Zdravko Pocivalsek

Sladki Vrh – A new production line at the Paloma hygienic paper factory has been officially launched. Worth EUR 41 million, this is the largest investment in the Slovenian paper industry in the last 40 years.

Ljubljana – The leader of the coalition Modern Centre Party (SMC), Zdravko Počivalšek, has decided to remain economy minister rather than return to parliament. This is after an MP of the ruling Democrats (SDS) said last week that Počivalšek returning to parliament to secure the coalition an absolute majority was still an option.

Ljubljana/Dubai – Low-cost airline Flydubai intends to start operating flights between its base in Dubai and Ljubljana in September. According to the Ljubljana airport flight schedule, Flydubai will launch flights to Slovenia’s capital on 24 September, flying three times per week, aviation portal Exyuaviation.com reported.

Ljubljana – Igor Zorčič remains speaker as only 45 MPs voted to dismiss him in a secret ballot Friday, one short of the needed majority, just like in the first attempt on 30 March after he quit the coalition Modern Centre Party (SMC). Two ballots were invalid while no MP voted against as the centre-left opposition and unaffiliated MPs obstructed the vote.

Ljubljana – Justice Minister Lilijana Kozlovič has handed her resignation, the Justice Ministry confirmed for the STA. The reason is the government’s decision to annul the procedure to appoint Slovenia’s two European delegated prosecutors and to publish a new call for applications, which Kozlovič sees no justified grounds for.

Ljubljana – Fortenova, a group based in Croatia’s Zagreb, published on Wednesday a takeover bid for the remaining 724,764 shares of Slovenian retail group Mercator it does not already own. It is offering to pay EUR 36 per share in cash.

The bid is open for 29 days, that is until 23 June, unless it is extended, the group said in the Slovenian newspaper Delo on Wednesday.

Velenje – Representatives of the government and the Chinese-owned group Hisense Europe Electronics signed on Monday a contract under which the state will provide almost EUR 1 million in non-refundable funds for its TV production plant at the existing Gorenje operation in Velenje.

Brussels – Attending a session of the EU’s Trade Policy Council, Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek discussed the reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO) with his EU counterparts in Brussels on Thursday. Počivalšek said that Slovenia was ready to cooperate to affirm the importance of the WTO during its EU presidency.

Ljubljana – Slovenia thinks it is essential that the EU digital green certificate, which is designed to facilitate cross-border travel, be implemented by 1 July. If that does not happen, member states will be forced to resort to national solutions, Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek said after an informal meeting of EU ministers in charge of tourism.

Ljubljana – Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH) has increased the state stake in the spa company Terme Olimia to 98.25% as part of the efforts to create a state hospitality holding.

SSH acquired a further 20.64% stake in Terme Olimia in a public takeover bid that run out on Monday, according to a notice published in the newspaper Delo.