Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Saturday, 1 February 2020

By , 01 Feb 2020, 04:13 AM News
Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Saturday, 1 February 2020 Neža Loštrek

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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:

EU Court of Justice rules Slovenia's lawsuit against Croatia inadmissible

LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - The EU Court of Justice decided that a lawsuit Slovenia brought against Croatia over its refusal to implement the 2017 border arbitration award is inadmissible, but it said that both countries nevertheless had to endeavour to resolve this dispute in accordance with international law. The decision did not come as a surprise to international law experts, who say that that legal avenues in the EU are now exhausted, but Slovenia has not lost anything in legal terms and the decision will have no bearing on implementation of the border arbitration decision. Moreover, Foreign Minister Miro Cerar said the ruling showed the court saw the border arbitration award as "valid and binding," which was an important goal.

MPs propose scrapping electoral districts

LJUBLJANA - A group of MPs filed in parliamentary procedure amendments to the National Assembly election act that would abolish electoral districts and introduce a relative preferential vote. The proposed changes come after the Constitutional Court declared the size of electoral districts for general election unconstitutional at the end of 2018. The amendments were proposed by 59 MPs of the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ), Social Democrats (SD), Modern Centre Party (SMC), Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB), New Slovenia (NSi), National Party (SNS) and the Left as well as the two minority MPs. In order to be passed, the motion needs the support of at least 60 MPs in the 90-member legislature.

Pahor, Šarec call for strong, united EU at diplomatic corps reception

BRDO PRI KRANJU - President Borut Pahor and outgoing Prime Minister Marjan Šarec stressed the importance of a strong and united EU in the face of Brexit at the annual reception for the diplomatic corps. They also touched on the political situation in Slovenia, and relations with Croatia. Pahor expressed sadness and said the EU had a lot in common with the UK but obviously the differences had prevailed. Šarec said that "in the transitional period we won't have a lot of time to reach an ambitious agreement on our future relations that will enable us to cooperate to our mutual benefit in the future". Foreign Minister Miro Cerar meanwhile regretted the UK's departures from the EU in a separate statement.

Pahor: Slovenia needs government with strong majority

BRDO PRI KRANJU - President Borut Pahor commented on the resignation of Prime Minister Marjan Šarec, saying Slovenia needed a government with a convincing political majority and a convincing programme, be it in this term or after an early election. He believes that will send a clear signal to the public that coalition parties are in the government to implement their joint programme and not because they are afraid of election. In the last three decades, Slovenia has developed a strong democratic political system, which is why the government's resignation and a short period of somewhat lower political stability until the appointment of a new government should not have major consequences on further economic and social progress of the country, the president said.

SMC interested in new govt coalition

LJUBLJANA - Modern Centre Party (SMC) leader Zdravko Počivalšek said he was interested in a new coalition being formed after PM Marjan Šarec's resignation. Šarec, who however favours an early election, has said he would not mind the SMC joining a right-leaning coalition and himself becoming an opposition MP. Speaking a current political affairs show of public broadcaster TV Slovenija Thursday evening, Počivalšek said he had met most party leaders on Monday, including Janez Janša of the opposition Democrats (SDS). Šarec and Počivalšek met on Friday to discuss ways forward, with the SMC saying after the meeting that "our views on the exit from the current situation differ somewhat".

Slovenia's budget surplus down to 0.5% of GDP in 2019

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia posted a budget surplus of EUR 224.6 million, or 0.5% of GDP, in 2019 compared to a surplus of 1.1% in 2018, show preliminary figures released by the Finance Ministry. Budget revenue rose by 1.4% to EUR 10.14 billion from 2018, and expenditure increased by 4.7% to EUR 9.91 billion. However, the ministry pointed out the 2018 surplus was a result of two major one-off events. Over EUR 270 million came into the 2018 budget from NLB bank dividends and EUR 207 million from delayed EU payments from the 2007-2013 multi-year budget.

Prominent WWII veteran Janez Stanovnik dies

LJUBLJANA - Janez Stanovnik, one of the most notable Slovenian politicians in the period leading up to independence and the face of the Slovenian WWII Veterans' Association after 2003, has died aged 97. Stanovnik, who was among the first who joined the Partisan liberation movement, was the last president of the Slovenian presidency under the former Yugoslavia between 1988 and 1990. After World War II he worked in the federal Yugoslav government and in Yugoslav diplomacy. He was the executive secretary of the UN's economic commission for Europe from 1968 to 1982. Expressing his condolences, Slovenian President Borut Pahor said Slovenians would remember Stanovnik as a Partisan, as strong-charactered, true to his convictions, as somebody with an open spirit and heart.

Finger pointing as baby dies in Roma village

RIBNICA/LJUBLJANA - A two-month-old baby died of pneumonia a month ago in Goriča Vas, a Roma village which lacks basic infrastructure such as electricity and water, near Ribnica, south, triggering finger-pointing between institutions and severe criticism by Amnesty International (AI) Slovenia. The family with three children had lived in great poverty in a shack, sleeping on blankets on the floor and the other children have since been placed in a crisis centre, the newspaper Dnevnik reported on Thursday. There are several illegal Roma villages with inhumane living conditions in the Dolenjska region. While national authorities claim local authorities should be more proactive, the latter believe the state should do more.

Chamber of Industry tears apart national energy plan

LJUBLJANA - The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) issued a strong criticism of the recently adopted draft National Energy and Climate Plan, labelling the goals unrealistic, in particular for giving up on new hydro plants along the middle course of the river Sava. The GZS, which listed its grievances in a letter sent to the Environment and Infrastructure Ministry and the PM's office, argues that implementing the plan would increase energy prices, undermining energy-intensive industry and increase energy poverty. The chamber wants to see the plan - which for instance envisages a 30% reduction of coal consumption by 2030, phases out subsidies for fossil fuels and postpones a decision on a potential new Krško nuclear plant reactor to 2027 - rejected.

Small businesses lament youths not interested in civil engineering

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's construction sector has been seeing a shortage of young workforce, heard a debate held by the Chamber of Trade Crafts and Small Business (OZS). There is a lack of apprentices, while construction companies are struggling with lengthy procedures in getting work permits for foreign workers. The number of youths enrolled in civil engineering courses is rapidly decreasing - six years ago, there were 610 civil engineering students, while this year, merely some 170 are enrolled in such courses. In the past three years, the number of permits for workers from Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina tripled, but this labour pool will be eventually depleted as well, said OZS head Branko Meh at the debate.

Slovenia attracted 6.2 million tourists in 2019

LJUBLJANA - Some 6.2 million tourists visited Slovenia last year, a 5% increase compared to 2018. The number of overnight stays grew 0.6% to roughly 15.8 million, shows Statistics Office data. The number of Slovenian tourists increased by 1.3% to 1.5 million, while the number of foreign tourists grew by 6.3% to 4.7 million. The bulk of the foreign tourists came from Italy, Germany and Austria, but while Austrians opted more often for holidays in Slovenia (up 10.7%), Italians were less likely to visit the country (down 8.5%).

Impol group profit down in 2019

SLOVENSKA BISTRICA - The aluminium producer Impol generated EUR 50.4 million in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) last year and EUR 27.3 million in profit before tax. The production and sales volume in 2019 were on par with the previous year, shows an unaudited report released. Meanwhile, the group's EBITDA and profit before tax were reduced by 15% and 17%, respectively, in 2019 year-on-year due to growth slowdown in Germany and pressure of the Chinese suppliers exerted on the EU market in the wake of the US-China trade war and Brexit.

Central bank says Brexit effect on Slovenian economy indirect

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian economy will mostly experience an indirect effect of Brexit, felt in particular through the cooperation with key trade partners whose share of exports to the UK is considerably greater than the Slovenia's, said Banka Slovenije, adding that the eventual consequences of Brexit will be clear after a transition period ends. The immediate direct effect on the country's economy will be marginal due to a modest share of exports to the UK (2% of all Slovenia's exports).

LMŠ and SDS sharing lead in Nova24TV poll

LJUBLJANA - In the wake of Prime Minister Marjan šarec's resignation, a public opinion poll commissioned by Nova24TV shows that the Democrats (SDS) and the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) would garner most support if a snap election was held on Sunday. The two parties are tied in the top spot, polling at 17.4% and 17.3%, respectively. The Left ranks third, polling at 6.7%, followed by the Social Democrats (SD) at 4.6% and Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) and National Party (SNS), both polling at 3.7%.

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