Saturday, November 24, 2007

Slovenia’s Ceplak faces two-year ban

"Olympic 800m bronze medallist Jolanda Ceplak faces a two-year ban after Slovenia’s athletics federation on Tuesday rejected any doubts about the validity of her positive test for EPO.

Ceplak, 31, who won European gold in 2002 and took Olympic bronze over the two laps in Athens two years later, tested positive for blood-booster EPO (erythropoietin) in an out-of-competition test on June 18. The B sample test confirmed the A sample finding.

Ceplak, the world indoor record holder in the 800m which she set in 2002, denies doping. In September, the Slovenian federation’s anti-doping commission were unable to reach a decision in the case, pending an additional investigation. "

Source: Reuters

Friday, November 16, 2007

Slovenian PM will seek vote of confidence

"Slovenia's prime minister said he would seek a parliamentary vote of confidence in his government Thursday, after an opposition-backed candidate won an overwhelming victory in weekend presidential elections.

Prime Minister Janez Jansa had said earlier this week that his center-right Cabinet could step down, after Danilo Tuerk won 68 percent of votes in Sunday's ballot. He said late Thursday on state television that he would seek a vote of confidence in parliament, and that 'depending on the result, I will decide on my next steps.'

Tuerk's victory — and the crushing defeat of the government-backed Lojze Peterle — was seen as a reflection of eroding popularity for Jansa's governing coalition just one year before new parliamentary elections are due.

Jansa has accused the opposition of blackening his government during the campaign, saying such criticism has hampered his government's daily work as well as preparations for Slovenia's Jan. 1 takeover of the European Union presidency."

Source: International Herald Tribune

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Turk wins Slovenia presidential vote

"Centre-left opposition party candidate Danilo Turk decisively won Slovenia's presidential election Sunday, the electoral commission announced. His landslide victory dealt a blow to the ruling centre-right coalition of Prime Minister Janez Jansa ahead of general elections next year.

The 55-year-old Turk won 68.26 percent of the vote, while Lojze Peterle, backed by the PM's centre-right coalition, took just 31.74 percent, according to results with 99.9 percent of the votes counted, the commission said. Mail ballots have yet to be tallied and final full results are expected to be published in a week's time.

Turk's majority is the largest won in a presidential election in 15 years, beating even reformed communist Milan Kucan, who in 1992 won 64 percent of the vote in Slovenia's first democratic elections after independence. Peterle conceded defeat almost immediately after first exit polls indicated Turk's victory, admitting: 'I expected a better result.'"

Source: AFP

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Ljubljana Film Festival (LIFFe)

"The 18th Ljubljana International Film Festival (LIFFe), the biggest event of its kind in Slovenia, will feature over 100 films from around the globe between 7 to 21 November. The festival will open with the independent US production 'The Darjeeling Limited' by Wes Anderson.

Special attention will be given to national cinematographies and tributes to masters of contemporary film, LIFFe's new programme director Simon Popek told the press on Tuesday. Film lovers will have two full weeks to see the very best of world cinematographies packed into twelve programme sections according to type of film."

Source: GCO

Nine more European countries open borders

"The European Union announced on Wednesday it plans to extend the abolition of borders to nine new members, including Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

As from December 2007, the EU will abolish checks at internal land and sea borders (and air borders by March 2008) to the nine countries, a press release from the EU Council said."

Source: Xinhuanet

Monday, November 5, 2007

Ljubljana Film Festival (LIFFe)

"The 18th Ljubljana International Film Festival (LIFFe), the biggest event of its kind in Slovenia, will feature over 100 films from around the globe between 7 to 21 November. The festival will open with the independent US production 'The Darjeeling Limited' by Wes Anderson.

Special attention will be given to national cinematographies and tributes to masters of contemporary film, LIFFe's new programme director Simon Popek told the press on Tuesday. Film lovers will have two full weeks to see the very best of world cinematographies packed into twelve programme sections according to type of film."

Source: GCO