News Archive - 2014

Lithuania losing its litas to adopt the euro currency

31. 12. 2014
Lithuania losing its litas to adopt the euro currency
On January 1, 2015 Lithuania will be the last Baltic nation to join the growing number of EU states to have adopted the euro. Like Estonia and Latvia, Lithuania is hoping for more investment and lower borrowing.

Weather: Temperatures Dropping Close to -20 Degrees!

31. 12. 2014
Weather: Temperatures Dropping Close to -20 Degrees!
It will be freezing cold in next few days in Slovenia with temperatures in some places dropping to -20 degrees. It will be mostly sunny by more cloudiness in the afternoon and tomorrow with light snow expected in parts of eastern and northern Slovenia.

Greece crisis: Europe on edge over snap election

30. 12. 2014
Greece crisis: Europe on edge over snap election
News that Greece faces a snap election on 25 January has been met with international concern, with the radical left scenting victory.

Labour Market Recovers in 2014, Next Year Uncertain

30. 12. 2014
Labour Market Recovers in 2014, Next Year Uncertain
Slovenia recorded an improvement on the labour market in 2014, as the number of unemployed dropped from 130,000 in January to around 115,500 in November. But the trend could reverse next year, as the government has cut funds for the active unemployment policy.

New EU food labelling rules

29. 12. 2014
New EU food labelling rules
EU moves to help consumers be sure about the food they buy come under scrutiny in this edition of Utalk. The question is from Ivan in Sofia: “Recently new EU rules on food labelling entered into force. Could you please tell us what’s new for consumers and do you reckon that they are really better protected now?”

Mixed Economic Prospects for 2015

29. 12. 2014
Mixed Economic Prospects for 2015
After an uneven recovery in 2014, the mixed economic trends in the world are expected to continue in 2015, according to Slovenian economist Mojmir Mrak. The eurozone remains an enigma, Mrak has told the STA, adding that he expects the European Central Bank (ECB) to launch quantitative easing measures early in the year.

US economy growing at faster pace

24. 12. 2014
US economy growing at faster pace
The US economy grew at its quickest pace in 11 years in the third quarter. The figures from the Commerce Department are the strongest sign yet that growth in the country has accelerated.

Consumer Confidence Up Slightly in December

24. 12. 2014
Consumer Confidence Up Slightly in December
Consumer confidence in Slovenia was up one percentage point in December on the monthly basis as consumers expressed optimism regarding the financial situation in households and the possibilities for savings in the next 12 months, according to data from the Statistics Office.

Syria approves delivery of medicine to Aleppo - WHO

23. 12. 2014
Syria approves delivery of medicine to Aleppo - WHO
Syria has authorised the delivery of medicine to opposition-held areas of Aleppo, the World Health Organization says.

Fuel Prices to Drop Significantly on Tuesday

23. 12. 2014
Fuel Prices to Drop Significantly on Tuesday
The prices of fuel in Slovenia will drop on Tuesday by between six and seven euro cents a litre despite the government raising excise duties. Premium petrol will be 6.1 cents cheaper at EUR 1.328, and regular petrol will go down 7 cents to EUR 1.292. Diesel will also be 6.1 cents cheaper at EUR 1.225 a litre.

Austrian crooner Udo Juergens dies at age of 80

22. 12. 2014
Austrian crooner Udo Juergens dies at age of 80
Udo Juergens, one of the best-known pop composers and singers in the German-speaking world, has died at the age of 80.

Postojna Cave Visitor Number Highest in 24 Years

22. 12. 2014
Postojna Cave Visitor Number Highest in 24 Years
The Postojna cave, one of Slovenia's most popular tourist destinations, has welcomed more than 600,000 visitors this year, the highest number in 24 years.

Last EU summit of 2014 in full swing with major investment tabled

19. 12. 2014
Last EU summit of 2014 in full swing with major investment tabled
Former Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, is chairing his first EU summit amidst a flurry of proposals making the discussions. Chief among them is an investment plan to pump over 300 billion euros into infrastructure projects across the bloc.

Adria Airways-Air India Code Share Deal Takes Effect on 15 January

19. 12. 2014
Adria Airways-Air India Code Share Deal Takes Effect on 15 January
Slovenian flag carrier Adria Airways and its Indian counterpart Air India will start operating the Ljubljana-Frankfurt-New Delhi route under the same code on 15 January in line with an agreement signed in November 2013.

Putin set to address Russia amid economic crisis

18. 12. 2014
Putin set to address Russia amid economic crisis
President Vladimir Putin is set to hold his end-of-year news conference amid a growing economic crisis in Russia.

MPs Endorse Law Establishing a Bank Resolution Fund

18. 12. 2014
MPs Endorse Law Establishing a Bank Resolution Fund
The National Assembly confirmed in a bipartisan vote on Wednesday a law establishing a bank resolution fund that would be financed by banks and managed by the central bank.

EU Commission ditches ‘watered down’ air pollution proposal

17. 12. 2014
EU Commission ditches ‘watered down’ air pollution proposal
The European Commissions plan to reduce air pollution has been ditched, along with a host of other new measures.

Sports Associations Voting on New Olympic Committee Boss

17. 12. 2014
Sports Associations Voting on New Olympic Committee Boss
Sports associations from around Slovenia will gather Tuesday to hold a vote on the new Olympic Committee (OKS) boss, choosing between Mayor of Ljubljana Zoran Janković, incumbent OKS vice-president Bogdan Gabrovec and Olympic silver-medallist Andraž Vehovar

Russia raises key interest rate to 17% amid rouble decline

16. 12. 2014
Russia raises key interest rate to 17% amid rouble decline
The Russian central bank has announced it is increasing its key interest rate from 10.5% to 17%.

Slovenia Hails EU Decision to Seek Bosnia Breakthrough

16. 12. 2014
Slovenia Hails EU Decision to Seek Bosnia Breakthrough
Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec hailed the decision by EU foreign ministers on Monday to confirm a new accession strategy for Bosnia-Herzegovina aimed at overcoming the deadlock in the country's talks on membership.

Poorer countries seeking more resources to fight climate change: MEP

15. 12. 2014
Poorer countries seeking more resources to fight climate change: MEP
Delegates from across the world are meeting in Lima, Peru, to work towards a global deal on climate chage.

Biathlon: Jakov Fak With New Podium Place

15. 12. 2014
Biathlon: Jakov Fak With New Podium Place
Slovenia's best male biathlete, Jakov Fak, finished third in the men's 12.5-km pursuit race in Austria's Hochfilzen on Sunday after placing third in the first World Cup sprint event of the season in early December.

Petrol Projects 6% Profit Rise for 2015 Despite Lower Sales

12. 12. 2014
Petrol Projects 6% Profit Rise for 2015 Despite Lower Sales
Energy group Petrol projects a net profit of EUR 64m for 2015, up 6% over this year's target, although sales revenue is expected to drop by 6% to EUR 3.8bn due to lower prices of oil derivatives.

Commissioner Bulc in Slovenia to Present Investment Package

12. 12. 2014
Commissioner Bulc in Slovenia to Present Investment Package
European Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc is due in Slovenia on Friday to present the European Commission's EUR 315bn investment plan. The Slovenian member of the European Commission will also meet PM Miro Cerar and Speaker Milan Brglez.

Russia’s Medvedev tried to reassure over weakening economy and rouble

11. 12. 2014
Russia’s Medvedev tried to reassure over weakening economy and rouble
Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev is trying to portray the glass as being half full when it comes to the state of the economy.

Balanced-Budget Rule Adopted

11. 12. 2014
Balanced-Budget Rule Adopted
The government adopted Thursday legislation that will implement the Constitutional provision requiring Slovenia to run a structurally balanced budget over the medium term, except in times of economic crisis.

Bad Bank Boss: We Will Not Give in to Political Pressure

10. 12. 2014
Bad Bank Boss: We Will Not Give in to Political Pressure
The boss of the Bank Asset Management Company (BAMC) has rebuffed allegations of wrongdoing related to contracting, suggesting that recent leaks of an anti-graft report were one-sided and aimed at paving the path to more obedient managers at the bad bank.

Govt Will Not Propose Tax on Sugary Drinks

10. 12. 2014
Govt Will Not Propose Tax on Sugary Drinks
Coalition leaders agreed on changes to the 2015 budget at a meeting last night with unofficial information suggesting that the measures aimed at reducing the deficit will not include a tax on sugary drinks.

Eurozone ministers extend Greek bailout by two months

09. 12. 2014
Eurozone ministers extend Greek bailout by two months
Eurozone finance ministers have given Greece’s bailout a two month extension after Athens failed to agree on the necessary economic reforms to release a final aid payment.

Thermo Plant Šoštanj Slovenia's Biggest Polluter

09. 12. 2014
Thermo Plant Šoštanj Slovenia's Biggest Polluter
The Šoštanj coal-fired power station (TEŠ) is estimated to have caused between EUR 763m and EUR 2.44bn in cost to health and environment between 2008 and 2012, according to the European Environment Agency (EEA).

Japan's third quarter recession deeper than estimated

08. 12. 2014
Japan's third quarter recession deeper than estimated
Japan's economy shrank more than initially estimated in the third quarter of 2014, according to revised gross domestic product (GDP) figures.

Finance Minister at Eurogroup Meeting on Budget Plans

08. 12. 2014
Finance Minister at Eurogroup Meeting on Budget Plans
Finance Minister Dušan Mramor will take part on Monday in a meeting of the Eurogroup, dedicated to the assessment of euro nations budget plans. The officials will also discuss the European aid programme for Greece.

Vatican finds millions 'tucked away', says Cardinal Pell

05. 12. 2014
Vatican finds millions 'tucked away', says Cardinal Pell
The man responsible for the Vatican's finances says he has found millions of Euros "tucked away" off balance sheets.

Slovenia to Introduce Tax Registers in 2015

05. 12. 2014
Slovenia to Introduce Tax Registers in 2015
The government decided to step up the fight against grey economy on Thursday, aiming to have a fully functional system of cash tax registers on 1 September 2015, Deputy Prime Minister Dejan Židan told the press

Putin to address parliament amid Russia economy woes

04. 12. 2014
Putin to address parliament amid Russia economy woes
President Vladimir Putin is expected to focus on Russia's economy when he delivers his annual state of the nation address to parliament later.

Slovenia Counting on EU Infrastructure Funding

04. 12. 2014
Slovenia Counting on EU Infrastructure Funding
Slovenia is counting on securing infrastructure funding from the EU's EUR 315bn investment package, in particular for the Koper-Divača rail upgrade, Infrastructure Minister Peter Gašperšič said after EU transport ministers discussed projects potentially eligible for funding.

The End of South Stream Project

03. 12. 2014
The End of South Stream Project
The government suggested on Tuesday that Russia's decision to shelve the South Stream gas pipeline project would not significantly affect the Slovenian portion of the project, in what appears to be an admission that the project never really took off. Prime Minister Miro Cerar is not surprised by the decision.

Merry Day of Culture Bringing More Than 350 Free Events

03. 12. 2014
Merry Day of Culture Bringing More Than 350 Free Events
Cultural institutions around Slovenia will hold an open day on Wednesday to remember the birth of poet France Prešeren (1800-1849). Visitors will be able to go to more than 350 shows, exhibitions, concerts, guided tours, lectures, workshops and other events free of charge at 65 venues.

Economy Minister Nominee to be Presented in Parliament

02. 12. 2014
Economy Minister Nominee to be Presented in Parliament
Economy minister nominee Zdravko Počivalšek will be heard by the parliamentary Economy Committee on Tuesday. The National Assembly is expected to take the final vote on the candidate by the end of the week.

Government Bought Social Peace, Economy Will Pay the Price

02. 12. 2014
Government Bought Social Peace, Economy Will Pay the Price
The government and public sector trade unions struck an agreement on cuts in the public sector wage bill for next year after marathon talks late on Monday. Both sides emerged from the negotiations happy that looming industrial action had been averted.

Lufthansa cancels 1,350 flights as pilots strike again

01. 12. 2014
Lufthansa cancels 1,350 flights as pilots strike again
German airline Lufthansa has cancelled 1,350 flights, as pilots prepare to go on strike after talks between the carrier and pilots collapsed in a row over retirement benefits.

Ljubljana University Celebrating 95 Years

01. 12. 2014
Ljubljana University Celebrating 95 Years
The annual Week of Ljubljana University will kick off on Monday with a number of events organised by the 26 schools of Slovenia's oldest university, which celebrates its 95th birthday this year.

Slovenia Confirms Participation in Post-ISAF Afghan Mission

28. 11. 2014
Slovenia Confirms Participation in Post-ISAF Afghan Mission
The government decided Thursday to deploy up to ten soldiers in the NATO-led Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan, which will succeed the current ISAF mission in 2015.

Russian economy stumbles under oil price pressure

28. 11. 2014
Russian economy stumbles under oil price pressure
Russia accounts for 11 percent of the world’s oil, but oil and gas combined make up a hefty 50 percent of Russia’s budget, so price fluctuations have a massive effect on economic planning.

Aviva and Friends Life to merge as companies seek fresh start

27. 11. 2014
Aviva and Friends Life to merge as companies seek fresh start
Insurers Aviva and Friends Life have agreed terms for a possible all-share merger, with Aviva offering Friends shareholders a 15% premium for a 26% share in the merged entity.

Laško Brewery Returns to Profit

27. 11. 2014
Laško Brewery Returns to Profit
The Pivovarna Laško beverage group returned to profit over the first nine months of the year, making net earnings of EUR 12.7m, up from a loss of EUR 10.8m in the same period last year, it said in an earnings release on Monday.

EU President set to unveil investment strategy

26. 11. 2014
EU President set to unveil investment strategy
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is set to present his investment strategy to the European Parliament on Wednesday.

Nuclear Safety Exercise in Krško Power Plant

26. 11. 2014
Nuclear Safety Exercise in Krško Power Plant
A two-day nuclear safety exercise will get under way in Ljubljana and Krško Wednesday acting out a scenario in the event of nuclear fallout from the Krško Nuclear Power Plant. The last such exercise was carried out in 2008.

Violence erupts in Ferguson after grand jury shooting decision

25. 11. 2014
Violence erupts in Ferguson after grand jury shooting decision
Gunshots rang out and bottles and rocks were thrown as protester violence erupted onto the streets of Ferguson, Missouri.

German President Starts Two-Day Visit to Slovenia

25. 11. 2014
German President Starts Two-Day Visit to Slovenia
German President Joachin Gauck will arrive for a two-day visit to Slovenia on Tuesday to meet senior state officials, including President Borut Pahor, Prime Minister Miro Cerar and Speaker Milan Brglez. A strong business delegation is accompanying Gauck.

Volkswagen announces €85 bn investment package

24. 11. 2014
Volkswagen announces €85 bn investment package
Volkswagen has announced it is to invest €85 bn in its operations over the next five years.

Slovenia Remembering WWI General Maister

24. 11. 2014
Slovenia Remembering WWI General Maister
Slovenia is celebrating Rudolf Maister Day on Sunday, the day 96 year ago when this general took control of Maribor at the end of WWI and in effect secured what later became Slovenia's northern border.

Delta swaps Boeings for Airbus planes in $14bn order

21. 11. 2014
Delta swaps Boeings for Airbus planes in $14bn order
American airline Delta is to replace its old Boeing planes with 50 Airbus wide-body jets powered by Rolls Royce engines.

Smerkolj Confirmed as New Development Minister

21. 11. 2014
Smerkolj Confirmed as New Development Minister
The National Assembly appointed Alenka Smerkolj minister without portfolio for development, strategic projects and cohesion in a 53:19 vote on Wednesday. She was backed by coalition MPs, while the opposition Democrats (SDS) and the United Left (ZL) voted against. The Alliance of Alenka Bratušek (ZaAB) abstained.

NLB Reports EUR 50M Net Profit Through Q3

20. 11. 2014
NLB Reports EUR 50M Net Profit Through Q3
The group around Slovenia's largest bank, NLB, has reported a net profit of EUR 49.3m for the first three quarters of the year, a significant improvement over the EUR 293.5m loss made only a year ago, as impairments fell by 68% year-on-year to EUR 108.7m.

High-profile Conference Looking for New Growth Recipe

20. 11. 2014
High-profile Conference Looking for New Growth Recipe
A high-profile business conference will get under way at the seaside town of Portorož on Thursday to call for change at the national level and the EU in order to boost growth.

FinMin Urges Unionists to Accept Deal or Face Painful Cuts

19. 11. 2014
FinMin Urges Unionists to Accept Deal or Face Painful Cuts
Finance Minister Dušan Mramor has reportedly warned the chief negotiators of public sector trade unions that pay cuts of up 7% could be introduced under pressure from Brussels if the unions continue to reject any additional austerity measures in 2015.

China Wants to Boos Cooperation with Slovenia, Government Clueless and Without Any Strategy

19. 11. 2014
China Wants to Boos Cooperation with Slovenia, Government Clueless and Without Any Strategy
Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang will begin a two-day visit to Slovenia on Thursday in what is one of the highest official visits from China. The visit will be dominated by business, as Wang will be accompanied by a business delegation featuring more than 150 executives.

China and Australia sign long-awaited free trade deal

18. 11. 2014
China and Australia sign long-awaited free trade deal
It has taken a decade to agree on but on Monday China and Australia signed a free trade deal that significantly expands economic ties.

Supplementary Budget at Final Reading

18. 11. 2014
Supplementary Budget at Final Reading
The supplementary budget for 2014, which expands the deficit by almost EUR 200m to EUR 1.2bn, will enter the last stage of adoption at the National Assembly on Tuesday. The debate is scheduled to run throughout the day with the vote due on Wednesday.

Bird flu: EU urgent meeting after Netherlands outbreak

17. 11. 2014
Bird flu: EU urgent meeting after Netherlands outbreak
The European Commission is to discuss emergency protective measures after a highly contagious strain of bird flu was discovered at a poultry farm in the Netherlands.

Four Porotorož Hotels Sold to Croatian Operator

17. 11. 2014
Four Porotorož Hotels Sold to Croatian Operator
Hotel chain Hoteli Bernardin has sold a four-hotel complex in Portorož to Croatian hotel operator Hoteli Cavtat for an undisclosed price. The sale is part of financial restructuring and will help the company deleverage, according to Friday's press release from Hoteli Bernardin.

Billionaire Warren Buffett bets on battery power with Duracell purchase

14. 11. 2014
Billionaire Warren Buffett bets on battery power with Duracell purchase
One of the world’s best known investors is betting on the power of long life batteries to boost his fortune.

New Ministers Finally Presented to MPs

14. 11. 2014
New Ministers Finally Presented to MPs
Economy and development ministers nominees, Gojko Koprivec and Alenka Smerkolj, respectively, will present themselves to the parliamentary Economy Committee on Friday. If their hearings go well, the parliament will vote on their appointment next week.

Police Trade Union Planning Rally Against Cuts

13. 11. 2014
Police Trade Union Planning Rally Against Cuts
At least one of Slovenia's police trade unions is expected to soon stage a protest against further cuts in the public sector. The SPS, which argued the police force will be hit especially hard by the measures, has also engaged the larger union, the PSS, into talks on a possible strike.

European scientists wait for comet probe to ‘start doing some science’

13. 11. 2014
European scientists wait for comet probe to ‘start doing some science’
Scientists at the ==European Space Agency= (ESA) have celebrated the landing of a robot probe on a speeding comet some half-billion kilometres from Earth.

Catalan vote draws muted EU response

12. 11. 2014
Catalan vote draws muted EU response
After the tension that surrounded Scotland’s recent independence referendum, the reaction in Brussels to the non-binding Catalan vote has been muted.

Liffe to Occupy Ljubljana Cinemas in the Next 11 Days

12. 11. 2014
Liffe to Occupy Ljubljana Cinemas in the Next 11 Days
The Ljubljana International Film Festival (Liffe), a highlight of the year for film lovers, will begin on Wednesday, bringing almost a hundred features and around 20 shorts until 23 November. The opening film of the 25th edition of the festival will be Jacques Tati's "Playtime" from 1967.

Apec summit: China's Xi Jinping urges economic integration

11. 11. 2014
Apec summit: China
Chinese leader Xi Jinping has urged Asia-Pacific nations to accelerate economic integration in order to spur global growth.

Retired Banker Nominated for Economy Post

11. 11. 2014
Retired Banker Nominated for Economy Post
PM Miro Cerar nominated Gojko Koprivec, a retired banking and insurance industry veteran, to lead the Economy Ministry. Cerar, who revealed the news on Twitter, described him in a press statement a "renowned expert" with experience in banking, insurance as well as industry.

Music and symbolism mark 25th anniversary of fall of Berlin Wall

10. 11. 2014
Music and symbolism mark 25th anniversary of fall of Berlin Wall
Around 8,000 helium balloons have been released at the end of a weekend of events for the 25th anniversary of the Berlin Wall coming down.

Government to Debate Flood Relief

10. 11. 2014
Government to Debate Flood Relief
The government will meet for a working meeting on Sunday afternoon to debate the consequences of the ongoing floods and outline short-term relief measures.

Francois Hollande: I will quit if I fail on unemployment

07. 11. 2014
Francois Hollande: I will quit if I fail on unemployment
French President Francois Hollande has said he will not seek re-election in 2017 if he fails to cut unemployment.

Revoz Creates Nearly 1,000 New Jobs in 2014

07. 11. 2014
Revoz Creates Nearly 1,000 New Jobs in 2014
The Novo mesto-based car maker Revoz, a subsidiary of Renault, is hiring additional 450 workers to boost the production of the new Twingo and Smart ForFour models by a third. The company will have created 1,000 new jobs with its two new production lines by the end of the year.

Ebola: Cured Spanish nurse Teresa Romero recounts illness

06. 11. 2014
Ebola: Cured Spanish nurse Teresa Romero recounts illness
The Spanish nurse who became the first person known to have contracted Ebola outside West Africa in the latest outbreak has given an emotional account of her ordeal as she left hospital.

Champions League: Maribor Surprisingly Draw with Chelsea

06. 11. 2014
Champions League: Maribor Surprisingly Draw with Chelsea
Slovenian football champions Maribor played out a 1:1 draw with the English powerhouse Chelsea at home on Wednesday in what was week 4 of the UEFA Champions League to remain in play for the next round of Europe's strongest club competition.

EU Commission lowers growth forecasts, promises 300 billion euro investment plan for Christmas

05. 11. 2014
EU Commission lowers growth forecasts, promises 300 billion euro investment plan for Christmas
The European Commission has added its voice to the growing drumbeat of bad news about the European economic recovery with growth downgrades for 2014.

Jančar Wins French Literature Prize

05. 11. 2014
Jančar Wins French Literature Prize
Drago Jančar, one of Slovenia's most celebrated novelists, has joined the ranks of Salman Rushdie and Orhan Pamuk as the winner of the Prix du meilleur livre etranger for the best foreign book, an accolade awarded by the association of French critics and publishers.

Boat Maker Seaway to Restart Production after Recapitalisation

04. 11. 2014
Boat Maker Seaway to Restart Production after Recapitalisation
The shareholders of boat maker Seaway provided fresh capital for the troubled company which has recently had all its accounts blocked. The firm was recapitalised with EUR 1.2m, of which EUR 570,000 was provided by KD Group and the rest were debt-to-equity conversions by remaining shareholders.

Muted start for new European Commission

04. 11. 2014
Muted start for new European Commission
The new EU commission began work on Monday after taking office on Saturday. Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has made it clear that he believes the team is the last chance for Europe and has promised a new start for the EU.

France, Italy avert budget row with EU Commission

03. 11. 2014
France, Italy avert budget row with EU Commission
Both Italy and France have backed off from a budget clash with the EU.

Union-Owned Bank Buys Maribor Airport

03. 11. 2014
Union-Owned Bank Buys Maribor Airport
Delavska hranilnica, a bank controlled by several trade unions, has acquired 57% of Aerodrom Maribor, the company operating the airport in Slovenia's second-largest city. The bank's boss says the move was made in response to foreign ownership of Aerodrom Ljubljana, the operator of Slovenia's biggest airport.

Samsung Electronics profit falls to lowest in three years

30. 10. 2014
Samsung Electronics profit falls to lowest in three years
Samsung Electronics has seen its quarterly operating profit fall to its lowest level in more than three years because of slowing smartphone sales.

Slovenia Among First Signatories of Deal on Exchange of Tax Info

30. 10. 2014
Slovenia Among First Signatories of Deal on Exchange of Tax Info
Slovenia's Dušan Mramor was among the more than 50 finance ministers who signed at the OECD's Global Forum meeting in Berlin on Wednesday a multilateral agreement on the exchange of financial account data among relevant authorities in a bid to end banking secrecy and tax evasion.

Political Gossip or Fact: Agrokor Pressuring Mercator Suppliers

29. 10. 2014
Political Gossip or Fact: Agrokor Pressuring Mercator Suppliers
The dailies Finance and Delo have reported that Croatia's Agrokor, the owner of retailer Konzum and as of June of Konzum's former Slovenian rival Mercator, is pressuring Mercator's suppliers into giving up 10% of the revenues secured last year through the two grocers.

First Battle of Ypres anniversary marked

29. 10. 2014
First Battle of Ypres anniversary marked
A ceremony’s been held to mark the 100th anniversary of the First Battle of Ypres during the World War One.

Spanish shame over corruption crackdown

28. 10. 2014
Spanish shame over corruption crackdown
A leading member of Spain’s ruling People’s Party (PP) has expressed her shame after the arrests of more than 50 prominent regional political figures.

Analysts Not Surprised by Stress Tests Outcome

28. 10. 2014
Analysts Not Surprised by Stress Tests Outcome
The bank health check that showed the two Slovenian banks requiring minimal capital injections are not surprising, analysts said after European Central Bank (ECB) released the results of stress tests in which the NLB and NKBM, were shown to have a combined shortfall of EUR 65m

Banks fail EU stress tests as 13 are given six months to restore health

27. 10. 2014
Banks fail EU stress tests as 13 are given six months to restore health
Twenty-five major European banks could have failed in 2013 had there been a new financial crisis, but today half of them are out of danger.

Kenyans Dominate Ljubljana Marathon

27. 10. 2014
Kenyans Dominate Ljubljana Marathon
Kenyan runners dominated the 19th Ljubljana Marathon Sunday which saw Ishimael Bushendich equalise the event record with a run of 2 hours, 8 minutes and 25 seconds. In the women's competition the Kenyan Romo Janet won by a wide margin.

Kosovo minister on historic Serbia visit

24. 10. 2014
Kosovo minister on historic Serbia visit
Enver Hoxhaj has become the first government minister from Kosovo to officially visit Serbia since his country unilaterally seceded in 2008.

Skiing World Cup Starting, Maze Looking to Reclaim Top Title

24. 10. 2014
Skiing World Cup Starting, Maze Looking to Reclaim Top Title
Austria's Sölden will launch this weekend the new season in which the hopes of Slovenian fans will again rest exclusively on giant slalom and downhill Olympic champion Tina Maze.

Record Rainfall Causes Major Disruption in C Slovenia

23. 10. 2014
Record Rainfall Causes Major Disruption in C Slovenia
Slovenia was hit by the third major flooding this year on Wednesday following a night of heavy rains and fierce winds. The worst hit were central parts of the country, which saw a record amount of rainfall.

EU leaders consider climate package

23. 10. 2014
EU leaders consider climate package
In the midst of an economic downturn, European leaders will debate at this week’s EU summit how to move towards a low carbon economy.

Microsoft boss Satya Nadella gets $84m pay package

22. 10. 2014
Microsoft boss Satya Nadella gets $84m pay package
Microsoft boss Satya Nadella has been given a pay package worth $84.3m (£52m), making him one of the top earners in the tech industry.

Violeta Bulc Approved by European Parliament

22. 10. 2014
Violeta Bulc Approved by European Parliament
Slovenia's EU commission candidate Violeta Bulc was approved by the European Parliament's Committee on Transport and Tourism on Tuesday with no need for a full vote.

EU to create Ebola czar

21. 10. 2014
EU to create Ebola czar
The EU wants to create an Ebola czar to bring together funding and resources to tackle the deadly disease.

Telemach Buys Tušmobil

21. 10. 2014
Telemach Buys Tušmobil
Cable operator Telemach has purchased Tušmobil, the No. 3 mobile operator in Slovenia, in a move that will bolster its position as the country's second telecommunications company.

FM Attends EU Session on Iraq, Syria, Ukraine, Ebola

20. 10. 2014
FM Attends EU Session on Iraq, Syria, Ukraine, Ebola
Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec will take part in a session of EU foreign ministers who will meet in Luxembourg on Monday to debate the flashpoints in Iraq, Syria and Ukraine as well as a strategy to fight the spreading of the Ebola outbreak.

Zagreb mayor arrested in anti-graft probe

20. 10. 2014
Zagreb mayor arrested in anti-graft probe
The mayor of Zagreb and several of his colleagues have been arrested on corruption and abuse of office charges

Ebola: Six new suspected cases in Spain

17. 10. 2014
Ebola: Six new suspected cases in Spain
Spain remains on high alert for Ebola after recording six new suspected cases of the virus, including a Spanish priest who had recently been in Liberia.

Port of Koper Reports Higher Turnover

17. 10. 2014
Port of Koper Reports Higher Turnover
Luka Koper, the company operating Slovenia's sole commercial port, transshipped 13.88m of cargo in the first three quarters of the year, up 3% on the same period last year. Operating revenue was up 11% to EUR 112.6m.

European Commission: Transport Portfolio Could be Opportunity for Slovenia

16. 10. 2014
European Commission: Transport Portfolio Could be Opportunity for Slovenia
Slovenia's new candidate for the next European Commission Violeta Bulc was designated by Commission President-elect Jean-Claude Juncker to take the post of transport commissioner, a decision that invited mixed reactions in Slovenia but Prime Minister Miro Cerar said he was happy with the post.

Obama vows a more aggressive response to the handling of the Ebola crisis

16. 10. 2014
Obama vows a more aggressive response to the handling of the Ebola crisis
A second Dallas nurse infected with the Ebola virus has been transferred to the hospital in Atlanta which oversaw the recovery of two US aid workers.

Slovenia Sold EUR 500M in T-Bills

15. 10. 2014
http://www.sloveniatimes.com/slovenia-sold-eur-500m-in-t-bills
Slovenia sold EUR 500m in 18-month treasury bills on Tuesday, in the biggest short-term debt issue for the country this year.

Russia and China get friendly over trade and energy deals

15. 10. 2014
Russia and China get friendly over trade and energy deals
Sino-Russian relations took on a warmer glow on Tuesday as President Vladimir Putin met with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

Slovenian Breaks World Record with Electric Car

14. 10. 2014
Slovenian Breaks World Record with Electric Car
An enthusiastic Slovenian developer has pushed the boundaries of electric car industry a bit further this weekend, as he drove 726 kilometres in an electric car on one charging, the daily Dnevnik reported on Monday.

“No decision reached” on whether Turkey will let US use airbases in fight against ISIL

14. 10. 2014
“No decision reached” on whether Turkey will let US use airbases in fight against ISIL
Fighting continued in the Syrian town of Kobani, close to the border with Turkey, on Monday night.

Finance Minister Presenting Govt Priorities to Eurogroup

13. 10. 2014
Finance Minister Presenting Govt Priorities to Eurogroup
Finance Minister Dušan Mramor will attend a session of the Eurogroup Monday, his first meeting with his eurozone peers since he was appointed minister. He is expected to present Slovenia's fiscal priorities, most notably the government's plans to revise the budgets for 2014 and 2015.

Russian President Putin pulls back troops from border with Ukraine

13. 10. 2014
Russian President Putin pulls back troops from border with Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his troops to retreat from the border with Ukraine.

Bratušek Withdraws, New Candidate Violeta Bulc?

10. 10. 2014
Bratušek Withdraws, New Candidate Violeta Bulc?
A day after being overwhelmingly rejected by two committees in the European Parliament, former Prime Minister Alenka Bratušek withdrew her bid to become a vice-president of the EU Commission on Thursday, prompting a scramble to put forward a new nominee.

France’s Patrick Modiano ‘surprised’ by Nobel Prize accolade

10. 10. 2014
France’s Patrick Modiano ‘surprised’ by Nobel Prize accolade
Patrick Modiano faced the media after being awarded with the 2014 Nobel Prize for Literature.

Several Bids for Telekom Slovenije and NKBM

09. 10. 2014
Several Bids for Telekom Slovenije and NKBM
Several investors have submitted bids for NKBM bank and Telekom Slovenije, the two biggest firms slated for privatisation, POP TV reported Wednesday. The Slovenia Sovereign Holding (SSH) has received at least two binding bids for NKBM while four or five investors are still in the race for Telekom.

France, Germany and Italy unite over job creation plan

09. 10. 2014
France, Germany and Italy unite over job creation plan
The leaders of France, Germany and Italy have pledged to commit some 6.4 billion euros towards tackling youth unemployment.

IMF Upgrades Slovenia Growth Forecast to 1.4%

08. 10. 2014
IMF Upgrades Slovenia Growth Forecast to 1.4%
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected for Slovenia's economy to expand by 1.4% this year and by as much the next, in a marked upgrade on its April forecasts.

Belgium gets a new government after nearly five months without one

08. 10. 2014
Belgium gets a new government after nearly five months without one
Belgium is at last about to have a government ending nearly five months without one since the May 25 elections.

Design Month in Ljubljana Kicks Off

07. 10. 2014
Design Month in Ljubljana Kicks Off
The annual Month of Design kicked off in Ljubljana Monday evening with an award ceremony honouring the best of Slovenian design in the past year and lifetime achievements in design.

Eiffel Tower gets new perspective with glass floor view

07. 10. 2014
Eiffel Tower gets new perspective with glass floor view
For those with a head for heights, visiting the Eiffel Tower in Paris is now more of an adventure than ever – thanks to a new glass floor offering a tantalisingly jaw-dropping view.

Local Elections: Weird Acrobatics of Slovenian Voters

06. 10. 2014
Local Elections: Weird Acrobatics of Slovenian Voters
Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković whos party was humiliated in parliamentary elections in July has cruised to re-election in Sunday's local election, according to an exit poll by pollster Mediana. Maribor Mayor Andrej Fištravec will meanwhile face a run-off against the man he helped to oust nearly two years ago.

Jules Bianchi undergoes surgery after Japanese Grand Prix crash

06. 10. 2014
Jules Bianchi undergoes surgery after Japanese Grand Prix crash
Marussia driver Jules Bianchi has undergone surgery after suffering a severe head injury in a crash at the Japanese Grand Prix.

Atletico skipper Gabi admits to playing role in match-fixing scandal

03. 10. 2014
Atletico skipper Gabi admits to playing role in match-fixing scandal
Atletico Madrid captain Gabi has admitted to prosecutors in Spain he played a role in a match-fixing scandal during his time at Real Zaragoza.

Interchangeable Drugs Bring EUR 24.6M in Savings in a Year

03. 10. 2014
Interchangeable Drugs Bring EUR 24.6M in Savings in a Year
The gradual introduction of a pricing cap for five groups of interchangeable pharmaceuticals, which started a year ago, is producing results, as the Health Insurance Institute (ZZZS) has saved around EUR 24.6m with the measure to date.

Spain’s EU pick comes under fire for ‘oil links’

02. 10. 2014
Spain’s EU pick comes under fire for ‘oil links’
Spain’s pick for the next European Commission has come under fire from MEPs for his alleged links to the oil industry.

Revoz Announces 450 New Jobs Following Production Expansion

02. 10. 2014
Revoz Announces 450 New Jobs Following Production Expansion
Renault-owned carmaker Revoz announced on Wednesday it would expand its workforce by around 450 to meet the production needs for the new Twingo and the four-seat Smart.

Global AgeWatch Index: Norway best for older people

01. 10. 2014
Global AgeWatch Index: Norway best for older people
Norway is the best place to grow old, according to an index of the quality of later life in 96 countries.

Gorenje Launches EUR 50M Five-Year Bond Issue

01. 10. 2014
Gorenje Launches EUR 50M Five-Year Bond Issue
Household appliance maker Gorenje has started collecting binding bids for a five-year bond issue worth EUR 50m, with which the Velenje-based company wants to further improve its financing structure, Gorenje said in a press release on Tuesday.

Chinese Investors Offering First Jobs in Maribor

30. 09. 2014
Chinese Investors Offering First Jobs in Maribor
Chinese battery company Shihlien Apex, which wants to set up a factory in Maribor by the end of the year, advertised the first 52 job openings on Friday of the total of 150 it had announced it would open.

Champions League: CSKA host Bayern behind closed doors

30. 09. 2014
Champions League: CSKA host Bayern behind closed doors
CSKA Moscow entertain competition heavyweights Bayern Munich on matchday two of the Champions League group stage on Tuesday.

Kimetto smashes world record in fastest-ever marathon

29. 09. 2014
Kimetto smashes world record in fastest-ever marathon
Dennis Kimetto obliterated the marathon world record in Berlin on Sunday. The Kenyan sliced 26 seconds off the previous record, winning the race in a time of two hours, two minutes and 57 seconds.

Tourism Accounts for 13% of Slovenia's GDP

29. 09. 2014
Tourism Accounts for 13% of Slovenia's GDP
This year's World Tourism Day, observed on 27 September, is being held under the banner "Tourism and Community Development". While global tourism is on the rise, Slovenia is faced with numerous challenges despite the record-breaking season in 2013.

First female Davis Cup captain in Spain sparks debate

26. 09. 2014
First female Davis Cup captain in Spain sparks debate
The appointment of Spain’s first female Davis Cup captain earlier this week has been met with criticism by several former and current players and coaches.

President Pahor to Address UN General Assembly

26. 09. 2014
President Pahor to Address UN General Assembly
President Borut Pahor will address the 69th session of the UN General Assembly dedicated to drawing up a development agenda after 2015 on Friday. The address will be the president's final engagement in New York, where he attended the UN Climate Change Summit 2014 and held several bilateral meetings.

US Placed Slovenia on the List of Anti-ISIS Coalition Without Any Consultation

25. 09. 2014
US Placed Slovenia on the List of Anti-ISIS Coalition Without Any Consultation
Prime Minister Miro Cerar has voiced apprehension about Slovenia being made part of a coalition of countries that the United States deems form a coalition against the Islamic State.

Portuguese government increases minimum wage

25. 09. 2014
Portuguese government increases minimum wage
The Portuguese government has raised the country’s monthly minimum wage by 20 euros to 505 euros.

Ryder Cup: Rory McIlroy has outgrown me - Graeme McDowell

24. 09. 2014
Ryder Cup: Rory McIlroy has outgrown me - Graeme McDowell
Graeme McDowell admits Rory McIlroy may have outgrown him as a Ryder Cup partner.

Climate Change Seen as Opportunity for Business

24. 09. 2014
Climate Change Seen as Opportunity for Business
Slovenia has experienced above-average warming in the past 50 years and is being hit hard by climate change, but this is also an opportunity for business, heard a debate on climate change organised by the Slovenian Academy of Arts and Sciences Tuesday.

Jimmy Choo set to list shares on London Stock Exchange

23. 09. 2014
Jimmy Choo set to list shares on London Stock Exchange
Designer shoe maker Jimmy Choo has announced plans to list its shares on the London Stock Exchange.

Milanič First Slovenian Football Coach in England

23. 09. 2014
Milanič First Slovenian Football Coach in England
Darko Milanič is to become the first Slovenian football coach with a job in England as he is moving from Austria's Sturm Graz to English Championship side Leeds United. The 46-year-old Milanič will be officially presented as the new Leeds manager today.

British Travel Agents Meeting in Slovenia

22. 09. 2014
British Travel Agents Meeting in Slovenia
Slovenia's capital is hosting the annual convention of the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) until Tuesday in what is a major event for the British travel industry.

Global protest to call for climate change protection

22. 09. 2014
Global protest to call for climate change protection
Across the world rallies have been held to draw attention to climate change ahead of a UN summit tomorrow in New York.

We’ll take the ‘No’ road: Scottish voters reject independence

19. 09. 2014
We’ll take the ‘No’ road: Scottish voters reject independence
Scotland will remain part of the United Kingdom after Scottish voters chose to reject independence in an historic referendum.

Slovenia With New Government

19. 09. 2014
Slovenia With New Government
Slovenia's 12th government was sworn in as the National Assembly endorsed the cabinet line-up of Miro Cerar in a 54:25 vote and six abstentions on Thursday. The government immediately met for its first session at which it will appoint some staff and get briefed on the recent floods.

Scotland decides – to be or not to be independent

18. 09. 2014
Scotland decides – to be or not to be independent
It is ‘Decision Day’ in Scotland with more than four million voters being asked in a referendum “Should Scotland be an independent country?”.

EBRD Upgrades Slovenia's GDP Growth Forecast to 0.7%

18. 09. 2014
EBRD Upgrades Slovenia's GDP Growth Forecast to 0.7%
EBRD has upgraded its GDP growth forecast for Slovenia for 2014 to 0.7% from zero growth projected in May. Next year Slovenia's economy is projected to expand by a further 1%. The EBRD's expectations are still pessimistic given the current economic trends.

Obama sends troops to West Africa in a ‘war’ against Ebola outbreak

17. 09. 2014
Obama sends troops to West Africa in a ‘war’ against Ebola outbreak
US President Barack Obama has described the West Africa Ebola outbreak as spiraling out of control.

Football: Maribor Starting Champions League Campaign

17. 09. 2014
Football: Maribor Starting Champions League Campaign
Slovenian football champions Maribor will open their first UEFA Champions League campaign in the last 15 years by hosting Sporting Lisbon. Despite the vice-champions of the Portuguese Primeira Liga being clear-cut favourites, the home team is confident and is going for a win.

Days of delay and disruption as Air France pilots go on strike

16. 09. 2014
Days of delay and disruption as Air France pilots go on strike
Air France passengers face days of delay and disruption as the airline’s pilots begin a week-long strike.

Flooding in Eastern Slovenia Claimed at least One Victim

16. 09. 2014
Flooding in Eastern Slovenia Claimed at least One Victim
Swollen waters in eastern Slovenia claimed the first victim Saturday. In the vicinity of Vransko, some 50 km north-east of Ljubljana, a car plunged into a stream due to eroded banks. One person was killed and a second passenger in the car is still missing.

Parliament Hearings of Ministerial Nominees Continue

15. 09. 2014
Parliament Hearings of Ministerial Nominees Continue
The hearings of ministerial nominees will continue at relevant parliamentary committees on Monday, among others of the nominees for economy, finance and justice ministers. The government of Miro Cerar as a whole is meanwhile expected to be put to vote in the National Assembly on Thursday.

Vuelta a Espana: Alberto Contador seals the deal

15. 09. 2014
Vuelta a Espana: Alberto Contador seals the deal
Santiago de Compostela crowned the new king of the Vuelta a Espana on Sunday (September 14). Alberto Contador sealed his victory on home turf after the final time-trial stage.

Yahoo 'threatened' by US government with $250,00-a-day fine

12. 09. 2014
Yahoo 'threatened' by US government with $250,00-a-day fine
Yahoo said the US government threatened to fine it $250,000 a day if the search giant failed to hand over user data.

Industrial Output Up

12. 09. 2014
Industrial Output Up
Industrial output continues to grow in Slovenia, the data presented by the Statistics Office on Wednesday shows. It grew by 2.3% in July over June, after a 2.7% increase was recorded in the first half of the year.

The dynasty continues: Santander’s Emilio Botin succeeded by his daughter

11. 09. 2014
The dynasty continues: Santander’s Emilio Botin succeeded by his daughter
Following the death of Emilio Botin, who headed Spanish bank Santander for 28 years, his daughter Ana Patricia has been named as the new chairwoman.

Slovenia Above OECD Average in Pre-Primary Education

11. 09. 2014
Slovenia Above OECD Average in Pre-Primary Education
Slovenia is still lagging behind average tertiary educational attainment despite a marked increase in recent years, while it also boasts the smallest gender gap in earnings and high enrolment in pre-primary education, a report OECD has found.

EU sanctions start to hit Russian oil giant Rosneft

10. 09. 2014
EU sanctions start to hit Russian oil giant Rosneft
The sanctions squeeze is on at Russia’s biggest oil firm Rosneft.

Slovenia Promises Elan Sale

10. 09. 2014
Slovenia Promises Elan Sale
Slovenia has informed the European Commission that the majority state-owned sports goods manufacturer Elan could be sold by the end of the year so the company would also be able to repay the EUR 10m in illegal state aid.

Coalition Agreement Finally Signed

09. 09. 2014
Coalition Agreement Finally Signed
The heads of the Party of Miro Cerar (SMC), the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) and the Social Democrats (SD) signed Monday a coalition agreement for the incoming centre-left government, ending almost six weeks of negotiations. The new government is expected to be inaugurated on 18 September.

Vuelta a Espana: Spain fights it out on stage 15

08. 09. 2014
Vuelta a Espana: Spain fights it out on stage 15
Stage 15 of the Vuelta a Espana was won by Pole Przemyslaw Niemiec.

Record Tourism Turnout in Ljubljana

08. 09. 2014
Record Tourism Turnout in Ljubljana
Despite the unseasonably rainy August, Slovenia's capital attracted a record number of overnight stays. These were up almost 11% year-on-year in August. The season is also looking good on the coast.

ECB cuts rates and launches stimulus programme

05. 09. 2014
ECB cuts rates and launches stimulus programme
The European Central Bank has cut its benchmark interest rate to 0.05%, and introduced new stimulus measures.

Campaigning On for Local Elections

05. 09. 2014
Campaigning On for Local Elections
Exactly a month to go before the local polls in Slovenia, campaigning gets officially under way on Friday with the biggest uncertainty surrounding contenders of the winner of the 13 July general election, the Party of Miro Cerar (SMC).

South Wales is shutdown for crucial NATO summit

04. 09. 2014
South Wales is shutdown for crucial NATO summit
NATO’s secretary general has flown in to join over sixty world leaders who have gathered in Cardiff and Newport today for the NATO summit. It is the biggest event Wales has seen for years, and one which has brought 10,000 extra police onto the streets.

Basketball Worlds: New Win for Slovenia

04. 09. 2014
Basketball Worlds: New Win for Slovenia
Slovenia beat Angola 93:87 (17:17, 44:43, 65:66) in Las Palmas on Wednesday to stay unbeaten and keep their lead in group D at the Basketball World Cup.

Putin says he could take Kyiv in a fortnight

03. 09. 2014
Putin says he could take Kyiv in a fortnight
Italian daily paper La Repubblica has reported that in a phone call to European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, Vladimir Putin claimed he could capture Kyiv in a fortnight if he wanted to.

Basketball Worlds: Slovenia Cruise Past South Korea

03. 09. 2014
Basketball Worlds: Slovenia Cruise Past South Korea
Slovenia remained unbeaten at the FIBA Basketball World Cup after defeating minnows South Korea 89:72 (19:21, 40:39, 70:56) in Las Palmas on Tuesday in game three of the preliminary round. Slovenia's NBA point guard Goran Dragić was the player of the match with 22 points

Football stars shine for Pope Francis and his Match for Peace

02. 09. 2014
Football stars shine for Pope Francis and his Match for Peace
Past and present greats of the football world were for once in awe of a bigger star than themselves when Pope Francis welcomed them to the Vatican.

Juncker Invited Outgoing PM Bratušek to Interview

02. 09. 2014
Juncker Invited Outgoing PM Bratušek to Interview
EU Commission President-elect Jean-Claude Juncker will start interviewing commissioner nominees from EU member states on Tuesday; in the case of Slovenia he will interview outgoing Prime Minister Alenka Bratušek

Airport expansion critical for UK, says CBI

01. 09. 2014
Airport expansion critical for UK, says CBI
A single, larger hub airport where passengers can transfer to a range of destinations - is "critical" to the UK's long-term economic growth, says the CBI.

Motor Neurone Disease charities get massive Ice Bucket boost

01. 09. 2014
Motor Neurone Disease charities get massive Ice Bucket boost
The numbers just keep growing as the Ice Bucket Challenge goes global and raises millions for Motor Neurone Disease. It has also become a demonstration of the power of social media at making money.

Germanwings cancels flights as pilots go on strike

29. 08. 2014
Germanwings cancels flights as pilots go on strike
Lufthansa’s low cost carrier Germanwings has cancelled more than 100 flights planned for Friday (August 29) morning, as pilots go on strike in a row over an early retirement scheme.

Sales Revenue Down by Almost 6% Last Year

29. 08. 2014
Sales Revenue Down by Almost 6% Last Year
Retail and wholesale companies in Slovenia generated a total of EUR 23.3bn in sales revenue in 2013, which is 5.7% less than a year before. This is the second consecutive drop in annual revenues, which puts revenues on par with the recession years.

Making fortunes with Lego, legally and illegally

28. 08. 2014
Making fortunes with Lego, legally and illegally
Renewed popularity of the plastic building bricks Lego is turning it into a good investment opportunity, but also a target for criminals.

Mercator Group's Revenue Down 4% to EUR 1.3BN in H1

28. 08. 2014
Mercator Group
The group around retailer Mercator generated EUR 1.3bn in sales revenues in the first half of 2014, which is 4% less year-on-year but on par with plans. The group's operating profit stood at EUR 11.8m, Mercator said in a press release.

Motorway Company Sees "Explosion" of Profit

27. 08. 2014
Motorway Company Sees
Slovenia's state-owned motorway company DARS has reported a 438% rise in half-year profit for 2014, which it attributed to an increase in revenue from heavy vehicle traffic and cost-cutting.

Gadgets good to go on some Australian flights

27. 08. 2014
Gadgets good to go on some Australian flights
People flying on Qantas and Virgin Australia are finally being allowed to use their mobile phones and other electronic devices during flights.

Obama ‘approves surveillance flights over Syria’ to combat Islamic State

26. 08. 2014
Obama ‘approves surveillance flights over Syria’ to combat Islamic State
President Obama has authorised air surveillance flights over Syria in the battle against Islamic State (IS) fighters, according to US media reports.

Croatian Bakery Chain to Expand in Slovenia

26. 08. 2014
Croatian Bakery Chain to Expand in Slovenia
Croatian bakery chain Mlinar, which currently operates 18 bakeries in Ljubljana, Maribor and Celje, plans to open five more shops by the end of the year, a member of the management has told the STA.

European farmers protest over lost revenue from Russia sanctions retaliation

25. 08. 2014
European farmers protest over lost revenue from Russia sanctions retaliation
Spanish farmers have been dumping produce in the streets angry that sanctions against Russia over Ukraine will cost them dear.

Cerar Will Become Official PM-Designate Today

25. 08. 2014
Cerar Will Become Official PM-Designate Today
The National Assembly will vote on Prime Minister-designate Miro Cerar on Monday, as the process of forming a new government in Slovenia following the 13 July general election enters the final phase.

Ukrainian crisis damages tourism in Slovenia

22. 08. 2014
Ukrainian crisis damages tourism in Slovenia
In Slovenia, an EU Member State, hotels are reporting a 20% drop in numbers of Russian tourists. Russians make up around 6% of tourists to Slovenia, but are reputed to spend more per head than other nationalities.

Slovenian Firms Seek Business in UAE, Pakistan

22. 08. 2014
Slovenian Firms Seek Business in UAE, Pakistan
In the face of economic crisis, Slovenian companies continue to seek business opportunities abroad, including in countries with which business ties have been very poor. Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are two examples where there is a lot of room for improvement, pundits believe.

Street battles continue as Ukraine army attacks pro-Russian rebels

21. 08. 2014
Street battles continue as Ukraine army attacks pro-Russian rebels
As fierce fighting continues in Ukraine’s rebel stronghold of Donetsk and other eastern towns, the army has said pro-Russian separatists have shot down a government fighter jet.

European Commission Demands Elan's Bankruptcy

21. 08. 2014
European Commission Demands Elan's Bankruptcy
The European Commission has given Slovenia 20 days to launch bankruptcy proceedings at sports goods manufacturer Elan, the daily Dnevnik reports on Wednesday.

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu seen as next PM

20. 08. 2014
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu seen as next PM
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has been tipped to take over as chairman of the country’s ruling AK Party by outgoing president Abdullah Gul.

Registered Unemployment Rate Down for Fourth Month in a Row

20. 08. 2014
Registered Unemployment Rate Down for Fourth Month in a Row
Slovenia's registered unemployment rate dropped by 0.2 percentage points to 12.8% in June, which is on par with June 2013. This is the fourth consecutive monthly drop.

German intelligence spied on Turkey, says report

19. 08. 2014
German intelligence spied on Turkey, says report
German press reports suggest the country’s intelligence agency spied on Turkey for years.

President to Nominate Cerar PM-Designate Today

19. 08. 2014
President to Nominate Cerar PM-Designate Today
President Borut Pahor will nominate on Tuesday Miro Cerar, the head of the SMC party that won in the 13 July general election, for prime minister-designate. A vote in the National Assembly is expected for next Tuesday and Cerar needs absolute majority, meaning at least 46 votes, to be appointed PM-designate.

Man quarantined in Spain with possible Ebola virus

18. 08. 2014
Man quarantined in Spain with possible Ebola virus
A man has been admitted to hospital in Spain showing symptoms of the Ebola virus.

Ljubljana Looking for a Million Overnight Stays in 2014

18. 08. 2014
Ljubljana Looking for a Million Overnight Stays in 2014
Visitors to Ljubljana generated more than 522,000 overnight stays in the first seven months of 2014, which is a 3% increase year-on-year. If the trend continues, the Slovenian capital could see a million overnight stays by the end of the year, an absolute record.

Thousands of Ukrainian refugees stream into Russia

14. 08. 2014
Thousands of Ukrainian refugees stream into Russia
Russia is continuing to take in refugees who are fleeing fighting in Ukraine's volatile eastern region.

Ljubljana Castle and Funicular Post New Records

14. 08. 2014
Ljubljana Castle and Funicular Post New Records
The Ljubljana funicular posted a new record on Tuesday, transporting to the castle hill a total of 2,456 people, the most ever in a single day, while the castle posted a daily record on Saturday.

Rock it! Sziget Festival opens in Budapest

13. 08. 2014
Rock it! Sziget Festival opens in Budapest
The 2014 Sziget Festival, one of the largest music and cultural events in Europe, is underway at “Old Buda Island” on the Danube in Budapest, Hungary.

Cerar Secures Support for PM, Not for "Rainbow" Coalition

13. 08. 2014
Cerar Secures Support for PM, Not for
President Pahor met on Tuesday representatives of the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) as part of his consultations on the nomination of a PM-designate, receiving an assurance that the ten DeSUS deputies will endorse Miro Cerar

Russia to send aid to eastern Ukraine as part of an international humanitarian mission

12. 08. 2014
Russia to send aid to eastern Ukraine as part of an international humanitarian mission
The Red Cross is to lead an international humanitarian aid operation into Ukraine’s rebel stronghold of Luhansk.

President to Nominate Cerar PM-Designate Next Week

12. 08. 2014
President to Nominate Cerar PM-Designate Next Week
President Borut Pahor intends to nominate Miro Cerar, the president of the Party of Miro Cerar (SMC) party that won the 13 July general election, for prime minister-designate at the beginning of next week, Cerar said after meeting the president on Monday.

Erdogan wins Turkish presidential election, vows reconciliation

11. 08. 2014
Erdogan wins Turkish presidential election, vows reconciliation
Victory in the presidential election for Recep Tayyip Erdogan has secured his place in history as Turkey’s first directly elected head of state.

Russia Food Import Embargo Will Not Affect Slovenia Too Much

11. 08. 2014
Russia Food Import Embargo Will Not Affect Slovenia Too Much
Even though Russia ranks Slovenia's sixth export market, it mostly represents but a tiny proportion in exports of Slovenian food exports. Out of foodstuffs subject to Russia's import ban, Slovenia mainly exports meat and fish.

Food fight as Moscow bans imports from countries that have launched sanctions

08. 08. 2014
Food fight as Moscow bans imports from countries that have launched sanctions
Russia’s prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev has announced a total ban on imports of many Western foods in retaliation for sanctions over Ukraine.

Janša Can Continue to Attend Parliament Sessions

08. 08. 2014
Janša Can Continue to Attend Parliament Sessions
The imprisoned leader of the Democrats Janez Janša will be allowed to continue to attend sessions of the National Assembly as an MP, the Prison Administration said on after Janša participated in the inaugural session without police escort and had his MP term confirmed.

Top Khmer Rouge leaders found guilty

07. 08. 2014
Top Khmer Rouge leaders found guilty
Cambodia’s UN-backed tribunal of crimes against humanity has jailed for life two top Khmer Rouge figures.

Ljubljana Airport Privatisation Procedures Launched with Fraport

07. 08. 2014
Ljubljana Airport Privatisation Procedures Launched with Fraport
The Slovenia Sovereign Holding (SSH) has entered into exclusive talks with German airport operator Fraport on the sale of a 75.5% stake in Aerodrom Ljubljana, which runs the Ljubljana International Airport.

UK house prices see 10.2% annual rise, says the Halifax

06. 08. 2014
UK house prices see 10.2% annual rise, says the Halifax
UK house prices in July were up 10.2% from a year earlier - the biggest annual change since September 2007, according to the Halifax.

Speaker to Discuss Post-Election Procedures with Pahor

06. 08. 2014
Speaker to Discuss Post-Election Procedures with Pahor
Parliament Speaker Milan Brglez will meet President Borut Pahor on Wednesday to discuss the formation of deputy groups in the National Assembly, a precondition for Pahor launching talks with parties about his proposal for the prime minister-designate

Another attempt at a truce as Egypt tries to bring Hamas and Israel to the peace table

05. 08. 2014
Another attempt at a truce as Egypt tries to bring Hamas and Israel to the peace table
Israel and Hamas have agreed to hold their fire for three days, under the terms of an Egyptian-brokered truce.

Brewer Laško Sparks Interest among Foreign Investors

05. 08. 2014
Brewer Laško Sparks Interest among Foreign Investors
Several of the world's leading brewers have unofficially expressed interest to participate in equity financing planned by Pivovarna Laško, Slovenia's leading beverage company.

Fiat says ‘ciao’ to its Italian identity

04. 08. 2014
Fiat says ‘ciao’ to its Italian identity
It is the end of an era for Fiat as after 115 years it will no longer be an Italian company.

Govt Unfreezes Privatisation

04. 08. 2014
Govt Unfreezes Privatisation
The outgoing cabinet decided Monday to unfreeze privatisation procedures following a complaint from the Slovenia Sovereign Holding (SSH) that a 3 July decree to halt ongoing sales was illegal.

Eurozone jobless rate falls

01. 08. 2014
Eurozone jobless rate falls
The jobless rate in Europe is down.

Ducati Awards Slovenian Supplier Hidria for Consistent Quality

01. 08. 2014
Ducati Awards Slovenian Supplier Hidria for Consistent Quality
Motorcycle maker Ducati has awarded Slovenian automotive parts maker Hidria for providing consistently outstanding quality and logistics. Hidria supplies the famous Italian company with motorcycle frames, licence plate holders and motorcycle stands.

Ukraine’s economy shrinks faster from fighting

31. 07. 2014
Ukraine’s economy shrinks faster from fighting
Ukraine’s economic decline is accelerating.

Agrokor Publishes Bid for Outstanding Mercator Shares

31. 07. 2014
Agrokor Publishes Bid for Outstanding Mercator Shares
Croatian conglomerate Agrokor published Thursday an offer to buy the remaining 47% stake in grocer Mercator that it does not already own. The bid, like the original takeover priced at EUR 86 per share, values the outstanding stake at EUR 152m and is valid through 1 September.

Twitter reports a loss but growing number of users

30. 07. 2014
Twitter reports a loss but growing number of users
Social networking service Twitter reported a loss of $145m (£86m) during the second-quarter period from March to June.

Rainfall Blocks Traditional Sea Salt Production in Sečovlje

30. 07. 2014
http://www.sloveniatimes.com/rainfall-blocks-traditional-sea-salt-production-in-secovlje
The heavy rainfall in July set back salt production at Sečovlje on the Slovenian coast for several months. No salt has been produced so far, but production manager Dario Sau remains optimistic, hoping the production would pick up in August and September.

Costa Concordia cut up for scrap in 100 million euro demolition operation

29. 07. 2014
Costa Concordia cut up for scrap in 100 million euro demolition operation
Work is about to start cutting up the Costa Concordia piece by piece. It’s future now, scrap metal for cars, refrigerators and washing machines.

Govt Unfreezes Privatisation

29. 07. 2014
Govt Unfreezes Privatisation
The outgoing cabinet decided Monday to unfreeze privatisation procedures following a complaint from the Slovenia Sovereign Holding (SSH) that a 3 July decree to halt ongoing sales was illegal.

Ukraine: fighting forces MH17 experts to delay crash site visit

28. 07. 2014
Ukraine: fighting forces MH17 experts to delay crash site visit
Fierce fighting near the wreckage of the Malaysian airliner downed in eastern Ukraine has forced Dutch and Australian investigators to cancel a visit to the crash site, controlled by pro-Russian rebels.

Chelsea Win Exhibition Match in Ljubljana

28. 07. 2014
Chelsea Win Exhibition Match in Ljubljana
The English Premier League powerhouse Chelsea played a friendly match with Olimpija on Sunday, showing their might only in the second half to turn the match around and win 2:1 after trailing the hosts from Ljubljana 0:1 after the first period.

Frank Lampard: New York City FC sign ex-Chelsea midfielder

25. 07. 2014
Frank Lampard: New York City FC sign ex-Chelsea midfielder
Former Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has joined Major League Soccer side New York City FC on a two-year deal.

Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior Docks in Koper

25. 07. 2014
Greenpeace
Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior III will visit Slovenia for the first time on Friday, sailing into the port of Koper in support of the local Greenpeace campaign for renewable energy sources "The sun is free".

EU attitude to Moscow has changed, says Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin

24. 07. 2014
EU attitude to Moscow has changed, says Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin
The Malaysia Airlines crash has triggered a huge change in the EU’s attitude towards Moscow and the crisis in Ukraine. That’s what Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin told euronews in an exclusive interview after discussions at the Eastern Partnership Ministerial Meeting.

Formula 1: Mexico Grand Prix returns to calendar for 2015

24. 07. 2014
Formula 1: Mexico Grand Prix returns to calendar for 2015
Mexico will return to the Formula 1 calendar in 2015 after a 23-year absence, organisers of a planned new race have announced.

Election Winner Cerar Invites Parties to Coalition Talks

23. 07. 2014
Election Winner Cerar Invites Parties to Coalition Talks
Miro Cerar, the leader of the 13 July general election winning SMC party, has invited all parties who made it into parliament bar the Democrats (SDS) to talks as he seeks to form a ruling coalition

US and European airlines suspend flights to Tel Aviv after rocket fire near airport

23. 07. 2014
US and European airlines suspend flights to Tel Aviv after rocket fire near airport
A bomb alert at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport sent passengers running for safety On Tuesday.

Steven Gerrard: Roy Hodgson & Bryan Robson lead tributes

22. 07. 2014
Steven Gerrard: Roy Hodgson & Bryan Robson lead tributes
England will miss "fantastic" captain Steven Gerrard after his retirement from international football, says national boss Roy Hodgson.

UN votes for an investigation into flight MH17

22. 07. 2014
UN votes for an investigation into flight MH17
United Nations Security Council members have condemned Thursday’s downing of the Malaysian passenger plane.

Pro-Gaza protests call to end Israeli action

21. 07. 2014
Pro-Gaza protests call to end Israeli action
Around three hundred people gathered in Tel Aviv to protest against Israel’s military action in Gaza. They held banners, chanted slogans and called for dialogue in handling the current conflict.

Kanin Ski Resort Auction Fails

21. 07. 2014
Kanin Ski Resort Auction Fails
An auction for the bankruptcy estate of ski centre operator ATC Kanin ended unsuccessfully on Friday as the only bidder, Russia's Ilev Inženiring, found the lowest price that could still be offered by receiver Nataša Gibičar, EUR 1.14m, too high.

298 dead after Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crashes in Ukraine

18. 07. 2014
298 dead after Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crashes in Ukraine
A Malaysia Airlines passenger jet has crashed in eastern Ukraine killing all 298 people on board.

Beer&Flowers Festival in Laško Kicks Off in Jubilee Year

18. 07. 2014
Beer&Flowers Festival in Laško Kicks Off in Jubilee Year
The north-eastern town of Laško, home to the eponymous brewery, will be hosting the 50th annual Beer&Flower Festival until Sunday. Apart from large quantities of beer, the "Slovenian Oktoberfest" will also feature cultural and music events

Tour de France: Gallopin clinches 11th stage

17. 07. 2014
Tour de France: Gallopin clinches 11th stage
France’s Tony Gallopin produced a superb solo effort to claim the 11th stage of the Tour de France on Wednesday, a 187.5km trek from Besancon to Oyonnax.

Slovenia Loses Landmark LB Court Case in Strasbourg

17. 07. 2014
Slovenia Loses Landmark LB Court Case in Strasbourg
Slovenia has lost a landmark ruling in the case of Yugoslav-era foreign currency deposits at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, which ruled that Slovenia will have to find a solution for compensating deposit-holders with unpaid deposits at the defunct LB bank in Sarajevo within a year. The verdict by the Grand Chamber is final.

Berlin welcomes back World Cup champions

16. 07. 2014
Berlin welcomes back World Cup champions
Hundreds of thousands of screaming German fans welcomed their triumphant national team home in Berlin on Tuesday, waving flags and wearing the national colours as they celebrated their nation’s fourth World Cup victory.

Balkan Leaders to Discuss Region's Future in Dubrovnik

16. 07. 2014
Balkan Leaders to Discuss Region
President Borut Pahor and his Croatian opposite number Ivo Josipović will host in Dubrovnik on Tuesday the annual summit of the Brdo Process

Miro Cerar’s daunting task to reform Slovenia after election win

15. 07. 2014
Miro Cerar’s daunting task to reform Slovenia after election win
The son of one of Slovenia’s greatest ever sportsmen faces an Olympic task in turning around the small alpine nation’s struggling economy after winning Sunday’s general election.

Early music to be heard all over Slovenia

15. 07. 2014
Early music to be heard all over Slovenia
This year’s festival of early music - Seviqc Brežice - will again showcase a wide selection of local and international artists performing pieces of early music in special venues all over Slovenia

Germany crowned World Cup champions

14. 07. 2014
Germany crowned World Cup champions
Germany celebrated their fourth World Cup title when they beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the final at the iconic Maracana Stadium in Rio.

Unemployed Number Down for Fifth Month in a Row

14. 07. 2014
Unemployed Number Down for Fifth Month in a Row
The number of persons registered as unemployed dropped for the fifth consecutive month in June, dropping by 1.9% over the previous month to 117,352, the Employment Service said Monday.

Alzheimer`s disease test hopes

11. 07. 2014
Alzheimer`s disease test hopes
Alzheimer`s disease is one of the most feared of all illnesses. It’s also currently impossible for doctors to diagnose before it has done serious damage to the brain.

Adria Shunning Strategic Partnership

11. 07. 2014
Adria Shunning Strategic Partnership
Slovenian carrier Adria Airways has indicated it could remain independent without resorting to strategic partners after the EU cleared EUR 85m in state aid it received in 2007-2011.

World Cup 2014: Argentina proved people wrong - Sergio Aguero

10. 07. 2014
World Cup 2014: Argentina proved people wrong - Sergio Aguero
Striker Sergio Aguero believes Argentina have proved people wrong by reaching Sunday's World Cup final against Germany.

Slovenia's Biggest Tennis Tournament Starts in Portorož

10. 07. 2014
Slovenia
The biggest tennis tournament in Slovenia will get underway at the coast on Monday as players take to the courts of Marina Portorož for the Tilia Slovenia Open.

Pahor Welcomes Italian President Napolitano in Nova Gorica

09. 07. 2014
Pahor Welcomes Italian President Napolitano in Nova Gorica
Italian President Giorgio Napolitano was received by his Slovenian counterpart Borut Pahor in Europe Square in Nova Gorica on Monday, after which the pair visited the Sveta Gora hill to lay a wreath at a monument honouring dead Slovenian soldiers and inaugurate "a bench of peace".

Party time in Berlin as Germany overwhelms Brazil in a 7-1 World Cup rout

09. 07. 2014
Party time in Berlin as Germany overwhelms Brazil in a 7-1 World Cup rout
German fans celebrated long and hard after their football team’s astonishing performance in Brazil.

NATO Commander for Europe Paying Official Visit

08. 07. 2014
NATO Commander for Europe Paying Official Visit
US General Philip Mark Breedlove, NATO'S supreme commander for Europe, will visit Slovenia upon the invitation of Chief of the Slovenian General Staff, Major General Dobran Božič on Tuesday. He will also meet outgoing Defence Minister Roman Jakič during the official visit.

Kittel claims second stage win of Tour de France

08. 07. 2014
Kittel claims second stage win of Tour de France
Germany’s Marcel Kittel signalled his intent for a green jersey triumph after he won stage three of the Tour de France for his second success of this year’s edition.

Portugal embraces dozens of Chernobyl children in a bid to improve their health

07. 07. 2014
Portugal embraces dozens of Chernobyl children in a bid to improve their health
Katerina Ponomarenko enjoys splashing around in a pool just like any other child but the youngster does not take her enjoyment for granted. She is having a holiday with a Portuguese family away from her home in the Ukrainian region of Chernobyl where dozens of youngsters are suffering from the fallout of the 1986 nuclear accident.

Number of Tourists Up in First Five Months

07. 07. 2014
Number of Tourists Up in First Five Months
The number of tourists recorded in Slovenia in the first five months increased by 3.2% over the same period last year, but the number of overnight stays they made stayed roughly the same, according to the latest data released by the Statistics Office on Monday.

Germany approves first-ever national minimum wage

04. 07. 2014
Germany approves first-ever national minimum wage
The German parliament has approved the country's first minimum wage, in a vote in the Bundestag on Thursday.

Privatisation Starting to Dominate Election Campaign

04. 07. 2014
Privatisation Starting to Dominate Election Campaign
Privatisation has emerged as one of the leading campaign topics ahead of the 13 July general election and the decision by the outgoing government to slow the process in order to leave key decisions to the next government was at the centre of an election debate on Thursday evening.

Facebook in UK data-protection probe

03. 07. 2014
Facebook in UK data-protection probe
Facebook is facing questions about whether it has violated data-protection laws in the UK.

Agrokor Publishes Takeover Intent for Mercator

03. 07. 2014
Agrokor Publishes Takeover Intent for Mercator
Croatian food group Agrokor announced its intent to publish a takeover bid for the outstanding 47% in Slovenia's retailer Mercator it does not already own. Agrokor will reportedly offer EUR 86 per share, the price in last week's acquisition of a 53% stake from a consortium of sellers.

Phone home, it’s cheaper as EU roaming charges fall

02. 07. 2014
Phone home, it’s cheaper as EU roaming charges fall
It is just become much cheaper to use your mobile phone when travelling in the European Union as Brussels forced the telecoms companies to further reduce roaming charges.

FM for Stronger Consular Network to Help Exporters

02. 07. 2014
FM for Stronger Consular Network to Help Exporters
Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec told a business conference in Ljubljana that the boosting of Slovenia's exports requires the consular network to be strengthened with economic advisers, adding that companies should be encouraged to appear on foreign markets together.

Italy is the most expensive holiday destination in Europe

01. 07. 2014
Italy is the most expensive holiday destination in Europe
Eurostat has released figures branding Italy as the most expensive holiday destination in Europe.

Eight Slovenian MEPs at Maiden Session of European Parliament

01. 07. 2014
Eight Slovenian MEPs at Maiden Session of European Parliament
Strasbourg - The new line-up of the 751-member European Parliament will hold its maiden session in Strasbourg on Tuesday, including the eight Slovenian MEPs who were elected in the 25 May elections. The Slovenian team features four newcomers, three second-time members and veteran Lojze Peterle, who will begin his third term as MEP.

BNP Paribas ready for record fine

30. 06. 2014
BNP Paribas ready for record fine
France’s biggest bank BNP Paribas is expected to pay a record nine billion dollar or six point five billion euro fine over alleged sanctions breaches following an out-of-court deal.

Wine-Tasting Event Kicks off at Ljubljana Castle

30. 06. 2014
The 56th Vino Ljubljana wine competition begins on Friday and will run until Sunday at Ljubljana Castle. The competition, which will feature 300 wine samples from across the world, is part of Vino Ljubljana, under which the 50th Ljubljana Wine Fair will be held in early September.

Kopi Back in Slovenia, Stanley Cup to Follow on 13 July

27. 06. 2014
Kopi Back in Slovenia, Stanley Cup to Follow on 13 July
NHL star Anže Kopitar touched down at the Ljubljana airport on Thursday, nearly a fortnight after his team, the LA Kings, won the Stanley Cup for the second time in three seasons. The trophy itself will follow Kopi to Slovenia for a day on 13 July.

Spain’s new king starts reign with visit to sensitive Catalonia

27. 06. 2014
Spain’s new king starts reign with visit to sensitive Catalonia
Just a week into his reign, Spain’s new King Felipe VI has visited one of the country’s most politically sensitive regions, Catalonia.

Slovenia Hosts Railway Representatives From Around the Globe

26. 06. 2014
Slovenia Hosts Railway Representatives From Around the Globe
Portorož, - Slovenia is hosting representatives of the railway sector from around the world as the International Union of Railways (UIC) holds several meetings in the coastal town of Portorož on Thursday and Friday. The UIC is hosted by its Slovenian member, national railway operator Slovenske železnice.

Poland leaks: PM Donald Tusk wins vote of confidence

26. 06. 2014
Poland leaks: PM Donald Tusk wins vote of confidence
Poland's coalition government has won a parliamentary vote of confidence sparked by a scandal over leaked tapes of senior officials.

EU threatens Russia with further sanctions if no improvement in Ukrainian situation

24. 06. 2014
EU threatens Russia with further sanctions if no improvement in Ukrainian situation
Russia should be under no illusions that the EU is willing to pass tough economic sanctions against Moscow if the situation in Ukraine continues to deteriorate, EU foreign ministers have warned.

Celebrations Galore on Eve of National Day

24. 06. 2014
Celebrations Galore on Eve of National Day
A host of ceremonies will be held in Slovenian on Tuesday, the eve of National Day, to remember the day 23 years ago when the country declared independence from the former Yugoslavia.

Putin calls for “genuine dialogue” between Kyiv and eastern rebels

23. 06. 2014
Putin calls for “genuine dialogue” between Kyiv and eastern rebels
On the anniversary of Nazi Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union Russian President Vladimir Putin has called on Ukraine’s leaders and the rebels in the east to start a genuine dialogue.

Wishing Bells Given Out as Bled Film Festival Ends

23. 06. 2014
Wishing Bells Given Out as Bled Film Festival Ends
Revenge drama The Dark Valley, an Austrian-German co-production by Andreas Prochaska, won the Wishing Bell for best film as awards were given out in five categories at the end of the 1st Bled Film Festival (BFF) last evening.

Ukraine: Heavy fighting in east as NATO accuses Russia of new border build-up

20. 06. 2014
Ukraine: Heavy fighting in east as NATO accuses Russia of new border build-up
Amid fierce fighting in eastern Ukraine, government forces claim they are tightening the noose on pro-Russian separatists.

Government Allows Marijuana for Medical Use

20. 06. 2014
Government Allows Marijuana for Medical Use
The outgoing government has allowed the use of cannabis for medicinal use, the Government Communication Office said in a press release after the government session on Thursday.

Schulz still seeks Commission role

19. 06. 2014
Schulz still seeks Commission role
Martin Schulz has quit as speaker of the European Parliament to take up his old job as leader of the Socialists and Democrats.

New Sports Centre Opening at Rogla

19. 06. 2014
New Sports Centre Opening at Rogla
A new Alpine and cross-country skiing centre will open at Rogla (NE) on Saturday. The EUR 12m investment also includes a four-star hotel, which is to provide board as of 26 June to athletic teams training at Rogla.

First Bled Film Festival Begins

18. 06. 2014
First Bled Film Festival Begins
The first edition of the Bled Film Festival will get underway at the world-famous lakeside resort on Tuesday.

Europe could face gas shortages in winter

18. 06. 2014
Europe could face gas shortages in winter
Europe could face gas shortages in winter, the EU’s top energy official has said, after talks between Ukraine and Russia over unpaid bills broke down.

Slovenia Wishes Laxer Bank Privatisation Timeline, EU Disagrees

17. 06. 2014
Slovenia Wishes Laxer Bank Privatisation Timeline, EU Disagrees
Slovenia wishes to get less rigid recommendation deadlines in relation to bank privatisation and the strategy of the bad bank, but the European Commission is rejecting its arguments, a source close to the Commission has told the STA.

Foreign investment into China falls in May

17. 06. 2014
Foreign investment into China falls in May
Foreign investment in China fell in May to its lowest level in 16 months, partly due to slowing growth.

Renovated Mons Hotel Reopened under Sheraton Brand

16. 06. 2014
Renovated Mons Hotel Reopened under Sheraton Brand
Hotel giant Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide added Ljubljana's Mons Hotel to its collection of more than thousand hotels in almost 100 countries. After closing the deal in late 2013, Mons underwent an exhaustive five-month renovation to get a new name and image under Four Points by Sheraton.

Underground cave rescue in Germany enters delicate phase

16. 06. 2014
Underground cave rescue in Germany enters delicate phase
Rescuers in the German Alps have begun the most delicate part of an effort to bring an injured man out of a deep underground cave by stretcher.

Ukraine slams ‘Russian tanks’ incursion

13. 06. 2014
Ukraine slams ‘Russian tanks’ incursion
In Ukraine, unverified footage published on Thursday purportedly showed separatist rebels crossing the border in tanks and other military vehicles from Russia into the east of the country.

Mercator Reaches Financial Restructuring Deal with Creditors

13. 06. 2014
Mercator Reaches Financial Restructuring Deal with Creditors
Slovenia's largest grocer Mercator announced on Tuesday it had signed a deal with creditor banks and leasing institutions on extensive financial restructuring which would allow it to implement its strategy for turning around operations independently.

Brazil puts on its party smile for the World Cup kick off

12. 06. 2014
Brazil puts on its party smile for the World Cup kick off
It’s nearly time, the start of Brazil’s World Cup is almost upon us and football fans have descended on Sao Paulo where the first game of the tournament is being held.

Elections to Proceed on 13 July

12. 06. 2014
Elections to Proceed on 13 July
The Constitutional Court on Wednesday rejected three constitutional challenges and cleared 13 July as the date of the early general election. It refrained from ruling on substance, instead sticking to a narrow interpretation of the Constitution.

Greece: New government sworn in but it’s business as usual

11. 06. 2014
Greece: New government sworn in but it’s business as usual
The new Greek coalition government was sworn in on Tuesday.

NLB Rated Speculative Investment by S&P

11. 06. 2014
NLB Rated Speculative Investment by S&P
Ratings agency Standard & Poor's resumed ratings for Slovenia's largest bank NLB, issuing it with a long-term rating of BB-, a speculative-level grade, and a short term rating of B with a negative outlook.

Exports With Continious Solid Growth

10. 06. 2014
Exports With Continious Solid Growth
Slovenia's merchandise exports keep growing, while imports have been on the decline. The latest statistical data shows exports rose by 2.2% in April on the same month a year ago to EUR 1.959bn.

Hungary: Media freedom protest over Orban advertising tax plan

10. 06. 2014
Hungary: Media freedom protest over Orban advertising tax plan
Calls for a free country and a free press could be heard as around 1,000 protesters gathered outside Hungary’s parliament to denounce a planned new law to tax advertising revenue – a move many media companies say could ruin them.

Nadal claims his ninth French Open title

09. 06. 2014
Nadal claims his ninth French Open title
Spain’s Rafael Nadal outclassed rival Novak Djokovic in four sets to claim the French Open in Paris on Sunday.

Citizens' List Seeks Turnaround with New Leader

09. 06. 2014
Citizens' List Seeks Turnaround with New Leader
The coalition Citizens' List (DL) will hold a party congress to elect a new leader after Gregor Virant stepped down due to the party's disastrous showing in the elections to the European Parliament.

D-Day: the inv that changed the course of World War II

06. 06. 2014
D-Day: the inv that changed the course of World War II
On June 6, 1944, around 160,000 Allied troops crossed the English Channel and stormed the beaches of Normandy.

Slovenia and Croatia Pushing for Montenegro's NATO Membership

06. 06. 2014
Slovenia and Croatia Pushing for Montenegro's NATO Membership
Outgoing Defence Minister Roman Jakič said after NATO's two-day meeting in Brussels on Wednesday he was optimistic about Montenegro getting a positive message at the September summit about membership in the alliance. He explained Slovenia and Croatia have addressed a letter on the subject to the NATO secretary general.

G7 warns Russia it will step up sanctions over Ukraine

05. 06. 2014
G7 warns Russia it will step up sanctions over Ukraine
The G7 summit has delivered Russia an ultimatum – stabilise east Ukraine or suffer more sanctions.

Govt Will Wait for Election Result to Nominate Commissioner

05. 06. 2014
Govt Will Wait for Election Result to Nominate Commissioner
The outgoing government will wait until after the election on 13 July to nominate candidate for European commissioner, FM Karl Erjavec said after two opposition parties proposed candidates from their ranks. This means the nominee might not be put forward by the outgoing government.

Obama in Europe: Ukraine to dominate visit

04. 06. 2014
Obama in Europe: Ukraine to dominate visit
US President Barack Obama has kicked off a three day visit to Europe in Warsaw with the announcement of a €735 million military investment on the continent.

Slovenia Supports Candidate Status of Albania

04. 06. 2014
Slovenia Supports Candidate Status of Albania
Slovenia's Karl Erjavec was among 13 foreign ministers who stressed the importance of further EU enlargement at a conference on the Western Balkans in Vienna on Tuesday. A special appeal was made, including by Erjavec, to make Albania an EU membership candidate at the June EU summit.

Seattle votes for $15 minimum wage

03. 06. 2014
Seattle votes for $15 minimum wage
Seattle has voted unanimously to raise the city's minimum wage to the highest level of any major US city - $15 (£9) per hour, twice the national minimum.

Slovenia Optimistic after First Day of Arbitration Hearing

03. 06. 2014
Slovenia Optimistic after First Day of Arbitration Hearing
The legal team representing Slovenia in the border arbitration proceeding with Croatia was optimistic on Monday after the oral hearing at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague kicked off. Slovenia's agent, Simona Drenik, said Croatia's case was presented as expected.

Cash use falls to lowest level on record

02. 06. 2014
Cash use falls to lowest level on record
Shoppers are using less cash to buy their goods than ever before, according to a survey by the British Retail Consortium (BRC).

Illegal sex and drugs trade to be included in calculating British GDP

02. 06. 2014
Illegal sex and drugs trade to be included in calculating British GDP
It seems Britain’s economy is doing better than reported, because of illegal activities.

Ukraine’s President-elect Petro Poroshenko will punish “bandits” who shot down helicopter

30. 05. 2014
Ukraine’s President-elect Petro Poroshenko will punish “bandits” who shot down helicopter
Ukraine’s President-elect Petro Poroshenko has vowed to punish the “bandits” responsible for shooting down an army helicopter on Thursday.

Ljubljana Celebrating 2000th Anniversary of Predecessor Emona

30. 05. 2014
Ljubljana Celebrating 2000th Anniversary of Predecessor Emona
The first in a series of exhibitions and events celebrating 2,000 years since the establishment of Emona, the Ancient Roman-era predecessor of Ljubljana, opened on Friday, as "Emona: A City of the Empire" was launched at the Ljubljana City Museum.

Gunfire and armed militias make for mounting tension in Donetsk

29. 05. 2014
Gunfire and armed militias make for mounting tension in Donetsk
A convoy of armed militia has been filmed moving through residential streets of Donetsk. The amateur video is an insight into the mounting tension in the east Ukrainian city after the recent bloody battle for the airport.

Slovenian Political Comedy: MP Vogrin Proposes New PM

29. 05. 2014
Slovenian Political Comedy: MP Vogrin Proposes New PM
Unaffiliated MP Ivan Vogrin has proposed Dušan Radonjič, professor at Maribor Economic Faculty, for prime minister-designate, claiming a sufficient number of MPs have promised to support the nomination, which would be filed by midnight tomorrow.

‘Bossy Brussels’ should back off, David Cameron warns EU leaders

28. 05. 2014
‘Bossy Brussels’ should back off, David Cameron warns EU leaders
Some more bruised than others by voters in the European elections, several EU leaders arrived in Brussels for their informal summit calling for a change of tack.

All Bathing Locations in Slovenia With Good Water Quality

28. 05. 2014
All Bathing Locations in Slovenia With Good Water Quality
Those planning to spend the summer in Slovenia will be well advised to cool off in most of the country's lakes and rivers, as well as the sea. Analyses performed at all of the 48 official bathing spots showed water of good quality.

Charity »Midsummer night 2014« - Lions Club Ljubljana Iliria

27. 05. 2014
Charity »Midsummer night 2014« - Lions Club Ljubljana Iliria
Lions Club Ljubljana Iliria Charity »Midsummer night 2014« Thursday, 12 June at 8:00 pm

Charity football match

27. 05. 2014
Charity football match
This end of May an exclusive football match between U.S.Marine Corps and foreign diplomats in Slovenia will take place to help fight for a clean water.

EU election: France's Hollande calls for reform of 'remote' EU

27. 05. 2014
EU election: France's Hollande calls for reform of 'remote' EU
French President Francois Hollande has said the EU must reform and scale back its power, amid a surge in support for Eurosceptic and far-right parties.

Biggest Ship Ever Sails into Koper Port

27. 05. 2014
Biggest Ship Ever Sails into Koper Port
The port of Koper has welcomed the biggest ship so far, as the 334-metre Cenderillon of the French CMA CGM shipping company dropped anchor in Slovenia's sole sea port.

Europe’s night of seismic shocks for Brussels

26. 05. 2014
Europe’s night of seismic shocks for Brussels
It has been a night of seismic shocks for Europe as the election counts came in from all over the EU. One minor tremor that surprised many was that voter turnout was up by 0.1% defying projections of continued voter apathy.

Interior Minister Virant Stands Down as DL Leader

26. 05. 2014
Interior Minister Virant Stands Down as DL Leader
Gregor Virant stepped down as the leader of the Citizens' List (DL) on Sunday after first official results from the National Electoral Commission showed the party only won 1.12% of the vote in Sunday's EU polls.

Risk of disease as Balkan flood waters recede

23. 05. 2014
Risk of disease as Balkan flood waters recede
The stench of decay and the spreading of disease is fast becoming the main concern for authorities in areas affected by the worst floods to hit the Balkans in living memory.

Slovenian Banks Expected to Contribute EUR 140M to Bank Rescue Fund

23. 05. 2014
Slovenian Banks Expected to Contribute EUR 140M to Bank Rescue Fund
Slovenian banks are expected to contribute around EUR 144m to a common EU bank rescue fund, the Finance Ministry said on Thursday, a day after most of the bloc's members signed an intergovernmental agreement on the EUR 55bn fund.

Russia signs 30-year gas deal with China

22. 05. 2014
Russia signs 30-year gas deal with China
Russia's President Vladimir Putin has signed a multi-billion dollar, 30-year gas deal with China.

Slovenia Promoted as Green Tourist Destination

22. 05. 2014
Slovenia Promoted as Green Tourist Destination
Slovenia Incoming Workshop, one of the top tourism promotion events, has attracted representatives of tourism industries from 31 countries to the city of Nova Gorica (W) this year. Slovenia is being promoted as a health- and green destination, and the country also expects a breakthrough in terms of sport tourism.

Fear of disease spurs on urgent clean-up in flood-devastated Bosnia

21. 05. 2014
Fear of disease spurs on urgent clean-up in flood-devastated Bosnia
With flood waters beginning to recede in parts of Bosnia a clean-up operation is underway in an attempt to stop the spread of disease from rotting carcasses.

President Pahor to Visit Serbia Next Week

21. 05. 2014
President Pahor to Visit Serbia Next Week
President Borut Pahor will pay a visit to Serbia with a business delegation on 29 and 30 May upon invitation of his Serbian counterpart Tomislav Nikolić. The president is also expected to visit the areas hit by the recent devastating floods.

EU Elections in Slovenia Overshadowed by Domestic Issues

20. 05. 2014
EU Elections in Slovenia Overshadowed by Domestic Issues
The campaign ahead of the 25 May elections to the European Parliament has been in the shadow of the ongoing political crisis following the resignation of PM Alenka Bratušek, and the elections are being widely considered as a stepping stone for the snap elections, which are to be held in the summer.

Aqua match – soccer for change

19. 05. 2014
Aqua match – soccer for change
At the end of this May Solayea Institute is organizing a friendly charity soccer match. The exclusive teams which are formed from U.S. Marine Corps and Diplomatic Football Club in Slovenia will add their contribution for a greater cause by playing soccer.

Emergency workers prepare for flood surge in Serbia

19. 05. 2014
Emergency workers prepare for flood surge in Serbia
Water levels on the River Sava are expected to peak in the next few hours, prompting emergency workers in Serbia to prepare for a “ flood wave”.

Parliament Starts New Session

19. 05. 2014
Parliament Starts New Session
A Q&A session with members of the outgoing government will kick off the National Assembly's plenary for May on Monday. Several legislative motions are on the agenda.

Moldova eyes EU pact

16. 05. 2014
Moldova eyes EU pact
Moldova will sign a free trade pact with the EU on June 27.

Many Big Names at Ljubljana Festival

16. 05. 2014
Many Big Names at Ljubljana Festival
A line-up of internationally acclaimed names such as conductor Riccardo Muti, mezzosoprano Elina Garanča and flamenco star Maria Pages will headline the Ljubljana festival summer this year.

Turkey: first funerals of mine tragedy victims take place

15. 05. 2014
Turkey: first funerals of mine tragedy victims take place
The first funerals of workers killed in Turkey’s worst mining disaster have taken place. Large numbers of mourners attended services in the west of the country.

Cinkarna Celje Reports Strong Profit

15. 05. 2014
Cinkarna Celje Reports Strong Profit
Chemical company Cinkarna Celje, one of the companies planned for privatisation, has reported a net profit of EUR 3.7m for the first quarter of the year, which compares to just EUR 32,000 in the same period last year.

EUR 35M Dividend Payout at Aerodrom Ljubljana

14. 05. 2014
EUR 35M Dividend Payout at Aerodrom Ljubljana
The shareholders' meeting of the majority state-owned Ljubljana airport operator endorsed a dividend payout of EUR 35m on Tuesday. The remaining EUR 5m will remain undistributed for the case of potential risks.

Slovenia Has Enough Funds to Last Political Crisis

14. 05. 2014
Slovenia Has Enough Funds to Last Political Crisis
Finance Minister Uroš Čufer has rejected the speculation that Slovenia might need international aid due to political crisis. The country's liquid assets will last well into next year, Čufer told. He also does not believe Slovenia will need to supplement budgets for 2014 and 2015.

EU beefs up its diplomatic support for Ukraine and rejects eastern referendum votes

13. 05. 2014
EU beefs up its diplomatic support for Ukraine and rejects eastern referendum votes
With two of its eastern regions on the verge of breaking away after hastily-organised and contestable referenda Ukraine received a boost on Monday with the visit of the EU’s president, and today the entire Kyiv government decamps to Brussels to discuss the embattled nation’s future.

Takeover of Laser Maker Fotona Completed

13. 05. 2014
Takeover of Laser Maker Fotona Completed
The US-owned Fotona Holding has acquired the remaining 19.12% stake in the Ljubljana-based laser manufacturer Fotona, at EUR 28.16 per share, increasing its stake in Fotona to 99.2%, according to Monday's edition of the daily Delo.

Apple reportedly about to get with the Beats

12. 05. 2014
Apple reportedly about to get with the Beats
Apple is said to be negotiating to buy Beats Electronics, the headphone maker that also recently started a subscription music streaming service.

MP Vilfan Resigns after Hitting Pedestrian While Drink Driving

12. 05. 2014
MP Vilfan Resigns after Hitting Pedestrian While Drink Driving
MP Peter Vilfan, who recently left the deputy group of Positive Slovenia (PS) to join a grouping associated with outgoing PM Alenka Bratušek, announced his resignation on Sunday soon after he was reported hilting a pedestrian on Saturday evening while driving under the influence.

Third Time Lucky for Slovenia at Eurosong

09. 05. 2014
Third Time Lucky for Slovenia at Eurosong
Slovenian entrant Tinkara Kovač qualified for the finals of the Eurosong as her flutey pop tune "Round and Round" made the top ten of Thursday's semi-finals in Copenhagen, ending a two-year absence in the finals of the Europe-wide song contest.

Green Mobility in Focus of Internautica Boat Show

09. 05. 2014
Green Mobility in Focus of Internautica Boat Show
The 19th annual Internautica boat show opened at Portorož on Wednesday featuring a series of yachts, extravagant vessels as well as nautical equipment and accessories. The focus is on green mobility.

Takeover target Alstom’s profit drops, potential suitor Siemens also weak

08. 05. 2014
Takeover target Alstom’s profit drops, potential suitor Siemens also weak
Alstom suffered a drop in orders and annual profit last year.

Revoz Launches Production of New Renault Twingo

08. 05. 2014
Revoz Launches Production of New Renault Twingo
Revoz, the Slovenian subsidiary of car maker Renault, officially launched the production of the new generation of the Twingo city car on Wednesday. First Twingo III cars are expected to hit the market in September.

Donetsk referendum “contrived and bogus” says Kerry

07. 05. 2014
Donetsk referendum “contrived and bogus” says Kerry
US Secretary of State John Kerry and EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton have had a wide ranging discussion over the situation in Ukraine.

President to Talk Election Proceedings with Jurists

07. 05. 2014
President to Talk Election Proceedings with Jurists
President Borut Pahor will host eleven jurists, mostly experts on constitutional law, on Wednesday for talks on when exactly the upcoming early election can be held considering the legal and constitutional constraints.

Amazon launches shopping via Twitter

06. 05. 2014
Amazon launches shopping via Twitter
Online retailer Amazon has announced a partnership with Twitter that allows users to add products to their shopping carts by tweeting a special hashtag.

Unemployment Down 2.4% in April

06. 05. 2014
Unemployment Down 2.4% in April
Slovenia's registered unemployment dropped by 2.4% in April over March but rose by 1.9% compared to April 2012, the Labour Ministry said on Monday, releasing preliminary employment figures for April. At the end of the month, less than 124,000 people were registered unemployed in Slovenia.

Portugal needs no more loans, says PM Passos Coelho

05. 05. 2014
Portugal needs no more loans, says PM Passos Coelho
Portugal's prime minister has said the country will exit its three-year 78bn euros (£64bn) bailout on 17 May without needing a standby line of credit.

Fitch Upgrades Slovenia's Rating Outlook to Stable

05. 05. 2014
Fitch Upgrades Slovenia's Rating Outlook to Stable
Fitch Ratings raised Friday the outlook on Slovenia's long-term foreign and local currency issuer default ratings to stable from negative, but warned that the current political crisis could endanger the implementation of structural reforms.

Janša: Patria Verdict Part of Long-Running Conspiracy

30. 04. 2014
Janša: Patria Verdict Part of Long-Running Conspiracy
Janez Janša labelled the guilty verdict in the Patria trial a part of the long-running conspiracy against him orchestrated to hobble the Democrats (SDS). "Patria is an election product, a big bang designed to eliminate a political opponent"

Talks to free European monitors continue as separatists tighten their grip on east Ukraine

30. 04. 2014
Talks to free European monitors continue as separatists tighten their grip on east Ukraine
Talks to gain the release of seven European observers held captive by pro-Russian militias are said to have made some progress.

PM to Meet President&Coalition on Future of Govt

29. 04. 2014
PM to Meet President&Coalition on Future of Govt
PM Alenka Bratušek is expected to meet President Borut Pahor and coalition partners on Tuesday to discuss the future of the government following her loss in the leadership battle in the ruling Positive Slovenia (PS).

Ukraine crisis: Russia alarmed over US-Nato military moves

29. 04. 2014
Ukraine crisis: Russia alarmed over US-Nato military moves
Moscow has voiced concern over an "unprecedented" increase in US and Nato military activity near Russian borders, amid an escalating crisis in Ukraine.

Media: Janković Does Not Understand State Politics

28. 04. 2014
Media: Janković Does Not Understand State Politics
Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković will go into the history books as the head of a party who never completely understood the workings of state politics and destroyed his party and the government because of it, the daily Delo says on Monday.

General Electric said to want to buy Alstom, but would Paris allow it?

25. 04. 2014
General Electric said to want to buy Alstom, but would Paris allow it?
US firm General Electric has reportedly been talking to Alstom, builder of turbines and France’s high speed trains about buying it for $13 billion (9.4 billion euros).

Apartment Prices Continue to Fall

25. 04. 2014
Apartment Prices Continue to Fall
The decline in apartment prices shows no sign of letting up. Listing prices of apartments in Ljubljana averaged EUR 2,216 per square meter in the first quarter, down almost 5% year-on-year, show data released by the real estate portal slonep.net.

Eurozone deficits improve but debt mounts

24. 04. 2014
Eurozone deficits improve but debt mounts
Eurozone government are finally starting to get their finances under control, according to the Eurostat statistics agency.

Cameron Praised PM Bratušek for Stabilisation Eforts

24. 04. 2014
Cameron Praised PM Bratušek for Stabilisation Eforts
Prime Minister Alenka Bratušek was upbeat after her meeting at Downing Street on Wednesday, saying that British Prime Minister David Cameron confirmed Slovenia had done an enormous job in the past year.

Death of a politician raises tension in Ukraine

23. 04. 2014
Death of a politician raises tension in Ukraine
Ukraine’s acting president has ordered the relaunch of military operations against pro-Russian militants in the east following a ratcheting up of unrest and violence in the country.

Bulgarian FM Visiting Slovenia

23. 04. 2014
Bulgarian FM Visiting Slovenia
Bulgarian Foreign Minister Kristian Vigenin is visiting Slovenia on Wednesday at the invitation of his Slovenian counterpart Karl Erjavec. The ministers will discuss opportunities for boosting economic ties and exchange views on topical international and EU issues.

Defence Minister Visiting Croatia

22. 04. 2014
Defence Minister Visiting Croatia
Slovenian Defence Minister Roman Jakič is meeting his Croatian counterpart Ante Kotromanović for a working dinner in Zagreb on Tuesday at the outset of a two-day trip to Croatia.

South Korea ferry tragedy death toll rises to 104

22. 04. 2014
South Korea ferry tragedy death toll rises to 104
As body after body is brought back to shore, the death toll from South Korea’s ferry disaster has risen to 104, with a further 198 people still missing.

Railways With Net Profit in 2013!

18. 04. 2014
Railways With Net Profit in 2013!
The group net profit of rail operator Slovenske železnice soared from EUR 2.4m in 2012 to just over EUR 17m in 2013, the company said on Thursday.

Geneva talks defy predictions of failure but will words turn into actions?

18. 04. 2014
Geneva talks defy predictions of failure but will words turn into actions?
Against all expectations the US, Russia, Ukraine and the European Union have emerged up beat from talks in Geneva aimed at ending the tensions in Ukraine.

Panel: Banks Need Stable Governance

17. 04. 2014
Panel: Banks Need Stable Governance
Finance Minister Uroš Čufer stressed at a panel on the prospects of the European and Slovenian banking systems on Wednesday that banks needed stable governance so that they can carry out the ongoing processes without fear.

Expectations are low as ministers gather for Ukraine crisis talks in Geneva

17. 04. 2014
Expectations are low as ministers gather for Ukraine crisis talks in Geneva
A grim faced John Kerry arrived in Geneva for today’s crucial talks between top foreign ministers on the Ukraine crisis.

Govt Adopts National Reform Programme 2014-2015

16. 04. 2014
Govt Adopts National Reform Programme 2014-2015
The government adopted on Tuesday the National Reform Programme 2014-2015 that Slovenia needs to submit to the EU by the end of April.

Milanese hospice takes a wry view of ‘Berlusconi the new care worker’

16. 04. 2014
Milanese hospice takes a wry view of ‘Berlusconi the new care worker’
Patients and medical staff at a Catholic home for the elderly near Milan are bracing themselves for a new helper.

EU foreign ministers discuss Russia sanctions

15. 04. 2014
EU foreign ministers discuss Russia sanctions
EU foreign ministers met in Luxembourg on Monday to discuss the violence in Ukraine that flared over the weekend.

Plečnik Award Goes to High-End Residential Development

15. 04. 2014
Plečnik Award Goes to High-End Residential Development
Architects Matija Bevk, Vasa Perović and Andrej Ukmar are the recipients of this year's Plečnik Award for the Situla, a luxurious residential complex in the centre of Slovenia's capital.

Kyiv ultimatum to pro-Russian militia to disarm expires

14. 04. 2014
Kyiv ultimatum to pro-Russian militia to disarm expires
Russia has warned Ukraine not to use military force against pro-Moscow protesters in eastern Ukraine.

PM Bratušek Taking Over Also Health Ministry

14. 04. 2014
PM Bratušek Taking Over Also Health Ministry
PM Alenka Bratušek has temporarily taken over as health minister after Alenka Trop Skaza stepped down almost three weeks ago. Bratušek will run the Health Ministry until the planned vote of confidence in parliament.

Alcohol, Tobacco and Fuel Excise to Rise

11. 04. 2014
Alcohol, Tobacco and Fuel Excise to Rise
Excise duties on alcohol, tobacco and petrol will rise under a proposal that the government adopted on Thursday as one of the measures to secure fresh tax revenue in the wake of the repealing of the real estate tax.

Athens prepares for German Chancellor Merkel’s visit

11. 04. 2014
Athens prepares for German Chancellor Merkel’s visit
Athens is preparing to welcome German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday, following the country’s return to the bond market after four years in exile.

Several paintings from ‘Nazi art trove’ to be returned to German recluse

10. 04. 2014
An art treasure trove confiscated from an elderly recluse who had stashed it away for decades has been released by a German court.

Slovenian Tourism Presented in China

10. 04. 2014
Slovenian Tourism Presented in China
Slovenia is presenting its tourist destinations in China. A workshop on Slovenian tourism was held in Shanghai on Tuesday, attracting representatives of more than 100 Chinese travel agencies and media outlets specialised in business

Paris Zoo ready to reopen

09. 04. 2014
Paris Zoo ready to reopen
Everything has changed at Parc Zoologique de Paris. It’s nearly ready to re-open this weekend having undergone a three-year, 167 million euro makeover.

Central Bank Also Upgrades Forecast to Growth

09. 04. 2014
Central Bank Also Upgrades Forecast to Growth
Banka Slovenije has upgraded its forecast for the Slovenian economy for this year to 0.6% growth from 0.7% contraction projected in the autumn.

UNIDO Head Li Yong Starting Visit to Slovenia

08. 04. 2014
UNIDO Head Li Yong Starting Visit to Slovenia
Director General of the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Li Yong will start on Tuesday visit to Slovenia by opening conference on industrial and technological parks. He will meet President Borut Pahor, Deputy Speaker Polonca Komar and business executives.

Spanish politicians to vote on Catalonia’s right to a referendum on independence

08. 04. 2014
Spanish politicians to vote on Catalonia’s right to a referendum on independence
Spanish politicians are preparing to vote on whether to allow Catalonia’s regional assembly to hold a referendum on independence from Spain.

Viktor Orban wins four more years

07. 04. 2014
Viktor Orban wins four more years
Hungarians have handed Prime Minister Viktor Orban another four more years in power, incoming results in the country’s parliamentary election showed on Sunday with the country’s far-right Jobbik party also performing well.

Looking for the New Head of Public Broadcaster

07. 04. 2014
Looking for the New Head of Public Broadcaster
The programming council of RTV Slovenija will meet to appoint a new director general of the public broadcaster as incumbent Marko Filli's four-year term runs out on 25 May. While Filli is running for another term, he has been joined by several public figures who are interested in the job.

EU elections: something new or more of the same?

04. 04. 2014
EU elections: something new or more of the same?
The motto of the 2014 European elections – This Time it’s Different – refers to the fact that the new parliament will be instrumental in choosing the new European Commission president.

New Boss of Slovenian Promotion

04. 04. 2014
New Boss of Slovenian Promotion
Tomaž Klemenc was appointed by the government on Thursday as acting director of the the SPIRIT agency for the promotion of entrepreneurship, investment and tourism for up to six months, according to a press release issued after the cabinet session.

Privatisation Package of Telekom Slovenije Worth up to EUR 1bn

03. 04. 2014
Privatisation Package of Telekom Slovenije Worth up to EUR 1bn
Investment firm Alta Invest puts the takeover value of telecoms incumbent Telekom Slovenije at around EUR 1bn, meaning that the sale of a 75% stake could raise anywhere from EUR 732m to EUR 878m, the firm's chief economist has told the STA.

Angela Merkel approves Germany's first minimum wage

03. 04. 2014
Angela Merkel approves Germany's first minimum wage
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has approved the country's first minimum wage, at 8.50 euros an hour (£7; $11.75), to start in 2015.

Slovenian Coast Gets Charter Link to South Italy

02. 04. 2014
Slovenian Coast Gets Charter Link to South Italy
Twice-weekly charter flights between Portorož Airport and Rome, Catania and Salerno will be launched on 1 May in a bid to bring tourists from southern Italy to the Slovenian coastal resort.

Greece to get next bailout tranche, wants to borrow on markets soon

02. 04. 2014
Greece to get next bailout tranche, wants to borrow on markets soon
Eurozone finance ministers, meeting in Athens, have confirmed Greece will get its next instalment of bailout cash – 8.3 billion euros – starting in April.

Coalition Citizen´s List Says No to VAT Hike

01. 04. 2014
Coalition Citizen´s List Says No to VAT Hike
Finance Minister Uroš Čufer's proposal to increase value added tax in order to salvage this year's budget appears doomed only a day after being floated, as the coalition Citizens List (DL) announced it would not get behind it. The party wants the budget stitched with spending cuts.

China manufacturing output remains weak in March

01. 04. 2014
China manufacturing output remains weak in March
Official data from the Chinese government showed that manufacturing expanded slightly in March.

ALDE Leader Verhofstadt Visiting Slovenia

31. 03. 2014
ALDE Leader Verhofstadt Visiting Slovenia
The candidate of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) for head the European Commission, Guy Verhofstadt, is due to visit Slovenia on Monday to rally support for ALDE partners in the country ahead of the May elections to the European Parliament.

Splendour in the vines: How to buy a vineyard

31. 03. 2014
Splendour in the vines: How to buy a vineyard
Nine years ago, former US political strategist Michael Evans went on holiday to Argentina’s predominate wine region, Mendoza, intending to stay for a few months. He’d always dreamt of owning a vineyard, but it seemed “financially impossible.”

Slovenia and Croatia Team Up to Seek Ice Storm Aid

28. 03. 2014
Slovenia and Croatia Team Up to Seek Ice Storm Aid
Slovenia and Croatia have struck a partnership in seeking financial assistance from the EU Solidarity Fund for the relief efforts following the February ice storm, which caused extensive damage to forests and infrastructure in both countries.

The curious case of the Irish real estate revival

28. 03. 2014
The curious case of the Irish real estate revival
Paul is luckier than many of his generation in Ireland. A thirtysomething in Dublin, he earns a decent, steady wage and a sizeable deposit for a new home from a previous property sale behind him, he appears the ideal property buyer.

Real Estate Tax Tragicomedy Still Not Over

27. 03. 2014
Real Estate Tax Tragicomedy Still Not Over
The National Assembly is expected to pass on Thursday amendments to the real estate tax that will address one of the main complaints by the people and the cause of much bad blood in recent months - different tax rates for residential property depending on its occupancy status.

Flight MH370: Bad weather again hampers plane search

27. 03. 2014
Flight MH370: Bad weather again hampers plane search
An air search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has again been suspended because of bad weather in the southern Indian Ocean.

Ljubljana Wins European Mobility Week Award

26. 03. 2014
Ljubljana Wins European Mobility Week Award
The European Commission has declared Ljubljana the winner of the European Mobility Week Award, praising it for setting up an extensive programme of activities promoting sustainable travel, and for introducing permanent measures in favour of public transport, cycling and walking.

US and Russians blast off together to the International Space Station

26. 03. 2014
US and Russians blast off together to the International Space Station
They are the best of friends who will work together in close proximity hand in hand.

President Pahor Selected for Bosnian Statesman Award

25. 03. 2014
President Pahor Selected for Bosnian Statesman Award
President Borut Pahor has been selected for the 2014 Isa Beg Ishaković Award given out by a Bosnian academic society for his contribution to the development of international community and the city of Sarajevo

Russian manoeuvres keep the West guessing

25. 03. 2014
Russian manoeuvres keep the West guessing
The concern of Nato's Supreme Allied Commander in Europe that Russian forces are capable of moving swiftly into eastern Ukraine underscores the uncertain course of this crisis, with Nato and Western diplomats unable to predict Russian intentions.

Budget Problems: New Borrowing on the Way"

24. 03. 2014
Budget Problems: New Borrowing on the Way
A series of roadshows across Europe will start on Monday as Slovenia makes a renewed attempt to tap into the euro market by issuing its first public euro-denominated bond in three years.

Help out a fellow career woman — or not?

24. 03. 2014
Help out a fellow career woman — or not?
Your dilemma you’re has two horns: your employer demands loyalty, but you want to help another working woman. The question is whether you can act ethically toward both your organisation and this applicant. Complicating that question is your personal view about how “stingy” the maternity policy is. In the United States, unlike in many European countries, Canada, and parts of Asia, paid maternity leave is not an automatic benefit guaranteed by the government. Unpaid leave is only mandated for a limited period with certain work hour and company size qualifications.

EU extends sanctions against Russia, threatens further actions

21. 03. 2014
EU extends sanctions against Russia, threatens further actions
The European Union has announced new sanctions against Russia at the first day of an EU summit in Brussels.

Ljubljana Airport Sale Enters Next Stage

21. 03. 2014
Ljubljana Airport Sale Enters Next Stage
The sale of Aerodrom Ljubljana, the operator of Slovenia's main airport, has entered the next stage, as the financial advisor in the sale issued a call for an expression of interest for a 75.5% stake in the company on Thursday.

Possible debris from missing Malaysian jet seen on Australian satellite images

20. 03. 2014
Possible debris from missing Malaysian jet seen on Australian satellite images
Australian authorities say they have found two objects on satellite images that could be debris from the missing Malaysia Airlines plane.

Port of Koper Soon With New CEO?

20. 03. 2014
Port of Koper Soon With New CEO?
Shareholders of port operator Luka Koper adopted on Wednesday changes to the company's statute that would make it easier to dismiss the CEO. But the Koper municipality, a minority owner, announced it would challenge the decision in court.

Vodafone grabs Spanish hi-tech broadband jewel Ono

19. 03. 2014
Vodafone grabs Spanish hi-tech broadband jewel Ono
Britain’s Vodafone is continuing its push into Europe’s fixed-broadband market, making its third purchase in two years by snapping up Spain’s Ono. Seven point two billion euros is the ticket price for the private-equity firm, which had been preparing to float on the market before Vodaphone stepped in.

Slovenian Bitcoin Exchange Reportedly Gets $10M Investment

19. 03. 2014
Slovenian Bitcoin Exchange Reportedly Gets $10M Investment
Slovenian Bitstamp, which has recently emerged as the biggest bitcoin exchange in the world, has received a $10m investment from Fortress Investment Group, Bloomberg news wire has reported.

March Temperature Record Broken in Ljubljana on Monday

18. 03. 2014
March Temperature Record Broken in Ljubljana on Monday
The Slovenian capital registered daily highs of 25.1 degrees centigrade on Monday, the highest recorded temperature in March since records began, according to the Environment Agency.

Air Canada suspends Venezuela flights over 'civil unrest'

18. 03. 2014
Air Canada has suspended flights to and from Venezuela, citing concerns over security.

Over 96 percent of Crimea voters choose to join Russia

17. 03. 2014
Over 96 percent of Crimea voters choose to join Russia
The votes in Crimea’s referendum have been counted. A complete, preliminary ballot count showed that 96.77 of voters have elected to join Russia, the chairman of the regional government commission overseeing the referendum said on Monday.

President Meeting Austrian, Croatian Counterparts in Vienna

17. 03. 2014
President Meeting Austrian, Croatian Counterparts in Vienna
President Borut Pahor is scheduled to meet his Austrian and Croatian counterparts, Heinz Fischer and Ivo Josipović, in Vienna on Monday as part of a trilateral meeting that is expected to debate regional cooperation and mark the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I.

Pivovarna Laško with EUR 33.8M Net Loss in 2013

14. 03. 2014
Pivovarna Laško with EUR 33.8M Net Loss in 2013
Brewer Pivovarna Laško finished 2013 with EUR 33.8m in net loss, which is EUR 15.3m more than in 2012 even though the company increased revenue by 2.2% to EUR 90.1m. Revenue was also almost 2% higher than planned.

Pollution-hit Paris offers free public transport

14. 03. 2014
Pollution-hit Paris offers free public transport
An exceptionally mild March has seen pollution levels soar in Paris, prompting urgent action to make the city air more breathable.

Crimea prepares for controversial referendum on joining Russia

13. 03. 2014
Crimea prepares for controversial referendum on joining Russia
Preparations are underway in Crimea for Sunday’s referendum on joining Russia, with the regional government promising it will follow stringent election protocols.

Govt Changing Bad Bank Statute to Secure More Transparency

13. 03. 2014
Govt Changing Bad Bank Statute to Secure More Transparency
The government has published a proposal for changes to the statute of the Bank Asset Management Company (BAMC) or bad bank, which aim to secure more transparency in its operations following a wave of accusations about dodgy practices.

Turkey: anger after boy dies following street battles

12. 03. 2014
Turkey: anger after boy dies following street battles
Protesters clashed with police in cities across Turkey on Tuesday evening. The protesters were angry after the death of 15-year-old Berkin Elvan who got caught up in street battles between police and protesters while going to buy bread for his family last summer.

Slovenia Issues Fresh T-Bills

12. 03. 2014
Slovenia Issues Fresh T-Bills
Slovenia issued EUR 102m-worth of three- six- and twelve-month T-bills on Tuesday, capitalising on falling yield on sovereign debt in the aftermath of the December bank bailout.

Slovenia and Spain Want Stronger Cooperation

11. 03. 2014
Slovenia and Spain Want Stronger Cooperation
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo will start a two-day visit to Slovenia on Monday to discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation between Spain and Slovenia.

eBay cuts chief executive John Donahoe's pay by 53%

11. 03. 2014
eBay cuts chief executive John Donahoe's pay by 53%
E-commerce giant eBay has cut the total compensation of its chief executive, John Donahoe, by more than half.

"Contaminated" New Anti Corruption Commission Boss

10. 03. 2014
"New president of the Corruption Prevention Commission Boris Štefanec will have to step down in the coming days", the daily Delo says in its Monday commentary, obviously Štefanec stepped out of the coalition Positive Slovenia (PS) party only after he was tipped for the post.

Diplomatic efforts increase as Russian troops tighten their grip in Crimea

10. 03. 2014
Diplomatic efforts increase as Russian troops tighten their grip in Crimea
A diplomatic offensive is being ratcheted up with both German and British leaders having telephoned Russian President Vladimir Putin urging him to pull back from Crimea.

Bitcoin not a currency says Japan government

07. 03. 2014
Bitcoin not a currency says Japan government
Japan's government said Bitcoin is not a currency but that some transactions using the virtual unit should be taxed.

Registered Unemployment Up 4.6% in February

07. 03. 2014
Registered Unemployment Up 4.6% in February
Unemployment in Slovenia dropped slightly in February over the month before, but a year-on-year comparison shows an increase of 4.6%. The number of people registered with the Employment Service dropped by 79 or 0.1% in February over January to 129,764.

Biathlon World Cup Competitions Starting at Pokljuka

06. 03. 2014
Biathlon World Cup Competitions Starting at Pokljuka
The state-of-the-art Pokljuka Biathlon Centre will host three World Cup biathlon events this week, starting with Thursday's sprint races. The first biathlon competition after the Sochi Winter Olympics will also feature pursuit races on Saturday and mass start races on Sunday.

Venezuela ends relations with Panama as it remembers Chavez

06. 03. 2014
Venezuela ends relations with Panama as it remembers Chavez
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has announced the end of diplomatic relations with Panama because of a “conspiracy” against him.

New Twingo from Slovenia Premiers at Geneva Motor Show

05. 03. 2014
New Twingo from Slovenia Premiers at Geneva Motor Show
The new generation Twingo, which will be manufactured exclusively at Renault's Slovenian plant in Novo mesto, launched world premieres at the Geneva Motor Show on Tuesday. Revoz CEO Patrice Haettel says 30% of the parts in the new Twingo will be manufactured in Slovenia.

Bonfires and busó‘s: Hungarian festival chases away winter

05. 03. 2014
Bonfires and busó‘s: Hungarian festival chases away winter
Hoards of masked locals shouting, drinking and dressed in traditional garb.

Politics Again Interfering in Takeover of Mercator

04. 03. 2014
Politics Again Interfering in Takeover of Mercator
The new Economy Minister Metod Dragonja doubts that the three-month extension of the deadline for selling the retailer Mercator will secure success. Meanwhile, Agriculture and Environment Minister Dejan Židan also expressed concern over the sale of Mercator to Croatia's Agrokor.

US, EU mull sanctions as Moscow defends Crimea action

04. 03. 2014
US, EU mull sanctions as Moscow defends Crimea action
Russia has said it took action in Crimea after a request for intervention from deposed Ukrainian leader Viktor Yanukovych.

Miners in Velenje and Trbovlje Coal Mines on Strike

03. 03. 2014
Miners in Velenje and Trbovlje Coal Mines on Strike
Miners in Velenje and Trbovlje coal mines will stage token strikes on Monday. But their motives are very different. Miners in Velenje want full payment of the holiday allowance for last year, while those at the Trbovlje-Hrastnik coal mine (RTH) have a wider range of demands.

Oscars: Slave and Gravity share Academy spoils

03. 03. 2014
Oscars: Slave and Gravity share Academy spoils
Historical drama 12 Years a Slave has won best picture at the 86th Academy Awards, while space drama Gravity won the lion's share of awards.

Publisher Delo Selling Publisher Večer on Auction

28. 02. 2014
Publisher Delo Selling Publisher Večer on Auction
Publisher Delo will make a yet another attempt to sell a 79.24% stake in publisher Večer at an auction on Friday. The 202,788 shares will be auctioned off in a package with an asking price of EUR 3.098m.

Merkel wants strong UK with strong voice inside EU

28. 02. 2014
Merkel wants strong UK with strong voice inside EU
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has told British Prime Minister David Cameron she does not support the kind of fundamental reform of the European Union he wants.

Slovenians Happy With Quality of Life, Unhappy With Economy

27. 02. 2014
Slovenians Happy With Quality of Life, Unhappy With Economy
A Eurobarometer poll showed that Slovenians are happy despite the crisis, as nearly 80% of Slovenian respondents said they were happy with their lives, although 94% of them believe the economic situation in the country is bad.

Frosty reception for Ukraine’s new Prime Minister-designate in Maidan

27. 02. 2014
Frosty reception for Ukraine’s new Prime Minister-designate in Maidan
The unveiling of Ukraine’s new government nominees received a mixed reception in Maidan on Wednesday.

EU More Optimistic about Slovenia's GDP

26. 02. 2014
EU More Optimistic about Slovenia's GDP
The European Commission forecast a 0.1% GDP contraction in Slovenia for 2014 and a 3.9% government deficit, while it expects 1.3% growth and a 3.3% deficit in 2015. Despite the improved prospects, Slovenia remains the only EU member alongside Cyprus to remain in recession in 2014.

Tough troika talks over latest Greek bailout loan tranche

26. 02. 2014
Tough troika talks over latest Greek bailout loan tranche
Greece resumed bailout talks this week with its international lenders.

Tax Administration Files Proposal for Receivership at Aha Mura

25. 02. 2014
Tax Administration Files Proposal for Receivership at Aha Mura
The Tax Administration (DURS) filed a proposal for receivership of Aha Mura, one of the successors of former clothing giant Mura on 4 February, the Murska Sobota District Court said on Monday.

Top Bitcoin exchange MtGox goes offline

25. 02. 2014
Top Bitcoin exchange MtGox goes offline
One of the biggest Bitcoin Exchanges, MtGox, has gone offline.

Wearable technology set to wow at Mobile World Congress

24. 02. 2014
Wearable technology set to wow at Mobile World Congress
Handi, portable, smartphone or simply a telephone. Whatever you want to call it, the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona promises to showcase the best of the best.

Parliament Will Finally Confirm New Ministers

24. 02. 2014
Parliament Will Finally Confirm New Ministers
The Slovenian government will get three new ministers Monday as the confirmation vote at the plenary session of the National Assembly marks the completion of the biggest reshuffle of the Alenka Bratušek government to date.

Ptuj Ready for Legendary Carnival

21. 02. 2014
Ptuj Ready for Legendary Carnival
The town of Ptuj is gearing for the traditional Kurentovanje festival from 22 February through 4 March, hoping to attract over 120,000 visitors with a programme packed with concerts, art exhibitions, a carnival market and a big parade of masks.

Bad bosses — or bad hiring?

21. 02. 2014
Bad bosses — or bad hiring?
Bosses. We can’t work without them — but sometimes we just can’t stand to be supervised under their beady eye.

Tina Maze Writes Slovenian Olympic History

20. 02. 2014
Tina Maze Writes Slovenian Olympic History
Slovenian skier Tina Maze won gold in the women's giant slalom in Sochi on Tuesday to win her second gold at the 2014 Winter Olympics and sixth overall medal for Slovenia. She defied the poor conditions on the course to keep a lead earned in the first run, beating rival Anna Fenninger of Austria.

Self-employment boom: Good or bad?

20. 02. 2014
Self-employment boom: Good or bad?
Britain now has more people working for themselves than ever before.

Govt to Act to Prevent Wood Market Collapse

19. 02. 2014
Govt to Act to Prevent Wood Market Collapse
The government is planning to set up a special body designed to preserve the stability of the wood market in Slovenia after a recent ice storm that is estimated to have damaged some 40% of the country's forests.

Why do we get headaches?

19. 02. 2014
Why do we get headaches?
From a dull thudding ache to sharp pains that last for days, what triggers these sensations? Greg Foot gets inside our heads to reveal all.

Underground adventure in Postojna cave

18. 02. 2014
Underground adventure in Postojna cave
The underground adventure is the embodiment of experiencing and getting to know Postojna Cave in a different way, outside of the usual tourist trails.

Is this whale-shaped plane the future of airliners?

18. 02. 2014
Is this whale-shaped plane the future of airliners?
Airliners have become steadily bigger in an effort to take fit in more passengers and drive down the cost of tickets. Could a new outsized design change the way we fly?

Crisis Affecting Travelling Habits

17. 02. 2014
Crisis Affecting Travelling Habits
The economic crisis will not affect European travelling habits much, since only 11% of Europeans do not plan to go on vacation in 2014, a Eurobarometer poll about tourism says. As many as 80% of Slovenians are going on holiday as well, even if more than a third of them say they will spend less than in previous years.

More healing sleep for newborns

17. 02. 2014
More healing sleep for newborns
Sleeping like a baby is an oft-used cliche. But while sleep is crucial for sick and premature babies to grow and recover, it can be difficult in a bright, noisy hospital.

PM Finally Proposes New Ministers

14. 02. 2014
PM Finally Proposes New Ministers
Prime Minister Alenka Bratušek has nominated new ministers for economic development and technology, health and Slovenians abroad in a government shuffle which follows the resignations of economy and health ministers in November last year.

Belgium extends euthanasia law to children

14. 02. 2014
Belgium extends euthanasia law to children
Belgium has become the first country in the world to abandon age limits for euthanasia.

Olympic Corner: Maze and Gisin share downhill gold

13. 02. 2014
Olympic Corner: Maze and Gisin share downhill gold
The fifth day of competition in Sochi will go down in the history books as for the first time ever at a Winter Olympics an Alpine skiing gold medal was shared by two athletes.

Adria Denies Signing Deal with Royal Jordanian Airlines

13. 02. 2014
Adria Denies Signing Deal with Royal Jordanian Airlines
Slovenia's flag carrier Adria Airway has denied for the STA that it has entered a code share agreement with Royal Jordanian Airlines, as reported by the STA on Saturday.

Investigation launched into Algerian mountain air crash which leaves scores dead

12. 02. 2014
Algerian mountain air crash
An investigation has been launched into the crash of a military transport plane in Algeria which killed 77 people with one survivor.

President to Call Euroelection

12. 02. 2014
President Borut Pahor will call on Wednesday European Parliament elections
President Borut Pahor will call on Wednesday European Parliament elections in Slovenia. The vote will expectedly be scheduled for 25 May, a Sunday.

Switzerland set for collision course with EU

11. 02. 2014
Switzerland set for collision course with EU
The decision of Swiss voters on Sunday to urge their government to bring in measures to limit the number of EU migrants has set Bern on a collision course with Brussels.

Slovenia Conducts $3BN Bond Issue

11. 02. 2014
Slovenia Conducts $3BN Bond Issue
Slovenia has opened books on a dual tranche dollar bonds, public broadcaster TV Slovenija reported on Monday. According to the report, the country is to sell up to USD$3bn worth of five- and ten-year bonds.

Sochi: Slovenia With the First Medal!

10. 02. 2014
Sochi: Slovenia With the First Medal!
Slovenia's rising ski jumping star Peter Prevc won the first Olympic medal in his career on Sunday, grabbing silver in the men's individual normal hill at the Sochi Olympics. He was second only to Kamil Stoch of Poland, while Anders Bardal of Norway won bronze.

Bosnia protesters demand snap elections after unprecedented street violence

10. 02. 2014
Bosnia protesters demand snap elections after unprecedented street violence
Protesters in Bosnia are calling for early elections.

Bad Bank With "Bad Habits"

07. 02. 2014
Bad Bank With
The Bank Asset Management Company (BAMC) defended on Thursday the hefty contracts it has signed with various consultancy firms, saying that their services have been essential for its operations. Consultancy costs for BAMC last year stood at EUR 3.6m, while the bad bank will spend another EUR 15m in the next two years for its work.

Ukraine crisis: Leaked phone call embarrasses US

07. 02. 2014
Ukraine crisis: Leaked phone call embarrasses US
An apparently bugged phone conversation in which a senior US diplomat disparages the EU over the Ukraine crisis has been posted online.

Ice Storm Aftermath Claims First Victim

06. 02. 2014
Ice Storm Aftermath Claims First Victim
The aftermath of a crippling ice storm in Slovenia has claimed its first victim, as an electrician was killed while trying to repair a broken power line near Maribor on Wednesday.

Spanish cargo ship splits on French coast at Anglet

06. 02. 2014
Spanish cargo ship splits on French coast at Anglet
France has raised a pollution alert after an empty Spanish cargo ship split in half on a breakwater near Bayonne on the Atlantic coast.

President, PM to Visit Areas Affected by Ice Storm

05. 02. 2014
President, PM to Visit Areas Affected by Ice Storm
President Borut Pahor and Prime Minister Alenka Bratušek will visit Wednesday areas affected by a crippling ice storm as the clean up efforts around Slovenia enter a fifth day.

Sochi sparkles as Olympics rehearsals begin

05. 02. 2014
Sochi sparkles as Olympics rehearsals begin
Fireworks lit up the skies over Sochi on Tuesday in preparation for the upcoming Winter Olympics.

Slovenia 25th in Global Talent Competitiveness Index

04. 02. 2014
Slovenia 25th in Global Talent Competitiveness Index
Slovenia placed 25th among 103 countries on the Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI), which measures the countries' performance in their ability to attract, develop and retain talent. The five top ranking nations are Switzerland, Singapore, Denmark, Sweden and Luxembourg.

Corruption across EU 'breathtaking' - EU Commission

04. 02. 2014
Corruption across EU 'breathtaking' - EU Commission
The extent of corruption in Europe is "breathtaking" and it costs the EU economy at least 120bn euros (£99bn) annually, the European Commission says.

Whole Country Put on Red Alert

03. 02. 2014
Whole Country Put on Red Alert
The Environment Agency (ARSO) issued a red alert for the whole country on Sunday afternoon as persisting sleet and snow threaten to cause even further disruption to traffic and power supply. Some 120,000 homes nation-wide have been affected by blackouts, some of them going without power for more than two days.

Hansdotter secures maiden win

03. 02. 2014
Hansdotter secures maiden win
Sweden’s Frida Hansdotter held her nerve to clinch a World Cup race in heavy snow in Slovenia on Sunday, her maiden win after eight second place finishes.

Google Launches Street View Service for Slovenia

31. 01. 2014
Google Launches Street View Service for Slovenia
US internet giant Google launched Thursday the Street View service for Slovenia, the 55th country to be included in the application offering 360-degree imagery of streets and tourist sites.

Winter Olympics: first group of athletes arrive in Sochi

31. 01. 2014
Winter Olympics: first group of athletes arrive in Sochi
The first wave of athletes arrived in Sochi, Russia on Thursday ready for the 22nd edition of the Winter Olympics which begin on February 7th.

NW Slovenia Braces for Heavy Snowfall

30. 01. 2014
NW Slovenia Braces for Heavy Snowfall
After an unseasonably warm first half the winter, Slovenia can expect snow to cower the entire country on Thursday, as up to 50 centimetres of snow may fall by Friday morning in the north-west of the country and up to a meter in the mountains.

Why city life may be bad for you

30. 01. 2014
Why city life may be bad for you
When it comes to getting people to be more active, much of the attention is focused on the improving sports facilities, encouraging people to join the gym or lambasting schools for not doing enough PE.

Karavanke Tunnel with One-Way Traffic for Most of 2014

29. 01. 2014
Karavanke Tunnel with One-Way Traffic for Most of 2014
National motorway company DARS has announced that maintenance will begin on Tuesday in the Karavanke/Karawanken tunnel between Slovenia and Austria that will require a switch to alternating one-way traffic for the rest of the year, an exception being the May holidays and the summer.

First Porsche revealed to be an electric car from 1898

29. 01. 2014
First Porsche revealed to be an electric car from 1898
Luxury automaker Porsche has revealed the first car designed by its founder was electric, in a show at its museum in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, Germany.

India raises interest rates rise to stem inflation

28. 01. 2014
India raises interest rates rise to stem inflation
India's central bank has unexpectedly raised interest rates in an attempt to rein in stubbornly high consumer prices in a crucial election year.

Rough Guides Readers Vote Slovenia a 2014 Must-See

28. 01. 2014
Rough Guides Readers Vote Slovenia a 2014 Must-See
Slovenia has been voted one of the must-see countries in 2014 by readers of the Rough Guides website. The visitors are impressed by the country's "wonderfully diverse terrain" and landmarks, according to the website of one of the world's best known travel guides.

Japanese Princess Writes Poem About Traditional Slovenian Lace

27. 01. 2014
Japanese Princess Writes Poem About Traditional Slovenian Lace
Japanese Princess Akishino, who visited the town of Idrija as part of a visit to Slovenia in June last year, has written a poem dedicated to the cherished Idrija lace.

Ukraine’s activists take over justice ministry

27. 01. 2014
Ukraine’s activists take over justice ministry
Protesters took over the justice ministry in Ukraine’s capital on Sunday night while in other cities there were more clashes with riot police.

Kranjska Gora Will Host Golden Fox Races

24. 01. 2014
Kranjska Gora Will Host Golden Fox Races
The 50th Golden Fox women's alpine skiing meet will be held in Kranjska Gora (NW) this year, as the International Skiing Association (FIS) agreed with the proposal of the organisers to move the event from Maribor (NE) due to lack of snow.

Lenovo shares rise on IBM server deal

24. 01. 2014
Lenovo shares rise on IBM server deal
Shares in China's Lenovo, the world's biggest PC maker, have risen after the firm agreed to buy IBM's low-end server business for $2.3bn (£1.4bn).

Banks' Loss Surges to EUR 1.1bn in Jan-Nov

23. 01. 2014
Banks' Loss Surges to EUR 1.1bn in Jan-Nov
Slovenian banks posted a net loss of almost EUR 1.1bn in January-November, a three-fold increase over the year before, as provisioning surged and revenue plunged

Environmentalists criticise new EU climate goals

23. 01. 2014
Environmentalists criticise new EU climate goals
The European Commission has unveiled new climate goals for 2030 amid criticism from green groups.

Slovenia Sending 66 Athletes to Sochi

22. 01. 2014
Slovenia Sending 66 Athletes to Sochi
Slovenia will send 66 athletes to the Sochi Winter Olympics, the Olympics Committee decided on Tuesday. The team includes skier Tina Maze, one of the most successful alpine skiers of all time, biathlete Jakov Fak, as well as a very successful ski jumping team.

Women still hitting the celluloid ceiling in Hollywood

22. 01. 2014
Women still hitting the celluloid ceiling in Hollywood
When Kathryn Bigelow won her Best Director Oscar for The Hurt Locker in 2010, it was hailed as a turning point for women in Hollywood. But depressingly – although perhaps not surprisingly – there has been no such turning point, no breakthrough; no women directors were even nominated for an Oscar this year.

Ljubljana Among Finalists for EMW Award

21. 01. 2014
Ljubljana Among Finalists for EMW Award
The Slovenian capital is one of the three cities shortlisted for the European Mobility Week Award by an independent panel of transport experts examining efforts to boost sustainable mobility during mobility week. The winner of the EU-sponsored award will be announced 24 March.

EU plans to send troops to CAR to stop clashes

21. 01. 2014
EU plans to send troops to CAR to stop clashes
EU foreign ministers have agreed on a blueprint for sending hundreds of European troops to the Central African Republic to help quell violence there.

Room Prices in Slovenian Hotels Fell 5% in 2013

20. 01. 2014
Room Prices in Slovenian Hotels Fell 5% in 2013
Average room prices in Slovenian hotels continue to decline after having dropped 5% in 2013, according to research conducted by a price comparison website.

Ski Jumping: Bardal celebrates maiden win of season

20. 01. 2014
Ski Jumping: Bardal celebrates maiden win of season
Norway’s Anders Bardal celebrated his first win of the season on Sunday when he leaped to a World Cup victory at the Polish resort of Zakopane.

Turkey: prosecutors removed as judicial purge intensifies

17. 01. 2014
Turkey: prosecutors removed as judicial purge intensifies
The Turkish government, led by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has removed 20 high-level prosecutors from their posts.

Slovenia to Look for New Investors in US, UK

17. 01. 2014
Slovenia to Look for New Investors in US, UK
The Slovenian Finance Ministry has commissioned Barclays, Goldman Sachs International and J.P. Morgan to arrange a series of investor meetings in the US and the UK beginning on 21 January.

Ramada Trademark to Attract Tourists to Kranjska Gora

16. 01. 2014
Ramada Trademark to Attract Tourists to Kranjska Gora
Two of hotels in the alpine resort of Kranjska Gora have been placed under the famous Ramada trademark, operated by the Wyndham group, in a bid to attract new tourists and expand to new markets.

What makes a global property hot spot?

16. 01. 2014
What makes a global property hot spot?
What makes a city an attractive place to buy in and what's the impact on domestic buyers when foreigners come in?

Slovenians Prefer Online Shopping on Domestic Sites

14. 01. 2014
Slovenians Prefer Online Shopping on Domestic Sites
Slovenian internet users are more inclined to making online purchases on Slovenian sites than foreign sites, with a survey finding that 70.4% of internet users have made purchases in domestic online stores as opposed to 46.7% in foreign stores.

Survivors mark second anniversary of Costa Concordia disaster

14. 01. 2014
Survivors mark second anniversary of Costa Concordia disaster
Bells and horns rang out on the Italian Island of Giglio on Monday evening to mark the exact moment when the Costa Concordia sank two years ago.

Turkey: Another parliamentary punch-up over judicial reforms

13. 01. 2014
Turkey: Another parliamentary punch-up over judicial reforms
Tempers flared in the Turkish parliament for the second day running as the justice commission debated a draft bill that would give the government more control over the judiciary.

Ski Jumping: Prevc Wins First Gold in World Cup Event

13. 01. 2014
Ski Jumping: Prevc Wins First Gold in World Cup Event
Slovenia's best ski jumper Peter Prevc flew to his first victory ever in the World Cup event at Kulm hill on Sunday. The victory follows his silver medal from yesterday and is the sixth podium finish for the 21-year-old. "It's a great day. Lately, I've always been close to victory, and today I finally made it," he said.

Slovenia Among Hot Destinations for Brits in 2014

10. 01. 2014
Slovenia Among Hot Destinations for Brits in 2014
The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) has placed Slovenia among the highlights in its 2014 travel trends report, the Slovenian SPIRIT agency for the promotion of entrepreneurship and tourism has reported.

France's Hollande attacks report of affair with actress

10. 01. 2014
France's Hollande attacks report of affair with actress
French President Francois Hollande says he is considering suing a magazine after it claimed he was having an affair with an actress.

FM Promises Diplomacy Will Continue to Help Businesses

09. 01. 2014
FM Promises Diplomacy Will Continue to Help Businesses
Foreign Minister Karl Erjavec promised that the diplomatic network would continue to support and open doors for Slovenian businesses abroad, as he addressed a meeting of business representatives and diplomats on the final day of diplomatic consultations at Brdo pri Kranju.

Asleep on the job: How to grab forty winks at work

09. 01. 2014
Asleep on the job: How to grab forty winks at work
Getting a bit drowsy at work? You’re in luck. Previously taboo, sleeping in the workplace is becoming much more acceptable.

Maltese FIMBank Acquiring 40% in Ljubljana Factoring Firm

08. 01. 2014
Maltese FIMBank Acquiring 40% in Ljubljana Factoring Firm
FIMBank, the Malta-based specialist trade finance bank, has signed a EUR 4m contract to acquire 40% in Prvi faktor, the Ljubljana factoring firm co-owned by the state-owned NLB bank and SID export and development bank, with the option of extending its shareholding in the future.

Polar vortex: How to survive extreme cold

08. 01. 2014
Polar vortex: How to survive extreme cold
An Arctic freeze has been sweeping across North America, bringing temperatures as low as -40C (-40F) with wind chill in some cities. What are the risks of extreme cold and how can you avoid them, asks Aidan Lewis.

New "Healthy" Slovenian Business Club

07. 01. 2014
New
Entrepreneurs who consider themselves part of the healthy core of Slovenian economy launched on Monday the Slovenian Business Club, one of whose main roles will be forging "comradeship" in forays onto new markets.

China plans new privately financed banks

07. 01. 2014
China plans new privately financed banks
Up to five private banks will be created in China this year as it looks to open up the financial sector and raise competition in the industry.

Slovenian Diplomats on Annual Consultation

06. 01. 2014
Slovenian Diplomats on Annual Consultation
Heads of Slovenian embassies, consulates and representative offices abroad and senior Foreign Ministry officials are meeting at Brdo estate for annual consultation. The meeting will focus on the foreign policy strategy and economic diplomacy.

Portugal football great Eusebio dies aged 71

06. 01. 2014
Portugal football great Eusebio dies aged 71
Portuguese football legend Eusebio has died aged 71 from a heart attack.

Record New Year's Eve Turnout in Ljubljana

03. 01. 2014
Record New Year's Eve Turnout in Ljubljana
A record 50,000 revellers spent New Year's Eve in the centre of Ljubljana, capping an overall record-setting year for Slovenia's capital, according to the local tourism board.

Pope Francis nearly triples Vatican City crowds in 2013

03. 01. 2014
Pope Francis nearly triples Vatican City crowds in 2013
Pope Francis drew more than 6.6 million people to his audiences, Masses and other events in Vatican City during his first year in office, figures show.

New Year, New Taxes

02. 01. 2014
New Year, New Taxes
A new real estate tax entered into effect on 1 January. Conceived primarily as a means to buttress budget revenue, the tax is expected to net EUR 400m per year, double what is currently collected with the four levies it replaces.

Fiat takes control of Chrysler in four billion dollar deal

02. 01. 2014
Fiat takes control of Chrysler in four billion dollar deal
The creation of a new global auto giant is on the cards after Fiat finally clinched a deal to buy the remaining part of Chrysler it does not already own.