1,017 new infections confirmed, seven Covid-19 patients die
LJUBLJANA - A total of 4,197 PCR tests for the novel coronavirus were performed in Slovenia on Friday, resulting in 1,017 confirmed positive cases, for a positivity rate of 24.2%, up from 21.4% from the day earlier, fresh government data show. A total of 616 people were in hospital this morning, which is ten fewer than the day before, while the number of patients in intensive care decreased by three to 154. The the rolling 7-day average was up by 27 to 667. Discharged from hospital for home care on Friday were 75 people, while seven Covid-19 patients died.
On Labour Day, unions critical of govt's attitude to social dialogue
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor hosted a Labour Day reception on Saturday at which the head of the ZSSS trade union association Lidija Jerkič said the holiday should be an opportunity to reflect on workers' rights, and assessed that the government was ignoring social dialogue with trade unions. Pahor called for social dialogue as one of the most important pillars of successful and fair recovery after the Covid-19 crisis, while PM Janez Janša meanwhile said in his message that the government's objective was to create conditions for decent work for decent pay for all able-bodied people.
Slovenia, Hungary mutually recognise vaccination certificates
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia and Hungary have agreed to mutually recognise their respective Covid-19 vaccination certificates, the Slovenian Ministry has announced. A vaccination certificate issued in one country will have the same legal effect as the one issued in another, in line with the internal national legal orders. In addition to the vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency, also applied in Hungary are the Russian vaccine Sputnik V and the vaccines of the Chinese producers Sinopharm and Sinovac Biotech.
EU Commission receives Slovenia's recovery and resilience plan
BRUSSELS - The European Commission confirmed it has officially received Slovenia's recovery and resilience plan, which specifies reforms and public investments projects the country intends to implement with support of the EU recovery and resilience mechanism. European Commission President Ursula van der Leyen said on Twitter that the plan was "oriented towards the future: green and digital transition; smart, sustainable and inclusive growth; health and welfare of all". Out of the EUR 2.5 billion available under Slovenia's plan, 43% or more than EUR 1 billion is intended for green goals.
Two carriers to fly between Ljubljana and Brussels during presidency
LJUBLJANA - Ljubljana will be connected to Brussels with regular flights during Slovenia's presidency of the EU Council in the second half of the year. The routes will be operated by carriers Brussels Airlines and Wizzair, Slovenia's permanent representation in Brussels has said. Between 31 May and 30 October, Brussels Airlines will be operating six flights a week between the Jože Pučnik Airport Ljubljana and the Brussels Zaventem airport. The carrier will fly every day of the week bar Saturday. Wizzair will be flying between the Jože Pučnik and the Charleroi airports every Monday and Thursday as of 31 May.
EU member state flags raised in front of parliament building
LJUBLJANA - The flags of the EU member states and of the Ljubljana city were raised in front of the parliament building on Friday in the run-up to and for the duration of Slovenia's presidency of the Council of the EU. A total of 29 flag poles have been erected, featuring the Slovenian and the EU flags at the beginning, and followed by flags of the EU member states in alphabetical order. The line-up concludes with the flag of the city of Ljubljana. According to Ljubljana Mayor Janković, the poles were erected and flags flown early because the idea was that they are already there for the International Workers' Day.
