Tour de France: Pogačar defends title
BORDEAUX, France - At 22 years of age Slovenian rider Tadej Pogačar secured his second straight overall victory of the Tour de France by placing 8th in the penultimate stage, the time-trial between Libourne and Saint-Emilion. To win his second yellow jersey, the Team UAE Emirates's rider needs but to survive the final stage concluding on the Champs-Élysées, when the leading rider's lead is a rule not contested. He said he could not compare last year's Tour victory, when he defeated fellow Slovenian rider Primož Roglič in the time trial in the penultimate stage; "Last year was something else."
Parliament goes into summer recess
LJUBLJANA - After a tense week of shifts and turns, the National Assembly has gone into summer recess and will as a rule not meet again until September, except for potential emergency sessions. During the summer break, running between 16 July and 31 August under the parliamentary rules of procedure, regular sessions of the plenary and parliamentary working bodies are suspended. Meanwhile, several meetings of parliamentary working bodies have already been called for September.
Daily coronavirus case count down w/w for third day
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's daily coronavirus count decreased week-on-week for the third day running as 61 people tested positive on Friday on a positivity rate of 3.5%. The rolling 7-day average of new daily infections thus dropped by a further 3 to 54, while the 14-day incidence per 100,000 rose by two to 35, according to the National Institute of Public Health. Hospitalisations dropped to 28 and no deaths have been reported for the 5th straight day.
Positive net migration highest in over decade
LJUBLJANA - Last year Slovenia recorded the highest positive net migration since 2008 as almost 18,400 people more moved in than out. The Statistics Office says part of the reason for the increase is administrative changes in the population register under which temporary address abroad of more than 22,000 Slovenian citizens ceased on 13 August. Last year 36,110 people moved into Slovenia and 17,745 moved out, which marks an increase of 15% and 17%, respectively, from 2019. 1,725 people acquired Slovenian citizenship last year as 43 lost it.
Choral music festival Europa Cantat gets under way
LJUBLJANA - Europa Cantat, a major international festival dedicated to choral music, got under way in with a concert featuring Slovenian and foreign vocalists at Ljubljana's Cankarjev Dom arts centre, bringing a blend of various music genres. The week-long festival will feature performances by the Slovenian Philharmonic Choir, German vocal group Singer Pur, soloists Kim Nazarian from the US and Katarina Henryson from Sweden, and the Perpetuum Jazzile group, among others.
Marinas happy with occupancy rates
PORTOROŽ/IZOLA/KOPER - Slovenia's largest two marinas are happy with occupancy rates this summer with the one in Izola reporting a record 98% occupancy and the Portorož marina seeing 30% higher figures than last year. Both marinas have changed owners recently and are being given a facelift. Meanwhile, the passenger terminal at Slovenia's largest port, Koper, is still awaiting the arrival of the first cruise ship this year, which is now planned for August but cancellations have been quite a few.
Chemical company Melamin almost at pre-pandemic levels
KOČEVJE - Melamin, a Kočevje-based chemical company with around EUR 50 million in annual revenue and around 200 employees, experienced significant problems during the Covid-19 epidemic. However, CFO Borut Hočevar says the situation is now gradually returning to normal and the company is almost pack to pre-pandemic output. The company, which supplies a variety of industries, expects moderate growth in the future, but is also aware that it will need to invest in the most ecologically advanced products.
