News roundup - Wednesday, 24 April

Slovenia summons Serbian chargé d'affaires over Vučić's statements

LJUBLJANA - The Foreign Ministry has summoned the Serbian chargé d'affaires in Ljubljana for talks over Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić's recent offensive statements about Slovenia after a UN Security Council session dedicated to Kosovo, Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon said. Prime Minister Robert Golob labelled Vučić's statements as "utterly insulting," noting that they recall "different times and are unworthy of relations between the two countries." Later Vučić responded by saying: "If I have offended anyone, I want to apologise to the entire Slovenian public, but I do not intend to apologise to Slovenian politicians because they are pursuing a disgusting policy towards Serbia and the Serbian people," he said.

Govt adopts starting points for pension reform

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted starting points for a long-awaited pension reform. The draft will now be hashed out in Slovenia's main industrial relations forum, Matej Arčon, a deputy prime minister, told the press. The details about the proposal are not yet known, but the plan is to maintain the existing years of service rule. The government also appointed a task force to finalise the starting points together with representatives of the Economic and Social Council before social partners start discussing them.

Govt endorses new defence strategy

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted three new strategic documents - a new defence strategy, and two accompanying documents on military and civil defence. The documents take into account the new security challenges brought about by the Russian attack on Ukraine, the government said. According to the Defence Ministry, the new documents entail no new financial burdens, but build on the existing international commitments Slovenia has in defence, including raising defence spending to 2% of GDP by 2030 and investing 20% of military funds into the main military equipment.

Amnesty International report notes discrimination against erased

LJUBLJANA - Amnesty International's (AI) report for 2023 reiterates concerns about the situation of "the erased", people who were deleted from Slovenia's permanent resident rolls after the country's declaration of independence. It also points to a shortage of GPs and institutional discrimination against asylum seekers and trans people.

Report alleges NSi MPs sought police data on corruption investigation

LJUBLJANA - Opposition New Slovenia (NSi) head Matej Tonin and his party colleague Janez Žakelj, who serves as the chair of parliament's commission for the oversight of intelligence and security services (KNOVS), have come under fire after a report alleging possible abuse of the commission for access to data on an investigation involving senior NSi members. The story broke a day after police executed extensive house searches over suspected corruption at national motorway company DARS, led until last November by former NSi vice-president Valentin Hajdinjak.

Tug of war between doctors and govt continues

LJUBLJANA - Various doctors' organisations marked the 100th day of the strike in the sector with a joint statement warning that a lack of sensible measures will push the country's public healthcare system over the edge. While they speak of expected mass departures, the government responded by urging cooperation and dialogue.

Good cooperation highlighted as Slovenia-Carinthia committee marks 10 years

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Ten years since its first session, the joint Slovenia-Carinthia committee met for its seventh plenary session at the Brdo pri Kranju estate. Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon and Carinthia Governor Peter Kaiser highlighted the successful strengthening of cooperation in a number of areas as they addressed the press.

Opposition calls for inquiry over stolen children

LJUBLJANA - The opposition Democrats (SDS) and New Slovenia (NSi) requested a parliamentary inquiry over the potential involvement and responsibility of public office holders in suspected cases of children being stolen in Slovenia between 1965 and 1991, said SDS MP Alenka Jeraj, who is to chair the inquiry. 59 cases have been reported of mothers who lost their child soon after birth in the 1970s and 1980s in suspicious circumstances.

Signature collection starts for EU safe abortion initiative

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian NGO 8 March Institute launched a campaign to collect a million signatures across the EU to support My Voice, My Choice, an initiative for safe and accessible abortion in Europe. It aims to collect 100,000 signatures in seven weeks in Slovenia.

Govt gives green light for removal of first 20 flood-stricken buildings

LJUBLJANA - The government green-lighted the decisions to remove 20 buildings in the Ljubno ob Savinji and Luče municipalities, which were damaged in last year's floods and are uninhabitable, said Deputy Prime Minister Matej Arčon. Owners will be able to decide between a damages payout, replacement construction or the purchase of another property.

Business sentiment improves in April

LJUBLJANA - Business sentiment in Slovenia improved in April, with the relevant indicator standing at -2.1, up by 2.1 percentage points on a monthly basis and by 0.7 points on an annual basis, the Statistics Office said. The monthly growth was the result of the higher values of the indicators measuring confidence in manufacturing, retail and services and consumer confidence, while the indicator measuring confidence in construction had a negative impact.

SID Banka net profit almost doubles to EUR 15.6m last year

LJUBLJANA - The SID Banka national export and development bank generated a net profit of EUR 15.6 million last year, which is 90% more than in 2022, while loans to the non-banking sector increased by 3% to EUR 1.43 billion, SID Banka reported. The higher profit on an annual basis is the result of higher net interest and non-interest revenue, which increased by 24.8% to EUR 30.2 million and by 440% to EUR 10.2 million, respectively, the bank said in a press release.

Yaskawa lays foundation stone for new facilities

KOČEVJE - The Japanese robotics company Yaskawa has laid the foundation stone for two new facilities next to its existing plant in Kočevje. With the EUR 32 million investment the company is expanding its activity in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said Yaskawa Europe Robotics director Hubert Kosler. As part of the project Yaskawa plans to build a European robot distribution centre and a new modern facility for the engineering and production of robotic systems by 2025.

Koper port shifting away from fossil fuels

KOPER - The port of Koper has launched a new 3.3 MW solar power plant with 15,000 square metres of panels, the tenth such installation on port infrastructure and a part of a long-term strategy to shift away from fossil fuels. The EUR 2.8 million investment is part of a massive investment cycle valued at more than EUR 100 million that will expand the use of renewables.

German fund Katera bidding to take over Nama department store

LJUBLJANA - The German private equity fund Katera has published a takeover bid for Nama, the real estate operator that owns the eponymous department store in the centre of Ljubljana, Nama said. Its stock is listed on the Ljubljana Stock Exchange, with its price on 6 March, when the last deal with it was made, standing at EUR 15. This puts the price of its outright stake at EUR 14.3 million. Katera P11 already holds a majority stake in Nama.

SES Slovenija shopping centres post revenue and visitor growth

LJUBLJANA - Five shopping centres in Slovenia that are run by the Austrian company Spar European Shopping Centers (SES) generated EUR 705 million in sales revenue in 2023, up 6.5% from 2022. The malls were visited by more than 24 million people, or 5.8% more than the year before, said SES Slovenija, which operates Aleja Ljubljana, Citypark Ljubljana, Center Vič Ljubljana, Citycenter Celje, and Europark Maribor, and employs 4,000 workers.

Melamin returns to profit in 2023

KOČEVJE - The chemical company Melamin returned to profit in 2023 after it was hit with a deadly explosion in 2022 and subsequently recorded its first annual loss in decades. By the end of 2023, the company has restored 70% of its production capacities. The Kočevje-based company said in a press release on Tuesday that it ended 2023 with nearly EUR 1.1 million in profit, after it recorded a EUR 1.8 million loss in 2022. Sales revenue reached EUR 45.4 million in 2023, down 24% year-on-year.

Eight kilos of ecstasy seized in eastern Slovenia

DOBRNA - Police seized just under eight kilograms of ecstasy in a house search near Celje in the east in March after the suspect in the case was arrested at a different location where they also found illicit drugs. The ecstasy seized has a retail value of some EUR 75,000, the Celje Police Department said.

This week's frost affects mostly orchards, vineyards

LJUBLJANA - Orchids and vineyards, but also vegetables and berry plants have been severely affected as morning temperatures dropped to below freezing point over the past three days. Areas across the country have been affected, but most severely in parts of the southwest, the Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry said. More detailed assessment of the extent of the damage will only be possible in a few weeks' time.