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This summary is provided by the STA:
Pfizer jab recommended in Slovenia for under 30s
LJUBLJANA - Health Minister Janez Poklukar announced the government will follow the recommendation of the national advisory committee on immunisation to use the Pfizer vaccine for under 30-year-olds. In general, the use of mRNA vaccines will be recommended over viral vector vaccines. The latter can still be used for people with a contraindication to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines or at a special request. The decision comes after a 20-year-old woman died due to brain haemorrhaging and blood clots a fortnight after she received the single-shot Janssen vaccine.
186 coronavirus infections on Sunday, six deaths
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 186 new coronavirus cases on Sunday as the curve of infections kept falling. Another six Covid-19 patients died. This morning 422 Covid-19 patients were treated in hospitals, five more than the day before, including 121 in intensive care, official data show. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents fell to 551 and the 7-day average dropped to 788.
Minister visits Slovenian community in Buenos Aires
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - Minister for Slovenians Abroad Helena Jaklitsch is on a visit to the Slovenian community in Argentina, as part of which she attended on Sunday the 66th Slovenian Day, the main annual event of the community in Buenos Aires. Jaklitsch also marked the 65th anniversary of the Slovenian community centre San Justo. She thanked the community for its loyalty to the Slovenian identity and for contribution to Slovenia's recognition 30 years ago.
MPs discuss infrastructure, environment budgets for 2022-2023
LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Committee of Infrastructure, the Environment and Spatial Planning discussed the proposed budgets for the infrastructure and environment ministries for the next two years, with the coalition MPs praising them as development-oriented. The budgets give the Infrastructure Ministry EUR 1.27 billion next year and EUR 1.29 billion in 2023. The budgets for the Environment and Spatial Planning Ministry meanwhile stand at EUR 517 million and EUR 430.5 million. The opposition expressed concern about the high public debt and budget deficit.
More budget funds for culture, but NGOs complain about cut for self-employed
LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Culture Committee discussed a draft supplementary budget for 2022 and a draft budget for 2023, both of which raise funds for culture. The supplementary budget brings EUR 238 million, up EUR 8.4 million from the 2022 budget passed late last year, while the draft budget for 2023 brings culture a record EUR 244 million. Culture Ministry State Secretary Ignacija Fridl Jarc said there would be more funds for audiovisual media, publishing, media, public culture infrastructure, etc. The Asociacija NGO meanwhile criticised a cut for the non-governmental culture sector from EUR 6.4 million to EUR 3.6 million for 2022. Fridl Jarc said the funds for this segment were featured in many other "budget items", and if all were added, it became clear they were not being cut.
Committee debates media ownership, part of opposition walks out
LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Culture Committee debated media ownership and concentration in Slovenia, urging the Financial Administration to examine deals in the media conglomerate controlled by businessman Martin Odlazek from the past five years. It urged the Culture Ministry to draft legislation to prevent media concentration. The Economy Ministry was urged to call on the Competition Protection Agency (AVK) to play a more active role in preventing media concentration, among other resolutions adopted. The session was boycotted by all four centre-left opposition parties.
Centre-left parties tied, govt rating down in Delo poll
LJUBLJANA - Three centre-left opposition parties are very close together in the party rankings behind the ruling Democrats (SDS), who with 17.6% remain at the top in the latest Mediana poll conducted for the newspaper Delo. The SDS is followed by the Social Democrats (SD) at 8.7%, the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) with 8.6% and the Left with 8.4%. Delo singled out the SD as the losers of the latest poll as the party's rating is down for the third straight month. The voter approval rating for the government has deteriorated.
Power group HSE entering retail electricity market
LJUBLJANA - Holding Slovenske Elektrarne (HSE), the state-owned power company and the country's largest producer of electricity from renewable sources, will enter the retail electricity market by signing an agreement on Thursday to acquire a 51% stake in ECE, a company created in a merger of Elektro Celje and Elektro Gorenjska. "We will combine the best of our energies and jointly enhance our operations with the confidence, know-how and experience," said HSE.
Industrial output expanded in August
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's industrial output grew by 1.1% in August compared to July, expanding by 8.4% year-on-year, fresh data from the Statistics Office shows. The monthly growth was driven by a 7.2% growth in the electricity, gas and steam supply industry while a 9.8% growth in manufacturing contributed most to the annual growth. Industry also posted a 5.7% growth compared to August 2019.
Campaign launched against stigmatising mental health issues
LJUBLJANA - The National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) launched a national campaign against stigmatisation of mental ilnesses that in particular aims at encouraging people with such issues to seek help. A round table debate accompanying the launch called for systemic changes to provide these people with access to services and support. Head of the project Branko Gabrovec said that the epidemic was an opportunity for systemic changes when it came to the rights and access in healthcare, including in mental health.
Two women stabbed in separate incidents
POSTOJNA/MARIBOR - Two women were stabbed this morning in separate incidents involving male perpetrators, both of whom have been apprehended, while the two wounded women have been hospitalised. The incident in Postojna involved a 22-year-old woman who was stabbed several times. The incident in Lehen in the Pohorje mountain range west of Maribor meanwhile involved a 29-year-old inflicting multiple wounds in the neck to a 48-year-old woman, who is said to be the mother of the attacker's partner.
