15 Jan 2022, 19:13 PM

Croatian Climber Falls to Death in Kamnik-Savinja Alps

STA, 15 January 2021 - A climber from Croatia died in a mountaineering accident in the Slovenian Alps on Saturday. The 37-year-old was with a group of eight other climbers from Croatia when he slipped on a steep slope, plunging more than 300 metres.

The accident occurred around midday around Kamniško Sedlo, a saddle in the Kamnik-Savinja Alps between Mount Brana and Mount Planjava, the Civil Protection and Disaster Relief Administration said.

Mountain rescuers were dispatched to the scene and the man's body was airlifted to the valley. The remaining members of the group were not injured.

15 Jan 2022, 11:26 AM

Last Week in Slovenia: 7 - 13 January, 2022

Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

This summary is provided by the STA:

FRIDAY, 7 January
        LJUBLJANA - Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec doubled down on Slovenia's support for making nuclear energy a part of the EU's taxonomy of sustainable energy sources, telling the press that nuclear was crucial to Slovenia's and EU efforts to carry out the green transition.
        LJUBLJANA - Doctors entrusted with monitoring, warning and raising awareness of the health risks of pollution voiced opposition to proposed regulation on waste incineration. The regulation should set emission limit values as low as possible, they said, warning that waste incineration should be a last resort.
        LJUBLJANA - The Trade Union of Slovenian Police (SPS) tabled a bill backed by over 7,000 voter signatures to give employees better protection when they receive a warning before termination, a system they say would protect workers against abuse of this disciplinary sanction.

SATURDAY, 8 January
        LJUBLJANA - Jaša Jenull, one of the figureheads of Friday's bicycle protests, was reported facing a lawsuit in which the Interior Ministry alleges he is responsible for the costs of policing a 2020 anti-government rally. Jenull described the lawsuit as a violation of the constitutionally guaranteed right to peaceful protest.
        KRANJSKA GORA - Sara Hector of Sweden won the women's Alpine Ski World Cup giant slalom in Kranjska Gora ahead of France's Tessa Worley in second and Italian Marta Bassino in third. The best Slovenian was Tina Robnik in 8th.

SUNDAY, 9 January
        DRAŽGOŠE - Former President Milan Kučan stressed the importance of resistance and warned of a proliferation of signs of revival of Fascism as he addressed a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the WWII Battle of Dražgoše.
        IZOLA - Voters in the coastal municipality of Izola rejected a spatial plan that would have opened up large swathes of the coastal municipality to development, including on prime agricultural land. Sunday's referendum vote was 72% against and 28% in favour.
        KRANJSKA GORA - Petra Vlhova from Slovakia won the women's Alpine Ski World Cup slalom event in Kranjska Gora. Swiss Wendy Holdener, who was in the lead after the first run, was second, and Anna Swenn Larsson from Sweden finished third.

MONDAY, 10 January
        LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary commission investigating suspicion of political interference in the work of police adopted an interim report and a resolution proposing the National Assembly urge Interior Minister Aleš Hojs and both of his state secretaries, Franc Kangler and Božo Predalič, to resign, its chair citing evidence that politicians are dictating the work of the police force.
        ŠENTJUR - 57 of Slovenia's 212 mayors gathered in Šentjur, east of Celje, to form a Club of Independent Mayors upon the initiative of Kočevje Mayor Vladimir Prebilič. The idea is to form an alliance to make a mark in this year's super election year in Slovenia, but the club is yet to decide how to take part in each of the three elections.
        LJUBLJANA - The 8 March Institute, one of the NGOs that initiated a referendum on changes to the waters act last year, presented a proposal to repeal eleven pieces of legislation that it describes as harmful. The goal is to collect 60,000 signatures in the course of the campaign.
        LJUBLJANA - The European Research Council (ERC) has granted EUR 2.2 million in funding to a project in which Anna Dragoš from the Biotechnical Faculty at the University of Ljubljana will research the virus-bacteria interaction.

TUESDAY, 11 January
        LJUBLJANA - The government adopted amendments to the mining act under which low-volume hydraulic fracturing would be allowed but high-volume fracturing banned, legislation that paves the way for fracturing in the only location in Slovenia where it is currently being explored, the Petišovci gas field in the east.
        LJUBLJANA - The alliance of four centre-left opposition parties, the Marjan Šarec Party (LMŠ), Social Democrats (SD), the Left and the SAB, discussed election campaigning and their joint efforts. They expressed willingness to discuss the potential cooperation with ex-GEN-I director Robert Golob.
        LJUBLJANA - Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković and his two sons were acquitted of tax evasion concerning the sale of shares of the retailer Mercator in 2006 as the court handed down its ruling after a month-long trial. Janković said he had expected an acquittal. The prosecutor announced an appeal.
        KOPER - The Faculty of Humanities at the University of Primorska has been awarded the UNESCO chair in partnership with the Škocjan Cave Park, joining another three UNESCO chairs in Slovenia. The Škocjan Cave has been on UNESCO's world heritage list since 1986.

WEDNESDAY, 12 January
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported a new record of 7,420 new daily coronavirus cases, a wave driven by the Omicron variant. Hospital numbers remained low, but massive quarantining was becoming an increasing problem: 10% of primary school children and 16% of secondary students were self-isolating.
        LJUBLJANA - The news web portal N1 cited unofficial sources in reporting that Slovenia is to appoint several ambassadors and consuls this year with the list of candidates to include several closest aides of Foreign Minister Anže Logar. State Secretary Gregor Dovžan is to be appointed new ambassador to Croatia, while State Secretary Stanislav Raščan is to serve in Bratislava.
        LJUBLJANA - The Legal Network for the Protection of Democracy called on Public Administration Minister Boštjan Koritnik to draft changes to electoral legislation to ensure that those who may be ill with Covid-19 or self-isolating during elections could still cast their vote.
        LJUBLJANA - A new party called Liberal Democrats (LIDE) was founded with National Assembly Speaker Igor Zorčič elected as one of up to three leaders in a move showing the party is open to alliances. Promoting liberal values, the party will seek to strengthen the middle class.
        LJUBLJANA - MP Željko Cigler left the deputy group of the opposition Left to join the Social Democrats (SD). The head of the SD's deputy group, Matjaž Han, said this did not affect the relations within the Constitutional Arch Coalition (KUL), whose members are both the Left and SD.
        LJUBLJANA - Representatives of the Bank Association urged the lifting of restrictions that the central bank imposed on consumer lending in 2019, calling them illogical and not giving the banks a level-playing field. The association's director Stanislava Zadravec Caprirolo argued that Slovenian households were among the least indebted in Europe.
        LJUBLJANA - Toyota Yaris Cross was selected the Slovenian Car of 2022 in what is the first time in the 30-year history of the contest that the title went to the Japanese car maker. A total of 15 models vied for the title.

THURSDAY, 13 January
        LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a national strategy to phase out coal and restructure coal regions in line with the just transition principles. The document envisages that coal used for electricity production will be fully phased out by 2033 at the latest. Environmental NGOs believe Slovenia should phase out coal by 2030.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium/BREST, France - Defence Minister Matej Tonin attended an informal meeting of EU defence ministers, warning that while focussing on Ukraine and Mali, the EU must not forget about the Western Balkans, especially Bosnia-Herzegovina, because Russia had certain interests in the region, which could deteriorate the situation there.
        LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly confirmed amendments to the pension and disability insurance act that provide a tiered indexation of pensions, of between 1.7% and 3.5%, as a means of bridging the gap between pensions and wages caused by austerity measures during the economic and financial crisis.
        LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed changes to public procurement legislation that regulate purchase of medical devices by introducing a system of reference prices. The coalition said this would result in lower prices, while the opposition warned that more taxpayer money would be channelled into private pockets.
        LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a proposal for a resolution on the national social protection programme 2022-2030, with development of the welfare system, reduction of the risk of poverty and higher social inclusion among the key goals.
        LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a resolution on the 2030 national programme for higher education, terming it a key strategic document for forming quality goals, standards, measures and policies in Slovenian higher education.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH) plans a 5% return on assets in the portfolio under its management for this year, which is slightly less than the estimated return for 2021, shows the annual plan for 2022, which was approved by the government. A slight increase in return is expected in 2023.
        LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian-German Chamber of Commerce has declared Slovenia's glass manufacturer Steklarna Hrastnik the winner of its award for innovation for 2021. The prize is given out together with the German Embassy in Slovenia and WISE Institute.

15 Jan 2022, 04:44 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Saturday, 15 January 2022

Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

This summary is provided by the STA:

Income tax bill, energy vouchers in coalition's focus until end of term

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Amendments to the income tax act and energy vouchers, along with measures to contain the coronavirus epidemic, will be the coalition's main priorities until the end of its term, coalition leaders said after a meeting. On income tax, Prime Minister Janez Janša said that the coalition might even accept the opposition's referendum challenge after it sees whether it is possible to hold the vote on the day of the general election. A bill establishing a demographic fund, once a major government priority, is however not feasible any more, said Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek.

Inquiry quizzes Janša about rapid tests, bonuses

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša made another appearance before the opposition-led parliamentary inquiry examining the government's response to the Covid-19 pandemic. He discussed the verification of rapid antigen tests, payout of bonuses and legal basis for coronavirus measures, as well as the low vaccination rate, which he said was similar in all post-Communist countries. He said decisions on hazard bonuses were not taken by the government. He questioned the truthfulness of allegations over test verification.

Nearly 7,000 new Covid cases

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia logged 6,918 new coronavirus infections on Thursday to push the 7-day case average above 5,000, to 5,202, as the 14-day incidence per 100,000 population rose to 2,625. Six more Covid-19 patients died, while hospital figures remained stable. According to the government, 524 Covid patients were treated in hospitals this morning, including 155 in intensive care. Nearly 51% of the PCR tests were positive.

French EU presidency priorities presented in parliament

LJUBLJANA - The priorities of France's EU presidency were presented to the parliamentary committees for EU affairs and foreign policy. Florence Ferrari, the French ambassador to Slovenia, thanked Slovenia for the work carried out during the last six months and praised the cooperation between the two countries during Slovenia's EU presidency. France, together with its trio partners Czechia and Sweden, plans to build on the programme set up by the previous presidency trio, including Slovenia.

Alpine region ministers talk carbon neutrality efforts

LJUBLJANA - Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak discussed with his Alpine Convention counterparts the modal shift to rail and climate policy based on the premises prepared by the Swiss presidency of the convention. They agreed that cooperation between Alpine countries was essential. "Slovenia expresses its support for the strengthening of cooperation on the pan-Alpine level in the field of environment and transport to support the vision of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 at the latest," said Vizjak.

Coal region welcomes coal phaseout strategy

ŠOŠTANJ/VELENJE/LJUBLJANA - The Šalek Valley, the only active coal region in the country, home to the TEŠ coal-fired power station and a coal mine, welcomed the government's strategy to phase out coal for electricity production by 2033. The Šoštanj municipality said the region now faced the challenge of phasing out coal in a just way that will not harm the people. The strategy was also hailed by HSE, the owner of TEŠ and Velenje mine, pledging to take a comprehensive approach to restructuring.

GZS urges immediate aid to businesses over high energy prices

LJUBLJANA - The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) once again called on the government to immediately help businesses cope with high energy prices. It said that businesses were still waiting for a government aid scheme and for a decree that would introduce compensation for indirect costs of greenhouse gas emissions. The chamber expects the decree that would regulate refunds of indirect costs of greenhouse gas emission to be adopted as soon as possible.

Rail operator's cargo arm finalises join venture with Czech partner

LJUBLJANA - The cargo division of the Slovenian rail operator Slovenske Železnice, SŽ-Tovorni Promet, and Czech EP Logistics International (EPLI) finalised their strategic partnership agreement to expand to foreign markets under a joint venture named SŽ EP Logistika in a bid to become a leading rail freight and logistics provider in the region. Slovenske Železnice owns a 51% stake in the new company and the Czech partner holds 49%.

National railway operator launches new double-decker trains

LJUBLJANA - The national railway operator Slovenske Železnice welcomed ten new double-decker trains to its fleet as the company director Dušan Mes and Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec took a symbolic first ride to Litija aboard one, announcing more train purchases. "If we want to make railway passenger transport more appealing we need to modernise the railway infrastructure and purchase new trains that make the ride more comfortable for passengers," Vrtovec said on the occasion.

Jože Bele appointed new CEO of Revoz

NOVO MESTO - Jože Bele replaced Kaan Ozkan as CEO of Revoz, the Slovenian subsidiary of the French car maker Renault, as of 1 January. He has worked for the company for more than 30 years, and has been director of production since 2017. He is taking over at a challenging time of disruption in supplies and slump in sales. However, he is confident about the future considering Revoz has continuously been recognised as one of the best subsidiaries in the Renault group.

14 Jan 2022, 14:44 PM

Slovenia’s National Railway Gets 10 New Double-Decker Trains, More to Come

STA, 14 January 2021 - The national railway operator Slovenske Železnice (SŽ) has welcomed ten new double-decker trains to its fleet. Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec and SŽ director Dušan Mes took a symbolic first ride to Litija on Friday, agreeing that the new trains will make railway transport more appealing. More train purchases are planned.

"If we want to make railway passenger transport more appealing we need to modernise the railway infrastructure and purchase new trains that make the ride more comfortable for passengers.

"We have ten such new trains that can reach speeds of up to 160 kilometres an hour, which is very good for Slovenian railway infrastructure," said the minister during the symbolic first ride on a new train.

The new trains offer comfort, internet connection and can be a "true office for someone going from one city to another".

The Infrastructure Ministry is very happy with the process of purchasing the new trains and Vrtovec said more train purchases were planned. "I promise that we will start ordering new train compositions in this term to make railway transport even more appealing to people," he said.

The minister pointed to the environmental aspect of expanding the SŽ fleet, saying it should reduce pressure of cars on city centres.

Mes said SŽ had so far welcomed 29 trains - ten double deckers, 13 electric trains and six diesel trains. "By the end of next year, 52 trains from the first two orders are to arrive, and sometime by the end of February or mid-March we will prepare a new call for applications for another 20 trains," he said.

The SŽ fleet is to have 72 new trains by the end of next year or beginning of 2024 in total value of half a billion euro, Mes said.

This will be a huge transformation of the fleet, which will need to be further upgraded, he said. "Passengers deserve trains that are 15-20 years old for the most part, not like today when some were 40 years old."

14 Jan 2022, 12:32 PM

Slovenian Passport Gives Easy Access to 181 Countries, 10th Best for Travel Globally

STA, 12 January 2022 - Slovenia's passport gives its holders access to 181 countries without a prior visa, which ranks it 10th on the latest Global Passport Ranking, compiled by Henley & Partners, a London-based global citizenship and residence advisory firm. The country has thus climbed one spot from last year.

Like the year before, the 2022 list is topped by Japan and Singapore, whose passports afford access to 192 countries without a visa or allows its holders to get a visa on arrival in the destination country.

Two fewer visa-free destinations are available to the holders of German and South Korean passports.

Slovenia's passport ranks 10th along with Latvia's and Estonia's after it placed 11th last year.

More powerful than Slovenia's are the passports of Italy (3rd), Austria (4th) and Hungary (8th), while Croatia's is less powerful, in 17th.

The ranking is based on data from the International Air Transport Association, which maintains the world's largest and most accurate database of travel information. The restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic have not been taken into account.

You can find the full report here

14 Jan 2022, 11:28 AM

Basovizza Heroes Monument to Slovenian Victims of Fascism Gains Cultural Significance Status

STA, 13 January 2022 - A memorial site in Italy's Basovizza dedicated to four Slovenian victims of Fascism executed in September 1930, known as the Basovizza Heroes, has been granted the status of cultural importance by Italian regional authorities, the Trieste-based Primorski Dnevnik reported on Wednesday.

The Basovizza Heroes are regarded as symbols of opposition and resistance to the fascist regime and ideology, and as heroes of a free Europe built on the foundations of anti-fascism. The four members of the secret anti-fascist organisation Borba (Fight) - Ferdo Bidovec, Zvonimir Miloš, Franjo Marušič and Alojz Valenčič - were shot dead on 6 September 1930 near the village of Basovizza not far off from today's border between Italy and Slovenia.

The decision to grant the memorial (Spomenik Bazoviških junakov/Monumento Eroi di Basovizza) the status of cultural importance was endorsed by the Friuli Venezia Giulia authorities on Monday, Simonetta Bonomi, the head of the region's Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, confirmed for the Slovenian minority's paper.

The institute launched a procedure to grant the memorial site the status in August last year. By going through with this, the region has laid the groundwork for the memorial to become a monument of national importance in Italy in the future.

This is also the aim of the Basovizza Heroes committee at the Slovenian National and Study Library in Trieste. Moreover, together with the two umbrella minority organisations, the committee is striving to rehabilitate the four victims, who are still officially considered terrorists in Italy.

Since the Basovizza Heroes were convicted by a fast-track court, the rehabilitation procedure will be lengthy. The case falls under the purview of a military court, where a retrial and rehabilitation are difficult to achieve, the committee said.

The granting of the status was welcomed by President Borut Pahor, who thanked all who had worked for many years for "this important shift in the status of the monument", which he visited together with Italian President Sergio Mattarella in 2020.

"Following the actual return of the Trieste National Hall to the Slovenian minority, this is another important step in the Slovenian-Italian relations," the president said in a statement posted on Twitter.

The umbrella organisations of the Slovenian minority in Italy also expressed much satisfaction with the move, adding that this "historic step should be put in the broader context of the current historical moment".

The Slovenian Cultural and Economic Association (SKGZ) and the Council of Slovenian Organisations (SSO) said that the visit to the monument by the Slovenian and Italian presidents "undoubtedly contributed to the favourable outcome of the procedure."

"By paying tribute to the four fallen lads, the president of Italy recognised the importance of their fight against Fascism, and the status ... further underlines that the heroes were on the right side of history, and not terrorists."

The organisations added that this also opened a legal avenue for the annulment of the verdict with which the four were sentenced to death.

14 Jan 2022, 04:50 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Friday, 14 January 2020

Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

This summary is provided by the STA:

Govt adopts strategy to phase out coal for electricity production by 2033

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a national strategy to phase out coal and restructure coal regions in line with the just transition principles. The document envisages that coal used for electricity production will be fully phased out by 2033 at the latest, the Government Communication Office said after the government session. TEŠ and the coal mine operator Premogovnik Velenje responded to the news by saying that the green transformation was a demanding and responsible task, and that they would be actively involved in the process. Environmental NGOs believe Slovenia should phase out coal by 2030.

Tonin says EU shouldn't forget about Bosnia-Herzegovina as it focuses on Ukraine, Mali

BRUSSELS, Belgium/BREST, France - Defence Minister Matej Tonin attended an informal meeting of EU defence ministers in France's Brest, warning that while focussing on Ukraine and Mali, the EU must not forget about the Western Balkans, especially Bosnia-Herzegovina, because Russia had certain interests in the region, which could deteriorate the situation there.

Pension indexation confirmed

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly confirmed in a unanimous vote amendments to the pension and disability insurance act that provide a tiered indexation of pensions as a means of bridging the gap between pensions and wages caused by austerity measures during the economic and financial crisis. The pensions of those who retired before the end of 2010 will increase by 3.5%, for those who retired in 2011 by 1.7%, and for all the others by 1%.

Changes to procurement of medical devices passed

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed changes to public procurement legislation which regulate purchases of medical devices by introducing a system of reference prices. The coalition claims this will result in lower prices, while the opposition warns that more taxpayer money will be channelled into private pockets. Under the new legislation, the reference price will be defined in a public procurement procedure and set by a newly-established government office in charge of central records.

MPs endorse higher language standard for bilingual schools

LJUBLJANA - The parliament passed changes to the legislation that set a higher Italian language standard for staff working in Slovenian-Italian bilingual kindergartens and schools. The amendments to the act on special rights of the Italian and Hungarian minorities in the field of education were endorsed in a 44:33 vote. The changes were tabled by the two MPs representing the minorities, Ferenc Horvath in Felice Žiža, and received support of the coalition.

SSH state asset custodian plans 5% yield this year

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH) plans a 5% return on assets in the portfolio under its management for this year, which is slightly less than the estimated return for 2021, shows the annual capital asset management plan for 2022, which was approved by the government today. A slight increase in return is expected in 2023.

Omicron wave keeps spiralling

LJUBLJANA - A total of 6,855 new coronavirus cases were reported in Slovenia for Wednesday, a day after a record of more than 7,400 were confirmed. Hospitalisations continued to decrease, and additional seven people with Covid died, show fresh government data. The estimate of active cases topped 50,000, according to the National Institute of Public Health. The PCR test positivity rate stood at 51%.

Digital minister happy with EU presidency achievements

LJUBLJANA - Mark Boris Andrijanič, the minister for digitalisation transformation, finds Slovenia has attained many successes in his brief during its term at the helm of the EU. He noted in particular the digital services act, the declaration on digital rights and principles and the first ministerial conference of the Three Seas on digital transformation. "Our presidency of the Council of the EU has proved that even a small country can be an effective and successful mediator between all member states," he said.

Maximum wage rise for doctors heading to Constitutional Court

LJUBLJANA - The presidents of Slovenia's five trade union associations have asked the Constitutional Court to have its say on a provision in the latest Covid relief law that raises the pay ceiling in the single public sector wage system only for the benefit of doctors and dentists. They disagree with the government that the maximum wage rise for just one group of public employees has anything to do with emergency measures aimed at tackling the Covid-19 emergency.

Culture minister urged to resign as several culture organisations left without funds

LJUBLJANA - The opposition Social Democrats (SD) have urged Culture Minister Vasko Simoniti to immediately resign after it has become clear that several prominent independent culture producers or artists were left without funds as part of a 2022-2025 call for applications worth EUR 3.8 million. SD MP Marko Koprivc said "some of the most important and most prominent culture workers in Slovenia have been left without funding for the four-year period". Media reports suggest these are choir Carmina Slovenica, alternative musical group Laibach, festival City of Women, theatre company Glej, performing arts producers Zavod Maska, Zavod Emanat and Center Delak, and the Nomad Dance Academy Slovenija.

Protesters present petition against political meddling in RTV

LJUBLJANA - After the latest edition of the public broadcaster RTV Slovenija's show Tarča sparked controversy and criticism, a petition was launched in support of the show, its host Erika Žnidaršič, and media freedom at RTV Slovenija, gathering over 6,000 signatures, which were presented to the RTV's programming council. The critical reactions also prompted an urgent meeting of RTV Slovenija's programming council, which resulted in a demand that RTV's management provides additional material for further discussion.

Basovizza Heroes monument granted cultural significance status

TRIESTE, Italy - A memorial site in Italy's Basovizza dedicated to four Slovenian victims of Fascism executed in September 1930, known as the Basovizza Heroes, has been granted a status of cultural importance by Italian regional authorities, the Trieste-based Primorski Dnevnik reported on Wednesday. By doing this, the Friuli Venezia Giulia region has laid the groundwork for the memorial to become a monument of national importance in Italy in the future. The granting of the status was welcomed by President Borut Pahor and the umbrella organisations of the Slovenian minority in Italy.

Bill to remediate Celje Basin voted down

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Infrastructure Committee voted down on Wednesday a bill sponsored by unaffiliated MP Janja Sluga, a former MP of the ruling coalition, that would see the chemical company Cinkarna Celje pay EUR 16 million and the state EUR 7 million in a decade to remediate the heavily polluted Celje Basin. The bill was backed by all centre-left deputy factions, but the coalition and the government argued a systemic bill was needed to tackle the problem not only in Celje but also elsewhere.

Govt proposes key social protection objectives for 2022-2030

LJUBLJANA - The government has adopted a proposal for a resolution on the national social protection programme 2022-2030, with development of the welfare system, reduction of the risk of poverty and higher social inclusion among the key goals, the government said after Thursday's session. Other key goals include improving the availability and accessibility of services and programmes, and creating the conditions for good functioning of social security organisations.

Govt adopts resolution on national programme for higher education

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a resolution on the 2030 national programme for higher education and will send it into parliamentary procedure. According to the Government Communication Office, this is a key strategic document for forming quality goals, standards, measures and policies in Slovenian higher education. The resolution, which is based on the guidelines adopted by the Government Council for Higher Education in April 2021, aims to raise the quality of higher education, make it more flexible and appealing given the needs of the economy and the society as a whole.

Steklarna Hrastnik honoured by German business

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian-German Chamber of Commerce has declared Slovenia's glass manufacturer Steklarna Hrastnik the winner of its award for innovation for 2021 at its online event that included addresses by German and Slovenian representatives from politics and business and a round-table discussion on sustainable development. The prize is given out by the chamber together with the German Embassy in Slovenia and WISE Institute.

Toyota Yaris Cross voted Slovenian Car of 2022

LJUBLJANA - Toyota Yaris Cross has been selected the Slovenian Car of 2022 in what is the first time in the 30-year history of the contest that the title went to the Japanese car maker. A total of 15 cars vied for the title with the five finalists picked by the readers, listeners and viewers of nine automotive media and shows. The final selection was made by the journalists and editors of the media involved.

13 Jan 2022, 16:53 PM

24-Hour Casino to Open in Kranj Shopping Centre

STA, 13 January 2022 - A casino indirectly owned by the Austrian gaming giant Novomatic is expected to open in the Planet Tuš shopping and entertainment centre in Kranj this year, offering work to around 20 employees, as the local authorities recently approved the project after initially rejecting it last spring.

The 400 m2 casino will be open 24 hours a day, and will feature 105 gaming spots and electronic roulette with eight spots. It will be operated by the company P&P Marketing, which is part of the Admiral Slovenija group, owned by Austria's Novomatic.

The investment will be financed with the funds of the Admiral Slovenija group, which manages nine casinos in Slovenia.

According to P&P Marketing, the location in the eastern outskirts of Kranj is interesting both in terms of the number of residents and tourism in the municipality and in terms of the balance of offering, as there is one casino in the city centre.

The new casino, which is scheduled to open in June, is expected to employ about 20 staff and a few students, who, according to the investors, will ensure responsible gambling by observing and offering advice.

P&P Marketing noted that the new facility would not be in the immediate vicinity of residential areas, educational institutions or healthcare and religious institutions.

The municipality of Kranj has estimated that it will receive EUR 130,000 in concession fees from the new casino this year, more than EUR 300,000 next year and, after that, around EUR 350,000 on an annual basis.

13 Jan 2022, 13:46 PM

Govt Amends Mining Act to Allow Low-Volume Fracking in Petišovci

STA, 12 January 2022 - The government has adopted amendments to the mining act under which low-volume hydraulic fracturing would be allowed but high-volume fracturing banned, legislation that paves the way for fracturing in the only location in Slovenia where it is currently being explored, the Petišovci gas field in the east.

The only permitted type of hydraulic fracturing would be the kind where less than 1,000 m3 of water is injected per fracturing phase, with the total amount of water injected in the entire process capped at 10,000 m3, according to amendments adopted on Tuesday evening.

All compounds used in the process - the injected water is typically mixed with different chemicals to make the process more efficient - would have to be identified and permitted in Slovenia.

The fracturing well would have to be located, constructed and tested for sealing in a manner that would prevent pollutants from leaking.

Fracturing may not result in two water bodies coming into contact, or fluids being mixed in different geological layers. Drilling would have to be done vertically, with a maximum deviation of 10 degrees.

The bill – of which hydraulic fracturing is only a part - was adopted just a day after a rival bill that would have banned hydraulic fracturing altogether was to be discussed on committee.

The ban, proposed by three centre-left parties, is the fifth attempt spearheaded by the Left to introduce a blanket ban on fracking.

Left leader Luka Mesec said today the government bill would allow the UK firm Ascent Resources to continue extracting gas in Petišovci under the pretext that this would only constitute a small-scale operation.

"The government is showing its true face yet again: it does not care about the country, the people or the environment, all it cares about is dirty business," Mesec said.

The government bill was first announced almost exactly a year ago.

13 Jan 2022, 12:51 PM

Tivoli Park’s Plečnik Auditorium to Be Rebuilt

STA, 12 January 2022 - The municipality of Ljubljana has announced a public call for the reconstruction of the Plečnik Auditorium, the former open-air amphitheatre in a clearing behind Tivoli Mansion in Ljubljana's Tivoli Park. It was designed by architect Jože Plečnik (1872-1957) and constructed in 1933, but left to decay after the Second World War.

In Plečnik's design, a wooden grandstand was placed to the west of the clearing behind Tivoli Mansion, where the terrain naturally rises, while a gravel stage overlooked Ljubljana. Above the wooden stands stood a fountain, which was later moved to a different location, next to the Ljubljanica River.

After the Second World War, the amphitheatre was left to decay. Until the mid-1960s, the area was used to host an open-air summer cinema, which was subsequently abandoned and the site was overgrown. The clearing is now surrounded by tall trees and is a protected plant habitat.

However, when the Švicarija arts centre in Tivoli was renovated a few years ago, the idea of reviving the amphitheatre was born as well. According to the plans drawn up by the architectural firm Medprostor, the wooden grandstand will be rebuilt on a steel structure, to its former extent and in its former location, with the trees and vegetation adjacent to the clearing to be fully preserved.

The stage of the reconstructed open-air theatre will be covered with grass, and the whole area will be linked with the Švicarija arts centre and Tivoli Mansion, the newspaper Dnevnik has reported.

"When planning the reconstruction, we felt it was important not to introduce new original elements, but simply to bring in modernity and also to be true to the original," said Rok Žnidaršič, the architectural project manager from Medprostor.

According to Dnevnik, Žnidaršič added that although the project followed the form and concept of Plečnik's design, it is not a "replica of the lost architectural spatial development, but rather an interpretation of it."

You can see the details of the public tender (in Slovene) here

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