STA, 1 January 2020 - While Prime Minister Janez Janša has announced that a new shipment of Covid-19 vaccine will arrive in Slovenia next week to largely cover the healthcare sector, a Health Ministry official has called for as massive vaccination as possible to make sure that the state starts normally functioning again.

Visiting the hospital in Šempeter pri Gorici on Thursday afternoon, Janša told the press the new shipment would focus on the most exposed healthcare workers.

He expects that employees in critical infrastructure will be able to get vaccinated in the second half of January.

Health Ministry State Secretary Alenka Forte meanwhile visited the Novo Mesto general hospital on Friday to call for massive vaccination, adding that the highest possible vaccination rate should first be achieved among health workers.

Forte said that "the stronger we are in this vaccination campaign, the more successful we will be in defeating this crisis".

The state secretary noted that in addition to the vaccination, "which must take off and in which 60-70% vaccination rate needs to be achieved in the entire Slovenian population", people must not forget about preventive measures.

STA, 30 December 2020 - As the EU and UK have reached a trade and cooperation agreement to enable smooth transition to the full Brexit, British Ambassador to Slovenia Tiffany Sadler has assessed that, as the UK will always be a "close friend and partner to Slovenia", the deal enables the UK to continue to work with Slovenia as partners to tackle global challenges.

According to the ambassador, the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement brings clarity and certainty to UK and EU citizens and businesses.

"It provides a platform upon which the UK and Slovenia can boost our relationship going forward, based on shared values, free trade and friendly cooperation," Sadler added in the statement for the STA.

For the UK businesses, the deal maintains zero tariffs and zero quotas on trade in goods, and this is perceived as important as the UK and Slovenia look to rebuild their economies post Covid-19.

Official statistics show that the UK is the 20th most important trade partner to Slovenia, with the value of bilateral trade exceeding EUR 1 billion for the second year in a row in 2019.

Data for 2020 show a decline in trade, though, and data for 2019 indicate that the number of exporters to and importers from the UK is dropping.

Last year, a total of 1,530 Slovenian companies exported to the UK, which is 22% fewer than in 2018. A total of 4,885 companies in Slovenia imported from the UK last year, 5% fewer than in 2018.

Sadler said that, following the UK's exit from the Single Market and Customs Union, the UK would "continue to work very closely with the Slovenian government to ensure that citizens and businesses here are fully aware of the changes and of what they need to do."

Slovenian citizens will be able to travel to the UK until 1 October 2021 with a valid identity card or passport, and from then on entry will be possible only with a valid passport.

Citizens with a regulated status within the EU scheme will be able to travel to the UK with a valid identity card at least until 31 December 2025.

According to the Slovenian Embassy in London, 3,880 Slovenian citizens asked either for settled or pre-settled status by 30 November, with 1,790 being granted settled status and 2,040 pre-settled status.

The embassy does not possess information about whether the number of Slovenian citizens in the UK dropped after the UK left the EU on 31 January 2020. It has told the STA that Slovenian citizens had not difficulties in applying for the status.

As the British government said that top talent would be preferred in immigration, the embassy noted that the Slovenians who lived in the UK were mostly highly qualified workforce or students.

In this respect, the British ambassador said that "we will continue to welcome Slovenian students to come and study at our universities" and that short-term visitors would continue to travel visa-free and have access to healthcare protection in each other's countries.

Slovenians who will start their studies in the UK next year will be treated as all other international students, which means that they will need to apply for a student visa and pay higher tuition fees.

On the other hand, those Slovenians who are already studying in the UK will be able to retain the rights they have had as EU citizens if they apply for status until 30 June 2021 to enjoy lower tuition fees, simplified visa regime and healthcare protection.

When it comes to cooperation in judicial matters, the deal puts into force a system of extradition of wanted persons based on an arrest warrant that would enable fast and effective extradition of wanted persons.

According to Slovenia's official position to the agreement, Slovenia will propose on the basis of Article 47 of its constitution a declaration under which Slovenian citizens would not be extradited on the basis of the agreement.

As for future cooperation in other areas, Sadler said that the deal enabled the UK to continue to work with Slovenia as partners to tackle some of the global challenges faced by both nations.

"Climate change will be a key priority next year, with the UK presiding over COP 26 at the same time Slovenia holds the EU Presidency. That is the moment we want the world to come together for the long term health of our planet."

As for cooperation with Slovenia in defence, the ambassador said that "we will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder in NATO", expressing the hope that the UK troops would train alongside Slovenian counterparts again.

Sadler added that "we have agreed a strong framework for future security cooperation" and that the deal provided for future cooperation between us on emerging security challenges, such as cyber crime.

STA, 29 December 2020 - The opposition Social Democrats (SD) leadership endorsed on Tuesday Karl Erjavec, the leader of the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS), as a candidate for prime minister-designate. The SD also backed the formation of an alternative government and filing a constructive motion of no confidence in the government.

The SD finds it key for the potential new government to focus on tackling the health, economic and social crises until the general elections in 2022 and to set up foundations for Slovenia's development up to 2030 as well as boost public services, particularly healthcare and elderly care, SD leader Tanja Fajon said as quoted in a press release issued after a session of SD leadership.

She believes a new government would mean "the restoring of trust, normalisation of the situation and end of harsher communication that has deepened the divides among us". The SD would like to see the return of Slovenia as "an example of a democratic, green and innovative country".

To achieve this goal the party discussed today the informal KUL coalition programme priorities as well as development strategy.

The Constitutional Arch Coalition (KUL) has been formed by the SD, the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ), the Left and the Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB).

After Erjavec announced last week that the vote of no confidence would be filed by year's end, his statement on Monday suggests that the step may not be carried out this year.

Following a meeting with KUL representatives, Erjavec said yesterday that they had agreed to invite the junior coalition Modern Centre Party (SMC) for talks, noting "it is clear that we also need support by the SMC party if we want a new government".

The SMC is to discuss the invitation on Wednesday. However, the party said almost two weeks ago that it did not support Erjavec as candidate for prime minister-designate.

The LMŠ and SAB backed Erjavec prior to the SD's endorsement, and the Left is expected to decide on the matter at the start of 2021, the party told the STA today.

STA, 29 December 2020 - The Culture Ministry has once again appointed Robert Simonišek acting director of the Museum of Modern Art after the Administrative Court found the previous appointment decree lacking and ordered the ministry to see to the issue. The ministry told the STA on Tuesday it had remedied the identified shortcomings in a new decree.

The ministry highlighted that the court had found the previous decree lacking when it came to the appointment justification - a flaw that has been fixed in the latest decree, it said.

Under the decree Simonišek assumed office on 23 December and will be at the helm of the museum until a full-fledged director is appointed but no longer than one year.

The decision had been challenged by previous acting director Zdenka Badovinac, who had been at the helm of the museum since 1993. She claims that her right to equality before the law was violated during the appointment procedure, newspaper Dnevnik reported last week.

"The minister is said to have appointed the new acting director without reviewing whether they, same as her [Badovinac], met the criteria for the post, and the choice is said to have been politically motivated," Dnevnik said.

The latest public call for full-fledged director is not yet completed, the ministry said, adding that by appointing acting director it had secured the museum's undisrupted performance.

It was determined that Simonišek fulfilled all the selection criteria even prior to the first decree, the ministry said, noting that he had a PhD in art history and more than eleven years of experience in the field of culture and museum studies.

The third iteration of the public call for the post of director was published in early December, a day after the government adopted a decree amending the museum's articles of association.

The step softened candidate selection criteria. Prior to the changes, candidates eligible to be appointed had to have at least five years of work experience related to the institution's field of expertise.

Under the decree, it is sufficient now that a candidate has five years of leadership experience at the minimum and that they are familiar with the museum's work.

STA, 29 December 2020 - The National Assembly voted 44:40 on Tuesday in favour of a last-minute amendment to the latest economic stimulus bill that the coalition Modern Centre Party (SMC) tabled to reinstate public financing of the Slovenian Press Agency (STA).

The amendment stipulates that the STA must get all due financing for its provision of public service for this year paid within 7 days after the entry into force of the stimulus bill.

For next year, it must get funds regardless of whether a new public service contract for the year is signed, as is customary every year.

The amendment was endorsed by the centre-left opposition plus seven of the eight MPs of the coalition SMC.

STA funding was suspended over a month ago after the management repeatedly refused to hand over documents requested by the Government Communication Office (UKOM).

The STA has not been paid for its performance of public service for October and November. The payment for December is not due yet.

According to two separate legal opinions, one by the government's own Office for Legislation, UKOM is not entitled to all the information it has requested.

Some of the documents UKOM requested are seen by the STA as interference in the agency's editorial independence since they have nothing to do with financial operations but refer to STA content production or contracts that have nothing to do with the public service.

The author of the amendment, SMC deputy group leader Janja Sluga, said the party decided for the amendment "because of UKOM's conduct and all the legal opinions, and because we are of the opinion that public service should be financed and that UKOM simply does not have the right to demand everything it demands of the STA".

Parliamentary Speaker Igor Zorčič, another senior member of the SMC, said that the STA situation needed to be tackled at the legislative level and that the government's efforts so far had been insufficient.

He added that if there were any disagreements, for example regarding the STA's business plan, they should be resolved other than by cutting funds "and starving such an institution".

Prime Minister Janez Janša expressed opposition to the move on Twitter, used the hashtag #Zimbabwe and labelling the amendment as "a pinnacle of the rule of law".

STA, 29 December 2020 - Prime Minister Janez Janša spoke with his Croatian counterpart Andrej Plenković on Tuesday to offer Slovenia's assistance in the relief efforts following a devastating earthquake near Petrinja, south-east of the capital of Zagreb. Solidarity and readiness to help was also expressed by President Borut Pahor.

Janša added in his post on Twitter that the Slovenian Civil Protection and Disaster Relief Administration was in the state of alert and was in direct contact with the authorities in Croatia.

President Borut Pahor also announced on Twitter that he had just spoken with Croatian President Zoran Milanović, who is on his way to the affected area. Pahor expressed compassion, solidarity and readiness of Slovenia to help the neighbouring country.

The 6.4-magnitude earthquake hit around midday. The epicentre of the earthquake, which was felt in large swathes of Slovenia, was 46 kilometres south of Zagreb near Petrinja, the epicentre of a 5.2-magnitude earthquake on Monday.

Janša said in a subsequent tweet that, according to the information collected so far, no significant damage had been recorded in Slovenia apart from several damaged facades, church towers and chimneys.

The prime minister also announced on the occasion that a national earthquake response exercise would be organised in 2021.

The Krško Nuclear Power Station, jointly owned by Slovenia and Croatia and located roughly 80 kilometres north-west of Petrinja, was shut down today as a precaution in what is standard procedure in the event of a strong earthquake.

The earthquake was felt in the building of the Slovenian National Assembly as the MPs were holding a session, which was suspended for more than half an hour by Speaker Igor Zorčič.

Some of the MPs left the building, and after they returned, Zorčič told the press that he had certainly felt the tremor, although "I have to admit that for us politicians, the ground is always shaking beneath our feet."

Matjaž Han, the head of the deputy group of the opposition Social Democrats (SD), expressed support for Croatians who are facing such a tragedy amidst holidays. "If we can help them in any way, we should make ourselves available," he added.

STA, 28 December 2020 - The management of the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) has appealed to Prime Minister Janez Janša and members of his government to support the call by the agency's staff and supervisory board for the Government Communication Office (UKOM) to restore the financing of the public service provided by the STA.

In a press release on Monday, the STA management says that after failing to pay the STA the fee for public service for October, UKOM now also rejected the claim for the fee for November as well as refused to pay for the services provided by the STA for the government administration for October and November.

It notes that UKOM had been regularly meeting its liabilities towards the STA until October, but stopped since then even though the regulatory framework has not changed in the meantime.

"Through arbitrary suspension of financing of the public service, UKOM has overstepped its powers under law and contract," the release reads, adding that such a view had been upheld by the government legislation service as well as by a legal opinion commissioned by the STA.

The STA continues to perform the public service as set out by the relevant law, thus honouring its commitments despite the suspension of financing, while the government has not yet taken its position on the matter, despite several appeals, notes the release.

UKOM continues to make the monthly payments conditional on the handover of certain documents, despite failing to cite the legal basis or provide a suitable authorisation to access those documents, the management says.

Repeating its readiness to provide requested information to the owner in accordance with valid legislation, the management notes that it follows from a freedom of information request response to a coalition MP that the government as the STA shareholder has never authorised UKOM to act on its behalf.

The STA management also notes that the parliamentary Culture Committee urged the government on 14 December to meet within three days its obligations and pay the STA for its services and thus ensure the agency's continued stability. UKOM has not honoured the committee's resolution and has even announced it will not pay any more invoices to STA this year.

This is why the STA management expects the government to restore financing of the STA for 2020 and to sign the annual agreement to pay the STA for public service in 2021, since as the sole STA shareholder, it has an obligation to ensure comprehensive and undisrupted performance of the STA public service based on the annual business plan.

The STA supervisory board adopted the 2021 business plan and sent it to the government on 21 December.

The management wonders how long the government would allow such a situation to continue. "Allowing such a situation calls all members of the government to responsibility to put in their word and do all within their remit for regular financing of the STA's activities to be resumed," reads the release.

Modern Centre Party (SMC) leader and Economic Development and Technology Minister Zdravko Počivalšek meanwhile said that the matter had to be resolved before the end of the year. He is to propose to the government a decree "giving clear powers and instructions" to UKOM.

"The government must resolve this urgently, that is before the end of the year because the STA is a very important institution and its work must not be in jeopardy. It is a matter of special urgency to make sure its employees ... get paid."

Another member of the cabinet, Education Minister Simona Kustec, also a member of the SMC, also expressed the wish that "this unnecessary conflict" being fought on the backs of STA employees be resolved as soon as possible.

Speaker Igor Zorčič, also a member of the coalition SMC, said he would actively advocate for the resolution of this issue as soon as possible. His office said that more is to be known tomorrow, but would not go into details.

Zorčič also told the STA that he supported the efforts of STA employees and expected the government to heed the decisions of the parliamentary Culture Committee to provide sustainable funding for the STA as soon as possible.

However, both Prime Minister Janša and UKOM boss Uroš Urbanija said on Twitter that UKOM would insist on the STA providing the disputed documents to UKOM before paying its liabilities.

Pogodbene obveznosti do @STA bodo izpolnjene takoj, ko bo UKOM prejel in preveril zahtevano dokumentacijo. Pozivanje @vladaRS k nezakonitemu ravnanju v korist direktorja agencije, ki eklatantno krši pogodbo in ogroža socialni položaj zaposlenih, je posmeh vladavini prava.

— Janez Janša (@JJansaSDS) December 28, 2020

Veselinovič @STA_novice je podpisal pogodbo, da je UKOM "predstavnik ustanovitelja". Ko je ta "predstavnik ustanovitelja" zahteval dokumentacijo, pa se je spomnil, da UKOM ni "predstavnik ustanovitelja". Denar bi, ampak bohnedaj, da ga kdo kaj. Še #Vesel bi ga težko podprl. https://t.co/lkSn8Kk6yr

— Uroš Urbanija (@UrosUrbanija) December 28, 2020

Janša said that "calls to illegal action to the benefit of the agency's director, who is in blatant violation of the contract and jeopardises the social situation of employees, are mocking the rule of law".

STA director Bojan Veselinovič denied allegations that he had called for illegal action, instead he was the one being forced to act illegally by "a series of letters from UKOM director". He believes that UKOM's actions are making a mockery of the rule of law.

He also said he never claimed that UKOM did not have the power to sign the contract on behalf of the government. "I did raise the issue, however, that UKOM does not have the power of shareholder to access the documents and the data it wants to see because it signed the contract."

Janša claimed in his response that if STA management believed UKOM did not have the power to sign the annual public service contract it should not have signed it.

Veselinovič said that Urbanija "violates not only contractual obligations toward the STA but also forces the government, which is required by law to ensure funding of the agency's public service, to violate the law".

The coalition New Slovenia (NSi) echoed a similar position to Janša's, saying that the work performed must be paid and that the payment must be made as soon as the STA forwards the requested documents to UKOM. The party believes that the issue could be resolved between UKOM and the STA.

STA, 23 December 2020 - Movement among municipalities in the western Slovenian regions with a favourable epidemiological situation will no longer be possible after Christmas, the government decided on Wednesday evening. Movement among municipalities was allowed for those using the contact tracing app on their mobile device.

The government said today that the decision to allow movement across municipal borders was linked to the temporary opening of some shops and services.

These will shut down once again under a decree valid between 24 December and 4 January, so there is no need for the movement across municipal borders.

The government has previously said that movement across the country will be allowed between noon on Christmas Eve and 8pm on Christmas Day, thus the closure of municipal borders will take effect on Friday evening.

Unless the epidemiological situation worsens, a similar regime will be in place for New Year's. Nevertheless, the 9pm to 6am curfew remains in place.

While the app was struck from the list of exemptions allowing movement across municipal borders, a new exemption was added, allowing movement across municipal borders for the purpose of physical activity, either individually or in the company of members of their household.

Other exemptions, such as going to work or providing help, remain in effect.

STA, 23 December 2020 - The government adopted changes to the road traffic rules act that significantly lower fines for speeding, which according to Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec will be comparable at the EU level. The minister believes more effort should be invested in prevention and control.

In line with the changes, divers who exceed the speed limit by up to 10 km/h in an area where speed is limited to 50 km/h would pay a EUR 40 fine.

Those exceeding the limit by 10-20 km/h would earn a EUR 120 fine plus three penalty points, instead of the current fine of EUR 250 plus three penalty points.

The fine for exceeding the limit by between 20 and 30 km/h would be EUR 250 plus five penalty points.

Presenting the changes to the press on Wednesday, Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec said that a new penalty would be introduced for exceeding the speed limit by between 30 and 40 km/h - a EUR 500 fine and seven penalty points.

Those who exceed the speed limit by between 40 and 50 km/h would pay a EUR 750 and nine penalty points would be added to their driving record.

Fines for speeding in the areas where speed is limited to 90 km/h and on motorway and expressways would also be lowered.

Speeding in the areas where speed is limited to 30 km/h of up to 10 km/h would come with a EUR 40 fine, of between 10 and 20 km/h with a EUR 130 fine, and of between 20 and 30 km/h with a EUR 500 fine plus seven penalty points.

Those exceeding the limit by 30 km/h or more in the low speed areas would pay a EUR 1,200 fine and get stripped of their driving licence.

"Personally, I'm an advocate of lower fines for speeding as ... I think there is no correlation between high fines and fatal traffic accidents," said Vrtovec, adding that effort should be invested in prevention and traffic control.

"Under this proposal, our fines will finally be comparable at the European level," he said, pointing to neighbouring Austria, where fines are even lower.

The proposed changes also include the possibility to turn right at a red light at crossroads with good visibility and elsewhere where this is possible. "These crossroads will be properly marked, and traffic flow will certainly be better."

Electric scooters will be defined as light motor vehicles and will be permitted to be driven on bicycle lanes or along the right edge of the road, as is the case for bicycles or mopeds.

"On the other hand, electric scooters will be prohibited on areas reserved for pedestrians," Vrtovec said, adding that only persons aged 14 and older would be permitted to drive them. Those aged 18 and older would need to wear helmets.

The minister also said that those using their mobile phone while driving would however pay a higher fine, but did not specify.

The ministry had proposed increasing the fine from EUR 120 to EUR 250 plus three penalty points.

STA, 22 December 2020 - After meeting representatives of the informal KUL coalition on Tuesday, Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) president Karl Erjavec announced that a motion for a constructive vote of no confidence in the government would be filed next week or by the end of the year. He expects that the required 46 MP votes will have been secured by then.

Speaking to the press after meeting the heads of the left-leaning opposition Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ), Social Democrats (SD), the Left and Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB), which form the Constitutional Arch Coalition (KUL), Erjavec said it had also been agreed that the parties' bodies would confirm him as a candidate for a prime minister-designate.

According to the DeSUS president, this is important because it has been widely speculated lately that this role could be assumed by someone else. The confirmation means a guarantee that once the motion is submitted, he will be the candidate.

While Erjavec told the STA on Monday that he would be a candidate for a prime minister-designate only if at least 46 signatures of MPs were secured, it seems now that the motion may be submitted in any case.

He expects that a sufficient number of signatures will be collected by the end of the year and claims that "things are looking good and we are very close".

Erjavec added that the informal coalition was following the recommendation by President Borut Pahor, who called after Monday's meeting of senior state officials for the political situation in the country be resolved as soon as possible.

After DeSUS member Tomaž Gantar recently resigned as health minister as the party left the coalition, Prime Minister Janez Janša took over as interim health minister, so Erjavec believes that this means that Janša has assumed the responsibility for the current Covid-19 situation.

"We see what the results are. This is also one of the reasons why we want a new government. We think that this trend continuing would be irresponsible," he said, noting that DeSUS, which advocated the elderly, could not stand and watch.

According to him, the motion is also an opportunity for MPs to change this politics which, "as far as the epidemic is concerned, is unsuccessful". He pointed to certain moves by the government, including concerning the media and financing of NGOs.

"This is dismantling of social systems," said Erjavec, who primarily expects from the deputies of the Modern Centre Party (SMC), who according to him do not feel well in the government, to take responsibility for changing the situation in the country.

SMC head and Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek said last week that all eight SMC deputies were united in their non-support for Erjavec, but the DeSUS president assesses that the statement lacks credibility as it later turned out that this is not the case.

Asked what would happen if SMC deputies fail to contribute their signatures, Erjavec said that "this means that the structure of this National Assembly supports ... the absence of the rule of law, attacks on the media, non-financing of NGOs".

Meanwhile, SMC MP Gregor Perič told a current affairs show on TV Slovenija that MPs faced increasing pressure and that things had gone too far. "We receive mail to our home addresses, emails, there are threats, more or less veiled offers. The political arena is reaching a boiling point."

Other MPs do not talk about this because they fear making things worse, said Perič, in whose constituency signs had been placed wondering whether he was a hero or a traitor.

Erjavec reiterated that DeSUS guarantees four MP votes for a potential new government. The fifth MP, Robert Polnar, has already been expelled from the party and Erjavec expects him to withdraw from the DeSUS deputy group.

A civil initiative has meanwhile expressed support for the government of Janez Janša and the MPs who cooperate with it, as it believes that it, with the help of the healthcare system, is successful in tackling the Covid-19 epidemic and its consequences.

Prebudimo Slovenijo (Let's Wake Up Slovenia) added that the moment that some parties had picked to undermine the government was not selected randomly and that an attempted return was being made by "those for whom democracy is only means to make personal gains".