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This summary is provided by the STA:
Slovenia suspends use of J&J coronavirus vaccine
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia suspended the use of the single-shot coronavirus vaccine produced by Johnson & Johnson after a twenty-year-old woman died within a fortnight after receiving the shot, Health Minister Janez Poklukar announced. The move was proposed by the special advisory group for vaccination at the National Institute of Public Health and the suspension will be in place until all the circumstances of the woman's death have been cleared up. Bojana Beović, the head of the advisory group, said it would take at least a week to investigate the death.
Parliament approves EUR 2bn in healthcare investment by 2031
LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly endorsed by 68 votes in favour and two against a government-sponsored bill that will secure about EUR 2 billion in investment in Slovenia's health system over the next ten years. Investment is planned at all three levels of healthcare; a total of EUR 763 million is earmarked for the country's two medical centres, EUR 557 million for development and modernisation of general hospitals, nursing hospitals and community health centres across the country. The step is "a guarantee that our healthcare will continue to be public, universal and accessible in 2031", Health Minister Janez Poklukar had told MPs.
New uptick in Covid with 1,339 cases on Tuesday
LJUBLJANA - After eight days of decline, Slovenia's daily coronavirus case count rose again week-on-week with 1,339 new infections confirmed on Tuesday, 13% more than a week ago. The test positivity rate yesterday was 20.9%. Data from the National Institute of Public Health shows the tally pushed the 7-day average up by 22 to 861, while the 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents dropped by one to 618. The government said that the number of patients hospitalised with Covid-19 has dropped further to 403 this morning as the number of those in intensive care rose to 114 and four patients died.
Govt highlights investment growth in budget documents
LJUBLJANA - Finance Minister Andrej Šircelj highlighted a substantial increase in investments, in particular in healthcare, as he presented the budget documents for the coming two years after the government session. All the revised budget proposals and other relevant documents need to be submitted to parliament for confirmation by Friday. The proposals reflect the forecast of a fast economic rebound, as a result of which the general government deficit is to be reduced fast. The government proposes the general government spending ceiling increases to EUR 26.1 billion in 2022 and to EUR 25.98 billion in 2023, said a press release by the Government Communication Office.
Police use water canon at protest against Covid pass mandate
LJUBLJANA - A group of several thousand protesters again gathered in Ljubljana to protest against the Covid pass mandate in what was the third such protest. Starting in Republic Square, the rally moved to the ring road, which was closed for a while, as the police tried to break up the crowd, including by using a water canon. The protesters demanded an end to Covid restrictions and an immediate government resignation. They were critical of media reporting and obstructed some journalist crews reporting from the scene with journalist organisations raising concern over this. PM Janez Janša said attacks, threats and violations of Covid-19 rules were not the constitutional right to assembly.
Prime Minister Janša due in London Thursday for working visit
LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša will be on a working visit to the UK on Thursday for talks with British counterpart Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss. A number of bilateral and international issues will be on the agenda. The main topics include the deepening of bilateral political cooperation, the fight against Covid-19, EU-UK relations, and international topics such as Afghanistan and the Western Balkans, according to Janša's office. Bilateral relations are "very good and friendly" and the visit represents "an intensification of political dialogue at the highest level", it said.
Slovenia to buy 100,000 doses of Janssen vaccine from Hungary
LJUBLJANA - The government decided at Tuesday's correspondence session to purchase an additional 100,000 doses of the Janssen Covid-19 vaccine from Hungary. The government said that, based on the current epidemiological situation and the interest in vaccination expressed by Slovenian residents, it would make an agreement with Hungary to buy the mentioned quantity. Hungary's stock of the Janssen vaccine currently exceeds the actual demand. The price of the vaccine equals the price offered by the producer directly, the Government Communication Office added in the press release.
MPs pass changes to pension legislation to remedy injustices
LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly unanimously passed changes to pension legislation to remedy injustices done to persons who voluntarily continued to pay mandatory pension and disability insurance contributions despite being for instance unemployed after 1 January 2013, not being aware that this would not count towards their pensionable years. The changes to the pension and disability insurance act, put forward by the opposition Left, concern some 9,800 people, of whom 2,800 have already retired.
Survey unemployment rate fell below 4% in August
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's ILO-compatible survey unemployment rate fell further in August, to 3.9%, down 0.1 percentage points from July and 1.4 points down from August a year ago, show data released by the Statistics Office. The office estimates about 40,000 people aged 15 to 74 were out of a job in August. Women represented 55% of the unemployed and men 45%. This puts the joblessness rate among women at 4.7%, compared to 3.3% for men.
Mask rule being relaxed somewhat
LJUBLJANA - The government somewhat relaxed the mask wearing rule. The masks will thus no longer be needed in indoor public places where food and drinks are being served under adherence to the recovered-vaccinated-tested rule (PCT) or in situations and settings when everyone is immunised against Covid either through vaccination or recovery. Masks have so far not been mandatory for guests seated at the same table in hospitality establishments. Now the exception is being expanded to all settings where food or drinks are sold or served such as cinemas or receptions.
Počivalšek says Expo good framework for ambitious promotion of businesses
LJUBLJANA - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek told the STA in an interview ahead of Friday's opening of Expo 2020 in Dubai that Slovenia is well prepared for the event, which will be an opportunity to showcase the country's potential and for the presentation of more than 100 companies in a region where many opportunities are cropping up. "I'm happy that we are following up on the bold decision that we took for Expo 2015 in Milan. Our economy needs a framework in which it can be presented in an ambitious manner," he said.
Decarbonisation of economy must be balanced, says Počivalšek
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Decarbonisation of the economy must be evenly spread across sectors and EU countries, said Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek after a session of EU ministers in charge of competitiveness, who gathered in Brussels to discuss the impact of the Fit for 55 package on the competitiveness of the European economy. The ministers agreed that an abundant availability of affordable decarbonised electricity is a prerequisite for the success of Fit for 55 and the green transition, he said.
EU Military Committee talks military capability in Postojna
POSTOJNA - Slovenia hosted a session of the European Union Military Committee (EUMC) in Postojna as part of its EU presidency. The participants discussed the EU's military rapid reaction capability and possible solutions to strengthen the committee from a military perspective, the General Staff of the Slovenian army said. The participants discussed the situation in Afghanistan, among other issues.
Slovenia hosts EU non-proliferation and disarmament directors
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia hosted an informal meeting of EU non-proliferation and disarmament directors as part of its EU presidency, the Foreign Ministry said. The annual meeting focussed on strategic issues and the challenges of the global regime of oversight over weapons of mass destruction. The talks focussed on the preparations for the tenth review conference of the parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
Slovenia-Carinthia Committee discusses cooperation
KLAGENFURT, Austria - FM Anže Logar and Carinthia Governor Peter Kaiser chaired a session of the Slovenia-Carinthia Committee in Klagenfurt, which set out the course for future cooperation between Slovenia and the Austrian state of Carinthia in several areas of joint interest. The two sides agreed to continue cooperation in transport, environment protection and spatial planning, and in protection against natural and other disasters, the Slovenian Foreign Ministry said after the session.
Govt donates 40 kilometres of border fence to Lithuania
LJUBLJANA - The government decided to donate 40 kilometres of border fence to Lithuania, which today started erecting a 508-kilometre border fence on its border with Belarus. According to the Government Communication Office, Slovenia thus responded to Lithuania's request for aid with the erection of physical obstacles on the border with Belarus, as the latter country has been faced with illegal migration from there since the beginning of the year.
Environment Agency acting head gets full term
LJUBLJANA - The acting head of the Environment Agency, Joško Knez, was appointed for a full term at a government session. His five-year term starts on 1 October. Knez was already at the helm of the agency between March 2013 and November 2018 and had also served as the acting head prior to this period.
Public broadcaster gets new chief supervisor
LJUBLJANA - The supervisory board of the public broadcaster RTV Slovenija elected Janez Čadež its chair. The board's term expires next January, RTVS said. This came after the government dismissed Matjaž Medved and Petra Majer as representatives of the founders in the supervisory board, and appointed Anton Tomažič and Milenko Ziherl in their place. A group of RTVS supervisors argued the dismissal of the two supervisors had no affect with the pair announcing they would challenge the move.
Report shows Slovenia must make climate neutrality top priority
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia can achieve climate neutrality by the middle of the 21st century if it makes cutting greenhouse gas emissions and transition to climate neutrality a top priority and if it immediately enhances implementation of climate measures, says the Climate Mirror 2021 report, a collaboration of the Centre for Energy Efficiency at the Jožef Stefan Institute (IJS) and partners in the LIFE Climate Path 2050 project. It adds that the country's attainment of the set goals in 2020 was "encouraging", as the country will meet two of the three binding goals.
Cost effectiveness in focus of bank consolidation
LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian banking system has been rapidly consolidating in recent years, the focus being on cost effectiveness, heard a debate organised by the Alumni Club of the Ljubljana School of Business and Economy and the STA. Bankers noted the process had been beneficial and central bankers highlighted the need to strike a balance. Vice-governor of Slovenia's central bank Primož Dolenc said what was required was the right measure to ensure financial stability.
AGRFT academy finally in its own premises
LJUBLJANA - The Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television (AGRFT) has moved to its new premises in Aškerčeva Road in Ljubljana after years of efforts to secure an adequate facility. Some of its departments are meanwhile at the new premises in Trubarjeva Street. The entire AGRFT project - the renovation of the building in Aškerčeva and the purchase of a building in Trubarjeva - cost EUR 21.9 million. AGRFT Dean Tomaž Gubenšek said the academy would now like to become a cultural centre of the University of Ljubljana and beyond.
