Marjan

Defence Minister Marjan Šarec and his State Secretary Damir Črnčec have received Ukrainian decorations for their contribution to strengthening bilateral relations and assisting in Ukraine's defence.

Ukrainian Ambassador to Slovenia Andriy Taran bestowed the Mark of Esteem on Šarec and the Medal for Supporting the Armed Forces on Črnčec on behalf of the Ukrainian Defence ministry.

Slovenia signed a contract with the company Air Tractor Europe S.L. on 17 April for the purchase of four firefighting aircraft. The first two water bombers, two-seater aircraft, are due to arrive in Slovenia in June, just in time before peak fire season, and the other two, single-seaters, next year.

Marjan Pipenbaher, the chief designer of the Pelješac Bridge in Croatia, has been declared the Person of the Year by the newspaper Delo. One of the most renowned European bridge builders and designers, Pipenbaher has designed more than 200 brides and viaducts in Slovenia and abroad.

Defence Minister Marjan Šarec announced major investments in the air force fleet as he addressed a ceremony marking Slovenian Military Aviation Day at the Cerklje ob Krki air base on 12 January. The air base is undergoing renovation, which will create new jobs.

Ljubljana – Reporter says in its latest commentary that Marjan Šarec, the former prime minister, is trying to establish himself as the leading politician on the left while he is clinging on the brink of political relevance as he is far from his peak from four years ago, when he entered the political arena.

Opening on Thursday and running until 24 November in Ljubljana, the exhibition, entitled Plečnik and the Sacred, is one of the most important projects promoting Slovenian culture this year.

The cabinet backed Lenarčič, put forward on Wednesday as an independent expert by Prime Minister Marjan Šarec without prior consultation with coalition partners, in a 13:3 vote.

It was the three ministers from the ranks of the SocDems who voted against, which is in keeping with the junior coalition party's criticism of Šarec picking Lenarčič instead of SocDem MEP Tanja Fajon.

The opening was attended and addressed by Prime Minister Marjan Šarec and Culture Minister Zoran Poznič.

Šarec said at a reception for Slovenian Statehood Day, which followed the opening of the exhibition, that Slovenia should be proud and happy as this was the first Slovenian exhibition in the Vatican.

The idea to convert dilapidated former Yugoslav Army barracks on the outskirts of Pivka, south-west, into a museum arose 15 years ago in the local community.

At the time, its proponents could probably not imagine it would so quickly grow into the country's largest museum area.

The List of Marjan Šarec (LMŠ) came in second in last year's parliamentary elections, lagging far behind the victorious Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS). Nevertheless, LMŠ has managed to form his government by being politically savvy. Two months later at the local elections, LMŠ failed to achieve better results.