Ljubljana related
STA, 21 March 2022 - The municipality of Lendava in north-eastern Slovenia is working towards the restoration of a local railway service to Čakovec in Croatia, which was discussed at a recent meeting between representatives of local authorities. They plan to devise a project and are hoping to secure EU funding.
A railway link between Lendava and nearby Beltinci has been planned for some time, as has a new high-speed line between Zagreb and Čakovec in Croatia. Both sides see that as an opportunity to revive the railway service between Čakovec and Lendava.
This was discussed at a recent meeting between Lendava Mayor Janez Magyar, acting prefect of Croatia's Međimurje County Josip Grivec, and the head of the Union of Croatian Associations in Slovenia, Đanino Kutnjak.
The latter said that they will examine all the options and possibilities to re-establish a railway link between Čakovec and Lendava. He also explained that a tourist train used to run twice a week between the two towns, but the line was abolished a few years ago.
For the time being, the local authorities are considering restoring the tourist train service, which would run from Lendava to Čakovec on Wednesdays and in the opposite direction on Fridays, with additional trains available during special occasions and events in both towns.
STA, 15 January 2021 - A climber from Croatia died in a mountaineering accident in the Slovenian Alps on Saturday. The 37-year-old was with a group of eight other climbers from Croatia when he slipped on a steep slope, plunging more than 300 metres.
The accident occurred around midday around Kamniško Sedlo, a saddle in the Kamnik-Savinja Alps between Mount Brana and Mount Planjava, the Civil Protection and Disaster Relief Administration said.
Mountain rescuers were dispatched to the scene and the man's body was airlifted to the valley. The remaining members of the group were not injured.
STA, 13 September 2021 - The Slovenian men's volleyball team made it to the quarter-finals of the European Championships by beating Croatia in the round of 16 in Ostrava, Czech Republic on Monday.
Slovenia needed four sets to beat the neighbours, taking the first set convincingly and only slipping in the third set.
This served as motivation for the runners-up from the 2019 European Championship, who never let the Croatians come close in the fourth set, allowing them to score only 12 points to Slovenia's 25.
Klemen Čebulj was the top scorer for Slovenia with 13 points, and two players scored 11 points each as the country qualified for the top-eight at European Championships for the fourth time in a row.
Slovenia's Jan Kozamernik said that "today we played out a solid match. We had know that it would be difficult, also because this is a rivalry of neighbours and both teams were very motivated. We showed them that our quality was better."
Slovenia will play their quarter-finals match in Ostrava on Wednesday with the winner of the round of 16 encounter between the reining Olympic champions France and the Czech Republic.
"The quarter-final match will certainly be much more difficult, so we will need to raise our game to the next level and show that we deserve qualification in the semi-finals," Kozamernik added.
STA, 13 August 2021 - Vehicles are waiting more than six hours to enter Slovenia from Croatia at Gruškovje border crossing as traffic is extremely heavy at border crossings on Friday afternoon ahead of another very busy holiday weekend. An 8km tailback has meanwhile formed on the Slovenian side of the Karawanks tunnel towards Austria.
At the Karawanks tunnel on the Gorenjska motorway, the Jesenice east entry to the motorway towards Austria is closed due to the congestion, Slovenia's traffic information centre said.
More than two hours are needed to enter Slovenia from Croatia at Obrežje, and up to one hour at Petišovci and Rogatec, all in the east of Slovenia. To leave Slovenia for the southern neighbour, vehicles are waiting up to one hour.
Traffic is also rather slow on the Primorska section of the A1 motorway towards Ljubljana.
The Ljubelj tunnel with Austria is being closed at intervals on the Austrian side due to passenger controls and congestion.
You can always find the latest traffic news at the official site, promet.si, while the current waiting times at Slovenia’s borders can be found here
STA, 5 August 2021 - The first ever public demonstration of fully encrypted quantum communication between Italy, Slovenia and Croatia took place during the meeting of G20 digital economy ministers in Trieste on Thursday.
It was the first time in history that fully quantum encrypted communication was made possible by means of optical fibres connecting three nodes, in Trieste, Ljubljana and Rijeka.
In Ljubljana, the event was held at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics (FMF), whose dean Anton Ramšak noted that quantum communication would allow what have so far been unattainable levels of communication security.
"Comparing the security of encryption methods established so far and quantum communication is like comparing bows and arrows with guns," Ramšak illustrated.
The technology uses quantum keys, sequences of random numbers established remotely through exchange of individual photons of light.
5. 8. je potekala prva javna demonstracija medvladne kvantne komunikacije. Prvič v zgodovini je bil omogočen povsem kvantno šifrirani prenos med vozlišči 3 držav (Trst, Ljubljana in Reka). Sodelovali so tudi fiziki @FMF_UL, prof. dr. Rainer Kaltenbaek in prof. dr. Anton Ramšak. pic.twitter.com/3eNTiSSLq7
— FMF UL (@FMF_UL) August 6, 2021
The exchange protocol is based on quantum mechanics and if anyone tried to intercept the key, they would leave behind a trace that would alert those involved in communication and allow them to respond immediately.
In all other established technologies of information transfer, a copy of the key may be intercepted and copied without leaving a trace.
The quantum communication was tested by FMF physicists Rainer Kaltenbaek and Anton Ramšak in cooperation with their colleagues at the University of Trieste's Department of Physics and the National Research Council of Italy and Croatian physicists from the Ruđer Bošković Institute.
In his address, Kaltenbaek noted that Europe pioneered the field as early as 2012, but since the relevant institutions had not been willing to provide sufficient financial support, it was larger countries, mainly China which later took the initiative in implementing the technology.
Today's demonstration was also important in the context of the future European quantum communication infrastructure (EuroQCI), which is being promoted by the 27 EU member countries and the European Commission with the support of the European Space Agency.
The event depended on technical support of the link between Trieste and the FMF in Ljubljana via Postojna that was made possible by the telecommunications provider Telekom Slovenije through its modern network of optical links by means of dark fibres.
The test was the first ever application of quantum laws of nature outside science labs with the purpose of establishing fully secure communication.
After addresses by keynote speakers, a short concert was performed by musicians from the Giuseppe Tartini State Conservatory of Trieste and the academies of music in Ljubljana and Zagreb using the breakthrough quantum communication technology.
STA, 31 July 2021 - Long tailbacks of traffic have built up at crossings on the Slovenian-Croatian border as holidaymakers from northern Europe hit Croatian coastal resorts.
Data by the national traffic information centre for Saturday midday shows waiting times of more than two hours at all major crossings for vehicles entering Croatia.
The situation is currently worst at small border crossings such as Vinica, where those entering Croatia can expect to wait for up to six hours.
At major crossings such as Obrežje/Bregana, Gruškovje/Macelj and Jelšane/Rupa, the waiting times are between two and four hours.
Traffic in the opposite direction has gotten just as bad. Most crossings report waiting times of more than two hours to enter Slovenia, but on coastal crossings waiting times of up to four hours are currently expected.
The situation on the border with Austria has deteriorated as well. At the biggest crossing, Karavanke, there is currently a four-kilometre tailback.
You can always find the latest traffic news at the official site, promet.si, while the current waiting times at Slovenia’s borders can be found here
STA, 25 June 2021 - The prime ministers of Austria, Croatia and Hungary, the foreign minister of Italy, and the president of the European Council congratulated Slovenia on the 30th anniversary of its independence and wished it a successful stint at the helm of the EU as they addressed the Statehood Day celebration on Friday.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said Slovenia was an important neighbour and economic partner of Austria's that cannot be imagined not being part of the European space.
He said Austria was looking forward to Slovenia's EU presidency and thanked Prime Minister Janez Janša for making Western Balkans among the focal points of the presidency.
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković wished Slovenia all the best in presiding the EU, pleased that he could count on the know-how, creativity, patriotism and European character of the country.
Wishing that it makes a substantive contribution to the future of Europe, he said Slovenia could "always rely on Croatia as a friend and partner".
Sem na strani domoljubne, ponosne, optimistične in v prihodnost usmerjene Slovenije.#30let ??????
— Matej Tonin (@MatejTonin) June 26, 2021
Foto: Srdjan Živulović, MMC pic.twitter.com/2i0Wys9aJ6
? LIVE now: Follow my speech at the ceremony for the 30th anniversary of Slovenian statehood #30let and the upcoming Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU @EU2021SI https://t.co/M2hAtWlkie
— Charles Michel (@eucopresident) June 25, 2021
#Slovenia30 | ?? FM Augusto Santos Silva gifted an astrolabe to PM @JJansaSDS:
— EU2021SI (@EU2021SI) June 25, 2021
"Many challenges await you in the next semester. So may the Portuguese astrolabe be of help to you, guiding Slovenia on its path to the Presidency. We wish you a good presidency." pic.twitter.com/h6svstlZ6e
Ich danke @JJansaSDS für die Einladung heute nach Ljubljana zu den Feierlichkeiten zu 30 Jahren Unabhängigkeit #Sloweniens! Das war ein bewegender Moment für mich. Von der ersten Stunde an haben wir die Unabhängigkeitsbestrebungen von Slowenien unterstützt. pic.twitter.com/dtDea3JWxS
— Sebastian Kurz (@sebastiankurz) June 25, 2021
?? i ?? učvršćuju prijateljske i dobrosusjedske odnose te partnersku suradnju u ?? i NATO-u. Svim Slovenkama i Slovencima čestitam Dan državnosti i želim uspješno predsjedanje ??! Vsem Slovenkam in Slovencem iz srca čestitam Dan državnosti in to pomembno obletnico! pic.twitter.com/IIBywv6vNM
— Andrej Plenković (@AndrejPlenkovic) June 25, 2021
Things that separate the two countries are insignificant compared to what they have in common, he said, noting that Slovenia and Croatia understood best what went on in this region thirty years ago.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban likewise emphasised the close ties between the two countries. "Hungarians see you as friends and Christian brothers. Hungarians are happy to be your neighbours," he said.
Orban said that the stronger, wealthier and happier Slovenia is, the better this is for Hungary.
Italian Foreign Minister Luigi di Maio said Slovenia and Italy had very friendly relations, "in particular because we share the same values, which stem from and converge into our common membership of the EU and NATO."
Di Maio expressed Italy's support for Slovenia's presidency, noting that its second stint at the helm of the EU represented a new era on the path of liberty and democracy that Slovenia entered thirty years ago.
"we have strong confidence in Slovenia's ability to lead the EU in this sensitive time."
European Council President Charles Michel said he was proud and moved to be able to stand next to the Slovenian and EU flag and say happy birthday Slovenia and usher in the Slovenian presidency.
He said the European project was based on the values of democracy, freedom and rule of law, noting that diversity, tolerance and respect were Europe's powers
STA, 10 June 2021 - The government has changed the list of countries and territories placed in the red zone in terms of the Covid-19 epidemic to exclude, among others, the Croatian Adriatic area, Germany and the Czech Republic. The relevant decree adopted on Thursday will enter into force on Saturday and be valid until 20 June
The changes also include Turkey being moved from the dark red list to the red list, the Government Communication Office said.
Also removed from the red list are Switzerland, the Vatican, the Austrian state of Tyrol, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovakia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia. Meanwhile, the Portuguese territory of the Azores has been red-listed.
As of Saturday, border crossing in air traffic within the EU and Schengen Area is also possible outside the three check-points determined for international traffic.
The areas not put on the red and dark red list are considered as having no high risk of novel coronavirus infection.
Persons coming from such areas to Slovenia may enter the country without being ordered to quarantine at home if they prove that they had continuously resided there for at least five days before entering Slovenia.
STA, 24 April 2021 - Waiting times of up to 45 minutes are reported from border crossing with Croatia as Slovenians headed for their favourite holiday destination at the start of the May Day school break on Saturday.
With the lifting of some of the coronavirus restrictions, including the ban on travel between regions yesterday, traffic had been expected to get busy with holidaymakers and day-trippers.
Cars waited about 45 minutes to enter to Croatia at the Dragonja crossing and about half an hour at Sečovlje. Delays are also being reported on the motorway heading towards the coast, mainly due to roadworks, and on the motorway toward Maribor.
Anita Leskovec, a spokesperson for the Koper Police Department, told the STA the delays at border crossings were not due to any problems with border controls.
She said people had prepared well for crossing the border and mostly had all the necessary documents and Covid proofs with them.
Where Can I Get a COVID Test in Slovenia?
To enter Croatia, passengers need a negative PCR or rapid antigen test no older than 48 hours, or a certificate proving they have recovered from Covid-19 within the past 180 days or have been vaccinated against it. Children up to the age of 7 are exempt if they travel with parents or carers that meet one of the valid conditions.
STA, 15 April 2021 - The Slovenian online portal Necenzurirano has published a non-paper [ed. a discussion paper which is not to form part of formal business] proposing changes to borders in the Western Balkans that has been raising controversy in recent days. Its authorship remains unclear, however, information available to the portal suggests a part of the document has been written in Budapest.
Speculation about the non-paper was prompted earlier this week as the Bosnian portal politicki.ba alleged that Slovenian Prime Minister Janša Janez had handed an unofficial document to European Council President Charles Michel in February or March proposing "finalisation of the breakup of Yugoslavia" as a topic of the Slovenian presidency.
Janša responded by saying the last time he met Michel was in 2020 and that it would be thus difficult for him to hand anything to him. He added that Slovenia was "seriously looking for solutions for the region's development and the EU prospects of the Western Balkan countries".
TWEET
So this is apparently #Slovenia's non-paper, whose existence has been denied, calling for #Bosnia-#Herzegovina's dissolution and the unification of #Kosovo and #Albania, amongst other things. The document was leaked by @necenzurirano_. pic.twitter.com/OhIfWosa2C
— Ian Bancroft (@bancroftian) April 15, 2021
The Foreign Ministry said the only non-paper on the Western Balkans Slovenia had signed on to was the one drawn up by Croatia late last year to call for Bosnia-Herzegovina to become an EU accession candidate as soon as it meets the criteria.
Repeating that at Wednesday's session of the Foreign Policy Committee, Foreign Minister Anže Logar also assured MPs there had been no change to Slovenia's strategy on the Western Balkans.
The European Commission has said it is not aware of the alleged non-paper and its position on the borders in the region is very clear that there is nothing to be changed.
The non-paper entitled Western Balkans - a Way Forward was released today by the portal Necenzurirano, which says Michel's office received the writing in February past official diplomatic post.
Since the non-paper has no heading or signature it is not clear who has written it, but sources have assured the portal it has not emerged at the Slovenian Foreign Ministry.
"Some information indicates that part of the content has been written in Budapest. Nevertheless, it is referred to in Brussels diplomatic circles as a 'Slovenian' non-paper as allegedly the Janša office has been involved in its mailing to various addresses," writes the portal.
The non-paper says the main issue in the region is the "unresolved issues of Serbs, Albanians and Croatians" in the wake of Yugoslavia's breakup.
"Based on the existing methods and rhythm of problem solving, it is difficult to imagine the European perspective of Serbia and Kosovo, and membership for Bosnia and Herzegovina is fully excluded," reads the non-paper.
It says Turkey has taken advantage of the situation to enhance its influence in Bosnia-Herzegovina and North Macedonia, and that except for Turkey and few local politicians who personally benefit from the chaotic situation no one is happy with the situation in the country.
As a solution the non-paper proposes a unification of Kosovo and Albania, while the Serbian part of Kosovo be granted a special status modelled on South Tyrol.
The non-paper also proposes joining most of Republika Srpska with Serbia, which would make Serbia willing to agree to Kosovo's joining Albania.
The "Croatian national issue" would be resolved by "joining the predominately Croatian cantons of Bosnia and Herzegovina with Croatia or by granting a special status to the Croatian part of Bosnia and Herzegovina", again applying the model of South Tyrol.
"Bosniaks will thus gain an independently functioning state and assume full responsibility for it," reads the non-paper, proposing for people to decide in a referendum between joining the EU or a non-EU future (Turkey).
