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This summary is provided by the STA:
Many turning down AstraZeneca jab
MARIBOR/LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's largest two vaccination centres witnessed massive cancellations by those due to get an AstraZeneca jab last week. Half of those invited turned down the jab in Maribor and a third in Ljubljana, the local community health centres said. Bojana Beović, the head of the national immunisation advisory commission, expressed surprise considering the vaccine involves no risk for the age group in principle. She said GPs should talk to their patients to better explain the risks and benefits involved. Under the valid national vaccination strategy, AstraZeneca is currently administered to over 60-year-olds. Beović said that as far as she knew everyone over 60 who had wished so had been vaccinated, so the rollout could move down to the next priority tier.
Nearly 1,050 test positive for coronavirus on Monday, four people die
LJUBLJANA - The coronavirus test positivity rate for Slovenia rose again, reaching 22.9%, as 1,049 people tested positive for the coronavirus in 4,588 PCR tests performed on Monday. The rolling seven-day average of new daily cases rose from 903 on Sunday to 1,014, while the 14-day incidence per 100,000 people dropped slightly from 653.8 to 652.5. The number of people requiring hospital care dropped from 636 the day before to 617, while 146 people, four more, required intensive therapy. 79 people were discharged from hospital. Four people died of Covid-19.
Self-testing to begin at secondary schools on Friday
LJUBLJANA - Voluntary self-testing of secondary school pupils for coronavirus will be launched on Friday, while year six to nine primary school pupils will start to self test after May Day holidays, Health Ministry State Secretary Franc Vindišar announced. He added that self-testing would be preformed in schools ahead of classes and will take about 15 minutes. After Friday, it will be repeated every Monday.
Opposition, coalition MPs on opposite banks over PPE procurement
LJUBLJANA - Parliament debated the Court of Audit's recent findings about the efficiency of personal protective equipment (PPE) procurement during the Covid-19 epidemic last spring. Centre-left opposition MPs insisted there had been serious problems with the purchases, coalition MPs saw today's plenary as a mere show for the public. The session ended without a conclusion as a set of recommendations drafted by the LMŠ, SD, Left and SAB on the basis of the report had been voted down at committee.
Opposition wants debate on W Balkans
LJUBLJANA - The opposition Social Democrats (SD) requested a session of the parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee to quiz Prime Minister Janez Janša and President Borut Pahor about media reports concerning an alleged non paper on the potential redrawing of borders in the Western Balkans. SD deputy Matjaž Nemec said both Janša and Pahor would get the chance to explain their views to MPs. He said the wish was to verify whether Slovenia's positions regarding the Western Balkans had changed.
Logar discusses geopolitics at international conference
LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar noted the significance of enhanced cooperation between the EU and the US in the changed international and security environment, as he attended on Tuesday an online international conference called the Raisina Dialogue. Logar underscored the key importance of enhanced cooperation between the EU and the US in the changed international and security environment. Speaking about the EU-China relationship, the minister noted the imbalanced Slovenia-China trade. He said China's recently imposing sanctions against EU citizens was a bad decision that could affect European debates on the EU-China investment agreement.
Trade union challenging decision to abolish crisis bonus for private sector
LJUBLJANA - The Trade Union of Craft and Small Business said it would file for constitutional review of the 7th package of legislative measures for mitigating the impact of the epidemic, arguing that employees in the private sector could have received a bonus for being exposed to a potential infection but the Health Ministry moved to prevent this. This comes after the representatives of 145,000 workers in the sector asked the Labour Ministry about private sector workers' eligibility for the bonus.
EU Commission launches investigation of Trimo takeover
BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission opened an in-depth investigation to assess the proposed acquisition of Slovenian maker of prefabricated construction elements Trimo by the Irish Kingspan Group. It is concerned that the transaction may reduce competition and lead to price increases. "Together, Kingspan and Trimo would be by far the largest player in Europe and the main supplier of high quality mineral fibre sandwich panels," Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager said.
Pipistrel developing unmanned commercial aircraft for Chinese market
AJDOVŠČINA - The Slovenian aircraft producer Pipistrel has entered a partnership with a Chinese logistics company to develop a large uncrewed commercial aircraft that will be able to carry more than 300 kg of cargo to the distance of 500 kilometres and altitude of 6,000 metres. The aircraft is commissioned by SF Express, and its Munich-based subsidiary Amazilia Aerospace will develop an advanced digital system for the innovative cargo aircraft designed and manufactured by Pipistrel.
Unions oppose bill opening door to Uber as minister argues in favour
LJUBLJANA - The Trade Union of Transport and Communications Workers has came out against legislative amendments that would provide the legal basis for ride hailing platforms such as Uber. They argue the platform had proved to be bad for employees and drove precarious forms of employment. Refuting the charge, Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec said the goal was to make transport services cheaper and more modern. He said all drivers, regardless of whether they use a taximeter or an app, will need to have an employment relationship under the valid labour law with all the permits.
Award-winning director Aleš Verbič dies
LJUBLJANA - Award-winning director Aleš Verbič, who is perhaps best known for the horror Morana, Slovenia's candidate for Oscar nomination in 1994, has died aged 61, the news portal MMC reported. He is also known for his short Nekoč je bilo (Once Upon a Time, 1988) was nominated for the Golden Bear for best short film at the 1990 Berlinale. Verbič, who studied film directing at the Ljubljana Academy for Theatre, Radio, Film and Television, received the Prešeren Prize for students when he graduated in 1987.
Van driver arrested for smuggling 33 migrants
VRHNIKA - A 22-year-old Slovenian citizen from Kranj has been apprehended after being caught out carrying 33 Pakistani migrants in a van on Monday, the Ljubljana Police Department has said. Police pulled the van over on the A1 motorway near Vrhnika just south-west of Ljubljana on Monday afternoon, as it was driving in the direction of Koper. On inspecting the vehicle, they found 33 citizens of Pakistan on board. The migrants had crossed the border illegally.
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