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14 Sep 2020, 19:58 PM

24 September 2020 - A cornerstone-laying ceremony was held today in front of the Supernova Ljubljana Rudnik shopping centre, marking the beginning of a new phase of development – the phase of expansion and complete modernisation of the existing centre. At the same time, the construction of a joint parking garage also began in cooperation with E. Leclerc.

The ceremonial event marking the beginning of construction was, among others, attended by Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia and Minister of Economic Development and Technology Zdravko Počivalšek, Mayor of Ljubljana Zoran Janković, founder of the Supernova group Dr. Frank Philipp Albert, founder of the MTK Group, a partner company of the Supernova Group, Tilmar Hansen and the Ambassador of France to Slovenia, Florence Ferrari.

In the opening speech, Dr. Frank Philipp Albert said that by expanding the existing shopping centre and building the new parking garage they want to become the most modern shopping area in Slovenia together with E. Leclerc:

After years of coordinating with our neighbour E. Leclerc, we finally joined forces and came together. We are in the process of building the largest parking garage in Slovenia, which will offer to its visitors more than 1,800 parking spaces. And after the completion of works on the parking garage, we are planning to start the renovation of the centre. When all the works will be completed, Supernova will become number one in terms of number of stores. We will have the most modern cinema in Slovenia, many restaurants and new retail brands. Regarding our investment, we received support by both the city and state authorities. The total investment in the expansion will amount to 70 million euros. I would also like to thank the Slovenian Railways, which will open a new railway station nearby for an even better connection.

Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia and the Minister of Economic Development and Technology Zdravko Počivalšek welcomed the large investment:

I am glad that the investors of the Supernova project have recognized the opportunities offered by our country. Today's event is, among other things, a sign that, despite the situation caused by an epidemic, new investments can and must continue. At the same time, this is a period of looking for new opportunities and mechanisms to restart the economy.

The fact that you are planning to employ 800 people with opening the new part of the centre is very encouraging, both in terms of growth and development of your shopping centre, as well as in terms of employment and creating job opportunities. Especially in this post-epidemiological period. I would like to thank the investors for their important contribution to the development of Ljubljana, raising the quality of life of the local population and their visible contribution to the development of the Slovenian economy.

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Mayor of Ljubljana, Zoran Janković (left) and Minister of Economic Development and Technology Zdravko Počivalšek (right)

 The Mayor of Ljubljana, Zoran Janković, who is very optimistic about such large investment in his municipality, added:

I am glad that so many people gathered at the event, which represents such a high investment. Because of this investment, many people will be employed. I am looking forward to the opening and I am convinced that with this project, Rudnik will finally become one of Ljubljana’s socialising centres.

He further added that the parking garage will be also welcomed by everyone who drives to Ljubljana from other parts of Slovenia:

With the new parking garage, we will also get a new P + R parking lot. This way, everyone who comes from other parts of Slovenia will be able to leave their car here and go to the centre by bus, thus relieving the city centre of additional traffic.

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The extension will create 800 new jobs in Ljubljana

The total value of the investment of the expansion of Supernova Ljubljana Rudnik for additional 20,000 square meters will amount to €70 million, and the opening of a new part of the centre will create 800 new jobs. The contractor will be the company Strabag, and the completion of all works is planned for 2022.

The newly built part will be fully integrated with the existing centre. The total sales area of this unique shopping concept will cover 50,000 square meters, while the whole building will stand on 65,000 square meters of land.

After the upgrade, Supernova Ljubljana Rudnik will become one of the largest and most modern shopping centres in Slovenia. With an additional 60 stores, spread over two floors, it will have a total of 130 outlets of well-known domestic and global brands.

The expansion project will take place in several phases of construction. Firstly, work will begin on the construction of a parking garage and then continue on the expansion of the Supernova Ljubljana Rudnik shopping centre.

The semi-open type parking garage will be built next to the part of the existing parking lot between Supernova and E. Leclerc, while there will also be a new parking lot on the roof of the existing centre and its extended part. The parking garage, which will have 1,800 parking spaces, will be spread over four floors and be built according to the latest environmental and safety standards, with indoor and outdoor lighting, as well as a “green façade”.

The construction works of the joint parking garage started in mid-July, and it will provide direct access for visitors of both shopping centres. Completion of the first phase of construction of the parking garage is planned by the end of November 2020, when the part of the garage will also be open to visitors, and the final construction of the parking garage is planned for March 2021.

Grand opening with a rich offer and the most modern cinema in 2022

Also planned for March 2021 are works for updating and refreshing the interior and exterior of the existing centre, expanding it and building a parking lot on its roof. During construction, a sufficient number of parking spaces will be provided for visitors to both centres. Upon completion, the entire complex will have more than 2,500 parking spaces. The opening of the new Supernova Ljubljana Rudnik centre is planned for the second quarter of 2022.

The unique concept of Supernova Ljubljana Rudnik, which will cover 2,000 square meters, will contain a rich shopping offer and various services and activities, such as outdoor children's playground, jump park, a movie theatre with seven screens and a food court called Gastro Oasis.

With an impressive architectural and modern interior design solution, the updated Supernova Ljubljana Rudnik will provide the visitor with an unforgettable experience of pleasant and relaxed shopping tailored to meet the needs of today’s consumers.

14 Sep 2020, 15:30 PM

STA, 14 September 2020 - The Powerwall rechargeable energy storage devices by the US electric vehicle maker Tesla will be available to customers in Merkur shops around Slovenia as the hardware retailer has signed a partnership agreement with Tesla's Slovenian partner, the energy system solutions company NGEN.

The agreement was signed in Ljubljana on Tuesday by Blaž Pesjak, the director general of the shop operator Merkur Trgovina, and NGEN director Roman Bernard, with both labelling this a major step towards low-carbon society.

As part of the agreement, Merkur shops around Slovenia will sell the Powerwall systems, which uses lithium-ion batteries, and for which NGEN has developed a platform with which its users can participate in the electricity balancing market.

Related: Tesla Showroom Opens in Ljubljana, Service Centre Expected Soon

Merkur will meanwhile also use the system to optimise its electricity use, and customers will also be able to use Tesla's charging stations with the "powered by NGEN" label on parking lots serving Merkur's shops in Slovenia.

Powerwall and the NGEN's network balancing system are the opportunities for "each individual to enter the energy transformation of society", while cutting costs and even create passive revenue, Pesjak said on the occasion.

Merkur plans to cover the roofs of all of its 23 shops with solar panels, and five solar power stations have been installed so far. Five to ten Powerwall devices will be used in each shop, he added.

"A lot of solar power plants have been installed in Slovenia already," said Bernard, adding that there was great potential also in wind power and that Slovenia should think about transitioning to self-supply in the form of energy storage devices.

In the future, he sees potential of such devices in charging of electric vehicles or in providing supply in the case of disruptions on the side of power distributors. Legislative changes could also help increase demand, he added.

14 Sep 2020, 13:50 PM

STA, 14 September 2020 - Slovenia has recorded 47 new coronavirus infections from 1,110 tests performed on Sunday, less than half the figure the day before as testing typically slows down during the weekend. However, a public health chief has warned the country's contagion curve is in a phase of growth with the basic reproduction number at 1.4.

The latest figures from the government show the number of Covid-19 hospitalisations has risen to 40 despite six being discharged home. Nine of the patients require intensive treatment.

No Covid-19-related fatalities were reported, which leaves the overall death toll at 135.

The latest cases bring the national case count to 3,749, with 866 remaining active cases, according to the tracker site covid-19.sledilnik.org.

Milan Krek, director of the National Institute of Public Health, has revealed that Slovenia's R0, the figure showing the average number of people infected by one infectious individual, has risen to 1.4.

Commenting on the outbreak for RTV Slovenija on Sunday, Krek said Slovenia could see the number of daily infections rise to 165 in the coming days.

Slovenia is already a "red country", having exceeded 40 infections per 100,000 residents in a fortnight, he said in a reference to the colour-coded map Slovenia keeps for other countries.

He reckons the curve of infections will "flatten when we start truly abiding by the recommendations and measures that have been known for a while".

With Covid-19 hospitalisations increasing, he warned the situation at hospitals reflects the state of infections ten or 14 days ago when Slovenia had 18 to 40 infections a day.

"You can imagine what will happen in 14 days," considering almost 100 infections had been confirmed on Saturday.

As the need for hospital beds increases, Krek warned that this could affect beds intended for other patients and reduce access to some health services.

Meanwhile, Bojana Beović, the government's chief Covid-19 adviser, announced a more "radical" approach to crack down on private parties of more than ten people, telling POP TV last night that oversight and fining would be stepped up.

14 Sep 2020, 12:16 PM

STA, 12 September 2020 - A Tesla Motors showroom has opened in Ljubljana in August, making Tesla automobiles directly accessible to Slovenian customers. By the end of the year, a service centre is expected to open as well.

While Tesla has been present on Slovenian roads for several years now, the cars had to be ordered and picked up abroad, with the closest service centre available in Austria.

That changed in mid-August, when Tesla made the configuration and ordering of their models 3, S and X available in Slovenia as well.

The cars can be ordered online only, but potential buyers can visit the showroom on Leskoškova Street in Ljubljana, where they can examine a vehicle up close and receive advice from sales consultants to help them decide on their preferred configuration.

Tesla Model 3 is currently the only one on display in Ljubljana, but models S and X will become available soon. Test rides will also be possible with all models.

The first vehicles are expected to be delivered in November, when the official Tesla service centre is expected to open in Ljubljana, but a more precise date is yet to be disclosed.

The Model 3 with a range of 409 kilometres is available at a little less than EUR 45,000, the Model S with 610 kilometres reaches about EUR 84,000 and the Model X with 505 kilometres comes at just under EUR 90,000, including tax.

Purchased cars can be returned within seven days, but the car must not have travelled more than 1,600 kilometres, and it has to be returned fully intact.

Charging of Tesla vehicles in Slovenia is currently possible at three fast charging stations and more than 30 standard ones.

The company plans to install additional ones soon, but they emphasized that the most convenient way of charging is at home, as the battery should last all day with average use.

Founded in 2003, Tesla Motors sold 90,891 vehicles in the second quarter of this year, posting a net profit of US$104 million, the first time it generated a profit for four consecutive quarters.

14 Sep 2020, 12:06 PM

STA, 14 September 2020 - Prime Minister Janez Janša told the Austrian TV ORF that Slovenia had no intention of committing to any fixed alliances such as the Visegrad Group. Instead, he stressed the importance of cooperation among neighbouring countries.

"We feel no need to say that we will always support a country or a group of countries within the EU. We always look at what is good for our citizens, who elected us," Janša was quoted as saying in the interview by the Austrian press agency APA.

The prime minister also stressed the importance of neighbourly relations, which he said had proved crucial during the Covid-19 pandemic. "In extraordinary times we know exactly who we can rely on."

Referring to restrictions and closing of the borders during the epidemic, Janša said the situation seemed like Europe had returned to the dark ages and that bilateral cooperation with neighbouring countries had been essential.

Janša rejected criticism of the planned new media legislation that would cut the revenue of the public broadcaster RTV Slovenija, saying this would be a "minimal re-distribution" of funds that would benefit regional media which are struggling because of strong centralisation in Slovenia.

Janša said his critics wanted to hide behind the EU in order to preserve their monopoly, which they had been holding on to since communism. Since virtually nobody in Europe speaks Slovenian, this is a "battle for interpretation", he told ORF correspondent Christian Wehrschütz.

"I always say: whoever wants to pass judgements about the political situation in Slovenia should come to Slovenia and learn Slovenian or at least find a credible person to talk to," Janša said in the interview, which was conducted in Slovenian.

14 Sep 2020, 03:56 AM

Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

This summary is provided by the STA

Slovenia sees 99 coronavirus cases in 1,793 tests on Saturday

LJUBLJANA - Out of the 1,793 coronavirus tests conducted in Slovenia on Saturday, 99 came back positive. A total of 31 persons were in hospital, five more than the day before, including six in intensive care, one more than on Friday, show fresh government data. No Covid-19-related fatalities were reported, so the national death toll remains at 135. There are currently 837 active cases in the country and seven Covid-19 patients are on ventilators, according to national tracker site Covid-19.sledilnik.

Quarantine ten days as of today

LJUBLJANA - The government decree shortening mandatory quarantine from 14 to 10 days became effective, both for those crossing the border from high-risk countries and those ordered to quarantine due to risky contact with infected persons. The decision was taken by the government earlier this week at the recommendation of its medical task force for coronavirus, which acknowledged the risk may thus be slightly higher but the burden on the economy significantly reduced.

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 Tour de France: Pogačar wins stage, followed by Roglič in yellow jersey

LYON, France - Slovenian riders claimed a third double win at the Tour de France as Tadej Pogačar won the 15th stage of the race and Primož Roglič came in second, keeping the overall leader's yellow jersey. Colombian Egan Bernal, the defending champion, was left in the dust by Roglič's Jumbo-Visma team. Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) now sits only 40 seconds behind Roglič and his yellow jersey.

Most see government influence over police as very strong

LJUBLJANA - As much as some 40% of Slovenians think that the government is exerting very strong influence over the police, showed a recent survey conducted by Mediana for the newspaper Delo. More than a third see that influence as greater than in previous governments, whereas a quarter believe that it is the same, reported Delo on Saturday.

 If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here

 

13 Sep 2020, 18:13 PM

STA, 13 September 2020 - Slovenian riders claimed a third double win at the Tour de France as Tadej Pogačar won the 15th stage of the race and Primož Roglič came in second, keeping the overall leader's yellow jersey. Colombian Egan Bernal, the defending champion, has been left in the dust by Roglič's Jumbo-Visma team.

During the summit finish atop the Grand Colombier, Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) was left far behind and out of the race for the overall win, losing seven minutes and 20 seconds.

Jumbo-Visma set a blistering pace, with Roglič at the helm, however Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) was the only one able to outmatch him at today's 174.5-km stage, which featured three steep climbs.

The 21-year-old, wearing the young rider leader's white jersey, now sits only 40 seconds behind Roglič and his yellow jersey.

"So far, Roglič has seemed unstoppable; today broke Bernal, perhaps on another day, it will be me or Roglič. We can't know that for sure," said Pogačar, who is now the youngest rider to have bagged two stage wins in the past 86 years of the race, according to RTV Slovenija data. He also vowed to keep up the pace.

Roglič meanwhile thanked his team and pointed out that the key stages were yet to come. "It would have been good if I had gained four seconds, but I was too short and Tadej was too good today. Nevertheless, I'm satisfied," said Roglič, who will don the yellow jersey for the seventh time on Tuesday.

Colombian Rigoberto Uran (EF Pro Cycling) ranks third in the overall standings, with a minute and 34 seconds between him and Roglič.

The 30-year-old became the first Slovenian ever to claim the leader's jersey of the most prestigious cycling race in the world a week ago.

This is also the first time ever that two Slovenian competitors top the overall rankings at the Tour.

Monday will be a rest day for the riders and a third series of coronavirus tests will be performed.

13 Sep 2020, 11:00 AM

STA, 12 September 2020 - President Borut Pahor has reiterated his concerns about a potential failure of parliament to implement an electoral reform as ordered by the Constitutional Court, saying that "from the moment of elections onwards, we will no longer be talking about coronavirus and other topics but only about whether we have a legal and legitimate leadership".

"It is true that this will not be the end of the world, but it could perhaps be the beginning of the end of formal democracy in Slovenia," Pahor told the STA, feeling Slovenia would regress to the period before the "political spring" that led to independence.

"Perhaps these are harsh words, but it is my duty to warn about his, not only as president but also as somebody who realises, in the light of the country's 30th anniversary, that we existentially depend on democracy."

The president has continued stressing that 21 December this year is the reform deadline set in a 2018 ruling by the Constitutional Court which said major discrepancies among population sizes in electoral districts no longer guaranteed the one person-one vote principle.

After parliament was three votes short earlier this year - the solution was rejected by the senior coalition Democrats (SDS) and junior coalition Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) - of scrapping the districts and introducing a preferential vote, parliament is expected to now focus on a redrawing of districts.

While the particular interests of parties threaten to complicate this redrawing, "things are also harder because we've been pushed into a corner, having only one option". He urged MPs to hurry up and, crucially, first come to an agreement on what kind of a discrepancies among municipalities would still be acceptable.

Pahor believes "there is currently hardly a bigger political challenge than adopting electoral legislation" and he does not find solace in statements claiming there will be no disaster if elections are held in line with the existing legislation.

"In the end, constitutional jurists acknowledge it is possible to think this way as a last resort, but this is the last resort and it constitutes an unreasonable risk."

Pahor, who is also puzzled by the passive attitude of the civil society to this issue, said that "if we do not have even the basic belief that we elected MPs via a legal system, we will completely erode people's trust in the political system".

Pahor expects that an appeal after such an election is almost inevitable, as he does not count on parties showing responsibility and accepting the result. "What is more, this is not just their problem. The election can be challenged by anybody, any voter," he stressed.

As for why it is taking so long, he acknowledged there had been some tactical play among the political parties, he however categorically rejected the possibility of somebody delaying things in order to intentionally push Slovenia into a non-democratic state.

"Were somebody to do that, they would incur the wrath of God. This would mean they are blind politically. Nobody will win if Slovenian politics fails to change electoral legislation," he said, while warning against an accumulation of issues amid the Covid-19 crisis.

13 Sep 2020, 10:48 AM

The covers and editorials from leading weeklies of the Left and Right for the work-week ending Friday, 11 September 2020. All our stories about coronavirus and Slovenia are here

Mladina: Janša creating chaos, offering impressions without content

STA, 11 September 2020 - The left-wing weekly Mladina is critical in its latest editorial of what it sees as a policy of hollow impressions pursued by Janez Janša-led governments. It argues Janša is all about chaos, in which he can pursue an ideological agenda, while true content in terms of effective measures is absent.

Accusing Janša of scaremongering during the refugee crisis and during the last financial crisis, Mladina editor-in-chief Grega Repovž says that similar behaviour can be witnessed again in the fight against coronavirus.

"A lot of wind, and above all a large number of measures that create the impression of a government working around the clock, moving from one extreme to the other, closing municipal borders and all the way to a dramatic end of the epidemic and the flypast by US aircraft," Repovž says under Chaos.

He goes on to list a number of crucial measures against Covid-19, saying they have all remained unimplemented, all the way down to the quarantine orders, which are still without legal validity.

The government has also failed to convince people that masks are effective, Repovž argues, saying officials often do not wear them, including not Janez Janša when receiving Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz with whom he moreover shook hands.

"We are not saying that the situation is alarming at this point. But one thing is clear: the good results of the fight against coronavirus are mostly the result of responsible behaviour on the part of the residents of this country. They are really tough and patient, having had to observe the double-faced behaviour of politicians for months."

Reporter: Police force politicised

STA, 7 September 2020 - "The police force has been more or less politicised under every government," says the right-wing weekly Reporter on Monday, arguing that if the police were truly independent and professional, then they would be more successful in cracking white-collar crime and corruption.

However, only a few thieves have been caught among those who were stealing and capitalising on the transition period, "but nothing happened to the rest, who had good connections, including political ones".

The editor-in-chief Silverster Šurla notes in the editorial that the Janez Janša government has replaced a number of persons holding top posts, just like any other government, including in the tax office, police, military and the intelligence agencies.

"The new government has not yet taken complete control over the police though, particularly not in case of the elite National Bureau of Investigation," says Reporter, pointing out that information about what is going on at the Interior Ministry and police is leaked to media almost daily.

The police should be independent of politics, but that has not been seen in Slovenia yet and probably would not be ever since the force is a major tool for the authorities, either left-wing or right-wing.

Since Slovenia's independence, there have been a number of cases of political interferences in the work of the police, either to drag the procedures or to speed them up. "However, it is true that the police have been longer and more controlled by the political left than the right."

Both sides of the aisle are finger pointing and proclaiming efforts to depoliticise the police when they are ruling though, says the editorial under the headline Danger in the House at the End.

All our posts in this series are here

13 Sep 2020, 04:16 AM

Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

This summary is provided by the STA:

President calls for democratic values as Primorska day is marked

ANKARAN - A ceremony marking the reunification of the western region of Primorska with Slovenia was held, with President Borut Pahor saying that Slovenians had the responsibility to strengthen the democratic values which would build a promising future. Addressing the ceremony ahead of the 15 September holiday marking the occasion, Pahor said he would like to see more cooperation. "There is too much intolerance and even hatred among us, and this is not a promising future." Former Culture Minister Majda Širca said that history was frequently being twisted, revised, simplified and adjusted to day-to-day politics. The banality of evil is what we face today, and history should be observed with great measure of responsibility, she added.

105 coronavirus infections detected on Friday in record 3,191 tests

LJUBLJANA - A record 3,191 tests for the novel coronavirus were performed in Slovenia on Friday, resulting in 105 new confirmed infections in what was the second day in a row that the number exceeded 100, the government said on Twitter. A record 108 cases were recorded a day earlier. A total of 26 persons were in hospital for Covid-19 yesterday, five of them requiring intensive care. There were no deaths, with the total death toll remaining at 135.

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FinMin calls for global agreement on international tax rules

BERLIN, Germany - The EU finance ministers have called for simple and fair taxation as they met for a two-day informal meeting, with Slovenia's Andrej Šircelj saying that a global agreement on international taxation rules was the best solution. He thus hopes that a proposal acceptable at a global level would be presented as soon as possible. Šircelj said that a global agreement was the best solution, and that it must be made sure that "new rules are simple and that additional burden is not put on taxpayers". The remaining ministers expressed similar positions, the Slovenian Finance Ministry said.

Pahor steps up calls for electoral reform, fears democracy in peril

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor has reiterated his concerns about a potential failure of parliament to implement an electoral reform as ordered by the Constitutional Court, saying that "from the moment of elections onwards, we will no longer be talking about coronavirus and other topics but only about whether we have a legal and legitimate leadership". "It is true that this will not be the end of the world, but it could perhaps be the beginning of the end of formal democracy in Slovenia," Pahor told the STA, feeling Slovenia would regress to the period before the independence efforts.

First Pride Parade in Slovenj Gradec demands policy changes

SLOVENJ GRADEC - The first ever Pride Parade was held in Slovenj Gradec (N), with around a hundred participants expressing support for the LGBT+ community and disagreement with what they believe are discriminatory policies towards the community and demanding political, systemic and social changes. The programme will be concluded around 8pm with a cultural and political programme, including readings of poems and musical acts. Stands were also set up to present related Slovenian LGBTIQ+ organisations, and an exhibition of feminist photography by three local authors is also on display in the raumAU gallery.

Tesla cars now available in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - A Tesla Motors showroom has opened in Ljubljana in August, making Tesla automobiles directly accessible to Slovenian customers. By the end of the year, a service centre is expected to open as well. The cars can be ordered online only, but potential buyers can visit the showroom on Leskoškova Street in Ljubljana, where they can examine a vehicle up close and receive advice from sales consultants to help them decide on their preferred configuration. Tesla Model 3 is currently the only one on display in Ljubljana, but models S and X will become available soon.

If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here

 

12 Sep 2020, 11:29 AM

What follows is a weekly review of events involving Slovenia, as prepared by the STA.

If you’d like to keep up on the daily headlines then follow those here, or get all our stories in your feed on Facebook.

FRIDAY, 4 September
        BRDO PRI KRANJU - PM Janez Janša dismissed at the annual meeting of Slovenian diplomats concerns Slovenia is drifting away from the EU's core countries, saying the "saga about a core Europe" was a false dilemma that testified lack of confidence. However, Slovenia does not have an inferiority complex, he added.
        BRDO PRI KRANJU - Slovenian and French FMs Anže Logar and Jean-Yves Le Drian coordinated the preparations of their respective countries for their upcoming EU presidencies in the second half of 2021 and first half of 2022, respectively, as Le Drian presented a vision for a more confident EU as a guest at the annual meeting of Slovenian diplomats. He also met with President Borut Pahor.
        LJUBLJANA - European People's Party (EPP) president Donald Tusk visited Slovenia to honour the 20th anniversary of the New Slovenia (NSi) party, underscoring that even though EU countries and EPP parties might pursue different interests, the EU's fundamental values such as freedom of speech, tolerance and the rule of law, were non-negotiable.
        LJUBLJANA - The New Slovenia (NSi) marked its 20th anniversary, with its head Matej Tonin labelling the party a bridge between the left and right. "I believe we can create a wave of cooperation together, which is to unite Slovenian politics," he said.
        RIJEKA, Croatia - The builder Kolektor Koling signed the latest in a series of high-value construction contracts in Croatia, this time for a EUR 35 million reconstruction of transport surfaces and rails at the port of Rijeka.
        LJUBLJANA - The telecoms incumbent Telekom Slovenije announced the sale of TS Media, a subsidiary running several online businesses, including the popular siol.net news portal.

SATURDAY, 5 September
        RAB, Croatia - The presidents of Slovenia and Croatia, Borut Pahor and Zoran Milanović, attended a ceremony honouring the victims of the Fascist concentration camp on the island of Rab. Pahor said the joint gesture "symbolised the importance of friendship and a shared awareness of the need to preserve memory, which should also serve as a warning".
        BLED - Matt Boyse, deputy assistant secretary at US Department of State's Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, told the STA that relations between the US and Slovenia were becoming markedly stronger. He praised Slovenia's efforts in the Three Seas Initiative, expressing his belief its October summit would bring notable headway.

SUNDAY, 6 September
        PAU, France - Slovenian riders made history at the Tour de France as Tadej Pogačar won the 9th stage and Primož Roglič came in second to take the yellow jersey. The Jumbo-Visma rider has become the first Slovenian ever to claim the leader's jersey at the world's most prestigious cycling race, and is still holding the first place overall.
        BASOVIZZA, Italy - Four victims of Fascism, known among Slovenians as the Basovizza Heroes, were remembered with a ceremony at the site they were executed 90 years ago following a short trial before a Fascist court in Trieste. Parliamentary Speaker Igor Zorčič told the ceremony the four had become a symbol of resistance to a murdering and oppressive regime and ideology that incited hatred and violence among people.
        STIČNA - PM Janez Janša remembered the spirit of cooperation and mutual trust between people of different political persuasions as he addressed a ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of a secret meeting that set out plans for Slovenia's defence on breaking independent from Yugoslavia.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia defeated Moldova to secure first win in this year's UEFA Nations League after drawing with Greece two days earlier. Slovenia now rank second behind Greece in Group C3. The next games will be played in October against Kosovo and Moldova.

MONDAY, 7 September
        LJUBLJANA - The newspaper Dnevnik reported that the Information Commissioner had launched oversight of the police over "lack of clarity in expansion of police powers" related to measures to contain coronavirus. The privacy watchdog is looking whether police measures are warranted by law.
        LJUBLJANA - As the second week of school started with a number of groups of children in quarantine due to coronavirus cases detected among their classmates, the Education Ministry said it was developing an application which would contain all relevant information in one place. It is planning to start publishing data on a weekly basis soon.
        KLAGENFURT, Austria - A political group of the Slovenian minority in Austria urged the mayors of municipalities in the bilingual parts of the state of Carinthia to set up bilingual place names in 37 villages. SKUP called on the mayors to follow the example of another two municipalities, which decided in July to set up bilingual place names in 23 villages.
        LJUBLJANA - A landmark ruling by the Administrative Court was announced in which the right of NGOs to participate already in the preliminary stage of permit proceedings is asserted if they are able to prove an investment would have significant environmental impact.
        LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Business Club (SBC) presented a set of proposals to fight the consequences of Covid-19. It wants the freezing of the minimum wage act provisions which will increase the minimum wage as of 1 January 2021, and the criteria for additional liquidity funds with state guarantee to be changed and the measure extended until next June.
        LJUBLJANA - The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) dismissed an appeal lodged by two Roma families in June who alleged violations of basic human rights because of inadequate access to drinking water and sanitation.

TUESDAY, 8 September
        LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz called for a joint approach to coronavirus and to illegal migration as they held a meeting, at which they agreed a full lockdown should be avoided this autumn. Turning to illegal migration, Janša called for a strengthening of border protection, a joint EU approach and assistance to the countries that could be hit the hardest.
        LJUBLJANA - Several MPs of the LMŠ party of the former PM Marjan Šarec self-isolated after coming into a contact with a person who had tested positive for the new coronavirus. Šarec said four LMŠ MPs had been issued quarantine orders, with two more self-isolating as a precaution.
        TRIESTE, Italy - The Trieste-based Slovenian newspaper Primorski Dnevnik reported that Italian Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese had announced Italy would not close small border crossings with Slovenia to fight to increased migration, but would instead bolster the presence of the military and police in the border area.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission gave its go-ahead for an EUR 80 million investment out of the cohesion fund to co-finance the new rail section from Divača to Koper, which is valued at EUR 1.194 billion. The funds will be spent on building a tunnel and two viaducts supporting the track.
        LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Finance Committee backed a proposal for a 2% rise in pensions in December regardless of the amount of GDP growth in the past year, which would come at the cost of EUR 94 million. The government has not yet taken a position on the proposal, however it appears to have been agreed within the ruling coalition.
        LJUBLJANA - The Gorenje Group said it generated a net loss of EUR 55.2 million last year, down from 2018's EUR 111.2 million, while revenue rose by 4% to EUR 1.23 billion. The group said the loss was largely a result of poor performance in the first quarter when the volume of sales was rather low. The group expects to post a profit this year.
        
WEDNESDAY, 9 September
        LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - The General Court of the EU dismissed Slovenia's appeal to annul the European Commission delegated regulation of May 2017 to allow Croatian wine producers to use Teran, the name of a red wine protected by Slovenia, on their wine labels. Slovenia, which had the wine grown in the region of Kras recognised as a protected designation of origin, challenged the delegated regulation in September 2017. The decision was met with frustration and blame game at home.
        LJUBLJANA - Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) leader Aleksandra Pivec resigned despite previously vowing to fight efforts by the party's council to unseat her over mixing official and private business on two trips to western Slovenia. She announced, however, that she would run for chairmanship again when the party holds an election congress, until which the party will be led by Tomaž Gantar, the health minister.
        LJUBLJANA - The government announced that 78 new coronavirus cases had been detected from 2,560 tests carried out a day earlier, an absolute daily record for the numbers of new cases and daily tests since the first case was recorded in the country on 4 March. As many as 590 cases were active.
        LJUBLJANA - FM Anže Logar said he wanted to overhaul Slovenia's foreign policy within a year "given the geostrategic changes and the new dynamic of relations in the global arena". Slovenia's foreign policy should become more confident and active, and stronger transatlantic relations are also a priority, said Logar.
        LONDON, UK - The UK-based company Ascent Resources was revealed to have formally begun procedures to start an investor dispute against Slovenia at international arbitration for taking measures to protect its groundwater from fracking, the NGO Friends of the Earth announced.
        LJUBLJANA - The Environment Ministry unveiled the long-awaited draft climate strategy until 2050. The centrepiece of the document is zero net emissions or climate neutrality by the target year. The use of coal is planned to be reduced by 60% by 2030 compared to 2005, and a decision on a new generator at the NEK power plant is to be made by 2027.
        LJUBLJANA - The Statistics Office said that Slovenia's exports amounted to EUR 2.94 billion in July, a 2.9% year-on-year decrease, while imports were down by 10.9% to EUR 2.74 billion, which made for the second highest external trade surplus in a decade.
        POSTOJNA - The operator of the Postojna Cave said it was forced to lay off a number of employees as it grapples with a 83% drop in visit due to the corona crisis and looks to secure long-term sustainability of operation. The newspaper Primorske Novice reported that up to 60 out of the 174 employees are to be sacked.
        IG - Slovenia's Equality Rights Ombudsman found that prisoners in the country's sole incarceration facility for women were discriminated against compared to their male counterparts in Slovenia's largest prison when it comes to visitors, private and intimate contacts, phone calls and electronic communication.

THURSDAY, 10 September
        LJUBLJANA - The government decided that Slovenia would cut mandatory quarantine imposed on arrivals from Covid-19 risky countries from 14 to 10 days starting from Sunday, a decision that was taken on the proposal of the expert government advisory group. Some exemptions for family visits or funerals in Slovenia were also loosened.
        LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Health Committee unanimously endorsed amendments to the act on communicable diseases under which unvaccinated children would be barred from public or publicly financed kindergartens.
        LJUBLJANA - Responding to a growing number of illegal migrants entering Slovenia from Croatia, six police departments along the border said they would enhance border surveillance. Officers will be preventing, detecting and processing instances of illegal crossing of the border until 18 September.
        BREŽICE - The government commission for concealed mass graves began work on a site of summary execution at Mostec near Brežice, so far discovering the remains of at least 139 victims believed to have been executed between May and October 1945.
        LJUBLJANA - The Fiscal Council expressed reservations about the proposed supplementary budget for this year and the revised budget framework for 2020-2022. Even though Slovenia is allowed to depart from mid-term budgetary objectives, it said some expenditure was either not sufficiently transparent or projected to grow at an excessive pace.
        LJUBLJANA - The government decided to open an honorary consulate in Brno, the Czech Republic, and appointed businesswoman Andrea Ungerova the honorary consul. The consulate is to help Slovenian companies enhance business ties with Czech partners.
        LJUBLJANA - Croatian poet Sibila Petlevska won this year's Vilenica Crystal, an award the Vilenica International Literary Festival gives to one of the authors featured in the festival's anthology. The jury described the work of the 56-year-old Petlevska as combining a rich imagination, distinct voice and subdued yet vivacious playfulness.
        LJUBLJANA - The Statistics Office said Slovenia recorded the third consecutive monthly rise in industrial output in July. Up 8%, the output is however still below pre-Covid-19 levels and was 4.6% lower than in July 2019. The last time output was up year-on-year was February.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia advanced five places to 62nd among 162 countries in an economic freedom report published by the libertarian institutes Visio from Slovenia and Fraser from Canada. Slovenia remains one spot behind Croatia.

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