Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Wednesday, 3 March 2021

By , 03 Mar 2021, 04:10 AM News
Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Wednesday, 3 March 2021 JL Flanner

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This summary is provided by the STA

Govt plans to set up 61 vaccination centres

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a revised vaccination strategy on Monday, envisaging 61 vaccination centres, including 13 in hospitals. Presenting the changes, Health Minister Janez Poklukar said on Tuesday priority groups remain the same, with health workers in top tier, followed by people over 80, 75 and 70, and then vulnerable patients with chronic conditions. Next come diplomats, Foreign Ministry officials and officials from other ministries travelling to other EU countries for the upcoming Slovenia's presidency, followed by foreign diplomats, and soldiers on missions abroad.

729 coronavirus cases on Monday as 7-day average drops

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 729 coronavirus cases amid heavy testing on Monday, 19% fewer than the same day a week ago, to push the 7-day average of new cases down to 736 from 768 the day before, data from the government show. Nine patients with Covid-19 died. The latest cases were confirmed from 4,487 PCR tests as a record 48,003 rapid antigen tests were performed. Covid-19 hospitalisations dropped to 528 and intensive care cases to 84.

New Covid-19 advisory team appointed at Health Ministry

LJUBLJANA - Health Minister Janez Poklukar appointed a new medical taskforce that advises the ministry on measures to contain Covid-19. It will be headed by Mateja Logar, an infections diseases specialist at the UKC Ljubljana's clinic of communicable diseases who has so far been a member of the team. She succeeds Bojana Beović, who resigned as she took over as new head of the Medical Chamber, but is staying on as a member. The country's chief epidemiologist Mario Fafangel returns to the team after quitting in December.

Nigerian Covid-19 strain found in Slovenia, POP TV reports

LJUBLJANA - Following the identification of the UK and South African variants in Slovenia, the Nigerian strain of coronavirus has also been confirmed in the country, private broadcaster POP TV reported, adding that seven cases had been detected so far. Health Minister Janez Poklukar told a press briefing earlier in the day that 62 cases of the UK variant and a single case of the South African variant had been confirmed, adding he knew nothing of the presence of the Nigerian strain. The official report on the presence of various coronavirus mutations circulating in Slovenia is expected tomorrow.

Slovenia so far used 76% of vaccines delivered, ECDC data show

BRUSSELS, Belgium/LJUBLJANA - Data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) suggest Slovenia has so far received almost 190,000 shots of Civid-19 vaccines, but used only 144,000 shots of the vaccine, or 76.1%. The average for EU members is around 70%. Slovenia's NIJZ meanwhile said the actual figure was higher - at over 174,000. It explained the gap resulted from the fact that Slovenia sent its figures to the ECDC once a week for the week before, so the ECDC figures were not entirely accurate.

Janša, Simoniti accept invitation to EP media hearing, insist on in-person format

LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša and Culture Minister Vasko Simoniti accept an invitation to an exchange of views on Slovenian media with an European Parliament's monitoring group. However the discussion should be held in face-to-face format in the European Parliament, it should be public and there should be enough time to comprehensively present all the discussed topics, reads a post published on the government's website. The post also says the group's head, Dutch MEP Sophie in 't Veld (Renew), is invited to join an EU fact-finding mission that Janša would like to visit Slovenia.

Pahor to visit Bosnia-Herzegovina on Friday

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor will visit to Bosnia-Herzegovina on Friday to meet members of the country's presidency. As the supreme commander of the Slovenian Armed Forces, Pahor will also visit the contingent of the Slovenian army serving in the military base Butmir. He wil be accompanied by Defence Minister Matej Tonin. The talks with the presidency will focus on bilateral relations and regional cooperation ahead of the Brdo-Brijuni Process summit in Slovenia in April.

Foreign policy council discusses upgrading foreign policy strategy

LJUBLJANA - A new line-up of the Strategic Council for Foreign Policy, led by Foreign Minister Anže Logar, met for its maiden session, discussing upgrading the country's foreign policy strategy, the Foreign Ministry said. After the first strategy was adopted in 1999, parliament passed a declaration on Slovenia's foreign policy and the government adopted an accompanying strategic document in mid-2015, which will now be "refreshed". Proposals are currently being drawn up at the ministry to "refresh" individual parts of the strategy.

C-bank says measures helping recovery at expense of fiscal situation

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian central bank says the anti-crisis measures have contributed to the economic recovery and to keeping the country's potential afloat, albeit at the expense of public finance situation. A gradual approach and targeted withdrawal of measures will be needed so that the economy is not exposed again to negative shocks. Such an approach will be needed as the epidemic is expected to slow down, Banka Slovenije adds in its latest review of macroeconomic trends.

Centre-left seeks referendum on demographic fund bill

LJUBLJANA - Four centre-left opposition parties filed a proposal for the National Assembly to call a consultative referendum on the government-sponsored bill on the National Demographic Fund. The Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ), Social Democrats (SD), Left and the Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) argue the bill would give the government centralised control over ownership and management of EUR 8.6 billion in state assets. Before passing the bill, the National Assembly will need to decide on the referendum initiative. The result of such a referendum would not be binding on the legislators.

Curfew, gatherings restrictions challenged at Constitutional Court

LJUBLJANA - Two applicants have asked the Constitutional Court for a review of the government decree which imposes a night-time curfew and restricts public gatherings, a motion that is supported by several NGOs. The applicants, who wish to remain anonymous, claim that the government has not based its decisions on expert advice and scientific findings. They say freedom of movement and the right to public assembly may only be restricted based on a stringent test of proportionality of the measures.

Opposition rebukes justice minister over EU prosecutors appointment

LJUBLJANA - Justice Minister Lilijana Kozlovič was urged to step down as the opposition is unhappy with her handling of the appointment of Slovenia's two members of the European Public Prosecutor's Office. The development comes after Kozlovič of the junior coalition SMC said her ministry had asked for the proposal of two prosecutors to be put on the government's agenda several times, but received no reply. This was after the EU's justice commissioner urged the government to swiftly appoint the country's two European delegated prosecutors so that the newly-established European Public Prosecutor's Office could start operating in Slovenia on 1 March as planned.

Funds approved to promote Italian minority's economic activities

LJUBLJANA/KOPER - The government approved EUR 1.4 million for promotion of the economic activity of the Italian minority in Slovenia in 2021-2024 on Monday. The goal is to improve the community's economic potential by nurturing the growth of existing and incorporation of new companies. Alberto Scheriani, who heads the minority's main representative body, told the STA this was the second such multi-year programme.

Hi-tech Instrumentation Technologies acquired by ARX Equity Partners

SOLKAN - Slovenian company Instrumentation Technologies, a leading global provider of advanced instrumentation in the field of basic particles accelerators and proton therapy, has been acquired by ARX Equity Partners, a private equity group headquartered in Prague, but the acquisition price has not been disclosed. As part of the deal, ARX intends to further Instrumentation Technologies' growth, and keep the current management team and workforce totalling 43 people.

Wood offered as major contributor in reducing CO2 emissions

LJUBLJANA - An online conference on the use of wood in reducing CO2 emissions heard that wood is Slovenia's strategic asset and a material of the future, including from the environmental aspect. One cubic metre of wood products equals a two-tonnes reduction of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere, Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek noted. Slovenia plans to increase domestic wood processing to three million cubic metres, capturing around 7.5 million tonnes of CO2 in wood products.

Triglav Group's premiums up 4%, net profit down 12% in 2020

LJUBLJANA - The Triglav insurance group recorded a growth in collected premiums for the sixth year in a row in 2020, as the figure rose by 4% to EUR 1.23 billion. Net profit was meanwhile down 12% compared to 2019 to EUR 73.7 million, shows the unaudited annual report. The value of the investment portfolio was up 5% to slightly under EUR 3.5 billion. The market leader in the Adriatic region increased its market share in Slovenia by 0.4 of a percentage point to 36.5%.

T-2 suing Telekom Slovenije for EUR 50m

LJUBLJANA - Telecoms incumbent Telekom Slovenije is being sued by the telecommunications company T-2 for around EUR 50 million for the damage that the latter allegedly suffered between September 2018 and July 2020, Telekom Slovenije said, while not revealing the way in which the alleged damage had been incurred. The company settled with T-2 in September 2018 over the abuse of predominant market position, with T-2 seeking EUR 129.56 million in damages from the national telco. The amount of the settlement was not revealed.

Roads claimed record-low number of casualties in 2020

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia saw a record-low number of traffic accident casualties and injuries last year, with December being the first month without any casualties since 1954. Nevertheless, the main causes remain drunk driving, speeding and right-of-way violations. Nearly 15,000 road accidents were recorded in Slovenia last year, a drop of 21% over 2019, data from the Traffic Safety Agency show. Total casualty toll reached 80, 22% below the 2019 figure.

Travellers using fake negative tests to avoid quarantine

LJUBLJANA - Police detect daily about a dozen falsified negative coronavirus tests with which passengers want to avoid quarantine upon entry into Slovenia, the General Police Department said, noting that using a fake test amounts to document falsification, a crime which carries a prison sentence of up to three years. An increase in the number of fake PCR tests at the border with Croatia presented by passengers from Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia was detected in January. Health Minister Janez Poklukar said the ministry was working on solutions alongside the Interior Ministry and epidemiologists.

Nadyrshina and Karl crème de la crème in snowboard parallel slalom

ZREČE - Russia's Sofia Nadyrshina and Austria's Benjamin Karl won gold in the women's and men's parallel slalom, respectively, at the Snowboarding World Championships in Rogla, Slovenia. Among female snowboarders, Germany's Ramona Hofmeister won silver, whereas second place went to Austrian Andreas Prommegger in the men's competition. Selina Jörg of Germany and Dmitry Loginov of Russia won bronze.

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