - Telekom Slovenije posted a group net profit of EUR 33.3m for 2018, an increase of 269% over the year before, even as revenue stagnated at EUR 715m. The company said it had increased revenue from fixed-line and IT services by 8%, with revenue from the sale of energy and insurance services also rising. These helped offset declining revenue from mobile users and users of fixed-line telephony. Chairman Rudolf Skobe said the company would now focus on creating value with digitalisation.

Report: Telekom suffered millions in damage in Balkan deals

LJUBLJANA - Delo reported that a forensic audit at Telekom Slovenije had shown the telecoms incumbent suffered millions of euros in damage in several deals in the Western Balkans. The forensic audit of the state-owned company for 2007-2015, performed by Deloitte, also raised suspicion of tax avoidance and money laundering. The report, commissioned by the current management of Telekom Slovenije and pointing to two suspicious transactions, has already been handed over to the police.

Slovenia to set up UNESCO AI centre

LJUBLJANA - The government confirmed plans to set up a UNESCO-sponsored international research centre for artificial intelligence pending confirmation from the UN agency, expected in November. The centre will aim to develop systemic and strategic ways of AI implementation for different organisations and the public. UNESCO welcomed the government's initiative in September 2018. The centre is to be hosted by
the Jožef Stefan Institute.

Researcher Jernej Ule wins ERC grant

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian London-based researcher Jernej Ule has won a EUR 2.4m advanced grant from the European Research Council (ERC) for a project hosted by the National Institute of Chemistry that will study interactions between molecules in the brain and how they affect development of neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS. Chemistry Institute director Gregor Anderluh said the project would serve as a basis for development of new strategies to cure disease by means of RNA molecules.

DARS continues to increase revenue, profit

LJUBLJANA - National motorway operator DARS saw its revenue increase by 5% last year to EUR 465.5m, while net profit rose by almost 8% to EUR 154.4m. The bulk of the revenue was generated by motorway toll, with DARS collecting a total of EUR 451.5m in toll. Write-offs represented the largest share of expenditure, EUR 175m.

Petrol buys another Croatian gas distributor

LJUBLJANA - In what is its second gas distribution acquisition in Croatia in recent months, energy company Petrol bought the gas and electricity segment of Croatia's Crodux. The value of the deal, which still requires a nod from the Croatian competition watchdog, has not been disclosed. Petrol, which focuses on petroleum products but has been diversifying its portfolio, is thus getting involved in the ongoing consolidation of the gas market in Croatia, which has 35 licensed gas distributors.

Retailer Spar with record sales last year

LJUBLJANA - Retailer Spar Slovenija increased its sales last year by 3.6% to a record EUR 804m, director general Igor Mervič said. Net profit was not disclosed, with Mervič only saying that due to extensive investments, it was lower than in 2017, when it stood at EUR 13m. Mervič attributed the record sales to improvements in logistics and "great independence, which allows us to operate like a local company."

State secretary for small business appointed

LJUBLJANA - The government appointed Franc Vesel state secretary for small businesses at the prime ministers' office in line with demands by the national chamber of small business. Vesel, an entrepreneur from Ribnica and a member of the economy committee at the Chamber of Craft and Small Business (OZS), is formally at the prime minister's office but will be able to work at the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology.

Another resignation at BAMC

LJUBLJANA - The Bank Assets Management Company (BAMC) said that Andrej Prebil resigned as one of the three executive directors. His duties will temporarily be taken over by acting CEO Matej Pirc on 1 April. BAMC said that new full-term executive directors would expectedly be appointed by the end of April. Media suggested the latest resignation is related to allegations of mismanagement and follows the resignation of CEO Imre Balogh in December 2018 in the wake of an overhaul at the board of directors.

First Slovenian non-resident ambassador accredited to Panama

PANAMA CITY, Panama - Slovenian Ambassador to the United States Stanislav Vidovič presented his credentials to Panama's President Juan Carlos Varela to become the first Slovenian non-resident ambassador to Panama. President Varela welcomed Slovenia's decision to name an ambassador to Panama, stressing this could help strengthen the versatile relations between the countries and boost trade.

Establishments owned by Maribor mayor repeatedly vandalised

LJUBLJANA - Unknown perpetrators broke a glass window on a restaurant owned by Maribor Mayor Saša Arsenovič in the small hours of Thursday in what is already the third such attack on establishments owned by Arsenovič. The mayor says that the incidents are politically motivated and that he will not be discouraged or intimidated. "I'm not afraid and I won't let myself be intimidated, especially because I know I work fairly. We will realise all the goals regardless of these lowly acts," he said.

Hungarian minority MP under fire for wearing several hats

LJUBLJANA - Hungarian minority MP Ferenc Horvath has come under fire for a perceived conflict of interest. He is the chair of the council of the Hungarian minority's umbrella organisation and the director of Minta, a company set up by the organisation which provides business consultancy services. Horvath has been reported to the parliamentary Credentials and Privileges Commission for being involved in for-profit business, but the commission has refused to hear the case citing unclear regulations.

Victims of crime to benefit from new counselling services

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a set of changes to the social security law introducing support services for victims of crime and their families, who will now be eligible for counselling. Details will be set down in the planned changes to the rules on standards governing social security services. Justice Ministry figures show there were 42,430 victims of crime in 2016, of whom almost 16,400 women, almost 1,650 children and over 5,000 senior citizens.

Fuel prices remain under government control

LJUBLJANA - The government extended a decree on administered fuel prices by another six months, until 30 September, an indication that the Economy Ministry failed in its push for full liberalisation of the fuel market. The prices of premium petrol and heating oil were fully liberalised in April 2016, and in November that year prices of all fuels sold along motorways were deregulated.

STA, 28 March 2019 - A large number of Slovenian fans have flown to Miami to experience Thursday's long-awaited game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat featuring a face-off between the country's most popular basketball players and former national team members, Luka Dončić and Goran Dragić.

Miami has welcomed reportedly more than 2,000 Slovenian basketball enthusiasts, forming the largest national "exodus" to the US for a sports event.

All of them have high expectations for the match with the majority rooting for Dragić's home team to win and Dončić to deliver another excellent performance.

The Miami Heat are still in play for the play-offs and will be going for a win tonight, while the Mavericks are in for playing a "spoiler" with their team being second to last in the Western Conference and therefore having zero chance to qualify.

The game will mark the first time the two players will meet after playing together for the national team and winning the EuroBasket in September 2017. Dragić was still recovering from a knee injury during the previous match between the two teams.

The Mavericks' star Dončić is very likely to win the 2018-19 NBA Rookie of the Year award, especially if he dominates the next few matches in his usual style. Both him and Dragić are double-digit scorers who have been keeping fans entertained with attractive moves and the rivalry between them suggests a great game ahead.

"We've arrived on the wings of euphoria. What Dončić's doing is crazy, and Dragić is obviously old-school. We've come to cheer and let the best man win," said one of the Slovenian fans.

They all want Dragić's team to clinch a play-off spot and Dončić to score another triple-double, but most importantly they will cheer for Slovenia as the country is displaying its talent in the world's strongest basketball league.

Fulfilling the goal of winning the EuroBasket, the 32-year-old Dragić has retired from playing for the national team but remains one of the nation's favourite, while the 20-year-old Dončić has already made a name for himself across in the US.

The fans have been hanging out at Rakija Lounge bar in South Beach, enjoying familiar beverages and food from the Balkans. The bar's owners, migrants from Bosnia-Herzegovina and North Macedonia, are hosting a Slovenian night before the game, presenting the country's wines and food.

The large number of Slovenian supporters has also attracted the attention of the American media. The ESPN channel will prepare a special clip about them near the American Airlines Arena before the game.

The event will therefore serve as an opportunity for a specific cultural exchange as well as celebration of the two Slovenian stars.

STA, 28 March 2019 - Telekom Slovenije, the state-owned telecoms incumbent, posted a group net profit of EUR 33.3m for 2018, an increase of 269% over the year before, even as revenue stagnated to stand at EUR 715m, three percent below plans, show results released on Thursday.

Earnings before income tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) totalled 185.5m, up 10% over the year before, and pre-tax profit (EBIT) rose almost three-fold to EUR 18m.

Both EBITDA and net profit were affected by the settlement of a large claim by rival telecoms provider T-2.

The settlement amount has never been disclosed, but the business newspaper Finance says figures from the annual report suggest it amounted to roughly EUR 50m and in effect reduced profit by EUR 25m since the company did not have sufficient provisions to cover the entire amount.

The company said it had increased revenue from fixed-line and IT services by 8%, with revenue from the sale of energy and insurance services also rising.

These new revenue streams have helped offset declining revenue from mobile users and users of fixed-line telephony, the report shows.

The Slovenian parent company accounted for the bulk of the sales, which at EUR 637.7m, were down a percent over 2017. Net profit stood at EUR 34m compared to EUR 1.7m in the year before.

Chairman Rudolf Skobe said the company has entered the second phase of transformation in 2018 and, having previously focused on innovation in its core business, would now strive to create value with digitalisation.

Telekom earmarked EUR 134m for investments last year, the bulk of the money spent on expansion of the fibre optic and mobile networks.

For 2019 the company projects worse results, as operating revenue is slated to top out at EUR 712m and profit is projected to decline by a tenth to just over EUR 30m.

Investments, meanwhile, are planned at EUR 212m.

The management and supervisory boards have proposed that dividends for last year be set at EUR 4.5 gross per share, which would mean shareholders would get just shy of EUR 30m.

However, the final payout may be completely different: last year the management proposed dividends of EUR 6.30 per share, but shareholders ended up endorsing a proposal by Slovenian Sovereign Holding for a payout of EUR 14.3 gross per share.

The Telekom share lost 0.3% in early trading on the Ljubljana Stock Exchange today, to trade at roughly EUR 65.

The website Ex-Yu Aviation reports that the Slovenian government is planning to increase the number of international connections with the country by subsidizing flights on new routes to and from Ljubljana airport. The project, which is being led by the Slovenian Tourist Board, will give €150,000 a year to each new route for marketing and promotional activities, with €90,000 provided to airlines adding more flights to their existing schedules.

The countries seen as most important for Slovenia’s tourist industry in this regard are listed asGermany, Finland, the United Kingdom, Russia, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Spain, Israel, Ukraine, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Japan, and the United States, as well as Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

More details can be found here, while all our stories on air travel and Slovenia, including new routes and changes, are here

STA, 27 March 2019 - Aleš Šabeder is taking charge of the Ministry of Health, replacing Samo Fakin, who stepped down at the beginning of March, citing health reasons. Before becoming director general of the UKC Ljubljana hospital a year ago, Šabeder had no experience in the healthcare sector.

As the new health minister Šabeder will be confronted with many challenges such as healthcare reforms and navigating through various political interests.

Born in 1970 in the city of Ptuj, Šabeder has a degree in economics. Most of his experience stems from working in the corporate sector, including at one of the senior posts at the fuel trader Petrol (2006-08), and serving as one of the regional directors for wholesale and retail at the retailer Mercator (2008-14).

In January 2014, he took over at the seed manufacturer Semenarna Ljubljana as director general, marketing director, and exports department manager before moving on four years later to become director general of UKC Ljubljana, the country's main medical centre employing around 8,000 people.

UKC Ljubljana generated a loss of EUR 23m last year, up considerably compared to the target loss of EUR 15m. This was after the hospital made a deficit of EUR 33.5m in 2017, which was turned into a surplus of EUR 46.4m after the hospital received almost EUR 80m under the government hospital bailout plan.

On his appointment at UKC, the hospital's council cited his management experience and experience in negotiating with trade unions; however, the doctors' trade union and several political parties considered him a political appointee, supported by the then ruling Modern Centre Party (SMC).

During his presentation in parliament, Šabeder was criticised for failing to offer concrete solutions, and he admitted he would have to get briefed on the situation fast.

He pledged to endeavour for accessible and quality public health system, one that is "neither left nor right", but remains in the professional domain rather than a political one.

Šabeder is fluent in English, German, Croatian, and Serbian. He is married and has a daughter.

All our stories on healthcare in Slovenia are here

Plans to cut waiting times and bureaucracy

STASTA, 26 March 2019 - Aleš Šabeder, the nominee for health minister, was confirmed by the relevant parliamentary committee on Tuesday, with 12 MPs voting in favour and two against. He announced a systematic approach to cut waiting times and red tape, and an overhaul of the health care and health insurance act.

As the hearing started yesterday, the candidate said that the people must be provided with accessible and quality public health services, adding that he had got well acquainted with the complexity and the needs of the Slovenian healthcare system.

One of his first priorities will be to revise waiting lists on the national level and then prepare measures to cut waiting times such as setting up additional programmes and focus on the areas where the number of patients is rising.

The system of appointments needs to be revised as well, and paperwork should be reduced to relieve the burden on doctors who are already struggling with excessive workload. They need efficient IT support, he believes.

Touching on the problems on the primary level, he said that Slovenia simply did not have enough GPs, so structural changes were needed in this area to relieve the pressure on the secondary and tertiary levels.

Today, Šabeder said he was ready to cooperate with all parties and listen to their proposals. He is in talks with candidates for state secretaries at the ministry, "who will not be politically appointed, they will be experts."

Regarding the idea to abolish supplementary health insurance, he said this would require a stable and long-term source of financing. Possible solutions are a higher contribution rate, a healthcare tax, and levies on alcohol, tobacco and sugary drinks.

Quizzed by MPs, Šabeder admitted that "at this moment I don't know what the best solution is", but added that he was not connected with any healthcare insurers and not in conflict of interest.

Regarding the shortage of GPs, he reiterated that the number of specialisations should be increased and encourage students to study family medicine.

Corruption in the procurement of medical equipment should be fought by introducing national standards which would apply to all healthcare institutions, he said, adding that public procurement legislation should also be amended.

Šabeder, who has been director of the UKC Ljubljana hospital for over a year, is set to be appointed health minister by the National Assembly on Wednesday, to succeed Samo Fakin, who stepped down at the beginning of March for health reasons.

He told the STA after the vote he was happy he had managed to also convince members of the opposition, adding that he believed that he would get the required majority tomorrow.

Šabeder commented on the hearing by saying that there were a lot of open issues in healthcare. "I know that I'm sitting in a hot sea and that there are many challenges, which we can resolve with consensus and agreement."

STA, 27 March, 2019 - Simon Zajc, the new minister of the environment and spatial planning, is taking over a department that he has gotten to know from the inside during his six-month stint as state secretary. But he has little previous experience with environmental issues.

Zajc, 38, told MPs during his committee hearing that he would continue projects initiated by his predecessor Jure Leben, who was seen as the most proactive environment minister in years.

He has listed changes to construction and housing laws, the environment protection act and waters act as his main priorities alongside a long-term climate strategy and improved waste management.

An opponent of fracking who has spoken against power stations on the river Mura, he nevertheless refrained from clearly opposing or endorsing plans to build a waste incineration plant beyond saying that "every country must take care of its own waste".

Zajc has been in top-level politics since 2014, when he was elected MP on the ticket of the newly-established Miro Cerar Party (SMC), later renamed the Modern Centre Party; before the formation of the SMC in mid-2014, he had been a member of the Youth Party (SMS).

In parliament he was deputy chair of the Agriculture, Forestry and Food Committee and his only major legislative proposal was legalisation of small-scale marijuana growing for personal consumption and sale. He told MPs earlier this week that he still stood by his proposal.

Before entering politics, Zajc managed car fleets for corporate clients, headed his own video and mobile app company, and hosted events.

He also performed as stand-up comedian and wrote a sex and relationship advice column for the Slovenian edition of Cosmopolitan magazine.

Zajc will continue the work of his predecessor

STA, 25 March 2019 - Simon Zajc pledged to complete the work set out by his predecessor at the Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning in his hearing on the parliamentary committee on Monday. He listed updates to construction and housing laws, a reform of water law and tackling the waste management as his priorities.

Zajc, who has so far served as one of the two state secretaries at the ministry and is nominated to replace his boss Jure Leben as minister, told the MPs that the ministry would have to keep up the pace and the manner of work set out under Leben's guide.

"Over the past six years we were working intensively, identified problems, set the priorities, the timeline and activities. If you let me, we will resume work at once," said the 38-year-old nominee, who is expected to be appointed minister at the plenary session on Wednesday after being backed by ten votes in favour and five against in today's hearing.

He said the goal was to implement key changes by the end of 2020. This is because when Slovenia holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2021, tasks at home would be sidelined.

Zajc's first task at hand, if appointed, would be to present as early as next week an updated construction bill. Consultation will be held with all deputy factions and local communities, he promised.

The next step would be to update housing legislation, to make housing more accessible to young people. The Housing Fund would build solely rental flats, non-profit rent would be replaced by cost rent and the state would guarantee for loans for young families.

The environmental conservation act would be amended, including by introducing a fund to tackle brownfield areas and securing reserve funds for risk activity companies in case of a bankruptcy. A new water bill would be submitted to parliament in the first half of the year.

Zajc said that new waste management legislation would have to be passed by the end of the year. Packaging fees would be paid by all packaging waste producing companies and they would have to report four times rather than once a year.

The requirements for packaging waste disposal companies would be restricted to do away with all anomalies, the final result of which Zajc said would be a single efficient provider.

The nominee also promised a continuation of the fight against plastics, and amendments to several pieces of legislation, including that governing disaster relief and that implementing the constitutional right to drinking water.

Another major task would be a long-term climate strategy. "The country's goal must be to become carbon neutral by the mid-century," Zajc said, listing a number of questions that would have to be answered in the process.

Asked about waste incineration, Zajc said that "each country has to take care of its waste", calling for the country's self-sufficiency when it comes to end waste management. A public debate on an incineration plant has been conducted and Zajc has asked municipalities' association to check whether any of them is interested in having such a plant.

Zajc does not think there is a need for a new facility, because it is possible to adapt the exiting ones. If the country opted for an incineration plant, the government would have to determine the amount and type of waste to be thermally treated, the best technology would have to be applied, and monitoring would have to be conducted regularly with the data accessible to everyone. The plant would have to be non-profit as well.

If appointed, Zajc will succeed Leben, who resigned after becoming embroiled in allegations of wrongdoing related to the Koper-Divača rail project that he was responsible for as state secretary at the Infrastructure Ministry in the previous term.

Most of the committee members regretted that Leben had to resign, having "set out things well", as Boris Doblekar from the opposition Democrats (SDS) put it, but they wished Zajc successful work.

SDS MP Zvonko Černač hailed Zajc's willingness to cooperate, but said that past experience testified that even if concrete solutions and improvements had been agreed with the ministers in the past these were not passed if put forward by the opposition or the SDS party.

This is why he urged the nominee to apply a "more cunning mechanism to file these proposals through the coalition parties or the supra-coalition party". The latter reference was to the Left.

STA, 27 March 2019 - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar announced on Wednesday that Slovenia would issue a diplomatic note to Croatia over a grave border violation by a Croatian police boat in the Bay of Piran last Sunday.

Cerar said the boat crossing 2.5 km into Slovenian waters and even 1.3 km across the bay's midline was a special kind of provocation.

He spoke of an unnecessary escalation between the two countries, of a failure to honour international and EU law and of a violation of the Schengen border - by a country that would like to become a member of the Schengen area.

The newspaper Delo has reported that the Croatian police blamed their excursion on problems with navigation equipment.

"This is obviously just an excuse and as such completely unacceptable", Cerar commented, saying accepting this would be an "affront to the intelligence and abilities of the Croatian police authorities, which know exactly what they are doing".

The latest incident is part of a long history of run-ins in the bay featuring police and fishing boats on both sides of the border.

Since June 2017 the bay has also become the central theatre of the two sides' take on the international border arbitration decision, which Croatia is refusing to implement. The arbitration award gives 80% of the bay to Slovenia.

Cerar added today that Sunday's incident proved the implementation of the arbitration award was urgent, not only from the legal and political standpoints and bilateral relations but also because of "the entire European story".

"Such behaviour is not European and also serves as a poor example to the Western Balkans," Cerar said, adding the EU was constantly repeating that membership candidates needed to respect international law.

Bookmark this link to find the morning headlines in Slovenia more easily

STA - Below is a roundup of major events on Thursday, 28 March 2019:

Slovenia protests as Croatian police boat crosses deep into Slovenian waters

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar announced that Slovenia would issue a diplomatic note to Croatia over a grave border violation by a Croatian police boat in the Bay of Piran last Sunday. Cerar said the boat crossing 2.5 km into Slovenian waters and even 1.3 km across the bay's midline was a special kind of provocation that involved a failure to honour international and EU law and the Schengen border. The June 2017 international border arbitration decision, which Croatia refuses to implement, gave 80% of the bay to Slovenia.

SSH supervisors and CEO Glavina agree to part ways

LJUBLJANA - The supervisors of Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH) and the state asset custodian's CEO Lidia Glavina agreed on a termination of Glavina's term. She will be replaced temporarily by chief supervisor Igor Kržan. Glavina, who has been rumoured to face dismissal for a while, was appointed the interim CEO in July 2016 after serving as a supervisor since the spring of 2015. She was appointed for a full term in February 2017. Her term was marked by the privatisation of the NLB bank and the restructuring and sale of the automotive parts maker Cimos to the Italian fund Palladio Finanziaria.

New environment, health ministers appointed

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly confirmed the latest replacements in the Marjan Šarec government, voting 49 to 20 twice to appoint Aleš Šabeder as new health minister and Simon Zajc as new minister of the environment and spatial planning. The opposition National Party (SNS) supported both candidates, New Slovenia (NSi) approved of Zajc but not of Šabeder, while the Left and the Democratic Party (SDS) directed criticism at both. Coalition parties pointed to the mountain of problems that both new ministers are facing.

MHP takeover bid values Pertunina Ptuj at EUR 194m

LJUBLJANA - Ukrainian MHP holding, acting through its Cypriot affiliate Hemiak Investments, has published a takeover bid for the remaining 9.31% shares of the Slovenian poultry group Perutnina Ptuj it does not hold already, offering EUR 17.82 per share, or just over EUR 18m for the outstanding stake. The takeover bid concerns 1,015,658 shares and is valid until 22 May. The offer comes after the Ukrainian company had already paid EUR 176.3m for a 90.69% stake in the Slovenian poultry group it acquired from the Russian-owned steel group SIJ in November 2018.

NSi pushing for separate constitutional review of 2019 budget

LJUBLJANA - After the opposition Democratic Party (SDS) announced last week it would ask the Constitutional Court to review the supplementary budget for 2019 arguing it poses a major risk for Slovenia, New Slovenia (NSi) said today it would file a separate motion. While agreeing with the SDS that the supplementary budget was unconstitutional, the fellow opposition party finds the SDS's motion legally faulty so it decided not to provide signatures of support of its MPs. Instead, the party will prepare a new motion and seek support among parliamentary parties.

Maritime pilots in Koper port threaten with strike in April

KOPER - The employees of the company providing piloting services in the port of Koper have announced a strike for 3 April, which could seriously hamper the operations at Slovenia's sole maritime port. They demand greater safety at work, which would be secured with additional hirings and pilot boats, as well as higher wages.

Visitor numbers to Slovenia down in January

LJUBLJANA - After continuous growth for the past months and years, the Slovenian tourism industry saw a drop in visitor numbers and nights spent in January, the latter due to fewer domestic guests. Fresh data from the Statistics Office show that 265,153 visitors spent a total of 758,425 nights at the country's accommodation facilities in January, a decline of 5.5% and 2.1% year-on-year, respectively.

Top research centre IJS celebrates 70th anniversary

LJUBLJANA - The Jožef Stefan Institute (IJS), Slovenia's leading science and research centre, will mark its 70th anniversary with a high-profile ceremony at Cankarjev Dom in the evening, featuring a talk about flying robots by top robotics expert Vijay Kumar from the University of Pennsylvania. The IJS is the largest research centre in the country which by far transcends the Slovenian borders in terms of science and culturally, says its boss Jadran Lenarčič. With some 990 employees, it covers a range of basic and applied research.

Two-week festival of Slovenian theatre gets under way

KRANJ - World Theatre Day traditionally marked the start of the 49th Week of Slovenian Drama today. Hosted by the Prešeren Theatre in Kranj, this year's festival will feature 15 shows in 13 days. The schedule includes seven plays featured in the competition section, four in the accompanying programme and four in the international programme. At the opening ceremony, the Slovenian Association of Drama Artists will present the Marija Vera Award for lifetime achievement to actor Vladimir Jurc and the Polde Bibič lifetime achievement award to costume designer Marija Vidau.

Illustration festival starts in Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - The 13th Slovenian Biennial of Illustration got under way at Cankarjev Dom in Ljubljana, celebrating Slovenian illustrators' accomplishments of the past two years. Running until 19 May, the festival will present 72 illustrators, the largest number so far, and will focus on new artistic methods and technologies used in illustration. The festival opened with an awards ceremony at which the Slovenian illustrator Kostja Gatnik was honoured for his lifetime achievement with the Hinko Smrekar Award.

Last November we reported that Šepla Vodovc, the woman behind the Culinary Slovenia workshops, food walks and week-long tours, was planning to launch a cookbook that'll be your guide to recreating traditional dishes from all over the country. Today that project reached another milestone, with the book now ready to order on Kickstarter.

Launched just this afternoon, in only a few hours it's already around a quarter of the way to achieveing its target, with $1,232 having been raised so far towards the goal of $5,000, with the Kickstarter running until April 26, 2019.

The Kickstarter price of the each book is $25, but for a limited number of people a pledge of just $20 gets you an early bird price on the book, plus worldwide shipping, while pledging more will see you receive the book along with a special Cook Eat Slovenia apron.

Beautifully designed by Gregor Žakelj (VGB), the book is in full colour, with each of more more than 100 dishes shown in photographs from Mateja Jordović Potočnik. Presented in a clear, attractive manner these are recipes that you'll be inspired to use and enjoy, bringing the tastes of Slovenia from all four seasons and all of it's culinary regions. And with the country set to be an official European Region of Gastronomy is 2021, now's the ideal time to start learning about some of the hidden gems of the continent's cuisine, and where better to start than with Cook Eat Slovenia – The Cookbook?

You can support the Kickstarter and order your copy of the book here.

Most visitors only spend a day or two in the capital, so what follows is a few suggestions on how to enjoy from four to 48 hours in Ljubljana, starting with the essential then going on to the more optional, and often more enjoyable, items. It’s a personal list with an eye to pleasing a wide audience, so feel free to disagree and choose your own adventure - I've been living here five years, and am still not bored with the city.

Related: 25 things to know about Ljubljana

The locations named in the text – all except the Zoo are close to each other

A view from the Castle: Photo JL Flanner

Essential Sightseeing in Ljubljana: The Castle and Old Town

If you only have a few hours in the city then there’s really only two things you have to do, see the Castle (and Old Town. If you’re able to walk then you can get to the Castle on foot in around 20 minutes and if not there’s a funicular (3) that’ll take you up and down a lot faster. But if you have the time and mobility then on foot is recommended, as you’ll save some money and get some exercise, along with an idea of how well defended the place was when attackers would need to trudge up while being fired down upon.

Much of the Castle can be enjoyed without a ticket, but if you do buy one you’ll get to go to the top of the tower for the best view in town, as well as entrance to various exhibitions. If you want to read up on the place beforehand, or while you’re there, then check out our 25 things to know… or 10 ways to enjoy Ljubljana Castle.

The Old Town is basically a street that runs from the Central Market (4) to Gornji trg (5), with the whole thing lined with attractive buildings housing boutiques, restaurants and cafés. You can easily go from one end to the other, without stopping too much, in 30 minutes, but you probably want to pause and explore, especially some of the lanes. You should also make time to walk by the River Ljubljanica, ideally along both sides so you get to see the colourful and well-preserved  mansions that give this part of town a very picturesque chocolate box look.

Everyone takes a picture at Dragon Bridge. Photo JL Flanner

Even if only in town for a half a day you’ll also want to see Dragon Bridge (6), although be prepared to be underwhelmed. Far prettier, in my opinion, are Triple Bridge (7) and Cobbler’s Bridge (8), and the best place to take pictures of both is from the easy to miss Fishmarket Footbridge, as outlined here.

Taking a picture from Fishmarket Footbridge. Photo JL Flanner

Things to do with 24 to 48 hours in Ljubljana

If you have more time in town then you can take in some culture, nature and nightlife, with plenty of options for all tastes, and all packed into or nearby the pedestrianised area.

“The best” is obviously subjective, so here I’ll just focus on the museums and galleries with the broadest appeal and biggest collections. If you like art then you’ll want to check out the National Gallery (9) and the Modern Gallery’s main branch (10), both near Tivoli Park. The former has everything from the Middle Ages to mid-20^th century, while the latter contains the nation’s collection of modern art, with contemporary art housed in another branch by Metelkova. With regard to museums, the big two are the National Museum of Slovenia (11) and the City Museum (12), focusing on Slovenia as a whole and Ljubljana in particular, respectively.

Contemporary art at the Modern Gallery's Metelkova branch. Photo JL Flanner

Street art: Photo: Alternative Ljubljana

Metelkova (13), the city’s graffiti-covered squat turned art space / autonomous area is worth visiting in the daytime to see the grittier side of the art scene, while at night it plays hosts to various music and performance venues. Note that unlike some similar looking places in Europe it’s not an open (or legal) drug market, so don’t go looking for trouble (or expecting it).

The Opera House is one of Ljubljana's many beautiful buildings. Photo: Wikimedia - Grega Pirc CC-by-4.0

For nightlife beyond cafés and bars there are plenty of clubs and live music venues, and a usual week will see these offering a broad range of music, from classical to techno, death metal to jazz, flamenco to dub, house music to experimental noise, with many all-night events, while there’s also a ballet and opera house, along with a number of cinemas. For all of these the best place to find out what’s on is TSN’s very own What’s on in Ljubljana this Week.

Tivoli Park. Photo: D Wedam for Visit Ljubljana

If you’re the kind of traveller who likes to walk or run then you have several options. Going up and down Castle Hill will certainly get the blood pumping and air in your lungs, without taking you off schedule, while if you want something longer then head to Rožnik Hill in Tivoli Park, with both areas having plenty of paths and trails to explore if you want to go jogging. The river can also be walked along in both directions, although going upstream is the more scenic route.

Further upriver. Photo: bananaway.eu

For children, in addition to the Castle, consider trips to the Puppet Theatre (near 3), the very popular Museum of Illusions or Ljubljana Zoo (13) (I haven’t been, but also haven’t heard bad things). Check out our obligatory Top 10 things for kids in Ljubljana story here.

Photo: Open Kitchen

Fine dining, street food and cafés in Ljubljana

If you want to eat “the best” then you can head to a review website and find something to your taste. The names that come up most with regard to fine dining are Strelec (in the Castle) and JB (14) on the architecturally interesting Miklošičeva Street , although check the prices before sitting down. Cheaper options are easy to find, and while Slovenian food is good there’s no real “must-eat” dish to put on your schedule, so relax and eat what you want. If that’s “ethnic food”, then head to Trubarjeva cesta (15) . If hungry after midnight then your options are very limited, but a few places can be found here. If visiting in the warmer months, and on a Friday, then don't miss Open Kitchen in the marketplace next to the Cathedral.

With regard to cafés and bars, the best thing is just to find somewhere with a free table that looks like your kind of thing, order a drink and settle down, as with most of the places you get what you see or hear from the outside.

Photo: JL Flanner

Tourist shopping in Ljubljana

Ljubljana isn’t known for its shopping, with most of the more functional stores out of town at the massive BTC shopping complex, which isn’t really worth visiting if you’re a tourist. No, if you’re just looking cute boutiques and places to pick up a souvenir then the Old Town will have you covered, while if you need any toiletries or stationary then head to Müller (16), on Čopova (near the McDonald’s).

If you need prescription drugs, or even just aspirin, head to the Lekarna (17) in Prešeren Square (the one with the big pink church by Triple Bridge). When I travel I like to visit supermarkets, both to pick up some snacks and drinks for my hotel room, and to get some idea of the local products on offer. The two main chains in town are Spar and Mercator, which you’ll come across just walking around. However, note that while this is a capital city there are no 24-hour, or even very late night, convenience stores, so do your shopping before 20:00 or risk disappointment.

Photo: Wikimedia - Thomas Geiregger CC by 2.0

Getting around Ljubljana

Everything is within easy walking range, if you find walking easy, although if you want to experience the city “like a local”, and see more, faster, then rent a bike. These can be borrowed from the city’s Bicikelj system, but can also be rented from various hotels and hostels, so if you’re spending the night somewhere ask there. There are city buses, but if you’re only in town for a day or two then you’re unlikely to need one.

If you’re in a wheelchair or less mobile than you’d like then don’t worry. Ljubljana is an old city, and there are still steps in many places, but the municipality is also working hard to improve accessibility. The best way to learn about this, and to find out which places have ramps, where the Eurokey bathrooms are, and so on, is with the Ljubljana by Wheelchair app.

In short, whether spending four or 48 hours in Ljubljana there's plenty to enjoy without feeling too rushed, and if you’re a first-time visitor then I envy the pleasures of discovery that await you.

Related: How to spend from four to 48 hours in…