Logar for ban on Russian gas imports as Slovenia joins energy independence initiative
BRUSSELS - Foreign Minister Anže Logar called for a prompt EU ban on Russian gas imports as he arrived at day two of a NATO ministerial. Logar believes that the EU paying "bloody energy euros to Russia" actually prolongs Russia's aggression against Ukraine. He stressed that developments are moving in the direction of the ban, while Slovenia is actively and successfully looking for sources to replace Russian gas. Slovenia meanwhile joined an initiative of eleven EU countries calling for ending the EU's dependency on Russian fossil fuels.
Govt bolsters Climate Change Fund assets
LJUBLJANA - The government secured extra funding for the Climate Change Fund. By amending the 2021-2023 Climate Change Fund spending programme, the government earmarked an additional EUR 15 million for investments by individuals into photovoltaic systems after all of the available funds have been used up. An additional EUR 28 million is being earmarked to install heat pumps and biomass boilers in vulnerable households, which will make it possible to reopen the relevant public call that was closed because the funds were used up.
Russia reacts to Slovenia's cutting number of Russian diplomats
LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian government's decision to reduce the number of staff at the Russian Embassy in Ljubljana is highly irresponsible and unfriendly, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. These moves reflect the anti-Russian stance advocated by the current government, which occasionally crosses the line into Russophobia, it added. "It is clear that these moves are designed to systematically destroy the Russian-Slovenian relations, which celebrate 30 years this year," reads the ministry's website.
Govt proposes 5% tax on liquidation of cryptocurrency
LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a bill that would impose a 5% tax on natural persons when they turn their cryptocurrency into a fiat currency or buy goods or services, but only if the sum exceeds EUR 10,000 a year. The government proposed the bill be rushed through the National Assembly. When passed, the tax would apply to the sums redeemed since the date it came into effect.
Government introducing incentive for approval of wind farms
LJUBLJANA - The government has adopted a decree that looks to incentivise municipalities to approve the installation of wind farms in their territory by providing compensation amounting to 3% of the estimated annual revenue from the energy produced by this source. The decree based on the act promoting the use of renewable energy tasks the producer of electricity from wind power to pay the compensation for the municipality where the wind farm is located.
Slovenia can accept up to 60 patients from Ukraine
LJUBLJANA - Slovenian hospitals can admit up to 50 patients from Ukraine and centres offering rehabilitation programmes another 10, according to a decree on relocation of Ukrainian patients the government adopted at its session. In line with this decision, Slovenian hospitals can admit up to 30 patients at regular wards, up to 5 in intensive care plus up to 5 children and 10 adults with cancer.
Pension fund gets over EUR 718m from budget in 2021 to cover revenue gap
LJUBLJANA - The government approved the 2021 financial report of the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund (ZPIZ) that had its revenue and expenditure levelled at EUR 6.2 billion last year. To cover the shortfall in revenue, the national public pension fund received EUR 718.7 million from the state budget in 2021. Among the report's findings, the government pointed out that the ZPIZ received a total of nearly EUR 981.5 million from the state budget last year. The EUR 718.7 million was allocated to cover the gap between revenue and expenditure in line with the pension law, the government said.
NGO targeted by inspectors amid charge of illegal election campaign
LJUBLJANA - An NGO that has been collecting signatures in support of a repeal of several government measures they see as harmful, 8 March Institute, has been urged by the Home Affairs Inspectorate to provide explanations after some members of the ruling coalition called their campaign unlawful. The NGO denied the allegation they were leading an election campaign, arguing they were not disseminating political advertising content, as set forth in the election and referendum campaign act. It is considering a criminal complaint over what is seen as an instance of SLAPP.
Fiscal Council urges tripling of funds for climate-energy goals
LJUBLJANA - The Fiscal Council has assessed that achieving climate and energy goals will be one of the major challenges for fiscal policy in the coming years. While such investments averaged around one billion euros a year in 2016-2020, roughly 2% of GDP, this figure will need to be increased almost threefold by 2030, to 6% of GDP per year. The Fiscal Council proposes several scenarios, all of which would require public spending beyond earmarked funds.
Vrtovec pledges state support for road tunnel in Maribor
MARIBOR - Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec announced today the government's support for the construction of a road tunnel under the city centre in Slovenia's second largest city. He also vowed progress on the construction of the city's western ring road and on tackling the precarious situation of Maribor Airport and signed a protocol with Maribor Mayor Saša Arsenovič and Hoče-Slivnica Mayor Marko Soršak.
Kolektor gets new management, new business model
LJUBLJANA - Kolektor Group has reorganised under a new business model into a holding with three groups - Mobility, Technologies and Construction. It plans to raise sales revenue to EUR 1 billion in 2022 from just over EUR 900 million last year, and the plan by 2030 is EUR 1.5 billion, the company said as it presented the new management which took charge on 1 April. Valter Leban took over as the new chairman of Kolektor Group from Radovan Bolko, who led the company for eight years. He has been joined by Darja Petrič and Žiga Kogej, both coming from inside Kolektor.
Ocean Orchids receives two million for reinjection well
DOBROVNIK - Ocean Orchids, Slovenia's leading orchid grower and one of the biggest users of geothermal energy in the country, received funds for building the first reinjection well in Slovenia. The EUR 2m government subsidy will cover two-thirds of the total costs. Director Roman Ferenčak said the project was "immensely important" to the company as it would help solve environmental issues and reduce costs. They will be able to cut down on natural gas or even stop using it as an additional heating source completely.
One bid arrives to build tunnel systems on Koper-Divača track
LJUBLJANA - A subsidiary of the national railway company in conjunction with a Slovenian and Turkish builders is the only bidder to submit an offer for the construction of rail and tunnel systems on the new rail link between the port town of Koper and the Divača junction inland. The consortium's cost estimate is EUR 198.54 million, VAT excluded, significantly above the ceiling value of EUR 142.2 million. 2TDK, the state-owned company managing the project, said it would take a decision in the shortest time possible.
Steel group not impacted by war in Ukraine for now
LJUBLJANA - The steel group SIJ, one of Slovenia's largest exporters, says it is not feeling any major impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its fallout for the time being although it cannot predict all the consequences as yet. "We have enough raw material stocks and orders, so our production and business processes are running normally," the company said on releasing audited annual report for 2021.
Stocks stabilise in wake of panic over Russia's invasion
LJUBLJANA - The Russian invasion of Ukraine sent investors into panic but the stock market has since recovered. In Ljubljana, the worst affected issues were pharma company Krka's and NLB bank's, an online event hosted by the Ljubljana Stock Exchange was told. First quarter data for the Ljubljana Stock Exchange shows the investors who sold shares at the start of the Russian invasion are probably worse off now, Urban Belič of the brokerage Ilirika assessed.
Kangler to get EUR 50,000 in damages for wrongful conviction
LJUBLJANA - Franc Kangler, a state secretary who served as Maribor mayor in 2006-2012, will receive EUR 50,000 in damages for his wrongful conviction of seven months in prison for awarding a fortune teller a municipal flat, Delo reported on a decision with which a higher court upheld a decision of a first-instance court. The Ljubljana Higher Court's decision comes after Kangler appealed against the Ljubljana District Court's decision to award him only EUR 50,000 in damages.
School lockdown survey reveals several challenges of remote schooling
LJUBLJANA - An international study of how the educational system fared during the Covid pandemic shows worrying results for Slovenia in the segments of achievement of learning objectives, knowledge standards and marks. The study, carried out by the Education Institute, also shows that many teachers and pupils reported about a lot of stress.
Hospitalisations stable as new Covid cases keep falling
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's coronavirus case count keeps falling with 2,109 new cases reported for Wednesday, 23% fewer than a week ago, as the number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals was slightly up for the second day, and six patients with Covid-19 died. The 7-day average of new cases is now at 2,036 and the 14-day notification rate per 100,000 of the population is at 1,549.
