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This summary is provided by the STA:
Slovenia sees EU fiscal package as step in right direction
LJUBLJANA - Finance Minister Andrej Šircelj hailed the agreement reached by EU finance ministers on a fiscal package to combat the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic as a "a step in the right direction". "We have a few new instruments, now let's focus on the recovery. We've laid out a sober, responsible, rapid but also ambitious and prudent path to recovery," he said. His comments come after EU finance ministers agreed a EUR 500 billion package of short-term measures to mitigate the economic consequences of coronavirus. Slovenia will be eligible for roughly EUR 900 million in loans from the European Stability Mechanism and another EUR 900 million under a new mechanism called SURE.
Slovenia successful in tackling coronavirus but acute phase not over yet
LJUBLJANA - Bojana Beović, an infectious disease specialist, told Mladina that Slovenia was yet to exit the acute phase of the coronavirus epidemic. However, the Italian scenario is very unlikely to unfold as hospitals have admitted much fewer Covid-19 patients than had been projected. In the next phase the younger population should be allowed to get infected under controlled conditions to gain herd immunity. Slovenia plans to shortly start examining the presence of antibodies which show that a person has recovered from the infection, she said. Slovenia recorded two more Covid-19 fatalities on Thursday, bringing the death toll to 45. The number of infected persons rose by 36 to 1,160.
Pahor deems explanation by PM and FM key for CoE media freedom affair
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor commented on the dispatch sent by Slovenia to the Council of Europe (CoE) in response to a warning about pressure on the media in the country by saying it made sense to wait for an official explanation by the prime minister and foreign minister to see if the letter's content was in fact Slovenia's official position. The letter will be discussed by parliament's foreign policy and culture committees on Tuesday, along with a perceived U-turn in Slovenia's foreign policy. The session was called by the four opposition parties.
Foreign minister and apostolic nuncio discuss cooperation
LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar met with Apostolic Nuncio Jean-Marie Speich to review cooperation between Slovenia and the Holy See. They agreed bilateral relations should be deepened. Logar pointed to the importance of spiritual care in the time of the coronavirus pandemic and added that Slovenia appreciated the role of the Holy See in the international community in promoting peace, dialogue and understanding between nations.
Public health insurer says state will have to chip in
LJUBLJANA - The public health insurer ZZZS expects the coronavirus crisis to slash its revenue by around EUR 215 million this year, while higher expenditure is expected on top of that, to the tune of EUR 30 million due to higher sick leave costs alone. The impact of a deferral of health insurance contributions to help businesses is estimated at EUR 200 million. It has urged the government to cover the shortfall. "This is a substantial amount for the healthcare budget. The deferred contributions help the economy but they hurt healthcare," ZZZS director general Marjan Sušelj told the STA.
Large shipment of protective equipment delivered
BRNIK - More than twenty tonnes of protective equipment, including face masks for medical staff, was delivered from China to the Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport, one of the largest such shipments since the start of the coronavirus crisis. The 1.1 million FFP2-type masks, which are crucial for frontline staff, along with almost 16,000 protective uniforms for doctors and 1.7 million gloves, was delivered from Chengdu aboard an Airbus A330.
Suspected restriction violation reports totalling 900 so far
LJUBLJANA - The Health Inspectorate said it had so far processed some 900 cases of suspected violations of lockdown restrictions, issuing a total of 128 fines worth more than EUR 9,000. Some 1,500 cases of suspected violations have been referred to the health inspection service by the police. Out of the 128 issued fines, the highest one (EUR 417) has been issued nine times. Fines will increase on Saturday to EUR 4,000 - EUR 100,000 for legal persons and EUR 400 - EUR 4,000 for individuals.
Lawyers want court work resumed, Supreme Court reluctant
LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Bar Association has recently appealed to the Supreme Court and Justice Ministry to resume normal operations where possible despite the coronavirus epidemic. Otherwise, Slovenia would be faced with a collapse of the rule of law, warned the association. The Supreme Court is hesitant about heeding the bar's proposal though, highlighting that the emergency measures are valid until further notice, with court restrictions valid until 1 July at the latest.
Older shoppers now ID'd at store entrance
LJUBLJANA - A new regulation entered into force requiring consumers above the age of 65 will need to prove their age with an identity card to enter grocery shops during dedicated opening hours. The government has decreed special shopping hours for vulnerable groups to protect them against coronavirus infection between 8am and 10am and an hour before the shops close. The special opening hours apply exclusively to those above the age of 65, the disabled and pregnant women.
Survey shows high level of trust in conventional media
LJUBLJANA - A survey conducted by Mediana showed most Slovenians trust conventional media, meaning TV, radio and printed media reports, during the coronavirus epidemic. More than half the respondents (51%) said they trusted or fully trusted TV reports, while 8% said they did not trust them at all. The shares for radio reports were 48% and 8% respectively, and for printed media 40% and 7%. The level of trust in online news portals was much lower, at 25%, standing at only 4% for social media.
Damages claims by former CEO against port operator rejected
LJUBLJANA - The Koper District Court rejected a claim by Gašpar Gašpar Mišič, the former chief executive of port operator Luka Koper, who sought in excess of EUR 750,000 for wrongful dismissal plus reinstatement to the post. Gašpar Mišič, who ran Luka Koper between September 2013 and April 2014, had sought damages based on a 2019 decision by the Supreme Court, which found he was wrongfully dismissed.
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