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This summary is provided by the STA:
234 new coronavirus cases confirmed on Sunday
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia confirmed 234 new cases of coronavirus for Sunday, a week-on-week increase of more than 60%. The test positivity stood at 16.4%, show the latest data by the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ). The 14-day incidence per 100,000 population rose by six to 323 and the seven-day rolling average of new daily cases rose to 550. Data released by the government shows 217 patients were treated for Covid-19 in hospitals this morning, including 45 in intensive care.
PCT rule expanded to number of activities
LJUBLJANA - As of today, the recovered-vaccinated-tested (PCT) rule is expanded to a number of sectors, including for staff in healthcare, public administration, education and training, social care, in-person retail and services, cultural activities, religious education and religious services. Masks are meanwhile mandatory in all indoor public spaces, and outdoors when it is not possible to keep a distance of at least 1.5 metres.
Slovenia can expect first EU recovery funds soon
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Slovenia can expect the first transfer of funds under the EU's recovery and resilience instrument very soon, European Commission Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis said after a virtual session of EU finance ministers. Finance Minister Andrej Šircelj said the financing agreement had already been signed and submitted to the Commission last week. Slovenia is entitled to an advance payment of EUR 231 million, which represents 13% of its EUR 2.5 billion national recovery and resilience plan.
Supreme Court says govt has duty to fund STA
LJUBLJANA/BELGIUM, Brussels - The Supreme Court reversed a decision by the Administrative Court to stay the government regulation on STA public service while saying the state has a duty to provide financing to the STA under the STA law and a provision in the 7th coronavirus relief law regardless of whether the annual agreement between the STA and the Government Communication Office (UKOM) has been signed or not and irrespective of the regulation. The STA welcomed the decision as an important precedent, dismissing UKOM's excuses for not paying the STA, while UKOM said the court upheld its arguments. This was as the European Commission made a renewed call on the Slovenian authorities to ensure independence and appropriate financing of the STA public service and President Borut Pahor said he would host the heads of the STA and UKOM tomorrow in a bid to resolve the issue.
Conference stresses role of nuclear energy in transition to low-carbon society
BLED - The 30th international conference Nuclear Energy for a New Europe 2021 opened in Bled, bringing together a record 220 experts from over 20 countries. The Nuclear Society of Slovenia (DJS), the organiser, stressed that nuclear energy, together with renewables, has the potential to play a key role in shaping a carbon-free energy future. The four-day conference is designed to foster ties between Slovenian and foreign nuclear experts, providing an opportunity for cooperation and know-how exchange.
Automotive giant Magna's Slovenian plant to be relaunched in early 2022
HOČE - Magna Steyr's Slovenian plant will relaunch production at the start of 2022, Magna Steyer vice president Erwin Fandl and David Adam, director of the Slovenian Magna plant in Hoče, told the press after meeting the Slovenian government and local authorities. Fandl said production would gradually return to the Hoče paint shop after almost a year and a half since the outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic, as most of the Hoče employees had been working at the company's plant in Austria's Graz. Despite a difficult year, the Slovenian plant finished 2020 with a net profit of EUR 1.3 million.
Ban imposed on rallies of Covid deniers in front of RTV Slovenija
LJUBLJANA - The Ljubljana Administrative Unit acted upon a proposal from Ljubljana police to ban rallies of the coronavirus deniers who stormed the public broadcaster RTV Slovenija's headquarters on Friday. It told the STA the decision on the ban will enter into force as it is handed to the organiser of the rallies on Tuesday, 7 September. RTV Slovenija has filed criminal complaints against all those involved in Friday's incident, and plans to boost security.
Justice minister reportedly suspected of tax evasion
LJUBLJANA - Justice Minister Marjan Dikaučič is suspected of tax evasion at his previous job with prosecutors waiting since August 2020 for the court to decide on its motion to open a formal investigation, the news web portal 24ur reported. Dikaučič, who denies all allegations, faces charges of tax evasion and document falsification as the person in charge of the company BGA and the company Prevozi Žižek in receivership. Dikaučič told the portal he had handed the entire documentation to the police and had been heard by the court in 2019. "Since my signature on the documents was obviously falsified, I proposed to the court for a graphologist to verify the authenticity of the signature," he explained.
Army starts three-week training with allied forces
LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Armed Forces are starting two military exercises to train with members of allied forces on the ground and in the air in several parts of Slovenia until 23 September. The first exercise, Rock Kleščman, will feature up to 950 Slovenian and US soldiers training infantry combat procedures assisted by aircraft and mortars. The second, Triglav Star 21, will bring together around 300 members of the Slovenian, British and US soldiers.
Union of blind and visually impaired receives Golden Order of Merit
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor presented the Golden Order of Merit to the Union of Associations of the Blind and Partially Sighted of Slovenia. The union has earned the distinction through its success in promoting new and original solutions to the fundamental issues of blindness and visual impairment, according to Pahor's office.
