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This summary is provided by the STA:
Daily count of coronavirus cases reaches new high
LJUBLJANA - The daily number of new coronavirus cases recorded on Tuesday was the highest since the start of the epidemic, as 3,456 of 7,722 PCR tests came back positive - almost 45%. Eighteen more deaths were reported, according to the government, which is the highest number since February. Hospitalisations rose by 36 to 670, with 159 patients in intensive care, one more than the day before. The seven-day average of new daily cases increased by 46 on the day before to 2,223 as the 14-day incidence per 100,000 people rose by 62 to 1,391.
Challenges facing Slovenian energy sector discussed at top-level meeting
BRDO PRI KRANJU - Government ministers and energy sector representatives discussed key frameworks and guidelines on climate change, the decarbonisation of society and the importance of energy in different sectors at a working meeting on energy convened by Prime Minister Janez Janša. "Slovenia's energy independence must be strengthened through renewable energy sources, including the second unit of the Krško Nuclear Power Plant, and new technologies as well," Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec said after the talks.
Logar discusses stronger and resilient EU with Greek counterpart
ATHENS, Greece - Foreign Minister Anže Logar held talks with counterpart Nikos Dendias. The ministers exchanged views on bilateral, regional, European and other topical global issues, focusing on the achievements of the Slovenian EU presidency. Integration of the Mediterranean countries, a coordinated response to the consequences of the pandemic and related economic recovery, the situation in the Western Balkans, EU enlargement, the Conference on the Future of Europe and other European topics were also discussed.
Digital transformation in focus as Montenegrin public administration minister visits
LJUBLJANA - Public Administration Minister Boštjan Koritnik met his Montenegrin counterpart Tamara Srzentić. The pair shared the view that the pandemic had exposed the urgency for the public sector to digitalise, in which context they highlighted the citizens' trust in new solutions as a key condition. Koritnik and the Montenegrin minister of public administration, digitalisation and media discussed public administration reforms, digital transformation, development of e-services, and local government, the Slovenian Ministry of Public Administration said in a press release.
Members of SAZU Human Rights Commission call on MPs to stand up to autocratic rule
LJUBLJANA - Several members of the Human Rights Commission of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SAZU) have expressed concern that Slovenia is moving towards a totalitarian form of government, urging MPs to stand up against what it sees as demolition of the constitutional order in the country. In an open letter similar to the one issued by the commission a year ago that the SAZU distanced itself from, the group says the government's way of running the country and controlling civil society is taking Slovenia to a "totalitarian form of government".
Court annuls govt decision in Mokrice power station case over nature protection
LJUBLJANA - The Administrative Court has annulled a government decision which said that the public interest of renewables prevails over the interest to protect nature as part of a procedure to obtain a building permit for the Mokrice power station on the river Sava. The court held that the entire environmental impact assessment procedure must be carried out before starting the public-interest procedure. The company HESS, the Mokrice investor, hopes "a renewed procedure determining dominance of public interest is carried out as soon as possible" to promptly obtain a building permit.
Major rail upgrade project completed in eastern Slovenia
CELJE - The upgrade of a 26-kilometre railway section between Zidani Most and Celje in eastern Slovenia was declared completed at a ceremony which heard the project cost EUR 230 million, which is about EUR 50 million less that the initial cost estimate. The upgrade has increased throughput and shortened travel times. The capacity has thus increased from 328 to 354 trains per day.
Summit Leasing Slovenija entering Croatian market
LJUBLJANA - Summit Leasing Slovenija, a leasing firm owned by NKBM bank, announced it would enter the Croatian market after signing an agreement to acquire Mercedes-Benz Leasing Hrvatska. The details of the deal have not been disclosed. They plan to continue providing high-quality financial services for all stakeholders. "We'll achieve that by focusing on service excellence through digitalisation, integration of financial services in sales, and continued investment in the development of employee competences," Summit Leasing director Mitja Otorepec said.
Number of Ljubljana-Belgrade flights increasing to nine a week
LJUBLJANA - The increasing demand for flights between Ljubljana and Belgrade has prompted Air Serbia to expand the number of flights by two to nine a week as of 14 November, the Ex-Yu Aviation portal announced. Fraport Slovenija, the operator of the Ljubljana airport, said that 13 airlines offered 14 direct air links to 12 countries around the world in the winter season, which started last weekend and will last until 26 March 2022.
Luna Jurančič Šribar wins Mira award
LJUBLJANA - The women's section of Slovenian PEN has conferred this year's Mira Prize for outstanding women authors on younger-generation writer Luna Jurančič Šribar, who, the jury says, focuses on women characters, rebellious and strong heroines who have their destiny in their hands despite hardships and life on the margin of society. The tenth Mira recipient started her writing career with short stories, followed by a novel in 2018 and another collection of short stories in 2020.
Festival of Slovenian drama opens with awards ceremony
KRANJ - The 51st Week of Slovenian Drama, the main festival featuring productions of Slovenian plays, opened with an awards ceremony. Tjaša Mislej received the 2020 Slavko Grum Prize for Naše Skladišče (Our Warehouse) and Varja Hrvatin received the award for up-and-coming playwright for Vse Se Je Začelo z Golažem iz Zajčkov (Everything Started with a Rabbit Goulash). The festival will bring around a dozen productions, many accompanying events and three new awards.
House of the Carniolan Honey Bee opens in Višnja Gora
VIŠNJA GORA - The House of the Carniolan Honey Bee was launched in the town of Višnja Gora. Housed in a converted school, it will be dedicated to presenting the heritage of the Carniolan bee and innovative beekeeping solutions. The House of the Carniolan Honey Bee, which includes the Apilab centre of innovative beekeeping technologies, was a challenging and important project that will combine tradition and the future, Prime Minister Janez Janša said in his keynote.
Slovenia's Expo pavilion draws 120,000 visitors in a month
DUBAI, UAE - The Slovenian pavilion at the Expo show in Dubai attracted more than 120,000 visitors in the first month since the opening, which SPIRIT Slovenija, the agency in charge of the country's Expo showcase, sees as a very successful start of the project. In a press release, SPIRIT said that overall impressions were positive, with the visitors rating Slovenia's leafy pavilion with an average score of 8.2.
