STA, 22 June 2020 - A survey carried out by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) shows that Slovenian companies expect to generate lower revenue this year at an average rate of 17%, and that more than half of them believe their exports will also decline.

The survey carried out between 20 May and 15 June among 272 companies, and published on Monday, sees a majority of companies expecting lower revenue this year, while 13% expect higher revenue and 8% the same revenue as in 2019.

Among those which expect a decline in revenue, 18% believe their revenue will drop by 10%, 16% believe their revenue will drop by 20%, and 13% believe they are in for a 30% decline.

Some 63% of the surveyed companies expect their exports to decline this year, while almost a fifth expects an increase, and another fifth expects to see no change.

Slightly more than half of the companies expect that their investments will be lower this year than in 2019, more than a third think they will invest more and 15% think that they will invest the same amount as last year.

More than a fifth of the companies which intend to reduce investments will do this at a 50% rate or higher.

Generally, the surveyed companies will be firing more than hiring this year, and 53% expects their workforce to be reduced this year compared to 2019. Less than a fifth plans to increase the workforce and 28% thinks their workforce will remain the same.

A majority of the companies expect that their revenue will record an annual growth next year, with 31% expecting this will happen not later than at the end of June 2021.

Some 14% of the companies think this will happen by the end of this year, while 28% said this will not happen before the end of June 2021 or that this will happen even later.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the export presence of Slovenian companies will drop by 46 percentage points - the difference between the share of those which expect growth and those which expect a drop.

The survey also shows that subsidies for furloughed workers is the most used anti-coronavirus measure, as 55% of the companies used it. It is followed by tax deferral (24%), loan obligations deferral (19%) and loans from the guarantee scheme (14%).

On average, the surveyed companies had 33% of their workers on temporary leave during the survey. In half of the cases, the companies asked for loans ranging from EUR 100,000 to EUR 1 million, and 88% of the companies are yet to be approved their loans.

STA, 22 June 2020 - Foreign Minister Anže Logar and his Austrian counterpart Alexander Schallenberg told the press after they met in Ljubljana on Monday that they would do everything in their power so that the shared border was not closed again due to Covid-19. The countries have boosted information exchange and coordination in this field, they added.

Logar stressed that Slovenia, which had its borders opened to a majority of the Western Balkan countries until recently, was keeping close tabs on the development of the pandemic in the countries and taking quick measures if the epidemiological situation worsened.

Schallenberg said regarding Slovenia's decision to remove a majority of the Western Balkan countries from the so-called green list that "one needs to be aware that if one Schengen area country opens its borders, it assumes the responsibility of all others".

He explained that Austria decided which country was safe not only based on an increase in the number of infected persons, but also on a set of other criteria, including to which countries have opened up to these countries.

Ministra @AnzeLog in Schallenberg sta poudarila odlične odnose med državama, izpostavila Leto sosedskega dialoga in zadovoljstvo z dobrim gospodarskim sodelovanjem. Minister Logar je izpostavil tudi pričakovanja slovenske narodne skupnosti v ??➡️https://t.co/MkS2cGhSGz pic.twitter.com/sPphivf2RX

— SLOVENIAN MFA (@MZZRS) June 22, 2020

Logar and Schallenberg agreed they will keep each other informed about future measures and coordinate the country's actions, if necessary. The latter said he could not promise that movement across the shared border would not be restricted again.

The countries are doing everything they can to prevent this, because they do not only share the border, as many citizens and families in both countries are closely connected to the border area, the Austrian minister added.

Logar also said that he had agreed with Schallenberg that reviving the trade flow, including by keeping borders open, and kick-starting the economy and life in general was very important for recovery after the pandemic.

Austria in particular is important for economic cooperation as it is at the top in terms of foreign investments, volume of trade and arrivals of tourists, he added.

Remaining an open issue is control on the Austrian side of the border aimed at stemming illegal migration, which Schallenberg said had been extended until November, as a new increase was expected given the situation on the Turkish-Greek border.

The Austrian minister said that the control was help of sorts for Slovenia, as everybody who crosses illegally into Slovenia knew it would be hard to enter Austria. "This is not a sign of distrust in Slovenia, but a clear signal to smugglers."

Logar said that while Slovenia did not oppose temporary controls on internal EU borders if these were warranted, there should be very transparent and realistic reasons for such measures.

They also discussed cooperation on the EU's multi-year financial framework and the recovery package. "Slovenia and Austria are perhaps sometimes on opposite banks here, which is normal when one is a net contributor and the other is a net recipient," Logar said.

Nevertheless, he is convinced that agreements should be reached as soon as possible, even before the summer holidays. "Sometimes you need to take a step back so that we together can take two steps forward," Logar added.

Schallenberg shared the view that an agreement at the EU level needed to be reached as soon as possible.

The ministers touched on the Slovenian minority in Austria, labelling the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Carinthian plebiscite as an important bilateral event. Logar said it was a historic opportunity to make a step forward in this field.

Schallenberg said he was optimistic about the possibility to develop a "positive story, which will be oriented towards the future while not forgetting about the past" as part of the anniversary.

The Austrian minister also reiterated the wish that the German-speaking community in Slovenia be recognised as a minority.

Later in the day, Schallenberg met representatives of the community, who informed him that certain progress had been made in the dialogue with the previous Slovenian government.

The community thus expects from the current government to continue the dialogue and adopt measures which would ensure long-term protection of the community's work, the community's union of cultural association said in a press release.

The anniversary of the Carinthian plebiscite was meanwhile the main topic as Schallenberg was received by President Borut Pahor, who noted that he and his Austrian counterpart Alexander Van der Bellen had agreed to mark it together

Preparations are under way and they pursue the goal that ceremonies are held with dignity and in a European spirit. The presidents will speak about this at a meeting on 7 July in Vienna, the president's office said.

It added that Pahor was happy with the intention of the new Austrian government to improve the situation of the Slovenian minority, and that the anniversary could be a major milestone in the advancement of bilateral relations.

Why are people getting “free money” to go on vacation?

Slovenia is attempting to restart its tourism industry by spending up to €345 million on tourist vouchers (turistični boni) for all permanent residents, with people being encouraged to have a domestic vocation and do their patriotic duty by then going out and enjoying meals, activities and so on to make up for the expected loss in foreign visitors.

How much will I get?

All permanent residents of Slovenia aged 18 and over in 2020, including foreigners with that status as of 13 March 2020 and those whose 18^th birthdays are later this year, will a get €200 tourist voucher. Those under 18 will get €50.

When can I use the money?

The vouchers can be used from today, 19 June, until the end of the year. If you haven’t used the money by 31 December, then you’ll lose it, with the government expecting around €100 million will remain unclaimed.

How can I get my voucher?

The vouchers are not actual pieces of paper, but will be paid to the place you book accommodation based on your tax number and identification details (perhaps only the latter, but we recommend having your tax number with you, if an adult, to avoid disappointent), which you’ll need to show, along with completing a form, at the reception desk. But note that providers do not have to accept the vouchers – so check before making a booking.

Do I need to spend all €200 at once?

No, you can use the money in installments, and you can check your balance online - find out how here.

Where can I spend the money

In short, any registered tourist facility that offers accommodation, with or without breakfast, such as hotels, self-catering units, lodges, tourism farms, private homes (aka Airbnb), mountain huts, camps and other facilities.

What if I don’t want to travel?

Then you can transfer the money to a relative within the immediate family, with siblings and cousins excluded, with more details here. Note that the entire amount must be transferred at one time.

I run an accomodation provider – when will I get paid?

FURS – the tax office – should pay you within 30 days of the guest checking in and using a voucher.

What about fraud?

If you violate the rules on transferring your voucher to another person then there are fines from €200 to €600. If a tourist provider commits fraud, the fines are from €3000 to 40,000 – see here.

Anything else I should know?

Yes, the provider will need internet access to validate your voucher at the reception desk. While this shouldn’t be a problem with most places, mountain huts may have unreliable connections. In which case the guest will need to pay, get a receipt, and then apply fro a refund from FURS within three days of checking out. The refund should then be delivered within 30 days.

Can I bring a guest?

Yes, but the person with the voucher will need to be traveling with the guest and stay overnight at the same place.

STA, 18 June 2020 - Slovenia will impose stricter rules on its border with Croatia starting on Friday to prevent the import of new coronavirus cases, after the bulk of a surprise surge in new cases in recent days was found to have originated abroad.

Bosnia, Kosovo and Serbia have thus been put on a black list of countries from where arrivals are subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine regardless of residence status in Slovenia or nationality.

Additionally, the number of exemptions for these countries has been narrowed so as to minimise travel, in particular of migrant workers, government officials said Thursday.

The decision comes after half of the 26 new coronavirus cases confirmed in the past two weeks were found to have been imported, mostly from Bosnia and Serbia. Most other new cases are contacts of these imported cases.

Health Minister Tomaž Gantar said it was premature to talk about a second wave of the epidemic, but he stressed that Slovenia was making the move out of an abundance of caution to make sure the number of new infections does not increase to the point where there are too many infections and their contacts to trace.

Gantar also noted that Slovenians had started becoming "too relaxed, as if we have forgotten that it took huge efforts to defeat the epidemic" and indicated that some restrictions, for example on the size of crowds in public, may be tightened if needed. Currently gatherings of up to 500 people are allowed.

At the same time, the government is making preparations for the event that the number of infections increases substantially, in particular in care homes and in healthcare. The government is also working on solutions that would allow the economy to function normally in the event of a second wave, he said.

Eight new coronavirus infections were confirmed in Slovenia in Wednesday, Health Minister Tomaž Gantar has announced. This is a marked increase compared to recent weeks and takes the total number of recorded infections to 1,511. The death toll remained unchanged at 109.

STA, 17 June 2020 - Bojana Beović, the head of the team advising the Health Ministry on coronavirus, has urged reimposing stringent measures on the borders at once after an increase in new infections originating abroad, while PM Janez Janša warned new restrictions would be inevitable unless those in place were respected.

After seeing very few or no new daily coronavirus cases for almost a month, Slovenia saw the daily figure spike at 5 on 5 June, followed by 11 new cases last week and already 7 this Monday and Tuesday.

The cases have either been imported from abroad or are close contacts of those cases, with Radio Slovenija reporting on Wednesday that most of the cases originated in the Balkans.

Commenting on the situation for media on Wednesday, Beović said that most of the cases had been imported, describing the situation as rather critical.

Noting that people obviously got too relaxed, the advisor said the new cases in recent days were due to the open border regime, warning that those new imported cases could lead to dozens of new cases in the future.

She believes that entry should be restricted for the countries placed on the red or black lists by the National Public Health Institute (NIJZ).

"We've had individual cases imported from abroad on a daily basis and with this sort of conduct, that is with a lot of socialising and failure to wear masks, such a situation could be very dangerous," Beović told the online edition of the newspaper Večer.

"We could see an extensive spread of the virus in a very short time," she added.

Similarly, the prime minister warned of a looming threat of a second wave of the epidemic as the risk of imported infections was growing fast with the reopening of Europe's borders and resumption of intercontinental flights.

"All measures in place will prevent a repeat of the epidemic only if they are implemented consistently. Or else new restrictions will be inevitable," Janša said on his Twitter profile.

In response to Beović's criticism of too many exemptions to the measures already in place, NIJZ director Milan Krek announced a rethink on justifiability of some of the exemptions that allow arrivals from countries not listed as Covid-19-safe to avoid a mandatory two-week quarantine.

The government decree on the prevention of Covid-19 spread at border crossings lists 16 exemptions to the 14-day quarantine for arrivals from the countries not okayed as safe by the NIJZ.

Those exemptions include daily or weekly migrants, persons in business transit in Slovenia, those transporting goods into or out of the country, transit passengers and diplomats.

Crossing the border without the mandatory quarantine is also possible for persons visiting their closest relatives and close relatives of Slovenian citizens or foreigners with permanent residence in Slovenia.

Talking with the STA, Krek said that most of the coronavirus infections in Slovenia in recent weeks came into the country based on those exemptions.

This is why the NIJZ would propose a discussion on whether some of the exemptions made sense, as envisaged in the decree in the event of a worsening in the epidemiological situation.

Krek expects the decree could be amended as early as Friday.

As of Tuesday midnight, Slovenia had 26 active coronavirus cases out of the total of 1,503 registered since the first case was confirmed on 4 March.

Seven Covid-19 patients are being treated in hospitals, one of them in an intensive care unit.

There have been no Covid-19 fatalities since 1 June when the death total reached 109.

With coronavirus restrictions being lifted at an uneven rate across Europe, international travel can be confusing and intimidating. Can you cross the border for any reason? Is quarantine needed? What papers, if any, do you need? And can you go to a bar?

Luckily the EU has put together Re-open Europe, a clear, regularly updated site (and app) that gives the facts for all 27 Member States. In addition to basic travel information, there are also details on services like hotels, restaurants, museums, stores and so on, along with details of any health and safety measures to observe, such as wearing masks, physical distancing and large gatherings. So if you're planning on crossing the border, check out the site and avoid any unpleasant surprises.

STA, 15 June 2020 - The US Embassy in Ljubljana donated to Slovenia on Monday a second package of personal protective equipment along with a Slovenian-made device for the disinfecting of hospital premises.

A total of 294 protective suits, 320 pars of boots and 640 pairs of gloves, all resistant to chemicals, as well as the disinfection device were symbolically handed over at the UKC Ljubljana hospital by US Ambassador to Slovenia Lynda C. Blanchard to Health Ministry State Secretary Tina Bregant and Defence Ministry State Secretary Damijan Jaklin.

What is the second US Embassy donation of PPE after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic will be used by health institutions in Slovenia as well as the Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief.

Blanchard, who stressed the need for cooperation, said that the package had been put together in cooperation with representatives from the health and defence ministries, who helped identify the needs. They were purchased from Slovenian companies to help the country's economy.

The two state secretaries also welcomed the decision to pick a device made by Slovenian company. It uses ultraviolet light in the UV-C range, which destroys bacteria, viruses and microorganisms. Bregant said it would help not only with coronavirus but also with other hospital infections, 18,000 of which are recorded in Slovenia each year.

In May the US Embassy donated 1,660 protective face shields to the Labour Ministry, intended for use in care homes. The joint value of the two donations is US$60,000.

STA, 11 June 2020 - Public gatherings of up to 500 people, including at sports events, will be allowed in Slovenia as of next Monday, while the government has also decided to lift restrictions on international public road and railway transport, the government's spokesperson for the coronavirus crisis Jelko Kacin said on Thursday.

Announcing the decision, Kacin told the press that the protective recommendations of the National Institute for public health would continue to apply.

Two new coronavirus cases confirmed out of 702 tests conducted in Slovenia yesterday

The government's press release speaks of a return of visitors to sports events and of public gatherings of up to 500 people, up from the current threshold of 200.

Kacin said that this number also included athletes, organisers, media representatives, support personnel etc., meaning the number of visitors allowed at sports events would be well below 500.

While this decision will become effective on 15 June, the government also announced a lifting of the ban on international public road and railway transport, effective a day after publication in the Official Gazette.

"This means we can expect bus transport, tourism transport starting, tourist groups can come," Kacin said. He added things would first need to be coordinated with other countries so that safety regimes are uniform.

STA, 10 June 2020 - The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) says in its latest forecast for Slovenia that the country's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to shrink this year by 7.8% this year, or as much as 9.1% in the event of a second wave of coronavirus infections.

For 2021, the OECD expects that Slovenia's economy will grow by 4.5%, or by 1.5% in the event of another Covid-19 outbreak, the organisation says in the forecast published on Wednesday.

It says that the Covid-19 epidemic in Slovenia has manifested itself in a "historically large drop in consumer confidence and business sentiment, which only recently have begun to recover."

The OECD notes that the tourism sector is the worst affected, and also hard hit is road transport, although activity of the latter has started to recover.

For this and other related reasons, the OECD estimates that the output loss in the first half of 2020 will be at 13% year-on-year.

The unemployment rate is expected to reach 6.4% this year, or 6.9% in the adverse scenario, and next year to stand at 5.4% or 8.1%, respectively.

"To avoid higher long-term unemployment, it is important that active labour market policies focus on the hard-to-employ job-seekers by providing adequate job search support and skills upgrading," the report for Slovenia says.

Measured with the harmonised index of consumer prices, the inflation rate for this year is expected to stand at 1% under both scenarios, and at 2% or 1.7%, respectively, next year.

The OECD says that the Slovenian government has adopted a number of fiscal measures amounting to almost 4.5% of the country's GDP, but notes that additional measures should be taken to secure long-term sustainability of the economy.

In addition to the prevention of long-term unemployment, the measures include avoiding a "further increase in the already relatively high share of state-owned enterprises, which are present across all sectors."

As for a potential second wave, the OECD says that, a more selective approach to economic relief and support should be applied to allow more businesses to remain open and this should be combined with protection of vulnerable groups.

The report also touches on the Slovenian healthcare system, saying that while its efficiency compares favourably with peers, structural problems in the sector raise concerns about inefficiencies in cost, quality and safety.

The OECD notes "the low and uneven density of GPs" and "the relatively low ratio of intensive care beds to population", which may raise capacity concerns if the pandemic comes back in a more virulent form.

You can explore the OECD data here

STA, 8 June 2020 - Citizens of 17 EU and non-EU countries may enter Slovenia without restrictions as of Monday under new border crossing rules adopted by the government on Sunday evening.

Citizens of neighbouring Austria, Croatia and Hungary have already been allowed to cross without any health restrictions under bilateral agreements.

Now, the list of countries whose nationals may cross freely has been expanded with Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Norway, Slovakia and Switzerland.

The countries are placed on the list based on an epidemiological assessment by the National Institute of Public Health. If the situation in any of these countries deteriorates, they may be removed from the list.

Nationals of other EU and Schengen zone countries are still subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine on arrival unless they fall under one of what are now 16 exemptions.

Until today one of the exemptions was confirmation of tourist booking, but that is no longer the case in the new decree.

Related: Slovenia Now Open to EU Nationals, No Quarantine Required (But Check the Small Print)

In yet another step towards the relaxation of the border regime, the government has relaxed crossing requirements on Slovenia's border with Austria and Hungary, which form internal borders in the EU.

It decided that crossing is permitted outside designated checkpoints, but only for Slovenians, Austrians (for the border with Austria) and Hungarians (for the border with Hungary), all others must still use designated checkpoints.

On the other hand, it instituted a mandatory 14-day quarantine for all arrivals from North Macedonia, regardless of nationality or residency.

The only exemption from the quarantine requirement are workers in international transport, persons conducting cargo transport to and from Slovenia or in transit, persons crossing Slovenia in transit and exiting no later than within 24 hours, and holders of diplomatic passports.