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This summary is provided by the STA:
Opposition to table motion of no-confidence in govt in mid-January
LJUBLJANA - Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) leader Karl Erjavec, tipped for a prime minister-designate, announced the informal coalition of five centre-left opposition parties would file a motion of no-confidence in the Janez Janša government on 15 January. The parties, associated in the Constitutional Arch Coalition (KUL), have 43 votes between them, three short of the majority needed for the vote to succeed. He nevertheless expects the 46 votes in the secret ballot in parliament to elect a new PM-designate, mostly counting on MPs from the coalition Modern Centre Party (SMC).
Slovenia takes out EUR 2 billion in fresh debt
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia issued a new ten-year bond of EUR 1.75 billion due in 2031 and extended the existing 30-year bond issue due in 2050 by another EUR 250 million, the Finance Ministry said. The 10-year bonds was issued with a negative yield to maturity of -0.096% and a zero coupon rate, which means the country would not have to return EUR 17 million, the ministry explained. It said this was the first time Slovenia had issued a long-term bond with a negative yield to maturity. To implement this year's state budget, Slovenia would need to borrow EUR 5.67 billion, which would increase its public debt to 75% of GDP.
Surge in coronavirus amid scaled-up testing
LJUBLJANA - As many as 2,501 people tested positive for coronavirus in Slovenia on Monday, the second highest daily increase to date, as almost 23,500 PCR and antigen tests were performed, the largest number yet, following scaled-down testing over the extended holiday weekend. Another 30 patients with Covid-19 lost their lives for the overall death toll of 2,868. Covid-19 hospitalisations fell by 16 to 1,193. The number of patients in intensive care units dropped by six to 188, government data show.
Children with special needs return to school
LJUBLJANA - Children with special needs returned to classrooms after nearly three months of remote schooling. After employees were tested for coronavirus, schools opened for in-class instruction for special-needs children. The opening is in line with a recent decision by the Constitutional Court. The decision on when other pupils return to classrooms is expected on Thursday, after PM Janez Janša meets representatives of teachers on Wednesday.
Two SSH board members, supervisor resign over sale of venture capital fund
LJUBLJANA - Two members of the management board of Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH), Boštjan Koler and Boris Medica, and supervisory board member Igor Kržan resigned over irregularities established in the sale of a 49% stake in the venture capital fund Meta Ingenium. SSH sold the stake in July, before biotechnology company Bia Separations, in which Meta Ingenium held a 10.8% stake, was sold to German biopharma company Sartorius for EUR 360 million in October. The newspaper Finance said in November that SSH would have received EUR 18 million for the stake in Bia instead of just EUR 3.1 million if it had sold the stake later. "SSH could have acquired additional information about Bia Separations that would justify higher expected proceeds from the state-owned stake in the sale procedure," the SSH management board said today.
Two chambers urge business reopening
LJUBLJANA - The Chamber of Craft and Small Business (OZS) and the Chamber of Commerce (TZS) sent their respective letters to PM Janez Janša and Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek, urging them to reopen small businesses and non-essential shops, respectively. The situation in the services sector is alarming, OZS head Branko Meh said, adding the reopening would prevent mass layoffs. The TZS said the restrictions affecting non-essential shops should be immediately relaxed in the statistical regions with the most favourable epidemiological situation. It added shop owners were running out of contingency reserves while state aid did not cover all the costs.
NLB to introduce deposit fees for individuals in April
LJUBLJANA - NLB, the largest bank in Slovenia, will introduce fees for combined deposits by physical persons which exceed EUR 250,000 in April. The monthly fee will amount to 0.04% and will be first charged in May, the bank announced. If a client holds EUR 50,000 above the EUR 250,000 threshold for an entire month, he or she will pay a EUR 20 fee, the bank explained. The fee is expected to affect a small number of clients at NLB - some 100 from the network and slightly more from private banking. According to the business newspaper Finance, around 300 clients are expected to pay it.
Environmental law changes expand producer-pays system, impose strict conditions for NGOs
LJUBLJANA - The Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning sent into public consultation on 31 December a set of changes to the environmental protection act which broaden the responsibility of producers and imposes strict conditions for environmental NGOs acting for the public good. The ministry said the bill aimed to address "the most burning issues, such as irresponsible waste handling".
STA celebrating 30th anniversary in 2021
LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Press Agency (STA) will celebrate its 30th birthday this year only days before the country observes the 30th anniversary of its independence in June. From its humble beginnings as a single-desk agency, the STA has grown to become a modern media service provider.
New car sales down by 27% in 2020
LJUBLJANA - The sales of new cars in Slovenia dropped by more than a quarter in 2020 over 2019. Just under 53,700 cars were registered anew last year, a drop of 26.6% compared to 2019, data from the Chamber of Commerce (TZS) show. Volkswagen sold the most cars in Slovenia last year, followed closely by Renault and Škoda.
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