Lifestyle
Ljubljana has been working hard to improve accessibility for everyone – putting in ramps, adding lifts to buses, offering the free Kavalir electric “car” service and attachments to motorise ordinary wheelchairs, as well as supporting the excellent Ljubljana By Wheelchair project (and here we’ll also highlight the pridem.si project that covers the whole of Slovenia).
These efforts have been recognized with the capital’s listing with four other cities as models for others to follow in the EU. The four others are Breda and Rotterdam (both in the Netherlands), Lyon (France), Chester (the UK). The full text, which can be found here, notes the projects mentioned above, plus the urban electric train, which is free to use and also has a free audio guide.
Keep up with the daily news in Slovenia by checking the morning headlines here. What to find out what happened last week in Slovenia? Look no further.
The following schedule was prepared by the STA:
MONDAY, 6 January
LJUBLJANA - The trial of four former managers of the dissolved Hypo group, accused of defrauding the Hypo bank of millions of euros, will come to a close.
LJUBLJANA - Child carollers dressed up as the biblical Wise Men will call on the heads of state, government and parliament, Borut Pahor, Marjan Šarec and Dejan Židan.
ZREČE - A press conference will be held as Croatian police officers join their Slovenian counterparts on Slovenian ski slopes.
TUESDAY, 7 January
LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar and former Austrian FM Karin Kneissl will attend an event discussing strategic solutions for the Western Balkans.
LJUBLJANA - The Employment Service will publish data on registered unemployment for December 2019.
WEDNESDAY, 8 January
LJUBLJANA - The Hungarian OTP bank and the new leadership of SKB Banka will hold a press conference.
LJUBLJANA - The woman engineer of 2019 will be declared, with Labour Minister Ksenija Klampfer and Education Minister Jernej Pikalo attending.
LJUBLJANA - Trial will start in a major health corruption case against UKC Ljubljana radiologist Zoran Miloševič and co-defendants.
THURSDAY, 9 January
LJUBLJANA - The government will hold its regular weekly session.
LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary inquiry into party financing will interview former CEOs of NKBM bank Aleš Hauc and Robert Senica, among others.
LJUBLJANA - The Statistics Office will release external trade statistics for November 2019.
LJUBLJANA - The newspaper publisher Delo will announce its person of the year.
LJUBLJANA - The Fran Ramovš Institute for the Slovenian Language will declare the word of the year.
LJUBLJANA - An exhibition marking the 40th anniversary of Cankarjev Dom, Slovenia's top cultural centre, will be launched.
FRIDAY, 10 January
LJUBLJANA - The European Parliament's Office in Slovenia will host a round-table debate on the importance of the Sakharov Prize for the freedom of thought.
LJUBLJANA - The Statistics Office will release industrial output figures for November 2019.
GOTHENBURG, Sweden - Slovenia will open their campaign at the European Men's Handball Championship with a match against Poland.
SATURDAY, 11 January
LJUBLJANA - The first Slovenian production of Maria by English playwright Simon Stephens, directed by Janusz Kica, will open at SNG Drama Ljubljana theatre.
SUNDAY, 12 January
No major events are scheduled.
If you're not in town for the week of this guide (6 - 12 January, 2020) then you can see all the editions here, and if there's event or activity you want to promote in a future edition of What's on in Ljubljana please get in touch with me at flanner(at)total-slovenia-news.com or try and find me on Facebook. If you want something a little different and easy to print, then a comprehensive PDF of events for the next seven days, as prepared by Ljubljana Tourism, is here. If you're in town and want to follow the news then check out our regular morning headlines for Slovenia here.
That’s it. The party’s over. Time to get back on a normal diet and stop subsisting on cheese, wine, chocolate and coffee, with the occasional mandarin thrown in for colour and fibre.
So we’re entering what for many folk is gloomiest part of the year. Not only do we need to detox and move more, but the days are getting colder and the next big funtime is some weeks away, with the Carnival season in February. You can see more about upcoming events and festivals here, to fill your calendar with things to look forward to, while below is a selection of entertainments, educations and diversions on around the capital in the next seven days
Still open until 5 March, 2020, Magic Ice-rink Lumpi Park offers 600 m2 of the covered ice surface and 180 m of ice-skating paths which enable you to skate through the Sports park Savsko naselje, at Kranjčeva ulica 24. Details here.
Tuesday, 17:00 to 20:00, Hotel Tresor, which is on Čopova, has Swap #22, a chance to recycle preloved clothes, books, accessories and fall in love with some "new to you" items. You can see the rules here.
Tuesday Cubana Ljubljana has a class on reggaeton dance, while the next evening there’s Afro-Cuban dancing. Details here.
Friday, 10 January, Metelkova’s KUD Channel Zero offers Štrom: 21 Rave Street from 23:00 to 06:00. The music policy will be everything rave, including industrial, breakbeat, decostructed, club, bass, jungle, techno, ambiental, house, footwork, and Detroit. The full line-up is here, but one of the DJs is called Terranigma, with a set below. The same night, 21:00 to 03:00, Orto Bar has a show from Vit@vox.
Friday, 21:00, is Jazz Night at the Castle, and this week it’s Tadej Kampl, promoting his new album, Habits. The same night, but at 20:00, also sees Andreja Rauch Podrzavnik’s dance / theatre performance “What Remains” at Kino Šiška, which “materializes in a poetics of situations created by the artists through movement, sound, light, and poetry. They thus create parallel spaces that form harmonies resonating (into) potential narrations.” Tickets.
Saturday, 20:00, Kino Šiška then hosts AKA Neomi, a Ljubljana-based group presenting their second album, promising “from electronic indie pop and trip-hop to a more downtempo acoustic feel”. On the same evening, 19:30, opera returns after a short break at SNG Opera and Ballet Ljubljana, with Tchaikovsky’s The Maid Of Orléans. Details here, and some of the music above. The same night, starting 23:00 and running till 05:00, K4 has the first Temnica of the year.
New movies this week (and ones we didn’t cover because of the holidays) include the following:
In town and looking for a gift or souvenir? Take a look at Cook Eat Slovenia - the book.
How much do tourists spend in Slovenia? Find out here
You may have heard about Free Tour Ljubljana, the tour company that’s #1 on TripAdvisor for the city and gives away its main product. What’s the deal with that? Find out here.
While the Old Town is quaint, and full of music, where does Ljubljana really shop? One popular answer is BTC City, a vast complex of malls, entertainment facilities and more, including more than 70 different food vendors, offering everything from Slovenian to Thai, Indian to Italian, Mexican to Chinese. Check out my recent visit here.
Looking for something different to eat? Trubajeva cesta, running right by Dragon Bridge, has the greatest concentration of "ethnic food" places in Ljubljana, and thus perhaps the country. Check out our walk through guide as of June 2019.
In warmer days than you'll see this week. Photo: JL Flanner
Ljubljana is forecast to be the fastest-warming city in the world over the next few decades.
You're in the town of Slavoj Žižek, but do you find yourself lost when conversation turns to the philosopher? If so, check out our collection of quotes and clips to learn more.
Screenshot from YouTube
- Cinemas and films
- Clubbing
- Live music
- Theatre and dance
- Harm reduction and drug testing
- Things to do with children
- LGBT+ Ljubljana
- Ljubljana Castle
- Museums and galleries
- Other things to do in Ljubljana
- Daytrips
- Getting around
- Emergencies
Cinemas and films
You can read about all the cinemas in town here, while a selection of what’s playing this week is below, and note that kids' movies tend to be shown in dubbed versions, while non-English language movies for older viewers will have Slovenian subtitles.Parents should also pay attention to Kinobalon, which is Kinodvor's regular weekend series of film screenings and events for children, from babies on up, with special parent/child events, "first time in a cinema" screenings, and babysitting. Learn more about it here, and see the current schedule here.
Note - most children's films will be dubbed (sinhronizirano) - for subtitles look for 'podnapisi'.
Kinodvor –This is an arts cinema, not far from the train station, that shows new features as well as hosting the occassional festival.
Kinoteka – And not far from Kinodvor you can find this revival cinema, which shows art house classics along with some deep dives in the archives.
Kino Bežigrad - A relatively small theatre, but one which usually has the biggest of the new releases.
Kolosej -The multiplex out at BTC City Mall shows all the big movies, with well over a dozen titles on the schedule, although note that there are far more movies than screens, so some of the older ones mayonly be playing once or twice a week.
Komuna – The cinema in a basement behind Nama department store shows two or three different features a week, usually including the biggest titles.
Looking for a souvenir you'll really enjoy? Take a look at Broken Bones Gin, the first gin made in Ljubljana (learn more here, and try it at the Central Market or selected downtown bars).
Photo: Genius loci d.o.o.
Know that big triangular building behind the train station? Learn what's inside here.
Clubbing
Compared to some European capitals it can seem that nightlife in Ljubljana ends rather early, especially along the river, but there are still bars that stay open late and clubs were you can dance until dawn, and perhaps the best place to stumble across something interesting is the legendary Metelkova. Be aware it's a grungy kind of place and not for all tastes, but also that there's considerable variety to found within the various clubs there, from death metal to electropop, gay cabaret to art noise. You can read "the rules" of the place here. And if you're curious about how the place started then read our story, and look at some pictures, about last year's 25th anniversary.
Božidar - DJ events aren't too common here, but when they happen they often have a big name.
Channel Zero – DJs shows here include regular dub nights as well as electronic music.
Gala Hala – Another Metelkova venue, you can sometimes hear bhangra and Bollywood here, but more often funk, hip hop, breakbeat and so on.
Klub Cirkus – The more commercial end of clubland, and a venue that aims to serve the student party scene. Expect house, anthems, and bangers.
Klub K4 – The home of techno, old and new, along with various other electronic genres,
Koncertna Dvorana Rog– There are irregular DJ sets at this underground (not literally) venue at the far end of Trubarjeva cesta, and they range from techno to goa to drum'n'bass.
Orto Bar– 80s and 90s throwback nights can often be found here, along with rock-based DJ sets.
Live music
Balassi Institute – Free Hungarian music, when available, from the Hungarian cultural institute just a short walk downriver from Dragon Bridge.
Cankerjev dom – The main arts venue in the country hosts classical, opera jazz, folk and occassinally pop.
Cvetličarna – Regional pop and rock concerts can be found here.
Channel Zero – This Metelkova venue sees live shows from punk and rock bands, as well as others.
Gala Hala – Another Metelkova venue with indie bands of various styles.
Kino Šiška – One of the top live venues in the city, with a varied programme that include indie, rock, pop, experimental, hip hop, and so on.
Klub Gromka – Live music is often metal, from sludge to stoner, death to thrash, while punk bands also appear, as do others.
Križanke – The venue that hosts the Ljubljana Festival often has classical music, and some rock, in the open air.
Orto Bar– The home of live rock, metal, punk and other guitar-based genres.
Pinelina dnevna soba – LIve music is rare here, but it does happen.
Slovenska filharmonija– Classical music in the centre of town.
SNG Opera and Ballet - As the name suggests, here you'll find the best of opera and ballet in the country.
Španski borci - While dance is more common here, they also have some contemporary and experimental music shows.
Slovenska cesta, 1959. Wikimedia. See more pictures of Old Ljubljana here
Theatre and dance
Cankerjev dom- The main arts venue in the country always has something of interest going on.
Gledališče IGLU - IGLU Theatre – Saturday night this group is usually putting on an English improv show somewhere in town, but it’s generally promoted after this is written, so check the Facebook before putting on your shoes.
Kino Šiška – One of the top live venues in the city also hosts some dance performance, often of the more experimental variety.
Mini Teater Ljubljana –The English schedule of varied performances, for adults and children, for the month is here.
Ljubljana Puppet Theatre - Puppetry has a long and noble tradition in Slovenia, and you can see performances for children and adults (including non-puppet shows) drawing from the Theatre's rich repetoire as well as new productons.
SNG Opera and Ballet - As the name suggests, here you'll find the best of opera and ballet in the country.
Španski borci - The home ofcontemporary dance(and the EnKnapGroup) in Slovenia.
Pocket Teater Studio– There are regular flamenco evenings at perhaps the smallest venue town, but note that the number of seats is very limited, and thus you should make a reservation via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 070 325 522.
Harm reduction and drug testing
Drogart is an organization that aims to minimise harm on the party scene, and offers drug-testing services and reports on their webpage. It’s in Slovene, but you can Google translate it or work things out yourself, and our story on the group is here.You can find the latest warnings on fake drugs and high strength pills and powders (in Slovene) here. However, be aware that all the usual drugs are illegal in Slovenia.CBD is legal, though, and our retailer of choice can be found on Trubarjeva cesta - read more about Sena Flora here.
Photo: Igor Andjelič. See more of his work here
Things to do with children
You can find our Top 12 list of things to do with kids in Ljubljana here. If want to read more about the philosophy behind the wonderful House of Experiments look here, while our trip to the Museum of Illusions is documented here, and there’s always riverside walks, pizza and ice cream. With regard to the latter, take a look at our guide to six places that serve good ice cream in winter, and thus are serious about the dessert.
Mini Teater Ljubljana – The season sees a lot of puppet performances for children, in Slovene, at this theatre not far from Križanke. The English schedule for the month is here.
Ljubljana Puppet Theatre - The puppet theatre near the Central Market and next to the Castle funicular has a full programme or shows, for children and adults, with the schedule here.
LGBT+ Ljubljana
If you're looking for more general links on "gay Slovenia", including a history of the scene and various projects, then you can find that here, while our stories about the community can be found here.
Klub Monokel – This lesbian bar in Metelkova is open every Friday, although sometimes there are other events
Klub Tiffany –And the gay bar next door is also open on Fridays. Other things coulds also be planned, so click on the name to find out.
Pritličje – This seems to be the only "always open" LGBT-friendly cafe / bar / events space in town, and perhaps the country, so it's a good thing it's such a good one, open from morning to night, and with fliers and posters letting you know what's happening outside the narrow confines of, say, a general interest online what's on... guide.
Screenshot from Google Maps, showing the location of the Castle vineyard
Ljubljana Castle
The city’s main attraction is said to be the top tourist draw in the country overall, and to my mind it earns a spot near the top just for the history and views. But beyond that the current owners, the City of Ljubljana, have laid out a varied, interesting and enjoyable programme of events, one that rewards regular revisits. On until 17 November Mighty Guardians of the Past: Castles in the Slovenian Lands, a presentation that delivers on the promise of its title.
I try and get up there every Saturday morning to clear my head and move my feet on the trails, and never tire of that end of the hill. At the other end, where the Castle sits, there’s a lot more than fresh air on offer. There are guided tours, restaurants, a café, Castle museum, puppet museum, a Watchtower you can climb to the highest point in the city, art shows, dances, live music, movies under the stars, festival days and more – enough to reward multiple trips up the hill through the year. All of these activities and events can be found on the Castle website, while on TSN you can see “25 things to know about Ljubljana Castle” here, and “Ten Ways to Enjoy Ljubljana Castle” here.
Museums and galleries
Most public galleries and museums are closed on Mondays, although not the National Museum.
Bežigrajska galerija 2 – Take a trip to Vodovodna cesta 3 and until 8 February 2020 you can see Lojze Spacal (1907–2000): From the Littoral and the Karst Region.
Cankerjev dom – On until 3 March 2020 there's an exhibition on Ancient Greek Science and Technology. Details here.
Plečnik's desk. Photo: JL Flanner
Plečnik’s House is worth a visit if you want to learn more about the architect who gave Ljubljana much of its character, and it's also in a really nice part of town, Trnovo, just a short walk or cycle upriver. Read about our guided tour here. On until January 2020 you can see plans and models for some of the things Plečnik planned but never built in Ljubljana. Take a look at some pictures here.
Image: Nejc Bernik. ZRC-SAZU
Balassi Institute – The Hungarian culture centre is next to a Spar and Hofer, and not far from Dragon Bridge, and always has something interesting going on. Learn more here. This month, until 17 January, there's also an exhibition with more works like the one shown below for a show described as follows: “The concept of the exhibition “Awkwardly Close” in Balassi Institute is exactly the self-conscious unease coming from artistic and content similarities between the works of Kata Bereczki, and the Slovenian artistic collective Son:DA."
City Gallery - From 28 November until 19 January 2020 there's a sculpture by Jiři Bezlaj.
Jiři Bezlaj, Hrošč, 2010 - 2016. Source: Mestna galerija
City Museum – The Museum in French Revolution Square an interesting permanent exhibition on the history of Ljubljana, from prehistoric times to the present day, with many artefacts, models and so on that bring the story alive.You can read about my visit here On untl 30 August is BOOK. KNOWLEDGE. REASON. From Protestantism to Enlightenment (1500–1800), with details here.
The Faces of Ljubljana in the City Museum. Photo: JL Flanner
Drink like a pro - find gallery openings. Photo: JL Flanner
Ljubljana Castle - (Un)known Ljubljana is on at the top of the hill, a free to enter National Geographic exhibition with photographs of some of the lesser seen parts of the city, with one example below and more here. It ends 12 January.
MAO – The Museum of Architecture and Design has much of what you'd expect, along with some temporary shows and a good cafe. BIO 26: Common Knowledge is on until 9 February, looking at information, fake news and citizenship, with details here.
Moderna galerija – The main branch of this gallery, to be found near the entrance to Tivoli Park, has a good collection of modern art, as well a nice café in the basement. The 9th Triennial of Contemporary Art U3 is also on here until 12 January 2020. Titled Dead and Alive: “The exhibition unfolds around three contradictory states of now – the dead and alive state of conceptualism, analogue and liquid materiality, and the subconscious as the battlefield of cognitive capitalism. Because – how do art and avant-garde progress? By making sensible what is beyond. At the end of the day, Dead and Alive is a quantum time search for an engaged form.” More details here, on one of the works on show below.
© Aleksandra Vajd, Collage by K. E. Graebner Nature the Unknown Acquaintance (1971) and a unit of five hand-dyed photograms titled: ‘rivalry of superior vs. inferior’, 2017
Alan Ford was recently at the National Gallery - read more about this comic book here.
National Gallery – The country’s main gallery has “the best” of what’s on offer from the Middle Ages to non-contemporary modern visual arts, and is in a great location for exploring other areas, just by Tivoli Park and opposite the main branch of the Moderna galerija. You can read about our visit to the room containing sacred art from the Middle Ages here. Until 12 January there's a nice collection of Travel Posters, like the one below, to enjoy.
The real Robba Fountain can be found in the entrance to the National Gallery - the one you see in the Old Town is a genuine fake, as seen below and reported here.
Photo: JL Flanner
National Museum of Slovenia – There’s plenty to see in the permanent collection here, from Roman times, Egypt and more. Meanwhile, the museum's Metelkova branch, located between one branch of the Moderna galerija and the Ethnographic Museum has some rooms on Church art, furniture and weapons, with the latter including more guns than you'll see anywhere else in town, and quite a thrill if coming from a nation where such objects are not household items.
A fragment of a Coptic textile; 5th–6th cent.: Upper Egypt; linen, wool; National Museum of Slovenia. Photo: Tomaž Lauko
Until 24 May 2020 you can see Coptic Textiles from the Collection of the National Museum of Slovenia at the branch in the Metelkova museum quarter, by the Ethnographic Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Details.
Natural History Museum – On until the end of December 2019 is Our Little Big Sea, which takes a look at the oceans.
National Museum of Contemporary History - Tucked away in park Tivoli, you can see a permanent exhibition on Slovenians in the 20th century.
Slovene Ethnographic Museum – The museum has two permanent exhibitions. One of these is called Between Nature and Culture, and has a great collection of objects from Slovenia and around the world, well worth the trip up to the third floor to see it (as recounted here).
Vžigalica Gallery – On until 12 January 2020 is SAEBORG: SLAUGHTER HOUSE 17 from the Japanese artist Saeborg, which is being promoted with the following image. Details here.
SAEBORG: SLAUGHTER HOUSE 17. Photo: © DARKMOFO
Union Experience – The Ljubljana-based brewer has a museum showing the history of the company, with the ticket also including access to part of the factory and a few samples of the product. You can read about our visit here.
It's not a formal museum, but if you're interested in "Yugo-stalgia" then you'll enjoy a trip to Verba, a small, privately run space that's crammed with objects and pop culture items from the era, and is conveniently located at the start of one of the short walks to the castle. It's also a great place to take pictures, if you leave a donation, and you can read more about it here.
Verba. Photo: JL Flanner
Alternative Ljubljana isn't a museum or gallery, as such, but instead turns the city streets into a museum and gallery. Learn more about their tours of street art, history and LGBT Ljubljana here.
Photo: JL Flanner
Other things to do in Ljubljana
Learn more about Ljubljana with "25 things to know about Slovenia's green city of dragons", or take a look at our guide to spending from four to 48 hours here.
If you like the city's architecture then check out this great book, Let’s See the City - Ljubljana: Architectural Walks & Tours, with our review here and a page from the book shown above. We took a walk with one of the authors who showed us how much there is to learn and enjoy if you slow down and pay attention - read about that here.
Ljubljana has some beautiful buildings from the early 20th century, in the Secessionist style, like the one below. Learn where to find them here.
Photo: Neža Loštrek
For something a little more brual, check out Republika trg / Republic Square, in the heart of the political quarter.
Photo: JL Flanner
Photo: JL Flanner
Some view of the city you can only get from the river. If you'd like to take a boat ride then read about my experience here. If you'd like to spend an evening painting with others, then take a look at Design with Wine, which organises painting parties on Trubarjeva cesta,
If you want to see some antiques, then check out the wonderful Antika Carniola, as discussed here. The man behind it, Jaka Prijatelj, has a fine eye for life on this street, as you can see on his Facebook account.
Photo: JL Flanner
If you’re in town and want to go jogging or walking in nature, why not take another look at the Castle, with a brief guide to the trails here. If you want something bigger, head to Tivoli Park.
And if you're bored with the Old Town, why not take a walk, cycle or boat ride to nearby Špica and enjoy the riverside life. Learn more about that here.
visitljubjana.si
Want to stretch and breath? Then check out our list of drop-in yoga classes for tourists, visitors and the uncommitted. We go to Nataraja Studio, by Dragon Bridge, and here's a story about it.
Prefer to have someone else stretch you? The check out the totally legit massages you can get from Sense Wellness - either in one of their spas or in you home, office or hotel. (And - to repeat - these are legit and non-sexual in nature)
There are some golf courses near Ljubljana, but even ones further away are not far, as seen in our list of all the golf courses in Slovenia, which usually run until the first snow.
Photo: maxpixel.net, public domain
Daytrips
Most of Slovenia is only a few hours from Ljubljana, and you can easily visit Lake Bled, Lipica Stud Farm, Postojna Cave, Predjama Castle, the coast and other locations, while if you'd like to take a photo of from that bench in Bled, then you can learn how to get there here. If you’re looking for something more ambitious, then check out our recent guide to the 17 members of the Association of Historical Towns of Slovenia. We've also written guides on spending from four to 48 hours in Bled and Piran.
Photo: Google Image Search
Getting around
If you want to get a Ljubljana Tourist Card, which gives you travel on the city buses and entry to a lot of attractions, then you can read more about that here, and if you want to use the bike share system, as useful for visitors as it is for residents, then you can learn more by clicking this. Visitors with reduced mobility will be pleased to find that downtown Ljubljana is generally rated as good with regard to accessibility, and that there’s a free, city-sponsored app called Ljubljana by Wheelchair highlighting cafés, attractions and so on with ramps, disabled bathrooms and Eurokey facilities, which you can read about and download here. Manual wheelchair users can also borrow, for free, an attachment that will motorise their equipment, as reported here.
Screenshot from a Twitter video
If you’re driving into town and don’t know where to park, our guide to how to park in Ljubljana is here.
Emergencies
Ljubljana is a small and relatively safe city, but if need to contact the police then there’s a special number for foreigners, and that’s 113.
Photo: JL Flanner
There aren't many places to eat after midnight, and most of them are by the train station, as reported here.
Want / need cigarettes but the stores have closed? Here's an incomplete list of bars downtown that will satisfy your craving for the demon weed. While if you’re having trouble with the ATMs then here’s a guide to the Slovene you’ll see on screen. If you get a hangover then find out where to get paracetamol (and prescription drugs) in Ljubljana here, while details on emergency birth control can be found here.
Swimming on the first day of the new year seems to have become a nationwide event with its centre in Portorož, were the climate allows organisers to not worry much about potential ice on the water.
A total of 603 swimmers jumped into the sea before a record number of spectators this year, taking take a swim from one pier to another.
But as you can see in the videos below Portorož was not the only place to see swimmers on Wednesday, despite the fact that temperatures of the rivers are much lower than those of the sea.
Unlike recent years, we managed to enter the new year without any serious fireworks injuries nor alcohol poisonings of minors. This doesn't mean, however, that New Year's Eve passed without incidents.
A total of 73 interventions were carried out by Ljubljana Ambulance Service of the University Medical Centre Ljubljana between 7 pm and 7 am, including at nine accidents. Four unconscious adults, five chest pain, seven abdominal pain and five breathing problems were treated. They assisted in one childbirth in the field, and the ambulance team also sought help from the police, who took care of an aggressive person attacking them.
At the emergency unit of the University Medical Centre Ljubljana five persons with minor injuries from pyrotechnics sought help, and have all already been released into domestic care. They also treated one person with serious difficulties who turned out to be poisoned with alcohol. This person is already feeling much better now.
Similar reports are coming from University Medical Centre Maribor, where minor injuries from different causes were treated.
Police had to intervene in Upper Carniola, where a pyrotechnic device for a signal gun exploded when a man tried to light it with a lighter, hurting his hand. In the second event a piece of a rocket fell down and hurt a spectator’s eye.
In Jesenice police had to fine a man who twice in one day used pyrotechnic devices in a built-up area.
The illegal use of pyrotechnics is also reported from Nova Gorica, and the police issued a fine to a local in Kojsko for throwing firecrackers.
There were also several reports of shootings in the area of Novo mesto and Metlika. Although some of those cases might actually be related to the use of pyrotechnics, two persons were nevertheless apprehended on suspicion of the use of the firearms.
Police also intervened due to several small fires caused by pyrotechnics, as well as several cases of domestic violence and 23 illegal border crossings.
On Tuesday afternoon the police of Novo mesto were called to Rakovnik at Birčna vas, where the owners reported that a ram, three pregnant ewes and a lamb were stolen from their pasture.
The American Slovenian Education Foundation (ASEF) Junior Fellows program provides talented students of Slovenian heritage – and not only from the US – with the support they need to focus on their professional development at Slovenia’s top universities, institutes, and companies.
It’s a one-year program, which enables students to do an all-expenses paid (travel, housing, living expenses) 10-week work or research visit over the summer at a university, company, or a research institute in their field of study or expertise.
Where and what you can study in Slovenia
Participating institutions include all the universities, Institute Jožef Stefan, the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SAZU), and Karst Research Institute, as well as the Central Bank, various companies in the tech, medical, and biochemistry sectors, and several orchestras. The areas of research and work covered are: architecture, business, communications and marketing, chemistry and biochemistry, computer science, earth sciences, English, economics and finance, electrical engineering, karst studies, linguistics and Slovenistics, mathematics, mechanical engineering, medicine, music, physics, political science, social sciences (including history), and theology.
The aim of the programme is two-fold. First, to give individuals the chance to experience Slovenia as a study and work environment, and to get to know its language and culture. Second, to strengthen research and study exchanges between Slovenia and other countries and help those who have an interest in Slovenian culture and want to realise their potential.
Note that the website isn’t entirely clear as to what the nationality requirements are, if any, only stating that “a typical applicant is a full-time senior undergraduate, masters, or PhD student from the USA, Canada, Argentina or any other country”. You can learn more here, including the experiences of previous recipients and all the forms you need to apply, with the deadline being 1 February 2020. And if you’re too late for this year, make a note for 2021 and spend that summer in Slovenia.
STA, 1 January 2020 - Slovenia is quite generous with holidays and 2019 was a particularly favourable year, with twelve bank holidays falling on a weekday. The coming year will be much more work-heavy: only seven bank holidays will be on a weekday.
January 1 and 2 are among the weekday holidays, along with Easter Monday on 13 April, Resistance Day on 27 April, Labour Day on 1 May and Statehood Day on 25 June. In the second half of the year, the only weekday holiday will be Christmas Day.
While this means more working days for people, the dearth of weekday holidays bodes well for the economy. Calculations by the Statistical Office indicate each additional working day contributes about 0.1 percent to GDP growth all things being equal.
The actual effect may vary depending on which day of the week a holiday falls on.
STA, 1 January 2020 - Recently adopted tax changes that slightly reduce the taxation of labour in favour of higher taxes on capital officially enter into effect on Wednesday.
The thresholds for all five personal income tax brackets have been increased, effectively subjecting a higher share of income to lower tax rates.
In the second and third tax brackets, which cover mostly the middle class, the tax rate will drop by a percentage point to 26% and 33% respectively.
Those on the minimum wage will see their earnings rise only marginally, while those on average pay can expect roughly EUR 150 more per year.
The threshold for the highest income bracket, which comes with a 50% tax rate, has been slightly raised to EUR 72,000; there are only about 3,900 individuals who fall into this tax bracket, or 0.3% of all income-tax payers.
The income tax changes are coupled with higher capital gains tax, which will rise to 27.5% from 25%. This rate will also apply to rental income.
Additionally, companies will be subject to a minimum corporate income tax rate of 7%, as tax credits for investments and losses from previous years will be reduced.
STA, 24 December 2019 - Slovenian politics and society are likely to be dominated in 2020 by the twin challenges of slowing economic growth, exacerbated by global uncertainty and domestic demographic trends, and political instability. While the first challenge calls for far-reaching reforms, political instability makes such reforms difficult to push through.
HOME POLICY IN SLOVENIA 2020
Celebrations of the 30th anniversary of events that lead to the declaration of Slovenian independence will provide the political backdrop for 2020, a year that is expected to be less about celebration than uncertainty, in particular over the firmness of the minority government, which will be forced to seek support for every bill and vote.
This is likely to make it difficult to defend individual ministers in the event of vote of no-confidence or pass major legislation, some of which, for example health reform, is seen as long overdue. President Borut Pahor has suggested forming a consensus on two or three key projects, but for now such a prospect seems remote. One such project may by reform of electoral law as ordered by the Constitutional Court, but negotiations sponsored by Pahor have so far produced two competing solutions without a clear majority support.
One major legislative proposal expected early in 2020 is a bill on long-term care, which has been in the making for years, but its fate is to a large extent connected to the amended health insurance bill, on which there is a lack of clear consensus on key solutions even within the government.
In the security arena fierce debates are set to continue about how to manage migrations. Related to that are wishes by the police to get additional powers, which have so far been held back by human rights concerns. The penal code is also slated for change, although there the focus is on a reform of provisions on sexual offences.
Despite a record budget for the year, pressure on government expenditure is likely to continue increasing due to existing and new wage demands. Talks are already under way about a more thorough reform of the public sector pay system, but progress has been slow.
At least two highlights are expected on the staffing front. By March a new president of the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption is to be appointed, and in July the nine-year term of Constitutional Court judge Dunja Jadek Pensa ends.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY IN SLOVENIA 2020
One of the main issues of 2020 will be how the Slovenian economy will perform in conditions of considerable uncertainty due to trade wars. While the economy is expected to grow at a slightly slower pace than this year, at 2.5-3%, the potential downside risks are substantial even though trade tensions have eased off recently. Macroeconomic performance will also determine government spending and the course of talks on additional cuts in taxes on labour.
An intense year is expected in infrastructure as major state investments, including construction of the second rail track from Divača to Koper, the second tube of the Karavanke tunnel and portions of the north-south expressway known as the Third Development Axis are to finally get off the ground. A tender for spectrum for next-generation telecoms services known as 5G is also expected.
Energy policy will be a major focal point, with Slovenia finally expected to adopt the National Energy and Climate Plan and an energy concept, documents that will determine the country's long-term energy mix. This might involve a more final decision on the future of nuclear energy.
In housing policy action is expected on the promise to build more affordable housing. A new national loan guarantee scheme for those on lower incomes has been announced as well.
Provided disagreements between Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH) and the Bank Assets Management Company (BAMC) are resolved, a new holding company bringing all state-owned tourism assets under one roof will be established. The general idea has been confirmed, but opinions are divided on the details of the management and ownership of dozens of hotels and spas.
Resolution is also expected with regard to the transfer of Slovenian retailer Mercator from its bankrupt Croatian parent company Agrokor to the newly-established Fortenova, and clarity is expected about plans by Magna Steyr to expand its paint shop in Hoče as well as plans by Gorenje owner Hisense to build a TV factory in Velenje.
FOREIGN POLICY IN SLOVENIA 2020
Slovenia's foreign policy has long been dominated by relations with Croatia and 2020 is unlikely to bring about change. Early in the year the EU's Court of Justice is expected to decide whether Slovenia's lawsuit against Croatia regarding the implementation of the border arbitration award is admissible. And the Slovenian government may have to take a decision on whether or not Croatia may join the no-passport Schengen zone; the indications so far are that it will try to block its efforts unless Croatia returns to border arbitration.
With Slovenia chairing the EU Council in the second half of 2021, preparations are expected to intensify next year. Before that, Slovenia will have to put significant efforts in talks on the EU's next multi-year budget considering that it faces the prospect of getting far less cohesion funds.
Two major anniversaries with a strong foreign-policy dimension are also coming up next year. July marks the centenary of the burning of the Narodni Dom, a Slovenian cultural centre in Trieste, and in November comes the centenary of the Carinthian plebiscite, which in effect determined a significant portion of the border between Austria and present-day Slovenia.
ARTS & CULTURE IN SLOVENIA 2020
After a long period of culture policy lull, several major developments are expected to come to fruition in 2020. Starting on 1 January, the reduced, 5% VAT rate will apply to all physical and electronic books, newspapers and periodicals. And later in the year preparations will start for implementation of a law that set aside almost EUR 123 million for cultural projects in 2021-2027.
A new national programme for culture for 2020-2027 is expected to be adopted along with a new national language policy until 2024. Amendments to the media act, in the making for years, are likely as well.
MAJOR EVENTS AND ANNIVERSARIES IN SLOVENIA 2020
JANUARY
1st - Entry into force of tax changes that reduce personal income tax, increase corporate income tax and introduce a minimum rate of corporate income tax. A single 5% VAT rate will become applicable to physical and electronic books, newspapers and periodicals.
1st - The minimum wage will increase from EUR 677 to EUR 700 net.
1st - The tenth anniversary of the formation of the National Bureau of Investigation, a unit of police dealing with the biggest cases of white collar crime.
18th - The coalition Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) will elect a new leadership.
22nd - Thirty years since the Slovenian delegation left the congress of the Yugoslav Communist Union, presaging the break-up of Yugoslavia.
22nd-26th - Biathlon World Cup races will be held at Pokljuka.
FEBRUARY
7th - The Prešeren Prize, the highest state award for artistic achievements, will be handed out on the eve of Culture Day.
15th-16th - Women's World Cup slalom and giant slalom races will be held at the 56th Golden Fox competition in Maribor.
15th - The start of the 60th Kurentovanje in Ptuj, Slovenia's largest carnival festival.
MARCH
14th-15th - Kranjska Gora will host the men's World Cup slalom and giant slalom races.
15th - The 25th anniversary of the start of Slovenia's EU accession talks.
19th-22nd - Planica will host the World Ski Flying Championship.
27th - The 50th Week of Slovenian Drama, one of the largest theatre festivals in the country.
APRIL
8th - The 30th anniversary of the first multi-party democratic election in Slovenia.
24th - The National Football Association will mark 100 years of organised football in Slovenia.
MAY
16th - The 30th anniversary of the inauguration of the first Slovenian government, which adopted key laws paving the way for Slovenia's independence.
JUNE
2nd-5th - Ljubljana will host Velo-city, the annual meeting of the European Cyclists' Federation.
6th - Tenth anniversary of the referendum in which voters confirmed the Slovenia-Croatia border arbitration agreement.
10th-14th - The Tour of Slovenia, the largest professional cycling race in the country.
26th - The start of Lent Festival in Maribor.
JULY
8th - The 30th anniversary of a commemoration at Kočevski Rog that was supposed to constitute a national reconciliation over post-WWII mass summary executions.
13th - The centenary of the torching of Narodni Dom, a central cultural institution of the Slovenian community in Trieste, by the Fascists.
15th - The nine-year term of Constitutional Court judge Dunja Jadek Pensa expires.
21st - The tenth anniversary of Slovenia's membership of the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
30th - The 25th anniversary of Slovenia's membership of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
AUGUST
4th - The 20th anniversary of the establishment of New Slovenia - Christian Democrats (NSi).
16th-23rd - World Rowing Championship.
SEPTEMBER
6th - The 90th anniversary of the slaying of three Slovenian and a Croatian anti-fascists at the hands of Italian soldiers in Basovizza, considered the first victims of fascism in Europe.
6th - The Ironman 70.3 race will be held in and around Koper.
12th-25th - The 55th Borštnik Theatre Festival, considered the most prestigious national theatre competition.
OCTOBER
10th - The centenary of the Carinthian plebiscite, which determined a significant portion of the border between Austria and present-day Slovenia.
20th - Slovenia will be presented at Expo 2020 in Dubai.
25th - The 25th Ljubljana Marathon.
NOVEMBER
11th-22nd - The 31st Ljubljana International Film Festival.
24th-29th - The 36th Slovenian Book Fair in Ljubljana.
DECEMBER
17th - The 30th anniversary of the formation of Moris, a special unit of the Territorial Defence.
23rd - The 30th anniversary of the Slovenian independence referendum.
STA, 31 December 2019 - A Vox Populi public opinion poll commissioned by the newspaper Dnevnik shows that Slovenians are quite satisfied with their lives, with the respondents assessing the quality of life with an average mark of 3.38 on a one-to-five scale.
More than 41% of the people polled said they were satisfied (4) and 6% that they were very satisfied (5) with their lives.
Almost 40% gave the quality of their lives the medium mark (3), while the share of people dissatisfied with their lives was 13.1%, which is a drop in comparison with the previous year.
More than 11% gave the quality of their lives a 2, and only 2% opted for the worst mark (1), shows the survey conducted by Ninamedia between 10 and 12 December among 700 adults.
When socio-demographic data are taken into account, it shows that persons younger than 30 are the most satisfied with their lives and that satisfaction is proportionate with the level of education.
There are more men than women among those who are satisfied with their lives, while in terms of party preferences, the most satisfied are supporters of the opposition New Slovenia (NSi) and Left and the ruling Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ).
Some 68% of the respondents said the situation in their households was the same as in 2018, 15.8% said it was worse, and 15.4% that it was better.
There’s still day or so to go before the final figures, but the year-end grosses for the all the films released in cinemas during 2019 in Slovenia are more or less in. The top ten shows the continued dominance of Hollywood, comic books, cartoons, remakes, sequels and spin-offs, with just two original properties and one domestic title.
The year’s best performing movie at the box office was the CGI “live action” remake of The Lion King, with the top 10 showing some interesting variations with regard to the global list. Perhaps most notable is the fact that the world #1, Avengers: Endgame, is in third place in Slovenia, beaten by down to bronze by the darker and R-rated Joker (which landed at 7th on the global list, and – due to the low production and marketing costs – was the most profitable of all comic book movies for the year).
The full top ten, along with the trailers (either with Slovene subtitles, or dubbed for kids’ movies), is shown below. Note that, for comparison purposes, the top grossing movie in independent Slovenia seems to have been 2016’s Pr 'Hostar, a broad Slovenian comedy, which earned €1,088,441 in ticket sales. (Since Box Office Mojo gives the figures in US dollars we changed them to euros using today’s rate of $1 = €0.89.)
#1 The Lion King - €702,858
#2 Joker - €565,990
#3 Avengers: Endgame - €503,711
Other movies that were bigger hits in Slovenia than worldwide include How to Train Your Dragon: Hidden World (#5), The Secret Life of Pets 2 (#6), Košarkar naj bo 2 (Let Him be a Basketball Player 2) (#8, and the only Slovene picture in the top 30), Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood (#9) and Abominable (#10). The latest Star Wars movie, The Rise of Skywalker, is #10 globally, but only #22 in Slovenia – well behind the 15th placed The Angry Birds Movie 2.
#4 Frozen 2 - €475,782
#5 How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World - €441,293
#6 The Secret Life of Pets 2 - €325,124
#7 Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw - €313,087
#8 Kosarkar Naj Bo 2 - €298,108
#9 Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood - €288,761
#10 Abominable € 271,059 $304,561
2019 in Slovenian film…
As noted above, other than Košarkar…, with ticket sales of €298,108 it wasn’t a great year at the box office for local productions. Preboj (Breakthrough), the story of the “young partisan resistance fighter commander Franc Sever Franta [who] faces an impossible task when he has to rescue 500 freedom fighters surrounded and outnumbered by a Nazi German division high in the mountains in harsh winter condition” – came in at #37, grossing around € 73,683, one place head of the failed blockbuster Terminator: Dark Fate. Meanwhile, the heavily promoted Ne Bom Vec Luzerka (My Last Year as a Loser) was the 78th most popular movie at the box office in Slovenia, taking at total of around €29,835, and the award-winning Zgodbe iz kostanjevih gozdov (Stories from the Chestnut Woods) was at #89, with €23,761. You can see the trailers for all these below:
