If you're not in town for the week of this guide (29 July to 4 August, 2019) 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.

In town and want to follow the news? Check out our regular morning headlines for Slovenia here.

As ever, links to the basic listings are after the following selection, while a comprehensive PDF of events for the next seven days, as prepared by Ljubljana Tourism, is here.

Jump to listings

Skunk Anansie are performing at 20:00 Kino Šiška Monday evening (29 July). At the same time, in the National Gallery, Avi Avital will be playing the mandolin as part of the Ljubljana Festival (details). Tuesday (20:00) the National Gallery will then see a show by the Georgian Chamber Orchestra (details), while Wednesday there’s an evening called Death and the Maiden, with the soprano Nika Gorič (details). More music can be found in the regular listings below.

You can enjoy beach volleyball in Kongresni trg (Congress Square / Zvezda Park) Friday to Sunday, with the Ljubljana Beach Volley Challenge, and international beach volleyball championship. More details here.

TrNOVfest  is back for the whole month of August, with theatre and dance workshops, art exhibitions, Indian dances, literary and film evenings, stand-up comedy, graffiti workshops, DJ sessions and more, with food and craft beer to go along with music that ranges from jazz and acoustic to rock, metal, and trap. Tickets at €5, things happen at the Centre of Slavic Cultures France Prešeren, and details (in Slovene) are here.

I took a trip to the Botanical Garden last week, a short or cycle upriver from the centre. I know nothing about plants but I like them, took a camera and had a good time. All the outside part is free to enter, and there’s a small café with ice cream, coffee and beer.

JL Flanner

The Ljubljana Festival, which continues until 5 September and has a packed programme of world-class concert, opera, and ballet events – see more here. Other festivals of note include the start of Gala Hala Summer Stage at Metelkova Mesto, running until 31 July and offering bands and DJ sets, with all evenings free. Details here (Slovene only). On until August 3rd is Film Under the Stars, giving the chance to watch some of the leading art films of the past year outside at Ljubljana Castle, each night at 21:30. The full schedule and trailers are here.

Thursday, at Kavarna Plato, Ajdovščina 1 (on end of Slovenska cesta, not far from Nebotičnik) there’s also free open-air salsa, starting 20:00. Same same, but different, every Friday, 20:30, there’ll be free live jazz in Stari trg (Old Town Square).

The Summer in Ljubljana Old Town goes on until 28 August. This presents classical concerts, many of which are free, in the churches, inner courtyards and squares in the old city centre. The programme is here. Running until 1 September is the Mini Theatre’s season for children and young people, with details here.

Volčji Potok Arboretum (Volčji Potok 3) has a rose garden in bloom until 31 August, nature permitting.

If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts 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.

Photo: JL Flanner

Ljubljana is forecast to be the fastest-warming city in the world over the next few decades.

Contents

• 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.

Film Under the Stars gives you the chance to watch some of the leading art films of the past year outside at Ljubljana Castle, each night at 21:30. The full schedule and trailers are here.

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.

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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).

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.

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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.

Ljubljana Castle – Jazz, funk and pop every Friday night.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Vice meets Žižek in Ljubljana. If you want to see more of the most successful writer who lives in Ljubljana, click 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.

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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.

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Museums and galleries

Most public galleries and museums are closed on Mondays, although not the National Museum.

Looking to buy some high end, big name local art from a trusted gallery? Check out our look at Sloart.

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.

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.

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 until 25 September is Treasures from Russian Museums, an exhibition showcasing more than 80 Russian icons from leading Russian museums.

The Faces of Ljubljana in the City Museum. Photo: JL Flanner

International Centre of Graphic Art  – The 33^rd Biennial of Graphic Arts runs until 29 September. It's called Crack Up – Crack Down, and is curated by the collective Slavs and Tartars, with a focus satire and the graphic arts. Learn more here.

Kapelica Gallery, Kersnikova 4 – In the same building as Klub K4 you can enjoy Earth Without Humans: 'On The Boundaries Of Artificial Life' until August 23, described as follows: “We have started trusting high-tech more than we trust our close friends and family and an increasing number of technology manufacturers are becoming aware of this. The applications that they are developing are becoming increasingly smart and cooperative, while also becoming increasingly aesthetically neutral and humanised.”

Ljubljana Castle on until 17 November Mighty Guardians of the Past: Castles in the Slovenian Lands, a presentation that delivers on the promise of its title. There's also the Parallel Worlds of Alan Hranitelj runs on until September 8, showing the work of the acclaimed costume designer.

MAO – The Museum of Architecture and Design has much of what you'd expect, along with some temporary shows and a good cafe. On until 19 September is a show called Creators, on contemporary Slovenian fashion and textile design, which is being promoted with the following image.

Photo: Urša Premik

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. Opening Thursday, April 25^th, 20:00, The Visual Arts in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, 1929–1941, which then runs until September 15^th 2019. This offers “an overview of painting, sculpture, printmaking, drawing, photography, and film from the time the king's dictatorship was set up (6 January 1929) to the beginning of World War II on Yugoslav soil (April 1941)” - you can read more about it here. The museum's Metelkova branch also has a big new show, runing until at least September 2019, an the art of the Non-Aligned Movement, with an example shown below. Until September 15 you can also enjoy Maja Hodošček, a video artist you “explores social relations through the politics of exchange and collaboration; in particular, she is interested in speculative models of representation in relation to the documentary.”

Rafikun Nabi: Poet, 1980, print, 96.5 x 110 cm. Courtesy of the Contemporary Art Center of Montenegro. On display at the Metelova branch of the Moderna galerija

Alan Ford at the National Gallery

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. The Space Within the Space: Scenography in Slovenia before 1991 will provide a comprehensive historic, stylistic, visual and theatrical overview of Slovenian scenography until 8 September. There’s also a big show on Alan Ford, one of the great comic books of the Yugoslav era, on until 13 October.

JL Flanner

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. Running until 3 November is Roma Aeterna: Masterpieces of Classical Sculpture. With sculptures from the collection of the Santarelli family in Rome, ranging from the age of the Roman Empire to that of neoclassicism. 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.

Natural History Museum – On until the end of December 2019 is Our Little Big Sea, which takes a look at the oceans.

 Roma Aeterna: Masterpieces of Classical Sculpture - see below

National Museum of Contemporary History - Tucked away in park Tivoli, in addition to his permanent collection will be showingIn Search Of Freedom: 1968-2018 until 16 August. Until 29 September there also a retrospective on the photographer Edi Šelhaus, which is being promoted with the following image. On until 18 August is Walls, described as follows: “Thirty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, it is clear that the processes of democratisation and integration of Europe, announced in the historical year of 1989, have failed to achieve their goals. Although many real and symbolic walls have been demolished, new ones have been raised instead, and some still deeply disturbed our society.”

Photo: Edi Šelhaus

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). From April 18 until October 19 (2019) you can also see a show calledShamanism of the Peoples of Siberia, from the Russian Museum of Ethnography, Saint Petersburg. The place is located near the newer branch of the Moderna galerija and Metelkova. You can read about this fascinating show here. On until September 15 is Petra Šink: The circle between design and nature, in which the award-winning designer takes visitors through the life cycle of useful products for the home which are made from natural biodegradable fungal materials.

Union is "the Ljubljana beer", but now both it and Laško are owned by Heineken. There are many local brews on offer around town, though, if you want to explore IPAs, stouts, wheatbeers, sours and so on Photo: JL Flanner

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.

Vžigalica Gallery – If you’re curious about the man who commissioned that Melania Trump sculpture, then you can see more of activities here, in a show called Brad Downey: This Echo.

Volčji Potok Arboretum - Running until 3 November you can see a large collection of cacti 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

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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.

Open Kitchen brings market stalls selling food and drink from some of the best restaurants in town every Friday, from 11am to 11pm, in the square between the cathedral and the river - just follow your nose and the crowds. Read more about it here.

Photo: Open Kitchen

Ljubljana has some beautiful buildings from the early 20^th 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 prefer to get in the water rather than on it, then here's a guide to the various open air pools in Ljubljana. Note that it was written last year and so the prices and times may have changed, so do click the links and check.

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

Nataraja Studio

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.

Photo: maxpixel.net, public domain

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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

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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.

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Keep up with the daily news in Slovenia by checking the morning headlines here

This summary was prepared by the STA

MONDAY, 29 July
        LJUBLJANA - British rock band Skunk Anansie will give a concert at Kino Šiška.

TUESDAY, 30 July
        ŽALEC - The start of the International Hop Growers' Convention; until 2 August.
        LJUBLJANA - Administrative petrol prices will change.
        LJUBLJANA - A press conference to present Slovenian scientists' discovery about a new mechanism of action in ketamine, a medication used for starting and maintaining anaesthesia.

WEDNESDAY, 31 July
        LJUBLJANA - The Statistics Office will release data on July inflation and tourist arrivals and nights.
        CELJE - Chemical company Cinkarna Celje is expected to release its interim financial report.
        KOSTEL - Castle Kolpa Music Festival, the biggest musical festival in south Slovenia, will get under way; until 4 August.
        NOVO MESTO - Fotopub, an international festival of contemporary photography; until 4 August.
        STOCKHOLM, Sweden - Slovenian football champions Maribor will take on AIK in the return leg of the second round of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.

THURSDAY, 1 August
        NOVO MESTO - Pharma company Krka is expected to release its interim financial report.
        LJUBLJANA - Trnovfest, a month-long music festival in Trnovo borough, will start with a concert by rock band Hamo & Tribute 2 Love.
        LJUBLJANA - A four-day World Series beach volleyball tournament, played in Congress Square and the Ludus Sport Park, will start.

FRIDAY, 2 August
        No major events scheduled.

SATURDAY, 3 August
        KRANJSKA GORA - The Shepherds of Great Tales international film festival will wrap up with an award ceremony.

SUNDAY, 4 August
        MONTE SANTO DI LUSSARI, Italy - Catholics from Slovenia, Italy and Austria will make their annual pilgrimage to the tri-border area for the Pilgrimage of Three Slovenias.

STA, 25 July 2019 - Slovenian members of the European Parliament's Employment and Social Affairs Committee have welcomed the EU Commission decision to continue infringement proceedings over Austrian child benefits as a sign that discrimination will not be allowed.

"This is welcome news for our commuters. I expect Austria to heed to the concerns by the EU Commission and act accordingly. We cannot let children who are citizens of the EU be treated as first- and second-rate citizens," Romana Tomc (SDS/EPP) said.

Milan Brglez (SD/S&D) likewise said the EU may not allow discrimination. "This would be contrary to its essence and its achievements, and it applies in particular to the most vulnerable groups such as children," he wrote in a press release on Thursday.

Their comments came after the Commission sent a reasoned opinion to Austria, the next step in infringement proceedings, due to the incompatibility of its law on the indexation of family benefits and family tax credits with EU rules.

Austria wanted to index child benefits for children who reside in other EU countries while their parents work in Austria to the cost of living in their countries of residence, which would severely affect mostly children from Central and Eastern European countries, Slovenia included.

STA, 23 July 2019 - This year's traditional memorial ceremony at the Russian Chapel (Ruska kapela) under the Vršič Pass, which honours Russian POWs killed during WWI, will be focused on the post-war period. It is expected to be attended by several thousand people, including high-profile guests from Russia, the organisers have announced.

Taking place on Saturday, the ceremony marking the 103rd anniversary of the construction of the Russian Orthodox chapel will see the keynote address by parliamentary Speaker Dejan Židan as the honorary sponsor of the event.

Addressing the ceremony in front of the chapel built by Russian POWs engaged in forced labour in the area during WWI will also be Ljubljana University Chancellor Igor Papič, as this year's event is connected with the 100th anniversary of the university.

It was Russian immigrants who helped establish the university one hundred years ago, the organisers noted at a press conference in Ljubljana on Tuesday.

The ceremony will be attended by official delegations of the Russian government and the Russian Orthodox Church, the former headed by Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media Konstantin Noskov.

The memorial mass will meanwhile be celebrated by Bishop Siluan, the rector of the Saint Petersburg Theological Academy.

The organisers announced that the road between Kranjska Gora and the chapel under the highest pass in Slovenia will be closed, with free bus rides organised for visitors.

After the ceremony, which will start at 10am, a traditional meeting of members of the Slovenia-Russia Association will be held in Kranjska Gora, and several other events will be held, including in Ljubljana.

On Friday, a concert of the Russian jazz band Vadim Eilenkrig Quartet will be held in Ljubljana's Congress Square, while the mixed choir of the Saint Petersburg Theological Academy will perform in the Franciscan Church of the Annunciation on Sunday.

Urban Ocvirk of the Slovenia-Russia Association said that they wanted to give this year's ceremony a positive note and focus on the post-war period.

"The emphasis is on putting all the accumulated hatred, suffering and conflicts aside and transforming it into remembrance, reverence, into a possibility of creating something new in the dialogue between cultures, nations, people."

According to Ocvirk, the post-war period was ground-breaking time for people who needed to again find humaneness in themselves, which is why the ceremony should not only mark the tragedy of Russian soldiers.

"In more than 100 years, the chapel has developed into a legend, being transformed from a symbol of war and victims of injustices into a symbol of peace and the friendly relations between the Russian and Slovenian nations," added the association's president Ivan Geržina.

Russian Ambassador Doku Zavgayev said at the conference that the Slovenian-Russian relations had been progressing in various fields.

Zavgayev noted that Russia had recently donated to Slovenia a monument honouring Slovenian translator Davorin Hostnik, who compiled the first Russian-Slovenian dictionary. It was unveiled in his native Šmarje pri Jelšah at the end of May.

STA, 25 July - Slovenia has been seeing a spike in illegal migration in recent months, but while most of the migrants are being returned to Croatia, the smugglers who helped them across the border are filling up Slovenian prisons.

A report by the news web site of the public broadcaster rtvslo.si cites official data showing that foreigners account for nearly a quarter of Slovenia's prison population. Half of them have been incarcerated for smuggling migrants.

There are currently 323 foreign citizens in Slovenian correction facilities, 177 of them in custody, Prison Administration data show. "Out of 323 foreign citizens, 176 are in prison or in custody on suspicion of organising illegal crossings across the border."

Smuggling of migrants carries up to five years in prison and a fine, while those who make money by facilitating illegal entry of migrants into the country face sentences of up to eight in years in prison.

Slovenian police apprehended more than 200 illegal migrants only last weekend, 122 of them at several small camps in the woods where someone appeared to have left bags with food and basic necessities for them.

Interior Minister Boštjan Poklukar commented that this was a case of organised smuggling of migrants, committed both by individuals and smuggling rings.

There are no official statistics on the number of smugglers apprehended, but the General Police Administration told rtvslo.si that they had apprehended 153 smugglers of migrants last year, and as many as 132 by the end of July this year already.

The apprehended smugglers are as a rule remanded in custody, worsening the cramped conditions at Slovenian prison facilities. The capacities are most overcrowded at the prisons in Koper and Novo Mesto, at 128% and 126% capacity utilisation rates.

Foreign prisoners come from 46 countries, while there is also one whose nationality is unknown.

Interior Ministry data show that 1,802 migrants applied for international protection in Slovenia in the first half of the year, which compares to 2,875 the whole last year. Forty have been granted asylum this year and 102 last year.

A total of 680 people who have been granted international protection are living in the country at the moment. Between 1995 and the end of 2018, the status was granted to 818 third country citizens.

All our stories on human trafficking are here, those on illegal migration are here, and those on prison are here

STA, 24 July 2019 - On an average day in 2018 there were 54 births and 56 deaths in Slovenia; 78 people immigrated, 37 people emigrated, there were 20 weddings and 6 divorces, show Statistical Office data.

There were 19,585 live births and 20,485 deaths, in what was the second year in a row with more deaths than births. Most children were born in the summer, while most deaths happened in the winter.

A total of 7,256 couples married in 2018, which is 12% more than in 2017. With as many as 1,100 couples marrying in June, it was the most popular month for weddings in 2018. May, August and September are the only other months in which more than a thousand couples married.

There were 2,347 divorces last year, 1.7% less than in 2017.

More details on this data can be found here, while our other stories on statistics and Slovenia are here

STA, 23 July 2019 - The Constitutional Court has ordered an injunction against a legislative provision that allows law enforcement authorities to use IMSI catchers, devices that mimic mobile phone towers to intercept mobile traffic.

The court suspended the provision, passed in the amendments to the criminal procedure act in March, pending its final decision on a petition brought by the opposition Democratic Party (SDS) and the Left.

The parties are challenging several contentious provisions on the grounds of invasion of privacy, including Article 150.a of the criminal procedure act, which creates the legal basis for IMSI catchers.

The parties did not propose staying this particular provision, but the court did impose an injunction, arguing that its enforcement could cause damaging consequences that would be hard to repair.

The court holds that the use of IMSI catchers may provide the basis for further invasive encroachment on human rights by the state; among other things, it allows covert investigative measures.

"The measure allows distinctly targeted gathering and processing of many sets of personal data of a broad group of individuals," the court said.

The court is treating the case as an absolute priority. Other provisions challenged by the two parties have not been stayed.

The injunction was welcomed by both parties, while the Interior Ministry regretted it, saying that the use of IMSI catchers would make police work more effective and successful.

The ministry underscored that "IMSI catchers are being used successfully and effectively in several EU countries, helping them in the combat against the worst forms organised and other crime".

The Left's MP Matej T. Vatovec described the injunction as "the first good signal ... that the government's aspiration to establish a police state is excessive".

Digital technology makes it possible to invade privacy as never before, and the contentious amendments create more scope for unconstitutional spying on people, SDS MP Dejan Kaloh commented.

The SDS had expected the court to stay several other contentious provisions, but the court said this could create hard to reverse consequences if the provisions turned out not to be unconstitutional.

"This obviously does not mean that the Constitutional Court's final ruling will be in the government's favour", Kaloh said in a press release.

The two parties are challenging a number of new provisions which deal with covert investigative measures and data collection and surveillance in traffic, arguing grave and disproportional invasion of privacy.

The challenged articles include one that makes it possible to conduct a house search without the person being investigated being present.

The petitioners argue that the possibility of invasion of privacy should be limited to most urgent cases and that proper safeguards should be put in place to prevent abuse.

However, the Justice Ministry repeated in its response today that it did follow the principle of proportionality in drawing up the solutions.

The ministry also welcomed the court's decision to treat the matter as an absolute priority.

The Constitutional Court has recently also annulled a provision in the police powers act that sanctions the use systems for automatic licence plate recognition.

July 23, 2019

In 1919 Regent Aleksander Karađorđević signed the University in Ljubljana of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes Act. The University’s founding members were the Faculties of Arts, Medicine, Law, Technical and Theology.

In the first study year of 1919/20, 942 students were enrolled at the University of Ljubljana, 914 men and 28 women. Although men dominated in numbers, the first doctoral degree was, however, awarded to a woman, which was quite unusual in Europe at the time. The first University of Ljubljana PhD was earned by Ana Mayer on July 15 for her successful defence of a doctoral thesis titled “On Formalin's Effects on Starch”. However, between the wars the University remained very conservative with regard to the acceptance of women, who nevertheless never gave up trying to gain admission.

Women make up more than half of the 37,800 students enrolled at the University of Ljubljana today. With 23 faculties and three art academies all areas of study are covered, from the sciences, social sciences and humanities to the arts, technology and medical science. Various ranking lists place the University of Ljubljana among the top 3% of the best universities in the world.

Keep up with the daily news in Slovenia by checking the morning headlines here

This schedule was prepared by the STA

MONDAY, 22 July
        LJUBLJANA - National Assembly Speaker Dejan Židan will receive Lorant Vincze, the president of the Federal Union of European Nationalities.
        PARIS, France - Ambassador Andrej Logar will attend an informal ministerial on migrations in the Mediterranean as a special envoy of the foreign minister.

TUESDAY, 23 July
        LJUBLJANA - The shareholders' meeting of SKB bank will appoint new management board members.
        LJUBLJANA - The Statistics Office will release the consumer confidence index for July.
        MOSCOW, Russia - The ballet ensemble of SNG Maribor will make a guest appearance at the Bolshoi Theatre with Peer Gynt, a production choreographed by Edward Clug, with a rerun on 24 July.
        BLED - The 29th annual Okarina festival of world music will get under way, running until 4 August.

WEDNESDAY, 24 July
        LJUBLJANA - Telekom Slovenije will release its financial report for the first half of 2019.
        VIENNA, Austria - Slovenia's largest confederation of trade unions, ZZZS, and Austrian representatives will speak about electronic exchange of social security information.
        MARIBOR - Slovenian football champions Maribor will take on AIK Stockholm in game one of the second round of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.

THURSDAY, 25 July
        LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary EU Affairs Committee will interview nominee for European commissioner Janez Lenarčič.
        LJUBLJANA - The Statistics Office will issue business sentiment figures for July.

FRIDAY, 26 July
        SZENTGOTTHARD, Hungary - A press conference to present the international agriculture and food fair AGRA, to be held in Gornja Radgona, Slovenia, between 24 and 29 August.
        LJUBLJANA - Russian jazz ensemble Vadim Eilenkrig Quintet will give a concert in Congress Square ahead of the ceremony marking the 103rd anniversary of the Russian Chapel.

SATURDAY, 27 July
        KRANJSKA GORA - The annual ceremony in memory of Russian POWs, killed in an avalanche in WWI, will be held at the Russian Chapel below Vršič mountain pass. National Assembly Speaker Dejan Židan and Russian Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media Konstantin Noskov will deliver keynotes.
        IVANČNA GORICA - A summer camp for children of the Slovenian diaspora, sponsored by the World Slovenian Congress, until 3 August.
        KRANJSKA GORA - An international film festival, called Shepherds of Great Tales, will get under way, featuring more than 70 films in seven days.

SUNDAY, 28 July
        No major events are scheduled.

July 20, 2019

Reports from mushroom pickers (gobarji) on surprising yields, of especially porcini,  have been on a steep rise since the hot summer weather turned wet about two weeks ago.

Although Slovenia is understood more or less as an agrarian society, thanks to the preservation of the forests the hunter-gather spirit is still alive and well. Picking herbs, mushrooms, berries and other wild foods and medicinal plants continues to be part of Slovenian culture. There are, of course, legal limitations on how much a person is allowed to take out of a forest on a single trip, and for the mushrooms the limit is 2kg.

Porcini, or jurčki in Slovenian, grow only when certain conditions are met and even then only for a short period of time. Apparently, these conditions have been met and even though porcini have been on a decline in the last decades they are popping out this year as if we were in the 1960s.

There are various edible mushrooms in Slovenian woods with different aromas, textures and various culinary uses, yet jurček remains the most valuable. It is an aromatic mushroom often cooked in a risotto or fried with eggs.

Jurček has a special place in the heart of a Slovenian hunter-gatherer as it presents a trophy that always brings smile on its finder’s face.

Warning: There are plenty of poisonous mushrooms in the Slovenian forests that look quite similar to the edible ones to the untrained eye. Do not pick mushrooms you don’t know nor eat them if they are not coming from a credible source. Also the rule of “poisonous mushrooms are bitter” is a false one, and in certain cases such as the death cap a single bite can be fatal.