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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:
SDS to continue coalition talks next week
LJUBLJANA - Talks on a potential new coalition will continue next week, the opposition Democrats (SDS) said after meeting the leaders of two coalition parties and another opposition party in the wake of PM Marjan Šarec's resignation. The coalition SMC and DeSUS intend to continue the talks, whereas NSi did not give a statement after the talks. SMC leader Zdravko Počivalšek said the talks had been constructive and would probably continue. DeSUS leader Aleksandra Pivec said her party was willing to continue the talks if other bigger parties were also willing to do so. The other parliamentary parties had declined to take part in the SDS-led talks.
Slovenia posts trade gap for 2019
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia posted a trade gap of EUR 564 million in 2019 as growth in goods imports outpaced growth in exports. Exports rose by 8.5% to EUR 33.47 billion and imports increased by 10.9% to EUR 34.04 billion. Releasing the latest figures, the Statistics Office said that the annual values of goods exports and imports last year were the highest on record. Unlike in the past when Slovenia continuously posted a surplus in external trade, this time its exports represented 98.3% of its imports. A gap was recorded in trade with EU countries as well as the rest of the world.
PM: Slovenia not to soften its position on cohesion
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Prime Minister Marjan Šarec was adamant that Slovenia would insist on its position that drastic cuts to cohesion funds planned under the Finnish proposal for the EU's next long-term budget were unacceptable for the country, as he discussed the issue with EU Council President Charles Michel. He was happy with the meeting and said Michel understood Slovenia's position. "We have set out our position that we disagree with the cut as proposed, that cohesion is of exceptional importance to us and that we will insist on the position in the negotiations on the European Council," he said.
Šarec says he is realistic about arbitration
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Outgoing PM Marjan Šarec expressed "moderate realism" about the arbitration implementation impasse with Croatia, saying that if both countries had elections the same year, there would more time after them to reflect on the issue in a more relaxed manner. "If both countries have elections in the same year, we'll have more time for sober reflection after them, because so far there's been this problem of Croatia having an election, and then Slovenia, so there was no solution," he said after meeting EU Council President Charles Michel.
Number of illegal crossings of border up 74% last year
LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian police recorded a total of 16,099 illegal crossings of the border last year, almost 74% more than in 2018. Citizens of Pakistan were involved in a total of 4,101 illegal crossings, followed by citizens of Algeria (1,892) and Afghanistan (1,733), show data from the police, the Ministry of the Interior and the Government Office for the Support and Integration of Migrants. The number of applications for international protection was also up last year to 3,821, which is 33% more than in 2018. The vast majority left the country before their applications could be processed.
Prešeren Prizes conferred at Culture Day ceremony
LJUBLJANA- The Prešeren Prizes, the top national accolades in arts and culture, were conferred on the eve of Culture Day, a bank holiday dedicated to artists and their work. The two lifetime achievement prizes went to photographer Stojan Kerbler and choreographer and dancer Milko Šparemblek. Six Prešeren Fund Prizes for accomplishments over the past three years were also handed out. The recipients are designer Nejc Prah, actress Nina Ivanišin, composer and accordionist Luka Juhart, film director Rok Biček, translator Suzana Koncut and costume designer Alan Hranitelj.
Mail threat sent to SAB
LJUBLJANA - A day after the head of the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) Aleksandra Pivec received death threats warning her not to join an SDS-led coalition, the Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) said a package containing an unknown powder had been sent to the SAB headquarters. The powder turned out to be harmless. SAB, a small centre-left party that was part of the recently disbanded coalition, has been trying to organise talks on a new coalition in what is a rival initiative to that of Janez Janša of the opposition Democrats (SDS).
Thousands attend first prayer at Ljubljana mosque
LJUBLJANA - The newly opened Ljubljana mosque hosted the first prayer and with 3,000-4,000 Muslim worshippers attending some had to be put up in a number of other venues apart from the prayer hall. The community posted on Facebook yesterday that due to the expected surge, it would be hard to make sure women would be able to attend the prayer as well, which garnered criticism due to alleged gender discrimination. The Islamic Community's secretary general Nevzet Porić dismissed any such claims, saying that the Friday Prayer was only obligatory for men.
Foreign Ministry State Secretary Božič pays working visit to US
WASHINGTON, US - Foreign Ministry State Secretary Dobran Božič concluded a working visit to Washington where he discussed political and economic cooperation with the US, cooperation in NATO, relations between the US and the EU as well the situation in the Western Balkans, the Foreign Ministry said. The list of Božič's interlocutors included Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Keith Krach with whom they agreed to strengthen cooperation in digitalisation and new technologies, energy and infrastructure, including within regional initiatives such as the Three Seas initiative. Talks with Assistant Secretary of European Affairs Phil Reeker touched on bilateral cooperation and the Western Balkans.
Annual inflation rate at 2.1% in January due to costlier food
LJUBLJANA - Consumer prices in Slovenia increased at an annual rate of 2.1% in January, while 0.9% deflation was recorded on the monthly level. The annual inflation was fuelled the most by more expensive food, while winter discount sales of clothing and footwear contributed the most to the monthly deflation. The prices of serviced were up between January 2019 and January 2020 by 2.6% on average, while the prices of good increased by 1.8%, the Statistics Office said. The prices of non-durable and semi-durable goods increased by 3.1 and 0.6%, respectively, and the prices of durable goods were down by 1.7% on average year-on-year.
Flu season as never seen before in Slovenia
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia is experiencing one of the worst flu seasons on record. The majority of patients are children aged up to 14. Health officials have warned that the disease is in full swing and widespread, with some deeming the situation unprecedented and borderline extreme. "The flu incidence is extremely high, the flu season is approaching its peak and the disease is prevalent across the country," said the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ). Slovenia is among the four WHO Europe members which have reported high or extremely high flu incidence.
Three Slovenian couples on quarantined cruise ship
LJUBLJANA - The Foreign Ministry confirmed that there are six Slovenians aboard a cruise ship quarantined off the coast of Japan because of the new coronavirus. They all feel well. Andrej Šter, the head of the Foreign Ministry's consular service, said the three couples aboard the Diamond Princess, which is quarantined in Yokohama for two weeks, had been in contact with the Slovenian Embassy in Tokyo since the day the quarantine was declared after a passenger who had been on the ship last month fell ill with the virus.
Golden Fox moved to Kranjska Gora due to warm weather again
MARIBOR - The 56th Golden Fox competition as part of the Alpine Ski World Cup, which was supposed to take place on 15-16 February in Maribor, has been moved to the Kranjska Gora resort due to the unfavourable weather forecast. The World Cup slalom and giant slalom events for women is moving to the north-western resort, which traditionally hosts World Cup technical events for men, nicknamed the Vitranc Cup. It will be held on the same dates.
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