BUSINESS & ECONOMY
LJUBLJANA - The government dismissed on Thursday the head of Slovenia's telecoms and post regulator. Tomaz Simonic had faced criticism over the way the Agency for Post and Electronic Communications (APEK) issued a licence for third-generation mobile services to Tusmobil. Prime Minister Borut Pahor told the press the decision was made at the proposal of Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Gregor Golobic. Dusan Schuster was made acting director of the agency.
LJUBLJANA - Trade unionists presented reasons for a mass protest in Ljubljana on Saturday, with one of them warning the government and employers that they would be wrong to ignore the message. Nevertheless, the government refused on Thursday to cave in to the key demands of the unions, which urge it to drop its proposals to extend the working age to 65 and to raise the minimum wage to EUR 600 net. Prime Minister Borut Pahor urged the unions to return to the negotiating table.
LJUBLJANA - The government adopted on Thursday an action plan for the transition from the current system of toll stickers to electronic free-flow tolling system. Transport Minister Patrick Vlacic said the plan envisaged the toll stickers to be abolished by 2014. The action plan foresees an immediate introduction of a tolling system based either on driving distance or on a fixed payment. By 2012, all vehicles will be included in the electronic tolling system.
LJUBLJANA - Slovenian energy company Petrol has expressed interest in talks on a possible acquisition of Crobenz, a small fuel retailer belonging to Croatian oil group Ina. While Petrol spokesman Aleksander Salkic stressed in a press release on Thursday that the move did not involve any commitments, business daily Finance reported that Petrol had written a letter of intent to participate in the call for bids for the acquisition. Petrol is the second biggest fuel retailer in Croatia.
POLITICS
BRUSSELS, Belgium - The first full-time president of the European Council, former Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy, will visit Slovenia on 1 December in his second trip abroad after his appointment on 19 November. Prior to Slovenia, Van Rompuy will pay a visit to Copenhagen as part of the preparations for the international climate conference to be held there between 7 and 18 December. Van Rompuy was originally scheduled to visit Slovenia and Copenhagen as Belgian prime minister.
LJUBLJANA - The government on Thursday adopted legislative changes designed to determine Slovenia's eighth member to the European Parliament. The motion will be rushed through parliament. The government proposes the extra MEP seat belonging to Slovenia under the Lisbon Treaty be filled by the candidate who would have been elected the 8th MEP in the 7 June elections to European Parliament. Considering the results, the extra MEP will be Zofija Mazej Kukovic of the opposition Democratic Party (SDS).
BUDAPEST, Hungary - Slovenian and Hungarian governments will hold the second joint working meeting in Hungary's Keszthely on Friday. The meeting will be an opportunity to strengthen the good relations between the neighbours and to discuss topical issues such as the situation and protection of minorities. The cabinets will also evaluate the results of their first joint session on 17 October 2007.
LJUBLJANA - A two-day international conference began in Ljubljana on Thursday on developments in Slovenia in the 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Opposition Democrats (SDS) leader Janez Jansa described the period as one of progress, while EPP president Wilfried Martens stressed the importance of the Demos coalition, which won the 1990 elections. Jansa noted that the conference, organised by the Joze Pucnik Institute and the Centre for European Studies, was the only event marking the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall in Slovenia.
