Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Saturday, 23 January 2021

By , 23 Jan 2021, 04:55 AM News
Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Saturday, 23 January 2021 JL Flanner

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This summary is provided by the STA

Slovenian, Croatian FMs discuss economic zones in Adriatic Sea

ZAGREB, Croatia - The foreign ministers of Slovenia and Croatia, Anže Logar and Gordan Grlić Radman, assessed after their talks in Zagreb that they had managed to raise the Slovenian-Croatian relations to a higher level in the past ten months. The talks focussed on Croatia's exclusive economic zone in the Adriatic Sea, and included the border arbitration. Logar started his visit to Croatia in the Petrinja area, which was hit by a devastating earthquake at the end of December, to express condolences to the victims' families and convey Slovenia's readiness to help the neighbouring country in the case of natural disasters.

Opposition files motion to oust labour minister

LJUBLJANA - Four opposition parties filed a motion to oust Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Minister Janez Cigler Kralj over his work during the epidemic and the ministry's decision to grant funds to an NGO with close links to the minister. They need 46 votes in the 90-member National Assembly to succeed. The motion was not signed by the opposition Pensioners' Party (DeSUS). PM Janez Janša believes the interpellation motion is a sign that the opposition does not have the needed support for the no-confidence motion in government.

1,439 new coronavirus cases confirmed on Thursday

LJUBLJANA - The epidemiological curve continues to flatten in Slovenia, as 1,439 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in 11,149 PCR and rapid tests on Thursday, a slight decrease both on the day before and in weekly comparison. Another 25 deaths were recorded, showed fresh government data. A total of 1,140 Covid-19 patients were hospitalised, 19 fewer than the day before, while 185 were in intensive care, up by two. The seven-day average of new daily cases decreased slightly to 1,220, according to NIJZ data.

Travel quarantine exceptions list expanded

LJUBLJANA - Citizens of Slovenia and other EU and Schengen countries are able to enter the country without quarantining if they had left the country to perform maintenance work on private property in another EU or Schengen country, or to provide care or aid or to visit their child. They must return no later than 12 hours after leaving Slovenia.

Teachers not tested for Covid-19 not allowed to classroom

LJUBLJANA - Although testing for the coronavirus is not compulsory, teachers returning to school on Tuesday will have to be tested if they want to teach in person in a classroom, Health Ministry official Vesna Kerstin Petrič explained. She also said testing for school children could be introduced in the future. Testing for kindergarten and primary school teachers is planned for Monday and will be conducted at either schools or local community health centres.

Environment Ministry welcomes US's return to Paris climate deal

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Ministry of the Environment and Spatial Planning has welcomed the US's return to the Paris Agreement, praising it as a positive development in global efforts to meet the commitments from the 2015 climate deal. "The return of the US to the Paris Agreement will definitely represent a new element in the process aimed at starting the implementation of the Paris Agreement, making the US again a player in global climate policy," the ministry told the STA.

Analysis shows Slovenia falling short of climate change goals

LJUBLJANA - Researchers of the Jožef Stefan Institute (IJS) have established that, while Slovenia has all key mechanisms in place to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with EU funds also being available, it has failed to reach the set objectives. The main problem is the shortage of experienced staff and lack of organisation, indicates their Climate Mirror 2020 publication.

Ambassador opposing Ljubljana museum's involvement in ex-Yugoslavia art show in Rome

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian Ambassador to Italy Tomaž Kunstelj and the foreign and culture ministries are opposed to the Ljubljana Museum of Modern Art's involvement in an exhibition showcasing the imagery of heroism in the former Yugoslavia at the MAXXI museum in Rome, the left-wing magazine Mladina reports in the latest edition. The ambassador finds the exhibition scandalous, in particular considering that Slovenia is observing the 30th anniversary of independence from Yugoslavia this year. Zdenka Baodvinac of the Museum of Modern Art believes the ambassador's letter suggests his "not being informed of the facts and his judging the exhibition based on national criteria, which is unacceptable in the modern world".

Logar concerned about detentions of journalists in Belarus

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian Foreign Minister Anže Logar expressed concern about systematic violation of human rights in Belarus as he addressed a virtual meeting of the UN Security Council on media freedom in the country. "Detaining and punishing journalists and media employees for their work is unacceptable," Logar was quoted as saying by his ministry. In his address Logar noted that the situation in Belarus continues to deteriorate, with continuous violations of human rights. "Journalists play a key role in society, it is thus in the public interest that they be protected," he said.

MPs urge improvement of earthquake resistance of buildings

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Infrastructure Committee debated earthquake safety on Thursday to call on the relevant ministry to come up with a programme for improving earthquake resistance of the most vulnerable buildings in Slovenia. The debate heard that many buildings are not quake-proof and that temporary accommodation capacity is low. The ministry said that a plan for improving earthquake resistance of the most vulnerable buildings was already in the making.

Vasle says eurozone financial markets remain stable

LJUBLJANA - The situation on eurozone financial markets remains stable despite the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, mainly thanks to the support of the monetary policy and optimism related to vaccination, Banka Slovenije Governor Boštjan Vasle said after Thursday's session of the Governing Council of the European Central Bank (ECB). "In Slovenia too, the conditions for borrowing of the state have improved and Slovenian banks are able to preserve favourable loan terms for companies and citizens," the governor said.

Slovenian contact tracing app upgraded with many new features

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Covid-19 contact tracing app, launched by the Public Administration Ministry last summer as a measure to contain the spread of coronavirus, has been upgraded to include many new features, including cross-border exchange of tracing keys, the ministry said. The upgraded app is available for Android devices, and it is expected to be available for Apple devices in a few days at the latest.

Several associations condemn Rog eviction, mayor rejects accusations

LJUBLJANA - Several associations have expressed support to members of an autonomous social and cultural community who were evicted from the defunct Ljubljana bicycle factory Rog earlier this week. The Slovenian PEN centre condemned the "brutal violence" with which there were evicted, while Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković rejected the accusations, stressing that the violence had been provoked by those who wanted to enter Rog in a violent way. In the evening, several hundred people rallied in Ljubljana city centre against the city's decision.

Revoz to relaunch production next Wednesday

NOVO MESTO - The production at Renault-owned assembly plant Revoz, which was suspended this week as a supplier of insulation components had to stop deliveries due to a massive fire, will be relaunched next Wednesday, Revoz spokeswoman Nevenka Bašek Zildžović told the STA. Components will be delivered from Spain, where Treves managed to transfer a part of its production.

 

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