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A schedule of all the main events involving Slovenia this week can be found here
This summary is provided by the STA:
Thousands of Slovenians usher in 2020 in streets and squares
LJUBLJANA - Tens of thousands of Slovenians ushered in the new year in the open, with the largest crowd of 55,000 gathering in four squares in Ljubljana. The capital also saw the traditional fireworks, while some major cities this time opted for quieter celebrations without fireworks. In Slovenia's second largest city, Maribor, the main venue was Leon Štukelj Square, while people could also welcome the new year while ice skating in Freedom Square and in Hotel Arena under the slopes of the Pohorje mountains. The Ljubljana maternity hospital was also the first to welcome a new life in the new year, with Natanael, a baby boy, being born there two minutes after midnight. The first baby girl, named Sofia, was born in Jesenice at 2am.
NBI has met expectations in the first ten years of its work
LJUBLJANA - Ten years have passed since the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) was established to deal with the most demanding cases of white-collar crime and corruption, with Police Commissioner Tatjana Bobnar assessing that the NBI has fulfilled the expectations. According to her, the NBI investigators are enthusiastic and hard-working, and have proven with their work that there are no untouchables. In the ten years, the NBI has filed 796 criminal complaints to the prosecution in relation to criminal acts which have resulted in illegal gains of a total of EUR 1.048 billion.
Income tax changes enter into force
LJUBLJANA - Recently adopted tax changes that slightly reduce the taxation of labour in favour of higher taxes on capital officially entered into effect, increasing the thresholds for all five personal income tax brackets, effectively subjecting a higher share of income to lower tax rates. In the second and third tax brackets, which cover mostly the middle class, the tax rate will drop by a percentage point to 26% and 33% respectively. Those on the minimum wage will see their earnings rise only marginally, while those on average pay can expect roughly EUR 150 more per year.
VAT on books reduced, goal to abolish it altogether
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia introduced a new, reduced rate of the value-added tax (VAT) at 5%, to apply to books, newspapers and periodicals in their physical and digital forms. The reduction, from 9.5%, comes more than a decade after the publisher Sanje initiated a petition for a zero tax on books in 2006, to counter proposals for imposing the standard rate of 22%, which Sanje director Rok Zavrtanik says "would have been a disaster for what is a struggling industry as it is". However, publishers and book promoters say books should be exempt from tax to allow quality production in the Slovenian language.
New year brings uniform cigarette packaging
LJUBLJANA - Uniform cigarette and tobacco packaging rolled out on New Year's Day under new rules, bearing graphic warnings of the adverse health effects of smoking and donning the Pantone 448 C dark brown hue, known as the ugliest colour in the world, to further deter anyone from picking up the harmful habit. In line with the changes to the act on the use of tobacco and related products, packages will be non-branded, standardised and overall looking as uninviting as possible, according to the Health Ministry.
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