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This summary is provided by the STA:
Another attempt to dismiss Speaker Zorčič fails
LJUBLJANA - Igor Zorčič remained parliamentary speaker as only 45 MPs voted to dismiss him in a secret ballot, one short of the needed majority, just like in the first attempt on 30 March after he quit the coalition Modern Centre Party (SMC). Two ballots were invalid while no MP voted against as the centre-left opposition and unaffiliated MPs obstructed the vote. Zorčič said that the National Assembly "has proved once again that it is a sovereign institution", adding it would be best to hold an early election. The ruling Democrats (SDS) announced that a third attempt would have to be mounted to replace Zorčič.
Logar and Lavrov for improving EU-Russia relations
MOSCOW, Russia - As EU presiding country, Slovenia will make efforts to reduce tensions in relations with Russia, Slovenian Foreign Minister Anže Logar announced in Moscow after meeting his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. Lavrov would also like EU-Russia relations to be normalised, but on the basis of equality of both sides. "Slovenia regrets the expulsion of diplomats and expresses solidarity with the EU member states which have been affected by Russia's retaliatory measures," Logar was quoted as saying by the ministry. He also expressed concern about Russia's military activities along the border with Ukraine. Lavrov said the pair agreed for Russia and Slovenia to enhance the legal basis to protect investments, according to Russia's Tass news agency.
Over million Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in Slovenia
LJUBLJANA - More than one million Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Slovenia as 653,310 people have received a first shot and 381,619 have been fully inoculated, data from the National Institute of Public Health showed. The figures mean that just over 31% of Slovenia's entire population has received at least one dose, and just over 18% has been fully vaccinated. The vaccination rate is the highest in people aged between 70 and 89.
Mass anti-government protest calls for early election
LJUBLJANA - Thousands of protesters took to the streets of the capital protesting against the government's actions and calling for an early election. The rally included various groups and movements and was supported by trade unions and part of the opposition. Amnesty International Slovenia, the Legal Network for the Protection of Democracy and the human rights ombudsman monitored the policing of the protests. PM Janez Janša said spreading Covid-19 with unregistered mass rallies was a crime.
New coronavirus cases inch further below 300
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia logged 288 new coronavirus cases for Thursday, to push the rolling 7-day average down further to 282. Four more patients with Covid-19 have died, latest government figures showed. Out of 3,585 PCR tests performed yesterday, 8% came back positive. Hospitalisations dropped by a further 13 yesterday to 252, of whom 78 were in intensive care, one fewer than yesterday.
Govt and public sector unions sign pay deal
LJUBLJANA - The government and ten out of over 40 public sector trade unions signed a deal which abolishes some of the remaining austerity measures introduced during the financial crisis, delays the payday and raises the holiday allowance. It is estimated at EUR 65 million, said Public Administration Minister Boštjan Koritnik. Several trade unions decided not to sign the agreement today, arguing they did not have enough time to study the annexes to collective bargaining agreements, which are usually signed together with the pay deal. Koritnik explained the deal remains open for signing until Wednesday.
Montenegro PM visits Ljubljana
LJUBLJANA - Montenegrin Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapić was on an working visit to Slovenia meeting Prime Minister Janez Janša to discuss the Covid-19 pandemic, bilateral relations and Montenegro's EU prospects. Krivokapić also met Speaker Igor Zorčič and President Borut Pahor. Janša and Krivokapić pledged stronger bilateral economic cooperation and called for the joint economic commission to meet as soon as possible, Janša's office said. Krivokapić took to Twitter saying that the experience and support of Slovenia as an EU member state meant a lot to Montenegro.
Logar talks EU presidency, media for Portuguese press agency
LISBON, Portugal - Foreign Minister Anže Logar spoke with the Portuguese press agency Lusa on Thursday as part of his visit to the country, saying that Slovenia as the next EU presiding country wanted to put enlargement to the Western Balkan countries back on the agenda as "a strategic opportunity". He also discussed media freedom in Slovenia, saying the government guaranteed that the media were "completely independent".
Minister talks efforts to strengthen EU-NATO partnership with peers
LISBON, Portugal - Defence Minister Matej Tonin stressed the importance of the European Defence Agency as he took part in a virtual informal meeting of EU defence ministers. Discussing efforts to strengthen the EU-NATO strategic partnership, Slovenia joined the EU's calls for coordinating the two alliances' forward-looking defence processes. Tonin finds it key to streamline procedures and coordinate the EU's capacity planning with NATO's Defence Planning Process.
Minority MPs will continue to cooperate with the government
LJUBLJANA - The MPs for the Italian and Hungarian minorities will continue to support the government in principle. But when it comes to possible dismissals in parliament this support is not "absolute", they will decide on a case-by-base basis, Felice Žiža, who represents the Italian minority, told the STA. Žiža noted that the Italian and Hungarian minority deputies relied on Article 82 of the Constitution, which says that National Assembly deputies are representatives of all the people and are not bound by any instructions.
CoE says Slovenia progressed in tackling money laundering
STRASBOURG, France - Slovenia made progress in tackling money laundering and terrorist financing since the last evaluation in 2017, shows the Council of Europe's MONEYVAL report. But deficiencies remain, the biggest one being its progress in mitigating risks related to virtual currencies, as a result of which Slovenia's rating on the implementation of the new requirements for virtual assets has been downgraded from "compliant" to "partially compliant".
Koper port operator posts higher quarterly revenue and profit
KOPER - Luka Koper, the operator of Slovenia's sole commercial port, posted a year-on-year growth in the first quarter of the year as net sales revenue rose by 4% to EUR 57.5 million and net profit was up 15% to EUR 8.6 million. Operating profit (EBIT) increased by 15% from the first quarter of 2020 to EUR 9.8 million and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization rose by 10% to EUR 17.1 million, according to a non-audited report. The company said the results trumped projections by virtually all indicators.
Slovenia and N Macedonia seek to boost economic cooperation
LJUBLJANA - Noting that bilateral economic relations were at a high level, Foreign Ministry officials from Slovenia and North Macedonia called for further enhancing cooperation between their countries as they chaired a virtual session of the bilateral commission on economic cooperation.
Bia Separations - Sartorius increasing production
AJDOVŠČINA - Biotech company BIA Separations - Sartorius launched a new production facility in Ajdovščina, which increases the company's production capacities fivefold. Addressing the event, Prime Minister Janez Janša said he was happy that new well-paid jobs were being created. The new production facility of 3,200 square metres will be used to produce chromatographic columns for cleaning new generations of medicines. According to Janša's office, the expansion of production will allow the company to meet the demand in Covid-related projects.
Survey unemployment rate in first quarter up to 5.6%
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's survey unemployment rate in the first quarter of the year stood at 5.6%, which is half a percentage point higher than in the quarter before, the Statistics Office said. It has estimated that there were around 56,000 unemployed people and 928,000 active people in the country in the first quarter.
Commission clears EUR 6m state aid to cattle breeders
BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission approved a six million euros scheme to support Slovenian cattle breeders affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The beneficiaries will be entitled to receive direct grants of up to 225,000 euros or 76 euros per head of cattle.
