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This summary is provide by the STA:
Committee green light for transportation platforms
LJUBLJANA - The Infrastructure Committee endorsed amendments to the act on road transport that create the legal basis for transportation platforms such as Uber or Lyft, changes that the government argues will facilitate the digitalisation of the transport sector. The proposal sets down that drivers using digital platforms would need to get a licence, just like regular taxi drivers, whereas taximeters would no longer be mandatory for taxi drivers, who would be allowed to use software solutions.
Divača-Koper construction symbolically launched
DEKANI - Construction of currently the largest infrastructure project in the country was symbolically launched as ground was broken on the 27-km Divača-Koper rail track and the final contract to build one of its two sections, from Divača to Črni Kal, was signed. The project is valued at just below EUR 1 billion and will be built by a consortium led by the Slovenian company Kolektor CPG. "The die has been cast, the second rail track is being built from today," said Infrastructure Minster Jernej Vrtovec.
April's registered joblessness drops by almost 11% y/y
LJUBLJANA - Just over 79,000 were registered as unemployed at the end of April, down 10.6% over the year before and 4.1% compared to March, the Employment Service said. The number of newly unemployed, at 3,890, was down almost 15% compared to March and as much as 73% lower than in April 2020, during the first wave of the pandemic. Of the 7,243 that were deregistered, more than three-quarters found a job or became self-employed.
Government proposing a series of tax tweaks
LJUBLJANA - The government adopted amendments to three tax laws in a bid to reduce labour taxation and help businesses and individuals in the post-Covid recovery, including by increasing the general personal income allowance, reducing tax on capital and reducing red tape. The amendments are to be implemented on 1 January 2022. The Finance Ministry said one of the goals of the amendments is to create a friendly administrative framework and tax certainty.
Coalition in new attempt to replace speaker
LJUBLJANA - National Assembly Speaker Igor Zorčič was urged to step down by the start of next week or else the ruling coalition will bring another motion to dismiss him. The call had been signed by 47 MPs from the three coalition parties, the opposition SNS and DeSUS plus both minority MPs. Zorčič plans to talk it over with some MPs before deciding whether to resign or stay on and let parliament try to dismiss him.
MEPs urge Pahor to act to mend atmosphere in the country
LJUBLJANA - Four MEPs from Slovenia, Milan Brglez, Franc Bogovič, Tanja Fajon and Ljudmila Novak, expressed their concern over the psychosocial situation and the general social atmosphere in Slovenia in a letter addressed to President Borut Pahor. They urged him to use his authority to calm down "the passions and create a social atmosphere of dialogue, respectful expressing of disagreement and criticism". They fear a further deterioration could hamper the functioning of the state.
Changes redefining sexual violence adopted on committee
LJUBLJANA - The Justice Committee unanimously adopted amendments to the penal code redefining sexual violence. Judges, prosecutors and lawyers had opposed the changes, saying there is nothing wrong with the existing legislation. But MPs sided with the organisations which work with victims of sex crimes. Under the changes, rape will no longer have to involve force, as the changes incriminate interference in sexual integrity without consent.
Experts propose reimbursement scheme over bail-in
LJUBLJANA - A group of experts commissioned by the Slovenian central bank to draw up solutions for junior bond- and share-holders wiped out in the 2013 bank bailout sees a reimbursement scheme as the most suitable solution where the state would take on the financial burden. Banka Slovenije Governor Boštjan Vasle said the solution had already been presented to deputy factions. The MDS association of small shareholders welcomed the solution, which would involve an out-of court settlement.
Over 900 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia confirmed 929 new cases of coronavirus from 4,750 PCR tests on Tuesday. Six patients with Covid-19 died, show the latest government data. The situation in hospitals continued to improve as the overall number of patients declined by 24 to 560, of whom 141 were in intensive care, down by two. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 population was at 452, down slightly on the day before.
EUR 2bn investment in healthcare planned by 2031
LJUBLJANA - The Health Ministry is proposing almost EUR 2 billion worth of investments in healthcare over the next ten years, according to a draft bill designed to make the Slovenian health system resilient and prepared for future challenges and additional pressures on the health system in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and in view of the population's ageing and to make it prepared for potential new outbreaks of communicable diseases.
Jaklitsch meets Hungarian minority official
LJUBLJANA - Minister for Slovenians Abroad Helena Jaklitsch met Ministerial Commissioner for Hungary's Neighbourhood Policy Ferenc Kalmar to discuss challenges and open issues regarding the Slovenian and Hungarian ethnic minorities in Hungary and Slovenia, respectively, including bilinguality and economic development. The pair also talked about activities to prepare the next meeting of the Slovenian-Hungarian commission which monitors implementation of minority rights.
Work on largest solar power plant in Slovenia to start soon
LJUBLJANA - The power utility HSE will launch in July construction of what will be the largest solar power plant in the country. The 3.04 MW installation will be built atop a landfill near Hrastnik, after HSE. "Prapretno is the first megawatt-plus solar power plant in Slovenia. It will cover the annual demand for electricity of around 800 average Slovenian households," the company said.
Govt joins forces with Google to help small business
LJUBLJANA - The Economy Ministry joined forces with US tech giant Google to help some 5,000 small businesses and individuals in Slovenia recover from the coronavirus pandemic and promote the digital transformation. Called Grow Slovenia with Google, the initiative involves Google and local partners providing free workshops on digital skills, digital marketing, artificial intelligence and how to penetrate foreign markets, the company said.
Steel group exec appointed new GZS chairman
LJUBLJANA - Tibor Šimonka, a senior vice-president of the steel group SIJ, was elected new chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) for the next two years to succeed Boštjan Gorjup, CEO of BSH Hišni Aparati, whose term ends on 27 May. As his main priorities, Šimonka identified green transition, support for digitalisation, innovation, research and development, helping GZS members to make use of financial funds, internationalisation and employee career development.
Krško back online after scheduled maintenance
KRŠKO - The Krško Nuclear Power Station has been brought back online after a month-long scheduled maintenance. The maintenance work comprised some 40,000 activities, including the replacement of 56 of the 121 fuel rods, verification of the integrity of key components such as the reactor vessel and steam generator, and maintenance of electrical installations and instruments.
Salonit ups revenue by 3% to EUR 78.5 million
ANHOVO - The cement producer Salonit increased its revenue by 3% to EUR 78.5 million last year. The company said it had managed to achieve most of the growth on the Slovenian market, where it holds a 50% market share, as sales there were up by almost 7% to EUR 42.5 million. Salonit posted almost EUR
11 million in net profit, which is less than the record high EUR 15 million posted in 2019.
Marina Portorož gets a new owner
PORTOROŽ - The spa operator Terme Čatež announced the sale of Marina Portorož had been finalised on 4 May, but failed to disclose the buyer. Meanwhile, the consultancy PricewaterhouseCoopers, which conducted the procedure, named the buyer as Luka Lucija, a Ljubljana-based holding company that is owned by the Slovenian investment fund Cirus 1. The value of the deal remains confidential, but the public broadcaster TV Slovenija reported on Tuesday that the owner of Cirus 1 had paid EUR 15-20 million for the marina.
Slovenian-curated show on ex-Yugoslav art opens at MAXXI
ROME, Italy - A major exhibition put together by Slovenian curator Zdenka Badovinac and showcasing contemporary art from the region of the former Yugoslavia has been put on display at the MAXXI museum in Rome. Entitled Bigger than Myself. Voices of Heroes from Ex-Yugoslavia, the show involves more than 50 artists from countries of the former Yugoslavia, including more than ten directly linked with Slovenia.
