Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Wednesday, 11 March 2020

By , 11 Mar 2020, 04:20 AM News
Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Wednesday, 11 March 2020 Flickr - Pedro Ribeiro Simões CC by 2.0

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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:

Slovenia closing border with Italy as coronavirus cases rise to 34

LJUBLJANA - PM Marjan Šarec announced he had ordered the closure of the border with Italy. The measure, which Šarec said was modelled on Austria's, does not apply for freight transport. Šarec, who said that the number of coronavirus cases had risen by another three to reach 34 this afternoon, told the press "it's high time we take action" since people in Italy were disregarding quarantine orders and continued to leave the country. The Slovenian Foreign Ministry expanded its travel warning to the entire Italy and advised Slovenians in Italy to return home.

Several flights cancelled due to new virus

BRNIK, LJUBLJANA - Fraport Slovenija, the operator of the Ljubljana airport, is already facing cancellation of flights to and from the airport due to the spreading of the new coronavirus, and more cancellations are expected in the future. The national railway operator Slovenske Železnice meanwhile said that traffic was running on schedule, including by the train connecting Ljubljana and Italy's Trieste twice a day. Also, Slovenia's leading gaming company HIT announced it was closing its casinos in the western region of Goriška until 20 March.

Committee nods to foreign minister candidate Logar

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee backed the candidate for foreign minister Anže Logar after what was mostly a Croatia-focused confirmation hearing. While arguing new approaches would be needed, he asserted Slovenia would continue insisting Croatia honour the border arbitration decision after he had raised eyebrows with his statement it was time to switch to silent diplomacy. Slovenia's EU presidency was among the priorities listed by the 43-year-old Democrats (SDS) member, who highlighted the EU and NATO as key elements of Slovenia's foreign policy. Thus, the plan is also to strengthen relations with the US.

Tonin green-lighted for defence minister, conscription a priority

LJUBLJANA - New Slovenia (NSi) head Matej Tonin was backed for defence minister by the parliamentary committee after he defended plans to gradually reintroduce conscription. "Nobody opposing arms will be forced to carry them. However, without people there will also not be a Slovenian army," Tonin said. He also announced higher defence spending, saying "membership in NATO remains the best and cheapest insurance policy for Slovenia" and mentioned an idea to enlist older people who have received military training to help patrol the border. He highlighted stronger presence in the Balkans as a priority in international missions.

Cigler Kralj endorsed for social affairs minister

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Committee endorsed Janez Cigler Kralj for minister in charge of labour, family, social affairs and equal opportunities. In a five-hour presentation, he listed a friendlier welfare system, care for the elderly and a stronger family policy as priorities. Kralj said he would not interfere in legislation on abortion and gay rights. He rejected criticism he was talking too much about penalising welfare abuse, saying he was "extraordinarily socially sensitive" and that his job was to work for the poor.

Constitutional Court stays act on 2013 bank bail-in recourse for investors

LJUBLJANA - The Constitutional Court has stayed the implementation of an act providing easier access to recourse for roughly 100,000 investors who lost their investments during the banking sector bailout of 2013. The court announced this two months after the central bank challenged the legislation. Banka Slovenije said in January that "the most controversial parts of the law affect monetary financing and the financial independence of the central bank".

Court rejects Slovenian Roma case over water access

STRASBOURG, France - The European Court of Human Rights has found that Slovenia has taken adequate steps to provide Roma settlements with drinking water, as it rejected an application by two Roma families who alleged violations of basic human rights because of inadequate access to drinking water and sanitation. The court said that the Slovenian authorities had "taken positive steps" and acknowledged the applicants' disadvantaged situation by providing them with adequate access to safe drinking water. Amnesty International Slovenije, an NGO which helped the Roma with the petition, expressed regret about the decision and said an appeal would be lodged.

Artificial intelligence research centre kicking into action

LJUBLJANA - The International Research Centre On Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI) will soon be formally established in Ljubljana under the auspices of UNESCO. Based at the Jožef Stefan Institute, it is expected to benefit the global artificial intelligence community and provide a boost to Slovenian science and business. The agreement between Slovenia and UNESCO on the creation of the IRCAI was signed in Ljubljana last week and the formal establishment of the centre as a legal person is expected to follow shortly.

Employers cautiously optimistic in second quarter outlook

Ljubljana - The employment outlook among Slovenian employers for the second quarter of the year is cautious but optimistic, shows the latest employment forecast by temping agency Manpower. The share of employers who have announced a growth in jobs is nine percentage points higher than the share of whose who expect a decline in employment. While 13% of the surveyed employers expect a growth in employment between April and June, 4% expect a decline, and the remaining 83% plan no changes in the job structure, the Manpower Group said.

Javelin thrower Martina Ratej suspended over doping suspicion

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian javelin thrower Martina Ratej has been suspended over doping suspicion based on a repeated analysis of a sample taken at the 2012 Olympics in London, the Athletic Federation of Slovenia and the Slovenian Olympic Committee (OKS) announced. The Slovenian women's record holder is facing a penalty from World Athletics for the use of a banned clostebol metabolite. "I was shocked to learn this, because I never took any banned stimulants. I had a surgery during that period, so I think that this could be the only way the mentioned substance entered my body," Ratej told the STA.

Visiting Ljubljana? Check out what's on this week, while all our stories on Slovenia, from newest to oldest, are here

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