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This summary is provided by the STA:
Pahor endorses continuation of Prishtina-Belgrade dialogue
PRISHTINA, Kosovo - President Borut Pahor met his Kosovo counterpart Vjosa Osmani in the run up to the the Brdo-Brijuni Process summit in Slovenia. He said that as a "big advocate of the dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade", he expects the new authorities in Kosovo would be willing to provide the dialogue with a new momentum. Pahor announced that the leaders of the regional cooperation initiative would consult about a "fresher, more optimistic view of the European prospects of the Western Balkans".
C5 ministers call for coordinated border measures ahead of summer season
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia - The foreign ministers of the Central 5, including Slovenia's Anže Logar, discussed possible relaxation of Covid-19 border restrictions during the summer season. They agreed that coordinating and informing each other about measures was necessary so that movement of people and business is not excessively restricted, and that until a digital green certificate is fully implemented in the EU, regional and bilateral agreements on recognition of vaccination certificates would be needed.
Slovenia urged to appoint delegated prosecutors
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Slovenia's upcoming presidency and the delay in the appointment of Slovenia's European delegated prosecutors (EPDs) topped the agenda as Justice Minister Lilijana Kozlovič met European Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders on Wednesday. Reynders called Slovenia again to appoint the two prosecutors, after Kozlovič earlier said that she had done everything in her power to make the EPPO operational in Slovenia.
State secretary talks transatlantic ties with US official
LJUBLJANA - Foreign Ministry State Secretary Stanislav Raščan stressed the role of the transatlantic partnership and pledged Slovenia's commitment to strengthen Slovenia-US ties as he had a video call with Philip Reeker, acting assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs at the US Department of State. Raščan confirmed Slovenia's strong and well-developed relations with the US, saying the ties and cooperation will be further strengthened.
Trade union confederations leaving Economic and Social Council
LJUBLJANA - Trade unions decided to leave the Economic and Social Council (ESS), the country's main industrial relations forum. The main reason is the "government's systematic violation of rules on the functioning of the ESS". Labour Minister Janez Cigler Kralj said the door to continue dialogue remained open. Employers expressed regret, arguing the tri-partite dialogue was very important.
57 Slovenians so far repatriated from Venezuela
LJUBLJANA - A total of 57 persons of Slovenian descent have so far been repatriated from Venezuela. The repatriation project was launched in 2019 and those who arrived in the first round have completed Slovenian language classes. Many have found jobs and their children are in school, said Dejan Valentinčič, state secretary at the Office for Slovenians Abroad told the Commission for Slovenians Abroad.
Number of new coronavirus cases at almost 600 on Wednesday
LJUBLJANA - A total of 597 new coronavirus infections were confirmed in 4,636 PCR tests in Slovenia on Wednesday, which means 12.9% of the tests came back positive. Currently, 450 people are in hospitals, including 123 in intensive care, government data show. Four Covid-19 patients died and 45 have been discharged from hospital. While the first case of the Indian variant has been confirmed, health authorities believe is very unlikely to spread in Slovenia, not least because the British strain is currently highly predominant.
Telekom Group revenue, profit down in Q1
LJUBLJANA - Telekom Slovenije Group generated EUR 157.5 million in revenue in the first quarter of this year, which is down 6% from the same period last year. Net profit dropped by 14% to EUR 9.7 million. The business operations were still affected by the epidemic, while the revenue drop is partly attributed to a drop in revenue from IT licenses.
SIJ group with EUR 50m loss in 2020
LJUBLJANA - Steel manufacturer SIJ posted a loss of EUR 49.9 million at group level at the end of 2020 on EUR 696 million in sales revenue, a drop of over 9% compared to 2019. The loss compares to 2019's net profit of EUR 44.9 million, which was an over 800% rise from 2018 largely resulting of the sale of poultry producer Perutnina Ptuj.
State increases stake in spa Olimia to over 98%
LJUBLJANA - Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH) increased the state stake in the spa company Terme Olimia to 98.25% as part of efforts to create a state hospitality holding. SSH acquired a further 20.64% stake in Terme Olimia in a public takeover bid that run out on Monday, according to a notice published in the newspaper Delo. Offering EUR 27.50 per share, SSH paid EUR 4 million for the stake.
Spanish company Glovo to acquire Ehrana delivery platform
LJUBLJANA - Spanish start-up Glovo announced it would acquire one of the largest food delivery providers in Slovenia, Ehrana. The acquisition is expected to be formally completed in the next few months and the two companies are already planning their transition strategy. The purchase price has not been disclosed.
Former foreign owners of Adria Airways suspected of misdeeds
LJUBLJANA - The prosecution has requested an investigation against former German owners and management of Adria Airways for financial misdeeds due to which the Slovenian flag carrier ending up in receivership in 2019, news portal Necenzurirano reported. The portal names the suspects as former Adria Airways CEO Arno Schuster, his successor Holger Kowarsch, Klaus Platzer, who acted as financial advisor to the company, and Eggo Laukamp.
Bidder says suspension of TS Media sale bad news for Slovenia
LJUBLJANA - Responding to Telekom Slovenije suspending the sale of its subsidiary TS Media, United Group, one of the bidders, said that this was bad news for all foreign investors and even worse for Slovenia. "Our bid was very good and it is obvious that it is not possible to carry out in Slovenia an independent and fair tender whose objective is exclusively in the domain of economic interests," United Group's vice president of marketing and media Victoriya Boklag said.
Condemnation as Bosniak association leader comes under attack
LJUBLJANA - A group of NGOs and research institutions has condemned incitement of "racist and ethnic hatred" after Jasminka Dedić, the head of the Slovenian Bosniak Cultural Association, came under attack from right-wing media for comments she made for the Sarajevo-based newspaper STAV. "We understand the minister's conduct as pejorative and malicious ethnic and racist labelling of Slovenian citizens who are being denied the right to express political views as representatives of minority cultural associations," reads the letter.
