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STA - Below is a roundup of major news stories for the morning of Friday, 29 March 2019:
Govt endorses new national security strategy
LJUBLJANA - The government endorsed a new resolution on the national security strategy. According to Defence Ministry State Secretary Klemen Grošelj, the strategy factors in new security threats, such as terrorism and violent extremism. Most notably, national intelligence agency SOVA will get new powers. Besides the existing political oversight in the form of a parliamentary commission, judicial oversight will be enhanced and "a third pillar" added in the form of a panel of intelligence experts.
Govt exempts holiday allowance from taxes
LJUBLJANA - The government adopted legislative changes raising the threshold for exemption of annual holiday allowance from income tax and social security contributions. The threshold is being raised from allowance equivalent to 70% of average pay to that equivalent to 100% of average pay. "Every euro that employers spend on holiday allowance will be transferred to the employees, the state has given up income tax and contributions," Finance Minister Andrej Bertoncelj commented.
Šarec's top foreign policy aide resigns
LJUBLJANA - State Secretary Roman Kirn, the foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Marjan Šarec, resigned, unofficially due to differences with other top aides. Šarec's office said the resignation was not a result of their differences but rather Kirn's personal decision. News portal Siol reported that Kirn, a seasoned diplomat, stepped down due to differences with State Secretary Igor Mally. Siol said Mally was one of those who advised Šarec not to address the European Parliament.
Pahor urges climate action in New York
NEW YORK, UN - President Borut Pahor addressed a UN high-level meeting on climate protection in New York, urging the participants to take action to tackle climate change. "The leaders and other participants in the climate summit, we must take responsibly and work together to send out a strong message for immediate climate action with the goal of zero carbon emissions by 2050," Pahor said. Together with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Pahor was also due to open a photo exhibition marking 20th years of Slovenian-run demining organisation ITF.
SDS and SLS to field joint list for EU elections
LJUBLJANA - TV Slovenija reported that the opposition Democrats (SDS) and the non-parliamentary People's Party (SLS) had agreed to field a joint list of candidates for the May elections to the European Parliament. The list is to be presented on Saturday, but TV Slovenija said it would feature the three SDS MEPs, SLS MEP Franc Bogovič and possibly former Maribor Mayor Franc Kangler. Meanwhile, POP TV reported that Austrian MEP Angelika Mlinar would run on the ticket of the Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB).
Telekom Slovenije profit up almost four-fold in 2018
LJUBLJANA - Telekom Slovenije posted a group net profit of EUR 33.3m for 2018, an increase of 269% over the year before, even as revenue stagnated at EUR 715m. The company said it had increased revenue from fixed-line and IT services by 8%, with revenue from the sale of energy and insurance services also rising. These helped offset declining revenue from mobile users and users of fixed-line telephony. Chairman Rudolf Skobe said the company would now focus on creating value with digitalisation.
Report: Telekom suffered millions in damage in Balkan deals
LJUBLJANA - Delo reported that a forensic audit at Telekom Slovenije had shown the telecoms incumbent suffered millions of euros in damage in several deals in the Western Balkans. The forensic audit of the state-owned company for 2007-2015, performed by Deloitte, also raised suspicion of tax avoidance and money laundering. The report, commissioned by the current management of Telekom Slovenije and pointing to two suspicious transactions, has already been handed over to the police.
Slovenia to set up UNESCO AI centre
LJUBLJANA - The government confirmed plans to set up a UNESCO-sponsored international research centre for artificial intelligence pending confirmation from the UN agency, expected in November. The centre will aim to develop systemic and strategic ways of AI implementation for different organisations and the public. UNESCO welcomed the government's initiative in September 2018. The centre is to be hosted by
the Jožef Stefan Institute.
Researcher Jernej Ule wins ERC grant
LJUBLJANA - Slovenian London-based researcher Jernej Ule has won a EUR 2.4m advanced grant from the European Research Council (ERC) for a project hosted by the National Institute of Chemistry that will study interactions between molecules in the brain and how they affect development of neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS. Chemistry Institute director Gregor Anderluh said the project would serve as a basis for development of new strategies to cure disease by means of RNA molecules.
DARS continues to increase revenue, profit
LJUBLJANA - National motorway operator DARS saw its revenue increase by 5% last year to EUR 465.5m, while net profit rose by almost 8% to EUR 154.4m. The bulk of the revenue was generated by motorway toll, with DARS collecting a total of EUR 451.5m in toll. Write-offs represented the largest share of expenditure, EUR 175m.
Petrol buys another Croatian gas distributor
LJUBLJANA - In what is its second gas distribution acquisition in Croatia in recent months, energy company Petrol bought the gas and electricity segment of Croatia's Crodux. The value of the deal, which still requires a nod from the Croatian competition watchdog, has not been disclosed. Petrol, which focuses on petroleum products but has been diversifying its portfolio, is thus getting involved in the ongoing consolidation of the gas market in Croatia, which has 35 licensed gas distributors.
Retailer Spar with record sales last year
LJUBLJANA - Retailer Spar Slovenija increased its sales last year by 3.6% to a record EUR 804m, director general Igor Mervič said. Net profit was not disclosed, with Mervič only saying that due to extensive investments, it was lower than in 2017, when it stood at EUR 13m. Mervič attributed the record sales to improvements in logistics and "great independence, which allows us to operate like a local company."
State secretary for small business appointed
LJUBLJANA - The government appointed Franc Vesel state secretary for small businesses at the prime ministers' office in line with demands by the national chamber of small business. Vesel, an entrepreneur from Ribnica and a member of the economy committee at the Chamber of Craft and Small Business (OZS), is formally at the prime minister's office but will be able to work at the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology.
Another resignation at BAMC
LJUBLJANA - The Bank Assets Management Company (BAMC) said that Andrej Prebil resigned as one of the three executive directors. His duties will temporarily be taken over by acting CEO Matej Pirc on 1 April. BAMC said that new full-term executive directors would expectedly be appointed by the end of April. Media suggested the latest resignation is related to allegations of mismanagement and follows the resignation of CEO Imre Balogh in December 2018 in the wake of an overhaul at the board of directors.
First Slovenian non-resident ambassador accredited to Panama
PANAMA CITY, Panama - Slovenian Ambassador to the United States Stanislav Vidovič presented his credentials to Panama's President Juan Carlos Varela to become the first Slovenian non-resident ambassador to Panama. President Varela welcomed Slovenia's decision to name an ambassador to Panama, stressing this could help strengthen the versatile relations between the countries and boost trade.
Establishments owned by Maribor mayor repeatedly vandalised
LJUBLJANA - Unknown perpetrators broke a glass window on a restaurant owned by Maribor Mayor Saša Arsenovič in the small hours of Thursday in what is already the third such attack on establishments owned by Arsenovič. The mayor says that the incidents are politically motivated and that he will not be discouraged or intimidated. "I'm not afraid and I won't let myself be intimidated, especially because I know I work fairly. We will realise all the goals regardless of these lowly acts," he said.
Hungarian minority MP under fire for wearing several hats
LJUBLJANA - Hungarian minority MP Ferenc Horvath has come under fire for a perceived conflict of interest. He is the chair of the council of the Hungarian minority's umbrella organisation and the director of Minta, a company set up by the organisation which provides business consultancy services. Horvath has been reported to the parliamentary Credentials and Privileges Commission for being involved in for-profit business, but the commission has refused to hear the case citing unclear regulations.
Victims of crime to benefit from new counselling services
LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a set of changes to the social security law introducing support services for victims of crime and their families, who will now be eligible for counselling. Details will be set down in the planned changes to the rules on standards governing social security services. Justice Ministry figures show there were 42,430 victims of crime in 2016, of whom almost 16,400 women, almost 1,650 children and over 5,000 senior citizens.
Fuel prices remain under government control
LJUBLJANA - The government extended a decree on administered fuel prices by another six months, until 30 September, an indication that the Economy Ministry failed in its push for full liberalisation of the fuel market. The prices of premium petrol and heating oil were fully liberalised in April 2016, and in November that year prices of all fuels sold along motorways were deregulated.
