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This summary is provided by the STA:
MPs reject referendum on changes to government bill
LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly rejected in a 52:23 vote the opposition Democrats'(SDS) proposal to consult voters in a referendum whether the government should restructure its departments and expand them or not. The SDS opposes the plan to increase the number of ministries to 20, arguing public spending will also increase, while the coalition says the reorganisation will help the government to be more responsive and efficient to the benefit of the country. Now that the referendum is off the table, the changes to the government act will be discussed at an emergency session of the National Assembly on Wednesday.
Petrol prices on motorways up by 20 cents
LJUBLJANA - The prices of petrol and diesel at service stations along Slovenian motorways, which are completely deregulated as of today under the new fuel pricing model, went up by roughly 20 cents a litre compared to those at stations outside the motorway network, which are fully regulated. Regular petrol now costs EUR 1.851 at Petrol's and EUR 1.944 at OMV Slovenia's service stations, while diesel costs in excess of EUR 2 per litre.
Watchdog looking into Petrol, OMV over fuel shortages, report says
LJUBLJANA - The competition watchdog is launching an investigation into whether Petrol and OMV Slovenija, the country's two largest fuel retailers, have abused their dominant market position in recent days as there were fuel shortages right before a new pricing regime kicked in, the news portal Necenzurirano reported. The Competition Protection Agency (AVK) will check whether Petrol and OMV Slovenija, which control the vast majority of the market, have abused their position by filling storage tanks under their petrol stations too slowly or by deliberately emptying them in recent days.
Slovenia changes Ukraine aid policy, continues advocating for Bosnia
LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary EU and foreign affairs committees outlined Slovenia's foreign policy for the future, with PM Robert Golob saying after the closed session that Bosnia-Herzegovina should get immediate EU candidate status and that Slovenia would help Ukraine with demining in the future. He added that the proposal for Ukraine and Moldova to become EU candidate countries was a clear message to the two countries that they can count on EU membership. Golob believes that Bosnia-Herzegovina deserves to receive the same message from the EU Summit this week.
FM Fajon tells Ukrainian counterpart she will visit Kyiv soon
LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon spoke over the telephone with her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba on Tuesday assuring him of Slovenia's support for Ukraine's EU candidate status and the country's post-war reconstruction. She also announced that she will visit Kyiv soon, the Slovenian Foreign Ministry tweeted. "Slovenia is committed to helping Ukrainian citizens to live in peace again as soon as possible. We will also help rebuild infrastructure and restore stability and hope."
High-ranking police officers sacked over hiring violation
LJUBLJANA - The new police commissioner sacked two high-ranking police force members, with 24ur.com reporting they had been involved in a contentious hiring of an employee in which security check results had been falsified. The General Police Administration said the sacking involved an employee at the Koper Police Department and an officer working at the General Police Administration. The newspaper Dnevnik reported that the matter involved the Koper Police Department chief Boris Korasa and the head of the General Police Administration's Internal Investigations and Integrity Sector Metod Jerman.
Petrol says price regulation to affect annual results
LJUBLJANA - Fuel price regulation in Slovenia and Croatia will affect energy company Petrol's business in the first half of the year, so the Slovenian group does not expect to achieve the planned results, its management said in a statement posted on the website of the Ljubljana Stock Exchange, where Petrol stock has suffered significant losses today.
Pahor nominates Court of Audit head, central bank vice-governor
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor has nominated Jana Ahčin for Court of Audit president and Milan M. Cvikl for a vice-governor of the central bank after completing consultations with parliamentary groups' heads last week and establishing both candidates enjoy the necessary support. The candidates will need at least 46 votes to get elected in a secret ballot.
Old Slovenian tanks en route to Ukraine, report says
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia donated 35 Yugoslav-era armoured combat vehicles to Ukraine, which crossed the Slovenian border on Monday evening and are expected to reach western Ukraine via Poland today, the 24ur news site reported. In return, Slovenia is to receive a credit from the US to be used for equipment needed by the Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) in their operations.
Patrik Greblo appointed acting director of TV Slovenija
LJUBLJANA - After rejecting the candidacy of RTV Slovenija journalist Urban Laurenčič for the position of director of TV Slovenija (TVS), the public broadcaster's TV arm, the RTV programme council endorsed the appointment of music advisor Patrik Greblo as TVS acting director. Greblo, a journalist, conductor, composer, arranger of popular music and the director general's music advisor, will assume the job on Wednesday for a maximum of one year or until the appointment of a full-fledged TVS director. Andrej Grah Whatmough, RTV Slovenija director general, intends to publish a new call for applications as soon as possible.
No assets of Russian citizens frozen in Slovenia
LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Foreign Ministry told the STA it had no information of assets of any Russian citizen under the EU sanctions being frozen in Slovenia since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. The ministry is in charge of implementing the law on restrictions Slovenia introduces in line with legal acts and decisions adopted by international organisations.
Elaphe stepping up international cooperation
LJUBLJANA/SAN DIEGO, US - Elaphe, a Ljubljana-based maker of in-wheel electric motors, is stepping up cooperation with foreign partners. It has signed a cooperation agreement worth hundreds of millions of euros with Aptera Motors, a US start-up that builds solar e-vehicles, and intends to work with Dutch company Lightyear on the latter's new vehicle.
Covid case count up by 33% week-on-week
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported 838 new coronavirus infections for Monday, up by 33% in weekly comparison, in what continues to be a steady increase in Covid cases. The total of patients treated for Covid-19 as their main condition in hospitals is at 37, including five in intensive care, shows data by the Health Ministry. No Covid-related deaths were reported yesterday.
Slovenia to build two European Digital Innovation Hubs
LJUBLJANA - Two European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) will be set up in Slovenia, the European Commission decided upon evaluating applications in the first call of the DIGITAL Europe Programme. The government Office for Digital Transformation announced that the EDIH projects went to the consortia DIGI-SI of Maribor University and SRC-EDIH of the Novo Mesto Development Centre. EDIHs will function as one-stop shops helping companies respond to digital challenges and boost their competitiveness.
Experiment crates for kids win Startup of the Year Award
LJUBLJANA - Inno Lab, the company that makes crates providing tools for a variety of experiments aiming to make children interested in physics, mathematics and IT, was declared the best startup in Slovenia for this year. Inno Lab took part in the TV competition Štartaj Slovenija in 2020 and now it is launching international sales of the Innobox through Italian Amazon. The shortlist for the Start:Up 2022 award included companies DeltaHub, Epidemic, mPOR and SaleSqueze.
Slovenian American on front line of fight against cancer
NEW YORK, US - Andreja Čerček, a Slovenian-American oncologist with the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in the US, is on the front line of the fight against cancer. After co-authoring a study on experimental treatment of early-stage rectal cancer with immunotherapy, she hopes that these findings could be applied to treatment of other cancers. News of a successful rectal cancer treatment that completely eradicated the disease in all twelve participating patients is making headlines in the US and around the world.
New architecture platform LINA launched in Ljubljana
LJUBLJANA - A new architecture platform LINA was launched in Ljubljana on Monday, connecting 28 European and Mediterranean organisations. Its representatives gathered for a two-day general assembly in Plečnik's House. LINA, a continuation of the project Future Architecture, aims to support the work of young architects with research, prototype creation and exchange of know-how as well as promote environmentally friendly construction. It hopes to mobilise the European architectural sector for clean, circular and sustainable projects in line with the New European Bauhaus initiative.
Ljubljana Festival opens with tribute to pop song lyrics
LJUBLJANA - The 70th Ljubljana Festival, one of the most high-profile festivals in the country, opened in Congress Square with a tribute to the Slovenian poets who have contributed lyrics for some of the most memorable Slovenian pop songs, especially in the 1960s and 1970s. The Summer Night concert coincides with the 60th anniversary of Slovenian Pop Song, a festival that has produced some of the best Slovenian Golden Oldies. Twenty-three songs will be sung by 13 singers.
Storm in NE Slovenia uncovers roofs and topples trees
MARIBOR/SLOVENJ GRADEC - The regions of Štajerska and Koroška in north-eastern Slovenia were hit by a violent storm on Monday evening that uprooted many trees, uncovered roofs and damaged other infrastructure, the Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief has reported. The largest number of firefighter interventions were needed in the municipality of Maribor, where according to the fire brigade commander Primož Osojnik they were mostly removing fallen trees, but also temporarily repairing roofs and removing light debris.
