Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Thursday, 4 June 2020

By , 04 Jun 2020, 03:51 AM News
Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Thursday, 4 June 2020 JL Flanner

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This summary is provided by the STA:

From tomorrow, Slovenians free to cross into all neighbouring countries

VIENNA, Austria/ROME, Italy - Slovenians will be able to cross the border without restrictions to all neighbouring countries from Thursday as Austria abolishes health checks on its border with Slovenia as the last neighbour to do so. Italy lifted border restrictions for EU citizens today while Croatia and Hungary have lifted restrictions for Slovenian citizens earlier. Croatia and Hungary are also the only countries whose citizens can enter Slovenia completely without restrictions based on bilateral agreements.

Registered jobless total up by 2% in May to 90,415

LJUBLJANA - After a significant uptick in joblessness in March and in April due to the Covid-19 crisis, the trend slowed down in May, as the jobless total was up by only 2% on the monthly level to 90,415. Compared to May 2019, the figure was meanwhile up by 18,403 or 25.6%, the Employment Service said. The number of persons who registered with the Employment Service in May almost halved (-45%) compared to April, standing at 7,928, which was, however, 75.6% more than in May 2019.

Slovenia plans EUR 780 million in defence investment in six years

LOŠKA DOLINA - Defence Minister Matej Tonin set out a plan to invest EUR 780 million in defence over the next six years as he joined President Borut Pahor for the viewing of a military exercise dubbed Leap 2020 in Babno Polje in the south of the country. The exercise is special in that it is not being held in the country's main military exercise grounds, but in local communities, which Tonin said welcomed SAF members well.

Two new coronavirus cases confirmed on Tuesday, no new deaths

LJUBLJANA - Two new cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Slovenia on Tuesday, most likely associated with a family cluster in Maribor that led to the quarantining of a primary school class there. There were no new Covid-19 fatalities, the latest government data show. There are now 1,477 confirmed cases in Slovenia and 109 fatalities. Five patients remain in hospital but none are in intensive care.

Alleged elderly hospitalisation lists raise dust

LJUBLJANA - A media report has revealed that health authorities introduced a form during the Covid-19 epidemic to decide which care home residents would qualify for hospital treatment if they contracted the disease. This has prompted the opposition to demand an explanation from the government, but Health Minister Tomaž Gantar said he had no problem with the form. Care homes filled in a form deciding whether a certain resident with a severe disease would be referred to hospital if they caught Covid-19, public broadcaster TV Slovenija reported on Tuesday.

Parliamentary body backs higher penalties for migrant smugglers

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Justice Committee endorsed changes to the penal code, raising the penalties for migrant smugglers and those involved in illegal migration. The penalty for migrant smugglers would thus increase from five years to three to ten years in prison. Under the proposed changes, those who get paid for such services or commit them as part of a criminal organisation will face three to fifteen years in prison. Currently, they could get one to eight years.

Janša responds to rejection of cross-partisan pact

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša responded to the turning down of his government's offer of a cross-partisan partnership by most opposition parties. "We offered a hand of cooperation. When the SDS was in the opposition it never received such a generous offer from those on power," he wrote. All opposition parties bar the National Party (SNS) had turned down the proposal for a partnership agreement whose goal would be to involve the opposition in the drafting of legislation prior to its adoption by the government in exchange for support when the time comes to vote.

Review sought of Statistics Office boss's dismissal

LJUBLJANA - The Statistics Council asked the Constitutional Court to review the recent dismissal of Bojan Nastav as the general director of the national Statistics Office. The expert council was not sure which law applies to the director's dismissal - the one on public sector employees, which allows the government to dismiss a top public sector employee a year after the employee started their job, or the national statistics act. The government dismissed Nastav, who was appointed for a full term by the previous government last August, on 21 May, appointing Tomaž Smrekar as acting director for up to six months.

Court agrees Ascent needs environmental impact assessment for fracking

LJUBLJANA - The Administrative Court has upheld the decision of the Slovenian Environment Agency (ARSO) that an environmental impact assessment is needed before any permits can be issued for hydraulic fracturing planned by British company Ascent Resources at the Petišovci gas field in the north-east of Slovenia. The company said it was in the process of beginning preparations for submission of an environmental impact assessment and noted the decision was "important evidence to support the claim the company intends to bring against Slovenia under the Energy Charter Treaty".

Top court nominees present bids, scales tilting in Teršek's favour

LJUBLJANA - Barbara Zobec and Andraž Teršek, the two candidates for a vacancy on the Constitutional Court, presented their bids, both highlighting the protection of human rights as their main priority. Although Zobec has the support of the ruling Democrats (SDS), Teršek seems to have the better odds of getting appointed. Statements made by parliamentary parties so far indicate that Teršek could get the 46 votes, meaning absolute majority, needed for appointment, while Zobec is unacceptable for most parties.

Committee asks govt to pay attention to events industry, culture workers

LJUBLJANA - Discussing the continuing woes of the meetings industry and culture workers due to coronavirus, the parliamentary economy and culture committees adopted on Tuesday proposals to start lifting restrictions in the sector when possible, monitor the situation in the most affected areas to draw up aid measures, and establish dialogue with stakeholders. The session came in the aftermath of protests by culture workers who claim the government is ignoring their plight and saw a dozen more binding proposals by opposition voted down.

Opposition urge public health chief to resign over lack of mask guidance

LJUBLJANA - The four centre-left opposition parties urged Milan Krek to resign as director of the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) after he failed to provide an answer at a government press briefing as to whether face masks are mandatory at shopping malls. The parties also urged action from Health Minister Tomaž Gantar. Both rejected the criticism.

US and Slovenia mark post-WWII ski race anniversary

LOG POD MANGARTOM - The 75th anniversary of a post-WWII ski race organised by US soldiers on the slopes of Mt Mangart in Slovenia on 3 June 1945 was celebrated with an event attended by US Ambassador to Slovenia Lynda Blanchard and Defence Minister Matej Tonin. The race was organised by the 10th Mountain Division of the United States Army, a mountain warfare unit which was stationed in Slovenia after WWII because of its unresolved western border.

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