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This summary is provided by the STA:
Slovenia joins initiative pushing for EU rapid reaction force
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia and four other EU countries have drawn up a proposal to transform the EU's existing battle groups into a rapid reaction force in an initiative prompted by the experience of troop withdrawal from Afghanistan where the EU had to rely on the US, the Germany press agency dpa has reported. The concept proposed by Slovenia, Germany, Finland, the Netherlands and Portugal is to create effective forces capable of responding to crises at short notice. Along with special forces and air transport they would also include space and cyber capabilities. The Defence Ministry confirmed for the STA that Slovenia had participated in drawing up the proposal from the field of crisis management.
Pahor presents Mattarella with Slovenia's highest honour
NOVA GORICA/GORIZIA, Italy - President Borut Pahor presented his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella with the Order of Merit for Distinguished Service, Slovenia's highest honour, in a ceremony in Europe Square linking Nova Gorica and Gorizia, the cities on each side of the Slovenian-Italian border. Pahor and Mattarella were also there to hail their title as the 2025 European Capital of Culture. Pahor first received his Italian counterpart with full military honours in Nova Gorica, and they also visited a new footbridge across the border river Soča, and an exhibition in Gorizia that marks the 140th anniversary of the Trieste-based newspaper Il Piccolo. In Gorizia, Mattarella formally received Pahor with a guard of honour.
Week-on-week spike in Covid cases continues
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported 1,845 new coronavirus cases for Wednesday in what continues to be a week-on-week increase. The test positivity rate stood at 27.8%. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents increased by 42 to 706. Hospital figures remain broadly flat. There were 421 patients with Covid-19 in hospital this morning, of which 120 in intensive care. Seven patients with Covid-19 died, official data show.
Slovenia's NATO capability goals changed as defence ministers meet
BRUSSELS, Belgium - The NATO defence ministers, including Slovenia's Matej Tonin, confirmed the alliance's capability goals, with the most demanding capability goals for Slovenia as of new including only one battalion-size battlegroup instead of two. "After a year of coordination, the Slovenian capability goals have been confirmed and they bring two key news," the Slovenian Defence Ministry, noting that in addition to a battalion-size battlegroup, the country had been tasked with establishing a medium-sized reconnaissance battalion.
Minister hopes energy vouchers won't be needed
RAVNE NA KOROŠKEM - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek has confirmed the government is considering introducing energy vouchers to help the most vulnerable groups of population cope with rising prices, but also said they hoped such measures would not be necessary. The minister commented on potential measures during a visit to steel company SIJ Metal Ravne after the government imposed a temporary cap on margins on heating oil yesterday. Počivalšek noted that the issue of rising energy prices is a complex one and thus not easy to tackle. "We cannot affect gas prices because we rely fully on imports."
National Assembly passes new energy supply act
LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed on Wednesday the energy supply act, a piece of legislation that defines relationships between energy companies and end consumers, introduces the right to conclude a contract with dynamic prices, provides the legal basis for energy communities, and defines the concept of energy poverty. The energy supply act is one of the six acts into which the government has divided the energy act.
Novartis to fill Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in Ljubljana
LJUBLJANA - Novartis has signed an initial agreement to use its manufacturing facility in Ljubljana to fill the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against Covid-19. The Novartis Technical Operations site in Ljubljana will fill at least 24 million doses in its sterile manufacturing facilities in 2022, the Swiss pharma company announced. Novartis plans to take bulk mRNA active ingredient from BioNTech and fill it into vials under sterile conditions for shipment back to BioNTech for its distribution.
United Media taking over publisher Adria Media
LJUBLJANA - United Media, the media division of United Group, reported a takeover of Slovenian publishing company Adria Media at the country's Competition Protection Agency (AVK). Adria Media publishes magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Elle and Avtomagazin, and the portal Motropolitan.si. United Media already owns several businesses in Slovenia - telecommunications company Telemach, online retailer Shoppster, sport TV channels Sport Klub, and an N1 news portal, which was launched last June.
Petrol and OMV to comply with regulation of heating oil prices
LJUBLJANA - The energy companies Petrol and OMV Slovenija, leading providers of petroleum products in Slovenia, said they would abide by a new government regulation re-introducing administered heating oil prices which will kick in on 9 November. Petrol and OMV Slovenija will thus have to limit the distributors' margin to a maximum of six cents per litre of heating oil. Currently, the price is expected to be 15 cents per litre. Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek noted today that the price of heating oil had increased by 69% since 2016, including by 64% due to the increase in global market prices.
Slovenian, Russian agriculture ministers sign cooperation plan
LJUBLJANA - Slovenian Agriculture Minister Jože Podgoršek and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Patrushev discussed possible forms of cooperation in the field of agriculture and rural development at a bilateral meeting and signed an action plan to strengthen cooperation between the two countries. The documents highlight cooperation in the areas of beekeeping, animal health, organic farming, family farming, young rural entrepreneurs and digitalisation in agriculture.
Energy company Gen-I vows not to increase prices until 2022
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's largest electricity supplier Gen-I will not increase the prices of electricity and natural gas for households at least until summer 2022 despite the situation on global markets, Gen-I's board chairman Robert Golob said on Thursday. He also presented the company's plans to establish a new "solar energy community", connecting small solar plants on rooftops with consumers across the country in order for more households to become self-sustainable.
SIJ Metal Ravne launches new ESR plant worth EUR 6.8 million
RAVNE NA KOROŠKEM - SIJ Metal Ravne, the second largest subsidiary of the Russian-owned steel group SIJ, has completed the investment into a new electro-slag remelting plant, worth EUR 6.8 million. The investment was officially launched today and will help the company respond to the increased demand from the world's most intensive industries. Economy Minister Počivalšek said this is "a bold step for the SIJ Group, which will contribute to further growth", and stressed that the group was one of the largest Slovenian exporters and one of the most important employers.
Author Svetlana Makarovič wins Ježek Award
LJUBLJANA - Svetlana Makarovič, a leading Slovenian poet and children's author, is the winner of this year's Ježek Award, an accolade celebrating creative and witty radio and television works. Makarovič was labelled as the most representative contemporary author of fairy tales who has also made her mark on theatre and chanson. Makarovič's works are distinguished not only by literary intertextuality but also versatility, the jury said.
Pianist Alexander Gadjiev takes second place at Intl Chopin Piano Competition
WARSAW, Poland - Alexander Gadjiev, representing Slovenia and Italy, has won second place at the 18th International Fryderyk Chopin Competition in Warsaw,sharing it with Kyohei Sorita from Japan. Gadjiev also won the Krystian Zimerman Prize for the best performance of a Chopin sonata. This is the first time that Slovenia was represented in the finals.
Labour costs per employee up by 5% last year
LJUBLJANA - Average monthly costs per person in paid employment in Slovenia increased by 5% last year to EUR 2,498.73, data from the Statistics Office shows. Average monthly labour costs were the highest in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply sector, at EUR 3,903.58 per employee, and in financial and insurance industry, at EUR 3,683.87. According to Eurostat, Slovenia's labour costs were below the EU average.
Complaint filed against man, company over Celje gas explosion
CELJE - Celje police have filed a criminal complaint against a 64-year-old man and a company he worked for over an explosion of natural gas that injured three persons and caused significant damage to the main coach terminal in Celje in January. The cause of the explosion was an uncontrolled leakage of natural gas, with a fire breaking out at the ground floor of the terminal in a room with a power switchboard. The suspect was working for a gas supply company and was tasked with checking the gas network.
