FRIDAY, 11 February
LJUBLJANA - The Constitutional Court stayed, pending its final decision, the implementation of a provision in the latest Covid relief law that raises the pay ceiling in the single public sector wage system only for the benefit of doctors and dentists and had angered other groups of public sector trade employees.
LJUBLJANA - Economist Jože P. Damijan, the author of the idea for the Constitutional Arch Coalition (KUL), was joined by more than two dozen former officials as well as businessmen, scientists and other professionals in launching a centre-left development agenda that they plan to implement in collaboration with existing political players.
LJUBLJANA - The International Press Institute released a report on Hungarian investments in foreign media that suggests the Hungarian model of government control of the media is being transposed to Slovenia. It says this is important in light of Slovenia's upcoming general election.
BRDO PRI KRANJU - The Slovenian women's ski jumping team, men's basketball team, cross-country skier Anamarija Lampič and former para athlete and sports official Peter Ozmec were declared the winners of the 2021 Bloudek Prizes, the highest national awards for current and lifetime achievements in sports.
SATURDAY, 12 February
LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša said that Slovenia was monitoring with concern the concentration of the Russian troops on the border with Ukraine as he spoke on the phone with Ukrainian counterpart Denis Shmygal to express support for Ukraine's territorial integrity and the right of every country to choose its alliance.
FRANKOLOVO - President Borut Pahor called for a peaceful solution to the crisis in north-eastern Europe, saying that peace should be protected and everything should be done for dialogue to continue, as the addressed a memorial ceremony after laying a wreath at the monument to the Frankolovo victims.
SUNDAY, 13 February
BEIJING, China - Žan Kranjec won silver in the men's giant slalom in what was his first Olympic medal and the sixth for Slovenia at the Beijing Olympics. After placing 8th in the first run, he put on a dream-like second run as conditions were tough due to snowing, to improve on his 4th place from the 2018 Games.
LJUBLJANA - Nika Kovač, the founder and head of NGO the 8 March Institute, was named the Slovenian Woman of the Year 2021 by the women's magazine Jana and its readers. The NGO has been very vocal for several years now, warning of inequalities and the problems of the most vulnerable.
MONDAY, 14 February
LISBON, Portugal - President Borut Pahor and his Portuguese counterpart Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa called for a peaceful and diplomatic solution to the Ukraine crisis and urged for a faster EU enlargement to the Western Balkans, as they met at the outset of Pahor's two-day official visit to Portugal.
VIENNA, Austria - Slovenia, a new member of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), submitted a draft resolution calling on the international community to step up efforts to prevent the use of illicit drugs in particular among children and youth. The CND will debate the resolution at its 65th session in mid-March.
LJUBLJANA - The opposition Social Democrats (SD) proposed scrapping the recovered, vaccinated, tested rule in all activities except health and social care, as well as abolishing mandatory quarantine for contacts of infected people. They believe people should be free to decide whether to wear masks and self-test or not.
LJUBLJANA - The opposition Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) set out its platform for the 24 April general election with solidarity and green transition as one of the cornerstones with priorities such as stabilisation of public finances, restoration of the rule of law and improving the status of pensioners.
LJUBLJANA - The steel group SIJ signed an agreement with a consortium of banks headed by NLB on a EUR 230 million syndicated loan with seven-year maturity to refinance existing loans, secure additional liquidity reserves for its long-term development, and finance investments into environmental efficiency.
BEIJING, China - The Slovenian men's ski-jumping team, made up of Lovro Kos, Cene Prevc, Timi Zajc and Peter Prevc, won silver at the Olympics for Slovenia's seventh medal at the Beijing Games.
TUESDAY, 15 February
LJUBLJANA - Health experts outlined a gradual easing of measures against the Covid-19 epidemic at a consultation with the government, proposing the abolition of the Covid pass for shops, banks, post offices and administrative units, and the abolition of quarantines in case of high-risk contacts.
DUBAI, UAE - Slovenia and the United Arab Emirates signed a memorandum of understanding on sustainable development and food systems as Agriculture Minister Jože Podgoršek held talks with Emirati Environment and Climate Change Minister Mariam Bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri.
LISBON, Portugal - President Borut Pahor was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Lisbon at a special ceremony, being honoured for his efforts to promote dialogue and his continued commitment to fundamental European values.
LJUBLJANA - Aleksandra Pivec, the president of Our Land, announced that the party had collected more than 1,500 signatures of voters, so it officially entered the election race. She said the party's platform would mainly address vulnerable groups, adding that it was too early to speak about post-election alliances.
LJUBLJANA - Cultural institutions and association addressed a letter to decision-makers to fully reopen cultural venues in Slovenia, and lift all coronavirus restrictions which govern organising and visiting cultural events by 21 February at the latest. The appeal was signed by 70 organisations.
LJUBLJANA - The average gross pay in Slovenia rose by 6.1% in nominal terms in 2021 to EUR 1,970, the fastest pace in five years. The increase was almost equally driven by the public and private sectors, showed the latest Statistics Office figures.
WEDNESDAY, 16 February
LJUBLJANA - Nurses, staff at social care institutions and pharmacies staged a one-day strike after failing to make meaningful progress at talks with the government either on a rise to tackle pay disparities or work standards. Some 50,000 staff were on strike and many non-urgent health services were suspended for the day.
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia extended two bonds in the total amount of EUR 750 million, adding EUR 350 million to the bond due in March 2032 and EUR 400 million to the bond due in October 2050. The treasury also earmarked US$582.7 million and EUR 15 million for repurchase of dollar- and euro-denominated bonds due in 2023 and 2024.
LJUBLJANA - The Left withdrew its motion for a consultative referendum on changes to the income tax act, as the government had indicated the referendum could be held on the same day as the general election. Left coordinator Luka Mesec said the party did not want to enable the government to build its election campaign on "promises of higher wages."
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's banking system generated an after-tax profit of EUR 527.3 million last year, an increase of 17.1% compared to the previous year. Pre-tax profit rose by about a fifth to stand at EUR 564.7 million, shows a report releases by the central bank.
LJUBLJANA) - Pensioners will get 4.4% higher pensions at the end of the month in line with regular annual adjustment with wages and consumer prices. Back rise for January will be paid out as well. The adjustment will cost the Pension and Disability Insurance Institute EUR 268 million at the annual level.
THURSDAY, 17 February
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Prime Minister Janez Janša expressed "full support for EU efforts for de-escalation" after EU leaders discussed the situation in Ukraine. He lauded the EU's unity on the issue, which he said would make it harder for Russian President Vladimir Putin to play his game. Defence Minister Matej Tonin announced Slovenia would help Ukraine with equipment such as mobile kitchens, heated tents and dual-use equipment, but no weapons.
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Slovenia is still among the NATO countries with the lowest defence spending. It ranks 25th in terms of efforts to have 2% of GDP allocated for defence and 26th when it comes to defence investments, Defence Minister Matej Tonin said after a NATO ministerial. This year, Slovenia will allocate 1.3% of GDP for defence and in 2023 and 2024 this will rise to 1.4% and 1.5%, respectively.
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Defence Minister Matej Tonin said that Slovenian soldiers remained in Mali for now and continued training Mali troops, after France announced its troops would withdraw from the country. Tonin noted that a formal decision on the EU mission there had not yet been adopted yet.
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor turned down a call by the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) not to sign a decree appointing new ambassadors ahead of the general election. He said a postponement would be unjustified and harm the country's foreign policy interests in the international community.
LJUBLJANA - The new US Ambassador to Slovenia Jamie L. Harpootlian presented her credentials to President Borut Pahor. She said her goal was to open avenues for working together and strengthening the countries' partnership.
KOMENDA - Slovenian company PharmaHemp started building an EUR 11 million facility to produce and process hemp products in Komenda, north of Ljubljana, in what it said would bring together the broadest range of services in the field of hemp in Europe.
