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This summary is provided by the STA:
After lockdown, Slovenia in red tier of restrictions
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia entered the red tier of coronavirus restrictions under an overhauled traffic light system after an eleven-day circuit breaker lockdown ended. The night curfew was lifted after nearly six months, most shops and services reopened and pupils are back to school. Primary schools and the final year of secondary school returned to full in-person instruction and the rest of secondary students are split in half to alternate between classroom and remote learning every week.
Sunday's coronavirus case count at 287
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported 287 coronavirus cases amid Sunday's reduced testing, which laves the rolling seven-day average unchanged at 903. Seven Covid-19 patients died and 636 remain in hospitals, including 142 in intensive care. Mateja Logar, the government's chief Covid-19 advisor, commented by saying the 11-day lockdown appeared to have halted exponential growth in transmissions. According to the National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia has so far confirmed 226,787 coronavirus cases and 4,411 deaths. An estimated 13,792 cases are active.
Vaccination task force decides AstraZeneca to be used for everyone over 18 years old
LJUBLJANA - The Covid-19 vaccination task force at the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) has decided the AstraZeneca vaccine will be administered to everyone over 18 years old without any restrictions, a member of the group Alojz Ihan told commercial broadcaster POP TV given that EMA had found no connection with side effects to either age or gender. This was confirmed by the head of the group, Bojana Beović.
Vaccination coordinator blames info commissioner for vaccination problems
LJUBLJANA - National vaccination coordinator Jelko Kacin pointed the finger at Information Commissioner Mojca Prelesnik last night when asked about problems in vaccination organisation on a current affairs show broadcast by RTV Slovenija. Prelesnik denied the accusation, saying the responsibility for delays lay solely with the government. Kacin was asked on air Sunday night why Slovenia had not set up an effective nation-wide IT system allowing those who want to get vaccinated to register for a jab. The moderator also noted that some had gotten vaccinated simply by turning up at a vaccination site, while others could not get vaccinated despite having applied.
Slovenia urges launch of Covid passport by June along with some EU members
BRUSSELS, Belgium - A group of 13 EU countries, including Slovenia, intends to address a letter to chief EU institutions listing seven priorities in preparations for Covid-status certificates that are expected to facilitate travel amid the pandemic. The countries call for launching the system as soon as possible, preferably by June.
Ambassador in Bosnia summoned over alleged non paper on Western Balkans
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina/LJUBLJANA - Slovenian Ambassador Zorica Bukinac has been summoned to the Bosnian Foreign Ministry, in what the Slovenian Foreign Ministry says is standard diplomatic practice. Bosnian media reported that the reason is PM Janez Janša sending to the EU a non paper on re-writing of borders in the Western Balkans, which the PM has already denied. The Slovenian Foreign Ministry said today the only non paper on the Western Balkans that Slovenia had joined was Croatia's from the end of last year.
Pahor to visit Mattarella on Wednesday
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor will meet Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella in Rome on Wednesday, taking him up on his invitation to visit. The meeting will be a continuation of regular dialogue that is maintained by the pair also during the pandemic, Pahor's office said. The presidents of Slovenia and Italy, countries with neighbourly and friendly ties, are to discuss the implementation of agreements on the return of the National Hall, a Slovenian centre in Trieste, to the Slovenian minority in Italy, a press release by the office reads.
EU Commission on virtual Rule of Law Report visit to Slovenia
BRUSSELS, Belgium - According to unofficial information, the European Commission is on a virtual visit to Slovenia today in preparation for its second Rule of Law Report, which is expected in July. Slovenia submitted its assessment of the situation in late March. The purpose of the visit is to obtain additional information and clear up any issues. The Foreign Ministry said the visit was an informal exchange of information that was part of the Commissions's preparations for the annual report, adding that talks were conducted with representatives of relevant departments as part of the process.
MEPs address series of questions to Janša govt
BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Parliament's Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group has addressed almost fifty written questions to the Slovenian government, PM Janez Janša and Culture Minister Vasko Simoniti, as it is trying to fully assess media freedom in Slovenia. The follow-up questions, which concern a range of topics from media freedom, the judiciary, coronavirus restrictions to staffing and NGO funding, were sent out on 31 March after the group discussed the media situation in the country on 26 March. The PM's office said Janša and Simoniti would forward responses to the group's questions after a video about attacks on media and journalists was screened at a public session of the Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.
Govt declares referendum on military investment inadmissible
LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a draft decree at a correspondence session on Monday saying that a referendum on the changes to the 2021 and 2022 budgets implementation act to allow for long-term financing of investments in the Slovenian Armed Forces would be inadmissible. The Finance Ministry argued in a press release after the government session that under the Constitution a referendum must not be called on laws concerning taxes, customs and other levies and laws required for the implementation of the budget.
Delo poll: Govt support halves to 22% in a year
LJUBLJANA - The April poll run by Delo on shows support for the Janša government has dropped from 42% to 22% since April 2020, the lowest since Mediana first polled voters about the Janša government's popularity for the newspaper. The poll also shows an election would be won by the ruling SDS, with the opposition SD as the runner-up gaining ground. A year ago, the Janez Janša government's work was assessed as positive or very positive by over 42%, with almost a third seeing it as average and 20% as poor or very poor.
NBI cases review shows no faults in police work, reports 24ur.com
LJUBLJANA - A review of a number of closed National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) cases that was ordered by Interior Minister Aleš Hojs last year has found zero mistakes or shortcomings in the audited police work, shows a report obtained by news portal 24ur.com. The report says that it is clear that all cases were investigated in accordance with guidelines by the competent prosecution office, therefore the review did not consider individual case-related decisions but compliance with established practices and methods of detective work, including in individual tasks.
STA director invites government to access all books and documents
LJUBLJANA - Slovenian Press Agency (STA) director Bojan Veselinovič offered the government access to all books of account and documents, even though the STA has never received a formal request to that effect. In an open letter, Veselinovič said the government should say, in writing, who would access the documents on its behalf and in what way. He reiterated that the STA has not received the public service fee for this year, even though that obligation is set down in the seventh Covid relief law. The government said in a tweet that UKOM had called on Veselinovič to sing a new contract on 24 February and 29 March. It also published the two letters, which call on Veselinovič to "clearly say whether he acknowledges UKOM as a representative of the founder so that we can prepare a new contract and also forward all the documents that had been demanded".
Journalists condemn threats by govt national security official
LJUBLJANA - The journalists of the newspaper Delo, as well as the paper's editorial board and the Journalists' Association, condemned threats levelled against Delo's Brussels correspondent Peter Žerjavič by Žan Mahnič, the state secretary for national security. The journalists believe that the threat tweeted by Mahnič is yet another attempt to put pressure on the newspaper and individual journalists who are doing their job professionally and in line with the highest standards, also enjoying the support of the publisher leadership and editorial board.
April frost damage could reach EUR 50m, minister says
TREBNJE - The sub-zero temperatures that hit Slovenia last week could result in EUR 40-50 million in damage caused to fruit and wine growers, Agriculture Minister Jože Podgoršek estimated as he continued visiting the frost-stricken areas in Trebnje (SE). This is on a par with 2016 and 2017, when damage reached some EUR 45 million. He announced state aid measures. He said it was too early for the final damage estimate, but noted there would be virtually no Slovenian fruit this year.
Petrol upgrading public lighting system in Serbia's Zaječar
LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian energy group Petrol announced having entered a public-private partnership for a project to replace almost 10,000 inefficient lights in the Serbian city of Zaječar. The project, whose value has not been disclosed, is expected to cut lighting costs EUR 1 million in the next 15 years, and to reduce CO2 emissions by 3,400 tonnes a year. Zaječar concluded the partnership with Petrol and its partners Smart Energy Investment and Maxwell Group at the beginning of the year.
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