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This summary is provided by the STA:

Environment minister disappointed with Madrid climate conference

LJUBLJANA/MADRID, Spain - Slovenia's Environment Minister Simon Zajc said after the UN Climate Change Conference COP25 in Madrid ended in a compromise with a two-day's delay that the event was "a disappointment, as expected". The negotiations in Madrid were very demanding and protracted, noted Eva Černigoj, a member of the Slovenian delegation. Countries wanted progress but at the end their positions were just too different, she said.

Foreign Minister Cerar in Madrid for ASEM meeting

MADRID, Spain - Slovenian Foreign Minister Miro Cerar arrived in Madrid to attend a meeting of European and Asian foreign ministers discussing ways to strengthen multilateralism and boost sustainable cooperation. A number of global and regional issues are also on the agenda. Cerar met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Ljubljana a day before the 14th ASEM foreign ministers event, with the pair calling for protecting multilateralism.

LMŠ tops newest Vox Populi poll, govt rating up again

LJUBLJANA - The December Vox Populi poll showed the coalition Marjan Šarec Party (LMŠ) at the top of the party rankings with the support of 20.2% of respondents. The opposition Democrats (SDS) are in place two with 16.6%. Moreover, 50.4% of the respondents believe the government is doing a good job. President Borut Pahor continues to top the popularity rankings, followed by Prime Minister Marjan Šarec and MEP Tanja Fajon.

AMZS receives top international award for its road assessment procedures

LONDON - The Slovenian Automobile Association (AMZS) has won the Prince Micheal Road Safety Award for its road assessment procedures it has been performing as part of the EuroRAP programme since 2008. The AMZS was also recognised for the national road assessment consortium it established recently. The consortium brings together state road authorities, motorway authorities, police, and the interior and the infrastructure ministries.

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Wang and Cerar hail US-China deal as good news

LJUBLJANA - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi welcomed a preliminary trade agreement the US and China reached on Friday as "good news for the entire world" as he visited Slovenia on Saturday. The agreement, as part of which the US will not impose new tariffs on Chinese imports on Sunday, was also welcomed by Slovenian Foreign Minister Miro Cerar at a news conference after meeting Wang. "There are no winners in a trade war," Wang said, stressing raising tariffs was not the right way of addressing trade tensions. However, he noted the two sides still had a number of issues to address.

Chinese FM urges multilateralism as he discusses relations, cooperation with Cerar

LJUBLJANA - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged protecting multilateralism against unilateralism as he and his Slovenian counterpart Miro Cerar discussed bilateral relations, EU-China cooperation, and the 17+1 initiative, which brings together 17 Central and East European countries plus China, as part of his official visit to Slovenia. Cerar noted China was an indispensable strategic partner of the EU's even if the two sides did not always share the same positions. "We have different stances or standards in the EU and China, but we need to discuss it with respect and openly, but most of all we must seek common areas of cooperation, enhance constructive relations and respect each other." Wang also met other senior officials, including President Borut Pahor and PM Marjan Šarec.

Govt attempts to revive Ljubljana-based ICPE

LJUBLJANA - Seasoned diplomat Andrej Logar has been tasked with reviving the Ljubljana-based International Center for Promotion of Enterprises (ICPE) after it was neglected for years, having been established in 1974 at the UN's initiative to promote international cooperation of developing countries when Slovenia was still part of Yugoslavia, a leading Non-Aligned Movement country. He believes keeping the seat of the centre in Ljubljana could make Slovenia an important centre of multilateral diplomacy. "Everyone is talking about strengthening multilateralism but since Slovenia does not have intensive contacts with African and Asian states as potential ICPE members, the centre could be an important instrument of Slovenia's foreign policy," he said in an interview for the daily Večer.

Governor happy with situation in banking, sees some challenges ahead

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's banking system is stable, and lending practices and bank oversight are better than in the past, the central bank governor, Boštjan Vasle, said in an interview for the daily Dnevnik. However, he noted economic cooling did bring some challenges, as the banks have not yet managed to restore corporate lending and have practically the same business models. The question is also whether they are ready for changes brought about by new technologies. Vasle also believes there are still relatively many banks in Slovenia, so he sees consolidation as "an unavoidable and useful process".

Bavčar fears for sovereignty, security as he remembers pre-independence event

KOČEVSKA REKA - A commemoration was held to remember 17 December 1990 when a Slovenian armed unit was lined up just a week before the country held its independence referendum. Igor Bavčar, then interior minister, said that challenges faced by the EU and NATO made Slovenian sovereignty and security topical again as they undermined the foundations of the EU as we had known it for 30 years. "The history of the last century is making a comeback knocking on the door big time," said Bavčar, a former business executive who is currently serving time for money laundering in deals with Istrabenz shares. Several independence-era figures gathered in Kočevska Reka, including then PM Lojze Peterle, then Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, and incumbent President Borut Pahor. The Territorial Defence unit lined up 29 years ago is now seen as a precursor of the Slovenian army.

Slovenia spends EUR 2.4 billion on education

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia spent some EUR 2.411 billion on educational institutions last year, an almost 4% increase compared to 2017, or 5.3% of its GDP, the latest Statistics Office data shows. Educational institutions spent some EUR 2.232 billion or 92% of all expenditure on formal education, most of it on wages and investments. Out of total education expenditure, some 86.3% was public and 12.5% private. Meanwhile, the share of resources from international sources was 1.3%.

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Visiting Ljubljana? Check out what's on this week, while all our stories on Slovenia, from newest to oldest, are here

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A schedule of all the main events involving Slovenia this week can be found here

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PM: Finnish EU budget proposal bad for Slovenia

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Prime Minister Marjan Šarec assessed that the Finnish presidency's proposal for the EU's next long-term budget is very bad for Slovenia, because it would cut its cohesion funds by 28% compared to the current period. Šarec revealed the figures as he arrived in Brussels for an EU summit, which was to discuss the latest proposal for the multi-annual financial framework for 2021-2027. Slovenia is one of the countries that stands to lose the most in funding.

Slovenia supports carbon neutrality for EU by 2050, PM says

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Slovenia wants the EU to have a carbon-neutral footprint by 2050, Prime Minister Marjan Šarec said as he arrived for an EU summit. He added that Slovenia would not be able to reach this goal without shutting down the Šoštanj thermal power plant, which covers 25% of the country's energy needs. This is also why the government has launched a discussion about building a new nuclear generator at the nuclear power plant in Krško.

Slovenia joins calls for more ambitious climate action

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia has joined a Green Group call for more ambitious measures in the face of climate change at the climate conference in Madrid. "The members of the Green Group highlighted the need in a joint statement for a comprehensive management of water resources and for better understanding the impact of climate change on water security, and committed to using water as an instrument for promoting peace and cooperation," the Foreign Ministry said.

Pahor confident that border with Croatia would eventually follow arbitration award

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor expressed confidence in an interview with Radio Slovenija that in time, border between Slovenia and Croatia will run along the line defined by the arbitration tribunal in 2017. "Imagine what Croatia would give to support its position with a tribunal decision... These small victories, celebrated by Croatia, may be legitimate, but they are futile," he said a day after it was announced that the advocate general handling Slovenia's case against Croatia over EU law violations at the European Court of Justice deemed the case inadmissible.

Jurist deems advocate general's opinion unconvincing

LJUBLJANA - Having studied Advocate General Priit Pikamäe's opinion on the admissibility of Slovenia's case against Croatia over the border arbitration award, law professor Matej Avbelj said that Pikamäe had not set out his arguments in a very convincing way and that he was running the risk that the EU Court of Justice would not adopt his opinion. Avbelj, professor at the Graduate School of Government and European Studies, opined that the advocate general had needlessly exposed himself to political criticism by expressing his own value judgement, regret that a final resolution of the border issue not reached, which Avbelj said in fact was.

Official at centre of arbitration scandal takes parliament to court

LJUBLJANA - Simona Drenik Bavdek, the government official at the centre of a scandal that led to Croatia renouncing the border arbitration procedure in 2015, filed a lawsuit seeking withdrawal of a parliamentary report on the scandal that incriminates her. She asked the Administrative Court to rule that her human rights have been violated. Drenik Bavdek is not seeking a temporary injunction or damages, she believes that "establishing her rights have been violated is sufficient," her attorney said.

Govt endorses minister hopeful Mlinar's citizenship request

LJUBLJANA - The government granted the citizenship request by Angelika Mlinar, a former Austrian MEP who had been nominated to head the government office in charge of cohesion policy, under provisions of the citizenship act typically used to fast-track athletes' applications. It said the request had merit in that "there is interest by the Republic of Slovenia in admitting the person in question into citizenship." The Interior Ministry will now issue a formal citizenship decision.

Slovenian and Hungarian defence ministers on strengthening cooperation

BLED - Defence Minister Karl Erjavec hosted his Hungarian counterpart Tibor Benko at the lake resort of Bled for a discussion about the security situation in the region and about ways to bolster bilateral and regional defence and military cooperation. According to the Defence Ministry, the highlighted that the collaboration in both areas was extensive and intense.

President appeals on behalf of Afghan asylum seeker

LJUBLJANA - The office of President Borut Pahor asked the Interior Ministry to closely examine the case of an Afghan who is facing deportation from Slovenia, as it believes his stands out from usual cases. This comes as NGOs have again called on the authorities not to deport Noor, who has found a home and has family in the town of Novo Mesto. The call comes after two Slovenian NGOs urged Pahor, Prime Minister Marjan Šarec and Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina last week not to allow the Afghan, who has has lived in Slovenia since 2015, has a family here and speaks the language, to be deported.

European left checking out migrant situation in SE Slovenia

ČRNOMELJ - Representatives of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) visited Črnomelj area to assess the migrant situation there on route to Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Following a talk with migrants, German MEP Cornelia Ernst said the delegation had noted good practices in Slovenia as well as a number of issues, including "police violence against refugees", as well as consecutive pushbacks of migrants into Croatia.

Minister sees no need for army to patrol border at the moment

LJUBLJANA - Interior Minister Boštjan Poklukar told MPs that giving army members extra powers to help the police patrol the border had been considered, but that illegal migration numbers had since fallen so there was currently no reason for that. The minister made the comments as he addressed a session of the parliamentary Interior Affairs Committee, called by the opposition Democrats (SDS) to urge invoking a special article of the defence act which was passed in 2015 and which allows deploying the army on the border by giving soldiers powers on a par with those of the police.

EU healthcare overview finds shortcomings and improvements in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's healthcare faces many challenges but positive shifts have been detected, according to the biannual State of Health in the EU 2019 report. Life expectancy has grown considerably since 2000, although there are substantial differences between the genders and socio-economic groups. Moreover, the country has made a positive shift to utilising preventative programmes. Long waiting periods remain a problem and there has also been no progress in reforming fiscal sustainability of the system and the long-term care system.

Blueprint ready for state housing loan guarantee scheme

LJUBLJANA - The Finance Ministry presented a blueprint for a law introducing government guarantees for housing loans. These would be fully guaranteed up to EUR 150,000 in principal provided the borrower provides 20% in the form of own funds. Finance Ministry State Secretary Alojz Stana said the scheme was aimed at the young up to the age of 35, young families and those in fixed-term or precarious forms of employment not older than 40. Guarantees for up to EUR 500 million in principal would be available.

Auditors to check 30 major Petrol transactions

LJUBLJANA - Auditors will check major deals concerning the acquisition and disposal of financial investments, other types of investments and sponsorship contracts that energy firm Petrol has concluded since the start of 2015 under a resolution that Petrol shareholders adopted at an extraordinary general meeting. The resolution was the result of a compromise between two major shareholders, the business empire of Darij Južna and Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH).

Govt to allocate EUR 10m for European Capital of Culture 2025

LJUBLJANA - The government said it would allocate EUR 10 million in 2021-2026 to support projects the Slovenian town to be designated a European Capital of Culture for 2025 will host. The funds will be planned in the revised national budget for 2021 and in the budgets to follow until 2026. Several cities have so far announced their bids, including Ljubljana, Kranj, Nova Gorica, Piran, Lendava and Ptuj.

New monument marks centenary of Prekmurje reunification with Slovenia

MURSKA SOBOTA - A monument marking the 100th anniversary of the reunification of Slovenia and its north-eastern region of Prekmurje was unveiled in a Murska Sobota park. Designed by sculptor Mirsad Begić, it consists of a granite block and cast bronze heads representing historic personalities from the region. Slovenia's first President Milan Kučan said that in addition to fostering historical memory, the monument was a symbol of the confidence and pride of the local people.

Parliamentary body says schools should teach more about Slovenians abroad

LJUBLJANA - The Commission for Slovenians Abroad believes school programmes should devote more attention to Slovenians abroad, especially to their achievements in arts and science. Having gotten acquainted with a report on the inclusion of topics related to Slovenians living in Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia in curricula in primary and secondary schools, the parliamentary working body recommended the government take this into account during the next revision of school curricula.

State to assume EUR 30m in annual costs from local communities

LJUBLJANA - The cabinet adopted a bill relieving municipalities of some EUR 30 million in annual costs at the expense of the government, effectively compensating for its refusal to raise the per capita budget transfers for local governments. Under the bill, the government will assume the obligation to pay certain costs which are currently covered by municipalities, including basic health insurance for unemployed persons.

Soldiers get new, improved boots a year after frostbite reports

LJUBLJANA - Just over a year after Slovenian soldiers allegedly got frostbite due to poor footwear during a military exercise, the military received 12,000 pairs of new boots. After complaints b soldiers, the Defence Ministry performed tests on the boots. The results showed that the boots met all the requirements, even surpassing them. Nevertheless, Alpina decided to improve the footwear in conjunction with the army.

Enterprise software companies Saop and Mit joining forces

LJUBLJANA - Saop and Mit Informatika, which specialise in enterprise software, signed a business combination agreement that creates a new major player on the Slovenian IT market that they say will be better equipped to compete with global software providers. Saop acquired the smaller Mit Informatika outright for an undisclosed sum.

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EU court advised not to hear Slovenia vs Croatia suit

LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg/LJUBLJANA - Advocate General Priit Pikamäe proposed the EU Court of Justice rule Slovenia's case against Croatia over its failure to implement the border arbitration award inadmissible. He argued the case was an international border dispute outside the scope of EU law and thus not under the court's jurisdiction. While the opinion came as a surprise and some think it does not bode well for the fate of the procedure, it does not prejudge the court's final decision on admissibility. Slovenian Foreign Minister Miro Cerar said Pikamäe's reasoning is weak and had "absolutely no effect on the validity of the arbitration award". Legal experts likewise said the opinion did not change much, but they indicated Slovenia might have to look for a solution beyond the courts.

Chinese foreign minister expected in Slovenia on Saturday

LJUBLJANA - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will pay a visit to Slovenia on Saturday, the first visit by a Chinese foreign policy chief since 2008. The focus of talks will be on economic cooperation, Slovenia Foreign Minister Miro Cerar told the parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee. Wang will be received by Cerar, President Borut Pahor, PM Marjan Šarec and Speaker Dejan Židan, as part of a visit that Cerar said "rounds off the foreign policy strategy" of completing talks with all members of the UN Security Council in the early stages of the government's term.

Environment minister praises European Green Deal

LJUBLJANA - Environment Minister Simon Zajc welcomed the European Green Deal, a new growth strategy unveiled by the European Commission today, saying it is "bravely leading us into the only possible future - a carbon-neutral future". The strategy ensures a just transition to facilitate a green shift in the most vulnerable sectors and regions, including Slovenia's mining regions, he was quoted in the Environment Ministry's press release. The European Green Deal aims for Europe to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, with its key part being the EU Just Transition Fund.

Minister underlines need for cooperation at COP25

MADRID, Spain - Paris Agreement implementation will require the cooperation of everyone, Slovenia's minister in charge of the environment Simon Zajc said at the annual UN climate change conference, or COP25, on Tuesday. He believes adapting to climate change will require stronger international cooperation and expects COP25 to produce an implementation rulebook, the Environment and Spatial Planning Ministry said in today's press release. It added Slovenia was part of a group of six small ambitious European countries that advocated raising environmental issues in international relations.

Slovenian, Macedonian interior ministers discuss migration

LJUBLJANA - Interior Minister Boštjan Poklukar and his Macedonian counterpart Oliver Spasovski discussed migration on the Western Balkan route and bilateral cooperation in interior affairs and police matters as they met in Ljubljana. The ministers agreed joint policy and cooperation of all Western Balkan countries was needed for the effective management of migration, exchange of information and fight against organised crime, with Poklukar saying this cooperation was "key". Spasovski added it was important the relevant agreement between Turkey and the EU remained in force.

Top officials meet to discuss election law, provinces, climate

LJUBLJANA - Election legislation, provinces and climate change ranked prominently as the country's top four officials met for an end-of-year reception, with President Borut Pahor saying changes to election legislation should be ready for parliamentary procedure at the start of 2020. Turning to provinces, he said that a task force of the National Council had done an excellent job in preparing guidelines for legislative changes. The president, prime minister and the presidents of both chambers of parliament agreed the finance minister should get involved in the drawing up of a bill on the financing of provinces in the next two months.

Govt criticised for poor management of telecoms incumbent

LJUBLJANA - The government heard sharp criticism from the opposition as the parliamentary Commission for Oversight of Public Finances debated the management of the state's stake in national telco Telekom Slovenije. The opposition-controlled commission thus asked the government to order Slovenia Sovereign Holding (SSH) to draw up a report on the management of the stake and a report on Telekom's conduct concerning a loss-making media joint venture with Grece's Antenna Group. SSH chairman Gabrijel Škof dismissed the criticism, saying Telekom's performance was good, even compared to its competitor A1 Slovenija.

Erjavec attends inauguration of NATO aircraft training centre in Zadar

ZADAR, Croatia - Defence Minister Karl Erjavec attended the inauguration of an aircraft training centre set up in the framework of NATO's Multinational Special Aviation Programme, saying the centre was very important for the strengthening of interoperability. The project implements last year's agreement between Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary and Slovenia on the setting up of a training centre for helicopter crews for special military operations. "We know that all our countries have similar capabilities and it is good that we are working together and see how we can join forces when it comes to special helicopter units," Erjavec told the STA.

Mercator group expects EUR 2.3 billion in revenue in 2020

LJUBLJANA - The group around the Slovenian retailer Mercator plans to generate EUR 2.3 billion in revenue in 2020 and EUR 110 million in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), figures higher than those expected to be posted this year, shows the 2020 business plan. The group's investments in 2020 are budgeted at EUR 44 million, of which 57% will be allocated to projects in Slovenia. Mercator plans to open 28 new shops next year and refurbish 65 shops in all its markets. The group also is planning further deleveraging. While the net debt to EBITDA ratio in 2016 was at 14.1, the plan is to slash this ratio to 4.5 by the end of 2020.

Supervision of intel agency hiring to continue

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Commission for the Oversight of Intelligence and Security Services will continue digging into hiring at the intelligence agency SOVA, having detected "a systemic problem" in recruitment practices after looking into the employment of a friend of PM Marjan Šarec. It also plans to interview Šarec himself and his State Secretary Damir Črnčec, a former SOVA boss. The decision was announced a day after the commission conducted several interviews after the Public Sector Inspectorate found irregularities in recruitment policies and practices but declared them minor infringements that did not merit sanctioning.

Paedophile priest convicted in Church criminal procedure

LJUBLJANA - A priest from the Murska Sobota diocese has been found guilty of sexual violence by the Vatican's top doctrinaire body and ordered to undergo therapy, in the latest chapter of a case that has caused a rift in a rural parish in eastern Slovenia, several media reported. Andrej Zrim, a priest at the Murska Sobota parish, has been "found guilty in an out-of-court criminal procedure of sexual violence against minors and adults in accordance with the instructions of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith", according to a notice carried in the diocese bulletin in Murska Sobota. The case against him was brought by three families, who decided to use Church channels instead of going to the police.

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Tomaž Seljak appointed new chairman of Telekom Slovenije

LJUBLJANA - The supervisory board of the telecoms incumbent Telekom Slovenije appointed Tomaž Seljak the new chairman for a full, four-year term. Seljak previously served as interim chairman following the resignation of Matjaž Merkan in mid-November. Seljak, who started his second term on the management board in May 2018, started working in Telekom Slovenije in 1997, becoming the head of the service in charge of the telecommunication cable network in 2004. Chief supervisor Barbara Kürner Čad said that "Telekom Slovenije needs continuity of management, which provides the company with stability, and excellent knowledge and experience in telecommunications."

Trade with non-EU markets pushing up Slovenia's external trade

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's external trade in goods continued to grow in October, despite a drop in trade with EU countries. However, imports rose at a faster rate year-on-year than exports, creating a trade deficit. According to the Statistics Office, exports rose by 7.1% year-on-year to almost EUR 3.08 billion in October, as imports increased by 7.6% to EUR 3.18 billion. The country posted a trade deficit of EUR 103 million, mostly due to increased imports from markets outside the EU. The export-import coverage for October was 96.8%.

Hiring outlook in Slovenia not so bright

LJUBLJANA - Employment prospects for Slovenia for the first quarter of 2020 are not as upbeat as they were for the last quarter of this year, shows the latest employment forecast by temping agency Manpower. The share of employers who plan to hire is only 7 percentage points higher than the share of employers who announced a drop in employment. "The employment outlook for Slovenia dropped by 13 percentage points compared to the same period last year, but is still positive," Gašper Kleč of Manpower Slovenia told the STA. He labelled the outlook for Q1 as "moderately optimistic", noting that companies would be faced with significant challenges at the beginning of next year.

Foreign minister calls for rules for ethical use of AI

BERLIN, Germany - Foreign Minister Miro Cerar advocated that rules be put in place for the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI), as he participated at the conference Advocating Human Rights in the 21st Century. Cerar participated in a panel debate on AI, saying that education was key to raising awareness about the challenges of artificial intelligence. He also held bilateral meetings with German counterpart Heiko Maas and Canadian colleague Francois-Philipp Champagne.

Motorway company sued over e-tolling contract

LJUBLJANA - Iskratel, the company that was outbid in a tender to build a motorway e-tolling system for lorries in 2016, has brought a EUR 17.7 million damages suit against the motorway company DARS, arguing that the annexes signed with the selected bidder since have materially changed the subject matter of the tender. The contract was won by the telecoms incumbent Telekom Slovenije in partnership with Norwegian company Q-Free, which submitted the lowest bid at just shy of EUR 100 million, ten million more than telecommunications equipment maker Iskratel and its Slovak partner SkyToll as the second cheapest bidder. Addressing reporters, Iskratel CEO Željko Puljić said he was convinced that DARS as well as the National Review Commission had abused the selection procedure.

Parties step in to support minister's sentient animals motion

LJUBLJANA - Four coalition parties and the Left have come to aid Justice Minister Andreja Katič in her efforts to define animals as sentient beings in the property code law, filing a relevant amendment to the government-proposed changes with the wording initially proposed by the Justice Ministry. In late November, the government adopted legislative changes that redefine animals, until now considered things by Slovenian legislation, as living beings. The government did not adopt the version proposed by the ministry defining animals as sentient beings, with Katič announcing she had already talked to MPs and expressing hope that the changes would be amended in parliament.

Industrial output up in October

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's industrial output increased by 2.1% in October over September and by 2.7% compared to October 2018, the Statistics Office said. Output in manufacturing and in mining rose by 2.4% and 2.1%, respectively, over September, while dropping in electricity, gas and steam supply for the fourth month running, this time by 0.5%.
Consumer goods and capital goods industries rose by 6.3% and 1.3, respectively, from September. Industrial revenue likewise increased, by 2.7% over September and 3.1% over a year ago, mostly on account of 6.2% increases in sales abroad.

State aid up for second consecutive year in 2018

LJUBLJANA - The volume of state aid granted by Slovenia grew for the second consecutive year in 2018, according to a report released by the Finance Ministry. The figure rose by 12.7% to EUR 482 million over 2017, but was still below the levels in the period between 2011 and 2015, when the aid reached around EUR 550 million annually. State aid reached the equivalent of 1.05% of the country's GDP last year, while in 2017 it was at 0.99% of GDP. This was the second increase since 2013, when state aid and crisis measures in total reached the equivalent of 10.8% of GDP.

Election legislation reform raising issue about gender quotas

LJUBLJANA - Discussions on solutions aimed at increasing gender-balanced representation in Slovenia's electoral system and women's participation in politics has been bound to pop up during talks about reforming the election act, with today's debate hearing calls for higher gender quotas and adopting the zipper system. Bojana Muršič, an MP of the Social Democrats (SD) and the head of the Women Parliamentarians Club, said it was vital to address the issue of women's political participation. Parliamentary Speaker Dejan Židan agreed, saying that what is missing from the prepared changes to the election act is a proposal to raise gender quotas from the current 35% to 40%.

Fire at hazardous waste processing company upsets locals

KRANJ - A fire broke out last evening at Ekol, a hazardous waste processing plant near Kranj (NE), but the authorities say it has not polluted the air or water. It has, however, upset the locals, who have been warning for years about the hazard the Laze industrial zone poses to the environment and public health. Catching fire were textile and air filters kept under a projecting roof, whereas dangerous substances, stored at a different section, did not ignite. The tests carried out so far have shown no dangerous substances in the air or water. Ekol estimates the damage caused by the fire, which over 100 local firefighters put out in two hours, at around EUR 40,000.

Slovenia worse off in fighting climate change, report shows

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia has ranked 44th in the 2020 Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), dropping one place compared to last year. The country was graded 41.91 points, scoring the lowest in renewable energy and climate policy, while it did better in energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Slovenia was preceded by the Czech Republic and Argentina, and followed by Cyprus and Algeria. It got the lowest grade for its renewable resources strategy (25.64 points or 46th place) and climate policy (36.63 points or 45th place), while its performance in the energy use (51.06 points or 42nd place) and GHG emissions categories (48.11 points or 40th place) was better.

Plečnik stadium candidate for Europa Nostra protection

BRUSSELS, Belgium - A Ljubljana stadium designed by acclaimed architect Jože Plečnik in the 1920s has been shortlisted as one of the 14 pieces of European cultural heritage that could be put on a list of seven most endangered pieces. The 7 Most Endangered pieces of European heritage will be declared in March 2020, the European Commission Representation in Slovenia said. The stadium was nominated for protection within a campaign of the pan-European Europa Nostra organisation and the European Investment Bank Institute by the Ljubljana Association of Architects.

Exhibition showing five millennia of metallurgy in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - An exhibition on the use of metals in Slovenian lands will open in the evening at the National Museum in Ljubljana, providing insight into the tradition that has lasted more than five millennia, from the casting of copper in the 4th century BC to metals used in space technology. Also marking the 100th anniversary of the University of Ljubljana, the event aims at acquainting the public with the frequently overlooked role of metallurgy and metalworking in Slovenia. On display until 3 May 2020, it will be accompanied by presentations of job opportunities in metallurgy and workshops presenting ancient methods for extracting iron from the iron ore.

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Šarec visiting Slovenian troops in Balkans

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina/PRISHTINA, Kosovo - Prime Minister Marjan Šarec is visiting Slovenian soldiers deployed in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo until Tuesday. Meeting top NATO and EUFOR officials in Sarajevo and Prishtina, Šarec heard praise of Slovenian troops. He said EUFOR and NATO presence in Bosnia was important for preserving stability in the region and stressed Slovenia was not considering scaling down its presence. Fourteen Slovenian soldiers are deployed in Bosnia and around 250 in Kosovo. Šarec also regretted the country transforming the Kosovo Security Force into a professional military force without changing the constitution.

FM: Slovenia not in favour of qualified majority decision-making

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Slovenia does not support making decisions by qualified or any other kind of majority in the EU foreign policy, Foreign Minister Miro Cerar said after the EU's Foreign Affairs Council session. "Slovenia has never supported making decisions by qualified or any kind of majority. We advocate for the EU decision-making to be based on consensus," said Cerar. Nevertheless, the country has signed an informal document strengthening the foreign policy's efficiency, which could be interpreted as paving the way for qualified majority. However, Cerar said the document did not endorse qualified majority voting.

FM supports EU sanctioning human rights violations

BRUSSELS, Belgium - On the eve of Human Rights Day, the EU's Foreign Affairs Council agreed on launching preparations for a new EU sanctions regime to sanction human rights abusers, with Slovenian Foreign Minister Miro Cerar backing the move. The initiative is based on the US 2012 Magnitsky Act, which sanctions human rights offenders worldwide, freezing their assets and banning them from entering the US. Cerar also met the foreign ministers of North Macedonia and Albania, calling for starting EU accession talks with both countries by March next year.

Židan and Schäuble discuss EU presidency trio priorities

BERLIN, Germany - Speaker Dejan Židan met President of the Bundestag Wolfgang Schäuble for informal talks about the six-month EU presidency spells between July 2020 and December 2021 held successively by Germany, Portugal and Slovenia. They singled out green policies among the possible joint priority topics. After the meeting, Židan said the trio was close to aligning priority points. In addition to green policies, he and Schäuble also mentioned strengthening the EU and the rule of law.

Ex-MEP Mlinar nominated for cohesion minister despite citizenship issues

LJUBLJANA - The coalition Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) nominated Angelika Mlinar, a former Austrian MEP and a member of the Slovenian minority in Austria, for cohesion policy minister. However, her appointment is not certain because it is not clear whether Austria will allow her to become a dual citizen after Mlinar applied for Slovenian citizenship last week. SAB leader Alenka Bratušek expects the issue to be resolved as soon as possible so that Mlinar could be appointed by 7 January, the deadline by which a new minister must be appointed. PM Marjan Šarec hopes the citizenship issue would be resolved swiftly for the new minister to be appointed already at the December session of parliament.

On eve of Human Rights Day, Ombudsman Svetina urges dignity

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina pointed to the need of dignity in everyday communication as he hosted an annual Human Rights Day reception on the eve of the international day, stressing that "all people are born free, have the same dignity and the same rights". He noted technological development had brought new challenges for human rights and stressed the state was losing touch with the real problems of the people. He also urged acting ethically in the public arena and criticised the authorities for not acting responsibly in addressing environmental changes.

Corruption perception in Slovenia above EU average

BRUSSELS, Belgium - A Eurobarometer survey released on International Anti-Corruption Day showed that nine out of ten Slovenian companies believe that corruption is widespread in the country, which compares to the EU average of 63%. However, the discrepancy between the perception and experience of corruption remains very high with 96% of the Slovenian companies surveyed saying they did not in fact experience state employees seeking a present, favour or extra money to issue key documents or permits. Marking Anti-Corruption Day, Transparency International Slovenia urged leading policy-makers to present further measures for implementing integrity and transparency.

Anti-graft watchdog head to seek reappointment

LJUBLJANA - Boris Šefanec, the head of the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption, announced he would seek reappointment despite his term being mired in controversy and criticism. Štefanec, whose six-year term expires at the end of March 2020 and who has already reached retirement age, has been criticised because of conflict with staff, which is seen as having hurt the watchdog's reputation. Štefanec disagrees, blaming the watchdog's inefficiency on unresponsive authorities.

Climate policy panel recommends declaring climate emergency

LJUBLJANA - The permanent consultative climate policy committee, a body attached to President Borut Pahor's office, recommended to the government and both chambers of parliament to consider declaring a climate and environmental emergency as soon possible. The seven-member panel also urged the Slovenian authorities to immediately draft and adopt ambitious, comprehensive and financially feasible measures to address the climate and environmental crisis.

Yaskawa preparing for expansion of Kočevje plant

KOČEVJE - Just seven months after launching production in Kočevje, Yaskawa Europe Robotics purchased land to expand production at the site. The 4.5-hectare plot was sold by the municipality for EUR 740,000. The existing plant produces industrial robots and houses Yaskawa's European centre for the development of robotics. The new plant will specialise in servo motors and controllers. The state supported the land purchase by providing basic infrastructure for the site worth about EUR 1.5 million.

SDS takes lead in two more polls

LJUBLJANA - The opposition Democrats (SDS) came ahead of the senior coalition Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) in two more public opinion polls. The poll run by the newspaper Delo has the SDS on 16.3%, up from 15.2% last month. The LMŠ gained 0.7 percentage points to 16.1%. The opposition Left in third lost nearly three points to 8.4%. A poll commissioned by the commercial broadcaster Nova24TV has the SDS at 26.5% ahead of the LMŠ on 24.4%, taking into account only decided respondents. The coalition SocDems switched places with the Left in third, polling at 11.3%. Voter approval rating for the government fell in both polls.

Incidents in Slovenian-Croatian Piran Bay continue

LJUBLJANA - Nearly two years since Slovenia implemented the course of the border as set by a Hague-based arbitration tribunal, there is no end to incidents in the Piran Bay, which it shares with Croatia. What is more, a 25% rise in Croatian police boats sailing into Slovenian waters has been recorded this year. Slovenian police processed 1,191 cases of Croatian patrol boats sailing into Slovenian waters from 1 January to 1 December, up 939 year on year, the Government Communication Office (UKOM) said. The police moreover processed 579 cases of Croatian fishing boats sailing into the Slovenian part of the bay between 29 December 2017, the day when Slovenia unilaterally implemented the arbitration decision, and the end of November 2019.

Financial Times ranks Faculty of Economics among top 95

LJUBLJANA - British business newspaper Financial Times has ranked the University of Ljubljana's School of Economics and Business among the 95 best business schools in Europe for the second consecutive time. The faculty sees this achievement as a recognition of its quality in the international arena. The ranking requires having at least one of the top international accreditations - the AACSB and EQUIS-accredited Ljubljana school has both as well as the AMBA accreditation, while its International Master in Business programme has been ranked as one of the best business programmes.

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Visiting Ljubljana? Check out what's on this week, while all our stories on Slovenia, from newest to oldest, are here

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

Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

A schedule of all the main events involving Slovenia this week can be found here

There's not much news this morning, but this summary is provided by the STA:

Pivka group ups revenue, profit

PIVKA - The Pivka group finished 2018 with a higher revenue and profit than in 2017 despite challenges in meat sales and staffing issues, with its investment also record high. Revenue rose by 10% to EUR 57.26 million and net profit by 27% to EUR 1.38 million.

Star choreographer's masterpiece hits London Coliseum

LONDON, UK - Choreographer and artistic director of the acclaimed SNG Maribor Ballet company Edward Clug continues to make headlines. Clug's ensemble will put on two guest performances of his celebrated work Radio and Juliet at the London Coliseum, the West End's largest theatre, over the weekend.

Visiting Ljubljana? Check out what's on this week, while all our stories on Slovenia, from newest to oldest, are here

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Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

A schedule of all the main events involving Slovenia this week can be found here

This summary is provided by the STA:

Visiting Ljubljana? Check out what's on this week, while all our stories on Slovenia, from newest to oldest, are here

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