Daily headlines - Wednesday, 1 February

DELO

Slovenia-Croatia relations
"Arbitration could spoil excellent relations any time": Continuing the Brdo-Brijuni regional cooperation process tops the agenda as President Nataša Pirc Musar is paying her first visit to the Croatian capital today. (front page, 3)

Reforming healthcare
"Erik Brecelj will put his foot down": Surgeon Erik Brecelj, who heads the government advisory council for healthcare, has told Delo about when "he will put his food down" and that one of the coalition partners - he did not say which - could cause problems. (front page, 4)

Pope's visit to Africa
"Peace-keeping attempts in restless Africa": Pope Francis is visiting the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan. The tour will not only be only pastoral, but also political and diplomatic, with the message of peace and conciliation in the forefront. (front page, 6)

DNEVNIK

Recovery and resilience plan
"Pension reform or closed tap": Slovenia has committed to reforming the pension system by 2024 as part of the recovery and resilience plan, because otherwise the European Commission will close the "financial tap". How much money is on the line is not yet known. (front page, 2)

Banks
"Kostić after shares of Addiko Bank": Serbian businessman Miodrag Kostić, who owns the Slovenian Gorenjska Banka through the Serbian AIK Banka, last year started buying stock of Addiko Bank on the Vienna stock exchange. (front page, 5)

Independence Museum
"Exhibition on Pučnik in house with garden": Part of an exhibition on dissident Jože Pučnik (1932-2003) features a ceiling installation with red ropes which represent Pučnik's blood vessels. Knots on the ropes represent the three bypasses on his heart. The museum director Željko Oset says the exhibition connects Pučnik's health problems with his intellectual work. (front page, 8)

FINANCE

Taxes
"FURS collects a record EUR 21 billion-plus in taxes and other levies": The Financial Administration (FURS), which includes the customs services, last year collected 9.5% more taxes and levies than in 2021, and a fifth more than in the pre-coronavirus year 2019. (front page, 4-5)

Healthcare
"No one is after overtime-related violations by doctors. Why?": Incorrect interpretations of the Constitutional Court decision on working time of doctors have triggered a "storm in a teacup", while no one is seriously tackling the actual violations and bypassing of rules. (front page, 6)

Forecasts
"IMF no longer forecasts recession for Germany and Italy, calls on central banks not to scale back anti-inflation measures": While the global economy last year grew by 3.4%, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects that growth will be more modest this year. (front page, 2-3)

Pharma industry
"Krka reportedly eyeing pharma company in India: The Novo Mesto-based pharma is reportedly in talks to take over the Indian pharma company Unichem Laboratories. The talks are slow as the target company lost 35% of its value in the last three months. (front page, 8-9)

VEČER

Cultural heritage renovation
"Dispute over mansion": The new owner of Betnava Mansion near Maribor, a cultural monument, has yet to ask for consent for renovation of the building, because it is not even allowed to enter the building to assess its state. (front page, 17)

New interior minister
"Poklukar among favourites": Prime Minister Robert Golob is holding meetings with candidates for interior minister, which include experts and politicians. Unofficially, former Interior Minister Boštjan Poklukar (2018-2020) has the best chances. (front page, 3)

Kindergarten costs
"Rising costs in kindergartens to be borne by parents": Kindergarten bills will be higher due to the rising costs of labour, material and food - prices will be 14-17% higher in Velenje, while calculations are still being made in Celje and Slovenske Konjice. (front page, 23)

Kurentovanje
"Ceca is and is not Thompson": The selection of Serbian singer Ceca to open the commercial part of the traditional Kurentovanje carnival festival in Ptuj is raising dust. The paper wonders whether the case is comparable with the controversy surrounding the banned concert of Croatian nationalist singer Thompson in Maribor in 2020. (front page, 2, 5)