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, 22 October
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - Coming out of a two-day EU summit, PM Janez Janša said an important conclusion on the discussion on the primacy of EU law was that a solution needed to be sought in cooperation with Poland not against Poland. Speaking about the discussion on rising energy crisis, he said green transition should be seen as a solution, not a problem, repeating that the transition to a fossil-free future would not be possible without nuclear energy.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - After a two-day NATO ministerial, the first in-person session in over a year, Defence Minister Matej Tonin said the meeting confirmed Slovenia's reduced NATO capability goal of one instead of two battalion-size groups. As EU Council chair he said he made it clear to the allies that the EU's strategic autonomy was not meant to compete with NATO or the US.
        VIENNA, Austria - Foreign Minister Anže Logar took part in the Central 5 meeting with his counterparts from Austria, Czechia, Hungary and Slovakia, which called for further cooperation between their countries in particular in the economic recovery. They also discussed Eastern Partnership, calling for greater engagement by the EU.
        KOPER - The management board of port operator Luka Koper agreed with the supervisory board to resign effective from 16 November. Chief supervisor Franci Matoz, known as PM Janez Janša's lawyer, said the management, led by CEO Dimitrij Zadel, had performed well, but they concluded a new management team was needed for the company's strategic development.
        LJUBLJANA - Bojan Petan, the CEO of spa Terme Čatež and publisher DZS, expressed doubt about the authenticity of the leaked recording of his alleged conversation 14 years ago with Andrej Vizjak, the economy minister of the time, saying he did not remember having such a conversation. Like Vizjak, now serving as environment minister, he called for the authorities to investigate the origin of the tape in which Vizjak is heard telling Petan how he should avoid paying tax in the battle for control of Terme Čatež.
        LJUBLJANA - Some doctors voiced concern about the ethical aspect of a scheme adopted by the government the day before to incentivise GPs and their teams to actively promote vaccination in a bid to boost Covid-19 inoculation.
        LJUBLJANA - The government decided on 21 October to donate 612,064 doses of the Janssen Covid-19 vaccine to the COVAX initiative. The vaccine doses, which Slovenia ordered under a joint European public procurement contract, are to be shipped to Africa. The cabinet also revoked the 28 September decision to purchase an additional 100,000 doses of the Janssen vaccine from Hungary.
        LJUBLJANA - Dejan Židan, an MP for the opposition SocDems, called on Health Minister Janez Poklukar to appoint a competent group of experts to look into the verification of rapid antigen coronavirus tests bought by the ministry from Majbert Pharm in December 2020. This was after a former senior microbiologist at the National Laboratory for Health, Environment and Food told a parliamentary inquiry the tests and verification were inadequate, alleging she lost her job for pointing that out.
        ATHENS, Greece - Parliamentary Speaker Igor Zorčič underlined the importance of multilateralism in responding to present-day challenges and the EU's enlargement to the Western Balkans as he addressed the plenary session of the European Conference of Presidents of Parliament from Council of Europe countries.
        LJUBLJANA - The US multinational food processing corporation ADM (Archer Daniels Midland) acquired a minority stake in Acies Bio, a Ljubljana-based biotech company whose main activity is biotechnology R&D and consulting. The value of the deal was not disclosed.

SATURDAY, 23 October
        LJUBLJANA - Commenting on the tensions in the country, President Borut Pahor told the news portal N1 the president did not have the power to decide on the government's fate, while he said both political blocs should restore trust in dialogue and cooperation.
        LJUBLJANA - Delo reported that the Defence Ministry asked the anti-graft watchdog for permission not to include an anti-corruption clause in contracts for a purchase of Oshkosh armoured personnel carriers from the US and a purchase of a transport aircraft from Italy. The paper said the ministry paid for the APCs before receiving a written reply from the watchdog, while in the aircraft case, the request was denied. The ministry said it had been told by the watchdog the clause was optional in the Oshkosh case prior to signing the deal.

SUNDAY, 24 October
        LJUBLJANA/SLOVENJ GRADEC - On United Nations Day, Slovenia called for strengthening of effective and rule-based multilateralism, with the UN playing the primary role based on inseparable connection and mutual complementation of peace, security and development, and on human rights with respect of international law and goals and principles of the UN Charter. UN Day was also marked on 22 October in Slovenj Gradec, a United Nations Peace Messenger City, which heard President Borut Pahor express Slovenia's strong commitment to multilateralism and the role of the UN in the global architecture.
        LJUBLJANA - The commercial broadcaster POP TV released its latest poll, which showed the ruling Democratic Party (SDS) enhancing its position as the leading party by gaining almost four percentage points from September to 18.6%, as President Borut Pahor was unseated by NSi MEP Ljudmila Novak at the top of popularity ranking of politicians to fall to fifth, his poorest showing yet.
        INNSBRUCK, Austria - Žan Kranjec finished 3rd in the Alpine Ski World Cup season opening men's giant slalom on the Rettenbach glacier above Sölden.
        LJUBLJANA - The 25th Ljubljana Marathon was dominated by Kenyan runners, with Ernest Kibet Tarus winning the men's race in 2 hours 22 minutes and 39 seconds, and Kwamboka Momanyi Grace winning the women's competition (2:38:10). Last year the event was cancelled due to Covid-19.

MONDAY, 25 October
        LJUBLJANA - Police confirmed they were investigating death threats mailed to several top politicians on 22 October, including PM Janez Janša and Defence Minister Matej Tonin. The mail contained letters with death threats and live ammunition. Similar threats were also sent to Interior Minister Aleš Hojs, the deputy groups of the opposition National Party (SNS) and Pensioners' Party (DeSUS), the SNS leader and a DeSUS deputy, and unofficially Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek. The threats drew condemnation from across the political aisle amid calls for de-escalation of political rhetoric, while the ruling party suggested inaction by prosecution on past threats was in part to blame, a claim rejected by the Supreme State Prosecution.
        KOPER - Slovenia marked Sovereignty Day in memory of the last Yugoslav army soldiers leaving Slovenian soil 30 years from Koper ago. Addressing the state ceremony in Koper, Defence Minister Matej Tonin warned of "toxic" political debate in the country and called for easing of tensions. In other messages, Prime Minister Janez Janša called for efforts to boost Slovenia's security resilience, while Speaker Igor Zorčič called for responsible and efficient policies and President Borut Pahor emphasized dialogue and cooperation.
        LJUBLJANA - Novo Brdo, a new housing estate that is to be one of the largest in Ljubljana, was inaugurated to provide homes to 498 vulnerable families and individuals. It was made possible with the help of a loan of the Council of Europe Development Bank.

TUESDAY, 26 October
        LJUBLJANA - The five centre-left opposition deputy groups boycotted the National Assembly's session in a bid to make it inquorate ahead of key votes, but failed because one of them, Speaker Igor Zorčič, remained present to chair the session. Coalition-sponsored proposals were passed, while a vote on the nominee for Constitutional Court judge, Rok Svetlič, was postponed to a future session on the proposal of the ruling Democrats (SDS).
        KIGALI, Rwanda - Foreign Minister Anže Logar attended an EU-AU ministerial meeting, pledging support by Slovenia and the EU in the efforts to forge a stronger partnership between both unions based on frequent cooperation and a long-term shared vision.
        NEW YORK, US - President Borut Pahor addressed a UN high-level remote debate on climate change ahead of the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, stressing the importance of trust in science and the need to increase funding for climate change mitigation.
        LJUBLJANA/BRDO PRI KRANJU - Mariya Gabriel, the European commissioner for innovation, visited Slovenia to take part in the EU Next Generation Innovators Summit & Investment Conference and a conference on the new European Research Area. She called for supporting innovation in Europe to help bring about a transition to a digital, inclusive and green society.
        LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec chaired an emergency session on EU energy ministers to discuss response to rising energy prices, but he told reporters after there was no unity over whether it would be sensible to take specific intervention measures at the EU level.
        LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly voted to call on all government agencies and officials to take into account the recommendations for improvements in human rights after it discussed the Human Rights Ombudsman's 2020 the week before. The report identified 473 violations of human rights and other irregularities, and put forward 128 recommendations.
        LJUBLJANA - The Peace Institute presented the results of a study which found extensive and active discrimination in Slovenia, mostly on the grounds of gender, ethnicity, nationality, skin colour and religion. The analysis showed 84% of respondents reported being discriminated against.
        LJUBLJANA - Brewer Pivovarna Laško Union, part of the Heineken Group, announced it would stop brewing beer in Ljubljana due to an outdated cooling system and move production to its other location in Laško. While the company said the change would not affect the product portfolio or the Union trade mark, it could not say yet how the staff would be affected.
        LJUBLJANA - EKWB, a Komenda-based company developing and producing components for water cooling systems for custom-made high-performance computers, won the Golden Gazelle Award for best fast-growing company, presented by the publisher Dnevnik.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia ranked 26th among 134 countries in the Global Talent Competitiveness Index for 2021, after placing 31st among 132 countries in 2020 in the report compiled by French business school INSEAD, Swiss staffing company Adecco and tech giant Google.

WEDNESDAY, 27 October
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - Prime Minister Janez Janša met European Council President Charles Michel to discuss key dossiers of the Slovenian presidency of the Council of the EU, as well as energy prices, migration, the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership.
        LJUBLJANA - After Slovenia recorded more than 3,000 new coronavirus cases in a single day with hospital and ICU facilities filling fast, Health Minister Janez Poklukar warned the country was headed toward a disaster similar to that seen in Bergamo unless the trend is reversed. He announced at least a partial lockdown if number of ICU cases rose from current 130 to 160-180. Regular testing is being introduced in all hospitals and care homes and the self-testing frequency for non vaccinated or reconvalescent employees is being shortened to 48 hours, and for students twice a week.
        LJUBLJANA - The five centre-left deputy groups in parliament tabled a motion of no confidence in Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak as a direct consequence of the release of a leaked recording in which he is heard in his capacity as economy minister in 2007 promising favours in exchange for cooperation to Bojan Petan, the CEO of the spa company Terme Čatež, at a time the latter sought to privatise the company. Vizjak described the charges as constructs, but said he was looking forward to the opportunity to put the record straight over what he repeated was a montage tape.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - As chair of the EU's Home Affairs Council, Interior Minister Aleš Hojs hosted the first session as part of the inter-institutional negotiations on Europol mandate's review, the so called trialogue that also features the European Parliament. The day before Hojs told the Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group on Europol the mandate's review was a key priority of the presidency.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - On conclusion of a three-day visit to Brussels, Minister for Digital Transformation Mark Boris Andrijanič said he presented to the European Commission Slovenia's digitalisation plans, particularly the digital voucher project, and proposals regarding the new EU chips act.
        LJUBLJANA - The opposition Social Democrats (SD) announced that the Velenje Local Court had upheld their EUR 10,000 damages claim against Prime Minister Janez Janša for claiming the party was headquartered in a "stolen Jewish villa". In a default judgement issued because Janša failed to pick up court mail and respond to the lawsuit, the court also ordered to Janša to apologise for the claim. Indicating an appeal, Janša said the court was made up of SD members or supporters, which met with protest from the Association of Judges.
        STRASBOURG, France/LJUBLJANA - Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović called on the Slovenian government to reinstate public funding for the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) in line with national laws. This was as the head of the Government Communication Office (UKOM) Uroš Urbanija invited Igor Kadunc, the new STA director, for a working meeting next week.
        LJUBLJANA - The upper chamber of parliament imposed a suspensive veto on a bill amending the pharmacy practice act that would lift the ban on vertical integration of pharmacies and drug wholesalers in cases when the wholesaler is incorporated by a public pharmacy or municipality. To override the veto, an absolute majority of 46 votes would be required at the National Assembly.
        KLAGENFURT, Austria - German-Slovenian town names were put up in the villages of Mače (Matschach) and Sveče (Suetschach), thus increasing the number of towns and villages with bilingual signs in the Austrian Carinthia province to 171.
        LJUBLJANA - The Statistics Office reported that Slovenia had the highest negative natural increase since WWII last year at -2.5 per 1,000 inhabitants after 24,016 people died, 16.7% more than in 2019.
        LJUBLJANA/MARIBOR - Protests against the Covid pass mandate were held in several Slovenian towns, including in Ljubljana where a few hundred people gathered, much fewer than in the previous weeks.
        LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor awarded the Golden Order of Merit to the National Museum of Slovenia on its 200th anniversary for its outstanding contribution to the formation and preservation of Slovenian cultural, scientific and national identity.
        LJUBLJANA - Jorg Kristijan Petrovič, first deputy president of the Slovenian Court of Audit, was put forward as Slovenia's candidate for European Court of Auditors by the government once again, after the relevant parliamentary committee turned down his nomination without debate in mid-October.
        KRANJ - The Jenko Prize for best poetry collection in the past two years was awarded to Nina Dragičević for To Telo, Pokončno (This Body, Upright), which focuses on the body and its multifaceted nature, including experiences and future possibilities.

THURSDAY, 28 October
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - PM Janez Janša held talks with European Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders, with the government not revealing details beyond that the discussion revolved around the key dossiers of Slovenia's EU presidency. A Commission official said the discussion touched on Slovenia's failure to appoint its members of the European Public Prosecutors' Office (EPPO).
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - Replying to EU Commission Vice President Vera Jourova's letter about the STA situation, Culture Minister Vasko Simoniti said the government agreed the state is required to finance the STA under the law, but the funding must be transparent and public service done in accordance with the law. "But mainly it should be free of charge as defined by the law," he said.
        LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Association of Judges expressed protest after PM Janez Janša accused the court that ordered him to pay damages in a defamation suit brought by the opposition Social Democrats (SD) of political bias. The Supreme Court called for more decent communication between the branches of government.
        VILNIUS, Lithuania - Slovenia slid one spot to 12th in the latest EU gender equality index released by the European Institute for Gender Equality, scoring 67.6 points out of 100, practically level with the EU average.
        LJUBLJANA - Unofficial media reports said Slovenia's oldest paint manufacturer Jub is to be taken over by Dulux Australia in a deal worth around EUR 191 million. Under the deal, the new owners pledged to keep Jub's headquarters and production in Slovenia, the newspaper Finance said.
        LJUBLJANA - Parliamentary Speaker Igor Zorčič said in an interview with the N1 news portal that the parliament was operational for now, however he believes that the government is not doing its job well and that elections are needed. He revealed he was involved in talks on potentially forming a new party, along with the other unaffiliated MPs.
        LJUBLJANA - The Competition Protection Agency (AVK) approved United Group's acquisition of the Sport Klub TV channels. After long and painstaking procedures, it has now found the concentration compatible with the rules of competition, as the market situation changed significantly with the entry of Arena Sport as new competitor.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia placed fifth on Lonely Planet's list of top 10 countries to visit in 2022 as the travel brand highlights the country's diverse gastronomy and numerous possibilities of active experiences. Slovenia is described as a green destination as its sustainable policy and natural riches are put front and centre.

STA, 27 October - Slovenia's epidemiological status is poor as the country's heads towards the worst situation since the start of the epidemic, said Health Minister Janez Poklukar on Wednesday. If the trend is not reversed, he will propose at least a partial lockdown, he announced, noting that some Covid restrictions were being stepped up.

If the situation does not improve and the number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care rises to 160-180, the minister will propose to the government at least a partial lockdown.

"393 people need hospital care, of whom 253 need oxygen, and an additional 133 patients are being treated in intensive care units," said Poklukar at the government's Covid briefing.

This morning, all the hospital beds in Covid wards were occupied, while the occupancy rate in intensive care units is 92%, he said, announcing capacity boosts.

Another two Covid hospitals are expected to be opened, in Sežana and Topolšica, joining the current 13 such hospitals. This will also be discussed at a meeting with hospital representatives on Thursday.

However, given the forecasts, all non-urgent procedures and services in hospitals could be restricted as early as Friday.

"Our hospitals can activate 220 intensive care beds. But who will be treating people on top of these beds? With each additional Covid patient, we run out of space for non-urgent, non-Covid, but equally sick people," the minister said.

Currently, there are 140 ICU beds available across the country and at Thursday's meeting, officials will agree on how to proceed and how much to increase the number by Monday. The minister said that the figure was likely to climb to 155.

He thinks that, due to the low vaccination rate, Slovenia is at a tipping point where the country could be hit by a scenario like the one seen in Italy's Bergamo.

"In fact, we're heading into the worst situation in the Covid-19 epidemic since we have been first faced with the novel coronavirus," he warned.

He again stressed the importance of vaccination. "You can criticise and you can have concerns. All this is legitimate and is at the heart of a democratic society. But opposing measures designed to prevent the spread of the virus currently endangers people's health and lives," he noted.

The implementation of the recovered-vaccinated-tested (PCT) restriction does not seem to be working as well as the authorities would like it to, with on-the-ground verification of the Covid pass being an exception rather than a rule.

The minister also warned about an increase in the number of fake passes. "Mask-wearing is also not consistent, and we have long forgotten about [social] bubbles," he added.

Therefore, regular coronavirus testing in all hospitals and social care institutions will be put in place. "This means that users and care recipients will be regularly tested to prevent outbreaks of infections," Poklukar said.

Employees who have not been vaccinated or have not recovered from Covid-19 will have to get tested every 48 hours, whereas students will be tested twice a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays. Self-testing for primary and secondary school students remains voluntary but is recommended.

Self-testing is also required for participation in sports programmes, recreational activities and extracurricular activities.

Mask-wearing is mandatory in healthcare, educational and social care activities and in all activities and services where there is personal contact even when participants observe the PCT rule.

The changes will enter into force on Monday and all the potential next steps will be coordinated with the government's Covid-19 task force.

The head of the advisory group Mateja Logar said that if the situation did not take a turn for the better, next measures might be reducing the opening hours of cafes and bars and introducing mandatory self-testing for all students.

"The only thing that can save us at this moment and safeguard the stability of our healthcare is vaccination and the strict implementation of the PCT condition," Poklukar noted.

Responding to the rising Covid cases, Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek said that the situation should not be ignored anymore. "If we don't stop making excuses regarding the PCT, we will have to go into lockdown," he wrote today.

Počivalšek also met with representatives of inspection services and ordered them to step up monitoring in hospitality establishments, such as bars and restaurants.

"If necessary, we will close down, in accordance with the law, establishments that do not check the Covid pass," he said.

STA, 25 October 2021 - Media have reported that Prime Minister Janez Janša and Defence Minister Matej Tonin on Friday received death threats by mail, with live ammunition being enclosed in the letters. The threats sent to the politicians' home addresses were later confirmed by the prime minister's office and Tonin himself.

Janša, who is the president of the Democrats (SDS), has also been sent photographs on which targets were drawn on his face and the faces of his family members.

In the threatening letter, the unknown sender told Janša that "teams are waiting for the command", that the prime minister was the "first to go down", and that the same fate awaited the supporters of the government.

Tonin, on the other hand, was reproached for being calculating by choosing political sides, and threatened that he would not get to see the next general election. The letter said that they "know all his whereabouts, so security will not be able to help him."

The police confirmed having opened an investigation into the matter. Stojan Belšak, head of the organised crime unit of the Ljubljana Police Department, told the press that threatening letters including live ammunition had also been received by two parliamentary deputy groups and the leader of the National Party (SNS) Zmago Jelinčič.

Investigators have already been dispatched to individual addresses to "investigate these despicable acts and ensure the safety of both the top officials and all other Slovenian citizens", said Belšak.

Two years in prison is one of the potential sanctions for such a crime, he pointed out, noting that these investigations were complex. It is still being established whether the same suspect was involved in all the cases.

According to news portal N1, a week ago Tonin's home was visited by two unknown men who posed as providers of telecommunication measurements. It turned out later that the two had been detained by the police at one of the Wednesday protests against the Covid pass mandate over attacks on police officers.

However, Belšak said that in this case the police had found that the lives of Tonin's family members or himself had not been in danger, highlighting that this was an accidental event.

Responding to the developments, parliamentary Speaker Igor Zorčič condemned in the strongest terms all threats made against politicians or any other human being. He also pointed out that following death threats received by Janša and Tonin, suspicious mail was also detected by National Assembly staff.

Zorčič called on politicians to take a step back and show tolerance in their communication, particularly on social media. "I think that, ultimately, it is up to each politician, or whoever is the target of the threat, to assess how threatened they feel. But given that some politicians themselves communicate in a similar way, it is of course difficult for them to claim today that they have been threatened by anyone," Zorčič said, confirming that was in reference to Jelinčič.

President Borut Pahor pledged to do his best for violence to be banished from the Slovenian society, as he expressed concern about "the tone of public debate" in the country.

"When the broadest public begins to feel that politicians are not trying hard enough to listen and hear each other, the impression is created it is legitimate to use [...] ugly and disrespectful language. And that if it's not ugly, disrespectful and rude, it's not heard."

"I'd like us to understand that this can lead to a situation where threats of violence - something we have witnessed in recent days - become our reality," said Pahor, adding it was key to state loud and clear that violent behaviour, threats and riots "have no place in Slovenia's democratic society and must be rejected by all of us".

The SDS condemned in the strongest terms the threats, noting they targeted Janša, Tonin, Interior Minister Aleš Hojs and deputy groups of the SNS and Pensioners' Party (DeSUS).

The ruling party believes that these crimes are a direct consequence of what it sees as institutions' passivity, media creating a climate of tolerance to violence, and the opposition's conduct, saying that the latter is incapable of clearly condemning violence, and in some places even fuels it.

The SDS expects from the competent institutions to treat the case with the utmost seriousness and from officials to condemn the threats. "At the same time, we expect that politicians who are threatened or feel threatened will receive adequate protection," the party said.

The prime minister's office said that Janša had responded to the threats on Twitter where he said that Slovenia had been waiting for "seven long years" to see Pahor condemn the threats in the same way he did when he had been threatened as prime minister.

Denouncing the threats, Minister Hojs said he was surprised not all political parties did the same. He expressed the expectation for police to do everything in their power to track down the perpetrators.

He said the threats were also partly due to "rather mild or in my view inappropriate response by the prosecution in the past", noting that prosecution decided not to prosecute similar threats in the past.

NSi deputy group head Jožef Horvat said the party condemned any death threats and expected from the competent authorities to react decisively to find those responsible for these crimes. He also noted that hatred or intolerance picked its targets regardless of their political affiliation, urging everyone to commit to peaceful behaviour.

STA, 25 October 2021 - The ruling Democratic Party (SDS) has recorded a rise in its support ratings of almost four percentage points compared to September, while President Borut Pahor's popularity has comprehensively declined, shows the latest poll commissioned by the commercial broadcaster POP TV.

The SDS remains in the lead with 18.6%, as its support has risen by 3.6 percentage points compared to September. The opposition Social Democrats (SD) remain second with 11.5%, also rising by almost two percentage compared to last month.

The SD are followed by the opposition Left at 9%, who gained one percentage point, and the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) with 5.6%, which slipped back 1.4 points compared to September.

With 5%, the coalition New Slovenia (NSi) has gained 1.1 points compared to September to overtake the opposition Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) with 4%, which lost 1.2 points and thus conceded the fifth place.

Meanwhile, the coalition Modern Centre Party (SMC) and the Pensioners Party (DeSUS) remain well below the parliament threshold at 1.2% and 0.9%, respectively.

The proportion of undecided voters (20.9%) has declined by more than five percentage points compared to September, while 8% would not vote for any of the existing parties.

NSi MEP Ljudmila Novak returned to the top of the popularity ranking of politicians to unseat the long-standing public favourite, President Borut Pahor, who recorded one of his worst results yet with coming in fifth.

Second place was taken by parliamentary Speaker Igor Zorčič, followed by Health Minister Janez Poklukar and Foreign Minister Anže Logar in third and fourth, respectively.

The poll was conducted by Mediana among 712 respondents.

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, 15 October
        LJUBLJANA - A delegation of the EU Parliament's LIBE committee visiting Slovenia on a fact-finding mission expressed concern mainly at the tone of public debate, calling for the issues of STA funding and European delegated prosecutor appointments to be addressed urgently. The delegation found that "public institutions in Slovenia work well". Slovenian MEP Romana Tomc (EPP/SDS), who had been a member of the delegation, said the latter was the mission's main finding. She also complained about the mission's secrecy and non-transparency.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - The EU Commission said there was no room for anti-Semitism in the EU and social networks were no place for personal attacks as it responded to a tweet by PM Janez Janša about "Soros's puppets" which sparked an avalanche of criticism. The centre-left opposition condemned the tweet, urging the junior coalition partners to distance themselves from this or exit the government. The NSi urged Janša to apologise, whereas the SMC said it did not support such statements by the PM. The Ljubljana Jewish Cultural Centre and the European Jewish Congress condemned the tweet too.
        PORTOROŽ - Speaker Igor Zorčič accused the government of destroying the legal system and subjugating it to its political goals. He pointed to rule by decree, disregard of media legislation, and dismissive attitude to members of a fact-finding mission of the EU Parliament as examples of this.
        LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor nominated philosophy of law professor Rok Svetlič for a post on the Constitutional Court, in what is the fourth attempt in over a year to find a candidate who has cross-partisan support in parliament. During his subsequent presentation, Svetlič denied the allegation that he talked of shooting migrants at a debate in the summer of 2020.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia and Georgia expressed a commitment to boost ties, in particular in trade, as FM Anže Logar hosted his counterpart David Zalkaliani. Logar said he was confident Georgia's new consulate in the seaside town of Portorož would contribute to that, and Zalkaliani expressed Georgia's full commitment to the EU.
        PODGORICA, Montenegro - Defence Minister Matej Tonin was on a working visit to Montenegro to meet his counterpart Olivera Injac in Podgorica and attend the To Be Secure international security forum in Budva. The ministers were happy the activities they had agreed at their recent meetings were being implemented at military level and in other fields.
        LJUBLJANA - The country's major trade unions called on the National Assembly to vote down legislative proposals that have not been talked through on the tripartite forum featuring the government, employers and unions as they accused the government of ignoring social dialogue. Minister Janez Cigler Kralj responded by saying the door had always been open to the social partners.
        LJUBLJANA - The government decided that police officers who provided security during the EU-Western Balkans summit on 5 and 6 October will receive performance bonuses, as will civil servants who participated in the security arrangements for the event. A total of 2,380 staff will receive bonus pay.
        LJUBLJANA - The government appointed Danilo Lončarič acting director of the Government Office for Demographic Affairs, effective immediately. The appointment comes after the government decided a month ago to postpone the launch of the new office until Friday, 15 October.
        LJUBLJANA - Manica Janežič Ambrožič, the TV news programme editor at public broadcaster RTV Slovenija, stepped down, saying she had decided to do so because she disagreed with changes to the programme and production plan for the news programme for 2022. The management labelled her move as a "complete surprise", while TV Slovenija's news programmes staff and the Slovenian Journalist Trade Union (SNS) regretted the resignation and expressed concern.

SATURDAY, 16 October
        LJUBLJANA - The opposition Social Democrats (SD) set out their election manifesto with the promise of major changes over the next decade, unveiling proposals to boost public healthcare and economic value added, raise the minimum wage and pensions and gradually reduce work week to 32 hours, as well as measures to move to climate neutrality. The manifesto will be adopted early next year after a broad public debate.
        LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian International Ladies' Association held its annual charity bazaar. Organised with the help of 35 embassies, the event featured culinary delights and unique products from various countries. The proceeds have been allocated to charities and institutions helping children.

SUNDAY, 17 October
        LJUBLJANA - It was announced PM Janez Janša will lead a seizable delegation to the upcoming COP26 climate conference in Glasgow. Numbering more than 50 people, the delegation will include Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak, Finance Minister Andrej Šircelj and Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec. The costs of the participation are estimated at EUR 1.2 million.

MONDAY, 18 October
        LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša announced that after the rising energy prices are discussed later this week at EU level, the government will take all the measures allowed within the single European market. He mentioned the options of regulating margins and providing energy vouchers for vulnerable households. He said domestic and European experts assured so far that the current situation was seasonal.
        LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša dismissed the statement by opposition SD leader Tanja Fajon that Slovenia was being stripped of dossiers as part of its current EU presidency. Janša said that passing dossiers onto the next presiding country was usual and that many dossiers had been passed onto Slovenia from the preceding presidencies, as the current presidency was the first fully operational one since the outbreak of Covid-19.
        LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - FM Anže Logar took part in the Foreign Affairs Council, telling RTV Slovenija that the most important topic from the perspective of the Slovenian EU presidency had been the debate on Eastern Partnership. The FMs prepared a ministerial meeting with six eastern partners, which will be held on 15 November. The EU would like to bring the countries closer together in terms of politics and business.
        LJUBLJANA - The Fiscal Council said that the Slovenian economy is recovering after the epidemic quite quickly and in 2022, departure from fiscal rules will not be possible in the absence of extraordinary circumstances, as it assessed the budget documents for 2022 and 2023. It warned of unrealistic planning of expenditure. The Finance Ministry said it was focused on gradual lifting of crisis measures and recovery, so special attention had been given to investment.
        WASHINGTON, US - Finance Minister Andrej Šircelj held several meetings as part of the annual session of the IMF and World Bank between 11 and 18 October. Bernardin Akitoby, chief of the IMF mission for Slovenia, said the upgraded economic forecast for Slovenia was a result of appropriate measures taken during the pandemic. The IMF projected a 6.3% growth for this year and 4.6% for 2022.
        LJUBLJANA - The Constitutional Court issued two decisions finding several provisions of regulations that formed the legal basis for remote schooling in primary schools and schools for special-needs children incompatible with the law. In one case the court argued the law gave the Education Ministry too much leeway in determining when remote schooling should be ordered.
        LJUBLJANA - The STA's supervisory board appointed Igor Kadunc the agency's acting director to take over from outgoing Bojan Veselinovič on 31 October, while taking over as full-fledged director on 1 January 2022. The chief supervisor said the majority of supervisors had voted for the appointment of Kadunc, the only candidate to have applied for the job.
        LJUBLJANA - Supervision at the General Police Administration carried out by the parliamentary Intelligence Oversight Commission (KNOVS) confirmed the leadership of the Interior Ministry, including Minister Aleš Hojs, was present in two operational centres of the police during the 5 October protest, KNOVS chair Matjaž Nemec said, labelling it "rather unusual". Hojs said he had not been giving any instructions.
        LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša said the response to the Covid-19 pandemic had been belated in particular in countries where governments needed to get parliamentary approval to take measures, as he addressed an international online conference on governments and public sector post-recovery.
        LJUBLJANA, Slovenia/ZAGREB, Croatia - Slovenian and Croatian presidents Borut Pahor and Zoran Milanović unveiled a bust to Croatian writer Ljudevit Gaj (1809-1872) in Ljubljana and one to Slovenian poet France Prešeren (1800-1849) in Zagreb, highlighting the neighbourly relations between the two countries.
        TRIESTE - The SKGZ minority organisation in Italy expressed concern over a substantial shift to the right in the local elections in Trieste as centre-right Mayor Roberto Dipiazza was re-elected and the far-right Brothers of Italy became the second strongest party. SKGZ head Ksenija Dobrila told the STA that Trieste had confirmed its extremely conservative essence.
        SAO PAOLO, Brazil - Minister for Slovenians Abroad Helena Jaklitsch completed her ten-day visit to Latin America, during which she visited the Slovenian communities in Argentina and Brazil, the Government Office for Slovenians Abroad said. Among other things, Jaklitsch discussed economic cooperation and challenges of Slovenian education.

TUESDAY, 19 October
        LJUBLJANA - After commercial broadcaster POP TV released a recording of Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak, the then economy minister, urging businessman Bojan Petan in 2007 to avoid paying taxes in relation to spa Terme Čatež, Vizjak denied saying those things, calling the recording "a collage" and manipulation, which he attributed to "garbage mafia". Junior coalition partners called on him to provide explanations, while the centre-left opposition demanded his resignation. In the recording, Vizjak also offered Petan cooperation by the state and the supervisory board if he agreed to his terms.
        LJUBLJANA - The web portal of the commercial broadcaster POP TV reported that the Murska Sobota District Court had opened a formal investigation against Justice Minister Marjan Dikaučič over suspicion of tax evasion and document falsification in his previous job. Dikaučič has been denying any wrongdoing.
        LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Foreign Ministry State Secretary Gašper Dovžan chaired a session of the General Affairs Council which discussed the rule of law, including the primacy of the EU law, after the recent decision of the Polish constitutional court. Dovžan said Slovenia hoped for "constructive dialogue" between the EU Commission and Poland to bridge the differences.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia logged 2,145 new coronavirus cases, the highest daily number of confirmed infections since 12 January. The share of positive tests stood at 29.1% after it was at nearly 32% the day before, the highest since early January. The death toll since the start of the epidemic exceeded 5,000, according to government data.
        LJUBLJANA - The Court of Audit found that Slovenia was partly successful in drawing EU cohesion funds in the 2014-2020 period. The actual revenue of the state budget from EU cohesion policy was much lower than planned. All the key documents for drawing the funds had been adopted but a plan of relevant activities had not been prepared.
        LJUBLJANA/BLED - The Judicial Council warned in its 2020 report that the system under which Supreme Court judges are elected by parliament was not appropriate. It also pointed to the undermining of the judiciary's reputation. Supreme Court president Damijan Florjančič said a day earlier that the judiciary was a key and ultimate defender of the rule of law.
        LJUBLJANA - The centre-left opposition Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) acted on its announcement that it would propose that the coalition Modern Centre Party (SMC) be expelled from the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) in the wake of PM Janez Janša's tweet about "Soros puppets". The SAB sent a letter to ALDE proposing to initiate proceedings to expel the SMC.
        LJUBLJANA - Kolektiv 99, an NGO protecting consumer and workers' rights, announced it had filed a class-action lawsuit with the Ljubljana District Court to claim EUR 27.5 million from US multinational corporation Apple for damages it allegedly caused to Slovenian consumers by deliberately slowing down and reducing the functionality of certain iPhone models.

WEDNESDAY, 20 October
        LJUBLJANA - Acting on growing energy prices, the government reintroduced administered pricing of heating oil by issuing a regulation on the pricing of petroleum products. Distributors will have to limit their margin to a maximum of six cents per litre of heating oil as of 9 November. Pricing will be based on the prescribed methodology as the average 14-day price.
        LJUBLJANA - Four centre-left opposition parties and the deputy group of unaffiliated MPs tabled a motion of no-confidence in Interior Minister Aleš Hojs. The parties hold him responsible for the state of emergency in the country, police violence at protests, and for a demeaning attitude towards the public and experts who disagree with the government.
        LJUBLJANA - The passage in parliament of a long-term programme for the development of the Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) until 2035 has been put on hold as the Left has submitted a proposal for a consultative referendum, saying the document pursues wrong goals policy- and priority-wise.
        LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša discussed the significance of social dialogue, cooperation, green and digital transition, lifelong learning and sustainable work as he addressed a virtual Tripartite Social Summit ahead of the EU summit. On behalf of the Slovenian presidency he highlighted the importance of the European Pillar of Social Rights.
        LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša had a video call with Apple CEO Tim Cook with a release from the Government Communication Office saying they talked about legislative acts that are being coordinated in the EU in the field of digital transformation, and about the importance of cybersecurity in digitalisation services.
        LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed amendments to the act on the implementation of the 2021 and 2022 budgets that set up a special budget fund, where the money from the recovery and resilient mechanism will be collected. The fund will be managed by the Office for Recovery and Resilience, which will be led by Janet Mravljak as acting head.
        LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed the energy supply act, a piece of legislation that defines relationships between energy companies and end consumers, introduces the right to conclude a contract with dynamic prices, provides the legal basis for energy communities, and defines the concept of energy poverty.
        LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed amendments to the act governing the organisation and work of the police force. The changes pertain to the status and autonomy of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), placing it under the Criminal Police Directorate. The centre-left opposition argued the amendments would lead to politicisation of police.
        LJUBLJANA - An omnibus de-bureaucratisation bill passed first reading in a 45:40 vote. While coalition MPs welcomed it as a good start towards less red tape in the public administration, opposition MPs were more reserved, with the centre-left MPs voting against, arguing the bill has practically nothing to do with de-bureaucratisation.
        LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed amendments to the corporate income tax act which upgrade existing reliefs and add some new. The bill was put forward by the government as part of a package designed to stimulate the post-pandemic recovery. The loss of budget revenue as a result of the changes is estimated at around EUR 27 million.
        LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor hosted a reception for equality ombudsmen from SE Europe to mark the start of their fifth regional conference, which is held in Slovenia this year. The president highlighted the importance of public dialogue during the Covid-19 pandemic.

THURSDAY, 21 October
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia and four other EU countries have drawn up a proposal to transform the EU's existing battle groups into a rapid reaction force in an initiative prompted by the experience of troop withdrawal from Afghanistan where the EU had to rely on the US, the Germany press agency dpa reported. The Defence Ministry confirmed that Slovenia had participated in drawing up the proposal from the field of crisis management.
        NOVA GORICA/GORIZIA, Italy - President Borut Pahor presented his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella with the Order of Merit for Distinguished Service, Slovenia's highest honour. The two were also the bordering cities of Nova Gorica and Gorizia to hail their title as the 2025 European Capital of Culture.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - The NATO defence ministers, including Slovenia's Matej Tonin, confirmed the alliance's capability goals, with the most demanding capability goals for Slovenia as of new including only one battalion-size battlegroup instead of two. The country has also been tasked with establishing a medium-sized reconnaissance battalion, the Defence Ministry said.
        RAVNE NA KOROŠKEM - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek confirmed the government is considering introducing energy vouchers to help the most vulnerable groups of population cope with rising prices, but also said they hoped such measures would not be necessary. He noted that the issue of rising energy prices is a complex one and thus not easy to tackle.
        LJUBLJANA - Novartis has signed an initial agreement to use its manufacturing facility in Ljubljana to fill the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine against Covid-19. The Novartis Technical Operations site will fill at least 24 million doses in its sterile manufacturing facilities in 2022, the Swiss pharma company announced.
        LJUBLJANA - United Media, the media division of United Group, reported a takeover of Slovenian publishing company Adria Media at the country's Competition Protection Agency (AVK). United Media and Adria Media signed a cooperation agreement last year.
        LJUBLJANA - Energy companies Petrol and OMV Slovenija, leading providers of petroleum products in Slovenia, said they would abide by a new government regulation re-introducing administered heating oil prices which will kick in on 9 November. Petrol and OMV Slovenija will thus have to limit the distributors' margin to a maximum of six cents per litre of heating oil.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenian Agriculture Minister Jože Podgoršek and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Patrushev discussed possible forms of cooperation in the field of agriculture and rural development at a bilateral meeting and signed an action plan to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.
        LJUBLJANA - Svetlana Makarovič, a leading Slovenian poet and children's author, won this year's Ježek Award, an accolade celebrating creative and witty radio and television works. Makarovič was described as the most representative contemporary author of fairy tales who has also made her mark on theatre and chanson.
        WARSAW, Poland - Alexander Gadjiev, representing Slovenia and Italy, won second place at the 18th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition, sharing it with Kyohei Sorita from Japan. Gadjiev also won the Krystian Zimerman Prize for the best performance of a Chopin sonata.

STA, 22 October 2021 - Friday's protesters gathering in Ljubljana's city centre demanding the government's resignation and an early election, today raised the issue of pressure on media freedom and the suspension of funding of the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) as well as leaked recordings of Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak.

Activist Jaša Jenull stressed that independent journalism must be protected by all means. The protesters presented their demands regarding media freedom and culture, and expressed opposition to "politically motivated repression and dictatorship".

They marched through the city centre holding banners calling for early election and carrying a sculpture of a water cannon, which they said was the only one that was acceptable in the streets.

Jenull and media expert Sandra Bašić Hrvatin noted that the STA had been performing public service without government funding for 295 days. Bašić Hrvatin said that opposing the destruction of the STA meant supporting media freedom, democracy and journalists.

The protesters also pointed to the recording leaked earlier this week in which Vizjak as economy minister urged businessman Bojan Petan to avoid taxes in relation to spa Terme Čatež in 2007. They said that in any other normal democracy, Vizjak would have to step down along with some other ministers.

Since the rally had not been registered in advance, police are providing for the safety, the Ljubljana Police Department told the STA.