EU-China Relations: Taking the EU reins, Slovenia plans to press ahead on China investment deal

Slovenia will press on with completing the EU’s troubled investment deal with China as it assumes the presidency of the Council of the European Union today.

The presidency rotates among EU member states and is responsible for the functioning of the council, the EU’s co-legislative body alongside the European Parliament.

Read more at: Taking the EU reins, Slovenia plans to press ahead on China investment deal | South China Morning Post

EU - former Eastern bloc Nations: ‘Work, family, fatherland’: populist social policies in central and eastern Europe – by Mitchell Orenstein and Bojan Bugaric

The rise of authoritarian populists in Hungary and Poland has shocked the European Union, forcing it to contemplate new procedures to ensure compliance with the rule of law. But these regimes have an enduring electoral appeal to many voters, including those naturally inclined to the left. Why?

Our research shows that central and east European populists have developed a new approach to social policy, based on past conservative models, which can be encapsulated in the old Vichy slogan, ‘work, family, fatherland’. Developed in Hungary and Poland, it is now spreading across Europe. Hungary, Poland, populistsBojan Bugaric

Responding to decades of neoliberal economic policies, these populist parties advance a nationalist programme. This seeks to build up domestic as against foreign capital, and support indigenous versus migrant workers, addressing native population loss through ‘pro-family’ measures. The pitch is to protect ‘ordinary people’ from ‘liberal elites’, while growing the economy through economic self-rule and a conservative developmental state.

Read more at: ‘Work, family, fatherland’: populist social policies in central and eastern Europe – Mitchell Orenstein and Bojan Bugaric

EU: - Dispute with Hungary, Poland Slovenia: Hungary and Poland unfazed by EU outcry over budget block

Hungary and Poland have dug their heels in on blocking the €1.8 trillion EU budget and coronavirus recovery package, over their objection to linking EU funds to the respect of the rule of law - despite calls from other EU capitals to rethink.

Ahead of a videoconference of EU leaders on Thursday evening, Warsaw and Budapest received backing from Slovenia's prime minister. br>
Read more at: Hungary and Poland unfazed by EU outcry over budget block

Gay Community: Slovenians reject same-sex marriage in referendum

Slovenians rejected a same-sex marriage law by a large margin in a referendum on Sunday, according to preliminary referendum results.

The results released Sunday by authorities show 63 percent voted against a bill that defines marriage as a union of two adults, while 37 percent were in favor.

The results were incomplete, but were unlikely to change significantly in the final tally.

Parliament introduced marriage equality in March, but conservative groups, backed by the Catholic Church, pushed through a popular vote on the issue.

Read more: Europe - Slovenians reject same-sex marriage in referendum - France 24

Homosexuality tolerated but not accepted throughout the EU, as Slovakia votes against same-sex marriage in referendum

Gay Europe still has a long way to go

For decades, homosexuality was a taboo topic in Slovakia. It has only entered public discourse in the last 10 years.tolerated

The country, which joined the EU in 2004, has an anti-discrimination law that protects lesbians and gay men.

But neither same-sex marriage nor registered partnerships exist. Homosexuals are also not permitted to adopt children. Since the summer of 2014, marriage has been defined in the Slovak constitution exclusively as the union of a man and a woman.

On Saturday February 7, Slovakia votes against same sex marriage in referendum

Unofficial reports announced that about 54 percent of voters opposed the law [AFP report], while 44-percent favored it. Last month, conservative advocacy group Civil Initiative for the Family and the Rights of Children, with the help of Catholic supporters, collected and filed the required 40,000 signatures [STA report] to challenge the law to a referendum vote. Labor, Family and Social Affairs Minister Andrej Vizjak [official profile, in Slovenian] responded to the referendum results, saying that the government would respect the will of the people [statement audio, in Slovenian] and would draft a new proposal. 

Since 2004, 13 nations have joined the European Union and 10 of them either prohibit or do not recognize homosexual marriage, while the remaining three allow some legal "partnership" recognitions but not on the same level as heterosexual marriage.  In the most recent vote on the issue, in Croatia on Dec. 1, the Catholic and Orthodox churches led a strong campaign against same-sex marriage.

Croatia entered the European Union (EU) in July last year, making it the 28th and newest member of the union.  Among its 4.4 million citizens, 87.8% identify as Roman Catholics and 4.4% as Orthodox Christian.  After the center-left government crafted a same-sex “life partners” law back in May, the Catholic Church and other denominations rallied behind a referendum to amend Croatia’s constitution to legally define marriage as between one man and one woman.

The marriage question was the third referendum in Croatia since the country became independent in 1991.

The referendum asked, “Do you agree that marriage is matrimony between a man and a woman?” As reported by the state electoral commission to numerous media, 65% of Croatians voted “yes” and 34% voted “no.” .

Besides Croatia, 12 other nations, all from Eastern Europe, have joined the EU since 2004.  Not one of those nations legally recognizes homosexual "marriage" and only three permit some legal standing for same-sex couples.

Probably Zelka Markic, the leader of “In the Name of the Family,” which pushed hard in favor of the referendum in Croatia, gave the best possible (democratic) answer to solving this issue, when she said: “We believe that marriage, children, and family are such important issues that the whole society has to decide on them -  by a referendum - and not just by a Government decree or law, unless it has the support of the majority.”



EU-Digest

In Slovakia, Christmas Dinner Starts In The Bathtub : by Meghan Sullivan

For centuries, families throughout much of central Europe have relied on one simple main course for Christmas Eve dinner: the common carp.

But getting from river (or carp farm) to table is not so simple. As the tradition goes, the Christmas carp must first swim in the family bathtub for at least a day or two before being killed, cleaned and prepared.

I grew up in Maine and Massachusetts and, I will admit — back before my mom decided she couldn't bear dropping a live lobster into a boiling pot — there was more than one occasion in which my siblings and I took the crustaceans out of the bag and attempted to race them across the kitchen floor before they became dinner.

But in Slovakia — and other nearby nations, including Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany and Croatia — the fish actually live in the bathtub for days. Kids name them. People can't bathe.
"In my childhood, I remember thinking 'poor carp,' " Bratislava resident Mima Halokova tells me. Others admit to actually letting the fish go free, unable to go through with their plans to transform it into dinner.

Carp are bottom feeders. The idea is that a few days swimming in clean water helps to flush mud from the fish's digestive tract. (It would actually take a lot longer than that for this trick to work, fisheries scientist Patrick Cooney tells us. He's tried it.) Some note that the tub time was a practical way to store fresh fish before refrigerators became common.

Bathtub carp is one of several traditions tied to Christmas Eve — a day that is the centerpiece of holiday celebrations for Slovaks and some others in central Europe. It is also the day, children are told, when baby Jesus brings a Christmas tree. (This requires some elaborate subterfuge from parents, who must hide and decorate the tree behind closed doors.) Later in the day, the little ones get their gifts.

Read In Slovakia, Christmas Dinner Starts In The Bathtub : The Salt : NPR

European elections day 3: polls open in Latvia, Malta and Slovakia

Saturday marks the penultimate day for Europe to decide on who it wants in charge and voting continues into a second day in the Czech Republic, whilst Latvia, Malta, Slovakia and the French overseas territories will also head to the polls.

At the start of day three, up to 90 million of the 388 million eligible could have cast their vote in the largest democratic exercise outside of India. But, unlike India which saw an impressive turnout of 66%, the last European elections had a turnout of just 43%.

The number of voters could play into the hands of anti-EU parties which have seen a rise in support since the economic and financial crisis struck.

One of the countries most affected by the crisis, Ireland only recently exited its EU-IMF bailout. Surveys indicate that trust in the European institutions is 23 percentage points lower than before the rescue plan was implemented.

The results of the elections will be announced at 10pm GMT on Sunday when the rest of the EU countries will have voted on who will take up the 751 seats of the European Parliament.

Read more: European elections day 3: polls open in Latvia, Malta and Slovakia | euronews, world news

Slovenia - Italy: 4.4 earthquake in Slovenia and Italy, near nuclear plant

A 4.4-magnitude earthquake has struck Slovenia southwest of the country’s capital, Ljubljana, at a depth of 12.4 kilometers, says USGS.

According to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Center, the magnitude of the quake was measured at 4.5, with a depth of 2 kilometers.

The earthquake took place about 200 kilometers from a nuclear power plant at Krško, a town in eastern Slovenia. The plant is co-owned by Slovenia and Croatia.

The quake struck at about 11:00 local time (09:00 GMT).

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the quake hit about 5 kilometers northeast of the Slovene town of Ilirska Bistrica, 32 kilometers northwest of the Croatian city of Rijeka and 37 kilometers east of the Italian city of Trieste.

Read more: 4.4 earthquake in Slovenia, Italy, nr nuclear plant — RT News

Slovenia: In Europe, Growing Concern Slovenia Is Next to Need Bailout

Only a few years ago, Bine Kordez was feted as Slovenia’s star entrepreneur. After transforming a home-improvement chain, Merkur, into a regional giant, he drew on easy credit from state-run banks to help orchestrate a €400 million management buyout of the company, the largest in the country’s history.

The rewards of success included an imposing mountainside retreat and frequent mention of his name as a possible future finance minister of this small, idyllic Alpine country. 

Now, though, Mr. Kordez stands convicted of forgery and abuse of office for financial dealings as Merkur struggled under a mountain of debt.

Read more: In Europe, Growing Concern Slovenia Is Next to Need Bailout - NYTimes.com

Slovenia seeks to dismiss 'another Cyprus hysteria' - by Nick Thorpe

Shaken by international media speculation that Slovenia might follow Cyprus in applying for a large EU and IMF-led bailout, Slovene bankers, business leaders and politicians have closed ranks to dismiss what they regard as "hysteria". 

"Slovenia does not need to fear," says Janko Medja, head of Nova Ljubjanska Banka.
"There are very good fundamentals. We simply need to take a couple of decisions that may be hard for some people, but which allow us to make good progress in the next couple of years. And I think we can do that."

However, each day more details emerge about the plans they are drawing up to get the country out of its current mess.

Read more: BBC News - Slovenia seeks to dismiss 'another Cyprus hysteria'

Slovenia - back to reality, forth to austerity

For years, Slovenia was seen as a model among the nascent EU members. But now the former Yugoslav republic is faced with a serious recession and high debt. It may soon be the next duck in an unpopular pond. 

A specter is haunting Slovenia - the specter of the European Stability Mechanism.

Prime Minister Janez Jansa has warned his people straight out that if the reforms and austerity measures proposed by his conservative government aren't implemented, a "national bankruptcy" would be unavoidable - as would a bailout.

"Any Slovenian government you can imagine will be more social than what the troika will impose upon us," were the words echoing out of Ljubljana earlier this month, when the government introduced its austerity budgets for the next two years.

Read more: Slovenia - back to reality, forth to austerity | Europe | DW.DE | 17.12.2012

Slovenia: Presidential Election: Former PM still in lead

An opinion poll carried by commercial broadcaster Planet TV shows that 69% of the respondents support former Prime Minister Borut Pahor for president, while incumbent Danilo Türk got 31% of the respondents' votes.

The poll was conducted by pollster Episcenter among 930 respondents between 23 and 25 November, a week before the upcoming second round of the presidential election.

Read more: Presidential Election: Former PM still in lead

Croatia ready to solve banking row with Slovenia says FM

Croatian Foreign Minister Vesna Pusic said on Saturday her country was ready to solve a bank savings row with Slovenia that threatens to stall Zagreb's accession to the European Union.

"We will solve this problem and we are ready to solve it," Pusic said quoted by HINA news agency.
She was responding to Slovenia's recent threat that it would not ratify Croatia's accession to the EU unless a deal was reached over the banking row between the two former Yugoslav republics.

While Croatia is due to join the European Union on July 1, 2013, it still requires all 27 member states to ratify the accession treaty.

More than 130,000 Croatians claim they deposited 160 million euros ($207 million) in savings in Slovenia's Ljubljanska Banka before Yugoslavia fell apart in 1991.

Read more: AFP: Croatia ready to solve banking row with Slovenia: FM

Shadow economy in eastern Europe undermines growth, says World Bank - by Nikolaj Nielsen

Doing business and working outside government regulation and tax systems in eastern Europe is so widespread that it risks undermining the region's long-term growth potential, says a World Bank report released on Monday (10 September).

"The governments of the new member states in Eastern Europe simply cannot afford a large shadow economy, neither in the short run due to fiscal concerns, nor in the long run due to the shrinking labour force," said World Bank senior adviser, Katarina Mathernova.

The report looked primarily at Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia.

Read more: EUobserver.com / Economic Affairs / Shadow economy in eastern Europe undermines growth, says World Bank

Slovenia seen facing political crisis in addition to economic, financial ones

The daily Delo expressed concern on Saturday about the lack of response from the government to Slovenia's falling credit ratings, interpreting it as an indication that the PM may be looking for his own "exit strategy", STA reports.

While the free fall in Slovenia's credit ratings indicates Slovenia is irreversibly sliding into a destructive spiral of a deep and long recession, the government holds a correspondence session to announce changes to the national anthem act and designate 23 August as a day of remembrance for the victims of totalitarian regimes.

The move suggests that the ruling coalition has crossed a breaking point like the one following the triple referendum 'no' for the Borut Pahor government a little over a year ago. From that point on it all went downhill, all the way to the government's fall and a snap election, Delo writes under "Breaking Point".

Read more: Balkans.com Business News : Slovenia seen facing political crisis in addition to economic, financial ones

Slovenia Calls for Bids for 25% Stake in Steelmaker SIJ - by Boris Cerni

Slovenia invited bids for a 25 percent stake in Slovenska Industrija Jekla d.d., the country’s biggest steelmaker, which is majority owned by Russia’s OAO Koks (KOKS).

The offer to purchase 246,655 shares in the Slovenian company is valid until March 30, the country’s agency for managing state assets said in an e-mailed statement today.

The majority of Slovenska Industrija Jekla was bought in 2007 by Koks, a Kemerovo, Russia-based producer of raw materials for steel making.

For more: Slovenia Calls for Bids for 25% Stake in Steelmaker SIJ - Bloomberg

Slovenia elects its 1st black mayor

Slovenia elected its first black mayor on Sunday, an immigrant from Africa known as the "Obama of Piran," the town where he lives. In fact, Peter Bossman, a Ghana-born physician, could be the first black mayor elected anywhere in his region of Europe.

Bossman, who settled in this tiny Alpine nation in the 1970s to study medicine in what was then known as Yugoslavia, won a runoff election in the coastal town of Piran with 51.4 percent of votes, defeating Dr. Tomaz Gantar, the outgoing mayor. The 54-year-old Bossman is a member of Slovenia's governing Social Democrats. He runs a private practice and was previously a member of the Piran City Council.

Vlado Miheljak, a local political analyst, said the vote in Piran was a test about whether Slovenia was "mature enough to elect a nonwhite political representative."

For more: Slovenia elects its 1st black mayor - World - TheState.com

Slovenia Trying to Become Greener, Not on Track to Kyoto Goals

Slovenia is falling behind when it comes to the Kyoto Protocol targets for cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, but it can boast a high share of power produced from renewables and substantial investments into making the Slovenian industry greener, shows a survey on environmental indicators that was presented on Wednesday.

For the complete report: STA: Slovenia Trying to Become Greener, Not on Track to Kyoto Goals

C/Net: Flying on a wing and a battery - by Elsa Wensel

For the complete report from CNET News.com click on this link

Flying on a wing and a battery - by Elsa Wensel

Electric-powered commercial jets may still be a figment of the imagination, but smaller electric aircraft are already making it to market. Taurus Electro gliders are set to be produced by year's end, which could make them the first two-seater, commercially produced electric aircraft available for purchase. Pipistrel of Slovenia sells this and other non-electric Taurus gliders, which have won prizes for efficiency. CEO Ivo Boscarol said customers who have ordered the company's other lightweight craft are closely eyeing the new, "greener" electric model, which will cost around $133,000, or 85,000 euros.

News24: Slovenia takes on EU presidency

For the complete report from News24 click on this link

Slovenia takes on EU presidency

Slovenia assumed the rotating presidency of the European Union on the stroke of midnight on January 1 - with Kosovo and ratification of the new constitutional treaty at the top of its agenda. The small central European state, which borders Austria, Croatia, Hungary and Italy, takes over the presidency from Portugal, and will hold it for six months before passing the baton to France on July 1. Slovenia, which has a population of two million, only joined the 27-strong EU in 2004. But Ljubljana plans to exploit its history as a former Yugoslav republic to act as a bridge between the EU and the Balkans, as Kosovo threatens an imminent proclamation of independence from Serbia.