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This summary is provided by the STA:

Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

This summary is provided by the STA:

*Pahor assures Vučić of Slovenia's further support for region's EU path

VIPAVA - President Borut Pahor assured his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vučić of Slovenia's continued support for the European perspective of the Western Balkans. At the start of Vučić's working visit to Slovenia, Pahor said that in order to ensure peace and stability, leaders in the region must be careful not to escalate the situation, said Pahor's office. During a working dinner near Vipava in western Slovenia, the two will also talk the countries' positions on the war in Ukraine.

Acclaimed contemporary composer Janez Matičič dies

LJUBLJANA - Composer and pianist Janez Matičič, one of Slovenia's most notable contemporary composers, has died at the age of 95. Centred around piano music, his oeuvre is famous for its modernist and experimental feel. He received numerous awards for his work, including the 2007 Prešeren Prize for lifetime achievement. The news of his death was shared on Facebook by his musical colleagues.

Robert Golob tests positive for coronavirus

LJUBLJANA - Robert Golob's self-test showed a positive result so the leader of the new party Freedom Movement, considered to be PM Janez Janša's main election rival, has gone into self-isolation only days before the 24 April general election. Golob, 55, will participate in election campaign events via videolink until further notice, if possible, or other prominent members of his party will step in for him, Freedom Movement said.

Slovenia's Earth Overshoot Day moves forward by nearly two weeks

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's Earth Overshoot Day, also known as Ecological Debt Day, landed on 18 April this year, meaning it has moved forward by twelve days compared to last year, the organisation Institute of Health and Environment warned. This Monday thus marks the date when the annual biocapacity of our planet would be used up if everyone on Earth lived like people in Slovenia do, shows data by Global Footprint Network

Covid cases down 30% week-on-week

LJUBLJANA - Coronavirus infections continue to decline steadily in Slovenia as 368 new cases were confirmed on Sunday, down by 30% in weekly comparison, fresh official data shows. Another three people with Covid died. Hospitalisations also decreased as did the estimate of active cases in the country. The latter currently totals 22,320.

One dead in apparent domestic homicide

STARŠE - A 47-year-old woman is suspected of murdering her husband, who died at the scene in a village near Maribor in north-eastern Slovenia on Friday. The suspect, who apparently stabbed the 48-year-old man during an argument, has been detained, the Maribor Police Department said. According to several media reports, the victim was Aleš Tihec, a sports journalist and the first editor of sports TV channel Sportklub Slovenija.

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PM notes importance of hope on Easter, urges election participation

LJUBLJANA - In his Easter message, Prime Minister Janez Janša noted the importance of hope and unity of the nation, and expressed the wish that Christians show their responsibility by participating in the 24 April general election and choose "true leaders". "The hope that Easter brings touches open hearts again and again. We draw strength from the hope of Easter, and in it we find support in difficult tests," Janša was quoted in a release from the prime minister's office.

Bishops say Easter brings new beginning, hope and life

LJUBLJANA/MARIBOR - Ljubljana Archbishop Stanislav Zore held an Easter Sunday mass in the Ljubljana Cathedral to note that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is something that brought new hope and life. In Maribor Cathedral, Maribor Archbishop Alojzij Cvikl said that Easter was a message that a new beginning is always possible, "even when it seems that everything is already decided, finished, that there is no hope." Easter masses were held in numerous other churches around the country.

Coronavirus infection figures down 28% week-on-week

LJUBLJANA - The coronavirus epidemic in Slovenia is on a continued decline, as 561 new cases reported for Saturday, down 28% on the week before. Health Ministry data shows that 109 patients are being treated for Covid-19 this morning at regular coronavirus wards, up five from yesterday morning, while 18 need intensive care, one more than on Saturday morning. One person with a confirmed coronavirus infection died, the latest data shows.

Gea ups revenue 50%, profit jumps four-fold in 2021

SLOVENSKA BISTRICA - Gea, the largest producer of vegetable oils in Slovenia, generated EUR 41.9 million in revenue last year, which is 50% more than in 2020 and almost 40% above plan, as the company generated half of total sales abroad. Profit increased four-fold to EUR 600,000. Revenue in foreign markets was doubled compared to 2020, mainly due to higher sales in the EU markets, by as much as 47%, and similar growth was recorded in Southeast Europe.

Janša visits Ukrainian charity centre in Ljubljana for Easter

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša visited the Ukrainian charity centre in Ljubljana's BTC retail park on Saturday, giving Ukrainian children Easter eggs and creating decorations with them for traditional Ukrainian bread. On the sidelines of the visit, Janša told the press that one of the reasons of the visit was in "expressing solidarity. The most vulnerable ones are in this centre, and I'm very happy that they are so well received in Slovenia."

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Ground broken for Carthago's new production facility in Slovenia

ORMOŽ - Ground was broken for German motorhome maker Carthago's EUR 45 million new production facility in Ormož, with PM Janez Janša and Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek attending the event. Carthago has had its Slovenian subsidiary in Odranci since 2008, which is now expanding to Ormož, both in the north-east. Production at the new factory will start by next spring, initially with 160 new workers, said Sandra Županec, director of Carthago's Slovenian subsidiary.

Coronavirus figures further down

LJUBLJANA - A total of 1,297 coronavirus infections were confirmed in Slovenia on Friday, 69 fewer than on Thursday and almost 43% less than on Friday last week. One person with a confirmed coronavirus infection died. 104 patients were being treated for Covid-19 this morning at regular coronavirus wards, up 2 from yesterday morning, and another 17 need intensive care, which is the same as on Friday morning. An estimated 23,132 cases are considered to be active cases in the country.

Record demand for workers in January-March

LJUBLJANA - Employers registered over 46,480 job vacancies with the Employment Service in the first three months of the year, which is 42.5% more than in the same period last year. The demand is record high since this methodology was introduced in 2014, and is strongest in healthcare, IT, education, construction, transport and hospitality. Employers registered 148,031 vacancies in 2019, 156,163 two years later and as many as 46,484 in the first three months this year.

Ukraine football team to train in Slovenia

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Ukraine's national football team will be getting ready for the last match of the European part of qualifications for this year's World Cup in Qatar in Slovenia, the sport channel Sportklub reported. The team will be training at Brdo pri Kranju, a new modern hub of the Slovenian Football Association and the national football team which was inaugurated in 2016. They will start preparing for the 1 June match with Scotland on 29 April.

Stoklas attempts 24-hour bowling to set Guinness record

RADLJE OB DRAVI - Uroš Stoklas, one of Slovenia's best bowlers, completed on Saturday at 4pm his 24-hour bowling venture, which he hopes will enshrine his name in the Guinness World Records book. He played 24 games to end with an incredible good average result of 622.7, Jože Kozjak, co-owner of Bowling Centre in Radlje ob Dravi told the STA. Stoklas has won several bowling world champion titles and is also an ultra-marathon cyclist, having taken part three times in the Race Across America (RAAM).

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Some 1,200 Ukrainians granted temporary protection so far

LJUBLJANA - A total of 18,415 Ukrainian refugees have been officially recorded in Slovenia so far, although 4,718 are registered presently as most only pass through the country. At present, 1,225 have temporary protection status. The data was presented to reporters by the head of the Office for the Support and Integration of Migrants Katarina Štrukelj, who said that some of the roughly 5,000 registered refugees were already returning home.

Carinthia's Governor apologises to Slovenian minority

KLAGENFURT, Austria - Marking the 80th anniversary of the first wave of persecution of Carinthian Slovenians, Peter Kaiser, the governor of the Austrian region of Carinthia, apologised to the Carinthian Slovenians for the horrors they had to endure. "I apologise from the bottom of my heart to all persecuted Carinthian Slovenians who had to endure horrors. I also apologise to their families and the national community - to my Slovenian-speaking countrymen," he wrote in a statement published on Thursday.

Kranj-Jesenice rail upgrade inaugurated

RADOVLJICA - An upgrade of the rail track between Kranj and Jesenice, a key section that connects Slovenia's rail system to Austria, was officially inaugurated as the first project part-financed from the EU's Recovery and Resilience Facility. The EUR 166 million project, which started a year and a half ago and will be completed in May, once all sound barriers have been installed, involved upgrades of track and other infrastructure and will allow higher train speeds. EUR 109.5 million came from the Recovery and Resilience Facility and EUR 37 million from the Climate Fund.

Divača-Koper rail project seen on track

DIVAČA - Construction work on the Divača-Koper rail track, a new link between the port of Koper and the Divača hub, is running smoothly and despite minor problems on individual sections and with worker permits, completion is expected within the deadline. Some 3,300 metres of the 37 kilometres of tunnels have already been bored, reporters were told as Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec visited the construction site. He said a fully functioning second track would be opened in 2026.

Plans for new hospital, long-term care home confirmed

LJUBLJANA - The government has confirmed plans to build a new general hospital in the north-western Gorenjska region, a project estimated at EUR 305 million, and a long-term care home worth almost EUR 27 million that is to be built in Ptuj in the east of the country. Both projects have been placed on the list of development programmes for 2022-2025, a designation which means priority treatment in financing and permitting. Four locations are under consideration for the Gorenjska hospital.

Covid figures down further

LJUBLJANA - The Covid situation in the country continues to improve, with all figures down or level. A total of 1,338 new infections were detected on Thursday, down 522 compared to a week ago, and 119 patients were in hospital for Covid this morning, including 17 in intensive care. Three more patients have died. The 7-day average of new cases has dropped to 1,463 and the 14-day notification rate per 100,000 of the population to 1,146.

Vučić to visit Slovenia on Monday

LJUBLJANA - At the invitation of President Borut Pahor, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić will be on a working visit to Slovenia on Monday. The two presidents will meet for a dinner at Zemono Mansion in Vipava, south-west, to discuss topical issues in the region and Europe. The visit comes after Pahor congratulated Vučić at the beginning of the month on being re-elected the president of Serbia, the president's office said as it announced the visit.

Former Telekom CEO pleads not guilty in Ipko takeover trial

LJUBLJANA - Bojan Dremelj, the former CEO of Telekom Slovenije, pleaded not guilty at a pre-trial hearing in a case in which three defendants had been charged with abuse of office over Telekom's 2007 takeover of the Kosovo internet service provider Ipko. Ekrem Lluka, a Kosovo businessman suspected of having received millions in commission for withdrawing from a spectrum auction in favour of Telekom, likewise pleaded not guilty. A third defendant failed to appear in court.

Janša meets OZS and SBC employer organisations

LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša and some of the ministers from his Democrats (SDS) met with the leadership of the OZS chamber of small business, pledging further help and support to the small business sector. Janša highlighted a change in mentality as the key challenge in the coming period. "We need to change the education system, we need theory and practice to meet faster." He also visited the Slovenian Business Club (SBC).

SIJ shareholders to get almost EUR 22 dividend

LJUBLJANA - The shareholders of SIJ steel group decided that EUR 21 million of last year's distributable profit will be allocated for dividends. Shareholders will thus receive a dividend of EUR 21.71 gross per share, according to a posting on the website of the Ljubljana Stock Exchange. SIJ's 2021 distributable profit is EUR 108.8 million, with EUR 87.8 remaining undistributed.

Real estate fund Equinox with EUR 360,000 profit last year

LJUBLJANA - Equinox, a real estate fund created at the beginning of last May with the split of the real estate branch from the rest of the Group Union Hoteli, generated EUR 4.5 million in sales revenue and just under EUR 360,000 in net profit by the end of 2021, shows the audited annual report. The bulk of the revenue, just under EUR 4 million, was generated by rents from Equinox's portfolio that includes four hotels in Ljubljana - Grand Hotel Union, uHotel, Hotel Lev and The Fuzzy Log.

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Defence spending planned to increase to EUR 983m by 2026

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted on Wednesday the medium-term defence programme for 2022-2026 under which defence spending will be increasing by an average of EUR 72 million on an annual basis to reach EUR 983 million by 2026. The programme plans progress in the development and modernisation of priority capabilities and restructuring of the Slovenian Armed Forces and the defence system.

Govt sets aside extra EUR 22m for Ukrainian refugee support

LJUBLJANA - With the activation of temporary protection for displaced persons in early March, the Government Office for the Support and Integration of Migrants has taken on a new remit. The government thus provided the office with the additional funding of more than EUR 22 million for this year under a decision adopted at Wednesday's correspondence session.

Those who get Covid after 20 April unable to vote

LJUBLJANA - The National Electoral Commission confirmed that under current rules, voters who catch coronavirus after 20 April would not be able to vote in the 24 April general election. It did however reverse an earlier decision not to allow voting from Moscow on security grounds. An authorised representative of the Foreign Ministry will take the ballots and electoral rolls to the Russian capital and bring them back to Slovenia after the vote.

Golob reveals his income from 2020

LJUBLJANA - Robert Golob, the leader of the Freedom Movement, revealed his income earned in 2020 and part of his employment contract as GEN-I chairman, after he was recently urged to do so by the interior minister in an election debate. The statement of the 2020 income issued by the Financial Administration (FURS) shows that Golob had just over EUR 433,000 in taxable income that year.

Opposition accuses govt of covering up fiscal hole

LJUBLJANA - Two centre-left opposition parties, the SD and SAB, accused the government of failing to come up with general government documents for the coming period because it does not want to talk about a "huge hole" in public finances ahead of the election. They pointed to a EUR 750 million shortfall that she said resulted from a EUR 250 million deficit in the pension fund and a EUR 500 million budget shortfall as a result of new laws.

Twenty Ukrainian orphans to be relocated to Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - The government approved a plan under which twenty orphans from Ukraine will be relocated to Slovenia to shelter them from the danger of war. The orphans are from an orphanage in Luhansk, eastern Ukraine, and will be accompanied to Slovenia by staff from the orphanage and children of the staff. They are expected to remain in Slovenia until the state of war in Ukraine ends.

Huda Jama post-WWII mass grave declared monument of national importance

LJUBLJANA - The government declared Barbara Rov, a coal mine where the remains of over 1,400 victims of post-WWII summary killings were discovered in March 2009, a monument of national importance. The victims were largely members of the military of the Independent State of Croatia, a Croatian Nazi-puppet state, of the Slovenian Domobranci militia, and civilians.

Consensus among parties on EU enlargement, not on NATO's

LJUBLJANA - Parties standing for seats in parliament in the 24 April election largely support the EU's enlargement to the Western Balkans, but are more reserved when it comes to NATO expansion. They all declare support for the rule of law in the EU and part of them favour deepening the bloc's integration but disagree whether Slovenia is part of the core EU. The parties also have very different ideas as to the areas the EU should deepen its integration.

Köleš Kiss elected to Hungarian parliament for third time

BUDAPEST, Hungary - Erika Köleš Kiss was elected as the Slovenian minority advocate in the Hungarian parliament for the third time in the recent parliamentary election in Hungary. Köleš Kiss represents Slovenians from the south-western region of Porabje. She hopes that the plans for the preservation and development of the Slovenian identity in Porabje region will be realised in the new term, with the economic development programme being in the forefront.

Overcrowded prisons still an issue in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - The Prison Administration said that overcrowdedness was still an issue in Slovenian prisons as it responded to a recent Council of Europe (CoE) report which said that Slovenia has successfully addressed the issue. Slovenia's prisons are currently 104.7% full, whereas the CoE report said that in 2021 only 86% of prison capacities were full because the CoE data referred to 31 January 2021, when prisons were indeed less full due to Covid measures.

Transavia France launches Paris-Ljubljana flights

LJUBLJANA - The low-cost carrier Transavia France, a member of Air France KLM group, launched twice-weekly flights between Paris Orly and Ljubljana, joining Air France, which operates daily flights between Ljubljana and Charles de Gaulle. Transavia France will fly Tuesdays and Thursdays with a Boeing 737-800. The first flight was almost fully booked.

Businesses expect strategic R&D from new government

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian businesses expect that the new government will draw up a strategic development plan for a green transition in cooperation with experts and a clear and long-term development policy, Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) director Aleš Cantarutti said. He said R&D spending would have to more than double to 2.5% of GDP by 2030 if the green and digital transition is to be successful.

Covid figures keep improving

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's coronavirus case count as well as hospitalisations keep falling with 1,532 new cases reported for Wednesday, roughly a fourth fewer than the same day a week ago. However, seven patients with Covid-19 died, Health Ministry data shows. The National Institute of Public Health estimates 25,299 people are still actively infected, which compares to 32,703 a week ago.

New police helicopter enters service

BRNIK - A new police helicopter, an AgustaWestland AW169, entered service with the airborne police. It will be mainly deployed for search and rescue missions, and for medical transports. Worth almost EUR 14 million, the ten-seat helicopter, based out of Brnik airport, can reach a maximum altitude of 4,500 metres and a top speed of 300 km/h. Its maximum range is 800 kilometres.

Maribor flood protection project cancelled as locals disagree

MARIBOR - A portion of an EU-funded project involving the construction of flood protection in a flood-prone area along the Drava river just downstream from Maribor has been cancelled. The reason is locals disagreeing with the proposed solution by the end-February deadline. The project was to be concluded by the end of 2023 at the latest.

Visual artist Duba Sambolec wins Jakopič Prize

LJUBLJANA - Visual artist Duba Sambolec, 72, has been honoured with this year's Jakopič Prize, the top annual national award for lifetime achievement in fine arts and visual art. She will receive the prize at the awards ceremony held at the Museum of Modern Art tonight. She has created multimedia installations, art video and video performances, drawings, photographies and digital photocollage, while also researching sound.

NGO appeals for solidarity with regime-opposing Russian artists

LJUBLJANA - Asociacija, an association of freelance artists and NGOs, raised the issue of Russian artists, collectives and cultural organisations who are exposed to repression in their country for opposing the war in Ukraine, urging decision-makers to keep them in mind when taking measures and sanctions. While condemning the actions by Russian authorities against Ukraine and its own people, the association also condemned "demonisation of Russian culture".

Slovenia and Poland replace Russia as volley worlds hosts

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia and Poland will host the Volleyball Men's World Championship in late summer instead of Russia, the two countries' governments announced on Twitter. FIVB, the sport's governing body confirmed the news. Poland will be the main host, hosting two of the best-of-16 matches, two quarter-finals matches, both semi-finals, the finals and the match for bronze. Slovenia will host two preliminary groups.

Slovenia advance to elite group of Billie Jean King Cup

ANTALYA, Turkey - The Slovenian women's tennis team defeated Bulgaria 2:1 in the Europe/Africa Zone of the 2022 Billie Jean King Cup to secure advancement to the elite, twelve-team Finals group, as part of which Slovenia will play the first matches this November. Slovenia achieved the goal that it came for in Turkey in the first four out of the five scheduled matches, defeating Georgia, Austria, Croatia and Bulgaria.

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Indoor mask mandate lifted as of Thursday

LJUBLJANA - Masks will no longer be mandatory in indoor public spaces as of Thursday under a government decision that keeps the mask mandate only in hospital and care facilities, though mask use is still recommended. The government advisory group for Covid-19 initially proposed that the mandate be lifted once the total number of Covid patients in intensive care is below 35 for seven consecutive days, which trends suggest would have happened in about a week. The government has however decided to speed things along; ICU cases have been below 35 for two days now.

First TV debate featuring Janša and Golob focusses on price hikes

LJUBLJANA - Commercial channel KANAL A hosted on Tuesday evening the first televised debate between PM Janez Janša and Robert Golob, the main rivals in the upcoming general election. The debate, also featuring the leaders of the Social Democrats (SD) and New Slovenia (NSi), revolved around rising prices. Janša said Slovenia had a negative inflation rate of more than 1% in March due to lower electricity prices, which resulted from a government measure. Golob believes that many Slovenians are already nevertheless feeling the pressure from the hikes.

New tender for radwaste repository to be published

LJUBLJANA - The Agency for Radioactive Waste decided to issue a new tender for the construction of a radwaste repository after determining that the only qualified bid was inadmissible. The bidder acknowledged in its documents that it would not complete the project in the 900-day window stipulated in the tender. In talks with the agency the bidder indicated it could lower the price in exchange for a longer time frame, but since this was an essential element of the tender it was not subject to change.

National Council vetoes new roads act

LJUBLJANA - The upper chamber of parliament vetoed the recently adopted roads act following an outcry over new rules for the towing of broken down vehicles on motorways that contractors said would effectively give the motorway company DARS a monopoly on this service. The veto came with the explicit support of the government after both Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec and DARS director general Valentin Hajdinjak said that the controversial provision, proposed by the coalition, was not appropriate and a veto was the fastest way to correct the law.

Complaint filed over alleged illegal state aid to NTV24

LJUBLJANA - A network of NGOs has filed a complaint to the European Commission alleging illegal state aid provided to the media company NTV24 through the telecoms incumbent. It noted that such form of state aid was unlawful, as it distorted competition on the EU market. By means of media articles and documentation, the Legal Network for the Protection of Democracy is trying to prove that Telekom Slovenije is paying a disproportionally high fee to NTV24 to include the programmes of Nova24TV in its TV package.

Businessman bankrolls new media company

LJUBLJANA - Businessman Aleš Štrancar has invested a million euros of his personal wealth in a new media company called Media Polis that will purchase the conservative news portal Domovina and its weekly print edition from the pro-family association Iskreni. Štrancar said Domovina was merely the first step in the new media project which would be followed by the purchase of a news portal. Štrancar will hold a 37% stake in the company. Iskreni director Igor Vovk and the editors of the Domovina portal and magazine, Rok Čakš and Tino Mamić, will hold 21% each.

Sancin's bid for UN Human Rights Committee stuck in govt procedure

LJUBLJANA - International law expert Vasilka Sancin has failed to get the government's go-ahead for her bid to get re-elected to the UN Human Rights Committee even though she has been been put forward by the Justice Ministry as the sole candidate to apply for the post. The deadline for the bids expired on 6 April, but the government failed to nominate Sancin for re-election, in a development reminiscent of the delay in the appointment of Slovenia's prosecutors delegated to the European Public Prosecutor's Office.

Češko regains sole ownership of Studio Moderna

LJUBLJANA - Sandi Češko, one of the wealthiest Slovenians, has bought back Studio Moderna Holdings, an omnichannel direct-to-consumers retailer active in Central and Eastern Europe that he and his wife founded in 1992. Šeško bought out financial funds that took a 50% stake in 2019 through his Dutch company Studio Moderna Founders B.V.

Takeover of hardware retailer Merkur Trgovina completed

LJUBLJANA - Alfi, Slovenia's largest private equity fund, completed the takeover of hardware retail company Merkur Trgovina and appointed a new management team with Jure Kapetan as director general. The Slovenian regulator cleared the deal last month. While Merkur Trgovina did not say how much Alfi paid for the company, the business newspaper Finance reports the deal is worth around EUR 50 million.

Strike at Gorenje cancelled

VELENJE - The strike at Gorenje, a home appliances manufacturer owned by Chinese group Hisense, which was scheduled for Thursday, was cancelled as the two sides reached agreement on two of several strike demands. Hisense Europe and the in-house SKEI trade union reached an agreement on this year's holiday allowance to stand at EUR 1,400 net. SKEI initially demanded EUR 1,500. They also reached an agreement on the amount of funds allocated for one of the regular allowances Gorenje workers receive with their monthly wages.

Govt to step up support for wood processing industry

LJUBLJANA - Economy Ministry State Secretary Simon Zajc told the Days of the Slovenian Wood Industry that the government would step up support for the wood industry to help improve the sector's sales revenue and increase the number of green jobs. This year the sector will receive almost EUR 30 million. In the last cohesion period, the government allocated EUR 64 million to the sector, and in the next period it aims to double this to EUR 134 million.

Slovenian, Croatian ministers call for balanced infrastructure development

PORTOROŽ - The Slovenian and Croatian infrastructure ministers told a Slovenian-Croatian business forum on public investment that there must be a balance between road and rail infrastructure development. "This a must for green transition," Slovenia's Jernej Vrtovec said. Croatian Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure Oleg Butković admitted that the disruptions created by the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine "are already making it difficult to carry out infrastructure projects".

NGOs come out against cement maker's plans to expand co-incineration

ANHOVO - A civil initiative and an environmental association have come out against alleged plans by cement maker Salonit Anhovo to double the amount waste it co-incinerates at its plant by the Soča river from 109,000 to 220,000 tonnes a year. Eko Anhovo and Soča Valley said the increase was so inconceivably huge it defies the imagination of reasonable people. Salonit did not provide any detailed information about the plans but said the upgrades would substantially reduce the plant's impact on the environment despite increased production capacities.

Epidemic continues to wane

LJUBLJANA - Coronavirus cases in Slovenia continued to decline as 1,604 infections were confirmed on Tuesday, down by 30% on the same day a week ago. Four people with Covid died yesterday, Health Ministry data showed. Hospitalisations decreased this morning to 113 persons who are currently hospitalised for Covid-19 at regular Covid wards, down by ten on the previous day, and 16 in intensive care, down by one.

Pahor receives reps of Slovenian community in Argentina

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor received representatives of Zedinjena Slovenija (United Slovenia), the umbrella organisation of Slovenians in Argentina. The organisation's president Jure Komar and secretary Marjana Poznič handed to Pahor a publication entitled Zdaj Gre za Slovenijo! (It Is About Slovenia Now), which Zedinjena Slovenia published to mark the 30th anniversary of Slovenia's independence, the president's office said.

Ukrainian ambassador receives beehive as symbol of support

LJUBLJANA - Agriculture Minister Jože Podgoršek handed a beehive to Ukrainian Ambassador Mykhailo Brodovych in what the ministry said was a sign of strong support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. "With this symbolic act we want to convey a positive message to all Ukrainian citizens," Podgoršek said. "Although Slovenia is a small country, it has a big heart. Slovenia has been helping Ukraine in various fields since the beginning of the war," the ambassador was quoted in a press release from the Agriculture Ministry.

Covid tracker wins top design award for socially beneficial effort

LJUBLJANA - The national Covid tracker Covid-19 Sledilnik received the top award for contribution beneficial to society at the 10th Brumen biennial of Slovenian design. The online tracker has shown that design can offer solutions during times of crisis, said the Brumen Foundation. Another epidemic-related project honoured was designer Primož Zorko's #stayinside poster series, which promoted public health guidelines with amusing stills from vintage 1980s porn films.

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C5 ministers commit to further assistance to Ukraine

PRAGUE, Czechia - The war in Ukraine was the main topic as the foreign ministers of the informal C5 initiative, including Slovenia's Anže Logar, met in Štirin Castle near Prague. They committed to further assistance to Ukraine and refugees coming from the country to the EU. Addressing reporters, Logar said the EU must not repeat the mistakes made after Russia's annexation of the Crimea, and urged further EU sanctions against Russia. He was hopeful Ukraine would be admitted to the EU as soon as possible.

Hojs calls for single EU approach to refugees from Ukraine

BLED - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs called for a unified EU approach to migratory flows from Ukraine as he held talks yesterday with his Greek counterpart Notis Mitarachi. "The war in Ukraine and its consequences demand our utmost attention and concerted action by member states. During these difficult times we have to have maximum solidarity with Ukraine and its residents," he said, adding that this "migration challenge" must be managed together.

Ukrainian charity centre opens in Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - A Ukrainian charity centre was inaugurated in Ljubljana's BTC retail park to provide Ukrainian refugees with assistance, material aid and a place to socialise and study. The Chervona Kalyna Centre was created in a bid to "give refugees a place to meet and learn, and make themselves at home," its head Natalya Markevych said. The centre is the result of cooperation of the Ukrainian embassy in Slovenia, Slovenian Caritas and BTC, which provided the premises free of charge.

Pahor receives German-speaking community reps

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor received representatives of three associations of German-speaking communities in Slovenia. They presented their status to the president and the problems they face. They agreed that a lot more could be done for the communities within the current constitutional framework. Pahor is to present those opportunities in more detail at the upcoming annual meeting of Umbrella Organisation of Cultural Associations of the German-Speaking Community.

Media in focus of State Department's human rights report for Slovenia

WASHINGTON, US - The latest Report on Human Rights Practice by the US Department of State for Slovenia focuses on the situation in the media, noting credible reports of serious restrictions on free expression and media, including threats of violence against journalists by non-government players. Still, the report finds Slovenia is a country without major human rights issues and the government took steps to investigate, prosecute, and punish officials who committed abuses or engaged in corruption.

Office for Demography inaugurated in Maribor

MARIBOR- The headquarters of the Government Office for Demography were inaugurated in Maribor with Prime Minister Janez Janša saying the office was created because Slovenia "has a strategic problem that has been neglected for a long time". "More than 35,000 children were born in Slovenia in 1950. In recent years, the annual number has dropped below 20,000," Janša said. He said an important message of the newly established office was that "not all state institutions need to be located in Ljubljana".

Janša denies allegations of illegal financing of his party

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša told the parliamentary inquiry looking into the financing of political parties that his Democratic Party (SDS) was not financed from abroad or from illegal sources. Janša also denied that the EUR 450,000 loan taken from a Bosnian citizen in 2017 was money laundering. It was a continuation of the interview held on 3 March in which Janša denied any influence of the SDS in the companies running the Nova24TV news television channel and its web portal nova24tv.

Ministry explains why no vote cast at Moscow embassy

LJUBLJANA - The Foreign Ministry provided an explanation of its assessment that no voting should take place at the Slovenian Embassy in Moscow for the 24 April general election. This was after the Freedom Movement and the NGO 8 March Institute called the decision a violation of the right to vote. The ministry said there was no guarantee the secrecy of the vote and the anonymity of voters could be respected and it was currently not possible to send secure shipments to and from Russia.

Coronavirus keeps receding

LJUBLJANA - The Covid-19 epidemic keeps receding in Slovenia with both new infections and patients in need of hospital treatment decreasing. Cases were down on Monday by nearly 22% week-on-week to 2,653. This morning 123 patients were treated for Covid at regular Covid wards and another 17 in intensive care. The figures are down by 12 and 5, respectively, from yesterday. Three patients with Covid died, according to official data.

Pensioners receive aid to help with high energy prices

LJUBLJANA - To cope with rising energy bills, pensioners whose pension was lower than EUR 1,000 last December received a one-off allowance of EUR 150, under the law on emergency measures to alleviate the consequences of high energy prices passed in February. The money was paid out by the ZPIZ public pension fund. Other individuals eligible for the voucher will receive their money on Thursday.

Survey shows majority in favour of switch to hybrid work model

LJUBLJANA - Two thirds of those questioned in a survey on work models prefer hybrid work, meaning they would prefer to work partly from home. The conventional in-office model is preferred by 11%, while 22% are in favour of switching fully to remote work. The preferences of workers correlate closely with age, with younger workers more likely to prefer remote work, showed the survey by the job search and career portal Mojedelo.com.

Yaskawa's Kočevje company develops new robot

KOČEVJE - Yaskawa Europe Robotics, one of Yaskawa's three companies in Slovenia, has developed its own robot after it has been manufacturing only robots developed in Japan. The GP 20 is suited for the metal-processing industry and the Kočevje-based company would like to sell it in the US. According to the company, the robot has the advantage of an increased working space given its size, a high degree of rigidity and a high degree of precision.

Mercator shareholders confirm company's delisting

LJUBLJANA - The shareholders of Slovenian retailer Mercator, owned by Croatia's Fortenova, endorsed the retailer's withdrawal from the stock market, according to the minutes of the meeting posted on the website of the Agency for Public Legal Records. The decision will be implemented when entered into the court register. Trading in Mercator shares on the Ljubljana Stock Exchange has been suspended since 22 March.

Excessive levels of lead found after farmland treated with white matter

SLOVENJ GRADEC - After reports that several farmers in the Koroška region, in the north, sprinkled their fields with white substance that was supposed to be lime but was in fact gypsum, six out of seven samples taken by inspectors proved to contain excessive amounts of lead. All samples, analysed by the national Agricultural Institute, also contained chromium, the agriculture inspectorate said. Inspectors have examined 23 farms with 60 hectares of land on which 510 tonnes of the white matter had been used.

New gastronomy brand launched to promote Goriška Brda

DOBROVO - Eight gastronomy establishments from the western region of Goriška Brda joined forces to launch of a new brand in a bid to promote local cuisine in this wine-growing region. "The Brdalicious brand aims to bring together local gastronomy businesses and offer a plethora of regional delicacies year-round," Tina Nova Samec, the head of the local tourism centre, told reporters. The project will include tastings of dishes representing Brdo's culinary heritage.

Former Ski Association head gets suspended prison sentence

LJUBLJANA - Primož Ulaga, a former top ski jumper, received a 23-month suspended prison sentence with a three-year probation after he pleaded guilty to four instances of unlawful acceptance of gifts from athletes when he was the head of the Ski Association in 2013. Ulaga, 59, demanded from several top ski jumpers and two coaches that they give him a cut of their personal sponsorship contracts. Some of them did, handing him several hundred euros.

Dončić makes All-Time NBA European Teams cut

NEW YORK, US - The NBA has announced the results of the All-Time NBA European Team category as part of a campaign to celebrate the league's 75th anniversary and commemorate the contributions of European players. Slovenian basketball ace Luka Dončić made it to the All-Time NBA European First Team. Joining Dončić on the team are Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo, Spain's Pau Gasol, Germany's Dirk Nowitzki and France's Tony Parker.

Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

This summary is provided by the STA:

Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

This summary is provided by the STA:

Janša calls for clear EU path for eastern neighbourhood

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša reiterated his call for fast-tracking Ukraine to EU membership as he told the Delphi Economic Forum that the EU should do "everything it can" He told Saturday's event that Russia's aggression on Ukraine "underlined the need to find strategic answers to strategic questions," which includes bringing Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia into the same enlargement timeline.

Slovenia contributing a million euros to Ukraine aid fund

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia contributed a million euros at an international donor conference for Ukraine refugee aid. "We are promising an additional almost million euros through the International Red Cross and the World Food Programme," Prime Minister Janez Janša said at yesterday's conference. It will also provide assistance in kind for Ukrainian refugees in Moldova, Slovakia and Poland.

Roadmap proposed for end of indoor mask mandate

LJUBLJANA - The government advisory group for coronavirus has proposed that the indoor mask mandate be lifted once the number of Covid patients in intensive care is below 35 for seven consecutive days. The figure would include all Covid patients in intensive care, Mateja Logar, the head of the advisory group, told the STA. Current trends indicate the restriction could be lifted in two weeks at the earliest.

Rally for peace in Ukraine held in Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - A crowd numbering several dozen people, mostly Ukrainian refugees, gathered in the centre of Ljubljana to call for peace in Ukraine and an end to Russia's aggression. The rally, promoted by the Ukrainian Embassy in Ljubljana, saw the participants holding up banners in Slovenian and English with slogans such as "Stop war in Ukraine" and "We will win together."

EUR 8 million allocated for model farm in Pomurje

LJUBLJANA - The government set aside EUR 8 million for the creation and development of a model farm in Pomurje as part of efforts to nurture the development of agriculture in the region ethically mixed region in eastern Slovenia where the Hungarian minority lives. The model farm will promote a resilient and competitive agriculture in the region and "contribute to the preservation of the national identity of members of the Hungarian minority," the government said.

Caseload continues to decline

LJUBLJANA - The coronavirus pandemic is in slow retreat in Slovenia with 785 new cases reported for Saturday, down 16% on the week before, and hospital numbers dropping. Four patients with Covid-19 died. There were 142 patients treated for Covid in hospitals this morning, down by 12 over yesterday, of which 23 in intensive care.

More than half of the jobless long-term unemployed

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's jobless total dropped to some 60,000 in March in what is the second lowest figure on record, but only 16-17% of the registered unemployed were directly employable. As many as 56% of them are long-term unemployed, an issue that poses a challenge for the authorities. Employment Service director Mitja Bobnar said the vast majority of the unemployed, more than 80%, are not immediately employable but need additional help.

Ljubljana tourism figures up in 2021, still below pre-Corona level

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's capital Ljubljana recorded just over 415,000 tourist arrivals last year, an increase of almost 63% compared to the year before but more than 60% below the pre-Covid 2019, show figures by Tourism Ljubljana. The statistics for nights show a similar picture: almost 867,000 stays were recorded, up 60% over the year before but 61% lower than in the record year 2019.

Garnbret opens season with convincing win

MEIRINGEN, Switzerland - Olympic gold medallist Janja Garnbret opened the climbing season with a convincing victory in bouldering in Meiringen, a record 32nd World Cup win for the 23-year-old. The only one to have climbed all 13 boulders, Garnbret said after the win last night that this was a privilege because "every event is a story onto itself." She plans to leave out the next four boulder events to focus on lead.