News roundup - Thursday, 24 April

Fajon and Pahor note importance of EU enlargement to W Balkans

LJUBLJANA - As a two-day international conference on the Western Balkans opened, Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon and former President Borut Pahor noted the importance of EU enlargement to the region. While Fajon said enlargement was a geopolitical necessity, Pahor warned that the situation in the region is deteriorating, advocating that all six Balkan countries join the bloc at the same time.

Slovenia joins appeal for resuming aid to Gaza

LJUBLJANA - The Foreign Ministry endorsed a joint statement in which Germany, France and the United Kingdom warned on Wednesday of the consequences of Israel's blockade of aid to Gaza. It also welcomed the condemnation of Israeli authorities' politicisation of humanitarian aid supplies and their plans to maintain a presence in Gaza after the war, which "undermines the prospects for peace and a two-state solution".

In-person voting in 11 May referendum at all diplomatic missions

LJUBLJANA - The National Electoral Commission (DVK) decided that in-person voting will also be possible at the five embassies and consulates where only voting by mail was initially planned due to staff shortages. However, the polling stations in Bern, Ottawa, Toronto, Cleveland and Canberra will not be open the standard 12 hours, but only eight, between 9am and 5pm local time.

Marathon interpellation session ends without resolution

LJUBLJANA - After more than 14 hours of debate, an interpellation motion against the government launched due to Prime Minister Robert Golob's statements over the 2012 pension reform ended without a resolution in the small hours of Thursday, after MPs rejected in a 43:30 vote a proposal by the Democratic Party (SDS) that the government end its term early.

SDS leader Janša expects an early election

LJUBLJANA - Democratic Party (SDS) leader Janez Janša expects Slovenia will head to an early election in autumn. Whether or not this indeed happens will be affected by the 11 May referendum on pensions for deserving artists launched by the SDS, he told POP TV in an interview late on Wednesday. If the referendum succeeds "the people from behind the scenes who put together the current government" will realise that for the left, it is "better if elections are held earlier," he said.

Golob dismisses corruption allegations

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Robert Golob brushed off corruption allegations that he has faced after a media report showed he spent two weekends at a house owned by a businessman whom the government had appointed to the councils of two hospitals. He told TV Slovenija on Wednesday evening that he saw nothing wrong with that. In what were his first comments on the allegations, he said he had known Tomaž Subotič, the businessman, for more than ten years and their relationship had grown closer before the previous election, when Subotič became a member of Golob's Freedom Movement.

President responsible for c-bank appointment, Golob says

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Robert Golob holds President Nataša Pirc Musar responsible for the delays in the appointment of a new governor of the central bank. "The government has nothing to do with it. The president proposes [candidates] to parliament. The president must find common ground with parliament, not with the government," he told TV Slovenija Wednesday evening. The statement comes after Pirc Musar expressed regret at the coalition rejecting her candidates yet again.

Govt ending battery egg production, imposing microchipping of cats

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted changes to the Animal Protection Act that seek to abolish battery cage egg production, with the state to support producers in switching to alternative methods. They also impose mandatory microchipping of cats, while the manner of funding animal shelters is also being changed. The changes were prompted by a large number of citizens' initiatives to ban battery eggs after appalling conditions at a chicken farm were revealed last year.

Govt rejects reappointment of Psychiatric Clinic director

LJUBLJANA - Citing insufficient trust in his ability to lead while minimising media exposure after recent negative press, the government withheld consent for the reappointment of Bojan Zalar as director of the Ljubljana University Psychiatric Clinic. He lost the government's trust due to his failure to tackle irregularities found in an investigation into allegations of patient abuse. The clinic's council is likely to decide on the appointment of an acting director on Friday.

Eles says EUR 5bn needed to prop up electricity grid in coming decade

LJUBLJANA - Electricity grid operator Eles detailed significant development plans requiring EUR 5.15 billion in total investments by 2034 to upgrade the national transmission and distribution network in light of green transition and increased needs. Eles plans EUR 1.2 billion in investments for the transmission grid, while investments totalling EUR 3.95 billion are foreseen for the distribution grid.

Business sentiment down in April

LJUBLJANA - Business sentiment in Slovenia worsened in April. The indicator was at -2.6 percentage points, down by 0.8 points compared to the month before and by 0.4 points compared to April 2024, the Statistics Office said. The sentiment indicator was brought down in April by the indicator of trust in retail (by one point) and among consumers (by 0.3 points). The indicator of trust in services pulled the overall sentiment up by 0.5 points and the indicator in manufacturing by 0.1 points. The indicator in construction had no effect on the overall business sentiment.

Gaming company Spintec gets new co-owner, eyes US market

NOVA GORICA - The Nova Gorica-based gaming company Spintec, known for its electronic roulette brand, has a new co-owner, Finance reported. After two years of negotiations, German company Merkur acquired a 30% stake in February, which Spintec expects will enable the company to put its machines up for rent in the US market. "This secured funding for our continued growth. By 2030, we plan to increase our revenue from more than EUR 15 million last year to EUR 100 million. We are expecting such a jump mainly because we will offer our gaming machines for rent in the US," Spintec CEO Goran Miškulin told Finance.

Ban on e-cigarette flavourings enters into force

LJUBLJANA - The ban on flavourings for electric cigarettes entered into force following a 12-month transition period, with offenders to be fined between EUR 125 and EUR 5,000. The ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces will be monitored more strictly. The changes ban all sweet, fruity and herbal flavourings in electronic cigarettes with and without nicotine. The only aroma allowed is tobacco.

Laibach's version of Guernica put on display

LJUBLJANA - Famous for their avant-garde concepts and social commentary, the iconic industrial rock band Laibach and their version of Picasso's Guernica are the centrepieces of a new exhibition in Ljubljana's Cukrarna gallery. Titled Unternehmen Barbarossa-Ausstellung! Laibach Kunst, the exhibition is based on a project the band did in cooperation with the organisation A/POLITICAL. They intertwined motifs of Nikolaj Pirnat's graphic designs inspired by the WWII resistance movement and the story of an Afghan family from Kabul to shape their own version of Guernica.