STA, 10 March 2022 - The opposition Left (Levica) has tabled a bill introducing a tax on empty and large houses and apartments to tackle the shortage of homes as estimates show that there are about 175,000 empty apartments around the country.

According to the party, real estate agents estimate that around 30% of all real estate transactions are purchases of real estate as an investment. "This trend is the consequence of an absence of any kind of housing policy and inappropriate taxation of real estate," the party said.

It noted that revenue from taxes on real estate and other assets were "shamefully low" in Slovenia, accounting for just 1.8% of all tax revenue, while the OECD average is 5.7%.

Estimates show that there are 175,000 empty apartments in the country, while there is demand for 30,000 public apartments that would be offered for rent, the Left said.

The new tax would be paid by real estate owners and could not be transferred to tenants or other users of the real estate.

The tax would be calculated based on the value of the real estate as determined in the mass appraisal of real estate. If the owner or their close family members permanently resided in the building, 120 square metres of residential surfaces would be deducted from the figure, meaning people living in such or smaller apartments would not pay the tax.

The bill proposes different tax rates for real estate depending on their use, with the highest rate envisaged for empty real estate.

STA, 10 March 2022 - Prime Minister Janez Janša has said the EU summit in Versailles should commit to Ukraine being guaranteed membership of the bloc similarly as the leaders did for the Western Balkan countries at the Thessaloniki summit in 2003. EU leaders should also pledge to do everything in their power for this to happen as soon as possible.

Similarly as in the case of the commitment to end the EU's reliance on Russian energy, Janša said Slovenia was against talking of one year or the other in debate on Ukraine's application for membership, arguing that promises what would happen in then years meant nothing to the Ukrainians.

Considering the draft statement, EU leaders are to pledge continued political, financial, material and humanitarian aid to Ukraine but are unlikely to give the country any clear guarantees over its membership of the EU that Ukraine wants.

The leaders are to reaffirm the wording from the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement that came into effect in September 2017 and that makes only a vague reference to membership: "The EU acknowledges the European aspirations of Ukraine and welcomes its European choice."

The EU leaders are to note that a few days ago EU member states called on the European Commission to draw up an opinion on Ukraine's membership application in record time. Pending this opinion, and without further delay, the member states will further enhance the ties and deepen the partnership, reads the draft statement.

Asked how far EU leaders could realistically go on the issue of Ukraine's EU membership, given the weak language in the draft statement, Janša said there were several drafts and they were changing, but that even that was a big improvement on the positions two weeks ago that it should not be mentioned at all.

He said they had spoken today with the leaders of most of the Ukrainian parliamentary parties, and he noted the remarkable unity among the Ukrainian people and politics. "Today is a very important day and I hope that the EU summit will be in tune with the times, which have changed drastically in the last two weeks," he stressed.

Asked how likely it was for the EU to offer Ukraine an Association Agreement plus, Janša said that amidst war the Ukrainian Symphony Orchestra played the European anthem in Kyiv's central square on Wednesday, and European flags were flying on many buildings shelled by the Russian army. "In Ukraine they are also fighting for Europe," he added.

He said that today they had also spoken with Petro Poroshenko, the former Ukrainian president, who he said was 100% behind the current President Volodymyr Zelenskyy despite being his political opponent.

Poroshenko said something worth considering, namely that a Ukrainian pilot in an old Mig-29 is doing more at the moment to defend European democracy than ten state-of-the-art F16s in a hangar, Janša said.

"The consequences of what happens in Ukraine will shape the years and decades to come in the EU and the rest of the world," said Janša, adding that the Australian PM had told him recently they were closely following developments in Ukraine, as it would depend on those how China would act in the Pacific.

The Versailles statement, to be adopted by EU leaders this weekend, is in Janša's view a strong document that sets out a political framework for the EU's real strategic autonomy, not only in energy, but also in food security and defence. There are few meetings and political documents of such importance, he said.

?? @JJansaSDS za Bloomberg TV o vprašanjih, ki bi jih morali zastaviti ruskemu predsedniku Putinu. pic.twitter.com/CDOwCtTPjr

— Vlada Republike Slovenije (@vladaRS) March 11, 2022

EU could offset cost of sanctions with seized Russian assets

STA, 10 March 2022 - Arriving for an EU summit in Versailles on Thursday, Prime Minister Janez Janša said an idea was taking shape in the EU to establish a fund to pool the money from frozen accounts of Russian oligarchs and state institutions. The funds would be used to repay the damage sustained by member states due to sanctions imposed on Russia.

Asked about Slovenia's position in the debate on compensation for the cost of sanctions in EU member states, Janša said that as far as Slovenian companies were concerned the Economy Ministry was working on solutions and had been in continuous contact with the affected companies.

When it comes to the European level and threats from Russia, he said the idea was being formed to set up a fund at European level to which the money currently frozen in the accounts of Russian oligarchs or state institutions would flow, and that it would simply be used to pay for the damage.

He regretted this was happening but said that "the one who started aggression must realise that there are two ends to every stick".

Asked whether there was any estimate of the damage suffered by Slovenia this far, the prime minister said that unlike the widely held belief by the public in Slovenia, Russia was not Slovenia's strategic economic partner and Slovenia had larger volumes of goods trade with at least 20 smaller countries.

He did say that any market loss was unnecessary, expressing the hope that the Russian nation, who contributed a lot to the European civilisation through history, would muster the strength to elect leaders who would not jeopardise others.

Commenting on rising food prices, Janša said these were only partly a result of the war in Ukraine and partly of higher energy prices, which had been rising even before Russia's aggression on Ukraine.

However, he said the EU had attained more than 80% food self-sufficiency through the common agricultural policy, which meant there could be shortages of some foodstuffs, but Europe would not go hungry.

Slovenia has recently also made great effort in this direction and has commodity reserves for turbulent times. "There may not be ten types of croissants on the table, but we will not go hungry," he said.

However, rising prices were a reminder that agriculture should be given appropriate attention.

Janša urges EU get rid of Russian energy ASAP

STA, 10 March 2022 - Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša called for the EU to end its reliance on Russian energy as soon as possible as he arrived for an EU summit in Versailles on Thursday. He condemned what he described as a series of crimes against humanity committed by Russia in Ukraine.

Asked by reporters how the EU would respond to the Russian bombardment of the maternity ward in Mariupol and whether time had come to ban imports of Russian gas and oil, Janša said it was not just the hospital's bombardment but a series of crimes against humanity in Russian aggression on Ukraine.

He said an important decision that should be adopted by the EU was to exclude Russian energy products as soon as possible. He said Slovenia was not advocating setting any date, but merely the commitment that this should be done as soon as possible. "Talking about that happening in ten year's time is an insult to those who are dying in the war," he said.

The step is not simple but if the EU joins forces it has some stockpiles for turbulent times and then this can be done in a time when it can still affect Russia's positions on Ukraine, he said.

Earlier, as he arrived at a meeting of the European People's Party held ahead of the EU summit, Janša said that Russia was committing war crimes in Ukraine. "Anyone can see that it is against all conventions," he said as quoted by Reuters.

STA, 9 March 2022 - The government adopted on Wednesday a decision introducing temporary protection for displaced persons from Ukraine that effectively grants them a temporary residence permit, access to the labour market, accommodation, education, social care and healthcare.

The decision activates the temporary protection of displaced persons act and comes after EU home affairs ministers agreed last week to activate the relevant directive for the first time ever.

The activation speeds up protection granting procedures, as Ukrainian refugees will not be required to ask for international protection on their arrival in Slovenia.

The government determined the categories of persons to whom Slovenia will provide temporary protection, the date of introduction and duration of temporary protection and the rules applicable to these persons after the temporary protection expires.

Temporary protection will be provided to persons displaced from Ukraine on or after 24 February 2022 as a result of the military invasion by the Russian armed forces, which started on that date, the government said in a press release.

These persons include citizens of Ukraine, stateless persons and third-country nationals who are not citizens of Ukraine and who have been entitled to international protection or other equivalent national protection in Ukraine.

Also eligible are family members of these persons, and stateless persons and third-country nationals who are not citizens of Ukraine and have resided in Ukraine based on a valid permanent residence permit and are unable to return to their country of origin in a safe and permanent manner.

The temporary protection will last for one year and can be extended for a maximum of two times for six months.

The government also decided to establish an accommodation centre for the applicants and persons with approved temporary protection in parts of the premises of the Protection and Disaster Relief Administration in Logatec.

?????

Today marks the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Slovenia & Ukraine. We value the 30 years of freedom, independence & friendship. We fully stand with the brave people of #Ukraine & their leadership fighting against Russia's invasion.#StopRussianAgression pic.twitter.com/P4LkZDyHD7

— MFA Slovenia (@MZZRS) March 10, 2022

MPs adopt resolution condemning Russia's attack on Ukraine

STA, 9 March 2022 - The National Assembly endorsed on Wednesday a resolution on the situation in Ukraine that condemns Russia's aggression against Ukraine and Russia's recognition of independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The resolution also endorses sanctions against Russia and Belarus, and Ukraine's EU accession prospects.

The resolution, which was submitted to the parliamentary procedure by deputies of all parliamentary groups bar the opposition National Party (SNS), was endorsed by 67 of the 74 deputies present, and none voted against.

It condemns Russia's aggression against Ukraine as "the worst violation of international law" and Russia's recognition of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions in eastern Ukraine as independent republics.

In addition, the resolution expresses solidarity with the Ukrainian people as those with the sole right to decide on their future, supports humanitarian aid and calls for peace efforts.

The National Assembly also supported the international sanctions that have been adopted so far against Russia and Belarus, and supported Ukraine's EU accession prospects and its application for EU membership.

The resolution calls for the adoption of a clear plan that guarantees Ukraine EU membership by 2030, provided that the conditions are met.

The Slovenian government has been urged to continue providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine and to support activities in the international community to launch talks between Ukraine and Russia.

In addition to the senior Slovenian officials, the resolution will also be presented to European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

The adoption of the resolution at the emergency session, which was attended by Ukrainian Ambassador Mykhailo Brodovych, was preceded by a debate and a minute of silence observed for the victims of the Russian aggression against Ukraine.

During the debate, Foreign Minister Anže Logar welcomed the resolution and its goals on behalf of the government.

"It is up to us politicians that this unjust, unjustified war, this brutal aggression of the Russian Federation against independent Ukraine will not disappear from the daily news," he said.

The chair of the Foreign Policy Committee, Monika Gregorčič of the coalition Concretely, said that any relativisation and justification of military aggression against a sovereign and internationally recognised state was inappropriate.

Nik Prebil of the opposition Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) noted that despite the unity in Slovenian politics shown in the condemnation of the Russian aggression, "there are some who use the state of war for their own political self-promotion".

The coalition New Slovenia (NSi) regretted that the resolution did not receive all 90 votes, as Russia is not threatened by NATO enlargement, but by the "expansion of democracy, freedom and prosperity," as MP Blaž Pavlin put it.

Opposition SAB MP Alenka Bratušek criticised the government of Janez Janša for what she sees as the failure to take care of Slovenian citizens residing in Ukraine, which Logar dismissed, and for "inadmissible mistake of dividing refugees to first- and second-rate ones".

"It seems that the communication of our prime minister related to the Ukrainian tragedy is not really about Ukrainians, but about addressing voters at home and their emotions," she said.

Matjaž Nemec of the opposition Social Democrats (SD) said that this was Russian President Vladimir Putin's war and that sanctions should prevent the Russian leadership and its circle of supporters from continuing to finance the war.

Matej T. Vatovec of the opposition Left said that the war in Ukraine signalled one thing - that militarisation, increase in military and armaments expenditure was not the solution, but the main cause of all problems.

Some Left deputies said that they would not endorse the resolution because of its "one-sidedness", as by doing so Slovenia was publicly and clearly taking one side in the conflict.

The SNS similarly announced that its MPs would abstain from voting, with Dušan Šiško noting that while the party supported humanitarian aid to refugees, Slovenia must remain neutral. "Slovenia should distance itself from this senseless war."

A decision condemning Russia's military attack on Ukraine and the assistance by Belarus was also adopted today by the National Council, the upper chamber of parliament, which also expressed solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

The National Council said after the session that it joined the response of the international community by supporting the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine's internationally recognised borders.

It expressed support for Ukraine's EU accession prospects and called for "an end of aggression with the ambition of all parties involved to work for a peaceful solution to the conflict through diplomatic channels".

STA, 8 March 2022 - The Interior Ministry will propose the government activate an article that will provide immediate temporary protection to Ukrainian refugees by Friday, Minister Aleš Hojs announced on Tuesday.

The ministry is working on a regulation whereby the government would activate the temporary protection of displaced persons act after EU home affairs ministers last week agreed to activate the temporary protection directive for the first time ever.

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 The directive means that refugees from Ukraine will be granted a temporary residence permit in the EU, access to the labour market, accommodation, education, social care and healthcare.

Slovenia already has the relevant act, but the government needs to take a special decision to activate it. The minister hopes it will be activated by Friday at the latest.

The activation will speed up protection granting procedures, Hojs said, adding that Ukrainian refugees would not be required to ask for international protection on their arrival in Slovenia.

Nataša Potočnik, the head of the migrations directorate, told Radio Slovenija that the mechanism would be available to those who were a resident of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, meaning both Ukrainian citizens and other citizens living in the country at that time would be eligible to be processed under the mechanism.

The latter are required to prove they had an international protection status or a residence permit in Ukraine at the time and cannot return to their country of origin.

Those who have already lodged an application for international protection under the regular procedure, which usually takes more time, can opt out of this and choose to be processed under the temporary protection mechanism, she said.

Temporary protection can be granted for one year with the possibility to be renewed twice. While having a temporary protection status, people can apply for international protection, she added.

The ministry provided police data this afternoon showing that 502 Ukrainian nationals had asked for international protection in Slovenia through Monday.

Even more are travelling through Slovenia. "According to the available data, we estimate that several thousand refugees transit through Slovenia per day," the police said. Hojs said earlier that most were headed to West European countries.

The minister announced that an information system would be put in place to register refugees from Ukraine, "so it's clear where and who is accommodated and whether they are still in Slovenia".

There has so far been no agreement on potential relocation of Ukrainian refugees between EU countries as Poland said it would sustain the pressure itself.

"Should the pressure of refugees increase further, Slovenia has made it clear that we are ready to accept a substantial number of refugees," said Hojs.

Slovenia could provide capacities to accommodate between 20,000 and 30,000 refugees and take care of roughly 200,000 in total. However, at the moment accommodation is available for between 1,000 and 2,000, he estimated.

The accommodation centre in Logatec currently accommodates 135 Ukrainian refugees, including 79 children, whereas the rest are women, said Katarina Štrukelj, the head of the government Office for the Support and Integration of Migrants. The ministry is looking for new capacities to accommodate them.

The ministry itself has made available accommodation facilities at the seaside resort of Debeli Rtič with other locations to be inspected in the coming days, including in Murska Sobota in the north-east of the country.

According to Defence Minister Matej Tonin, 2,500 Ukrainian refugees are registered at private accommodations in Slovenia, with their relatives or acquaintances.

The office has launched an open call to obtain information on candidates willing to provide accommodation for refugees from Ukraine. Due to numerous enquiries, the deadline for applications has been extended until Wednesday at noon, the office told the STA.

Health Minister Janez Poklukar said that Slovenia would provide medical care for Ukrainian refugees, and that all healthcare providers had been notified that the refugees are entitled to emergency health services.

Commenting on the integration of Ukrainian children into Slovenia's educational system, Education Minister Simona Kustec said that educational models were in place for this at primary and secondary school levels.

Depending on the flow of refugees, Slovenia will decide whether to take an individual approach in individual environments and schools, or a more systemic approach in the event of a larger refugee wave. Some Ukrainian child refugees are already being introduced into the Slovenian school system, she added.

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STA, 8 March 2022 - Andrej Vončina, a priest and secondary school teacher, has been given the Silver Thistle for the most sexist statement of 2021/22 for a comment on women in professional sport.

Vončina made the statement on 17 February 2022 for the weekly Reporter. He said that "professional sport diverts women from their mission while their biological clock is ticking. Professional sports also has many damaging factors that destroy women. It is similar in other areas as well. Heritage is not to be ignored and it says exactly where a woman can reach her full potential and where she is free."

The statement reveals how narrow-minded its author is, reducing women to their reproductive function and paradoxically claiming that women will be free only if they limit themselves in making decisions, said the organisers, the gender issues portal Spol.si and the organisers of the feminist and queer festival Red Dawns.

Sexist statements had been collected all year, with the public nominating statements published in various media and on social networks.

A total of 13 statements were shortlisted and put to an online vote between 21 February and 4 March. 552 people cast their vote.

STA, 7 March 2022 - Journalists at RTV Slovenija staged a news conference in front of the public broadcaster on Monday to demand full editorial independence and protest against deteriorating working conditions, mobbing and political pressure. TV Slovenija journalists also oppose Jadranka Rebernik's appointment as editor-in-chief of TV news programmes.

The staff expect changes to news programmes to be decided on solely by RTV Slovenija, while the decisions must not be made at the initiative of political parties or powerful individuals, nor to their benefit.

TV journalist Saša Krajnc said TV Slovenija One programmes are increasingly impoverished, scheduled shows are often not aired at the set times, and decisions to broadcast foreign shows or rallies did not come as a surprise only to the general public but also to RTV Slovenija staff.

This is after TV Slovenija has broadcast two BBC shows on Ukraine since Russia's invasion plus one of the rallies in support of Ukraine, the one which featured senior government officials, including Prime Minister Janez Janša, as key-note speakers.

He also took issue with the controversial changes to the public broadcaster's 2022 production plan over which the previous editor-in-chief of TV news programmes resigned in October. Some of the news shows were abolished, others were shortened or relegated from channel one to channel two.

Kranjc said that some of the news programmes that should have been launched on channel two after the Beijing Olympics have been yet again postponed.

The staff urged the 29-strong programming council to do its job in an independent and unbiased manner. The new lineup had its maiden session in mid-February after 21 members who newly appointed and are seen to be close to the director general.

The staff expects political parties to refrain from attempts to interfere in the work of RTV Slovenija, saying the broadcaster is in the service of the public.

Tatjana Pirc from Radio Slovenija pointed to the unwarranted criticism the Government Communication Office (UKOM) has been making in its reports as it scrutinises RTV Slovenija reporting.

The journalists believe the RTV Slovenija leadership should react in such cases to protect the staff and prevent attempts to undermine the public broadcaster.

Erika Žnidaršič, the host of the Tarča current affairs show, said the staff behind the latest Tarča, on Russia's invasion on Ukraine, were again pressured and attacked.

"The prime minister called us pro-Russian extremists on the day of the show, after we were called British fascists and a disgrace a day earlier," she said, adding that like several times before, there were calls for her dismissal also this time around.

Igor E. Bergant, a journalist at TV news programmes, said RTV Slovenija director general Andrej Grah Whatmough appointed Rebernik editor-in-chief for a full term on Friday even if the staff overwhelmingly supported her rival Mitja Prek.

If Prek agrees, they will ask the programming council to take a position on his candidacy to eventually replace Rebernik, which is possible under the RTV Slovenija act.

The Slovenian Journalist Association (DNS) and Journalist Trade Union (SNS) expressed support for the staff's demands and labelled Rebernik's appointment unlawful, arguing it is the latest in a series of the director general's controversial moves. The DNS said the move called for his dismissal.

Both argue that Grah Whatmough did not act in line with the law which gives the staff the right to put forward their candidate if the one put forward by the TV Slovenija director does not enjoy their trust. In such a case, the programming council must take a stance on the candidate.

TV Slovenija acting director Valentin Areh had put forward both Rebernik (who received some 20% support) and Prek (around 80%), but Grah Whatmough appointed Rebernik. She took over as acting editor-in-chief in December, and did not oppose the controversial production plan, although she also did not support it.

The DNS and the trade union believe the appointment procedure should be repeated, with the DNS adding the programming council and supervisory board should start a procedure to dismiss the director general since he pushed RTV Slovenija into operating lawfully.

The SNS highlighted that such violations gradually affect editorial autonomy, especially since the director general can count on a comfortable majority on the programming council, which votes on a number of his decisions.

The union said the director general had also announced sanctions against those who express their views, which together with "the established political pressure on journalists from the most aggressive members of the programming council and the UKOM" already affects journalists' day-to-day work. It announced it would take "adequate action" against the leadership over the unlawful moves.

STA, 6 March 2022 - Ninety-five young Ukrainian musicians fleeing war in their country are expected to arrive in Slovenia on Sunday, while the Government Office for the Support and Integration of Migrants is seeking new facilities to accommodate a growing number of refugees from Ukraine.

The Slovenian Youth Orchestra, which brings together musicians aged 12 to 22, said on Saturday it had responded to a call for help by the Youth Symphonic Orchestra of Ukraine.

The first 95 young musicians are thus expected in Slovenia today in an operation supported by the city of Ljubljana, food company Perutnina Ptuj and the Foreign Ministry.

The city is helping out with transport and accommodation, the ministry has offered logistical and administrative support, and Perutnina Ptuj, which is in Ukrainian ownership, will contribute food and financial aid. The refugees will be first accommodated at hostels and then placed with families or volunteers.

The Slovenian Youth Orchestra and its artistic director Živa Ploj Peršuh plan to organise a camp and other activities in Ljubljana for the refugee musicians to practice and play with their Slovenian peers.

The Government Office for the Support and Integration of Migrants has meanwhile published a public call to secure more accommodation facilities for Ukrainian refugees.

Legal persons that can offer facilities with at least 20 beds can respond to the call, which is open until Tuesday at 9am.

First refugees from Ukraine arrived in Slovenia soon after Russia invaded its western neighbour.

Eighty-five refugees are at an accommodation centre in Logatec, south-west of Ljubljana, while some have also been accommodated by their relatives or friends.

STA, 5 March 2022 - Philosopher Slavoj Žižek has assessed that both the Western countries and Russia are responsible for the crisis in Ukraine, as Russian President Vladimir Putin had been preparing the invasion for years and the West had been aware of it. He believes that Putin's policy means return to the Russian Empire.

As he addressed a congress of the opposition Left in Maribor on Saturday, Žižek recalled the period of the Russian Empire, in which the Ukrainian national identity was prohibited.

It is alleged that it was only in the first decade of the Soviet Union that Ukrainians fully developed their national identity, got dictionaries and their own literature. According to Žižek, Putin's policy means a return to the Russian Empire.

"Putin is not only a conservative nationalist, but even worse, because he elevated van Ilyin, a political theologian who advocated a basic version of fascism of his own a hundred years ago, to his national philosopher," he said.

Ilyin is said to imagine democracy as "people voting only to confirm support for our leader", as votes do not legitimise the leader.

"Thus is how democracy has worked in Russia for the past decade, and it is no wonder that Putin has become popular among modern-day populist politicians, especially in the US," Žižek said.

"When Putin talks about denazification, we must remember that this is the same Putin who for years supported Marine Le Pen in France, Lega and Salvini in Italy, Alternative for Germany even Orban in Hungary, who has shown remarkable understanding for Putin."

He noted that Russia today was not returning to the Cold War with a set of clear rules that both sides are supposed to respect, but that something much crazier is happening, as an era of warm peace has begun.

"We are in a period when peace means a constant hybrid war, where armed operations are declared as peaceful humanitarian missions against genocide. How many times have we heard this phrase from the western forces," Žižek said.

He thinks that the West taking a critical look at itself is the only successful way to oppose Putin, as it was the West who had pushed Russia into fascism. He noted the economic proposals from the US that destroyed the Russian economy in the 1990s under Boris Yeltsin and paved the way for Putin.

He agrees with the assessment that Putin is a war criminal, but wonders how this has been noticed only now. "Wasn't he a war criminal when the Russian air force bombed the city of Aleppo in Syria, much more brutally than Kyiv is bombed now," he said.

"Remember that Ukraine is the poorest of all post-Soviet countries," Žižek said, adding that even if they won the war, they would have to accept the bitter truth that the western liberal democracy is in a deep crisis itself.

He wondered what kind of Europe should be saved. "If Europe that does not tolerate non-white refugees and excludes the uncivilised wins, then we do not need Russia to destroy us, we will do it ourselves," he added.

The covers and editorials from leading weeklies of the Left and Right for the work-week ending Friday, 4 March 2022.

Mladina: SDS Abused Ukraine rally

STA, 4 March 2022 - After five rallies in support of Ukraine were organised in Slovenia after Russia attacked its neighbour, there was a sixth such rally on Wednesday that was organised by PM Janez Janša, who was also one of the key-note speakers, Mladina magazine says on Friday, adding that his SDS abused the hardships of Ukrainians for election gain.

After inviting everyone to the rally, Janša realised it was a bit odd that the prime minister, who has the power to express his views or protest in the political arena, would organise a civil society rally.

Janša, who thinks he is both an opposition leader and PM, and a national TV editor and its guest, then did what he knows best - he resorted to cheap political mimicry.

He found what was until then an unknown Ljubljana-Kyiv Culture Society to formally organise his protest, while everything - from the stage and PA system to the moderator - was taken care of by his Democratic Party (SDS).

Together with its coalition partners, the SDS abused the hardships of Ukrainians, from common people to their ambassador to Slovenia, to have an election rally, Mladina says, adding that Slovenia has not witnessed something so base for a while.

Protests against Russia's invasion of Ukraine are held across Europe and across the world, "but nowhere are they organised by prime ministers. Protests are a matter of the civil society. Well, there is one country where only protests organised by authorities are allowed. Its name is Russia."

Demokracija: Putin an alienated madman who cannot win

STA, 3 March 2022 - Commenting on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Demokracija says that it seems that the "madman from the end of the conference table" has raised the stakes and started to play a game which he cannot withdraw from any longer.

After this reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the weekly says that "Putin is using Bolshevist methods to try to become the new Russian tzar."

This needs to be obvious, as advisors and guests must feel and be aware of his untouchability, and Putin seems to have already reached the level of a tyrant when his physical contact with other people becomes impossible.

"He is using proper spatial distancing because he is afraid of a Brutus from his own ranks," Demokracija adds under the headline Madman from the End of the Conference Table.

It adds that Putin is not a blessing for Russia, and that he could become a curse, just like all former officials of socialist secret services who climbed to the posts of country leaders.

Thirty years ago, Ukraine deliberately renounced nuclear weapons because it was counting on EU and NATO memberships, but its accession has been blocked mainly by Germany, which made concessions to Putin over the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines.

Demokracija notes that Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša was right when he said that "if the EU does not expand, something else will", and adds that the world is now on the brink of global conflict.

Putin is by no means a great statesman and leader, he is only a "lunatic who is flying high on the wings of the lukewarm warnings from the West."

So far, he has only managed to alienate himself from most of the world and show that the Russian army is not so powerful, as not even an overwhelming number of 5th-generation fighter jets cannot ensure full air supremacy, concludes the commentary.

All our posts in this series are here

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

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FRIDAY, 25 February
        LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor offered a formal apology to the 25,671 people who were erased from Slovenia's register of permanent residents 30 years ago. While accepting the apology on behalf of the Civil Initiative of Erased Activists, Irfan Beširović warned that not all injustices had been eliminated yet and some erased still lived without a proper status.
        LJUBLJANA - The government decided to impose limits on Slovenian airspace as it met over the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The decision will simplify the use of airspace for overflights by military aircraft of allied countries for the purpose of troop deployments on NATO's eastern flank.
        LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša met new US Ambassador to Slovenia Jamie L. Harpootlian to discuss the situation in Ukraine. The pair condemned Russia's attack on Ukraine in the strongest terms and welcomed the introduction of severe sanctions against Russia.
        LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary foreign policy and defence committees condemned Russia's aggression and discussed a proposal for Slovenia to initiate a session of the UN General Assembly to do the same.
        LJUBLJANA - Anja Kopač, a vice president of the opposition SocDems and former labour minister, returned a Russian state decoration in protest against Russia's attack on Ukraine, which she described as "an act of aggression and a grave violation of international law".
        CELJE - A panel of judges of the Celje District Court found PM Janez Janša guilty of defaming two TV Slovenija journalists, Eugenija Carl and Mojca Šetinc Pašek, whom he called "washed up prostitutes" in a 2016 tweet. The ruling is not final yet.
        
SATURDAY, 26 February
        LJUBLJANA - Due to Russia's attack on Ukraine the government decided to ban Russian aircraft from Slovenia's airspace after a number of European countries made the same move. Russia retaliated the next day by closing its airspace to Slovenian aircraft.
        LJUBLJANA - The National Security Council debated the situation in Ukraine. The prime minister's office said it was in Slovenia's national security interest that Ukraine defend itself against the aggression and that the threat against the EU and NATO's eastern flank be reduced.

SUNDAY, 27 February
        LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša warned of a domino effect if Ukraine falls, noting in an interview for three media outlets that the country's fate was instrumental not just for Europe but the world as a whole. He said Moldova and Georgia would be next if Ukraine falls, with Baltic countries probably next in line and "things being cooked up" in the Western Balkans.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - Slovenia has the capacity to accommodate between 180,000 and 200,000 refugees from Ukraine, Interior Minister Aleš Hojs said after an informal session of the EU's interior ministers. He later clarified that the actual number would probably be a fraction of that.
        LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar signed decrees revoking the credentials of all Russian honorary consuls in Slovenia. "Russia no longer has honorary consuls in Slovenia," he announced on Twitter.

MONDAY, 28 February
        LJUBLJANA - Driven by stimulus-fuelled domestic spending, Slovenia's economy expanded by 8.1% in real terms in 2021 after a 4.2% contraction the year before. In nominal terms it was up 10.9%, show preliminary estimates released by the Statistics Office. In the fourth quarter GDP grew by a seasonally adjusted 5.4% year-on-year.
        LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša discussed Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the West's response to it in a televised interview, assessing that President Vladimir Putin "can no longer win this war". He said Europa had cast away utopian ideas and had woken up to the real world.
        LJUBLJANA - Defence Minister Matej Tonin revealed that Slovenia had sent rifles, ammunition and helmets to Ukraine. He would not talk about quantities beyond saying that the aid has already been dispatched with "several aircraft".
        BERLIN, Germany - Russia's invasion of Ukraine topped the agenda as Foreign Minister Anže Logar was hosted by his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock in Berlin. The pair agreed that EU values are being defended in Ukraine.
        LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor pledged full support to Moldova in its efforts to help Ukrainian refugees as he spoke to President Maia Sandu on the phone. Slovenia will examine ways to help Moldova, he said, expressing Slovenia's support for Moldova's European perspective.
        LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor and Polish President Andrzej Duda exchanged views in a telephone conversation on the situation in Ukraine. They expressed concern over the clear violation of international order by Russian political leadership and called for the end of the Russian attack.
        NEW YORK, US - Slovenia expressed its staunch support for Ukraine's people and government in their fight against the Russian invasion at an emergency session of the UN General Assembly. It joined a statement made by the EU and urged all UN members to support the resolution condemning Russia's aggression.
        LJUBLJANA - The Foreign Ministry urged Slovenian citizens who are currently in Russia and Belarus to leave the countries due to limited flight connections and increased safety risks. It said they should choose safe travel options.
        LJUBLJANA - The government decided that a centre for refugees from Ukraine will be set up in the Logatec facilities of the Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief. During the course of the week the first groups of refugees were accommodated there, including a large group of youth soccer players.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec underscored the need to diversify the EU's gas supplies and to synchronise Ukraine's power grid with Europe's as he addressed reporters after an emergency EU ministerial.
        LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed a bill to encourage digital inclusion which is designed to enhance digital development of the economy and the entire society. The centrepiece is a scheme of "digital vouchers" for students and adults over 55 to buy digital devices and attend digital literacy courses.
        LJUBLJANA - The Liberal Democrats (LIDE), a party formed in January by Speaker Igor Zorčič, decided against contesting the 24 April general election after failing to agree a joint ticket with the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS). The DeSUS executive council subsequently decided that the party will contest the general election independently.

TUESDAY, 1 March
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's largest bank, NLB, acquired the Slovenian subsidiary of Russia's Sberbank in a move that the central bank said would preserve the financial stability in the country after Russian-owned banks suffered a loss of trust due to sanctions against Russia. NLB paid just over EUR 5 million to take an outright stake plus all assets, liabilities and clients.
        KHARKIV, Ukraine - The Foreign Ministry said that the building housing the Slovenian consulate in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv had been destroyed in an attack by the Russian army, condemning the act as well as Russia's aggression on Ukraine as such.
        LJUBLJANA - A large group of people gathered in the centre of Ljubljana for a rally in support of Ukraine organised by over thirty civil society organisations. Speakers called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and the start of talks for a diplomatic solution, and a joint statement read by the organisers condemned Russia's attack on Ukraine.
        LJUBLJANA - FM Anže Logar announced that Slovenia will provide EUR 1.1 million in humanitarian aid to residents of Ukraine through the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Caritas Internationalis, and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
        LJUBLJANA - Robert Golob called for changes to Slovenia's energy, defence and foreign policies in view of the current geopolitical situation as he addressed the public to announce the election convention of his Freedom Movement for 19 March, saying he favoured increasing defence budget and removing fence from the border.
        LJUBLJANA - The District Court in Krško has appointed an interim four-member management board of energy trader GEN-I with Igor Koprivnikar, now in charge of sales, as chairman. The company has been led by plenipotentiaries since 17 November, when long-serving Robert Golob failed to win another term in what some described as political staffing.

WEDNESDAY, 2 March
        LJUBLJANA - The Foreign Ministry summoned Russian Ambassador to Slovenia Timur Eyvazov to lodge a formal protest and demand an apology and compensation after the Slovenian consulate in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, was destroyed by a Russian missile.
        LJUBLJANA - The second rally in support of Ukraine in two days was held in Ljubljana with senior government officials condemning Russia's aggression and highlighting that Ukraine was fighting not just for itself but for freedom and democracy throughout Europe.
        LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor received Ukrainian Ambassador to Slovenia Mikhaylo Brodovych. The pair expressed concern over the war in Ukraine, and the ambassador outlined to Pahor the current situation in Ukraine in the wake of Russia's invasion.
        LJUBLJANA - Supreme Court President Damijan Florjančič talked of attempts to weaken the judiciary at a high-profile ceremony where he warned of hidden dangers such as the wage policy and budgetary measures. He spoke of the importance of the judiciary being independent to perform its mission.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenian courts continued to reduce backlogs last year, even compared to the pre Covid-19 time. The number of unsolved cases rose above 5% in 2020 but the trend was reversed in 2021, a new report showed.
        LJUBLJANA - Universities decided to join the general strike in the education system scheduled for 9 March after a list of their demands had been ignored by the Education Ministry for over a month. Much like school and kindergarten teacher, professors at universities are unhappy with the public sector pay system.
        
THURSDAY, 3 March
        GENEVA, Switzerland - Foreign Minister Anže Logar called on the international community to respond with resolve and unity to Russia's increasingly brutal aggression on Ukraine as he addressed an emergency session of the UN Human Rights Council on the state of human rights in Ukraine.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - EU interior ministers, including Slovenia's Aleš Hojs, agreed to trigger for the first time ever the legislation providing Ukrainian refugees with immediate temporary protection. Hojs welcomed a compromise solution that detailed more clearly who would be eligible for the rights under temporary protection status.
        LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor and US Ambassador to Slovenia Jamie L. Harpootlian met to exchange views on topical developments in Ukraine. They stressed the role of the international community's great unity on, and unambiguous response to, Russia's military attack on Ukraine.
        LJUBLJANA - Health Minister Janez Poklukar announced that preparations started in healthcare for a possible crisis due to the Russian attack on Ukraine, including for emergencies that may occur due to cyber attacks or electricity shortages.
        LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša appeared before the parliamentary inquiry looking into allegations of unlawful financing of his SDS party ahead of the 2018 election. Janša told the MPs that the SDS had not influenced in any way in the past the operation of broadcaster NTV24 or of Nova Hiša, which runs the web portal.
        LJUBLJANA - The government approved the latest Covid-19 relaxation under which face masks will no longer be obligatory in schools and other educational institutions from 7 March. The mask mandate for other indoor public spaces remains in force.
        LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - The Council of the EU appointed Jorg Kristijan Petrovič as Slovenia's new member of the European Court of Auditors. His six-year term will start on 7 May as he succeeds Samo Jereb.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's public debt as percentage of GDP dropped by 4.9 percentage points last year to 74.9%, the first estimate by the Finance Ministry shows.
        LJUBLJANA - After two months of seasonal growth, Slovenia's registered unemployment total decreased in February. The Employment Service registered 64,783 people put of a job, 4.5% fewer than in January and 26.4% fewer than in February 2021.