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A schedule of all the main events involving Slovenia this week can be found here
This summary is provided by the STA:
Ruling parties deny talks on alternative coalition
LJUBLJANA - The partners in the coalition led by the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) - SMC, SAB, SD and DeSUS - denied speculations that tentative talks are already under way on the formation of possible alternative coalition after Janez Janša, the leader of the opposition SDS, said that such talks were already ongoing. The coalition is nevertheless in a precarious position, as DeSUS holds an election congress on Saturday and PM Šarec has indirectly backed an opponent of the current party president. DeSUS deputy group leader Franc Jurša said Šarec "may be opening too many fronts at once".
Wiesenthal Center slams voiding of collaborationist general's conviction
JERUSALEM, Israel - The Simon Wiesenthal Center criticized the recent decision by the Slovenian Supreme Court to annul the 1946 conviction of Leon Rupnik, who headed the Provisional Government of the Nazi-occupied Province of Ljubljana. In a letter sent to the Slovenian ambassador in Israel, the organisation said the "notorious anti-Semite" had played "a major role in the arrest and deportation of Jews from Ljubljana in 1943 and 1944". It said the "shameful decision constitutes a shocking distortion of the history of the Holocaust and a horrific insult to Rupnik's many victims and their families."
Disabled claim EUR 53m in damages over lack of voter access
LJUBLJANA - The European Court of Human Rights Court has admitted an application by two disabled persons in wheelchairs who are suing Slovenia over lack of proper accessibility to polling stations and voting. The jurist that co-wrote their application, Jurij Toplak, says that given the case law Slovenia is expected to be ordered to pay EUR 3,000 to each disabled. For the same reason, the Association for the Rights of the Disabled claims EUR 54 million from the state, or else it will bring a class action lawsuit.
First repatriates from Venezuela arrive in Slovenia
LJUBLJANA - The Government Office for Slovenians Abroad confirmed that the first Venezuelans of Slovenian descent had arrived in Slovenia at the start of the largest repatriation project in the country prompted by the Venezuela crisis. The office would not reveal any details, but the newspaper Dnevnik reported that a family of four and a married couple had arrived from Venezuela. The government has set aside EUR 1.2 million for the project with 53 persons so far applying for resettlement.
NBI boss: Fighting crime should adapt faster to new technologies
LJUBLJANA - Darko Muženič, director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), does not think there are untouchables in Slovenia, but he does think that procedures are taking too long. He told the STA in an interview that crime investigation and prosecution should adapt to globalisation and new technologies to keep up with offenders. Muženič would like to staff up the bureau, mainly with operational analysts and computer forensic specialists. One of his priorities is cracking down on money laundering, while he also notes insufficient awareness about the damage caused by financial crime.
Cerar attends Green Group ministerial in Abu Dhabi
ABU DHABI, UAE - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar attended a ministerial of the Slovenian-sponsored Green Group initiative to discuss preparations for the Expo 2020 Dubai, where Slovenia's presentation will revolve around innovative sustainable development practices under the slogan Green Smart Experience. He also held a bilateral meeting with his Emirati counterpart Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and and Thani Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi, the minister of climate change and environment.
NGO launches anti-hate speech campaign
LJUBLJANA - A media literacy NGO launched a campaign to draw attention to the funding of media outlets which it says spread hate and intolerance by means of public funds. Until the end of the year, Državljan D (Citizen D) will organise debates on the topic in 16 towns around the country. The NGO head Domen Savič said one of the main sources of hate speech was "the media united into a Western Balkan network of propaganda factories" indirectly managed by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Guilty verdict of radiologist Milošević statute-barred
LJUBLJANA - A higher court threw out the guilty verdict of radiologist Zoran Milošević over bribery because the case has become statute-barred following an appeal. Milošević, the chief defendant in a separate trial relating to the biggest health corruption case in the country's history, had received a suspended prison sentence of ten months for accepting a EUR 7,200 bribe in exchange for making sure the country's largest hospital chose a specific company Animus as the supplier of a medicinal device.
Semenič wins Blue Bird prize for youth novel
LJUBLJANA - The acclaimed playwright Simona Semenič won the Blue Bird Prize for the best as yet unpublished youth novel for her work "Skrivno Društvo KRVZ" (KRVZ Secret Society), set to be released in April. It tells the story of a group of friends and their adventures including dragons and secret maps. Semenič will also receive EUR 10,000 that comes with what the prize, conferred by publisher Mladinska Knjiga biennially for designated genres.
Handballers enter main round at Euro undefeated
GOTHENBURG, Sweden - The Slovenian men's handball team made it to the main round of the European Championship featuring the best 12 teams at the tournament after winning all three matches in the preliminary round. The easy 29:25 win against Switzerland came after Slovenia opened the tournament in Group F by beating Poland 26:23, and followed the win up with a tough 21:19 victory against the Swedes. Head coach Ljubomir Vranješ said the players "showed character", including the younger and lesser used players, which showed that "we have breadth in the team".
Jakupović falls victim to Melbourne air
LJUBLJANA - Slovenian tennis player Dalila Jakupović started the Australia Open qualifying tournament on Tuesday, but conceded after leading the match against Switzerland's Stefanie Vögele 6-4, 5-6 due to uncontrollable coughing and breathing difficulties, likely caused by smoke and air pollution from the bush fires. It is yet unclear whether her coughing fit was directly linked to fires wreaking havoc on air quality, but many players and coaches urged the organisers to postpone the qualifiers.
Slovenian highlands inhabited more than 2,500 years ago
BOHINJ - Archaeologists have unearthed new evidence showing that the Slovenian Alps were inhabited earlier than 2,500 years ago. It is thought Iron Age people were breeding cattle and mining iron ore in the area. The findings were made last year during excavations at the Bošinka Plateau in the Triglav mountain range, which turned up the foundations of a hut and a number of tiny objects such as pot shards and clothing fasteners. A charcoal sample dated in to the early Iron Age.
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