Ljubljana related
STA, 5 October 2020 - Slovenia recorded 75 new coronavirus cases from 1,034 tests carried out on Sunday, and another fatality as hospitalisations and intensive care cases climbed further, data from the government show.
The latest figures bring Slovenia's overall tally of cases to 6,573 and the death toll from Covid-19 to 156. There are just over 2,100 active cases, according to tracker site covid-19.sledilnik.org.
The number of patients hospitalised with the novel disease rose by six to 107, with 21 requiring intensive treatment, that is five more than the day before. Eight patients were discharged yesterday.
Government spokesman Jelko Kacin noted that the lower daily case count was due to fewer tests taken, warning that the rate of positive tests remained high, at 7.25% on Sunday after 8.6% the day before.
Moreover, compared to the Sunday a week ago, the number of daily cases rose by 50%, from 50 to 75.
He declared that Tuesday will be the "day of truth". If infections increase further and the trend cannot be contained, "it's very likely we'll have to present certain measures".
He referred to possible measures announced by the government's chief Covid-19 advisor, Bojana Beović, who has talked of a new cap on gatherings and number of people allowed inside shops and bars.
"Her projections are realistic. It's not a measure that would take us days to prepare," said Kacin, suggesting gatherings in private and public places would be limited to ten people flat except when a higher number is sanctioned explicitly by the National Institute of Public Health.
Hospital capacities are becoming stretched due to the rising number of Covid-19 patients, coupled with infections emerging at non-Covid units.
UKC Ljubljana, Slovenia's largest hospital, said today that ten patients and ten staff at the vascular disease unit have tested positive, so they will no longer admit patients there this week.
Meanwhile, one infection has been confirmed in the past days at the UKC Ljubljana's pulmonary disease and allergy unit, where the situation will continue to be monitored.
The UKC Department of Infectious Disease, Slovenia's main Covid-19 treatment facility, is moving non-Covid patients to the Peter Držaj hospital in the Šiška borough, thus freeing up 19 beds at the regular unit and ten intensive care beds for Covid-19 patients.
Coronavirus depresses Ljubljana tourism
STA, 5 October 2020 - Ljubljana, which has become Slovenia's top tourist destination in the past decade, has suffered a significant blow this year, as the coronavirus pandemic suspended air travel. This summer, the capital recorded a total of 160,341 overnight stays, 75% less than last summer.
Director of the Turizem Ljubljana agency Petra Stušek has told the STA that the number of overnight stays in the first eight months of the year reached 425,178, while the number reached 335,132 in August last year alone.
Ljubljana usually draws a great number of foreign tourists, while Slovenians are more likely to stay away. However, this July and August the share of overnights by Slovenians went to 14% from 2.1% in the same period last year. Most overnights were still generated by foreigners: Germans, Italians, Dutch, French and Austrians.
Following the coronavirus lockdown in spring, seven of the city's 44 hotels remained closed due to the drop in visitors, said Stušek, adding that vacancy capacities were down 16% this summer.
Of the 22 hotels included in the agency's basic statistics, 16 are open at the moment, providing 3,873 of the total of 5,022 beds, she added.
"The future depends on a number of factors: epidemiological situation in Slovenia and in our close markets, border regimes, quarantine orders, air traffic and aid from the state," she said.
Meanwhile, the hotels have largely managed to avoid cancellation of conferences planned in Ljubljana this year, with most being postponed to next year, said Stušek.
Even though hybrid events are becoming a trend for scientific and expert events, Stušek believes that in-person events still have a future, as direct personal contact is an important factor.
Stušek also expressed the wish that Slovenia increase the cap on the number of people at gatherings. "Organisers know each participant and are very eager to see participants arrive and leave the event healthy, because this will affect all future events and thus their livelihoods."
Turizem Ljubljana is planning a number of events for this autumn and winter, all in line with the recommendations of the National Institute for Public Health (NIJZ). In November, Gourmet Ljubljana will take place as a series of small events, while December will feature winter holiday events.
Stušek said that the city wanted to see as many events as possible take place, as it tries to attract guests from Slovenia, as well as Italy, Austria, Germany, Croatia, Hungary and Serbia.
24 September 2020 - A cornerstone-laying ceremony was held today in front of the Supernova Ljubljana Rudnik shopping centre, marking the beginning of a new phase of development – the phase of expansion and complete modernisation of the existing centre. At the same time, the construction of a joint parking garage also began in cooperation with E. Leclerc.
The ceremonial event marking the beginning of construction was, among others, attended by Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia and Minister of Economic Development and Technology Zdravko Počivalšek, Mayor of Ljubljana Zoran Janković, founder of the Supernova group Dr. Frank Philipp Albert, founder of the MTK Group, a partner company of the Supernova Group, Tilmar Hansen and the Ambassador of France to Slovenia, Florence Ferrari.
In the opening speech, Dr. Frank Philipp Albert said that by expanding the existing shopping centre and building the new parking garage they want to become the most modern shopping area in Slovenia together with E. Leclerc:
After years of coordinating with our neighbour E. Leclerc, we finally joined forces and came together. We are in the process of building the largest parking garage in Slovenia, which will offer to its visitors more than 1,800 parking spaces. And after the completion of works on the parking garage, we are planning to start the renovation of the centre. When all the works will be completed, Supernova will become number one in terms of number of stores. We will have the most modern cinema in Slovenia, many restaurants and new retail brands. Regarding our investment, we received support by both the city and state authorities. The total investment in the expansion will amount to 70 million euros. I would also like to thank the Slovenian Railways, which will open a new railway station nearby for an even better connection.
Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia and the Minister of Economic Development and Technology Zdravko Počivalšek welcomed the large investment:
I am glad that the investors of the Supernova project have recognized the opportunities offered by our country. Today's event is, among other things, a sign that, despite the situation caused by an epidemic, new investments can and must continue. At the same time, this is a period of looking for new opportunities and mechanisms to restart the economy.
The fact that you are planning to employ 800 people with opening the new part of the centre is very encouraging, both in terms of growth and development of your shopping centre, as well as in terms of employment and creating job opportunities. Especially in this post-epidemiological period. I would like to thank the investors for their important contribution to the development of Ljubljana, raising the quality of life of the local population and their visible contribution to the development of the Slovenian economy.
Mayor of Ljubljana, Zoran Janković (left) and Minister of Economic Development and Technology Zdravko Počivalšek (right)
The Mayor of Ljubljana, Zoran Janković, who is very optimistic about such large investment in his municipality, added:
I am glad that so many people gathered at the event, which represents such a high investment. Because of this investment, many people will be employed. I am looking forward to the opening and I am convinced that with this project, Rudnik will finally become one of Ljubljana’s socialising centres.
He further added that the parking garage will be also welcomed by everyone who drives to Ljubljana from other parts of Slovenia:
With the new parking garage, we will also get a new P + R parking lot. This way, everyone who comes from other parts of Slovenia will be able to leave their car here and go to the centre by bus, thus relieving the city centre of additional traffic.
The extension will create 800 new jobs in Ljubljana
The total value of the investment of the expansion of Supernova Ljubljana Rudnik for additional 20,000 square meters will amount to €70 million, and the opening of a new part of the centre will create 800 new jobs. The contractor will be the company Strabag, and the completion of all works is planned for 2022.
The newly built part will be fully integrated with the existing centre. The total sales area of this unique shopping concept will cover 50,000 square meters, while the whole building will stand on 65,000 square meters of land.
After the upgrade, Supernova Ljubljana Rudnik will become one of the largest and most modern shopping centres in Slovenia. With an additional 60 stores, spread over two floors, it will have a total of 130 outlets of well-known domestic and global brands.
The expansion project will take place in several phases of construction. Firstly, work will begin on the construction of a parking garage and then continue on the expansion of the Supernova Ljubljana Rudnik shopping centre.
The semi-open type parking garage will be built next to the part of the existing parking lot between Supernova and E. Leclerc, while there will also be a new parking lot on the roof of the existing centre and its extended part. The parking garage, which will have 1,800 parking spaces, will be spread over four floors and be built according to the latest environmental and safety standards, with indoor and outdoor lighting, as well as a “green façade”.
The construction works of the joint parking garage started in mid-July, and it will provide direct access for visitors of both shopping centres. Completion of the first phase of construction of the parking garage is planned by the end of November 2020, when the part of the garage will also be open to visitors, and the final construction of the parking garage is planned for March 2021.
Grand opening with a rich offer and the most modern cinema in 2022
Also planned for March 2021 are works for updating and refreshing the interior and exterior of the existing centre, expanding it and building a parking lot on its roof. During construction, a sufficient number of parking spaces will be provided for visitors to both centres. Upon completion, the entire complex will have more than 2,500 parking spaces. The opening of the new Supernova Ljubljana Rudnik centre is planned for the second quarter of 2022.
The unique concept of Supernova Ljubljana Rudnik, which will cover 2,000 square meters, will contain a rich shopping offer and various services and activities, such as outdoor children's playground, jump park, a movie theatre with seven screens and a food court called Gastro Oasis.
With an impressive architectural and modern interior design solution, the updated Supernova Ljubljana Rudnik will provide the visitor with an unforgettable experience of pleasant and relaxed shopping tailored to meet the needs of today’s consumers.
STA, 27 August 2020 - Slovenia-based artists will be in the focus of the 32nd Nights in Old Ljubljana Town. The international music festival will bring traditional sounds of modernity to the Ljubljana old town Thursday through Saturday.
"Culture is one of the sectors that have been hit particularly hard by the current crisis," Janoš Kern of organiser Imago Sloveniae has said in a press release. "Therefore we decided to support domestic artists this year."
In 23 admission-free events, spectators will be able to listen to music to "some of the best Slovenian performers and selected foreign musicians living in Slovenia. The programme will also be sprinkled with a few top ensembles from abroad".
In total, more than 100 musicians from 12 countries will perform in six venues in the .Ljubljana old town. The festival will feature folk, jazz and classical music, using traditional influence in modern sound forms.
A large share of artists performing are members of ethnic minorities, as the festival will be accompanied by an international conference dedicated to music and minorities.
Organised by the Musicology Department of the Ljubljana Faculty of Arts, the Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (ZRC SAZU) and KED Folk Slovenija, the conference will mark 20 years since the establishment of a minority music study group within the NGO International Council for Traditional Music (ICTM).
The festival will kick off tonight with Mi Linda Dama, an Italian-Serbian ensemble, narrating Sephardic stories to the sound of Andalusian melodies and Arab rhythms.
Moreover, spectators will be able to enjoy a modern take on tango as part of Tori Tango, a project by accordion player Jure Tori, and a performance by Zvezdana Novaković, an interpreter of folk songs, as well as a concert by Kapobando, an ensemble of accordion player Marko Hatlak.
The festival will also feature Flamenko dancer Ana Pandur, accompanied by Vito Mareence Flamenco Duo, Mascara Quartet performing fado, while the ensemble Lasanthi will perform Indian classical music.
The renowned British folk musician Hanna James and her The JigDoll Ensemble will also perform, as well as composers Aldo Kumar and Matija Krečič, with the latter presenting his most recent album Cut/Rez.
The open-air events will take place even if it rains, the organisers have said.
The full programme can be found here
STA, 3 August 2020 - During the past few years public orchards have been planted across Ljubljana in the desire to make fruit available to locals from midsummer to autumn and create a pleasant environment for bees. Alas, the orchards have often been a target of vandalism and are not thriving as planned, according to the city.
Most of the orchards were planted near urban community gardens in Ljubljana, however the process has been slowed down due to vandalism. The city authorities will carry on planning and planting the orchards when the existing trees are old enough to bear fruit.
The orchards were meant to be venues promoting food self-sufficiency and for educational activities, for example pruning workshops.
The first orchard was created in autumn 2015, featuring 128 trees, only to be vandalised three times in 2016. No saplings survived the incidents unscathed. Young trees in most of the orchards are not developing as planned due to acts of vandalism, said the city.
The saplings are either uprooted and stolen or damaged. Ljubljana has replaced all the missing or broken saplings and reported the damage to the police, but the perpetrators remain unknown.
Last year and this year so far no saplings were hurt as the city imposed deterrent measures, including traffic warden patrols and campaigns raising awareness about the need to respect public space.
A total of some 600 fruit-bearing trees have been planted in Ljubljana so far, most notably trees producing apples, pears, plums, but also rarer types of fruit, such as persimmons, medlars, and quinces.
The trees will require a few years to develop their final size and bear fruit, but they are also hardier than those in modern orchards and need no support.
STA, 3 August 2020 - A festival starting on Monday evening will bring contemporary circus, an art form rarely seen in Slovenia, to Ljubljana this week. The 13th international Klovnbuf Festival will feature both Slovenian and foreign artists, and focus on the art of juggling, the organisers say.
Apart from acclaimed artists, the festival will also present some up-and-coming Slovenian and Slovak performers. The best foreign productions which cannot be performed live because of the coronavirus will be screened on-line at the Metelkova museum platform.
In the opening show this evening entitled What Have I Found in the Attic, Slovenian dancer Ana Lekše, who works at the Youth Circus in Leuven, Belgium, will show her mastery of aerial rope at the Stara Elektrarna (Old Power Station), the main venue of the festival.
On Tuesday, two young Slovenian artists, Luka Piletić and Jan Podbrežnik, will explore the difficult questions artists ask themselves during the creative process.
Slovakian circus and performance artist Roman Škadra will present circus as a potentially joyful, yet endlessly futile endeavour in a humorist and metaphoric show Absurd Hero on Thursday.
A highlight of the festival according to the organisers will be an award-winning performance Tangram, featuring juggling master from Belgium Stefan Sing and a ballerina, Cristiana Casadio from Italy.
The weekend part of the festival will be held outdoors at the Metelkova museum platform, and near-by parks.
On Saturday, Branko Potočan and Jana Menger, the founders of the Fourklor physical theatre will offer an overview of their joint dance history in the show entitled Down Memory Lane.
The festival will close with performances by young Slovenian artists and juggling concert Mismo Nismo featuring Tjaž Juvan, Oton Korošec, Eva Zibler, who combine contemporary circus and improvisation with various art genres and formats.
The last day will be reserved for children, featuring The Lion with a Grey Beard by Zavod Bufeto & EX-teater, and several other performances held at Špica Park and Tabor Park.
All events will be admission free.
The website is here, and the programme is below
MONDAY, 3rd August
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8:00 PM
work-in-progress
What have I found in the Attic
Ana Lekše (SI)
@ Old City Power Station - Elektro Ljubljana
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8:30 PM
talk back
@ Old City Power Station - Elektro Ljubljana
TUESDAY, 4th August
-
8:00 PM
work-in-progress
Luka Piletič & Jan Podbrežnik (SI)
@ Old City Power Station - Elektro Ljubljana
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8:45 PM
talk back
@ Old City Power Station - Elektro Ljubljana
THURSDAY, 6th August
-
8:00 PM
work-in-progress
Roman Škadra (SK)
@ Old City Power Station - Elektro Ljubljana
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9:00 PM
talk back
@ Old City Power Station - Elektro Ljubljana
FRIDAY, 7th August
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4:00 - 7:00 PM
workshop
Roman Škadra (SK)
@ Zavod Salesianum OE SKALA
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8:30 PM
Stefan Sing & Cristiana Casadio (DE, IT)
@ Odprti oder Muzejska ploščad Metelkova
-
10:00 PM
public screening
Gandini Juggling (UK)
@ Odprti oder Muzejska ploščad Metelkova
SATURDAY, 8th August
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10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
workshop
Stefan Sing & Cristiana Casadio (DE, IT)
@ Zavod Salesianum OE SKALA
-
8:30 PM
Branko Potočan & Jana Menger (SI)
@ Odprti oder Muzejska ploščad Metelkova
-
10:00 PM
public screening
Thick & Tight (UK)
@ Odprti oder Muzejska ploščad Metelkova
SUNDAY, 9th August
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11:00 AM
Zavod Bufeto & EX-teater (SI)
@ Odprti oder Muzejska ploščad Metelkova
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11:00 AM
Laboratorij Bufeto & Teatro Matita (SI)
@ Špica Park
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12:00 PM
Globus Hystericus (SI)
@ Špica Park
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6:00 PM
Laboratorij Bufeto & Teatro Matita (SI)
@ Tabor Park
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7:15 PM
Globus Hystericus (SI)
@ Tabor Park
-
7:30 PM
Tolpa Lutkalica (SI)
@ Tabor Park
-
8:30 PM
Mismo Nismo (SI)
@ Odprti oder Muzejska ploščad Metelkova
-
10:00 PM
public screening
Edd Arnold, Thick & Tight (UK)
Harry Alexander, Thick & Tight (UK)
Vidya Patel, Thick & Tight (UK)
Gary Clarke, Thick & Tight (UK)
@ Odprti oder Muzejska ploščad Metelkova
FREE ENTRANCE FOR ALL EVENTS
DONATIONS ARE WELCOME
STA, 7 July 2020 - The Ljubljana city council has confirmed changes to the municipal spatial plan for a former industrial area in the borough of Vič, where a residential complex is planned to be built. Several councillors have raised the issue of the investors including Mihael Karner, a Slovenian who is wanted by the US.
The council confirmed the project in a 21:15 vote on Monday to transform the site of the former Tovil factory in the south-western borough into a complex featuring 140 apartments, including up to 60 assisted living apartments.
The approximate location of the project
state.gov
The main investor in the Urban Oasis project is entrepreneur Mihael Karner, who is being sought by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) with an international warrant for alleged distribution and import of anabolic steroids and money laundering.
Gregor Slabe of the Democrats said he was convinced that the US services were monitoring today's session and that they would certainly make a record of which councillors had endorsed Karner's project.
"The US is requesting extradition of Karner, his wife and brother. Since you failed to support our proposal to withdraw this disputable item from the agenda, you will be the ones held responsible for international diplomatic consequences," he added.
Igor Horvat (SDS) noted that, according to the media, the investors were companies which had not had any revenue recently, and no employees. He added that the plan's approval might jeopardise Slovenia's international reputation.
There is concern that Ljubljana will only get another construction pit, said Ksenija Sever, also of the SDS. "The investors will get loans, sell apartments, and then vanish, so that taxpayers can pay for another banking hole."
Asta Vrečko of the Left added that the investors were problematic and that the "municipality is doing favours to very disputable companies".
Vice Mayor Aleš Čerin, who chaired the session due to the absence of Mayor Zoran Janković, who is in quarantine after having a contact with a person who tested positive for coronavirus, said that the spatial plan was not about an individual investor, but spatial planning.
"Nowhere is written that the gentlemen you spoke about will be the actual investors", he said, adding that they were Slovenian citizens who had no criminal record in Slovenia.
STA, 18 June 2020 - Ljubljana is to get a regular passenger boat line on the Ljubljanica river before the end of this year, a city official has announced according to a Delo report on Thursday.
Initially operating in test mode, the 101 river line will have six stops, the planned starting or final stops being the Grain Bridge (Žitni Most) on the edges of the city centre and Livada, south of the city centre, the newspaper report says.
The approximate end points of the route, market in red
According to the head of municipal department for economic activities and transport David Polutnik, who announced the test line during question and answers time in town hall, the line will be subject to exactly the same regime as the city's bus network, meaning it will be possible to pay with the Urbana bus card at 1.30 euros a ride.
The boat will be available once per hour on the hour between 7am and 6pm during weekdays and between 9am and 8pm during the weekend.
The project has been planned for some time and was originally meant to be launched on 1 May, but has been delayed due to the coronavirus epidemic.
The line will be operated by the city's public transport company LPP, which will use a boat that has already been running a commercial line on the river. Other boat owners have already expressed interest as well.
Related, but NOT the service in this story: See the Charms of Ljubljana from a New Angle with a Barka Boat Ride
STA, 12 June 2020 - The Golovec tunnel, located on the south-eastern section of the Ljubljana ring road, was partially closed down today for renovation that is expected to take two months.
National motorway company DARS, which entrusted the tunnel's renovation to Slovenian builder Kolektor CGP for EUR 8.56 million VAT excluded, first closed down the western tube of the tunnel.
All traffic will be redirected to the eastern tube, which is scheduled for renovation next year, but the tunnel will be off limit to vehicles heavier than 3.5 tonnes. Traffic will be organised in a 1+2 fashion, with the number of south- or north-bound lanes adjusting to the needs.
DARS representatives have described the project as very important and demanding, since this is one of the most heavily used sections of the Ljubljana ring road.
Details of the work, in Slovenian, can be found here
Open Kitchen culinary market (Odprta kuhna), an indispensable part of Ljubljana city life in the warmer months, is finally returning to Pogačarjev trg, by the central marketplace, in Ljubljana.
Due to the prolonged hibernation that was caused by the new coronavirus and related lockdown, Open Kitchen is coming back twice a week: food stalls accompanied by excellent wines, beer, cocktails and other beverages will be available every Thursday from 10 am to 8 pm and Friday from 10 am to 10 pm.
The decision to expand the event to Thursdays is not just to make up for lost time, but is also a safety measure, avoiding too many people visiting on a single day.
Open Kitchen founders Alma and Lior Kochavy believe that because of the event’s tradition of good vibes on the part of caterers and visitors alike, there should be no problems with regard to the observation of the new rules of distancing and hygiene, adding that they remain committed to sustainability. All disposable utensils (plates, cutlery, napkins, straws) will be made of biodegradable materials.
The most obvious changes will be a greater distance between the stands and tables, which will also be regularly disinfected. Hand sanitizer will be available at all stalls, and for the first time the possibility of card payment will be introduced. As this is an open-air market, the use of masks for visitors is not mandatory.
Last summer there seemed to be real movement on the planned IKEA store in Ljubljana’s BTC City, but seasoned observers knew it wasn’t worth delaying the purchase of a bookshelf, sofa or lamp, that they should continue to source alternative meatballs and buy their own pencils and tape measures.
The first reports of the Swedish furniture giant setting up shop on the sunny side of the alps came in 2014, although Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković later claimed that talks began in 2005. The story then dragged on for years, with the opening always about 18 months away, after just this last bureaucratic hurdle was jumped.
There was thus no great excitement in June 2019 when it was reported that IKEA had finally obtained the permits needed to start construction, since the same story noted an ongoing dispute about an access road and that the store would open, as usual, in about 18 months.
But the long wait for affordable Swedish design in a big box setting – some 15 years according to Mayor Janković – will soon be over. As the following videos show, the building, façade and roof are now completed. The work is now focused on interior installations and external elements, including the distinctive IKEA navigation tower, and is being carried out under full corona conditions.
Take a look inside with Cas Lachaert, Market Manager, IKEA Slovenia. Two drone videos are shown below that give a good idea of the scale of the project in BTC CityIn summary, the place is 34,000m2, will offer 9,500 products and have 52 room settings, while the restaurant will serve both Swedish and Slovenian food – perhaps a klobasa? Plants will be on the roof along with solar panels that should provide most of the power the store needs, making Ljubljana’s IKEA one of the greenest in the world.
No word yet on the opening date, but sometime in the autumn seems certain, in just over 18 weeks.