22 Mar 2022, 16:41 PM

Slovenian Section of Camino de Santigo to Be Revived

STA, 22 March 2022 - A section of the famous Way of St James, or the Camino de Santiago, that is running through the north-eastern-most part of Slovenia will be revived to attract even more visitors both from home and abroad.

There are three branches of the world's best known pilgrimage route running through Slovenia, including one leading from Kobilje near the border with Hungary via Ptujska Gora and through Tuhinjska Dolina valley to Ljubljana.

One branch takes pilgrims from Slovenska Vas near the Obrežje border crossing with Croatia through Dolenjska and Primorska to Italy's Trieste and one runs from Ljubljana and across the Korensko Sedlo pass (Wurzenpass) to Austria or via Monte Santo di Lussari to Val Canale in Italy and on to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

It is the section of the path linking on to Hungary that local communities and tourism boards in Prekmurje and Prlekija would like to revive, also by involving tourism and hospitality establishments in the effort.

The project was presented in Kobilje on Tuesday with the local tourism official Saša Fras noting that the village was the only spot in Slovenia where two pilgrimages' ways met, the Way of St James and the Way of St Martin.

The Slovenian section of the Way of St James is walked annually by around a thousand people. More are expected in the future as the way through Slovenia is quite beautiful, said Igor Vidmar, the head of the Association of Friends of the Way of St James.

Their project will include a film about the Prekmurje section of the pilgrimage, and a promotional tour for partners and journalists on 19 April between Ljutomer and Jeruzalem along with a presentation of offerings along the way at Jeruzalem Mansion.

22 Mar 2022, 15:31 PM

Slovenia Moves to Safeguard Wheat Supplies

STA, 22 March 2022 - Agriculture Minister Jože Podgoršek said that everything should be done for Slovenian wheat to stay in Slovenia, as he spoke to the press after a session of the commission for purchase and sale of grains in Ljutomer on Tuesday. The meeting also aimed at reaching agreement on models for calculating costs of wheat production.

Such an agreement would enable stakeholders in the wheat chain to conclude binding contracts with Slovenian farmers now so that Slovenian wheat stays in Slovenia when harvested, said Podgoršek.

Borut Florjančič, head of the Slovenian Co-operatives Association, urged a concrete agreement so that farmers know where they stand. "If there is no agreement, then we shouldn't criticise farmers for selling wheat abroad."

Podgoršek and the commission's head, Franc Küčan, meanwhile stressed that there was enough wheat in Slovenia until the harvest while retailers were also well stocked on it.

Küčan also said that there was no need for people to overbuy food. Podgoršek expressed the same view at Monday's EU ministerial on food safety amid the Ukraine war.

Küčan believes that Slovenian farmers can produce 150,000 tonnes of wheat this year, but said that "all wheat should be controlled, properly classified and processed".

The commission will propose that wheat with 9.5% of protein content is also used for bread. Last year, some 20,000 tonnes of such wheat was made into fodder.

Slovenian bread wheat was sold at EUR 185 per tonne in 2021, with best-quality wheat fetching EUR 215, while the price on wheat markets now tops EUR 350.

Minister Podgoršek said that global wheat prices were bound to fluctuate considerably in the coming months until a balance was found between offer and demand.

Slovenia does not import grains from Ukraine or Russia, but imports common wheat and corn from neighbouring countries, chiefly Hungary and Croatia.

Eurostat data shows EU countries produce on average 282 million tonnes of grains a year, of which 123 million tonnes of common wheat and 68 million tonnes of corn.

The EU's self-sufficiency rate for grains is at 112%, 136% for wheat and 85% for corn, according to data cited by the Agriculture, Forestry and Food Ministry.

What worries Slovenia is that some countries could stop exporting mineral fertilisers as the country imports most of them from Croatia and Russia, the ministry said.

The commission for purchase and sale of grains consists of representatives of the Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry, the Co-operatives Association and the Trade Union of Farmers.

22 Mar 2022, 11:35 AM

Slovenia’s Tourism Industry Sets Out Plan to Avoid Impacts of Russian Invasion of Ukraine

STA, 22 March - As the Slovenian tourism industry has not yet bounced back from the Covid pandemic while it expects to be also hit by the war in Ukraine, its representatives propose a set of 15 measures the government should immediately take to help the most severely affected companies. They argue the situation is "very serious".

The Tourism and Hospitality Chamber and 15 tourism associations argue in a statement on Tuesday that despite Slovenia having relaxed coronavirus restrictions, the epidemiological situation in the country is not good, which makes its tourism industry less competitive on the global market.

The situation will be further aggravated as a result of the war in Ukraine, which the chamber would like to end as soon as possible.

In 2021, Ukrainian and Russian tourists generated 101,300 nights in Slovenia, while tourism firms expect a 30% drop in March-May and up to a 25% drop in June-August.

"In some destinations which have been focussed on these two markets in recent years, the loss will be 50%," the chamber quoted results of a survey among tourism firms.

Recovery on the two markers is expected to take several years, the war has made tourists in other countries more cautious about travel plans, and the industry is further affected by rising prices of energy, goods and services across Europe.

The chamber thus proposes a one-off bonus for tourism, noting the measure was included in a draft emergency coronavirus bill in March 2021.

The government should also immediately reintroduce the short-time work scheme; the chamber says the Labour Ministry is working on a systemic measure to be ready by the end of the year, which is much too late for the industry.

The chamber also proposes extending the period in which companies which performed better than initially estimated during the coronavirus must return state aid.

The proposal also features several measures regarding staff recruitment, while the chamber welcomes a tender to subsidise air carriers to fly to Ljubljana airport.

"Further delays in adopting these urgent measures will result in countries with more business-friendly practices (Austria, Czech Republic, Italy) to further outperform us and push us to the margin of tourist Europe," the statement reads.

22 Mar 2022, 11:29 AM

Around 4,400 Ukrainians Apply for Temporary Protection in Slovenia

STA, 21 March 2022 - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs presented Slovenia's activities and government measures related to the Ukraine crisis as he met foreign ambassadors in the country in Brdo pri Kranju on Monday. He said that since 10 March, 4,400 persons from Ukraine had requested temporary protection, the Interior Ministry said.

Since 10 March, when Slovenia enabled temporary protection to displaced persons from Ukraine, 4,400 persons have requested such protection, while 593 persons have also asked for international protection.

Hojs expressed Slovenia's solidarity with Ukraine today and condemned Russia's military aggression in Ukraine. He said Slovenia had responded to the crisis immediately, sending military equipment and humanitarian aid to the country, and was also helping the Ukrainians who arrived in Slovenia.

22 Mar 2022, 06:24 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Tuesday, 22 March 2022

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 sending its diplomats back to Kyiv this week

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia plans to sent its diplomatic representatives back to Kyiv this week. "We are working to make the EU do the same. Ukraine needs diplomatic support," Prime Minister Janez Janša announced on Twitter on Sunday evening, noting that the diplomats would return to Kyiv on a voluntary basis. The Foreign Ministry later told the STA that the delegation of diplomats that is to return to Ukraine had not yet been finalised. The chargé d'affaires is expected to head the diplomatic representation office there, and it should become clear in the coming days how many people will make up the delegation and when they will leave.

Logar: New legislation empowers govt to better implement sanctions

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The Slovenian government will be able to better implement the EU sanctions against Russia, more specifically the freezing of assets of certain Russian citizens, now that new legislation has empowered it to do so, whereas the old legislation was somewhat "flawed", Foreign Minister Anže Logar said in Brussels. The EU has so far adopted four packages of sanctions against Russia over the invasion of Ukraine, including freezing assets of 685 individuals and 14 legal persons.

4,400 Ukrainians have requested protection in Slovenia

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs presented Slovenia's activities and government measures related to the Ukraine crisis as he met foreign ambassadors in the country in Brdo pri Kranju on Monday. He said that since 10 March, 4,400 persons from Ukraine had requested temporary protection, the Interior Ministry said.

Advisory group proposes offering vaccines to refugee children

LJUBLJANA - The advisory group on immunization at the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) proposes that refugee children be offered vaccination in line with Slovenia's national vaccination programme, including against tuberculosis and Covid-19, and small children also against flu. Members of the advisory group proposed that the age limit is set for vaccination against tuberculosis, shows a report from the group's meeting held last Wednesday.

1,076 coronavirus cases confirmed in 19% week-on-week increase

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia confirmed 1,076 new cases of coronavirus on Sunday, an increase of nearly 19% on the week before, as infections have been steadily rising for over two weeks. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 population now stands at 1,571 and the rolling seven-day average of new daily cases at 2,697, both up by almost a percent on yesterday, show figures by the National Institute of Public Health. The number of patients hospitalised due to Covid-19 remained flat at 181, of which 46 were in intensive care this morning, down by two from yesterday. Seven patients with Covid-19 died, according to Health Ministry data.

Watchdog investigating suspected fixing of wheat purchase prices

LJUBLJANA - The Competition Protection Office announced it is investigating Mlin Korošec, Mlinopek, Mlinotest, Panvita and Žito, saying there are grounds to suspect the food companies had engaged in the fixing of wheat purchase prices. The anti-trust watchdog, which launched the proceedings at the end of February, wrote that the five were suspected of violating the ban on cartel agreements and of acting in concert to exchange information on the purchase prices of wheat and to fix the prices.

President Pahor to visit Qatar on Wednesday

DOHA, Qatar - President Borut Pahor will pay an official visit to Qatar on Wednesday and Thursday at the invitation of the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, with whom Pahor will discuss ways to strengthen bilateral relations in variouss fields, the president's office said. Pahor will be accompanied by Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec and Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak. Vrtovec announced last week that the visit will include talks on the possible supply of energy products to Slovenia.

UN endorses Slovenia's resolution on drug abuse prevention

LJUBLJANA/VIENNA, Austria - The UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) has endorsed a resolution on early drug abuse prevention last week in Vienna, which was put forward by Slovenia. The resolution calls on the international community to step up efforts to prevent illicit drug use, especially among children and youth, the Health Ministry said. After intense negotiations in difficult circumstances, also connected to the war in Ukraine, the Slovenian delegation managed to obtain the full support of all member states that were present, which then approved the resolution by consensus.

Slovenian agriculture to get EUR 1.7m from EU reserves, minister says

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission will release around EUR 500 million in reserves to help the most affected farmers, with Slovenia entitled to EUR 1.7 million, Agriculture Minister Jože Podgoršek said in Brussels, where EU agriculture ministers are discussing measures to stabilise the EU food sector amid the war in Ukraine. The funds have to be paid out by 30 September, explained the minister.

Salus profit up 28% to EUR 13m

LJUBLJANA - Salus, a distributor of medicines, reported revenue rising by 14% to EUR 458.3 million in 2021. Net profit was up by 28% to EUR 13 million in what the management described as a record year. Operating profit rose by nearly a quarter to EUR 15.3 million, with EBITDA up by almost 22% to EUR 19.7 million, show consolidated results. Salus's figures show the Slovenian medicines and food supplements market grew by almost 6% last year in value terms, as the share of more expensive drugs increases.

Slovenian Genome aims to enhance personalised medicine in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia has launched Slovenian Genome, a project of Slovenian population's genetic variability data that could simplify genetic diagnostics and thus help people with rare diseases, which affect one in 2,000 Slovenians. To have fast genomic diagnostics, normal variations of the human genome in Slovenia need to be defined, so all healthy Slovenian residents who have no rare disease have been urged to donate their genomic information.

Runaway driver who caused fatal migrant accident caught in Koper

LJUBLJANA - The police have caught a 24-year-old North Macedonian national in Koper on Friday. The man is suspected to have caused a fatal accident on the Štajerska leg of the A1 motorway on 12 March, involving a van carrying illegal migrants. One person was killed and eleven were injured, while the suspect fled the scene on foot.

Wildfire in Ajdovščina area contained

AJDOVŠČINA - A bushfire has swept through a grassy area on the slopes of the Gora mountain near Ajdovščina in western Slovenia. Firefighters have managed to contain the fire, but it will not be completely extinguished until the first rainfall. It is believed that the fire was caused by ashes that were thrown out by a senior citizen while still containing glowing embers.

Olm guardians from Postojna shortlisted for Natura 2000 Award

POSTOJNA - Baby dragon guardians at the Postojna Cave have been shortlisted for this year's Natura 2000 Award as the only representatives from Slovenia in what the company operating the world-famous Karst cave sees as a great compliment to the olm, a cave-dwelling amphibian, to the Postojna Cave and the entire country.

Francophone Film Festival opens tonight

LJUBLJANA - The Francophone Film Festival, taking place between 21 and 26 March in two Ljubljana cinemas to mark International Francophonie Day, opened in the evening with France, a 2021 drama by Bruno Dumont. The 10th edition of the festival will see screenings of seven feature-length films in Kinodvor and the Slovenian Cinematheque, along with 13 shorts by Alice Guy, the first female feature film director in the history of cinema.

21 Mar 2022, 17:24 PM

Slovenian Genome Project Launched

STA, 21 March 2022 - Slovenia is launching Slovenian Genome, a project of Slovenian population's genetic variability data that could simplify genetic diagnostics and thus help people with rare diseases, which affect one in 2,000 Slovenians. To have fast genomic diagnostics, normal variations of the human genome in Slovenia need to be defined.

It usually takes more than eight years from first symptoms to the right diagnosis, while this period could be significantly shortened with the Slovenian Genome, Health Minister Janez Poklukar told the press on Monday.

Tadej Battelino from UKC Ljubljana's Paediatric Clinic invited all healthy Slovenian residents who have no rare disease to donate their genomic information to help make a diagnose for those who have inherited one of the rare diseases.

Battelino said that if we wanted to shorten the path to diagnosis, we needed the genome of healthy people, adding that "every genomic information is strictly anonymous".

He said "this is a kind of a humanitarian trait of this project. Those more lucky can help those less lucky by giving at the disposal our genomic data anonymously."

Poklukar said that rare disease patients often got a misdiagnosis and consequently wrong treatment, which further affected the quality of their living. The plan to treat rare diseases thus involves "prompt diagnostics with personalised medicine".

"Slovenian Gemone will make genomic diagnostics in Slovenia much easier, because it will bring to the common European database all genomic variability data of a representative sample of healthy Slovenian residents," Poklukar said.

"In a few year's time many diseases which are now incurable could be cured. So I think it is very good to have the data about the normal genome," said Marko Pokorn, medical director of the Paediatric Clinic, who has already contributed his blood sample for sequencing.

Every person differs genetically from another person with whom they are not related by three million bases in genes, said Damjana Rozman from the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics.

"Within the three million bases there are probably some changes which are more frequent in the Slovenian population but are perfectly normal. If we know that, then it will be easier to see which changes actually make us predisposed to some rare disease."

21 Mar 2022, 13:05 PM

Lendava Aims to Restore Rail Link to Croatia

STA, 21 March 2022 - The municipality of Lendava in north-eastern Slovenia is working towards the restoration of a local railway service to Čakovec in Croatia, which was discussed at a recent meeting between representatives of local authorities. They plan to devise a project and are hoping to secure EU funding.

A railway link between Lendava and nearby Beltinci has been planned for some time, as has a new high-speed line between Zagreb and Čakovec in Croatia. Both sides see that as an opportunity to revive the railway service between Čakovec and Lendava.

This was discussed at a recent meeting between Lendava Mayor Janez Magyar, acting prefect of Croatia's Međimurje County Josip Grivec, and the head of the Union of Croatian Associations in Slovenia, Đanino Kutnjak.

The latter said that they will examine all the options and possibilities to re-establish a railway link between Čakovec and Lendava. He also explained that a tourist train used to run twice a week between the two towns, but the line was abolished a few years ago.

For the time being, the local authorities are considering restoring the tourist train service, which would run from Lendava to Čakovec on Wednesdays and in the opposite direction on Fridays, with additional trains available during special occasions and events in both towns.

21 Mar 2022, 10:46 AM

Slovenian Diplomats Returning to Kyiv This Week

STA, 21 March 2022 - Slovenia plans to send its diplomatic representatives back to Kyiv this week. "We are working to make the EU do the same. Ukraine needs diplomatic support," PM Janez Janša announced on Twitter on Sunday evening. The diplomats will return to Ukraine on a voluntary basis, and the Foreign Ministry confirmed they will be based in Kyiv.

Like most foreign diplomats, Slovenian diplomatic representatives left Kyiv at or prior to the start of the Russian invasion.

The Foreign Ministry later told the STA that the delegation of diplomats that is to return to Ukraine had not yet been finalised.
The chargé d'affaires is expected to head the diplomatic representation office there, and it should become clear in the coming days how many people will make up the delegation and when they are expected to leave for Ukraine.

Foreign Minister Anže Logar confirmed Janša's announcement on Monday on his arrival at the EU foreign and defence ministers' meeting in Brussels.

He announced that "Slovenia will send the chargé d'affaires to Kyiv to show trust in Ukraine and its European prospects", calling on the EU to also send its special envoy to Ukraine.

According to Logar, Ambassador Tomaž Mencin, who had been stationed in Kyiv prior to the diplomats' return home due to the war, will not go back to Ukraine.

The ministry said that it was not yet entirely clear whether the representation office will be set up in Kyiv or somewhere else in the country. Diplomats who are still present in Ukraine have mainly moved to Lviv in the west of the country.

Janša said after a surprise visit to Kyiv last week alongside his Czech and Polish counterparts that Ukraine felt abandoned and that the EU had to send its representative back to Kyiv, "somebody who can represent us in person."

In a subsequent interview, he said that diplomats existed to "address situations, to give negotiations a chance when fighting is under way, we don't have them for banquets."

According to Logar, the matter of the EU sending back its representative will be discussed at today's session that will be mainly dedicated to efforts to further help Ukraine and to ensure effective implementation of sanctions against Russia, and to potential additional sanctions.

"Russia continues its attack, so we should have a joint and determined response to that in terms of the economy. We should step up sanctions, close ports, ban imports of energy products and resolutely support Ukraine's future in the EU," Logar said.

21 Mar 2022, 04:38 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Monday, 21 March 2022

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:

Fmr President Türk joins UN High-Level Advisory Board

NEW YORK, US - UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has appointed former Slovenian President and the head of the Club of Madrid Danilo Türk to the High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism along with 11 other respectable former and current leaders and experts. Ahead of last year's general debate of world leaders in September 2021, Guterres published a report entitled Our Common Agenda, calling for stronger governance of key issues of global concern.

Week-on-week increase in coronavirus cases continues

LJUBLJANA - A total of 1,474 coronavirus infections were recorded in Slovenia on Saturday, up 366 from a week ago. The National Institute for Public Health estimates there are currently 32,946 active infections in the country, which is 7,290 more than a week ago. Hospitalisations dropped further with 181 patients being treated due to Covid-19 this morning, including 48 in intensive care. Six patients with Covid died, Health Ministry data show.

Timi Zajc wins Ski Flying World Cup event in Obersdorf

OBERSTDORF, Germany - Timi Zajc won a Ski Flying World Cup event in Obersdorf, Germany, jumping 232 metres. This is the second victory in his career after Oberstdorf in 2019. Poland's Pjotr Žyla was second, and Stefan Kraft from Austria third. Slovenia's Žiga Jelar finished fourth. This is the 71st Slovenian individual victory in ski jumping and the 19th in ski flying. Together with team victories, Slovenia boast 82 wins.

Tina Šutej wins bronze at World Athletics Championship in Belgrade

BELGRADE, Serbia - Slovenia's Tina Šutej won bronze in the women's pole vault at the World Athletics Indoor Championships on Saturday with 4.75 metres. The reigning champion American Sandi Morris defended her title with 4.80 metres, and silver went to Katie Nageotte, also from the US (4.75 metres). The 33-year-old Šutej, who won silver at last year's World Athletics Indoor Championships in Torun, Poland, earned Slovenia its sixth's medal from World Athletics Indoor Championships.

Minister discusses consular needs of Slovenians in Germany

BERLIN, Germany - Minister for Slovenians Abroad Helena Jaklitsch discussed the consular needs of the 30,000-40,000 Slovenians living in Germany with officials at the Slovenian Embassy in Berlin on Saturday. Jaklitsch talked about the challenges with Polona Mal Bitec, who is responsible for consular activities at the embassy. Due to great interest in consular services, the officials discussed the possibility of introducing consular days in the town of Hilden in Nordrhein-Westfalen, to facilitate document issuing.

20 Mar 2022, 10:08 AM

Slovenia’s New “Freedom Movement” Party Focuses on Green Transition, Open Society

STA, 19 March 2022 - The Freedom Movement (Gibanje Svoboda), a newly formed party that ranks at or near the top of most polls a month before the election, confirmed its list of candidates an election platform on Saturday centred on the green transition, modern welfare state, and a free and open society governed by the rule of law.

"The party is offering a new social compact ... that will not leave anyone behind and will stand the test of time," party president Robert Golob said.

The green transition chapter of the programme says that Slovenia must abandon fossil fuels and significantly expand renewables while being mindful of keeping energy prices low. This should be coupled with the promotion of circular economy.

When it comes to the economy, the party plans to make Slovenia more attractive for investors in green and digital companies, promote investments in future technologies, and help companies reduce their carbon footprint.

In healthcare, an area that features prominently in almost all parties' programmes, the plan is to reduce wait times with emergency spending, digitise health services, and keep prices in check.

There are several ideas for reform of the political system, most notably a stronger role for the president of the republic, who would appoint judges, and the introduction of a preference vote at the general election.

Foreign policy plans involve a stronger role for Slovenia in the Alpine, Adriatic, Danube and Mediterranean regions, modernisation of the armed forces, and removal of the fence on the border with Croatia.

The party also plans to tackle fiscal policy by reforming corporate income tax, strengthening the Slovenian capital market, activate dormant capital, and promote employee ownership of companies.

Stronger family policy involves a universal child allowance, state guarantees for youths buying their first homes, accelerated construction of housing, and the promotion of housing cooperatives.

There is also mention of decent pensions and the option of pensioners returning to work after they retire, and reform of media law and modernisation of the cultural sector.

Golob juxtaposed the party's platform with the policies of the current government, which he said had pursued "policies that hides fear of your own people with the words of contempt," which prompted people to rebel.

The Freedom Movement and its poll ratings have for weeks been the subject of criticism from the right, where pundits wondered how a party without a programme could possibly be so popular.

Golob dismissed this saying that the party was now offering more than a programme, it was offering a vision of what the country should look like in 2030, as well as specific projects that are actionable immediately.

This two-tiered approach shows that the team which wrote the programme would take ownership of its implementation. "We are here to improve things, not because of our own benefits," he said.

The candidate list contains senior members of the party including Golob, plus current MP Janja Sluga and Jurij Lep, and former centre-left MPs Mirjam Bon Klajnšček, Tamara Vonta and Borut Sajovic, who is currently the mayor of Tržič.

Other prominent names include nuclear energy expert Miroslav Gregorič, charity worker Tereza Novak, former chancellor of the University of Ljubljana Igor Papič, former Luka Koper CEO Dimitrij Zadel, former boxing champion Dejan Zavec and medical doctor Danijel Bešič Loredan.

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