31 Mar 2022, 04:21 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Thursday, 31 March 2022

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Košorok named chairman of Gen Energija

KRŠKO - Blaž Košorok, until a few days ago a state secretary at the Infrastructure Ministry, was appointed chairman of GEN Energija, a state-owned power company that manages Slovenia's half of the Krško nuclear power station, several media reported citing unofficial information. He was picked among six applicants with TV Slovenija reporting that the long-serving CEO of GEN Energija, Martin Novšak, who was dismissed just over a month ago, was among the candidates.

Prosecution looking into Telekom's financing of Nova24TV

LJUBLJANA - The news portals 24ur and Necenzurirano reported that the state prosecution was looking into the licence fee that Telekom Slovenije, the state-owned telecoms operator, is paying to carry Nova24TV on suspicion that the fee was disproportionately high and constituted unlawful financing of the broadcaster. Telekom Slovenija is reportedly paying EUR 112,000 per month to include the TV founded and still part-owned by senior members of the ruling Democrats (SDS) in its cable package.

MPs upset as Janša fails to appear before inquiry

LJUBLJANA - None of the witnesses invited to testify before the parliamentary inquiry into allegedly unlawful financing of the ruling Democrats (SDS) appeared in parliament. This has upset some opposition MPs, as some of the witnesses have excused themselves for several times now. They would also like PM Janez Janša to be brought to parliament by police to be questioned.

NGO collecting signatures to repeal several laws

LJUBLJANA - The 8 March Institute, one of the NGOs that had initiated a referendum on changes to the waters act, started collecting signatures in support of its bill aimed at reducing inequalities and annulling the government's "harmful" legislative changes. A number of NGOs joined the campaign. The initiative garnered support from centre-left opposition, whereas coalition officials denounced the bill as a "folly" that had to be resisted arguing the government had done a great deal of good.

Details reported of draft agreement on fishing in Bay of Piran

ZAGREB, Croatia - The Croatian newspaper Večernji List reported that Slovenia and Croatia had drawn up a pilot plan in an attempt to solve the issue of fishing in the border Bay of Piran. The agreement reportedly envisages a joint fishing area and annulment of all fines that have thus far been imposed on fishers from both countries. The paper says the temporary solution will not prejudge the final agreement on the border at sea.

Slovenian diplomat killed in car accident in Banja Luka

BANJA LUKA, Bosnia and Herzegovina/LJUBLJANA - Marjan Ristić, the head of Slovenia's consular office in Banja Luka, was killed in a car accident in the city in the north west of Bosnia-Herzegovina on Tuesday evening, the Slovenian Foreign Ministry confirmed a report by the Bosnian newspaper Nezavisne Novine. The ministry will fly a black flag on Wednesday to mourn the diplomat.

Covid epidemic continues to wane

LJUBLJANA - A total of 3,012 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Slovenia on Tuesday, 10% less than the same day a week ago as the downward trend continued for the sixth day running. Hospitalisations are up slightly, and two Covid-19 patients died yesterday, fresh official data shows.

Illegal migration doubles in first two months year-on-year

LJUBLJANA - In the first two months of the year, the Slovenian police handled 1,128 instances of illegal crossing of the border, almost double the figure in the same period last year. More than a third of the cases involved citizens of Afghanistan, which the police say is expected given the situation in their country.

Economy Ministry to help tourism in three ways

LJUBLJANA - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek announced the ministry would help tourism in three areas this year as he argued the industry would need to adapt to the new reality of Ukraine war while still grappling with the fallout from the pandemic. EUR 140 million will be available for investment in public infrastructure, accommodation and tourism offerings to increase added value. The second area will be securing a stable and predictable business environment and the third area is adapting tourism promotion.

Parties talk ways to help businesses at AmCham event

LJUBLJANA - AmCham Slovenija, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Managers' Association hosted nine parties which polls suggest have the best chance of making it to parliament to set out how they will help create conditions conducive to business. The debate showed all the parties agreed on the need to step up digitalisation and tackle red tape but they disagreed as to whether taxes should be cut.

Triglav management proposes EUR 3.70 dividend

LJUBLJANA - The management of insurer Zavarovalnica Triglav proposed a dividend payment of EUR 3.70 per share for the 24 May annual general meeting, equalling a dividend yield of 9%. The payout would total EUR 84.1 million, almost three quarters of the distributable profit for last year, which is in line with established dividend policy, the company said.

Novo Mesto research hub to be founded in next month

NOVO MESTO - A public research institution will be founded in Novo Mesto in April under the name Rudolfovo Institute to bring together the scientific, technological and development potential of south-eastern Slovenia. It will be headed by Borut Rončević, the head of the RTV Slovenija supervisory board who served as an Education Ministry's official during the second Janez Janša government.

Mik Celje to invest EUR 8.5m in R&D and production facility

VOJNIK - Window maker Mik Celje has launched the construction of an EUR 8.5 million production and R&D facility at its location in Vojnik in eastern Slovenia that is to create 200 to 230 new jobs. Visiting the company on the occasion, Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek promised a financial incentive in support of the investment. The investment is to be inaugurated at the end of May 2023 to coincide with the company's 33rd anniversary.

Fire in Gorenjska region brought under control

PREDDVOR - More than 260 firefighters assisted by four army helicopters managed to bring under control a major wildfire that broke out on Monday near the town Preddvor in the region of Gorenjska (NW). The firefighters are now focussing on individual hotspots. A major breakthrough in containing the fire, which engulfed a 700-hectare area, was made yesterday as three Slovenian army helicopters and a Croatian water bomber jumped in to help.

Domain name .si marks 30 anniversary

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's domain name .si was formally registered with the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) root name server on 1 April 1992, and will thus celebrate its 30th anniversary on Friday. The latest data shows that there are 147,935 sites registered under the .si domain name.

Prague joins Plečnik celebration with photo exhibition

PRAGUE, Czech Republic - Prague, one of the three capitals strongly marked by works by Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik (1872-1957), is joining the celebration of Plečnik's 150th anniversary of birth by hosting an exhibition of photos depicting the interior of the Plečnik-designed National and University Library (NUK) in Ljubljana.

Writer Vlady Kociancich dies

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - Slovenian media reported that Vlady Kociancich, an award-winning Argentinian writer of Slovenian descent, died in Buenos Aires last Friday aged 80. She wrote seven novels, including Los bajos de temor, which has been released in Slovenian as Plitvine Strahu (Shallows of Fear). Kociancich is considered one of the greatest contemporary Latin American writers. She always said it was her Slovenia father's stories of his homeland that introduced her to the world of literature.

30 Mar 2022, 04:00 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Wednesday, 30 March 2022

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Minister says Slovenia can accept over 50 Ukrainian patients

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Health Minister Janez Poklukar said after a meeting of EU health ministers that Slovenia could accept more than 50 Ukrainian patients. For now, Slovenia has offered to admit four sick people from Ukraine, including one child. Ukrainian patients who are currently in the EU member states bordering Ukraine could be accommodated in the university medical centres in Ljubljana and Maribor and in the Celje hospital. Poklukar also endorsed the proposal from Poland to establish a special mechanism for financing the treatment of Ukrainian patients.

Speakers stress importance of EU enlargement

BRDO PRI KRANJU - The second day of the conference of EU parliamentary speakers focussed on the EU as a guarantor of stability, safety and prosperity in the region and beyond. The speakers stressed the importance of EU enlargement. Slovenian Speaker Igor Zorčič said the Russian aggression of Ukraine represented everything the EU had been fighting against, describing the attack on Ukraine as an attack on the fundamental European values of peace, democracy and harmony among nations. He said enlargement policy had to remain a key geostrategic tool and had to be accelerated.

Amnesty International critical of Slovenia's refugee legislation, media freedom

LJUBLJANA - Amnesty International says in its 2021 report on human rights that Slovenia's refugee legislation is too restrictive as it continues to deny access to asylum to potential asylum seekers irregularly entering the country. It also notes that media freedom has deteriorated, including through verbal attacks on journalists and the defunding of the STA, and that freedom of peaceful assembly was restricted during the pandemic. Meanwhile, it welcomed the new definition of rape in the criminal code.

New legislation facilitating sanctions entering into force in mid-April

LJUBLJANA - Legislative changes empowering the government to better implement EU sanctions against Russia, more specifically the freezing of assets of certain Russian citizens, which were passed at the March session, will enter into force in mid-April after being published in the Official Gazette. Foreign Minister Anže Logar said last week the changes would empower the government to better implement the sanctions.

Huawei unhappy with new bill on electronic communications

LJUBLJANA - Huawei presented a legal opinion that it says shows the new bill on electronic communications, which parliament will vote on Thursday, has shortcomings which could lead to lawsuits at the EU court and disputes at the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The government adopted the bill on 17 March after the previous bill was voted down in parliament because of provisions on the security of 5G networks which the opposition claimed were an attempt to prevent Huawei from selling gear to Slovenian operators.

Covid continues to retreat

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 4,412 new coronavirus cases on Monday, over a tenth fewer than the same day a week ago as the downward trend continued for the fifth day running. One patient with Covid-19 died. A total of 186 patients were treated for Covid-19 at hospitals this morning, two more than yesterday. The figure includes 37 in intensive care, the same as yesterday. The 14-day notification rate per 100,000 people is now at 1,844, up by 11 from a day ago and up by 187 week-on-week.

Bad bank offering EUR 5.35m for outstanding Mladinska stock

LJUBLJANA - The Bank Assets Management Company (BAMC) published a takeover bid for Mladinska Knjiga, Slovenia's largest publisher, offering EUR 8.90 per share or roughly EUR 5.35 million for the 48.77% stake it does not hold already. BAMC is offering to pay for the shares in cash with the offer standing from 30 March to 3 May. The bid does not set any threshold at which it would be deemed successful.

Olympic medallists Garnbret and Savšek receive presidential decorations

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor conferred the Golden Order of Merit on two outstanding Slovenian athletes, climber Janja Garnbret and whitewater canoeist Benjamin Savšek, both of whom won gold at the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021. The pair were honoured for "outstanding sports achievements, promotion of Slovenia in the global sports arena, and for inspiring people", Pahor's office said.

Croatian water bomber helping fight fire north of Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - Firefighters are fighting a major forest fire that broke out on Monday on the slopes of the Baba hill near Preddvor, about 30 kilometres north of Ljubljana. Army helicopters have been activated and a Croatian water bomber joined the effort. An estimated 600-700 hectares of forest has been affected. A near-by village has been secured, but several firefighters have been injured. A lot of wood in private forests has gone up in smoke along with several holiday facilities.

Ex-court stenographer gets five years for leaking confidential info

MARIBOR - The Maribor District Court sentenced Vojko Tadina, a former Celje District Court employee, to five years in prison for leaking confidential information to the criminal underground in exchange for money. Tadina pleaded guilty and will serve his sentence at Rogoza, an open prison. The judge accepted the fact that he had no criminal record and his guilty plea as extenuating circumstances, the newspaper Večer reported.

Izola mayor charged in case involving ex-minister

IZOLA - Izola Mayor Danilo Markočič has been charged with abuse of office in a case that led to the resignation of Aleksandra Pivec as agriculture minister in the autumn of 2020, regional paper Primorske Novice reported. The charges, filed at the end of last year, concern a hotel bill that the municipality paid for Pivec and her sons during what was supposed to be an official function. The paper says Pivec is not among those charged, but the investigation showed payment of her bill was against the law.

Engineer, chemist and biologist win L'Oréal-UNESCO scholarships

LJUBLJANA - Mechanical engineer Katja Klinar, chemical technologist Tina Kegl and biologist Eva Turk have won the national L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science scholarships for 2022. The trio were presented with the EUR 5,000 scholarships to join the 43 promising young women researchers who have won the awards in Slovenia in the 15 years since the start of the programme.

Hungarian community building youth hostel near Lendava

LENDAVA - The Hungarian self-governing community from the Slovenian region of Pomurje will build a youth hostel in Dolga Vas, a village on the border with Hungary, featuring a restaurant and an indoor garden. The EUR 1.6 million investment will be covered by the Bethlen Gábor Fund, which supports Hungarian institutions abroad. The restaurant with a terrace will be able to accommodate 150 guests and will offer dishes from locally produced food, while the hostel will feature 42 beds.

No Golden Fox in first draft of 2022/23 season calendar

MARIBOR - The Golden Fox, the traditional women's Alpine Ski World Cup event organised in Maribor, is not in the first draft of the 2022/23 season calendar. This comes after the event was either cancelled or relocated to Kranjska Gora eight times in the last ten years due to lack of snow. Announcing the decision of the International Ski Federation (FIS), the Ski Association of Slovenia it was in touch with the schedule makers, as "our priority is to keep the women's Alpine Ski World Cup competition."

29 Mar 2022, 08:31 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Tuesday, 29 March 2022

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Janša and Plenković talk gas, nuclear energy cooperation

ZAGREB - PM Janez Janša and his Croatian counterpart Andrej Plenković talked about cooperation in gas supply and the Krško nuclear power plant as they met in the Croatian capital. Potential for concrete cooperation will be discussed by Slovenian Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec and Croatian Economy Minister Tomislav Čorić as they meet in Zagreb next Monday. The ministers will talk about expanding the pipeline from Lučko, a Zagreb suburb, to Zalog, on the outskirts of Ljubljana, and to Logatec, south-west of the capital. They will also discuss further cooperation on the jointly-owned Krško N-plant.

Pahor urges consensus on EU enlargement, Metsola EU membership prospect for Ukraine

BRDO PRI KRANJU - The EU's enlargement to its eastern neighbourhood dominated the opening session of the conference of EU parliamentary speakers with President Borut Pahor arguing the EU should reach a consensus on how to speed up accession talks while preserving safeguards in terms of fulfilment of criteria and rules. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said it was important to secure the prospect of membership to Ukraine and that Ukraine should become an EU candidate country. Metsola also met PM Janez Janša to discuss Ukraine, agreeing EU should stay united in response to Russia's aggression.

Slovenia's interim chargé d'affaires arrives in Kyiv

LJUBLJANA/KYIV, Ukraine - Slovenia's interim chargé d'affaires Boštjan Lesjak arrived in Kyiv safely Sunday night, the Foreign Ministry said. The Slovenian Embassy in Kyiv reopened today. According to the ministry, Lesjak said upon arrival that the town was deserted and that alarms and detonations could be heard in the distance but other than that life was normal for those who stayed in the Ukrainian capital.

EU parliamentary speakers to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Slovenian Speaker Igor Zorčič said that EU parliamentary speakers will condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine and demand an immediate end to the war as they meet for a conference at Brdo Congress Centre. He also urged facilitated EU enlargement as he spoke to the press before the start of the two-day event. The conference will be an opportunity to show unity with Ukraine and express support for democracy, peace and the rule of law, said European Parliament President Roberta Metsola as she addressed the press together with her two co-hosts of the conference, Zorčič and National Council President Alojz Kovšca.

7,000 Ukrainian refugees seek protection in Slovenia

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Some 7,000 refugees from Ukraine have so far applied for temporary protection in Slovenia, Franc Kangler, a state secretary at the Interior Ministry, told reporters during a session of EU Home Affairs Council. Roughly 50,000 people from Ukraine have crossed Slovenia, most of them heading on to Italy, France and Spain, according to the state secretary. He today also discussed helping Moldova, where some 360,000 people have fled the war in Ukraine.

Trieste National Hall in Slovenian minority's hands

TRIESTE, Italy - A contract was signed in Trieste to formally transfer the ownership of National Hall, a building of great symbolic importance to the Slovenian minority in Italy, from the University of Trieste on to the minority. The ceremony was attended by Italian President Sergio Mattarella, reports the minority's paper Primorski Dnevnik. A contract was also signed under which the university can continue to use the building free of charge for ten years, until a building to which it will move is renovated.

Telekom Slovenije finalises deal to acquire Actual I.T.

LJUBLJANA - Telekom Slovenije, the majority state-owned telecoms incumbent, has finalised an agreement to buy software developer Actual I.T. for EUR 20.6 million. The transaction is expected to be completed within six months, the company said. Telekom plans to buy an outright stake in the company after receiving the green light for the deal from Actual I.T. shareholders. The agreement will be signed later today.

Žito shutting down two Slovenian locations

LJUBLJANA - Žito, a bread and pasta maker owned by Croatian food company Podravka, plans to shut down two production locations in Slovenia, in Ljubljana and Novo Mesto, in a move it says will improve productivity and long-term profitability. The decision is in line with the five-year strategic plan confirmed last year to focus on baked goods, the company said late on Sunday. Other production programmes will be "optimised at the level of the Podravka group."

Coronavirus case count continues to drop

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia logged 910 new Covid infections on Sunday, down 341 from Saturday and 166 from a week a ago, data from the National Institute of Public Health shows. It is estimated that there are currently 38,695 active cases in the country, a daily rise of 53 and a weekly of around 5,400. Health Ministry data shows that there are currently 147 Covid-19 patients at regular Covid-19 wards and another 37 in intensive care, up 10 and 2 from yesterday, respectively. Five Covid patients died.

Dissent aroused as new party gets status affording it more air time

LJUBLJANA - The public broadcaster has invited protests by deciding to treat the party of Aleksandra Pivec, the former agriculture minister, as a parliamentary party in election debates arguing it is a legal successor to the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS), the party Pivec used to head. As position disagrees with the view taken by the broadcaster's legal service, DeSUS protested against Our Land being declared their legal successor, calling the decision politically-motivated.

POP TV poll shows SDS overtaking Freedom Movement

LJUBLJANA - Less than a month before the general election, the ruling Democrats (SDS) are in the lead in a poll conducted by pollster Mediana for commercial broadcaster POP TV at 16.8%, just ahead of the Freedom Movement, which polled at 16.7%. The SDS saw its rating rise by 0.4 percentage points in the past month, while the Freedom Movement lost 0.7 points.

Košorok dismissed as state secretary, tipped to be GEN Energija CEO

LJUBLJANA - Blaž Košorok was relieved of his duties as a state secretary at the Infrastructure Ministry with media reports tipping him as a serious contender to become CEO of GEN Energija, one of two major energy groups in the country. Košorok served as CEO of HSE, the state-owned holding running a series of power plants, from November 2012 to July 2017. The news portal Necenzurirano reports that Košorok enjoys Prime Minister Janez Janša's support to become CEO of GEN Energija.

Slovenia's hourly labour costs grew rapidly in 2021

LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Hourly labour costs averaged EUR 21.1 in Slovenia last year, well below the EU and eurozone averages of EUR 29.1 and EUR 32.8, respectively, despite growing at a brisk pace, show the latest Eurostat data. At 6%, Slovenia had the third-fastest rate of increase last year behind Lithuania (11.9%) and Estonia (6.6%).

Slovenian banks lag behind in digital experience

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian banks scored lower than foreign banks in overall user experience and in mobile user experience, according to a digital banking analysis carried out by E-laborat. NLB, the Slovenian market leader, scored the most points among Slovenian banks overall, as it did last year. NLB, SKB Bank and NKBM all made it among "advanced digitals", a group which includes banks that set standards in the industry and scored best in all categories.

28 Mar 2022, 04:31 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Monday, 28 March 2022

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This summary is provided by the STA:

*Janša to meet Croatian counterpart Plenković in Zagreb Monday

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša will meet his Croatian counterpart Andrej Plenković in Zagreb on Monday, the office of the Croatian prime minister has announced. Janša's office has yet to officially confirm the visit. According to the announcement from Zagreb, Plenković will receive Janša at the seat of the Croatian government in the afternoon. The occasion of the visit and the topics to be discussed have not been announced.

1,251 coronavirus cases on Saturday in a 15% week-on-week drop

LJUBLJANA - A total of 1,251 new coronavirus cases were logged on Saturday, a 15% drop week-on-week, the latest statistics provided by the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) show. The number of active cases was up by 132 compared to the day before to 38,642. The 7-day average of new cases continues to decrease, and is at 2,805, a daily drop of 36, while the 14-day incidence per 100,000 people is increasing, hitting 1,831, up by seven. There are currently 137 Covid patients treated at regular Covid-19 wards, up six from yesterday, and 35 in intensive care, two more than yesterday. Four patients died.

Lindvik wins at Planica, Kobayashi overall winner, Jelar best ski flyer

PLANICA - Marius Lindvik of Norway is the winner of the last Ski Jumping World Cup event of the season, while Ryoyu Kobayashi of Japan finished 8th to secure his overall win in the World Cup. Lindvik scored 455.1 points in the two runs to win the last event of the season in front of some 12,500 spectators, followed by Yukiya Sato of Japan (446.8) and Slovenia's Peter Prevc (438.6). Slovenia's Žiga Jelar was 6th, enough for him to win the small crystal globe for the best ski flyer of the season.

Park named after Friulian-Slovenian priest opens in Udine

UDINE, Italy - A new park was inaugurated in Italy's Udine on Saturday in honour of Friulian-Slovenian priest Evgenij Blanchini (1863-1921), in what seen as a major recognition for the local Slovenian community. Blanchini worked in the local orphanage, established a secondary school for girls in Udine and devoted a lot of effort to the social, cultural and academic life in the area, the Government Office for Slovenians Abroad announced.

27 Mar 2022, 05:14 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Sunday, 27 March 2022

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This summary is provided by the STA:

National Hall to be formally transferred on Slovenian minority Monday

TRIESTE, Italy - The ownership of National Hall, a building in Trieste which is of great symbolic importance to the Slovenian minority in Italy, will be formally transferred from the University of Trieste on to the minority on Monday. However, the university will able to use it for another ten years free of charge, until a building to which it will move is renovated. The National Hall Foundation said the move will bring to an end the process of restitution which started in July 2020.

Digit minister visits US tech giants to discuss cooperation, investment

LJUBLJANA - Minister for Digital Transformation Mark Boris Andrijanič visited tech giants such as Apple, Google, Tesla, Meta, Amazon, Starlink and NVIDIA during his 20-25 March visit to the US, discussing ways of increasing technology investments in Slovenia and opening the country's representation office in the Silicon Valley. Slovenia will open a development and economic office in the Silicon Valley in the coming months as it aims to become one the most most advanced European countries. This will make it the first country from Central and East Europe to do so. The office will help Slovenian tech companies and talent enter the US market.

Slovenia win Ski Jumping World Cup team event in Planica

PLANICA - Slovenia's Žiga Jelar, Peter Prevc, Timi Zajc and Anže Lanišek won the last Ski Jumping World Cup team event of the season in Planica before some 20,000 spectators. With 1,601.1 points, the team outperformed Norway by 24.2 points and third-placed Austria by 56.9. The men jumpers brought Slovenia the 84th World Cup victory, of which 72 have been individual wins. "I'm glad the boys have jumped well, but we shouldn't take such achievements for granted. That's been a lot of hard work throughout the season to come to such successes," chief coach Robert Hrgota told public broadcaster TV Slovenija.

Zorčič says parliamentary speaker's role should be neutral

LJUBLJANA - National Assembly Speaker Igor Zorčič gave a generally positive assessment of the parliament's work upon the end of the current four-year term, adding that any speaker should retain a neutral position. He has been the first speaker in Slovenian history to be practically an opposition MP as he left the coalition SMC two years ago. In an interview with the STA, he assessed that he had performed his role in line with professional standards.

Freedom Movement and SDS almost tied in Elections 2022 poll

LJUBLJANA - The non-parliamentary Freedom Movement party of ex-energy business executive Rober Golob is slightly ahead of the ruling Democrats (SDS) of PM Janez Janša, according to the Elections 2022 poll that Ninamedia carried out for the newspapers Večer, Dnevnik, Svet24 and Primorske Novice between 21 and 24 March. Polling at 20.7%, the Freedom Movement has a 1.2-point lead on the SDS, while a total of eight parties would make it to parliament. All the other parties polled below 10%.

Daily coronavirus cases at 2,888 on Friday

LJUBLJANA - 2,888 new coronavirus cases were logged on Friday, up 85 from Thursday but down 274 from a week ago. It is estimated there are now 38,510 active cases in the country, a daily rise of 686. The 7-day average of new cases continues to decrease while the 14-day incidence per 100,000 people is increasing. There were 131 Covid patients treated at regular Covid-19 wards this morning, down 10 from yesterday, and 33 in intensive care (ICU), up 1. Three patients died.

European Individual Chess Championship kicks off

ČATEŽ OB SAVI - The European Individual Chess Championship kicked off in Čatež ob Savi just months after the team event was held at the same venue. While the team event was held amidst strict restrictions, Russia's invasion of Ukraine is at the forefront this time. Both the European and world governing bodies of chess have banned players from competing under the Russian or Belarusian flags, whereas the Ukrainian players, there will be 23, will not have to pay a fee to join the competition. Over 300 competitors from 40 countries have registered for the event, which runs until 6 April.

26 Mar 2022, 06:24 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Saturday, 26 March 2022

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Janša regrets political clashes over Hungary's Ukraine stance

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Arriving for day 2 of the EU summit, Prime Minister Janez Janša regretted political clashes over things he said were unimportant in war as he commented on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's criticism of Hungary's attitude towards Ukraine during the Russian invasion. "It's largely about political rhetoric, Hungary has not blocked any sanctions or other serious measures so far," said Janša after Zelensky Hungarian PM Viktor Orban to "decide which side the country is on".

Ukraine war dominates first election debate

LJUBLJANA - The first televised election debate, hosted by the public broadcaster RTV Slovenija on Thursday evening, was dominated by the war in Ukraine and its impact on Slovenia. Parliamentary parties expressed different views on NATO membership but agreed that Slovenia should become self-sufficient in terms of energy and food production. Opposition parties criticised PM Janez Janša's trip to Kyiv and the decision to send a chargé d'affaires to Kyiv.

Two candidates for Italian MP, three for Hungarian

KOPER/LENDAVA - Two candidates will bid for the seat designated for the Italian minority in the National Assembly and three to serve as the Hungarian minority MP in the 24 April election, including both incumbents. The Italian minority MP Felice Žiža will face off Maurizio Tremul, the long-serving head of the minority's umbrella organisation. Hungarian minority MP Ferenc Horvath will compete against Otto Močnek of the Hungarian consulate in Lendava and Mihael Kasaš, the head of the Lednava city administration.

Good State, Our Future to contest election together

LJUBLJANA - The non-parliamentary parties Good State and Our Future will contest the 24 April general election together. They filed a joint ticket along with two other political groups. The list of 78 candidates includes Violeta Tomić, currently an MP for the Left, and rapper Zlatko, an anti-masker. Our Future is headed by Ivan Gale, who made a name for himself as a whistleblower over medical purchases during early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic. Good State is the first group to splinter from the party founded by former PM Miro Cerar.

NGO concerned not all voters will be able to vote

LJUBLJANA - The NGO 8 March Institute expressed concern over new voting guidelines for people with coronavirus infection. Those state that self-isolating voters must apply for voting at home by 20 April, but the NGO called on authorities to allow all voters to cast their vote, including those whose infection will be confirmed after the deadline. The NGO noted that a number of European countries still allowed voters with Covid to participate in elections.

Parsifal poll shows SDS far ahead of Freedom Movement

LJUBLJANA - The ruling Democrats (SDS) are far ahead of the Freedom Movement, according to the first in a series of daily polls done by pollster Parsifal and carried by Siol, Planet TV and Nova24TV on Friday. Polling at 25%, the SDS has an almost nine-point lead on the Freedom Movement. All other parties rank at below 10%.

Youth in Ljubljana, Maribor, Koper demand action on climate change

LJUBLJANA/MARIBOR/KOPER - Supporters of the Youth for Climate Justice movement gathered in Ljubljana, Maribor and Koper to let decision makers know before the April election that the planet must have priority over capital. The youth also addressed a list of demands for a better future to mayors and to parties contesting the upcoming election. Brina Jeretina, a member of the movement, said that "with the elections nearing, the time is right to demand from politicians concrete measures that will ensure a just and ambitious green transition in Slovenia".

Coronavirus case count drops

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 2,803 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, the first time in three weeks that the daily count dropped on the same day a week ago. Eight more patients with Covid-19 died. Hospital figures dropped slightly, with 173 patients now treated for Covid-19, including 32 in intensive care. Health authorities' figures also show the 7-day average of new cases falling to 2,878 as the 14-day incidence per 100,000 of the population is still up at 1,792.

Govt provides new incentives for household electricity generation

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a regulation on electricity self-supply from renewables on Thursday that will abolish the net metering concept for photovoltaic systems that will be put in place from 2024 in line with an EU directive. The regulation also guarantees new ways to get incentives for electricity self-sufficiency, a move that comes after several NGOs urged this.

Rise in apartment prices highest in 15 years

LJUBLJANA - The prices of residential real estate jumped by 15.7% in 2021, which is the highest annual rise since 2007, when a 20.4% rise was recorded, shows data from the Statistics Office. The prices of new apartments increased by 20.2%. The prices of second-hand apartments were 18% higher, the prices of second-hand houses went up by 11.9% and new family houses were 3.1% costlier. The total value of all residential real estate sold last year was up by almost a third to EUR 1.6 billion.

Business sentiment deteriorates

LJUBLJANA - Business sentiment in Slovenia deteriorated in March after four consecutive months of growth as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its fallout and rising inflation. Data from the Statistics Office shows the respective index fell by 5.2 percentage points from February to 1.5 points. The index is still 2 points up year-on-year. A 12-point drop in the consumer confidence subindex had the biggest negative impact.

Pošta Slovenije reports surge in profit

MARIBOR - The state-run postal operator Pošta Slovenije generated a group net profit of 17.6 million on EUR 461 million in revenue last year, an increase of more than EUR 12 million and 12%, respectively, from 2020. Releasing the preliminary and as yet unaudited results, the company said the figures were significantly above the targets. This year the company is planning to generate EUR 482 million in revenue, of which 53% from logistics and parcel delivery services.

Major wind farm planned on Pohorje Plateau

SLOVENSKA BISTRICA - The Pohorje Plateau seems to be attracting investors because of its potential for wind power generation. After five years of preparations, a large potential investment was unveiled by the company Energija na Veter, which would like to build 56 wind turbines in a part of Pohorje that lies in the Slovenska Bistrica municipality. The private investors have plans for two projects with 35 and 21 3.5 MW turbines. The permitting process is still under way.

Six Slovenian cities want to become climate neutral by 2030

LJUBLJANA - Six Slovenian cities have responded to the European Commission's call through which a list of the first 100 climate neutral and smart cities will be compiled. Ajdovščina, Izola, Kranj, Ljubljana, Maribor, Nova Gorica, Ormož and Velenje are among the 362 cities which applied to the call. Now, a hundred cities will be picked to be monitored and supported in their efforts to make the transformation by 2030. The list will be presented in April.

Slovenians sweep podium in first World Cup event at Planica

PLANICA, 25 March (STA) - Slovenian ski jumpers swept the podium in the first individual event of the World Cup season finale, as Žiga Jelar won the event ahead of Peter Prevc and Anže Lanišek. Timi Zajc was fourth to round off the complete domination of the home team in front of the capacity crowd at Planica. The last time that the first four competitors at a Ski Jumping World Cup even were from the same country was in 1980.

25 Mar 2022, 09:02 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Friday, 25 March 2022

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:

Slovenia sending Boštjan Lesjak to Kyiv as chargé d'affaires

LJUBLJANA - Boštjan Lesjak will be Slovenia's interim chargé d'affaires in Kyiv, senior Foreign Ministry official Jernej Müller confirmed several unofficial media reports as he spoke on Radio Slovenija. Lesjak, a lieutenant-colonel, was previously an employee of the Defence Ministry, but has been now employed at the Foreign Ministry. On Sunday, PM Janez Janša said Slovenia will reinstate its diplomatic mission in Ukraine after Slovenian diplomats left due to the war. The Slovenian ambassador to Ukraine is currently stationed in Poland.

Janša: Russia's shelling of chemical facilities in Ukraine could lead to disaster

BRUSSELS, Belgium - PM Janez Janša warned that Russia's shelling of chemical facilities in Ukraine could lead to disaster, but he does not believe the Russian army will use chemical or biological weapons on purpose for tactical achievements, because that would be "very unwise as it would cause a disaster of major proportions", he said on arrival at the NATO summit. Asked whether there was any evidence that Russia was shelling chemical factories, he said that one such case was publicly known but that it was not clear yet whether the plant had been a target or collateral damage.

Janša: Ending Europe's dependency on Russian energy irreversible process

BRUSSELS, Belgium - PM Janez Janša urged ending Europe's dependency on Russian energy as soon as possible, as he arrived at the EU summit. "This unfortunately doesn't mean tomorrow. We support as fast a path as possible. This train is already on its way and has no return. This will probably happen later than we wish, but much sooner than Russia wishes," Janša told the press, adding that the European Commission would present some solutions today.

Pahor talks efforts to boost Slovenia-Qatar cooperation

DOHA, Qatar - President Borut Pahor met Khalifa Al-Kuwari, general manager of the Qatar Fund for Development, on the second and last day of his official visit to Qatar, and was the keynote speaker at the opening of a Slovenia-Qatar economic cooperation forum, his office said. The meeting with Al-Kuwari was dedicated to efforts to boost cooperation between the fund and the Slovenian humanitarian organisation ITF Enhancing Human Security.

Slovenia in talks to get gas from Qatar

DOHA, Qatar - Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec discussed ways for Slovenia to reduce its reliance on Russian natural gas as he and Qatari Minister for Energy Affairs Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi discussed how to transport up to two ships of Qatari gas a year to Slovenia through LNG terminals in the northern Adriatic. While free terminal capacity must be secured first, Slovenia "took a great step forward to diversify our gas supplies as Qatar is interested in cooperation too", said Vrtovec, who accompanied President Borut Pahor on his official visit to Qatar together with Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak.

Govt confirms deployment of up to 200 troops in Slovakia

LJUBLJANA - The government confirmed plans to deploy up to 200 Slovenian troops in Slovakia as part NATO's enhanced forward presence on its eastern flank. The total includes support staff and staff serving at headquarters and rotations are possible. The decision, made at a correspondence session late on Wednesday, says the service personnel will participate in the battlegroup's peacetime activities, which includes exercises, training and other peacetime activities, including measures to protect the battlegroup forces.

Committee clears closure of Russia's science-culture centre in Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee endorsed in a 9:1 vote the government's initiative to revoke the 2011 agreement with Russia on scientific and cultural centres in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Under the proposal, the Russian Scientific and Cultural Centre in Ljubljana is to be closed. A Foreign Ministry state secretary told the MPs the centre was run by a Russia federal agency that was used to spread Russia's propaganda and fake news, whcih the government believed must be stopped.

Ukrainian refugees get rights to accommodation, work and education

LJUBLJANA - Refugees from Ukraine who apply for temporary protection in Slovenia will have the right to accommodation, financial assistance, access to the labour market and education under a decree adopted by the government based on the act on temporary protection of displaced persons. The decree also provides for the right to family reunification, free legal aid and to be informed on the relevant rights and obligations.

Hojs discusses migration, Ukraine in Denmark

COPENHAGEN, Denmark - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs visited Denmark to discuss the current migration situation with Danish Minister for Immigration and Integration Mattias Tesfaye. The pair also condemned the Russian aggression against Ukraine and called for solidarity with Ukraine. The EU's swift and united response was crucial in this situation, they agreed, and this is also reflected in the bloc's unity in welcoming refugees from Ukraine, the Interior Ministry said.

Albaugh declined permit to expand in Rače

RAČE - The Environment Agency (ARSO) issued a decision on 16 March denying US-owned chemical company Albaugh the go-ahead to expand four-fold production of phytopharmaceuticals at its location in Rače in NE Slovenia after a complaint from an NGO. The company initially asked for an environmental permit to expand as early as 2017. ARSO issued the permit in February 2021, but after an appeal by an NGO, the Administrative Court annulled the decision, returning the case to ARSO. The NGO, Rovo, welcomed the decision, while the company, which has 30 days to appeal, has not yet responded to the STA request for comment.

Self-isolating voters to cast ballot at home or by mail

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Voters unable to cast their vote in the 24 April general election in person due to Covid self-isolation will be able to vote at home or by mail, but have to submit an application to vote at home by 20 April, the National Electoral Commission decided as it met for a session. Last week, it decided that voters unable to cast their vote in person due to illness will be able to vote at home before an electoral committee provided that they submit a medical certificate with their application to vote at home. The deadline for this is also 20 April.

Our Land wants to focus on challenges, not ideological topics

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Our Land, a party formed by ex-Agriculture Minister Aleksandra Pivec, held a congress to present its platform and candidates standing in the April general election. Pivec, ex-leader of the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS), said Our Land will put addressing challenges before ideological topics. The party's priorities will be Slovenia's decentralised development, education and health reform, the elderly, balanced infrastructure development, agriculture, security and energy independence. Pivec said that "Slovenia is a land with favourable conditions to raise the level of self-sufficiency".

Refugees from Ukraine can study at University of Maribor

MARIBOR - The University of Maribor has made it possible for students from Ukraine to enrol temporarily in its study programmes without tuition under the Erasmus+ student exchange scheme. They can also apply for scholarships that will cover their living expenses for the first few months in Slovenia. Students cannot be formally enrolled in the middle of the academic year, but the work done during this period will be recognised as part of the formal enrolment in study programmes for 2022/23, by which time the university hopes there will be nation-wide rules for refugees.

Over 130 Ukrainian refugees enrolled in Slovenian primaries

LJUBLJANA - 131 refugee children from Ukraine have been enrolled in 64 primary schools across Slovenia, Education Ministry data as of Wednesday shows. Addressing reporters at the government press conference, Minister Simona Kustec said the system to involve refugee children from Ukraine into the education process was distinctly inclusive. The ministry said schools were not reporting any difficulties in communication with the children or their parents, or their enrolment.

Public broadcaster staff complain of pressure by leadership

LJUBLJANA - Reporters at public broadcaster RTV Slovenija accused the management and the programming council of exerting pressure on them. "There is pressure on colleagues, we work in extreme circumstances, in impossible conditions," Helena Milinković, a journalist and head of the coordinating body of journalists' trade unions at RTV Slovenija, told a debate on Wednesday evening. She said journalists were being collectively punished for publicly exposing unbearable work conditions but would not be quieted.

Minister calls for improved situation of Slovenian minority in Hungary

BUDAPEST, Hungary - Minister for Slovenians Abroad Helena Jaklitsch told a session of the Slovenian-Hungarian commission overseeing the implementation of the agreement on special rights of their respective minorities the situation of the Slovenian minority in the Hungarian region of Porabje had improved over the last decade, but there were still differences in the level of rights, political representation and financing enjoyed by the Slovenian minority in Hungary compared to the Hungarian community in Slovenia.

Growth slows as 3,271 new cases of coronavirus confirmed

LJUBLJANA - A total of 3,271 new cases of coronavirus were recorded in Slovenia on Wednesday, at 6% a slower week-on-week increase than in the past two weeks. Hospital figures continue to decline, but seven people with Covid-19 died, show fresh government data. The latest case count brings the 14-day incidence per 100,000 population to 1,759, up by 46 from the day before.

National Radioactive Waste Agency gets interim head

LJUBLJANA - The government appointed Petra Grajžl, the current head of the environment minister's office, as interim head of the national Radioactive Waste Agency (ARAO). She is taking over on 29 March, when the term of incumbent Sandi Viršek expires, and lead the agency until a new head is appointed but no longer than a year. The ARAO will be in charge of the construction of a special storage facility for low- and intermediate-level waste at the Krško Nuclear Power Plant (NEK) in Vrbina.

Slovenia, US sign indefinite agreement on Fulbright Program

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia and the US have signed a new memorandum of understanding on the Fulbright Program which provides the legal basis for the US government-sponsored international educational exchange programme in Slovenia, the US Embassy in Ljubljana announced. The agreement will be in force indefinitely after the previous one expired in December 2021. It was signed by US Ambassador to Slovenia Jamie L. Harpootlian and Slovenian Education Minister Simona Kustec.

Slovenia in multinational bid to get midwifery on UNESCO list

LJUBLJANA - The government gave its go-ahead for Slovenia to take part in a multinational bid to get midwifery listed on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. Preparations for the nomination, which needs to be submitted by 31 March, are led by Germany, with the other countries involved being Columbia, Cyprus, Kyrgyzstan, Luxembourg, Nigeria and Togo.

24 Mar 2022, 05:37 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Thursday, 24 March 2022

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:

Slovenia's diplomatic mission in Kyiv to be led by chargé d'affaires

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Prime Minister Janez Janša announced the Slovenian diplomatic mission in Kyiv will operate at the level of chargé d'affaires with full powers for the duration of the emergency situation. He did not reveal who the chargé d'affaires will be, but said that several volunteers had come forward. Citing unofficial sources, media reported the interim chargé d'affaires would be Lt-Col Boštjan Lesjak, who served as a civilian member of the OSCE observation mission in Ukraine after Russia's annexation of Crimea. Defence Minister Matej Tonin indicated the mission would involve staff from his ministry as the opposition denounced what it called "armed diplomatic mission" as an "arbitrary and dangerous" move.

President Pahor discusses cooperation with Emir of Qatar

DOHA, Qatar - President Borut Pahor started a two-day official visit to Qatar by meeting Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. They assessed that there are many opportunities to further strengthen bilateral cooperation, especially in energy, sustainable development, tourism and investment. The Emir, who accepted Pahor's invitation to visit Slovenia, said that as leaders of small and young countries they were both aware of how important it was to find peaceful solutions to all conflicts.

Top court strikes out petition to assess two opposition parties

LJUBLJANA - The Constitutional Court struck out a petition to examine whether the Left and the Social Democrats (SD) may be functioning in contravention of the constitution and whether their programmes may be unconstitutional, deeming it to be totally without merit. The petition was brought by Vili Kovačič, an activist best known for unsuccessfully bidding to defeat the government law on the Koper-Divača rail project in two referenda in 2017 and 2018. The two opposition parties welcomed the decision suggesting the ruling coalition Democrats (SDS) were behind the constitutional petition.

New group of refugees arrives from Ukraine

ŽALEC - A group of 43 refugees from Ukraine arrived in Žalec to be temporarily taken care of by the Celje Caritas before they are accommodated with families. The group had been brought to Slovenia by Tamino Petelinšek, a photographer with the Slovenian Press Agency who had been commissioned by the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternity, to photograph a shipment of humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

Private accommodation offered for 600 Ukrainian refugees

LJUBLJANA - Owners of hotels, hostels and self-catering apartments offered accommodation for around 600 refugees in a public call for applications issued by the Government Office for the Support and Integration of Migrants in early March. Talks with the 153 applicants are under way and agreements are expected to be signed this week, the office told the STA. The call was open to providers who could offer accommodation for at least 20 persons.

Slovenian businesses summit looks at the future

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Green transition and digitalisation, connectivity in all areas, re-industrialisation and the role of the state and the financial system were identified as four main target areas at the Slovenian Business Summit, an annual event organised by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry at Brdo estate and featuring most senior government officials. Over 150 measures and goals were set out in a document called Horizons of the Future, which PM Janez Janša called bold. He said they showed the economy's confidence.

Govt presents investment projects in its term

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Ahead of the official start of the election campaign, Prime Minister Janez Janša, and fellow coalition leaders Matej Tonin and Zdravko Počivalšek, presented what Janša called the "biggest investment drive" in Slovenia's history. They said almost EUR 8 billion worth of investment projects had been implemented, were ongoing or were approved along with funds in their government's term at the level of local communities. EUR 1.5 billion comes from EU funds.

New act on money laundering prevention passed

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed a new act on the prevention of money laundering and terrorism financing, replacing the relevant act from 2016. While the government argued the act was needed so as to transpose three EU directives, the centre-left opposition is concerned that it will give relevant authorities too broad powers. Slovenia was running late in transposing the directives into its legislation and has already received warnings from the European Commission.

Proposal to ban pre-election polls voted down

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly voted down a proposal sponsored by the opposition National Party (SNS) and backed by the ruling Democrats (SDS) to ban publication of political opinion polls for half a year before elections. 33 MPs voted in favour of the bill and 42 against. Both the SNS and the SDS argued that pollsters often created public opinion rather than measured it with SNS saying it was dictated by the left political bloc, which still wielded most influence in the media.

MPs confirm two inquiry interim reports

LJUBLJANA - MPs confirmed interim reports by two coalition-sponsored inquiries into the purchasing of protective equipment and Covid measures, and into the purchase of medical equipment by Slovenian hospitals not related to Covid. But they rejected a report by an opposition-led parliamentary inquiry into the government's handling of the epidemic. The coalition argued the previous government had left warehouses empty of protective equipment, an allegation dismissed by the opposition.

Centre-left protest against developments at RTV Slovenija

LJUBLJANA - The four centre-left opposition parties and Robert Golob's Freedom Movement issued a joint statement to protest against what they see as attempts to subjugate public broadcaster RTV Slovenija and to support journalists' warnings about irregularities and pressure they experience at work. The five parties pledged to change legislation after the elections to prevent political interference in the public broadcaster and let staff do their job professionally and independently.

Minorities expect dialogue, support from new govt

LJUBLJANA/KLAGENFURT, Austria/TRIESTE, Italy - Leaders of Slovenian autochthonous minorities in Austria and Italy expect the new Slovenian government to be formed after the April election to keep engaging in dialogue with them, provide support to resolve open issues, and remain as active on the minority front as Minister for Slovenians Abroad Helena Jaklitsch has been over the past two years.

Slovenia partly implemented recommendation about hate speech

LJUBLJANA - The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance found that Slovenia had partly implemented the recommendation that it should address serious shortcomings in prosecution of hate speech, including victims lacking a legal remedy when prosecutors dismiss hate speech complaints or do not decide to prosecute. It however failed to implement the recommendation about equality data collection that the commission made as part of its fifth regular report in 2019.

Covid cases continue to climb

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia confirmed 3,325 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, an increase of 14% on the same day a week ago. The epidemic has been growing since early March, but the situation in hospitals remains stable for now. The 14-day notification rate per 100,000 of the population is at 1,713. The health authorities estimate there are currently nearly 36,300 active cases in the country. An additional three people with Covid died, according to the Health Ministry.

Public health insurer expects EUR 184m in deficit this year

LJUBLJANA - The ZZZS public health insurer recorded EUR 3.64 billion in revenue, which is EUR 383 million more than in 2020. Expenditure was up by EUR 176 million to EUR 3.52 billion. This year, a EUR 184 million shortfall of revenue over expenditure is planned, said director general Tatjana Mlakar. Based on forecasts by the IMAD, the government's macroeconomic think-tank, revenue is to go up by EUR 225 million this year, while expenditure is expected to rise by EUR 260 million.

Consumer confidence lowest since November 2020

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's consumer confidence plunged to its lowest level since November 2020, declining by 12 percentage points, in what is the sharpest drop since the first peak of the pandemic in April 2020, show Statistics Office figures. The indicator measuring consumer expectations about the state of the economy was down 26 points, whereas the indicator measuring inflation expectations dropped by 23 points, to the lowest level since measurements began in 1996.

Revoz stops production over semi-conductors

NOVO MESTO - Revoz, the Slovenian subsidiary of French car maker Renault, was forced to stop assembling cars earlier this week over an irregular supply of electronic components for cars it manufactures in Novo Mesto, south-eastern Slovenia. Production is to resume next week, trade unionist Slavko Pungeršič told the STA. The company is trying to find a long-term solution to the problem.

NLB reportedly suspends sale of asset manager arm

LJUBLJANA - The newspaper Finance reported that Slovenia's largest banking group, NLB, decided to suspend the sale of its asset management arm NLB Skladi, which was launched in mid-2021. "Now is not the time to sell good assets. We may continue the sale at some point in the future," NLB chairman Blaž Brodnjak was quoted as saying by the newspaper. NLB Skladi is the largest asset and mutual fund management company in Slovenia. At the end of last September, it had a 37.2% market share.

SIJ group returned to profit last year

LJUBLJANA - SIJ, the Slovenian steel group in majority Russian ownership, reported it turned to profit last year after posting a net loss of EUR 49.9 million in 2020. Last year, sales revenue stood at EUR 962.7 million, up 36.8% from the year before, while net profit reached EUR 29.2 million, the group's audited results show. The group's EBITDA almost tripled to EUR 100.8 million gross and EBITDA margin was 5.1 percentage points higher at 10.5%.

Alpe-Adria fair focuses on active tourism

LJUBLJANA - The Alpe-Adria fair, the largest trade show for tourism and leisure in Slovenia, opened in Ljubljana after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic. The focus of the show, which runs until 26 March, is green and active tourism. Over 130 providers of tourism services from Slovenia, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Czechia, Croatia, Italy and Nepal are showcased. A debate held at the fair heard the government would help tourism, possibly with tourism vouchers.

Slovenia's GDP at 90% of EU average in 2021

LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Slovenia's GDP, expressed in purchasing power standards, amounted to 90% of the EU average in 2021, a percentage point higher than the year before, Eurostat data shows. GDP ranged from 277% of the EU average in Luxembourg and 221% in Ireland, to 55% in the bloc's poorest country, Bulgaria.

Belgrade gets monument to Slovenian linguist

BELGRADE, Serbia - A monument honouring Slovenian linguist Jernej Kopitar (1780-1844) was unveiled in Belgrade in a gesture that celebrates the friendship of Kopitar and his Serbian counterpart and friend Vuk Stefanović Karadžić (1787-1864), whose statue was erected in Ljubljana in 2016. The work of Slovenian sculptor Matjaž Počivavšek, the Kopitar monument has the shape of a narrow, triangular, hollow prism which is reminiscent of an upright book.

23 Mar 2022, 06:37 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Wednesday, 23 March 2022

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:

Slovenia supports stepping up of sanctions against Russia

BRUSSELS, Belgium - EU countries broadly agree that sanctions against Russia should be expanded because of the war in Ukraine, but opinions differ on the details, Foreign Minister Anže Logar said after Monday's talks in Brussels. Slovenia advocates stepping up of the sanctions, including by closing the ports to Russian vessels and banning imports of Russian energy.

UNICEF Slovenija sends EUR 400,000 in aid to Ukraine

LJUBLJANA - UNICEF Slovenija has sent emergency aid worth more than EUR 400,000 for children and families to Ukraine and its neighbouring countries in the past week. The organisation is also providing assistance at the refugee accommodation centre in Logatec, UNICEF said.

Govt for closing Russia's culture and science centre in Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted an initiative to revoke an agreement with Russia on scientific and cultural centres, and submitted it to the parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee for confirmation. The Government Communication Office said the decision was justified with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which the release described as an unacceptable and grave violation of international law and treaties, including the founding Charter of the United Nations.

Government adopts rules on allied UAVs in Slovenian airspace

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a decision that establishes conditions for allied unmanned military aircraft flying over Slovenia during the time of NATO's crisis response to the situation in Ukraine. It also adopted an amendment on the regulation dealing with sanctions against Russia. The government's decision "establishes conditions for high altitude, long autonomy overflights by allied military UAVs in Slovenian airspace," said the Government Communication Office.

SSH management board complete as third member appointed

LJUBLJANA - The supervisory board of Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH) appointed economist Peter Drobež as the third member of the management board to complete the board of the state asset custodian after two board members resigned due to irregularities in January 2021. The SSH management board has been incomplete since January 2021 after board members Boštjan Koler and Boris Medica offered their resignations, which happened in mutual agreement with SSH.

Ljubljana mayor praises inclusion of Ukrainian primary school children

LJUBLJANA - After a report last week about the ongoing integration of around 140 children from Ukraine into schools in Slovenia, Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković announced that good headway was also being made at the Livada multicultural primary school in the capital. He meanwhile urged a special status for Ukrainian kindergarten children.

Daily Covid case count highest in more than a month

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia confirmed 4,935 new coronavirus infections on Monday in what is the highest daily figure since mid-February. Covid cases keep climbing as the latest daily case count is up 17% week-on-week. The number of patients hospitalised due to Covid-19 increased to 145 this morning, of which 41 were in intensive care, down by five from yesterday. Another two people with Covid died.

Re-boost allowed for those who got J&J as initial jab

LJUBLJANA - Those who have received Johnson&Johnson's single-shot Janssen vaccine as their initial jab against Covid-19 will be able to get a second booster shot due to Austria's vaccination rules, the national advisory committee on immunization has decided. The committee's head Bojana Beović told reporters the reason to expand eligibility for the second booster shot was that Austria does not recognise the single dose Janssen jab as a full vaccination against Covid-19.

Trimo sold to Belgian group Recticel

TREBNJE - Innova Capital, a Polish private equity fund, has sold Trimo, a Slovenian-based maker of prefabricated building components, to Belgian company Recticel for EUR 164 million. The deal is expected to be completed in the third quarter of the year, the company said. Trimo Group was taken over by Innova in early 2016 to significantly increase its market share in Europe becoming the second largest producer of mineral wool core panels.

E-care to help elderly live at home longer

LJUBLJANA - The government is launching an e-care project that will allow elderly and disabled people to live safely at home longer by providing them with around-the clock link to an assistance centre and health professionals. A total of 5,000 elderly, disabled and people with chronic conditions are to benefit from the service free of charge until 30 September 2023. The EUR 3 million project, funded from EU grants, has been won by Telekom Slovenije in cooperation with a pensioners' association.

Gorjup says business environment improving

NAZARJE - Home appliances maker BSH Hišni Aparati increased revenue by more than 20% to nearly EUR 500 million last year. This year, the Slovenian subsidiary of the Bosch group expects only moderate growth due to the Russian-Ukrainian war, its director Boštjan Gorjup told the STA in an interview. The results came on a robust demand on all of BSH markets, and the Nazarje-based company, which is part of German BSH Hausgeräte, generated almost EUR 200 million in the Adriatic East region.

Minister: Everything should be done for wheat to stay in Slovenia

LJUTOMER - Agriculture Minister Jože Podgoršek said that everything should be done for Slovenian wheat to stay in Slovenia, as he spoke to the press after a session of the commission for purchase and sale of grains. The meeting also aimed at reaching agreement on models for calculating costs of wheat production.

KUL parties want to put gaming act changes to referendum

LJUBLJANA - The four opposition parties associated in the KUL coalition filed to parliament a proposal to consult voters in a referendum whether the National Assembly should pass changes to the gaming act that aim to partly liberalise the industry, effectively preventin parliament from discussing the changes at third reading on Wednesday. The parties argue that gaming industry liberalisation is dangerous as it opens the door to privatisation of the largest gaming company HIT.

Tourism industry wants govt to help it with 15 measures

LJUBLJANA - As the Slovenian tourism industry has not yet bounced back from the Covid pandemic while it expects to be also hit by the war in Ukraine, its representatives propose a set of 15 measures the government should immediately take to help the most severely affected companies. They argue the situation is "very serious".

RTV Slovenija collected nearly EUR 97m through licence fee in 2021

LJUBLJANA - Public broadcaster RTV Slovenija's revenue reached almost EUR 132 million last year, which is EUR 4.7 million less than its expenditure, the latest annual report shows. RTV Slovenija received nearly EUR 97 million from households' payments of its licence fee. Labour costs topped EUR 81 million. The report, which was discussed on Monday by the RTV Slovenija programming council, indicates that the licence fee represents the largest revenue inflow.

January wages down by around 7%

LJUBLJANA - The average gross pay in Slovenia in January stood at EUR 1,924, while the average net pay was EUR 1,236, down 6.8% and 7.5% in nominal terms, and 7.2% and 7.9% in real terms, respectively, compared to December, the Statistics Office said. The highest average gross earnings were recorded in financial and insurance activities (EUR 2,732).

Iconic police chopper retires after 42 years of service

BRNIK - Having saved countless lives in its 42 years of service, the Agusta Bell AB-212 police chopper officially retired after clocking 9,993 flight hours to become part of the collection of the Slovenian Police Museum. The helicopter, known as Bravo in police jargon, was given a retirement ceremony at the headquarters of the police air unit at Brnik that befits its significance in Slovenia's history. It will eventually be permanently exhibited at the Pivka Park of Military History.

Croatian legend Prosinečki named new Olimpija Ljubljana coach

LJUBLJANA - Legendary Croatian footballer and manager Robert Prosinečki has officially taken over as the new coach of Ljubljana's biggest football club Olimpija, as confirmed by the club. "After a series of unconvincing performances and results, Olimpija Ljubljana decided for a change on the bench. Now we can present the new coach to the public with utmost pride and satisfaction," the football club said. During his playing career, Prosinečki was member of some of the greatest clubs in world football.

22 Mar 2022, 06:24 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Tuesday, 22 March 2022

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:

Slovenia sending its diplomats back to Kyiv this week

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia plans to sent its diplomatic representatives back to Kyiv this week. "We are working to make the EU do the same. Ukraine needs diplomatic support," Prime Minister Janez Janša announced on Twitter on Sunday evening, noting that the diplomats would return to Kyiv on a voluntary basis. The Foreign Ministry later told the STA that the delegation of diplomats that is to return to Ukraine had not yet been finalised. The chargé d'affaires is expected to head the diplomatic representation office there, and it should become clear in the coming days how many people will make up the delegation and when they will leave.

Logar: New legislation empowers govt to better implement sanctions

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The Slovenian government will be able to better implement the EU sanctions against Russia, more specifically the freezing of assets of certain Russian citizens, now that new legislation has empowered it to do so, whereas the old legislation was somewhat "flawed", Foreign Minister Anže Logar said in Brussels. The EU has so far adopted four packages of sanctions against Russia over the invasion of Ukraine, including freezing assets of 685 individuals and 14 legal persons.

4,400 Ukrainians have requested protection in Slovenia

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs presented Slovenia's activities and government measures related to the Ukraine crisis as he met foreign ambassadors in the country in Brdo pri Kranju on Monday. He said that since 10 March, 4,400 persons from Ukraine had requested temporary protection, the Interior Ministry said.

Advisory group proposes offering vaccines to refugee children

LJUBLJANA - The advisory group on immunization at the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) proposes that refugee children be offered vaccination in line with Slovenia's national vaccination programme, including against tuberculosis and Covid-19, and small children also against flu. Members of the advisory group proposed that the age limit is set for vaccination against tuberculosis, shows a report from the group's meeting held last Wednesday.

1,076 coronavirus cases confirmed in 19% week-on-week increase

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia confirmed 1,076 new cases of coronavirus on Sunday, an increase of nearly 19% on the week before, as infections have been steadily rising for over two weeks. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 population now stands at 1,571 and the rolling seven-day average of new daily cases at 2,697, both up by almost a percent on yesterday, show figures by the National Institute of Public Health. The number of patients hospitalised due to Covid-19 remained flat at 181, of which 46 were in intensive care this morning, down by two from yesterday. Seven patients with Covid-19 died, according to Health Ministry data.

Watchdog investigating suspected fixing of wheat purchase prices

LJUBLJANA - The Competition Protection Office announced it is investigating Mlin Korošec, Mlinopek, Mlinotest, Panvita and Žito, saying there are grounds to suspect the food companies had engaged in the fixing of wheat purchase prices. The anti-trust watchdog, which launched the proceedings at the end of February, wrote that the five were suspected of violating the ban on cartel agreements and of acting in concert to exchange information on the purchase prices of wheat and to fix the prices.

President Pahor to visit Qatar on Wednesday

DOHA, Qatar - President Borut Pahor will pay an official visit to Qatar on Wednesday and Thursday at the invitation of the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, with whom Pahor will discuss ways to strengthen bilateral relations in variouss fields, the president's office said. Pahor will be accompanied by Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec and Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak. Vrtovec announced last week that the visit will include talks on the possible supply of energy products to Slovenia.

UN endorses Slovenia's resolution on drug abuse prevention

LJUBLJANA/VIENNA, Austria - The UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) has endorsed a resolution on early drug abuse prevention last week in Vienna, which was put forward by Slovenia. The resolution calls on the international community to step up efforts to prevent illicit drug use, especially among children and youth, the Health Ministry said. After intense negotiations in difficult circumstances, also connected to the war in Ukraine, the Slovenian delegation managed to obtain the full support of all member states that were present, which then approved the resolution by consensus.

Slovenian agriculture to get EUR 1.7m from EU reserves, minister says

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission will release around EUR 500 million in reserves to help the most affected farmers, with Slovenia entitled to EUR 1.7 million, Agriculture Minister Jože Podgoršek said in Brussels, where EU agriculture ministers are discussing measures to stabilise the EU food sector amid the war in Ukraine. The funds have to be paid out by 30 September, explained the minister.

Salus profit up 28% to EUR 13m

LJUBLJANA - Salus, a distributor of medicines, reported revenue rising by 14% to EUR 458.3 million in 2021. Net profit was up by 28% to EUR 13 million in what the management described as a record year. Operating profit rose by nearly a quarter to EUR 15.3 million, with EBITDA up by almost 22% to EUR 19.7 million, show consolidated results. Salus's figures show the Slovenian medicines and food supplements market grew by almost 6% last year in value terms, as the share of more expensive drugs increases.

Slovenian Genome aims to enhance personalised medicine in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia has launched Slovenian Genome, a project of Slovenian population's genetic variability data that could simplify genetic diagnostics and thus help people with rare diseases, which affect one in 2,000 Slovenians. To have fast genomic diagnostics, normal variations of the human genome in Slovenia need to be defined, so all healthy Slovenian residents who have no rare disease have been urged to donate their genomic information.

Runaway driver who caused fatal migrant accident caught in Koper

LJUBLJANA - The police have caught a 24-year-old North Macedonian national in Koper on Friday. The man is suspected to have caused a fatal accident on the Štajerska leg of the A1 motorway on 12 March, involving a van carrying illegal migrants. One person was killed and eleven were injured, while the suspect fled the scene on foot.

Wildfire in Ajdovščina area contained

AJDOVŠČINA - A bushfire has swept through a grassy area on the slopes of the Gora mountain near Ajdovščina in western Slovenia. Firefighters have managed to contain the fire, but it will not be completely extinguished until the first rainfall. It is believed that the fire was caused by ashes that were thrown out by a senior citizen while still containing glowing embers.

Olm guardians from Postojna shortlisted for Natura 2000 Award

POSTOJNA - Baby dragon guardians at the Postojna Cave have been shortlisted for this year's Natura 2000 Award as the only representatives from Slovenia in what the company operating the world-famous Karst cave sees as a great compliment to the olm, a cave-dwelling amphibian, to the Postojna Cave and the entire country.

Francophone Film Festival opens tonight

LJUBLJANA - The Francophone Film Festival, taking place between 21 and 26 March in two Ljubljana cinemas to mark International Francophonie Day, opened in the evening with France, a 2021 drama by Bruno Dumont. The 10th edition of the festival will see screenings of seven feature-length films in Kinodvor and the Slovenian Cinematheque, along with 13 shorts by Alice Guy, the first female feature film director in the history of cinema.

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