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Janša, Macron discuss cooperation during EU presidency

PARIS, France - Prime Minister Janez Janša met French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss the countries' successive presidencies of the Council of the EU. Macron said coordination was needed because of the extraordinary circumstances in which the two countries will hold the presidency. Janša said the countries shared views on most issues within the EU, noting the two countries had signed an agreement on strategic partnership ten years ago. Bilateral relations and regional issues were also on the agenda, especially in the Western Balkans and the EU's neighbourhood.

EU Commission approves EUR 2.5 million state funding for STA

LJUBLJANA - The European Commission announced it had approved, under EU state aid rules, EUR 2.5 million granted by Slovenia to the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) in compensation to fulfil its public service mission. Margrethe Vestager, the Commission vice-president for competition policy, said the decision would enable the STA to continue deliver its important public service, while Vera Jourova, the Commission vice-president for values and transparency, urged for the funding for the STA to be "unlocked as soon as possible for the agency to continue its public service". PM Janez Janša said the decision referred to the funds that had already been paid out, which STA director Bojan Veselinovič described as a lie. The STA has been without state funding for its public service since the beginning of the year.

Černač says recovery plan will focus on most affected segments

LJUBLJANA - Presenting the national recovery and resilience plan, Development Minister Zvonko Černač noted that the focus would be on kick-starting the activities and social systems that have been restricted and affected by the crisis. The plan envisages EUR 2.5 billion worth of measures, with Slovenia counting on EUR 1.8 billion in grants and EUR 666 million in loans. 43% or more than EUR 1 billion is intended for green goals and 20% or more than EUR 330 million for digital goals. As for the lower than available amount of loans, he assured the public that funds would be secured elsewhere. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) said it wanted to see more grant funds. The opposition is meanwhile critical of the plan, saying it lacks environmental investments.

SAF Force Commander being promoted to maj-gen

LJUBLJANA - The government gave its go-ahead on Wednesday for Brigadier General Miha Škerbinc, the force commander of the Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF), to be promoted to the rank of major general. He will be formally promoted by President Borut Pahor as the commander in chief. Chief of the General Staff Robert Glavaš was promoted to the rank of major general in December 2020, to join another two active generals in the Slovenian army, both ex-chiefs of the general staff.

Govt proposes compensation for relatives of independence war victims

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted changes to three acts dealing with war victims on Wednesday, proposing, among other things, EUR 100,000 lump-sum compensation be paid out to around 20 children who lost a parent to the 1991 independence efforts. Amendments to the acts on war disability, victims of war aggression, and special rights of victims of the 1991 Slovenian War of Independence are proposed to be fast-tracked in parliament to provide legal protection to those who lost a parent, spouse or descendant in the 1991 war.

Slovenia to host conference on population ageing during EU presidency

LJUBLJANA - Marking the European Day of Solidarity between Generations, the Labour Ministry announced that Slovenia would host a conference focussing on population ageing during its coming presidency of the Council of the EU. The conference will particularly stress the importance of intergenerational solidarity and cooperation, the ministry said. Slovenia is projected to become one of the countries with the highest share of the elderly in Europe in the coming decades, which is why it plans to host the conference.

Memorial marks 30th anniversary of key DEMOS meeting

BRDO PRI KRANJU - A memorial marking the 30th anniversary of a key meeting of the Democratic Opposition of Slovenia (DEMOS), at which its members committed to realising the will expressed in the Slovenian independence referendum, was unveiled on Wednesday at the Brdo estate. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Janez Janša, former Prime Minister in the DEMOS government Lojze Peterle and former Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, among others.

Over 900 coronavirus cases reported for Wednesday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia saw its daily coronavirus count tick up again week-on-week after declining on Tuesday bank holiday. It logged 918 new infections on Wednesday, and six deaths, government data show. The positivity rate was 23.3%, the highest rate since 9 April. Covid-19 hospitalisations rose by 15 to 636 despite 59 patients being discharged yesterday. The number of patients in intensive care rose by two to 157. The 7-day average of new cases rose to 632. According to the NIJZ, there are now 9,284 active cases in the country.

Slovenia supports plans for EU's future financial development

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Ministry State Secretary Stanislav Raščan took part in a meeting of ministers in charge of development cooperation, discussing the EU's future financial development architecture. They called for more cooperation among financial institutions, noting that no major systemic changes were necessary, the Foreign Ministry said. According to Raščan, enhanced cooperation among all development stakeholders of the EU law is the way to a more efficient development policy of the EU.

Survey unemployment down slightly to 4.8% in March

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's survey unemployment rate stood at 4.8% in March, down 0.1 of a percentage point from February and up 0.3 of a point compared to the same month last year. The Statistics Office estimates that around 50,000 people aged between 15 and 74 were jobless in Slovenia in March, of whom 48% were men and 52% women. Among men, the unemployment rate was 4.3%, and for women it was 5.4%.

Iberia to fly between Madrid and Ljubljana in August

MADRID, Spain - Spanish airline Iberia will operate a Ljubljana-Madrid route this summer, after its social media followers chose Ljubljana in an online campaign. In August, it will be flying between Spain and Slovenia twice a week. This was the first time that Iberia asked its social media followers about their preferences. The users of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter chose Ljubljana from among seven destinations, with the Slovenian capital receiving 38% of the votes.

AGRFT finally almost fully under one roof

LJUBLJANA - The Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television (AGRFT) finally has most of its departments under one roof, having recently relocated to the former building of the Faculty of Chemistry in Aškerčeva Street in an EUR 18 million refurbishment project that is just about to be finalised. The academy will also keep the premises in Trubarjeva Street. Spanning 4,000 sq metres, the new premises feature several theatre halls, a dance hall and a room for theatre singing classes.

Beti Bricelj featured in Royal Scottish Academy's exhibition

EDINBURGH, UK - Slovenian visual artist Beti Bricelj has been selected to participate in the 195th annual exhibition of the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh. Bricelj is being featured with a piece from her FlatCube series, which she has been working on since 2017. The most extensive modern art and architecture exhibition in Scotland is being held this year in the digital form. It opened on 2 April and is on display until 30 May.

Balcony art campaigning for live culture events

MARIBOR/NOVA GORICA - Brief balcony performances were held at five minutes to noon in a pro-culture campaign initiated by the Narodni Dom Maribor arts centre in Maribor, Nova Gorica and some other towns to point to the dire situation in culture because of coronavirus restrictions. The organisers of the campaign, which featured 25 cultural institutions, want to stand up to what they see as measures that have been proven to make no sense, and ad-hoc solutions intended only to mislead the public while increasing the distress of the cultural sector.

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Slovenian, US police prevent planned mass shootings in Gorenjska

LJUBLJANA - The Kranj Police Department said that Slovenian and US law enforcement authorities had prevented planned mass shootings with firearms in public institutions in the north-western region of Gorenjska. The person suspected of planning to commit these acts has been detained. It has been established in the investigation, which included covert measures, that the suspect, a Slovenian citizen, tried to get by mail two pieces of firearms and ammunition from the US. The shipment ordered via dark web was intercepted by the US authorities, which informed the Slovenian police that the firearms had been seized.

CoE platform concerned about media situation in Slovenia

STRASBOURG, France - The latest annual report by the Council of Europe Platform for the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists is critical of what it sees as the Slovenian government's attempts at undermining independent media and stoking harassment of journalists. The platform is particularly alarmed by the situation of RTV Slovenija and the STA. "The Slovenian government should cease all efforts to damage the independence and credibility of Slovenian public media," says the report.

Janša on working visit to Paris on Thursday

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša will be on a working visit to Paris on Thursday, having been invited by French President Emmanuel Macron. The pair is expected to speak about Slovenia's EU presidency, fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, upgrading bilateral cooperation, the situation in the Western Balkans and other international topics. As announced in Wednesday's press release by the prime minister's office, Janša's visit represents a major contribution to deepening the dialogue with France at the highest political level.

Japanese FM visiting Slovenia on Friday

LJUBLJANA - Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi will visit Slovenia on Friday, the Slovenian Foreign Ministry announced. The official visit will be dedicated to strengthening friendly ties and intensifying political dialogue. Motegi is also expected to meet President Borut Pahor and Prime Minister Janez Janša. Motegi and his host, Slovenian Foreign Minister Anže Logar, will discuss above all Slovenia's priorities for its upcoming EU presidency.

Government adopts national recovery and resilience plan

BRDO PRI KRANJU - The government adopted the national recovery and resilience plan to send it to the European Commission. The plan will serve as the basis to draw funds from the EUR 750 billion fund for recovery following the coronavirus crisis, with Slovenia expecting EUR 2.47 billion in funds: EUR 1.8 billion in grants and some EUR 666 billion in loans. The amount of funds may be increased if demand arises and conditions for this are met. Member states must earmark 37% of funds available to them for green transition goals and another 20% for digital transition goals. Slovenia's plan envisages 43.45% for green goals and 20.05% for digital goals.

Govt adopts Stability Programme, fiscal policy stays expansive

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted the Stability Programme. Slovenia's fiscal policy remains expansive as temporary departures from the pact's rules are allowed at the EU level due to Covid-19. Two main goals in the Stability and Growth Pact are a maximum general government deficit of 3% of GDP and limiting general government debt at 60% of GDP. The key role will be played by funds from the EU recovery fund, the unused cohesion funds for the 2014-2020 period and first funds as part of the 2021-2027 multi-year budget, the government said.

Police estimate Tuesday's protest crowd at 10,000

LJUBLJANA - Tuesday's anti-government protest in Ljubljana attracted some 10,000 people, according to police estimates. Police have so far established 45 violations of the communicable diseases act, one offence against the public peace and order and a road traffic offence. The Ljubljana Police Department, which was responsible for the policing of the unregistered rally, said it had so far issued 33 warnings under the communicable diseases act, while other procedures were ongoing.

State secretary's surgery vandalised

TRBOVLJE - The building housing the doctor's office of Health Ministry State Secretary Alenka Forte in Trbovlje has been been vandalised a second time this year. The Ljubljana Police Department said they were notified on Tuesday evening that jars containing black substance had been thrown into the facade of one of the buildings in the Trbovlje area. Forte condemned the act as unacceptable after she posted a photo of the vandalised building on her Twitter profile.

Coronavirus count below 400 on bank holiday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia saw 398 coronavirus cases amid scaled-down testing on Tuesday, a public holiday. The 7-day average of new cases thus fell to 606. Another 15 Covid-19 patients lost their lives. Hospitalisations fell to 621 after 26 patients were admitted and 40 were discharged yesterday and the number of ICU cases fell by six to 155, government data show. Health officials told the daily briefing that Slovenia had not yet detected the double mutant Indian variant of coronavirus.

Vaccination to intensify next week, minister says

LJUBLJANA - Vaccination centres across Slovenia will step up their activities in the coming days, as Slovenia expects some 120,000 doses of coronavirus vaccines to be available in the country, Health Minister Janez Poklukar told the press. Slovenia expects large shipments of vaccines next week, he said. Expectedly, 9,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine are to be available, 69,000 doses of AstraZeneca, 6,000 doses of Johnson & Johnson and over 56,000 doses of the Pfizer/BionTech vaccine.

US Embassy donates two disinfection devices for hospitals

LJUBLJANA - The US Embassy in Slovenia donated two devices for disinfection of hospital premises to the country. They will be used in the UKC Maribor and UKC Ljubljana hospitals, the Health Ministry announced. The devices that are able to destroy bacteria, microorganisms and viruses, including the novel coronavirus, with ultra-violet radiation, are a recognised solution for disinfection of air and surfaces and enable better care of patients and safety of all employees in the most critical infrastructure, the ministry said, adding that the devices were a result of Slovenian know-how.

Committee recommends govt to boost indoor ventilation campaign

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Health Committee recommended to the government to immediately intensify the campaign to raise the awareness of the need to ventilate indoor spaces as a necessary measure to limit the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic. The session of the committee was called by the opposition Social Democrats (SD), Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ), Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) and unaffiliated MPs, who are convinced these measures are necessary.

Three candidates vying for DeSUS leader

LJUBLJANA - Two months ahead of the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) congress, the party has received three bids for the president. Vying for the top job are Ljubo Jasnič, a former official of the party's Ljubljana chapter, former party head candidate Felix Srečko Krope and former Minister for Slovenians Abroad Gorazd Žmavc. The deadline for submission of bids expired on Saturday and next week, the bids are to be examined by the party's relevant bodies to establish their validity.

Ex-Church treasurer claims damages from state

LJUBLJANA - The newspaper Delo reported that Mirko Krašovec, the former treasurer of the Maribor Archdiocese who was acquitted on all counts in 2019 of the charge that he had instigated EU funds misuse more than a decade ago, claims almost EUR 700,000 in damages from the state for spending several months in prison before being eventually cleared. The Ljubljana District Court the damages claim, which it said was filed in February.

Defence Ministry helping out with road upgrade in Pivka

PIVKA - Defence Minister Matej Tonin and Pivka Mayor Robert Smrdelj signed an agreement under which the ministry will invest EUR 500,000 into renovating a local road in compensation for the local community letting the military use the nearby Poček area training grounds. Pivka will receive the funds in 2021 and 2020 although the municipality was supposed to get the money over a span of five years between 2021 and 2025. Overall, the road reconstruction project is valued at EUR 600,000.

Minority in Austria boosting energy cooperation with Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Business Association (SGZ), a Slovenian minority organisation in Austria, and the Slovenian Energy Association (SZE) signed a cooperation agreement that comes after the two had already initiated activities to exchange know-how, cooperate in energy projects and provide opportunities for young energy experts.

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Logar, Linde talk EU presidency, Ukraine, Russia

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar and Swedish counterpart Ann Linde discussed cooperation in light of the coming Slovenian EU presidency and Sweden's current OSCE chairmanship, as well as relations with Russia, and the Ukraine situation. "Our efforts will be targeted towards strengthening the EU's resilience," Logar told the visiting minister as he presented the priorities of Slovenia's EU presidency. The pair also discussed the Western Balkans, with Logar noting both Slovenia and Sweden considered EU enlargement important for the stability of the region and the entire EU. Linde expressed support for Slovenia's efforts. Broaching relations with Russia, both said that the EU should be united in its stance on the matter. Linde also met President Borut Pahor.

Speaker: Parliament should dissolve unless committee participation issue resolved

LJUBLJANA - Unless MPs find an agreement on the participation of four unaffiliated MPs in parliamentary working bodies, the National Assembly should be dissolved, Speaker Igor Zorčič, himself one of the unaffiliated quartet, told the current-affairs show Politično on Sunday evening. He also commented on ideas coming from the opposition that the unaffiliated group could boycott the parliament unless the issue is resolved. Zorčič believes this would only be beneficial to the coalition.

Slovenia urged to nominate candidates for EU prosecutor's office

LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - European Chief Prosecutor Laura Kövesi addressed a letter to Justice Minister Lilijana Kozlovič expressing concern Slovenia has not yet proposed its two candidates to join the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), to be launched on 1 June. "The procedure to select the two European delegated prosecutors from Slovenia ended at the start of December 2020, but almost five months later, the EPPO has not yet received the nominations." Kozlovič had put forward Matej Oštir and Tanja Frank Eler after they were proposed by the State Prosecution Council, but the government has not yet formally got acquainted with the proposal.

Resistance Day marked on the eve of holiday

LJUBLJANA - The WWII Veterans' Association marked Resistance Day with a call to "liberate the Slovenian nation once again" as its head Marijan Križman criticised the authorities for curtailing fundamental rights under the pretext of containing the epidemic. He also said the association rejected current attempts at reconciliation as its members believed they amounted to historical revisionism which attempted to turn traitors into victims. Earlier in the day, the German Embassy unveiled a memorial plaque at the house in which the Liberation Front, which led the armed resistance against the occupying forces, was founded in 1941. Germany bought it in 2016 and turned into its ambassador's residence. Ambassador Natalie Kauther apologised on behalf of Germany for the suffering her country caused during WWII.

Week-on-week decrease in Covid cases back for second day in row

LJUBLJANA - A total of 191 persons tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday in 1,354 PCR tests in what is the second day in a row that the week-on-week decrease in daily case count was back following a short upward curve. Another five Covid-19 patients died. Hospitalisation totalled 643 this morning, up by 13 on Sunday, and the number of ICU cases increased by one to 158.

State asset custodian ends 2020 with 4.3% return on equity

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH) posted EUR 26 million in net profit in 2020 after ending 2019 with EUR 16.6 million in net loss. The SSH estimates to have achieved a 4.3% return on equity in 2020, which is 1.6 percentage points below the target. Publishing the annual report for 2020, SSH said that last year's pre-tax profit totalled EUR 26.6 million. The target figure was EUR 39.9 million. Due to restrictions imposed by regulators, the SSH saw a lower total sum of dividends collected last year than expected, which resulted in a shortfall of more than EUR 19 million.

Accommodation facilities reopen, sport events allowed

LJUBLJANA - Accommodation facilities across the country, which is largely in tier orange of restrictions, could reopen in a limited scope, each allowed to accept guests in no more than 30 rooms. All guests must prove they are not infected with coronavirus, either by producing a negative test, a vaccination certificate or proof of having recovered from Covid. Also allowed are sport events and competitions, but without spectators. The tourism sector has welcomed the latest easing of restrictions, but said it came at very short notice and under some unreasonable conditions.

Slovenia wants flexibility in CAP green architecture

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Slovenian officials advocated flexibility in a debate about the "green architecture" of the EU's new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Agriculture Ministry state secretaries Aleš Irgolič and Anton Harej told an online ministerial a two-year pilot period was needed when it came to the CAP climate and environmental component. Another important issue for Slovenia is the definition of active farmer, which should be simple and should not exclude mixed farms or farms with subsidiary activities. Slovenia remains committed to a constructive debate with the aim of achieving a political agreement on a new CAP by June, the Agriculture Ministry said.

STA's revenue up 1% in 2020

LJUBLJANA - The STA generated EUR 4.28 million in revenue in 2020, up 1% on 2019 despite the aggravated situation due to the the Covid epidemic. Net profit reached EUR 17,800, according to the annual business report, which was endorsed by the supervisory board. The STA increased its Slovenian-language news service output by almost 9% over 2019, while the output of its English service increased by 16%, the agency said the session of the supervisors. The supervisors also discussed the government's proposal to dismiss director Bojan Veselinovič, but concluded that in the STA-related March decisions the government refers to an UKOM report, which the supervisors have not yet received.

Fortenova issues letter of intent for Mercator takeover

ZAGREB, Croatia - The Fortenova group issued a letter of intent for the takeover of all outstanding Mercator shares. The expected move comes only days after Fortenova, the successor of defunct Mercator owner Agrokor, took over a majority of Mercator shares from Agrokor. Fortenova currently holds 88.10% of Mercator shares. The takeover bid will follow in no sooner than 10 days and no later than 30.

Govt approval rating lowest yet

LJUBLJANA - The government approval rating hit the lowest level since it took office in March 2020, the most recent Mediana poll showed. While 29.6% of the respondents said they supported the government, as many as 60.9% said the opposite. Meanwhile, the National Assembly's approval rating is even worse, as 19.7% of the respondents said they supported the parliament's work and as many as 66.9% were not supportive of its work. Nevertheless, the senior coalition Democrats (SDS) continue to top the party rankings with 17.6%, a percentage point less than in March.

Ten years since agreement on bilingual signposts in Carinthia

KLAGENFURT, Austria - Exactly ten years ago the Austrian government, the state government of Carinthia and Slovenian minority representatives signed an agreement to erect bilingual town signs in 164 localities in the state. The deal is seen as having helped improve the situation of the minority, but there is still room for improvement. The signs have been set up, but a memorandum accompanying the agreement has been implemented only partly.

Synagogues in Szeged, Murska Sobota in focus of exhibition

LJUBLJANA - An exhibition exploring the architecture of the synagogues in Szeged, Hungary, and the Slovenian city of Murska Sobota was launched to mark the anniversary of the deportation of Prekmurje Jews. Both synagogues were built by Hungarian Jewish architect Lipot Baumhorn, the author of over 20 synagogues. The one in Murska Sobota was demolished by the Communists in 1954 while the synagogue in Szeged remains standing as the second largest synagogue in Hungary.

Two lynxes released into the wild in Gorenjska

BOHINJ - Two lynxes, a male and a female, were released into the wild on Jelovica Plateau a part of efforts to reintroduce the species to north-western Slovenia after a successful rejuvenation of the lynx population in south Slovenia. Zois and Aida were translocated from Romania and will help improve the long-term prospects of the Dinaric-Alpine lynx population, which had been severely inbred and on the verge of extinction not long ago. On Wednesday, three more will be released into the Triglav National Park, as part of LIFE Lynx, an EU-funded project aimed at preserving the Dinaric-Alpine lynx population.

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Five deaths and 416 new Covid cases recorded on Saturday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported 416 new coronavirus cases for Saturday, half Friday's figure as testing is usually scaled down at the weekend, but the share of positive PCR tests dropped by a mere half a percentage point to 15.5% from the day before, shows the data released by the government on Twitter. Five patients died, and the 7-day rolling average dropped by 9 to 688, while the 14-day cumulative incidence per 100,000 residents is 494. 630 Covid patient are being treated in hospital, 12 more than yesterday, with 157 in intensive care, 3 fewer than on Saturday.

Actress Belak dies

LJUBLJANA - Ljerka Belak, a prolific theatre, film and TV actress, has died at the end of 72, the MMC news portal reported today. Belak, who was particularly fond of comedy, received the Borštnik Ring, the highest accolade for theatre acting, in 2015. After graduating from the Ljubljana Academy for Theatre, Radio, Film and Television, started her career at the Celje People's Theatre in 1970. In 1993 she joined the Ljubljana City Theatre, where she stayed until retirement in 2009, while playing as guest actress at many other theatres. Among the many awards she also received the Prešeren Fund Prize, Sever Prize and the Ježek Prize for comedy and satire.

Cycling: Pogačar wins Liege-Bastogne-Liege

LIEGE, Belgium - Slovenia's rider Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) won the Belgian one-day classic Liege-Bastogne-Liege in what is his sixth win this season and 23rd overall, as his compatriot Primož Roglič failed to defend the title. Pagačar is thus the second Slovenian rider to win this race, while he also won the 2020 Tour de France for a double Slovenian victory with Roglič.

Gambling revenue down 42% in 2020

LJUBLJANA - Total gross revenue from gambling in Slovenia was slowly rising after the financial crisis until it plummeted in 2020 as casinos were closed for most of the year due to the coronavirus pandemic, while fewer lottery tickers were sold, shows data from the Financial Administration (FURS). Gross gaming revenue - all payments minus the prizes paid out - dropped by 42% to EUR 188 million from 2019. Both lotteries which organise classic games - the national lottery and the sport lottery - saw revenue drop 10% to EUR 61.3 million. Gross revenue of casinos and gaming parlours was down roughly 50% to EUR 127 million.

Tolmin to remember Dante's 14th century visit

TOLMIN - Tolmin, a north-western town near Italy, will join this year's events marking the 700th anniversary of Italian poet Dante Alighieri's death by remembering his alleged visit to the area in 1319 upon invitation of Aquileia patriarch Pagano della Torre. Dante will get a memorial board with the legend about the visit while also being remembered as part of an exhibition at the Tolmin Museum. The exhibition will focus on three castles from the area, including the one at Kozlov Rob (Goat's Edge), where Dante allegedly stayed. The board will meanwhile be set up in front of the Zadlaška Cave, which is also known as Dante's Cave, which the poet allegedle visited and inspired him how Hell from his masterpiece Divine Comedy should look like.

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7-day Covid case average up as over 400,000 vaccinated

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported 831 coronavirus cases for Friday, the second day in a row that infections were up from the same day a week ago. The 7-day average thus rose to 697. Covid-19 hospitalisations dropped to 618 but ICU cases rose to 160, the highest since early February. Nine patients died. On the up side, the number of people who have received the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine has passed 400,000, representing over 19% of the population. 8.3% have received two doses.

Outdoor hospitality opens throughout the country

LJUBLJANA - Hospitality establishments across the country are again allowed to serve their guests at outdoor tables, from 7am to 7pm. In three regions with the lowest infection rates, Obalno-Kraška, Goriška and Pomurje, guests may also be served indoors if they produce a negative coronavirus test or a certificate proving they have been immunised through vaccination or recovery from Covid-19 in the past 180 days. The easing comes just as the week-long May Day school break started.

Health minister asks public to hold on a bit longer

LJUBLJANA - At the start of the week-long May Day school break, Health Minister Janez Poklukar appealed to the population to hold on and bear with coronavirus precautions a while longer. He said vaccination against Covid-19 was being stepped up as Slovenia was due to receive large quantities of vaccines. "We know vaccines are effective. Let us just hold on a bit longer and we can all contribute our bit to get our lives back as soon as possible," said the minister in a written statement.

MEP Tomc to head body advising PM on social policy

LJUBLJANA - The government formed a strategic council on social policy as an advisory group to the prime minister, appointing MEP Romana Tomc (SDS/EPP) to head the-15 member council. The Government Communication Office said the council will monitor, analyse and propose changes to legislation, IT support and organisation of social security in a bid to create a more just, transparent and simple system to allow individuals the highest possible level of social security.

Juliana Trail wins international tourism award

BOHINJ - Juliana Trail, a 270-kilometre hiking trail circuiting Slovenia's highest peak, Mt Triglav, has been declared Best Europe Tourism Project by the British Guild of Travel Writers (BGTW). The trail is run by the Julian Alps Community, whose coordinator Klemen Langus said he was glad the project won the recognition for its sustainable orientation. The winners of the BGTW International Tourism Awards, including in the Best Europe Tourism Project category, were declared on 18 April.

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MPs change 2020-2024 budgeting framework to allow higher expenditure

LJUBLJANA - As the country continues fighting the epidemic with a number of measures, parliament endorsed on Friday the government's proposal to raise the public spending ceiling for the period until the end of 2024. Considerably higher expenditure is planned for 2021, to be followed by a gradual decrease. The expenditure ceiling for this year will rise from EUR 24.9 billion as set last November to EUR 25.3 billion, putting the general government deficit at 8.6% of GDP.

MPs reject merger of eight regulators

LJUBLJANA - In a 46:42 vote, MPs rejected the government's proposal to merge eight major regulators into two agencies, as the majority of opposition MPs criticised the government for wanting to subjugate oversight institutions. Under a bill the government adopted last October, one new agency for market and consumers would regulate the energy and telecommunications markets, postal services, media and audiovisual services, and all forms of transport, while also supervising mergers and takeovers, and competition and consumer protection, while the other would be the agency for financial markets, which would also take over some of the powers from the central bank.

Vaccination now open to over 50s

LJUBLJANA - All persons over 50 are now eligible for vaccination under a revised vaccination strategy that the government adopted last night. Besides the over 50s, the priority groups now once again include teachers and staff working in critical infrastructure. New priority groups include the pharmaceutical industry, staff essential to the functioning of the state, employees and volunteers offering assistance to chronic patients and other vulnerable groups.

Inter-regional travel, some cultural events permitted

LJUBLJANA - Slovenians are free to travel between regions and some cultural events are permitted as of today under government decrees, but public assembly has been scaled back from a hundred to ten people. The ten-people limit, which replaces an earlier decree that allowed the public assembly of a hundred people, comes with the caveat that organisers of such events must ask for permission under rules governing public assembly.

Case count at 900 on Thursday amid stepped-up testing

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported 900 new cases of coronavirus for Thursday, a slight increase over the week before amid significantly stepped-up testing. Six patients with Covid-19 died. The positivity rate for PCR tests stood at 16.8% compared to over 20% the week before, as almost 5,400 PCR tests and nearly 30,000 rapid tests were performed. The situation in hospitals remains stable with 629 Covid-19 patients currently hospitalised and 159 in intensive care.

Vaccine coordinator calls for diversity of suppliers

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Jelko Kacin, the national coordinator for vaccination, called for a diversity of vaccine suppliers as he paid a visit to Brussels. "We cannot completely rely on one supplier, even if that is BioNTech," he said. Speaking to reporters after meeting Commission staffers, he said it was necessary to face the fact that the Union has just four suppliers at the moment instead of eight as planned. This is why the Slovenian EU presidency will have to form a "very responsible and long-term policy" of cooperation with suppliers, which includes development and production of vaccines in Europe.

Govt expects digitalisation proposal by 15 Sept

BRDO PRI KRANJU - The Strategic Council for Digitalisation met for its maiden session at Brdo pri Kranju on Friday to discuss its goals, timeline and organisation while its members also presented some concrete proposals. Prime Minister Janez Janša said the government expected a proposal of the country's digitalisation plan by 15 September. "We expect a proposal of the country's digitalisation plan by 15 September, we expect you to say what should be done in individual areas, without delving into issues of how much it would cost, how it would be done or who would do it," Janša told the council.

Prime minister's wife receives death threat

CELJE - The wife of Prime Minister Janez Janša, Urška Bačovnik Janša, has received a death threat targeting her and the couple's children. The letter was sent to the hospital in Celje where she works as a doctor and has been handed over to police, Večer newspaper reported. Celje police said they had been informed about an anonymous threat and had launched an investigation. "We're vigilant and react carefully to threats against the most senior representatives of the state," the police said.

Commissioner Johansson and FM Logar talk Slovenian EU presidency

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar met EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson to discuss the priorities of the Slovenian EU presidency in the second half of 2021. Johansson is wrapping up her two-day visit to Slovenia in what has been an expression of support for Slovenia's coming stint at the helm of the Council of the EU. Johansson and Logar also talked migration, the Schengen system and other topics that will be in the spotlight during the Slovenian presidency, said the Foreign Ministry in a press release. Moreover, the pair discussed the current migration situation in Europe's southern neighbourhood and the Western Balkans.

Sakellaropoulou and Pahor unveil bench of friendship

KOPER - President Borut Pahor and Greek counterpart Katerina Sakellaropoulou unveiled a bench of friendship in Koper in what is a gesture celebrating ties between Slovenia and Greece. The pair highlighted that Koper was where the family of Greek statesman Ioannis Kapodistrias's originated. The bench was set up next to a bronze statue of Kapodistrias (1776-1831) in the eponymous square. The statesman was one of the most eminent diplomats in 19th century Europe and also the first head of state of independent Greece.

Documents sent by STA to government returned

LJUBLJANA - Business documents that the STA had sent to the government in a bid to resolve the standoff over financing were returned to the agency. The reason is not clear. The STA management has rejected receipt of the package and the courier took it back to the seat of government. Quizzed by the STA about the move, the Government Communications Office (UKOM) said it had still not received the documents. The STA has reached out to the government secretariat general for comment and is yet to hear back.

Year after first cycling protest anti-govt protesters on their bikes again

LJUBLJANA - One year after the first anti-government protest on bicycles took place, another rally was held in Ljubljana on Friday with cyclists ringing their bells to show disagreement with the government. The cyclists took a round tour around the city centre from Republic Square past the government building, police headquarters and to Prešeren Square.

Transfer of retailer Mercator from Agrokor to Fortenova completed

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian retailer Mercator is in majority ownership of Fortenova after the transfer of shares from the troubled Croatian group Agrokor has been completed in line with the restructuring plan, Mercator announced. After 18.5% of Mercator stock was transferred at the end of March, the remaining 69.6% was transferred today. Fortenova now holds a 88.10% stake in Mercator. The Mercator management sees the transfer as the beginning of a new era and an opportunity for development of all stakeholders. Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek too welcomed the move.

Luka Koper management proposes dividends of one euro per share

KOPER - The management and supervisors of Luka Koper propose that the port operator allocate EUR 14 million of the EUR 30.64 million in last year's distributable profit for dividends, which is one euro per regular share. The rest of the profit will remain undistributed, according to a press release published on the web site of the Ljubljana Stock Exchange. The proposal on the distribution of profit was discussed by Luka Koper's supervisory board today and is to be put to a vote at the annual general meeting. The dividend for 2019 amounted to EUR 1.07 gross per share.

Unior group with EUR 2.2m loss in 2020

ZREČE - Unior, a Zreče-based group specialising in forged metals and tools, posted a loss of EUR 2.2 million in 2020, down from a profit of EUR 10.4 million in 2019, on EUR 210.3 million in sales revenue, down 18%. The core company meanwhile generated EUR 138.1 million in net sales revenue, a drop of 21.3% from its record year 2019, which is almost 21% short of the target. Its loss amounted to EUR 7.96 million, Union said in a press release on Friday after its financials were discussed by the supervisory board on Thursday.

Telekom Slovenije group revenue down by 3% to EUR 647m in 2020

LJUBLJANA - The telco group Telekom Slovenije generated EUR 647.2 million in sales revenue last year, which is 3% less than in 2019. Net profit reached EUR 24.9 million. Apart from the epidemic, the sale of the company Planet TV affected the group's business results. Excluding the negative effects of coronavirus and measures to mitigate the effects, the net profit of the group would have stood at EUR 32.8 million, Telekom said.

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EU presidency priorities in focus as Janša visits Poland

WARSAW, Poland - Prime Minister Janez Janša met his Polish counterpart Mateusz Morawiecki during a visit to Warsaw, to discuss bilateral relations, the priorities of Slovenia's presidency of the Council of the EU and the future of Europe. In addressing reporters Janša highlighted boosting the bloc's resilience for health crises and cyber security as two key priorities of the presidency. He said Slovenia would like the conference on the future of Europe to involve "a discussion free from value monopolies". Janša invited Morawiecki to visit Slovenia.

EU issues, post-pandemic recovery to agenda as Greek president visits

LJUBLJANA - EU issues and the post-pandemic recovery dominated talks as Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou was received by Slovenian President Borut Pahor for the first official visit by a head of state since the start of the epidemic. Pahor said they both shared the conviction that the post-pandemic recovery needed to be leveraged to the maximum possible extent for a transition to sustainable development. The debate also revolved about Slovenia's upcoming EU presidency, with Sakellaropoulou praising the presidency priorities, in particular the tackling of the health crisis.

Commissioner Johansson, Minister Hojs discuss presidency tasks

LJUBLJANA - European Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson and Interior Minister Aleš Hojs discussed the priorities of Slovenia's upcoming EU presidency. They highlighted the new Schengen strategy, migration pact and the Western Balkans as some of the key areas of interest. Johansson said the new Schengen strategy would be "an important task for the Slovenian presidency" since it is important that Schengen be re-established as an area of security, freedom and justice. Hojs said Slovenia supported the expansion of the Schengen zone, in particular to Croatia.

Johansson hopeful STA financing to be resolved ahead of Slovenian presidency

LJUBLJANA - EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson and Interior Minister Aleš Hojs broached the issue of media freedom in Slovenia and the financing of the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) as they met in Ljubljana. The commissioner said the freedom and pluralism of media was a cornerstone for democracy, and played important part in the annual rule of law report. Hojs said media freedom "is absolute in Slovenia", while he also announced the business documents handed over by the STA today in a bid to save a hundred jobs would be "the basis to sign a new contract". Johansson hopes "these issues can be resolved ahead of the Slovenian presidency".

Govt plans to buy transport aircraft, two helicopters by 2023

LJUBLJANA - The government amended on Wednesday the medium-term defence programme until 2023 to adjust it to the latest priorities in development of military capabilities. Procedures to buy a tactical transport aircraft and two medium-sized transport helicopters are expected to be completed by then. The government said the "deterioration of the global security situation, increased participation of the Slovenian army in crisis response operations and their increased geographical remoteness, there is a greater need for own air transport capabilities".

Government adopts resolution on climate neutrality by 2050

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a resolution on Slovenia's long-term climate strategy until 2050 on Thursday in what Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak sees as an important symbolic act marking Earth Day. Slovenia's goal will be zero emissions by 2050 or climate neutrality. Under the strategy, Slovenia is to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80-90% by 2050 compared to 2005 and boost the implementation of the policies of adjusting to climate change and providing for climate safety of the people. Vizjak expects parliament to pass the resolution before the summer recess.

Johnson & Johnson jab recommended for over 18s

LJUBLJANA - The national advisory committee on immunisation recommended the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine against Covid-19 for everyone over the age of 18, in line with the guidance issued by the European Medicines Agency. The same decision was taken for the AstraZeneca jab. Given the planned vaccine supplies, Slovenia expects to inoculate at least 50% of its population or 63% of its adult population by the end of June, said Milan Krek, the head of the National Institute of Public Health.

Chinese, Indian vaccines added to quarantine-free border pass

LJUBLJANA - The government decided on Wednesday to expand the exceptions for quarantine-free entry into Slovenia to people vaccinated with Covid-19 vaccines produced in China and India. It also made several changes to border restrictions. Under the new rules, quarantine-free entry to Slovenia will be possible with a negative PCR test not older than 48 hours issued also in the UK or US, not only the EU or Schengen Area countries. The new decree will enter into force on Sunday.

Downward coronavirus trend continues

LJUBLJANA - The number of new coronavirus cases dropped to 745 in Slovenia on Wednesday, after 1,034 new cases were recorded a day before. Hospitalisations dropped from 631 to 620, while the number of patients in intensive care increased by one to 154. The rolling 7-day average dropped from 706 to 684. A total of 4,258 PCR test were conducted for a positivity rate of 17.5%. Eleven people died.

New stimulus package for tourism forthcoming

LJUBLJANA - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek announced the government would shortly unveil a new stimulus package tailored specifically to the tourism, hospitality and events industries. The legislation will involve an extension of the furlough subsidies, compensation of fixed costs and income support until the end of the year, with new measures added, including compensation for loss of income for tourism operators that have been shut down longest, Počivalšek told the management board of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS).

IMAD: Recovery measures should be combined with structural reforms

LJUBLJANA - Measures designed to help the economy recover should be combined with structural reforms to make the Slovenian economy and society more resilient to future shocks, the government's macroeconomic think-tank said in its 2021 Development Report, which the government reviewed yesterday. The Covid pandemic-induced crisis suspended the multi-year economic growth and favourable labour market trends, while government measures significantly cushioned the negative impact on the economy and households, the Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development (IMAD) added.

Constitutional Court looks back on busy 2020

LJUBLJANA- Constitutional Court Rajko Knez presented the court's report for 2020 which shows 26% more cases had been resolved than the year before, while the growing trend of new cases was reversed even if the court received around 180 initiatives to assess epidemic-related restrictions. The court received 1,319 cases, down 17.5% over 2019. The figure however does not include class actions, which there were 570, almost a third of all new cases.

Petrol shareholders to get dividend of EUR 22 per share

LJUBLJANA - The annual general meeting of energy company Petrol decided to pay out a dividend of EUR 22 gross per share, as proposed by the management board, which is on a par with last year. EUR 45.22 million will thus be paid out in dividends out of a total of EUR 45.36 million in last year's distributable profit. Chairman Nada Drobne Popović told the AGM a damages suit had been filed against the former management over the purchase and recapitalisation of mBills and several other smaller companies.

Slovenska Potica protected at EU level

BRUSSELS - Slovenska Potica, a rich traditional cake made of special dough and usually walnut filling, has been protected with the traditional specialities guaranteed label, meaning the cakes sold under the name will need to be certified for their shape and recipe, while not geographically limited to Slovenia. Slovenska Potica can have five different traditional fillings and must be baked in a round baking pan to produce a hole in the middle. All producers will have to get a certificate, while others can continue selling potica as "potica" or "walnut potica".

Pošta Slovenija with EUR 5m in net profit

MARIBOR - National postal company Pošta Slovenije finished 2020 with EUR 5.2 million in net profit at group level, of which EUR 4.5 million was generated by the parent company. The unaudited figures show the group generated almost EUR 411 million in net sales revenue, 6% more than planned in the revised business plans. Revenue from mail delivery remained its strongest segment, accounting for 40% of all operating revenue. It was down 2% over 2019 but 4% more than planned.

Adient workers to receive higher than legal severance

SLOVENJ GRADEC - The workers of the Slovenian subsidiary of the US multinational Adient, which is closing down at the end of the year, will receive higher severance pay than set down by the law. Trade unions were happy with the outcome, but would not disclose the figure. The deal should allow all 430 employees to "somehow weather the financial problems they will be faced with when seeking new employment", union representatives Bojan Rošer and Jaka Šilak said in a joint statement.

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This summary is provided by the STA: 

SAF preparedness for wartime action remains insufficient

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor received the annual report on the preparedness of the Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) in which the SAF general staff assessed the force's preparedness in 2020 was good for peace time, but insufficient for war operations. The assessment thus remains the same as for the year before. Pahor accepted the latest report with the "justified hope that it will improve considerably in the coming years", pointing to the law securing EUR 780 million for investment in SAF by 2026. Defence Minister Matej Tonin promised Pahor an effort to make procurement transparent.

Janša due in Poland on Thursday

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša is scheduled to pay a working visit to Poland on Thursday for meetings with his counterpart Mateusz Morawiecki and Marshal of the Sejm Elzbieta Witek, his office announced. The visit is aimed at strengthening political and economic cooperation. The officials will discuss current EU and foreign policy issues, with a focus on bilateral cooperation and the priorities of Slovenia's EU presidency, as well as cooperation in regional groupings.

Judge halts procedure against student protester

MARIBOR - A Maribor Local Court judge announced she would halt misdemeanour proceedings against a student for taking part in a peaceful protest in Maribor in February against school closures. The student's defence counsel Dino Bauk expects the same decision to be taken in the case of two other students facing the same proceedings. At the 9 February protest, six were fined EUR 400 for allegedly violating the communicable diseases act, while three underage students were summoned to appear before a magistrate.

Slovenia loses four spots in World Press Freedom Index

PARIS, France - Slovenia has lost four spots to rank 36th among 180 countries in the 2021 World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders. The report warns of the "dangerous path for press freedom" in Slovenia, finding problems for press freedom continue despite pressure from international NGOs for improvements. "Defamation is still criminalised and well-known politicians continue to subject media outlets to intimidatory lawsuits and often slanderous verbal attacks."

Chief epidemiologist quits Covid-19 advisory team again

LJUBLJANA - Mario Fafangel, the head of the centre for communicable diseases at the National Institute of Public Health, resigned from the team advising the government on measures to contain coronavirus, saying decisions taken were often contrary to epidemiologists' opinions and protocols. Fafangel had already resigned from the previous line-up of the advisory group. Health Minister Janez Poklukar regretted his decision, appointing epidemiologist Irena Grmek Košnik in his place. The advisory team also regretted Fafangel's decision, noting that final Covid-related decisions were responsibility of the decision-makers.

Supercomputer Vega launched in Slovenia

MARIBOR - Supercomputer Vega was formally launched, putting Slovenia on the global map of computer super powers. It is the first in a series of eight planned high-performance computing (HPC) centres in the EU. Vega is a 6.9 petaflops supercomputer, which means it can do 6.9 million billion computing operations per second, and it cost EUR 17.2 million. Currently the most powerful supercomputer in Slovenia has been set up as part of the national project to upgrade research infrastructure (HPC RIVR) and EuroHPC, a public-private partnership for European high-performance computing.

Curve of infections continues on downward trajectory

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's curve of coronavirus infections keeps on its downward trajectory; 718 people tested positive on Monday to push the rolling 7-day average down to 737, data released by the government show. Five patients with Covid-19 died. Covid-19 hospitalisations dropped by three to 649 after 71 patients were admitted and 69 were discharged yesterday. ICU ceases dropped by one to 156. The effects of the 11-day lockdown around Easter are expected to show in hospitals within a week.

Tonin and Injac discuss bilateral cooperation in defence

LJUBLJANA - Montenegrin Defence Minister Olivera Injac began an official two-day visit to discuss with her Slovenian counterpart Matej Tonin defence cooperation, international missions and operations, and Slovenia's EU presidency in the second half of the year. The pair assessed bilateral cooperation as excellent. The ministers pledged further cooperation and exchange of experience in recruiting, while agreeing cooperation could be intensified in cyberdefence and crisis management.

Speaker Zorčič notes importance of Eastern Partnership

LJUBLJANA - Parliamentary Speaker Igor Zorčič addressed a virtual session of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, noting that the Eastern Partnership was an important framework for cooperation and that the priorities of Slovenia's upcoming presidency of the EU provided prospects to countries with a European aspiration. The forum sees members of the European Parliament and the national parliaments of Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia participate and forge closer political and economic ties with the EU.

Acting head of Government Office for Legislation named

LJUBLJANA - Mateja Lekan Štrukelj took over as the acting head of the Government Office for Legislation for a six-month period after being appointed by the government yesterday to succeed Miha Pogačnik, who was recently named the country's high representative for succession to the former Yugoslavia. Lekan Štrukelj, who previously served as deputy director of the office, was picked over Janez Pogorelec, a prominent member of the coalition New Slovenia (NSi).

Another proposal to include unaffiliated MPs in parliament's bodies defeated

LJUBLJANA - A proposal to reshuffle parliamentary working bodies to include four unaffiliated MPs who have recently defected was rejected after the first was voted down last week. The centre-left opposition parties and the unaffiliated MPs failed to garner an absolute majority for their second reshuffle attempt. Nevertheless, they intend to keep trying so that, they say, democracy is not undermined. The next proposal will base the reshuffle on the size of deputy groups. Speaker Igor Zorčič believes the situation will be hard to resolve.

Strabag's Koper-Divača project appeal rejected

LJUBLJANA - The National Review Commission announced it had rejected the appeal by the Austrian builder Strabag against the decision by the state-owned company 2TDK to pick a Slovenian-headed consortium as the contractor for the Divača-Črni Kal section of the new railway to the port of Koper. This ends all review procedures related to the project. Kolektor CPG will thus be able to sign a contract for the second section with 2TDK after signing the one for the Črni Kal-Koper section on 31 March. Work on the track is expected to begin in May.

Trade unions critical of coal phaseout strategy

LJUBLJANA - Two trade unions representing workers in the energy sector are critical of the Infrastructure Ministry's comments about the draft coal phaseout strategy. They say it is not true the phaseout will not have a major long-term effect on electricity prices, asserting the phaseout deadline is political. The draft national strategy sets 2033 as the deadline to phase out coal and restructure coal regions as part of the European Commission's initiative for transition.

ZSSS unions say national recovery plan neglects social recovery

LJUBLJANA - The trade unions associated in the ZSSS confederation believe the national recovery and resilience plan should promote social recovery and investment in human resources instead of just focussing on economic recovery, Andrej Zorko, ZSSS executive secretary, said at a news conference, noting that "the plan must be balanced" to result in a system that would facilitate social security, decent health care and decent old age. He also criticised the government for preparing it in secret.

NGO says govt not fully respecting top court's decision on rallies

LJUBLJANA - Democracy advocacy group The Legal Network for the Protection of Democracy believes that the amended government decree that limits protest rallies during the Covid-19 epidemic to 100 people does not follow the relevant decision of the Constitutional Court. It thus called on the government to respect the decision and find a solution supported by expert know-how under which individuals in Slovenia will be able to exercise their rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.

Display showcases Slovenian anthropologist and her work in Paraguay

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Ethnographic Museum is launching an exhibition on Slovenian ethnologist and anthropologist Branislava Sušnik (1920-1996) and her work in Paraguay, presenting her key works and expeditions to areas inhabited by the indigenous peoples of Paraguay. The exhibition La Doctora: The Life and Work of a Slovene Researcher in Paraguay follows the story of Sušnik, whom at the end of the Second World War fate took to Paraguay where she ran the Ethnographic Museum, among other things.

Show explores ties between Slovenian artists, Croatian art academy

ZAGREB, Croatia - The National Museum of Contemporary Art in Croatia's Zagreb launched an exhibition of more than 100 works of art made mainly by Slovenians artists who studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb between both world wars when this was the only academy of its kind in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The exhibition, running until 20 June, also puts on show several Croatian artists from that period. It is a collaboration of the museum and the academy and their Slovenian partner, the Božidar Jakac Gallery.

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