30 Jan 2022, 04:24 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Sunday, 30 January 2022

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Govt confirms EUR 106m energy voucher scheme, lower excise duties and network fee cuts

LJUBLJANA - The government confirmed a EUR 200 million package of aid for households and companies to mitigate energy-price hikes. An EUR 106 million energy voucher scheme for households will be coupled with aid for companies and farmers worth EUR 70 million, as well as lower network fees for electricity, and lower excise duties on heating oil and petrol. The excise and network fee cuts will be in place for three months starting in February, while the energy vouchers and aid for companies and farmers will be a one-off payment. It is estimated that 710,000 individuals will benefit from energy vouchers, while aid will be available to about 17,500 companies and 41,000 farms.

Acting director of Research Agency appointed

LJUBLJANA - The government appointed Mitja Lainščak acting director of the Slovenian Research Agency, which is in charge of disbursing funding for science, after it replaced four members of the agency's board, the previous board having twice proposed a candidate that the government rejected. Lainščak, who heads the cardiology department at the Murska Sobota hospital, takes office on 31 January and his term lasts until the end of July. The new board nominated him just hours before the cabinet session.

Lenarčič says EU Commission hopes reason will prevail in Ukraine crisis

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Janez Lenarčič, Slovenia's European commissioner, told Slovenian correspondents on Friday that the European Commission's work was currently most affected by the Ukraine crisis. It is preparing for all possible scenarios, hoping that reason will prevail and peace will be preserved, he stressed. The Commission gives legislative proposals and proposes sanctions in this field.

Almost 14,880 new coronavirus cases recorded on Friday

LJUBLJANA - A total of 14,878 new coronavirus infections were detected in Slovenia on Friday in what is the third largest number of new daily infections since the start of the epidemic. There are currently 160,899 active cases in the country, up by 7,565 from the day before, according to estimates by the National Institute of Public Health. Hospitalisations are up by seven to 726, while the number of patients in intensive care dropped by 10 to 124. Another 11 patients with Covid-19 died.

Poll: SDS followed by Robert Golob's party

LJUBLJANA - The ruling Democrats (SDS) would win 18.5% of the vote in the April general election, according a poll conducted for newspapers Dnevnik and Večer by pollster Ninamedia. The party of Robert Golob, the Freedom Movement, would come second with 16.2%, while the opposition Social Democrats (SD) would be third on 9.9%. The opposition Left in fourth was at 6.1%, followed by the coalition New Slovenia (NSi) with 4.5%.

Fewer pupils distance-learning over refusal to heed Covid rules

LJUBLJANA - The share of primary school children who are distance learners because they refuse to comply with Covid restrictions in schools is declining. However, there are at least dozen cases where parents decided to sue schools over the enforced pandemic rules. The share is now 0.84%, meaning 1,625 students, down from 3.61% last November, when self-testing was introduced in schools. The figure has been steadily falling since then, the Education Ministry has said.

Lek planning EUR 83m investment in Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - Lek, a Novartis-owned Slovenian drug maker, is planning an EUR 82.6 million investment in Ljubljana to set up a new production facility for liquid vials and pre-filled syringes. The government is expected to subsidise it with EUR 6.56 million, according to working documents prepared for government sessions.

Giant honey bee a major draw at Dubai Expo

DUBAI, UAE - The exhibition room in Slovenia's Expo pavilion in Dubai is home to a gigantic 3D model of the Carniolan honey bee. The 100:1 scale model has proven to be a popular attraction and over 100,000 people that have seen it thus far. "Slovenia has a rich beekeeping tradition and the World Bee Day was declared by the UN in 2017 upon Slovenia's initiative, so we wanted to honour that tradition at the Slovenian Expo pavillion in Dubai as well," said Slovenia's Expo 2020 commissioner general Matic Volk.

Ski jumper Ema Klinec third in Willingen

WILLINGEN, Germany - Slovenian ski jumper Ema Klinec finished third in a World Cup event in Germany's Willingen on Saturday. Because of strong winds only the first round was carried out. The winner was Austria's Marita Kramer, who also tops the overall World Cup rankings, while Germany's Katharina Atlthaus was second.

29 Jan 2022, 04:14 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Saturday, 29 January 2022

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This summary is provided by the STA:

No change in China position as Slovenia, Taipei to open representative offices

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar told the parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee that Slovenia and Taipei intend to open mutual economic and cultural representative offices, the committee's chair Monika Gregorčič told the press after the session. This does not mean that Slovenia's position on one-China has changed. Logar said as he headed into the session called because of PM Janez Janša's recent statements on Taiwan that there had been "no divergence from our position".

Govt acquainted with Slovenia's rule of law report

LJUBLJANA - The government got acquainted on Thursday with responses to the European Commission's questionnaire which is part of preparations for the next EU's Rule of Law Report. Although these are confidential, N1 news portal obtained the draft document, saying it contains value judgements reflecting the views of the ruling SDS as it problematises some judges' appointments. The government authorised the Foreign Ministry to forward the document to Brussels, which should happen in the coming days.

Lenarčič hopes forces in favour of EU values win election

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Janez Lenarčič, Slovenia's European commissioner, expressed the hope that forces which are sincerely in favour of fundamental EU values such as the rule of law win the Slovenian general election in April, as he warned against a return to one-party rule of the kind Slovenia had experienced in the past. The EU is more than just a single market, it is a union of values and it is not possible for every member state to have its own view on the rule of law based on its traditional values or historical experiences, he said in an interview with Slovenian correspondents in Brussels.

Health and social care unions call strike for 16 February

LJUBLJANA - Trade unions representing staff in health and social care announced a strike starting on 16 February citing the government's failure to resume talks to resolve the remaining pay disparities as agreed. The unions demand for talks to start immediately and for norms and standards in healthcare and social care to be adopted in agreement with the 2018 strike demands. They are angered because the government adopted negotiating positions for talks with doctors but not with them.

Over 16,500 coronavirus cases on Thursday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia confirmed 16,571 new cases of coronavirus on Thursday, the second highest daily tally since the start of the pandemic, after an all-time high on Tuesday. Seven more Covid-19 patients died, as the number of patients hospitalised with Covid-19 increased by 11 to 719. ICU cases were up by nine to 134, government data show. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 people increased by 458 to 7,272.

Committee wants vetting of judges with Yugoslav bar exam

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Justice Committee asked the Judicial Council to conduct an analysis of whether judges who had passed the bar exam in former Yugoslav republics qualify for the job. Another resolution asks the government, Supreme Court and Judicial Council to draw up legislation that will ensure the transparency of the judiciary, shorten procedures, and provide appropriate oversight. The session had been called by the coalition SDS and NSi and the opposition SNS, which framed the debate as an attempt to restore people's trust in the judiciary and safeguard its independence, while the centre-left opposition walked out.

Police bust international tobacco-smuggling ring

MARIBOR/CELJE/LJUBLJANA - An international criminal ring that illegally manufactured tobacco products in Slovenia and smuggled them across the EU has been dismantled by the Slovenian police and the Financial Administration (FURS), in cooperation with French security authorities and Europol. More than 38 tonnes of tobacco, machinery and other materials for illicit production were seized in total, a joint statement by the police and the FURS said.

Retail revenue up almost 19% last year

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian retailers recorded a surge in business last year as revenue in retail in real terms was up 18.9% from 2020 and up 6.9% compared to 2019. The Statistics Office reported the largest rise, by almost 33%, was recorded by shops specialised in sale of motor fuels. Retail sales of non-food products went up by 17.4% and retail sales of food by 7.3%. Retail revenue in December was up 44.2% year-on-year, and up 24.8% compared to December 2019.

Survey unemployment rate slightly down in December

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's ILO-compatible survey unemployment rate stood at 4.6% in December last year, down by 0.1 percentage point on November and 0.7 percentage point year-on-year. The Statistics Office estimates there were some 49,000 unemployed people aged 15-74 in Slovenia in December. Men accounted for roughly 60% of this estimate and women 40%. The unemployment rate was 5% among men and 4.2% among women.

Hisense Europe to hire up to 400 new workers

VELENJE - The Hisense Europe Group, which includes the Velenje-based maker of household appliances and TV sets Gorenje, is looking for new employees to respond to new orders. Hisense wants to hire between 250 and 400 new staff, alongside an additional 60 technologists, machinists, goods handlers and engineers. The company said it would recruit staff abroad if it could not find them in Slovenia, and offer them free Slovenian language courses.

UniCredit Slovenia posts lower 2021 profit

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian subsidiary of UniCredit, the Italian banking group, saw its net profit drop by 54% last year to EUR 6 million despite slightly higher revenue, show figures released by the parent company. The Italian group is present in Slovenia with the bank UniCredit Banka Slovenije, leasing company UniCredit Leasing and real estate manager UCTAM Upravljanje. The group's consolidated revenue in Slovenia rose by 2% last year to EUR 72 million.

Unior net sales up to EUR 169 million last year

ZREČE - The state-owned tool maker and automotive supplier Unior saw its net sales go up by 22% in 2021 to EUR 169 million. This year Unior Group consolidated net sales are expected to reach EUR 272 million, an increase of 13.6% compared to the 2021 sales estimate, according to the report released by the Zreče-based company on the website of the Ljubljana Stock Exchange.

RTV Slovenija gets new supervisory board

LJUBLJANA - A new supervisory board of RTV Slovenija held its maiden session, electing as chief supervisor Borut Rončević, a board member appointed by the government. The new team will supervise the broadcaster's business operations until 2026. The eleven-member board features five members appointed by parliament, four by the government and two by RTV Slovenija staff. The latter two are expected to be elected shortly.

Slovenian ski jumpers win mixed event

WILLINGEN, Germany - Slovenia won the mixed team event at the ski jumping World Cup in Willignen, Germany the first such event ever to be held on a large hill and the last try-out before the Olympic debut of this format. Ema Klinec, Cene Prevc, Urša Bogataj and Anže Lanišek scored 862.6 points to best Austria by 62.9 points. Norway in third were 83.1 points adrift. The result places the mixed team squarely among the favourites at the Beijing Olympics, which start next week.

28 Jan 2022, 08:42 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Friday 28 January, 2022

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This summary is provided by the STA:

OECD calls on Slovenia to reform pension system

LJUBLJANA - The OECD has urged Slovenia to encourage people to work longer and to reform its pensions system to make it financially sustainable while preserving pensioners' living standards, as it issued a new report based on a a two-year analysis of the country's pension system which ran in 2020-2021. Without reforms, pension expenditure will significantly rise in the coming three decades, Mark Pearson from the OECD said. Labour Ministry State Secretary Mateja Ribič said the analysis came at the right time as the country was in the midst of laying the groundwork for modernising the system.

EPPO expresses concern about proposed penal code changes

LUXEMBOURG - The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) expressed concern about proposed changes of the penal code which it said could affect the effectiveness of the EPPO. The changes, disavowed by the majority of the parties since they were confirmed by the Justice Committee, would give prosecutors less time to investigate before cases became statute-barred. "If the changes were adopted as proposed, prosecutors would have drastically less time to investigate the vast majority of crimes under the EPPO's jurisdiction," the EPPO said.

New Omicron subvariant confirmed in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia has confirmed its first case of the BA.2 sub-lineage of the Omicron coronavirus variant, the national lab chief told reporters, noting it was not yet clear whether the new strain was more contagious than the original one. The national lab now analyses PCR samples in 20 hours on average. What is also new amid the Omicron-driven wave of infections is a protocol under which infected patients in non-Covid hospital wards will no longer need to be moved to Covid wards but can be isolated in their rooms.

More than 14,000 Covid cases logged for Wednesday

LJUBLJANA - A total of 14,206 people tested positive for coronavirus in Slovenia on Wednesday after a record of almost 17,500 cases were confirmed the day before, show fresh official figures. The number of Covid-19 patients in hospital stood at 708 this morning, up by 38 on the day before, whereas the total of ICU cases decreased slightly - by two to 125. Another 14 patients died, according to government data.

Krka's net profit up 5% to almost EUR 305m in 2021

NOVO MESTO - Drug maker Krka reported a group net profit of EUR 304.7 million for 2021, a rise of 5% year-on-year, on the back of sales revenue that rose by 2% to a record EUR 1.57 billion. CEO Jože Colarič said that Krka saw record sales in all of its regions, except Western Europe, with profitability at a high level. For this year, Krka plans sales at EUR 1.61 billion and net profit at EUR 300 million, with EUR 130 million to go for investment.

C-bank nominee clears first hurdle in parliament

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Credentials and Privileges Commission backed Marjan Divjak to be appointed a vice-governor at Slovenia's central bank. The single issue raised against the nominee was his role in the NKBM bank IPO and sale. The commission voted 10 votes in his favour and four against. Divjak needs to win at least 46 votes in the 90-member National Assembly to get appointed.

FDI awards go to Ljubljana dairy, Comtrade and Vevče paper mill

LJUBLJANA - The investment promotion agency Spirit Slovenija presented its awards for foreign investors that achieved exceptional results in the past year and contributed to the development of the country's economy. The FDI Award Slovenia accolades went to the dairy Ljubljanske Mlekarne, the ICT company Comtrade and the paper mill Papirnica Vevče. Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek noted last year the volume of foreign investments in Slovenia had increased by 2.4% despite the pandemic.

Four members of Public Research Agency's board replaced

LJUBLJANA - The government once again decided against appointing Lidija Tičar Padar as acting director of the Public Research Agency (ARRS). Instead, it replaced at four members of the agency's management board. The move comes after several science stakeholders accused the government of political staffing and said its actions jeopardised the agency's work.

Holocaust victims being remembered in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - The facade of the National Assembly will be lit up tonight in memory of the six million Jews who were killed by the Nazis and their supporters during WWII as Slovenia joins observation of International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Holocaust victims are being honoured with several events this week. The main ceremony was held in Lendava on Wednesday where President Borut Pahor called for the preservation of peace, security, tolerance and coexistence.

Finance Ministry gets new state secretary

LJUBLJANA - The government appointed Irena Drmaž as Finance Ministry state secretary on Thursday after her predecessor Kristina Šteblaj stepped down to join the Bank Assets Management Company as an executive director. Drmaž previously worked as director-general at the ministry's Budget Directorate. The government also decided Janez Mravljak will continue to lead the Recovery and Resilience Office as acting director.

Automotive supplier Dani AFC rehiring

SLOVENJ GRADEC - Dani AFC, the Italian-owned supplier of leather cuts for high-end car seats, is rehiring after being forced to lay off staff last year due to disruption in car industry supplies. Jožef Horvat, director of the Slovenj Gradec company, has told the STA they will need more than 70 workers due to a sudden spike in orders from Audi and Volkswagen. Between 25 and 30 have already been given a job, including former employees.

NKBM issues EUR 300m bond

MARIBOR - The NKBM bank completed its first issue of a non-preferred senior bonds on the international market in the nominal amount of EUR 300 million and maturity of three years, with the possibility of recall after two years. The bank said that the bonds, which have yield of 1.875%, have been listed on the Euro MTF market of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.

State forestry company posts record profit

KOČEVJE - SiDG, the state-owned forest management company, posted a net profit of EUR 14 million for last year, up 87% on the year before and 83% above plans. Revenue rose by about a quarter to EUR 71 million and the EBITDA margin rose to 27% from 19% last year, the company said.

Man gets 23 years for attempted murder of ex-partner, daughter

LJUBLJANA - The Celje Higher Court has upheld the sentencing of a man who attempted to murder his former partner and their daughter with tranquillisers concealed in doughnuts to 23 years in prison. The sentence imposed by the Celje District Court last June is now final, the daily newspapers reported. What contributed to such a high sentence is him having a previous criminal record of violent offences, including an attempted murder.

27 Jan 2022, 04:07 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Thursday, 27 January 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:

New record as almost 17,500 coronavirus cases confirmed

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia confirmed 17,491 new cases of coronavirus on Tuesday, by far the highest daily figure since the start of the pandemic and an increase of more than 40% on the week before. The positive cases come from the highest daily number of PCR tests performed to date, almost 23,000. There were 670 patients with Covid-19 in hospital this morning, up by over a hundred from a week ago, whereas ICU cases declined by 24 over the week before to 127.

Golob elected new head of renamed green party, Janša says he is "Janković exam resit"

LJUBLJANA - Robert Golob, the former chairman of energy trader Gen-I who is generally seen as the most serious rival of PM Janez Janša in the upcoming general election, became the leader of the non-parliamentary green party formerly known as Z.Dej, which has been renamed Movement Freedom. Janša has commented on Golob venturing into politics saying it was an "exam resit by Zoran Janković", referring to Golob in 2011 becoming a vice-president of Positive Slovenia, a party formed by Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković that won the 2011 general election but failed to form a government. Instead, the government was formed by Janša.

Foreign Policy Committee acquainted with new foreign policy strategy

LJUBLJANA - The Foreign Policy Committee got acquainted with the country's new foreign policy strategy, with Foreign Ministry State Secretary Gašper Dovžan saying that most of the changes were made because the international environment had changed. The opposition expressed some reservations, in particular about Slovenia no longer being referred to as a core EU member state. Dovžan said there was more focus on the role of the EU as Slovenia's main political, economic, legal and value environment.

Minister says risk too grave to ease Covid restrictions

BREŽICE - Health Minister Janez Poklukar warned that Slovenia is yet to see the Omicron-driven wave of coronavirus outbreak hit its plateau, arguing the risk is still too great for any easing of restrictions. He said the risk would remain high until the curves of infections and hospital admissions started turning down. The epidemic is still in expansion and this week alone 33% more patients have been hospitalised and there were 85% more fatalities than the week before, said the minister.

PM talks energy challenges, tourism opportunities in Posavje

BREŽICE - The Posavje region still has many challenges to meet despite its breakthrough in reaching the Slovenian average, PM Janez Janša said as part of the cabinet's visit to the region. He highlighted challenges in the energy sector as the top priority, but also noted the role of other efforts, including tourism development. Janša noted that ten years ago Posavje had been 12 percentage points behind the Slovenian average in terms of development, but today it was at the level of the country's average. He also visited the Faculty of Tourism in Brežice, welcoming the faculty's plans to expand its capacities.

Bill passed to reduce sick pay cost on employer, energy poverty bill rejected

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed a bill that will reduce the cost of sick pay on the employer at the expense of the public healthcare fund, with a majority of the opposition opposing it due to this expected consequence. Tabled by a group of MPs headed by Marko Bandelli of the opposition Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB), the bill reduces the period of sick leave when compensation is covered by the employer or sole trader from 30 to 20 work days and the total within each calendar year from 120 to up to 80 days. On the other hand, the MPs defeated another opposition-sponsored bill proposing energy vouchers.

MPs against referendum on deal over Boxer APCs purchase

LJUBLJANA - The opposition Left's motion to call a referendum on the government's purchase of Boxer armoured personnel vehicles (APCs) from the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) did not receive sufficient support in parliament. MPs may now continue with the ratification of the agreement with OCCAR. Only eight MPs voted in favour of the proposal, that is all seven MPs from the Left and MP Željko Cigler, a former member of the Left who recently quit the party's deputy faction and instead joined the one by the SocDems. A total of 42 MPs were against the motion and 27 abstained.

Slovenia calls for de-escalation in Ukraine

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Ministry State Secretary Gašper Dovžan expressed concern about the Ukraine crisis and called for a de-escalation. It is crucial that reason and dialogue prevail, he told the Foreign Policy Committee. "We are keeping an eye on the situation and remain on the side of peace. We have been calling for de-escalation."

Dovžan sees values at core of UN Security Council bid

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Ministry State Secretary Gašper Dovžan dismissed fears that the prime minister's recent statements on Taiwan may adversely affect the country's bid to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2024-2025. Slovenia is an advocate of the respect for human rights, of peace and stability, respect of international law and borders and the candidacy will be a good opportunity to show which of these values enjoy support in the international community, he told the Foreign Policy Committee.

Vice-governor candidate highlights inflation as challenge

LJUBLJANA - Marjan Divjak, candidate for vice-governor at Slovenia's central bank, said that the bank should actively participate in monetary policy-making in the eurozone, highlighting elevated inflation and climate change as the biggest future challenges. "Monetary policy-making will be extremely challenging in the coming years," he said during a presentation at the Presidential Palace. Divjak believes the financial sector will play a key role in the transition towards an environmentally sustainable economy.

Bishop of Celje forms office for victims to report sex abuse

CELJE - Maksimilijan Matjaž, the Bishop of Celje, has founded an office to admit complaints by and monitor the victims of sexual abuse committed by the clergy and other members of religious life in a bid to help the victims and prevent repeat of this type of crime. A post on the website of the Celje Diocese announcing the formation of the new office refers to an apostolic letter by Pope Francis of May 2019 instructing dioceses to form one or more permanent systems easily accessible to the public to report sexual abuse committed by the clergy or members of consecrated life or societies of apostolic life.

Judge Masleša shows diploma, berates Council for falling for media allegations

LJUBLJANA - Supreme Court judge Branko Masleša has shown his diploma and refuted suggestions by some media that he may not have graduated in law or passed the bar exam in in response to a call by the Judicial Council to do so, criticising the body for "falling for imputation in some media", which he says is politically-motivated. He said the council's actions undermined his reputation as a judge and the reputation of the judiciary as a whole.

Spar Slovenija's ex-boss Igor Mervič becomes Manager of the Year

LJUBLJANA - The Manager Association picked Igor Mervič as the Manager of the Year for transforming retailer Spar Slovenija from a company with four stores into the country's second largest retailer during his 28 years as director general. Mervič led Spar Slovenija between 1992 and the end of 2020. He is now a member of its supervisory board, and an adviser at the Spar multinational.

Man who stalked, harassed judge arrested

LJUTOMER - A man who has stalked a Ljutomer judge for ten years and recently smashed the windscreen on the judge's car has been detained. The prosecution initially argued there were no grounds for detention, but it changed its mind after the perpetrator continued his threats on social media.

25 Jan 2022, 04:56 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Tuesday, 25 January 2022

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Slovenia not scaling down Kyiv embassy staff, urges diplomatic solution

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Foreign Minister Anže Logar came out of the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels saying "we must do everything in our power, use all diplomatic means for a diplomatic solution to the dispute" between Russia and Ukraine. As for Slovenia providing direct help to Ukraine, Logar said that a decision had not yet been taken. Should such a decision be taken, the public will be promptly informed, he added. According to the Foreign Ministry Slovenia is not planning to reduce its diplomatic staff numbers in Kyiv for the time being and was coordinating all activities with other EU countries.

Committee against referendum on Boxer APCs

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee voted down the opposition Left's motion to call a referendum on the government's purchase of Boxer armoured personnel vehicles (APCs) from the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCA). The National Assembly was scheduled to ratify last month the agreement between Slovenia and OCCAR on the purchase of 45 eight-wheeled Boxer APCs, but the vote was delayed by the Left's proposal to call a referendum on the bill.

Golob ends speculation about political career

LJUBLJANA - Robert Golob, who has been ousted as chairman of energy trader Gen-I, ended speculation about his future by announcing he will vie to become a president of a small non-parliamentary party this week to contest the general election. Z.Dej, a green party formed by former environment minister Jure Leben in May 2021, will hold a congress this Wednesday. "I hear the [presidential] post is vacant," Golob said but would not go into detail about his political plans before Z.Dej members hear about them.

SDS remains ahead of SD in latest POP TV poll

LJUBLJANA - The ruling Democrats (SDS) remain ahead in the latest POP TV poll. They lost about a percentage point in a month to 16.3%, with the opposition SocDems in second adding a bit more than a point to 11.3%, shows a poll released by POP TV. The Left lost almost two points to poll at 7.6%, followed by the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ), which was flat at 6.3%. The government's approval rating rose by three points to 33%, with the share of those saying it is doing a poor job declining by six points to 56%.

Judge Masleša urged to clarify his graduation, bar exam

LJUBLJANA - The Judicial Council urged Supreme Court judge Branko Masleša to provide explanation about his law graduation diploma and bar exam, but said it was beyond its power to examine the authenticity of Masleša's documents as it could not examine the meeting of formal criteria in cases where appointment procedures had been completed. Some pro-government media had questioned Masleša's graduation, wondering how he could have passed the bar exam a year earlier after graduation than possible under the law.

GEN-I posts record-breaking results

LJUBLJANA - Energy trader GEN-I generated a net profit of EUR 71 million last year on EUR 3.4 billion in revenue, according to figures presented by Robert Golob, the former CEO. He called the results fantastic, record-breaking. The profit was up more than fourfold and revenue rose by 50% after the company reported sales of EUR 2.1 billion and a net profit of EUR 15.4 million for 2020. Golob said he withdrew his consent to be reappointed CEO as he announced his bid for the April general election.

Dutch fund takes majority stake in prefab house maker Marles

MARIBOR - Invera Equity Partners, a Dutch private equity fund manager, has acquired a 58.2% stake in Slovenian prefabricated house maker Marles Hiše Maribor. Invera said it intends to strengthen the company's position in existing markets, increase production capacity, and secure new opportunities to consolidate its position as the leading manufacturer of prefabricated wooden buildings in Slovenia and become a major player in Central Europe.

Telemach chosen as public administration's mobile telephony provider

LJUBLJANA - The Ministry of Public Administration has chosen telco Telemach as the provider of mobile telephony services, cell phones, and data transfer for the Slovenian public administration in 2022-2025 in a deal worth around EUR 6.6 million. Telekom Slovenije and A1 Slovenija also submitted their offers, but the ministry excluded them over what the newspaper Finance said was excessive prices and their exceeding the funds allocated for the services.

Luka Koper takes out EUR 60m loan to finance investment drive

KOPER - Luka Koper, the operator of Slovenia's sole commercial port, announced signing a EUR 60 million syndicated loan agreement with NLB and Intesa Sanpaolo Bank, to finance its investment activities. The loan has a fixed interest rate with quarterly repayment instalments. These will be paid from mid-2023 to the end of 2031. Luka Koper is amid an extensive investment drive. Last year it inaugurated a 100-metre extension to Quay I of the container terminal with several investments ongoing.

November wages up by a tenth due to Christmas bonuses

LJUBLJANA - The average Slovenian gross wage stood at EUR 2,085 in November, up by a tenth both in real and nominal terms over the month before and almost 3% on 2020. The Statistics Office attributes the jump to Christmas bonuses. A quarter of all employees received end-year bonuses with their wages for November - which are paid out in December - with the average bonus at almost EUR 797, an increase of 5.3% over the year before.

Alenka Sottler illustrates new English translation of Bambi

LJUBLJANA - Acclaimed Slovenian illustrator Alenka Sottler has contributed drawings for a new English translation of Bambi, a classic written in 1923 by Austrian Jewish writer Felix Salten. The Original Bambi: The Story of a Life in the Forest brings a new perspective on what is believed to be a much darker story than many saw in Walt Disney's film. The first English translation, by Whittaker Chambers from 1928, left out the Jewish aspect of the story, and Disney made a popular animated film based on it.

Mountain rescuers worried about large number of casualties

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian mountain rescue units have already responded to 41 incidents in the mountains this month in which nine people lost their lives, which they say is cause for concern as these numbers are much higher than they should be in such a short period of time. If the trend continues, this year's increase in accidents will be much higher than the average of 10% recorded in recent years. Last year Slovenian mountains claimed 22 lives. A total of 630 rescue operations were carried out.

24 Jan 2022, 04:45 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Monday, 24 January, 2022

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This summary is provided by the STA:

New record of nearly 14,000 new coronavirus cases on Saturday

LJUBLJANA - A new daily record number of coronavirus infection cases was recorded in Slovenia on Saturday as 13,911 PCR tests were positive, with Radio Slovenija reporting that the figures included the results of the samples taken on Thursday and Friday that had come back for Germany, as a certain number of samples are being sent there as Slovenia has reached full capacity. The positivity rate standing at 75.5%, data from the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) show. Total hospitalisations were up by seven to 608 today, while the number of patients in intensive care was down by one to 135. A total of 18 people with Covid-19 died yesterday, which is the highest daily death toll since 18 December.

Slovenian minority grateful to Matarella as his terms runs out

TRIESTE - An umbrella organisation of the Slovenian minority in Italy has expressed gratitude to Italian President Sergio Matarella as his term is running out, noting his important institutional stance. It said this stance had played played an essential role both nationally and locally in building mutual respect and strengthening the country's reputation. The Cultural and Economic Association (SKGZ) said that when it comes to the cross-border relations, Mattarella and Slovenian President Borut Pahor had been able to provide a "decisive stamp to the good neighbourly relations".

Ski jumper Lanišek scores two second place finishes in World Cup

TITISEE-NEUSTADT, Germany - Slovenia's Anže Lanišek scored two second place finishes in the Ski Jumping World Cup event in Germany's Titisee-Neustadt on Saturday and Sunday, with German Karl Geiger outclassing him both times. This was the third podium finish for the 25-year-old in a row in the current season and the 11th career podium finish. As Lanišek climbed to the 5th in the overall World Cup rankings, another two events will be held next week in Willingen before the Olympic break.

Bear attacks and injures a hunter in Postojna area

POSTOJNA - A bear attacked a man in the Postojna area, between the Baba and Mali Javornik hills, during a hunting drive. The 63-year-old hunter was taken to the local community health centre with a broken arm, injured ribs and several wounds on his back. Reporting the incident, the Koper Police Department said that the man had been attacked by a female brown bear that had two cubs. Police advised caution as the area is a popular hiking destination.

23 Jan 2022, 05:29 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Sunday, 23 January 2022

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Four injured in hot air balloon accident near Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - Four persons, of whom one Slovenian and three Belgian citizens, were injured in a hot air balloon accident on the Ljubljana Marshes around 10am this morning. The injured persons were taken to the UKC Ljubljana hospital, three of them with severe yet not life-threatening injuries. The cause of the accident is yet to be determined. Police spokesperson Tomaž Tomaževic said that upon landing, the basket hit the meadow. Grega Trček from the Barje Balloon Centre told the STA that strong winds were blowing upon landing and four persons fell out of the basket.

Almost 9,950 Covid infections confirmed on Friday

LJUBLJANA - 9,945 infections were confirmed in Slovenia for Friday, a daily rise of 5,479 and a weekly rise of 2,365, shows data from the Institute of Public Health, which estimates there are currently almost 102,000 active infections in the country. The 7-day average of confirmed infections is at 8,825 and the two-week incidence per 100,000 population at 4,827. Government data shows that 11 Covid patients died yesterday and that 601 patients were in hospital this morning.

Almost 70 kids with inflammatory syndrome treated since start of epidemic

LJUBLJANA - 69 children suffering from Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children have been treated at Slovenia's only children's hospital since the start of the Covid-19 epidemic in March 2020. Immunologist Tadej Avčin from the Ljubljana Paediatric Clinic says this makes the two-million nation a world leader per capita, saying this is a good indicator of how spread the coronavirus is in the general population. He said in an interview with N1 news portal that MIS-C has been the most frequent systemic immune disease his department has treated in the past two years, with an absolute record of 17 cases last December alone.

Shops no longer obligated to give clients paper receipts

LJUBLJANA - As of today, retail businesses are no longer obligated to automatically produce a paper receipt unless a client explicitly asks for it. Until now, businesses selling goods or services had to give clients a receipt on paper, or in the electronic form if the client agreed with this option. This is no longer required as the changes to the VAT act kicked in today, transposing four EU directives and also bringing some simplifications for businesses.

Austrian skier found dead in Mt Stol area

KRANJ - An Austrian skier who went missing on Friday while skiing off piste in the area of Mt Stol in the Karawanken mountain range in northern Slovenia was found dead this morning some 200 metres below the Stol ridge. He apparently fell in the ridge in his ski boots, and died on the spot, the Kranj Police Department said.

22 Jan 2022, 05:02 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Saturday, 22 January 2022

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Self-isolation cut to seven days from Monday

LJUBLJANA - The self-isolation time frame in Slovenia will be cut from at least ten to seven days from Monday, health officials said. This will apply to most of infected people, except for those with weakened immune systems or those with a severe Covid-19. A person may stop self-isolating provided they will not have fever or any other Covid symptoms 24 hours before the end of self-isolation and will test negative on the seventh day.

Thursday with nearly 9,900 confirmed coronavirus cases

LJUBLJANA - A total of 9,858 people tested positive for coronavirus in Slovenia on Thursday, show fresh official figures. The estimated total of actively infected people is nearing 100,000, meaning almost 5% of the population is infected. Hospitalisations increased to 599 this morning, whereas the number of ICU cases dropped to 144. Another twelve people with Covid died.

Committee agrees with tweaks to health insurance act

LJUBLJANA - The Health Committee endorsed on Thursday amendments to the health insurance act that would cut the period of sick leave for which employees receive compensation from their employer from 30 to 20 working days. The proposal, tabled by the opposition Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB), received support of the coalition MPs. Meanwhile, the government does not support the changes.

Speaker Zorčič, Minister Tonin test positive for coronavirus

LJUBLJANA - Parliamentary Speaker Igor Zorčič has tested positive for coronavirus and is in self-isolation, the parliament said, while Defence Minister Matej Tonin, the president of the coalition New Slovenia (NSi), also said on Twitter he has tested positive. Zorčič tested positive on Thursday and was thus among the 9,858 infections confirmed in Slovenia that day. Tonin meanwhile tweeted: "I am positive. Currently without any symptoms. Vaccination works. Take care of yourselves, stay healthy."

Pundits critical of Janša's statements about Taiwan, China

LJUBLJANA - Ana Bojinović Fenko, a professor of international relations, and Marta Kos, Slovenia's ex-ambassador to Germany and Switzerland, have criticised PM Janez Janša's recent statements about China and Taiwan, as they spoke to the STA about the country's new foreign policy strategy, which will be discussed in parliament next week. The centre-right opposition National Party (SNS), which often supports the current government's policies, meanwhile labelled Janša's statements as "a mistake".

Supreme State Prosecutor opposes proposed penal code changes

LJUBLJANA - The Supreme State Prosecutor's Office expressed opposition to proposed changes to the penal code that seek to shorten periods of limitation in white-collar crime cases, saying this was an ill-advised and unjustified interference in criminal law with no basis in statistical analyses of the duration of criminal proceedings. The NGO Institute 8th March also weighed in with its opinion, saying that it would launch the procedure to initiate a referendum on the matter if the changes were to be adopted.

Hojs attends two-day conference on migrations in Lithuania

LJUBLJANA - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs concluded a two-day conference on migrations in Vilnius, which discussed the issues of using migrations for political gains and common measures to strengthen surveillance at the EU's external borders in light of increased migrations. Hojs said that modern surveillance systems and physical barriers should be used where necessary to improve border protection, as they have proven to be a useful measure in the past, the Interior Ministry said in a press release.

Kangler denies allegations of interference in police work

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary commission investigating suspicion of political interference in the work of police interviewed Interior Ministry State Secretary Franc Kangler, who denied during a four-hour session allegations about his unwarranted interfering in either the work of police or staffing decisions. He was heard after the inquiry adopted an interim report on 10 January, proposing that Interior Minister Aleš Hojs and both state secretaries should resign.

Real estate fund Equinox to be listed on 31 January

LJUBLJANA - Equinox, a real estate fund created last year with the split of the real estate branch from the rest of the Group Union Hoteli, will be listed on the Ljubljana Stock Exchange (LJSE) on 31 January. All existing shares of the company will be listed and their reference price will be published on 28 January. Equinox will be the first ever private real estate company on the LJSE.

Tourism Chamber calls for aid to tourism sector

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's Tourism and Hospitality Chamber (TGZS) called for immediate additional support for the tourism sector due to the Covid crisis, urging the government to pay out the previously promised financial aid to companies with the biggest revenue losses. They have been waiting for this aid for ten months already, the TGZS said.

Ministers visit Slovenian minority in Croatia

LJUBLJANA - Agriculture Minister Jože Podgoršek and Minister for Slovenians Abroad Helena Jaklitsch met the members of the Slovenian community living in Croatia's Gorski Kotar region, discussing positive developments in the region. They also inspected the construction of the Gorski Kotar tourist-educational farm in the village of Prezid, planned as a multifunctional community centre where the the minority will pursue various activities.

Slovenian spas saw a rise in visitor numbers last year

CELJE - Slovenian spas recorded more visitors in 2021 than the year before, although not as many as in 2019. "2022 will also be exceptionally demanding for the entire tourism sector," the Association of Slovenian Natural Spas said. The 13 members of the association recorded 583,607 guests last year and over 2.2 million nights. The number of guests was up by 22.4% compared to 2020, while nights were up by 18.1%, with a majority of the guests being domestic ones, and only 100,690 or 17% coming from abroad.

Micro companies and SMEs receive EUR 30m for digitalisation

LJUBLJANA - The Economy Ministry and the Slovenian Enterprise Fund have awarded EUR 30 million to 311 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises for digital transformation of their business and production processes, the ministry said. A total of 668 companies, including 316 from the eastern cohesion region and 352 from the western region, applied to the P4D ReactEU call for applications that will be fully funded from the ReactEU mechanism. Companies with at least five employees received EUR 30,000-100,000 in grants with the state covering up to 60% of eligible costs of the project.

AmCham debate discusses challenges in economy

LJUBLJANA - The global economy, including Slovenia, is currently experiencing major changes, and to succeed in this tumultuous period, adaptation and cooperation will be key, said the participants of AmCham's business breakfast. The debate was attended by Foreign Minister Anže Logar, who highlighted Slovenia's size as an advantage.

Contemporary History Museum puts on outdoor exhibit on migration

LJUBLJANA - The National Museum of Contemporary History has set up an outdoor exhibition in front of its building in the Tivoli park, presenting the migration processes in Europe in the 20th century that have shaped the identities of millions of people. The exhibition reveals intimate stories of migrants and their descendants.

Consumer confidence unchanged in January

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's consumer confidence indicator remained the same on the monthly level in January, while it increased by five percentage points year-on-year, the Statistics Office said. Compared to January 2021, the consumer confidence indicator improved this month in all components except expectations about household finances.

ARSO releases climate change projections until 2100

LJUBLJANA - The country's Environment Agency (ARSO) has released an atlas of climate projections for Slovenia until the end of the 21st century to help stakeholders adapt to climate change. The new tool is intended for all those who are or will be involved in planning adjustments to the climate change in various areas, ARSO has said. Almost 2,250 graphic simulations for various meteorological, hydrological and agrometeorological variables are available at ARSO's website.

Ljubljana Castle visitor numbers up in 2021

LJUBLJANA - Ljubljana Castle, one of the most popular landmarks in Slovenia, was visited by over 460,000 tourists in 2021, of whom some 142,000 used the funicular. Both figures are higher than in the first coronavirus year 2020, but still significantly below the record year 2019 for the castle's operator. The number of visitors was 32% higher than in 2020 and the number of those who took the funicular by 45%, Ljubljanski Grad said. As many as 63% of the visitors came from abroad, mostly from Germany.

21 Jan 2022, 04:11 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Friday, 21 January 2022

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Pahor to call general election for 24 April

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor formally informed the National Electoral Commission (DVK) that he would sign a presidential decree for a general election on 9 February, setting Sunday, 24 April, as the election date. This is in line with his earlier announcement that he would call this year's election at the earliest possible date. He believes that despite the Covid epidemic, the DVK has enough time to prepare and organise the election.

More than 10,000 Covid cases on Wednesday, Slovenia sending PCR samples to Germany

LJUBLJANA - A total of 10,288 new coronavirus cases were reported in Slovenia for Wednesday, a day after a record of more than 12,000 infections was confirmed, show official data. Roughly three weeks into the Omicron-driven wave, hospitals are gradually starting to fill up, with 580 Covid-19 patients hospitalised this morning. Seven patients with Covid-19 died yesterday. Overwhelmed with PCR test samples, the National Laboratory of Health, Environment and Food started sending part of the samples to Germany for analysis. The Eurofins lab processes them in 48 hours, which is in line with the new PCR testing protocol that kicked in yesterday.

EU Parliament endorses Slovenian candidate for Court of Auditors

STRASBOURG, France - The European Parliament endorsed on Wednesday Jorg Kristijan Petrovič, Slovenia's candidate for the European Court of Auditors. The non-binding vote was 487 in favour and 196 against, with 11 abstentions. The endorsement came after Petrovič, currently the first deputy president of the Slovenian Court of Audit, assured MEPs of his political independence and impartiality.

Pahor says Slovenia advocates One-China principle

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor said as he responded to PM Janez Janša's statements about China and Taiwan that ever since Slovenia and China established diplomatic relations, Slovenia had consistently advocated the One-China principle, a principle the EU is also bound to. "Taipei has representation offices in 20 EU member states. The idea to open one such representation office in Slovenia is not new. The president sees it as an encouragement to economic relations," Pahor's office said and made a point noting the difference between Taipei as Taiwan's capital and Taiwan as a country.

Business council says companies feel consequences of Janša's Taiwan statements

LJUBLJANA - After calling for stable political relations following PM Janez Janša's statements on closer ties with Taiwan, the Slovenian-Chinese Business Council said that Slovenian companies in the Chinese market were already facing a response from Chinese partners, some of them terminating contracts and exiting the agreed investments. Janša's statements prompted three centre-left opposition parties to request an emergency session of the parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee today, as they believe these could have long-term consequences for relations with Asian countries.

Počivalšek urges Janša to bear economy in mind in relations with China

LJUBLJANA - In the aftermath of PM Janez Janša's recent comments about Taiwan, Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek said on Wednesday Slovenia's foreign policy must keep the country's economic interests a priority, as China was one of Slovenia's largest economic partners outside the EU. "Personal views, even if given with the best of intentions, must take into account the economic reality," he said.

NLB management board expanded from three to six members

LJUBLJANA - The supervisory board of the NLB bank appointed Hedvika Usenik, Antonio Argir and Andrej Lasič to the management board to expand it from three to six members. Their five-year terms will start after approval from banking regulator, and they will continue to serve as assistants to the management board until then.

FURS head Simič new chief supervisor of SSH

LJUBLJANA - Ivan Simič, director general of Slovenia's Financial Administration (FURS), was appointed the chief of the supervisory board at Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH), taking over on Friday, SSH said. At the same session today, the supervisory board dismissed Simič's predecessor at the helm of the supervisory board Karmen Dietner, who however remains on the board.

Hungarian fund reportedly eyeing Sava stake

LJUBLJANA - Diofa Asset Management, a Hungarian asset manager, is the most likely buyer of a 43% stake in Sava, Delo and POP TV reported on Wednesday. The stake is held by York Global Finance Offshore, which is reportedly willing to sell it for EUR 35 million. The state assets guardian meanwhile dismissed today speculations that a sale of the state stake was on the horizon. Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek said in a response that it would be detrimental for the tourism sector if the state sold its stake in Sava in the state it was today.

Car maker Revoz cutting production further

NOVO MESTO - After switching from two shifts to one and a half in mid-November due to uncertainties in the car industry associated with the global semiconductor crisis, the Novo Mesto-based Revoz, Renault's Slovenian subsidiary, continues to shrink its production by switching to a single shift in April. Around 450 workers will be affected.

Government extends regulation of heating oil prices

LJUBLJANA - The government decided to extend the administered pricing of heating oil through the regulation on the pricing of petroleum products that was introduced last year, under which the distributors' margin has been limited to a maximum of six cents per litre of heating oil.

IMAD says productivity is rising, but progress is too slow

LJUBLJANA - The report by the government macroeconomic think thank IMAD on productivity in Slovenia, presented today, shows that while progress exists, it is not significant enough. Slovenia is lagging behind the top EU countries and is being caught up with by its rivals from Central and Eastern Europe, the think thank said.

Govt adopts negotiating position for pay talks with doctors

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted its negotiating position for pay talks with trade unions representing medical doctors, estimated at EUR 111.57 million annually. The negotiating position says that the top pay bracket for doctors could rise by six brackets to the 63rd under the public sector pay system.

Ex-CEO ordered to pay EUR 13 million in damages

NOVA GORICA - Former CEO of brewer Pivovarna Laško, Boško Šrot, and his family business Atka-Prima have been ordered to pay EUR 13 million in damages to fruit drinks producer Fructal over several deals dating back to 2008 and 2009, Primorske Novice reported. Šrot's lawyer Uroš Pogačnik told the paper that they would appeal the ruling.

Culture Ministry denies NGOs not awarded funds for political reasons

LJUBLJANA - The Culture Ministry has denied the allegations that the distribution of funds among independent culture producers for 2022-2025 was politically motivated, as it responded to criticism that certain producers have not received state funds as part of the four-year scheme worth EUR 14.4 million because they are critical of the government.

Slovenia's Expo pavilion hosted over 200 businesses in 2021

LJUBLJANA/DUBAI, UAE - The Slovenian Expo pavilion in Dubai has hosted 211 Slovenian companies up until the end of December and was visited by almost 400,000 people during that period, which is a fair number given the Covid-19 restrictions, said Matic Volk, Slovenia's Expo commissioner. "We are planning for a total of 350 companies to present themselves individually or through delegations at the Slovenian pavilion by the end of the Expo," he added.

Survey shows energy price rises putting companies at risk

LJUBLJANA - A survey by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) has shown that almost half of the 148 participating companies find the steep energy prices to be threatening to their long-term viability. The GZS has called for measures that would mitigate the situation, at least in the short term.

20 Jan 2022, 04:12 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Thursday, 20 January 2022

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This summary is provided by the STA:

New daily record in Slovenia as case count tops 12,000

LJUBLJANA - The number of new coronavirus cases spiked even further in Slovenia on Tuesday, with as many as 12,286 coronavirus infections recorded. 63.2% of PCR tests came back positive. The 7-day average of daily cases increased by 694 to 7,575 and the 14-day incidence per 100,000 population is up by 390 to 3,982. Hospitalisations were down by ten to 566 Covid-19 patients today, 151 of whom require intensive care, which is four fewer than yesterday. Eight people with Covid-19 died.

China labels Janša's statements on Taiwan as dangerous

BEIJING, China - The Chinese Foreign Ministry described PM Janez Janša's statements about Taiwan as "dangerous", and expressed strong opposition, after Janša said that Slovenia and Taiwan were discussing setting up mutual representation offices. "Taiwan is an inseparable part of China's territory. The government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China, and the one-China principle is the universally recognised norm of international relations," ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said. Janša's statements were also criticised by two opposition parties, the SD and LMŠ, while the Slovenian-Chinese Business Council said that economic relations should remain "non-politicised".

Logar: EU integration of Western Balkans opportunity for Slovenian businesses

LJUBLJANA - The EU integration of Western Balkan countries is important for the bloc's strategic position in the world. It is also an opportunity for Slovenian businesses, Foreign Minister Anže Logar told an event on the Balkans, noting that Slovenian companies had a chance to take part in the implementation projects for which the European Commission set aside EUR 9 billion. The US plan to bring some large investors to the Western Balkans is also an excellent opportunity, he said.

New exceptions to quarantine, PCR testing rules kick in

LJUBLJANA - New quarantine rules kicked in for schools and staff at health care and social care institutions, who are now exempt from quarantine if they had a high-risk contact, although they will have to get tested every day for seven consecutive days with a rapid antigen test and use a FFP2 face mask at work. The rules for PCR testing also changed as labs are being overwhelmed with huge numbers of tests. From now on, persons who have no Covid-19 symptoms do a rapid test or self-test, and only if it is positive are they referred to a PCR test.

Committee backs penal code changes designed to shorten proceedings

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Justice Committed endorsed in a 7:6 vote a bill sponsored by the National Party (SNS) that seeks to shorten or limit "unreasonably long pre-trial and criminal proceedings in white-collar crime cases" and could result in ongoing cases becoming statute-barred. The amendments were confirmed by coalition MPs despite criticism from the parliament's legal service, upper chamber of parliament and even the Justice Ministry.

Parliamentary committee votes down full fracking ban

LJUBLJANA - The Infrastructure Committee voted down in a 10:9 vote an opposition-sponsored bill to fully ban hydraulic fracturing. This was the fifth attempt at banning fracking in Slovenia to prevent British company Ascent Resources to extract hydrocarbons in the north-eastern Prekmurje region. Nataša Sukič of the Left said after the repeated rejection of the motion that the initiators would not give up as there was enough overall support for the motion.

MP Tomić quits the Left

LJUBLJANA - MP Violeta Tomić resigned from the opposition Left party. The party's executive committee said it decided not to field Tomić in the Ljubljana-Center district, the Left's heartland, whereupon she declined an offer to run in another district. It also quoted a "partial loss of trust". Tomić said the Left was "far from the party we built at the beginning," noting that intergenerational differences regarding the party's conduct and thinking had gone "beyond the limit of my tolerance".

Initiative presents 138 demands to political parties

LJUBLJANA - The Voice of the People, an initiative of over 1,800 individuals and 100 civil society organisations, presented a list of 138 demands that they wish political parties take a position on in the run-up to election day. They see this as a contribution to political discourse and voter turnout. Tea Jarc from the Mladi Plus trade union said it was not expected that all parties would sign up to all the demands, but they hope to endorse at least some and then work to implement them.

National Council rejects higher language standard for bilingual schools

LJUBLJANA - The National Council vetoed amendments to the act on special rights for minorities in education which would set a higher Italian language standard for staff working in Slovenian-Italian bilingual kindergartens and schools. The near-unanimous vote came after councillors said it was wrong for administrative staff to be subjected to the same strict requirements regarding Italian language skills as teachers.

FinMin state secretary appointed bad bank executive director

LJUBLJANA - The non-executive directors of the Bank Assets Management Company (BAMC) appointed Finance Ministry State Secretary Kristina Šteblaj an executive director of the bad bank. She will join Matej Pirc and Andrej Lazar on 1 February, and will serve as a BAMC executive director until the end of the year, BAMC said in a press release.

Judges' association urges action after repeated assault on judge

LJUBLJANA . The Slovenian Association of Judges noted that a judge at the Ljutomer Local Court had once again the victim of an assault, as a known perpetrator vandalised his car, which was parked in front of the courthouse. The organisation said it was shocked and outraged by the news and called on the authorities to take action, noting that it was the second attack on judge Gorazd Tivadar in a relatively short period of time that is related to his job. Justice Minister Marjan Dikaučič and the Supreme Court joined the call.

Firefighters displeased with govt firefighting bill

LJUBLJANA - The Trade Union of Professional Firefighters criticised the government-proposed changes to the fire service act, as it said it was not involved in the drafting of the changes. Some of the proposals that had already been coordinated with the relevant ministry have been dropped from the latest version, it added. The government rejected the claim saying the bill had been harmonised over five years of talks.

Handball coach out after Euro Champs fail

LJUBLJANA - Ljubomir Vranješ wasdismissed as the head coach of the national handball team after Slovenia failed to make it past the preliminary round at the European Handball Championship. The National Handball Association said it was just as unsatisfied with the Swedish coach's performance as Slovenian spectators were.

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