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This summary is provided by the STA:
New US chargé d'affaires in Ljubljana appointed
LJUBLJANA - Susan K. Falatko has taken over as the new chargé d'affaires at the US Embassy in Slovenia, succeeding Gautam Rana. Falatko previously headed the US State Department office in charge of the Western Balkans from 2017. Announcing the news, the embassy quoted Falatko as saying that "I look forward to continuing to strengthen our extensive bilateral relationship in the years to come". The US has been without an ambassador in Slovenia since last summer, when Brent Hartley concluded his three-year term. Falatko's predecessor Rana has left for a post in Algeria.
GRECO to evaluate separation of legislative and judicial powers in Slovenia
STRASBOURG, France - The Council of Europe's Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) has decided to launch an ad hoc evaluation of separation of legislative and judiciary powers in Slovenia. In a press release GRECO said that the decision was taken "against the background of a procedural initiative by the National Council to start investigating the 'political responsibility of state prosecutors and judges'". In mid-June the Slovenian upper chamber of parliament demanded that an investigating commission be established to look into potential political motives of criminal cases brought against National Council member Franc Kangler.
Commissioner presents EUR 109m check for Koper-Divača track
LJUBLJANA - European Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc symbolically presented a check of EUR 109 million in EU funds Slovenia had secured for a rail expansion between the port Koper and the inland hub Divača to Infrastructure Minister Alenka Bratušek. The money will be spent to build seven tunnels on the new route. The European Commission has so far earmarked EUR 153 million for Koper-Divača, Bulc said about the project whose total price tag is EUR 1.2 billion. Bratušek said the goal was to launch the new track by 2026, noting Slovenia was in talks with the Commission on another EUR 80 million for the rail expansion.
State is asset in its own right, Pahor says at Statehood Day ceremony
LJUBLJANA - On eve of Statehood Day, President Borut Pahor said having its own state, especially for a nation as small as Slovenia's, was an asset in its own right. He noted as he addressed the national ceremony in Ljubljana the establishment of an independent state 28 years ago was "the most glorious milestone of our national history", and called for creating a tolerant society in which everyone can express themselves freely while also respecting the dignity and freedom of the other. Prior to the ceremony, the National Assembly met for a ceremonial session, and Pahor hosted a reception for the relatives of military, police and civilian victims of the independence war, which broke out when the Yugoslav People's Army attacked the newly-declared state.
PM addresses troops abroad ahead of Statehood Day
LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Marjan Šarec addressed Slovenian troops stationed abroad, thanking them for their work in a video call on the eve of Statehood Day. He called for a joint celebration of "Slovenia's birthday", without political disputes, adding that "there will be plenty of time for politicking after the holiday". After the conference call with the heads of missions, which took place behind closed doors at the Defence Ministry, Šarec noted that Slovenia contributed significant part of its capacities to preserve peace and stability in the world.
Pahor says political stability could be basis for big projects
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor told the public broadcaster RTV Slovenija late on Sunday that the current political stability in Slovenia could be used to push through major projects such as reforms of the health and pension systems. He assessed Slovenia was a safe country but nevertheless called for enhanced border protection in the light of migrant influx. He said in the interview that he was working well with Prime Minister Marjan Šarec but wished for more cooperation with the main political forces in the country.
Šarec party tops party ranking of POP TV poll
LJUBLJANA - The ruling Marjan šarec List (LMŠ) tops the party ranking of this month's POP TV public opinion poll, which was released on Sunday evening. Support for the LMŠ was at 16.6% this month, followed by the opposition Democrats (SDS) with 15%. The junior coalition Social Democrats (SD) are third with 7.6% support. Support for the government remains relatively high at 53.9%, while 32% of the respondents believe that the cabinet is doing a poor job.
Nearly all distributable profit of Delavska Hranilnica to go for dividends
LJUBLJANA - The Delavska Hranilnica savings bank will allocate nearly all of its distributable profit for dividends, its shareholders decided last week. Owners will get EUR 5 a share, which means that EUR 2.4 million out of a total of EUR 2.5 million in distributable profit will go for dividends. The AGM also backed a new recapitalisation, ordering the management to increase the avings bank's capital stock by EUR 8.9 million through one or more bond issues. In the past three years, the savings bank has already increased its capital stock from EUR 5.8 million to EUR 20.3 million.
Autobiographical debut novel wins Kresnik
LJUBLJANA - The publisher Delo honoured late on Sunday writer Bronja Žakelj with the Kresnik prize, the most prestigious award for novels in Slovenia, recognising her debut Whites Are Washed at 90 (Belo Se Pere na 90) as the best novel of the year. The novel is an autobiography that starts with an idyllic childhood but soon becomes very trying for the author who lost her mother when she was a teenager, then lost a brother and fought cancer herself. Žakelj is only the third woman author to receive the EUR 5,000 prize since it was first handed out in 1991.
Slovenia's Apotekar wins gold in judo at European Games
MINSK, Belarus - Slovenian judoka Klara Apotekar won the gold medal at the European Games in the women's 78 kg category, bringing the medal tally for the country in the sport to two. The 21-year-old athlete from Celje defeated Guusje Steenhuis of the Netherlands in the finals after beating German Luise Malzahn in the semis with an ippon after two and a half minutes of added time. This is the second medal for Slovenia at the competition which replaces the European Judo Championship, after Maruša Štangar won the bronze on Saturday in the women's 52 kg category.
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