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This summary is provided by the STA:
Slovenian, Italian police launch joint border patrols
KOPER - The Slovenian and Italian police forces started jointly patrolling the countries' border today in a bid to control illegal migration. The measure taken under an agreement signed by Slovenia and Italy is expected to be in place until 30 September. According to the Slovenian General Police Administration, four joint patrols a week are planned, three on the Slovenian side of the border and one on the Italian side. Police will be active along the green border and on former border crossings but Marjan Štubljar of the General Police Administration told the press today that "this is definitely not a restoration of border checks" and will not affect passengers.
Delaying uniform cigarette packages voted down at committee
LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Health Committee voted down proposal from a group of MPs to postpone obligatory standardised packaging for tobacco products until 2023. The debate heard warnings from numerous organisations that the postponement would have negative consequences on public health. Given today's developments, coming after the proposal took heavy flack and was also denied the government's support, the National Assembly will not take a vote on the proposal, meaning uniform packaging will be introduced in 2020. The proposal also envisaged the setting up of a tobacco fund, which would manage the revenue coming from tobacco excise duties and fund anti-smoking programmes.
Committee backs controversial changes to primary school funding
LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Education Committee endorsed, in a narrow vote, a controversial government-sponsored bill designed to implement a 2014 Constitutional Court decision under which the state must provide 100% funding for publicly approved curricula taught at private primary schools. The committee rejected all amendments, so the changes to the law on financing education will now be put to vote at a second-reading plenary in the form adopted by the government in early June. However, unofficial information indicates further changes are possible, as the coalition has not yet given up on trying to come to an acceptable model of financing.
Govt set to discuss migration strategy document
LJUBLJANA - The public debate stage has ended for a blueprint of Slovenia's approach to migration which the government is expected to discuss in July. The document encompasses plans to boost migrant labour, secure effective asylum procedures, as well as control illegal migration and security threats whilst simultaneously safeguarding the dignity of migrants. While clearly presenting the increasing need for migrant labour, the document notes the need to control illegal migration and effectively implement intergovernmental agreements on the return of persons.
EU fund payments to Slovenia may be suspended due to IT issues
LJUBLJANA, BRUSSELS, Belgium - EU cohesion funds payments to Slovenia may get suspended unless the country manages to address faults of the IT system it uses for drawing funds in the next two months, according to the government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy, which said it had received a warning from the European Commission. Slovenia has now two months to respond. Based on the country's response, the Commission will decide whether the payments should be suspended.
Constitutional Court allows employee management participation in big banks
LJUBLJANA - The Constitutional Court has found unconstitutional the part of the banking act that prevents employees from participating in management, saying that the legislature failed to provide sufficient reason to ban employees from management bodies. The contentious Article 33, stating that the act regulating the cooperation of employees in management does not apply to banks, was challenged by the in-house trade union of NLB. NLB is a two-tier board company with more than 3,000 employees who should be represented in the supervisory and the management boards, the union said.
Fusion of nature and culture at Sajeta Creative Camp
LJUBLJANA - The 20th Sajeta art and music festival will get under way near the town of Tolmin today, bringing progressive music and ideas to the north-western Sotočje region. The festival's international line-up will include the cult krautrock German band faUSt and popular Montenegrin performer Rambo Amadeus, dubbed Rambo Amadeus the World Kilo Tzar. Since its launch in 1998, the Sajeta Creative Camp festival has strived towards setting up a cultural-artistic lab in nature, and according to the organisers, it also aims to transcend generational, social or geographical differences and integrate various audiences, thus promoting inclusion and acceptance.
US first lady sculpture to be revealed in her hometown
SEVNICA - A life-size, wooden sculpture of US First Lady Melania Trump has been erected near her hometown Sevnica in south-east Slovenia. The intriguing sculpture will be presented on Friday as part of the Ta Eho exhibition by US artist Brad Downey, who aims to explore the extent of Melania Trump's roots and the reaction of the locals. Sevnica, a town of some 5,000 inhabitants has capitalised on Melania Trump's rise to fame by coming up with its own First Lady brand.
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