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EU-Western Balkans summit confirms commitment to enlargement, brings no progress

BRDO PRI KRANJU - The leaders of EU and Western Balkan countries confirmed the Western Balkans' EU perspective and their commitment to enlargement as they met for a summit in Brdo pri Kranju. However, the summit brought no major progress for Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Kosovo. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU not launching the talks undermined its role and reputation in the region. Western Balkan leaders left the summit with mixed impressions. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić identified minor progress, while North Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev urged the EU to act.

EU leaders seek stronger autonomy for the bloc

BRDO PRI KRANJU - The EU must strengthen its capacity to act autonomously in order to become more effective and assertive on the international stage, EU leaders agreed at Tuesday's informal dinner according to a statement by Council President Charles Michel. "Our unity is our core asset. By acting together, we will leverage our strengths," Michel said was one of the main messages of the debate. The office of the Slovenian prime minister said the leaders conducted a "strategic debate" on the EU's role in the international arena against the backdrop of recent events in Afghanistan, a debate on the AUKUS security partnership, and relations with China.

STA funding, media freedom discussed at EU-Western Balkans summit news conference

BRDO PRI KRANJU/LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša disagreed with the claim that Slovenia is setting a poor example to EU candidates by suspending the funding of the STA and not respecting media freedom at a press conference in Brdo pri Kranju. But European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was clear, as she spoke to the press after the EU-Western Balkans summit alongside Janša, that current STA funding is a must.

IFJ head warns media freedom deteriorating, also in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - President of the European Federation of Journalists (IFJ) Mogens Blicher Bjerregaard warned that media freedom is deteriorating in several European countries, including Slovenia. Speaking at a press conference as the Media Freedom Rapid Response delegation wrapped up its visit to Slovenia, Bjerregaard called on the European Commission and EU leaders to take a stand and call on their counterparts to support media and journalist freedom.

Protest ringleader among those arrested after riots

LJUBLJANA - Police made several arrests during Tuesday's riots in Ljubljana, including the protest organiser Zoran Stevanović and the rapper Zlatko, one of the mainstays of anti-government rallies. Police would not confirm the identities of those arrested beyond saying that three people had been apprehended on suspicion of criminal activity and 22 more due to violations of the act on the police. Police said six officers had sustained minor injuries and two protesters required medical assistance due to inhalation of tear gas.

Police refute allegation of excessive use of force against protesters

LJUBLJANA - The police and Interior Minister Aleš Hojs rejected the allegation that excessive force was used to disperse Tuesday's protest and rioting against coronavirus measures in Ljubljana, as NGO The Legal Network for the Protection of Democracy urged MPs to open a parliamentary inquiry to look into the matter. The centre-left opposition meanwhile demanded an emergency session of the National Assembly over what they described as "a state of war" unfolding in Ljubljana, repeating their call for a snap election.

EU political groups meet on margins of summit with W Balkans

BRDO PRI KRANJU/LJUBLJANA - Meetings between leaders and politicians from the EU political groups - the European People's Party (EPP), Socialists and Democrats (S&D), and Renew Europe, took place on the sidelines of the EU-Western Balkans summit. The talks revolved on the Western Balkans' efforts to join the EU. The participants of the EPP meeting adopted a declaration reiterating their unequivocal support for a credible enlargement and EU accession perspective for the Western Balkans.

Slovenian MEP Tomc to be in EP's fact-finding mission to Slovenia

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Parliament's fact-finding mission that is expected in Slovenia next week will feature Slovenian MEP Romana Tomc, a member of the ruling Democrats (SDS) and of the European People's Party (EPP). A group of MEPs will visit between 13 and 15 October to meet representatives of the media, NGOs and government agencies to check the level of democracy in the country. Tomc said she saw the mission as political and directed against the Janez Janša government.

Border controls in Schengen zone can exceed six months, EU court says

LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Controls on Schengen borders can be extended beyond six months because threats to public policy or internal security are not necessarily limited in time, an advocate general of the European Court of Justice says in his opinion regarding a case concerning border controls between Austria and Slovenia. Advocate General Henrik Saugmandsgaard Oe also says this is subject to particularly strict criteria, so every time a Schengen zone member notifies the European Commission of its plan to extend border controls, the Commission must examine thoroughly whether all the strict conditions are met.

Human rights ombudsman urges active stance against climate change

NAVPLIJ, Greece/LJUBLJANA - Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina participated in a session of the General Assembly of the Association of Mediterranean Ombudsmen, calling on his colleagues to take an active and determined stance against climate change. He considers climate change to be the most complex challenge facing humanity in modern times.

Petrol completes acquisition of Croatian fuel retailer Crodux

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian energy group Petrol completed the acquisition of an outright stake in Croatian fuel retailer Crodux after having fulfilled all suspensive conditions. This is the company's largest acquisition in a decade and it affirms its position as the second largest provider of oil derivatives in Croatia. The purchase consideration was EUR 191.7 million and Petrol will also assume net financial liabilities to banks in the amount of EUR 19.2 million, the company said.

EIB extends EUR 30m loan for recovery of SMEs, municipalities

LJUBLJANA - The European Investment Bank (EIB) will provide the Slovenian Regional Development Fund with a EUR 30 million loan to help secure a new line of credit intended for facilitating the recovery of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), mid-caps and municipalities post-Covid-19. The funds are intended for companies from agriculture, manufacturing and service sector that have been the most affected by the epidemic.

Farmer reps warn situation in agriculture sector worrying

LJUBLJANA - Representatives of farmers warned that the situation in the agriculture sector is worrying. Energy as well as the prices of inputs have increased significantly since the summer, with the prices of seed increasing on average by 39%, of fertilisers by 24%, of pesticides by 22%, and of fodder by 38%. Buy-in prices, on the other hand, have been stagnating. "The situation in which agriculture has found itself in is seriously worrying," said Janez Pirc, the director of the Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry.

Energy production in Slovenia up last year, consumption down

LJUBLJANA - A total of 153,000 terajoules (TJ) of energy was produced in Slovenia last year, which is 4% more than in 2019, while final consumption was down by 9% to 188,000 TJ. The share of energy from renewable sources in final consumption was up by 2.2 percentage points to 24.16%, the Statistics Office said.

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Court overturns govt decision not to appoint European delegated prosecutors

LJUBLJANA - The Administrative Court has sided with the two prosecutors picked to represent Slovenia on the European Public Prosecutor's Office as it overturned a government decision to annul the selection procedure. The decision, released today, means that the government must now re-examine the appointment of the two prosecutors, Tanja Frank Eler and Matej Oštir, who initiated the court proceeding, whereby the law requires that it only take note of the result of the selection procedure. The judgement is final. The Supreme State Prosecution, Frank Eler and Oštir now expect the government to immediately take note of the selection and forward both candidates to the European Public Prosecutor's Office.

Monday case count down week-on-week

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia confirmed 979 new coronavirus infections on Monday in what is a drop in the daily case count week-on-week, show the latest official figures. Another eight persons with Covid died. Data released by the government show 426 Covid-19 patients were treated in hospitals this morning, down by five compared to yesterday, including 121 in intensive care, down by one. The 7-day average of new daily cases dropped by eight from the day before to 862 and the 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents was down by 15 to 565, show data by the National Institute of Public Health. There are an estimated 11,965 active cases in the country, down by 325.

Protesters flock to Republic Square, then disperse around Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - Opponents of the government anti-coronavirus measures gathered in thousands in Republic Square in front of the parliament building, which the police protected and cordoned off after a similar protest turned violent last week. The police used a water cannon and tear gas and the crowd dispersed around the centre of Ljubljana, continuing to protest. Zoran Stevanović of the non-parliamentary Resni.ca party and the organiser of this and last week's rallies repeated his demand for the government to do away with anti-coronavirus measures and call an early election. According to the same source, rapper Zlatko was arrested in the city centre and removed from the protest in a police car.

Pahor honours Merkel with Slovenia's top decoration

BRDO PRI KRANJU - President Borut Pahor presented German Chancellor Angela Merkel with the Order of Merit for Distinguished Service, Slovenia's highest honour, for her personal contribution to deepening the relationship between the two countries and for her credible and trust-inspiring European leadership. "Angela Merkel is capable of what is the most difficult in politics. She inspires trust in people and the belief that all will end well," Pahor said. Merkel thanked Pahor for the decoration and said she was honoured by it, noting that it was a commitment for her and for all future German governments to continue to work for the close, good and friendly relations between the countries and their people.

Hojs calls for more control over who enters EU

BUDAPEST, Hungary - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs called for better control over who enters the EU as he took part in a meeting of the home affairs ministers of the Visegrad Group plus Austria and Slovenia, and said securing EU borders should remain top priority. "Protecting the EU's external borders must remain our absolute priority, to tackle security risks and prevent potential migration pressures. We must not allow a repeat of the 2015 scenario so we must refrain from statements that could represent a pull factor," Hojs said as quoted in a press release from his ministry.

Slovenia's joblessness declines further

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's jobless total fell further in September with only 66,122 people registered with the Employment Service, 4.6% fewer than the month before and a fifth (21.1%) fewer than a year ago. The service registered 4,616 newly unemployed in September, a fifth more than in August and 29% fewer than a year ago. Out of the 7,786 people struck out of the unemployment registry, 5,708 found a job or became self-employed, which is 75.5% more than in August but almost 30% fewer than in September 2020. The inflow into joblessness dropped substantially in the nine months to the end of September; 44,863 registered with the Employment Service anew, 39.6% fewer than in the same period a year ago.

Defence committee approves military resolution, Left opposes

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Defence Committee approved the draft resolution on the general long-term programme for the development and equipping of the Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) until 2035. Defence Minister Matej Tonin explained that the resolution is the army's key development-guidance document that outlines the plans for the future development of the Slovenian Armed Forces. The resolution is strongly opposed by the Left party, which plans to propose a consultative referendum. Its MP Miha Kordiš noted it envisaged EUR 5.4 billion for the SAF until 2035, mostly for the purchase of weapons "which are not needed in this country, only intended for NATO operations".

Opposition demand answers over wait times in healthcare

LJUBLJANA - The opposition Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) and Social Democrats (SD) filed for an emergency session of the parliamentary Health Committee to discuss why waiting times have grown longer despite an increase in the number of doctors and nurses. The parties found the number of doctors employed with Slovenia's 27 hospitals increased from 2,700 15 years ago to just over 4,000 in 2020 as nursing staff numbers rose from 8,200 to 11,000 in the same period. Meanwhile, accessible data shows that the number of cases handled increased by only 10% during that period, SD MP Dejan Židan said.

Slovenia failed to implement any of GRECO's 15 recommendations

STRASBOURG, France/LJUBLJANA - Slovenia has failed to satisfactorily implement or address any of the 15 recommendations the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) made in its 2018 evaluation report. The country has partly implemented only one recommendation, the Council of Europe's (CoE) body said in its latest compliance report on Slovenia. The country has made very limited progress concerning top government officials as it has only made some efforts to raise awareness about integrity, while not introducing any internal mechanism to encourage awareness-raising. Transparency International (TI) Slovenia argued that fighting corruption is not a priority of decision-makers, while the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption said it expected the authorities to take a more active approach in implementing the recommendations.

Fiscal Council: Volume of coronavirus measures three times higher than planned

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's budget deficit in the first nine months of the year reached EUR 2.453 billion, mostly as a result of financing a variety of coronavirus measures. The figure represents 89% of the deficit planned for the entire year, the Fiscal Council said, citing preliminary data. The guardian of the balanced budget rule said the volume of coronavirus measures totalled EUR 2.311 billion in this period, or three times as much as planned for the entire 2021 after this year's budget was supplemented last October. In the absence of the coronavirus measures, the budget deficit in the January-to-September period would have reached only EUR 388 million.

Five schools get Digital School award, union cry foul on World Teachers' Day

LJUBLJANA - Five Slovenian primary and secondary schools were presented with the Digital School award for the promotion of development of digital technology skills to mark World Teachers' Day, and a new tool in support of digital teaching and learning was also launched on the occasion. Meanwhile, the Education, Science and Culture Trade Union of Slovenia (SVIZ) expressed its frustration with the authorities. Teachers are still being ignored despite proving their contribution to a functioning society during the epidemic, said Branimir Štrukelj, the secretary general of SVIZ.

NGO points to discrimination of self-employed in epidemic

LJUBLJANA - The NGO Inšitut 8. Marec brought to the public's attention discrimination of the self-employed, who are not entitled to compensation for the loss of income when they are in quarantine or for taking care of their children when they are sent to quarantine. The relevant law only refers to workers who have an employment contract, which the self-employed do not. Several self-employed workers turned to the NGO when realising they are not entitled to compensation, the NGO told the press. It has asked the ministry whether it intended to address this issue, but has so far received no reply.

Medical chamber, doctor reach settlement over vaccine statements

LJUBLJANA - The Medical Chamber and GP Nada Hiti of the Domžale Community Health Centre have reached a settlement on the doctor's video in which she discussed a problematic heavy metal content in anti-coronavirus and flu vaccines. In a written statement that is part of the settlement, Hiti has distanced herself from her statements. The doctor said that based on the content of heavy metals discovered in the vaccines, it could not be claimed these could dangerously accumulate in the body if a person is vaccinated with these vaccines several times.

Report: Man from Maribor sentenced to prison for sexual abuse

MARIBOR/LJUBLJANA - Media reported that the Maribor District Court had sentenced a man from Maribor, a prominent member of the self-styled militia Štajerska Guard, to a year and two months in prison for sexual abuse of a defenceless person. The trial of the 54-year-old Vlado Čehić started in August and was held behind closed doors due to the sensitivity of the case. The victim just barely turned 18, the newspaper Delo reported, and according to the newspaper Večer, she is the man's daughter. Čehić has been released from custody, while the prosecution has announced an appeal.

Minority poet Maja Haderlap wins Christine Lavant Prize

VIENNA, Austria - Slovenian minority poet and writer Maja Haderlap from Carinthia, Austria, has won the Christine Lavant Prize for her work, including a novel about the battle of Slovenians living in Carinthia against National Socialism in Austria, the newspaper Delo reported. The jury said that the 2021 Christine Lavant Prize was a "tribute to one of the most important Austrian writers". The prize is worth EUR 15,000. Haderlap accepted the award at a ceremony in Vienna on Sunday.

Slovenian art historian gets memorial plaque at Polish Embassy

LJUBLJANA - A memorial plaque was unveiled on the facade of the Polish Embassy to honour Vojeslav Mole (1886-1973), a Slovenian art historian, archaeologist, poet, writer and translator with close links with Poland. Polish Ambassador Krzysztof Olendzki said at the ceremony that Mole "was an extraordinary personality of Polish art history" and "his outstanding life and works are the most beautiful expression of Slovenian and Polish culture".

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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: 

Merkel to visit Slovenia on Tuesday to receive Order of Merit

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor will receive German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Brdo pri Kranju on Tuesday to confer on her the Order of Merit for Distinguished Service, Slovenia's top honour. Merkel, who is leaving office after 16 years, will receive the decoration for her personal contribution to deepening relations between Slovenia and Germany on all levels and for her credible European leadership, reads a press release by Pahor's office.

Coronavirus case count goes up week-on-week

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia logged 531 new coronavirus infections on Saturday as week-on-week increase in new daily cases continued, fresh official data show. Another five Covid-19 patients have died. Figures released by the government show 428 Covid-19 patients were in hospital this morning, up by two on the day before, including 123 in intensive care, up by five. The National Institute of Public Health estimates there are now 12,358 active cases in the country, 15 fewer than the day before.

Victims of post-war executions commemorated in Teharje

TEHARJE - An estimated 5,000 victims of war and post-war summary executions were commemorated at a memorial mass in Teharje. More than 600 unmarked killing or burial sites across Slovenia bear witness to these atrocities, said retired Celje Bishop Stanislav Lipovšek at the annual ceremony. He stressed the importance of efforts to mark the graves and properly bury the victims. He also urged stepped-up efforts to tackle open issues related to war and post-war events and reach national reconciliation.

CoE urges Slovenia to address all types of violence against women

LJUBLJANA - The government has received a report by the Council of Europe's group of experts on Slovenia's implementation of the Istanbul Convention. The group believes that the measures taken in Slovenia do not cover all types of violence as defined in the convention. Slovenia needs to respond to all forms of violence in a holistic way, the experts said. The government responded by saying it had tasked relevant ministries and government departments to implement the adopted recommendations in line with their competences.

Hojs says possibility of early election on the table

LJUBLJANA - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs told commercial broadcaster POP TV that the possibility of an early election was completely justified. The ruling Democrats (SDS) are discussing this, he said, adding that going to the polls a few months earlier would make no difference as this government was practically at the end of its term. Responding, the opposition Marjan Šarec Party (LMŠ) and Social Democrats (SD) said the government's resignation was long overdue and Hojs's words would be believed only when PM Janez Janša resigned.

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Week-on-week decline in coronavirus cases, positivity rate up

LJUBLJANA - A week-on-week drop in coronavirus cases was recorded on Friday as 993 cases were confirmed in almost 5,000 tests for a positivity rate of 19.9%, almost two percentage points more than a week before. Both the seven-day average and the 14-day incidence per 100,000 people were down. Hospitalisations were up by seven to 426 Covid-19 patients today, of whom 118 require intensive care, six more than yesterday. Five Covid-19 patients died. The seven-day rolling average is down by two to 867, while the 14-day incidence per 100,000 people dropped by 12 to 584.

Počivalšek officially inaugurates Slovenia's pavilion at Expo

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek officially inaugurated Slovenia's pavilion at the Expo 2020 in Dubai, saying that the event was an excellent opportunity to boost international cooperation and for Slovenia to show its knowledge, innovation and energy to the global public. "Out unique pavilion will offer an extensive programme of business events for six months; from business forums, presentations of Slovenian breakthrough ideas, to expert debates and networking of Slovenian companies with visitors from the entire world," he added.

Vizjak notes importance of agreement at Glasgow COP26 summit

MILAN, Italy - Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak attended a three-day Pre-COP meeting whose participants tried to bring their positions closer together ahead of the COP26 summit in Glasgow. He noted the importance of an agreement being reached at the summit as the only way to limit heating of the atmosphere and negative impact of climate change. Vizjak said at the final plenary that it was important to "reach an agreement in Glasgow, as this is the only way to limit heating of the environment to 1.5 degrees and prevent a series of adverse effects of climate change".

Jaklitsch stress importance of sport for minorities' identity

SZENTGOTTHARD, Hungary - Minister for Slovenians Abroad Helena Jaklitsch attended a traditional meeting of Slovenian sport organisations from the neighbouring countries, emphasiing the importance of sport in preserving the Slovenian identity in the neighbouring countries. Jaklitsch also had a working meeting Erika Koleš Kiss, the Slovenian advocate in the Hungarian parliament, and the president of the Association of Slovenians in Hungary Andreja Kovacs.

Electronic communication service revenue down 2% last year

LJUBLJANA - Revenue from electronic communication services in Slovenia amounted to slightly more than one billion euro last year, or 2% less then in 2019. Users sent fewer SMS and more MMS messages and there were more calls in the home network, while calls to international networks were down. Investments increased by 23%.

Opponents of abortion hold Walk for Life rally in Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - A march by opponents of abortion called Walk for Life was held in Ljubljana, gathering a few hundred people, including Archbishop of Ljubljana Stanislav Zore, who said the fundamental right to life must not be forgotten. A counter-rally was also held, attended among others by Nataša Sukič, an MP of the opposition Left, who told the press that she had decided to be on the side of free disposition of one's own body and freedom of choice.

Artnik sets new world record in double-fin discipline

KAS, Turkey - Slovenian freediver Alenka Artnik has set a new world record in the double-fin discipline at a competition in Kas, Turkey. The 39-year-old said on Facebook that she had improved her own mark in the discipline to 106 metres. This comes after Artnik set a new world record in the constant weight discipline at 122 metres at the Vertical Blue competition in the Bahamas in July.

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Pahor supports Moldova's reform efforts

CHISINAU, Moldova - President Borut Pahor met his Moldovan counterpart Maia Sandu and PM Natalia Gavrilita as part of his official visit to Moldova. He expressed support for the president's and the government's reform efforts. "There are very many challenges ahead, but Slovenia has always stood by Moldova's side and this is how it will also be in the future," Pahor told a joint press conference as quoted by his office. Pahor and Sandu also discussed EU-Moldovan relations.

Commission Vice-President Šuica meets Janša during visit

LJUBLJANA/BRESTANICA - European Commission Vice-President for Democracy and Demography Dubravka Šuica visited Slovenia to attend an international conference on smart villages in Brestanica, which was held as part of Slovenia's EU presidency. She also met Prime Minister Janez Janša in Ljubljana to discuss the Conference on the Future of Europe and demographic issues. The commissioner expressed concern about the low participation of European citizens in the debates on the future of Europe.

Janša meets representatives of ID group

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša met senior representatives of the Identity and Democracy (ID) Group in the European Parliament to discuss topics related to the EU and the post-Covid situation in Europe. Janša's office said the meeting focussed on the Conference on the Future of Europe as well as the EU-Western Balkans summit. It was held as a delegation of the ID group is in Slovenia on a study visit.

Issue of Slovenian delegated prosecutors raised again in Brussels

BRUSSELS, Belgium - European Chief Prosecutor Laura Codruta Kövesi again raised the issue of non-appointment of European delegated prosecutors from Slovenia. She told the European Parliament's Committee on Budgetary Control that after four months of operation this was one of the main challenges the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO). Since Slovenia has not appointed delegated prosecutors yet, so the EPPO cannot process all Slovenian cases, which seriously affects not only the cases in Slovenia but also the investigations of all cross-border cases involving Slovenia, she said.

Expo Dubai showcases Slovenia as green oasis

DUBAI, UAE - Slovenia is showcased as a green and smart country at Expo 2020 Dubai, which opened its doors to exhibitors and visitors. Slovenia's pavilion paints the country as a green oasis in Europe under the slogan Slovenia - Green Smart Experience. The aim of Slovenia's participation is to increase its global market presence, boost its exports, including to the United Arab Emirates, and promote the country as a green tourist destination. Relevant officials are very satisfied with Slovenia's showing so far.

Slovenia, ESA discuss future cooperation

LJUBLJANA - Future cooperation between Slovenia and the European Space Agency (ESA) was in the focus as Minister of Education, Science and Sport Simona Kustec held talks with ESA director general Josef Aschbacher. The latter said that the reinforced Slovenian association with ESA - Slovenia is an associate member en route to full membership, was instrumental in strengthening national capabilities, adding the country was drafting a space law and strategy with the support of ESA.

Gravitational Physiology Laboratory launched in Planica

PLANICA - The Laboratory for Gravitational Physiology was inaugurated at the Planica Nordic Centre in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA), the ministries of science and the economy and the Jožef Stefan Institute. The laboratory will contribute to research to maintain the well-being of astronauts during missions to space. ESA director general Josef Ascbacher said the ESA was very happy to add to its programme the Planica centre, which has a unique capacity to research hypoxemia.

Armed Forces introducing green defence measures

CERKLJE OB KRKI - Defence Minister Matej Tonin announced the introduction of Pipistrel ultra-light electric aircraft as one of the most important green defence measures taken by the Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) as cooperation with Slovenian aircraft maker Pipistrel was presented at the military airfield in Cerklje ob Krki. He also mentioned the introduction of hydrogen fuel and the energy renovation of Slovenian military barracks. "The SAF has made significant strides towards green defence and is becoming energy-efficient wherever possible," Tonin added.

All ministries to get more funds in 2022 budget

LJUBLJANA - All ministries as the biggest budget spending units will get more funds with the balanced 2022 budget compared to this year's original budget, with the Health Ministry's funds to more than double. In 2023, the majority of them will get less than this year, according to a breakdown of outlays the government sent to parliament. PM Janez Janša and Finance Minister Andrej Šicelj are to present the budgets to parliament on Thursday. The documents are to be passed in mid-November.

Review ordered over use of viral vector jabs on under 18s

LJUBLJANA - The Health Ministry asked the Medical Chamber to examine whether under 18-year-olds may have received the viral vector vaccines Janssen and AstraZeneca, which have not been approved for that age group. Data published on the website of the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) indicates that 219 persons under 18 years of age have been vaccinated with the single-shot Janssen jab, while the first shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine has been administered to 45 and the second to 20 under 18s.

Weekly increase in new Covid cases

LJUBLJANA - A total of 970 new coronavirus infections were recorded in Slovenia on Thursday in what is an increase week-on-week. The number of patients in hospital dropped by one to 419 this morning, including 112 in intensive care, three more than yesterday, government data show. Four Covid-19 patients died. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 decreased by eight to 596 as the rolling seven-day average of new daily cases increased by five to 869, according to the National Institute of Public Health.

Another academic year marked by Covid-19 begins

LJUBLJANA - The beginning of October marks the start of a new academic year, once more impacted by Covid-19, as in-person lectures, seminars and exams are being reserved for those meeting the recovered-tested-vaccinated rule. There has been no traditional university welcome for new students either. For staff and students, weekly self-testing at their respective institutions will be sufficient to meet the testing requirement. However, if the situation deteriorates, universities will have the autonomy to impose additional measures.

Ljubljana police department gets new interim head

LJUBLJANA - Police Commissioner Anton Olaj appointed Janez Rupnik interim head of the Ljubljana police department, says on the website of police. He will replace Boštjan Glavič, who will become an assistant of the Police Academy. Rupnik has so far served as assistant director of the uniformed police at the General Police Administration. The move comes after Prime Minister Janez Janša criticised the Ljubljana police leadership over the handling of Wednesday's protest, but Interior Minister Aleš Hojs said that the claims the replacement was linked to the protest were speculations.

Supreme Court warns Covid pass mandate cannot pertain to judges

LJUBLJANA - The Supreme Court proposed to the Justice Ministry to exempt the judiciary from the recovered-vaccinated-tested (PCT) rule so that the judicial branch can perform its function with clarity and autonomy. The court warned that the ministry's interpretation of the relevant decree cannot pertain to those working at courts. The issue was raised at a meeting on Monday which featured the justice minister, health minister and the president of the Supreme Court, the ministry confirmed for the STA.

Short animated film Granny's Sexual Life receives award

BRISTOL, UK - Granny's Sexual Life, a short animated documentary by Urška Djukić and Amelie Pigeard, has received the Special Mention award in the Animated Encounters Grand Prix category at the UK's leading short film festival Encounters 2021. The film is a journey into the history of the intimacy of a rural grandmother, summarising the attitude towards women in the first half of the 20th century in Slovenia.
"It'll be one of those films we will always remember," said the Animated Encounters jury.

Street in N Macedonia to be named after young Slovenian firefighter

NOVA GORICA - As news of a tragic death of a young Slovenian firefighter and diver reached North Macedonia, a country where he helped fight wildfires this summer, the Berovo mayor decided to propose that a street in the town be named after him. According to Primorske Novice, firefighter Žan Kofol, who died in a traffic accident in Nova Gorica on Tuesday, was the youngest of the firefighters from the Primorska region to join efforts to put out the fires around Berovo in eastern North Macedonia in August.

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STA director Bojan Veselinovič resigns amidst funding row

LJUBLJANA - STA director Bojan Veselinovič resigned after turning down a draft public service agreement proposed by the Government Communication Office (UKOM) that he described as damaging for the agency. "I will never participate in the trampling of journalistic autonomy," he said. The bodies representing staff at the STA urged those responsible to reinstate public funding in full compliance with the law while preserving the agency's institutional autonomy and editorial independence. The Association of Journalists raised alarm and urged the government to restore financing, the Trade Union of Journalists said it will start preparing for a strike should funding not be restored, while the rival Association of Journalists and Commentators (ZNP) sees Veselinovič's resignation as an opportunity for UKOM and STA to reach a funding deal. The European Commission expressed concern about the situation and urged the government to take decisive action to stop and reverse the current trends. Calls for a solution also came from President Bourut Pahor and opposition political parties.

Top court stays PC rule for civil servants

LJUBLJANA - The Constitutional Court stayed the government's regulation under which state administration employees would have to be either Covid-19 reconvalescent or vaccinated (PC) to come to work starting from Friday. Public Administration Minister Boštjan Koritnik regretted the decision, but said he would respect it so that the new rule would not come into effect as planned tomorrow. The decision was taken in response to a motion by a police trade union, one of several to challenge the regulation. Prime Minister Janez Janša and Interior Minister Aleš Hojs said the decision meant the majority on the Constitutional Court assumed responsibility for the spread of Covid-19 and deaths.

Janša and Johnson talk bilateral and EU-UK ties London

LONDON, UK - Prime Minister Janez Janša paid a working visit to the United Kingdom for talks his British counterpart Boris Johnson. Bilateral political ties, fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and the EU-UK relations topped the agenda. Janša and Johnson also discussed cooperation in light of Slovenia's EU presidency and the presidency of the UK of the COP26 climate conference, and topical foreign policy issues, in particular Afghanistan and the Western Balkans. Janša also discussed similar topics with Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss and visited the National Cyber Security Centre.

Heavy rain caused nightly chaos

LJUBLJANA - Record rains that pummelled Ljubljana during the night caused extensive flooding, with basements flooded in hundreds of residential, industrial and educational buildings. In just one hour one weather station in Ljubljana recorded 94 millimetres of rain, the highest ever recorded in the capital, overwhelming the sewage systems. The Ljubljana emergency call centre alone received over 2,700 calls for assistance and flooding was reported in over 500 buildings around the city. The SNG Drama theatre and the Moderna Galerija museum of modern art were severely flooded and had to shut down. The UKC Ljubljana medical centre and the public broadcaster also sustained severe damage but saw no major disruption.

Zorčič says Slovenia supports minority's efforts to enjoy full rights in Austria

KLAGENFURT, Austria - Speaker Igor Zorčič attended a conference on development of ethnic minority rights to stress that Slovenia supported efforts by the Slovenian minority to have its minority rights regulated systemically. "It is Slovenia's great ambition for the position of the autochtonous Slovenian national community in neighbouring countries to improve and the country advocates consistent respect of international legislation governing the protection and implementation of their rights," he said according to the National Assembly.

Hojs addresses convention of European police commissioners

THE HAGUE, Netherlands - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs noted good cooperation between Slovenia and Europol as he addressed a two-day convention of European police commissioners in The Hague. The event discussed international police cooperation, aspects of operative cooperation and challenges of police work. Hojs said the Slovenian presidency's was seeking to reach an agreement with the European Parliament as soon as possible on a regulation that would give the European Police Office (Europol) additional powers.

New cases flat on weekly level

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 1,028 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, a figure that is broadly flat on the week before. The share of positive PCR tests was however lower, at under 18%. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 population dropped by 14 to 604. Government data show there are currently 420 patients in hospital, up slightly from yesterday, of whom 109 are in intensive care, four fewer than yesterday. Five patients with Covid-19 died.

Committee confirms bill on pharmacies in a tweaked form

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Health Committee confirmed changes to the pharmacy practice act, albeit in a significantly changed form than originally envisaged. Many of the articles were dropped, including the controversial proposal that would allow opening new pharmacies or subsidiaries within a distance of less than 400 metres in urban areas and at least five kilometres in other areas. Meanwhile, the proposal to lift the ban on vertical integration of pharmacies and drug wholesalers was retained, but in a changed form.

Adrian Ježina of Telemach named 2021 Manager of the Year

PORTOROŽ - The Managers' Association presented the Manager of the Year award to Adrian Ježina, the president of the management board of Telemach, the fastest-growing mobile operator in Slovenia. The association credits him with an "exceptional transformation" of the company that improved its business results and increased market share. The award was presented at the Manager Congress in Portorož.

Public deficit, debt narrow in second quarter

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's public finances improved significantly in the second quarter of 2021 due to faster economic growth and higher revenue. The general government deficit narrowed to 5.8% of GDP from 8.3% in the first quarter, whereas consolidated debt was down by six percentage points to 80% of GDP, show Statistics Office data. Overall revenue growth outpaced expenditure growth on robust tax revenue, which increased by almost 20%.

Annual inflation at 2.4% in September on higher petrol prices

LJUBLJANA - The annual inflation rate in Slovenia in September reached 2.4% as the prices of petroleum products continued to rise. On the monthly level a deflation of 0.1% was recorded, largely due to lower prices of package holidays, the Statistics Office said. Measured with the harmonised index of consumer prices, an EU gauge, consumer prices rose by 2.7% year-on-year, and by 0.5% at the monthly level.

Terme Čatež bounces back to H1 profit

ČATEŽ OB SAVI - The group around the spa operator Terme Čatež recorded EUR 5.1 million in revenue in the first half of the year, down 9% year-on-year, while posting EUR 3.7 million in net profit, bouncing back from a EUR 3.9 million net loss. The improvement is primarily a result of the sale of the operator of Marina Portorož. The group also reduced operating loss from the first half of 2020 by a third to EUR 2.2 million, shows a report published by Terme Čatež.

Museum at ex-Nazi POW camp partly opens

MARIBOR - A renovated 1941 railway wagon was inaugurated in Maribor to mark 80 years since first prisoners from Nazi camps were brought to Slovenia aboard such trains. The Train of Memory opened in front of the WWII International Research Centre, located at a former Nazi camp for prisoners of war. The camp is being turned into a museum. With today's event, which was also attended by President Borut Pahor, the museum opened for groups such as school children, with the opening for all due next year.

Brežice wins 2022 European City of Sport title

BREŽICE - Brežice has become the first Slovenian municipality to win the title of European City of Sport in the category of communities with fewer than 25,000 residents, which is awarded by the European Capitals and Cities of Sport Federation. The municipality will formally receive the title at an event at the European Parliament in Brussels in December.

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This summary is provided by the STA: 

Slovenia suspends use of J&J coronavirus vaccine

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia suspended the use of the single-shot coronavirus vaccine produced by Johnson & Johnson after a twenty-year-old woman died within a fortnight after receiving the shot, Health Minister Janez Poklukar announced. The move was proposed by the special advisory group for vaccination at the National Institute of Public Health and the suspension will be in place until all the circumstances of the woman's death have been cleared up. Bojana Beović, the head of the advisory group, said it would take at least a week to investigate the death.

Parliament approves EUR 2bn in healthcare investment by 2031

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly endorsed by 68 votes in favour and two against a government-sponsored bill that will secure about EUR 2 billion in investment in Slovenia's health system over the next ten years. Investment is planned at all three levels of healthcare; a total of EUR 763 million is earmarked for the country's two medical centres, EUR 557 million for development and modernisation of general hospitals, nursing hospitals and community health centres across the country. The step is "a guarantee that our healthcare will continue to be public, universal and accessible in 2031", Health Minister Janez Poklukar had told MPs.

New uptick in Covid with 1,339 cases on Tuesday

LJUBLJANA - After eight days of decline, Slovenia's daily coronavirus case count rose again week-on-week with 1,339 new infections confirmed on Tuesday, 13% more than a week ago. The test positivity rate yesterday was 20.9%. Data from the National Institute of Public Health shows the tally pushed the 7-day average up by 22 to 861, while the 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents dropped by one to 618. The government said that the number of patients hospitalised with Covid-19 has dropped further to 403 this morning as the number of those in intensive care rose to 114 and four patients died.

Govt highlights investment growth in budget documents

LJUBLJANA - Finance Minister Andrej Šircelj highlighted a substantial increase in investments, in particular in healthcare, as he presented the budget documents for the coming two years after the government session. All the revised budget proposals and other relevant documents need to be submitted to parliament for confirmation by Friday. The proposals reflect the forecast of a fast economic rebound, as a result of which the general government deficit is to be reduced fast. The government proposes the general government spending ceiling increases to EUR 26.1 billion in 2022 and to EUR 25.98 billion in 2023, said a press release by the Government Communication Office.

Police use water canon at protest against Covid pass mandate

LJUBLJANA - A group of several thousand protesters again gathered in Ljubljana to protest against the Covid pass mandate in what was the third such protest. Starting in Republic Square, the rally moved to the ring road, which was closed for a while, as the police tried to break up the crowd, including by using a water canon. The protesters demanded an end to Covid restrictions and an immediate government resignation. They were critical of media reporting and obstructed some journalist crews reporting from the scene with journalist organisations raising concern over this. PM Janez Janša said attacks, threats and violations of Covid-19 rules were not the constitutional right to assembly.

Prime Minister Janša due in London Thursday for working visit

LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša will be on a working visit to the UK on Thursday for talks with British counterpart Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss. A number of bilateral and international issues will be on the agenda. The main topics include the deepening of bilateral political cooperation, the fight against Covid-19, EU-UK relations, and international topics such as Afghanistan and the Western Balkans, according to Janša's office. Bilateral relations are "very good and friendly" and the visit represents "an intensification of political dialogue at the highest level", it said.

Slovenia to buy 100,000 doses of Janssen vaccine from Hungary

LJUBLJANA - The government decided at Tuesday's correspondence session to purchase an additional 100,000 doses of the Janssen Covid-19 vaccine from Hungary. The government said that, based on the current epidemiological situation and the interest in vaccination expressed by Slovenian residents, it would make an agreement with Hungary to buy the mentioned quantity. Hungary's stock of the Janssen vaccine currently exceeds the actual demand. The price of the vaccine equals the price offered by the producer directly, the Government Communication Office added in the press release.

MPs pass changes to pension legislation to remedy injustices

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly unanimously passed changes to pension legislation to remedy injustices done to persons who voluntarily continued to pay mandatory pension and disability insurance contributions despite being for instance unemployed after 1 January 2013, not being aware that this would not count towards their pensionable years. The changes to the pension and disability insurance act, put forward by the opposition Left, concern some 9,800 people, of whom 2,800 have already retired.

Survey unemployment rate fell below 4% in August

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's ILO-compatible survey unemployment rate fell further in August, to 3.9%, down 0.1 percentage points from July and 1.4 points down from August a year ago, show data released by the Statistics Office. The office estimates about 40,000 people aged 15 to 74 were out of a job in August. Women represented 55% of the unemployed and men 45%. This puts the joblessness rate among women at 4.7%, compared to 3.3% for men.

Mask rule being relaxed somewhat

LJUBLJANA - The government somewhat relaxed the mask wearing rule. The masks will thus no longer be needed in indoor public places where food and drinks are being served under adherence to the recovered-vaccinated-tested rule (PCT) or in situations and settings when everyone is immunised against Covid either through vaccination or recovery. Masks have so far not been mandatory for guests seated at the same table in hospitality establishments. Now the exception is being expanded to all settings where food or drinks are sold or served such as cinemas or receptions.

Počivalšek says Expo good framework for ambitious promotion of businesses

LJUBLJANA - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek told the STA in an interview ahead of Friday's opening of Expo 2020 in Dubai that Slovenia is well prepared for the event, which will be an opportunity to showcase the country's potential and for the presentation of more than 100 companies in a region where many opportunities are cropping up. "I'm happy that we are following up on the bold decision that we took for Expo 2015 in Milan. Our economy needs a framework in which it can be presented in an ambitious manner," he said.

Decarbonisation of economy must be balanced, says Počivalšek

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Decarbonisation of the economy must be evenly spread across sectors and EU countries, said Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek after a session of EU ministers in charge of competitiveness, who gathered in Brussels to discuss the impact of the Fit for 55 package on the competitiveness of the European economy. The ministers agreed that an abundant availability of affordable decarbonised electricity is a prerequisite for the success of Fit for 55 and the green transition, he said.

EU Military Committee talks military capability in Postojna

POSTOJNA - Slovenia hosted a session of the European Union Military Committee (EUMC) in Postojna as part of its EU presidency. The participants discussed the EU's military rapid reaction capability and possible solutions to strengthen the committee from a military perspective, the General Staff of the Slovenian army said. The participants discussed the situation in Afghanistan, among other issues.

Slovenia hosts EU non-proliferation and disarmament directors

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia hosted an informal meeting of EU non-proliferation and disarmament directors as part of its EU presidency, the Foreign Ministry said. The annual meeting focussed on strategic issues and the challenges of the global regime of oversight over weapons of mass destruction. The talks focussed on the preparations for the tenth review conference of the parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

Slovenia-Carinthia Committee discusses cooperation

KLAGENFURT, Austria - FM Anže Logar and Carinthia Governor Peter Kaiser chaired a session of the Slovenia-Carinthia Committee in Klagenfurt, which set out the course for future cooperation between Slovenia and the Austrian state of Carinthia in several areas of joint interest. The two sides agreed to continue cooperation in transport, environment protection and spatial planning, and in protection against natural and other disasters, the Slovenian Foreign Ministry said after the session.

Govt donates 40 kilometres of border fence to Lithuania

LJUBLJANA - The government decided to donate 40 kilometres of border fence to Lithuania, which today started erecting a 508-kilometre border fence on its border with Belarus. According to the Government Communication Office, Slovenia thus responded to Lithuania's request for aid with the erection of physical obstacles on the border with Belarus, as the latter country has been faced with illegal migration from there since the beginning of the year.

Environment Agency acting head gets full term

LJUBLJANA - The acting head of the Environment Agency, Joško Knez, was appointed for a full term at a government session. His five-year term starts on 1 October. Knez was already at the helm of the agency between March 2013 and November 2018 and had also served as the acting head prior to this period.

Public broadcaster gets new chief supervisor

LJUBLJANA - The supervisory board of the public broadcaster RTV Slovenija elected Janez Čadež its chair. The board's term expires next January, RTVS said. This came after the government dismissed Matjaž Medved and Petra Majer as representatives of the founders in the supervisory board, and appointed Anton Tomažič and Milenko Ziherl in their place. A group of RTVS supervisors argued the dismissal of the two supervisors had no affect with the pair announcing they would challenge the move.

Report shows Slovenia must make climate neutrality top priority

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia can achieve climate neutrality by the middle of the 21st century if it makes cutting greenhouse gas emissions and transition to climate neutrality a top priority and if it immediately enhances implementation of climate measures, says the Climate Mirror 2021 report, a collaboration of the Centre for Energy Efficiency at the Jožef Stefan Institute (IJS) and partners in the LIFE Climate Path 2050 project. It adds that the country's attainment of the set goals in 2020 was "encouraging", as the country will meet two of the three binding goals.

Cost effectiveness in focus of bank consolidation

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian banking system has been rapidly consolidating in recent years, the focus being on cost effectiveness, heard a debate organised by the Alumni Club of the Ljubljana School of Business and Economy and the STA. Bankers noted the process had been beneficial and central bankers highlighted the need to strike a balance. Vice-governor of Slovenia's central bank Primož Dolenc said what was required was the right measure to ensure financial stability.

AGRFT academy finally in its own premises

LJUBLJANA - The Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television (AGRFT) has moved to its new premises in Aškerčeva Road in Ljubljana after years of efforts to secure an adequate facility. Some of its departments are meanwhile at the new premises in Trubarjeva Street. The entire AGRFT project - the renovation of the building in Aškerčeva and the purchase of a building in Trubarjeva - cost EUR 21.9 million. AGRFT Dean Tomaž Gubenšek said the academy would now like to become a cultural centre of the University of Ljubljana and beyond.

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

This summary is provided by the STA: 

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

This summary is provided by the STA: 

Zorčič calls for clarity in EU enlargement to W Balkans

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Speaker Igor Zorčič hosted a meeting of parliamentary speakers from the Western Balkans, saying that the EU must give the region a clear signal on when it could expect EU accession. He noted that the "process has not only been stalled, but it has even turned into the wrong direction" and that the signals coming from the EU do not encourage trust in the enlargement process in the countries in the regions. The speakers of the Serbian and Montenegrin parliaments also called for more clarity regarding the EU enlargement.

Anti-graft watchdog establishes breach of integrity by former state secretary

LJUBLJANA - The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption has established a breach of integrity by former Economy Ministry State Secretary Aleš Cantarutti as part of an investigation into the procurement of personal protective equipment. It said he had signed a letter of intent, a letter of support and a registration certificate to the company HMEZAD - TNT, which would become a major supplier of masks, even though he did not have the power to do so. Cantarutti disagrees with the findings and said that he would do exactly the same thing again if needed.

Coronavirus case count broadly flat as hospitalisations rise

LJUBLJANA - Another 285 people tested positive for coronavirus in Slovenia on Sunday as the week-on-week decline in new cases slowed down to just 2%, the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) reported. According to the government, hospitalisations rose further and six Covid-19 patients died. The surge in vaccination appointments following the announcement of a Covid pass mandate was short-lived, with the number of coronavirus shots delivered into arms almost halved last week, show data by the Covid tracker Covid-19.Sledilnik.org.

Slovenia's spending on coronavirus vaccination at EUR 57m

LJUBLJANA - The government has so far earmarked EUR 56.97 million for vaccination against Covid-19, of which EUR 39.79 million for the purchase of vaccines and EUR 17.17 million to organise and carry out the vaccination, the Health Ministry said. The vaccines are bought directly by the state, while the cost of vaccination services is charged by vaccination providers to the ZZZS public health fund, which then sends the bill to the Health Ministry.

MPs urged to turn down bill to deregulate pharmacy business

LJUBLJANA - Practically all pharmacy stakeholders urged MPs to vote down a bill that seeks to partly deregulate the retail pharmacy market and lift the ban on vertical integration of pharmacies and drug wholesalers. Should this not happen, pharmacists are threatening with protest closures of pharmacies and a referendum. The call by the pharmacy stakeholders comes three days before the parliamentary Health Committee is scheduled to debate the bill.

Constitutional change proposed to secure minority representation in Italian parliament

TRIESTE, Italy - Senator Tatjana Rojc, a member of the Slovenian ethnic community in Italy, has proposed an amendment to the Italian Constitution as a way of guaranteeing that the Slovenian minority is represented in the Italian parliament. She proposes amending Article 56 of the Italian Constitution to state that a law must determine ways of securing representation of the Slovenian minority in Friuli Venezia-Giulia region, Primorski Dnevnik reported.

Govt raises funding for municipalities

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a decree on Sunday, raising the lump sum which municipalities receive per resident from the state and which represents one of the main sources of local government funding. In 2022 the sum will rise from EUR 628 to EUR 645 and to EUR 647 in 2023, the Public Administration Ministry said. The amount is higher than originally proposed by the government. The agreement will cost the state an additional EUR 34 million next year.

EU Youth Conference discusses the future of Europe

MARIBOR - Some 200 representatives of young policy-makers and youth experts from all EU countries are discussing the post-Covid future of Europe at the four-day virtual EU Youth Conference, which got under way in Maribor. The conference, held by Slovenia's Office for Youth in cooperation with the National Youth Council, is the largest youth event of Slovenia's EU presidency, according to the Education Ministry. The head of the National Youth Council Miha Zupančič stressed the importance of the ninth goal today, warning about the potential fragility of some fundamental democratic values.

OECD recommends more effort towards digital governance

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia should reinforce leadership and coordination of digital governance in the public sector and enhance cooperation of various stakeholders, the OECD says it its latest digital government review for the country. The report acknowledges the effort and change Slovenia has already made, but says "more is needed to govern the digital transformation across the public sector". Public Administration Minister Boštjan Koritnik discussed the report with senior OECD officials today.

Acting director gets full term to lead UKC Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - The council of UKC Ljubljana, Slovenia's largest hospital, endorsed acting director Jože Golobič for a full term and proposed medical director Jadranka Buturović Ponikvar stay on for another term. Golobič took over as acting director in February after Janez Poklukar left to become health minister. Government approval is required before he can formally start his four-year term. Buturović Ponikvar has been the medical director since January 2018 and was the only candidate for the post.

Jaklitsch wraps up US visit in Illinois

LEMONT, US - Minister for Slovenians Abroad Helena Jaklitsch wrapped up her 11-day tour of the US on Sunday in the Chicago suburb of Lemont, where the Slovenian community built the Slovenian Catholic Cultural Centre on land owned by Slovenian Franciscans. Jaklitsch thanked the Slovenian community in the US for the exceptional role in the efforts for democratisation, independence and international recognition of Slovenia, and for their loyalty to the Slovenian language.

POP TV poll shows NSi losing most ground among parties

LJUBLJANA - Most parliamentary parties have lost ground in the latest poll commissioned by the commercial broadcaster POP TV as the ruling Democratic Party (SDS) posted its worst showing this year and its coalition partner New Slovenia (NSi) slipped back the most. The SDS remains in the lead, followed by three centre-left opposition parties.

Ombudsman proposes free testing for people who need healthcare

LJUBLJANA - The Human Rights Ombudsman proposes that the government enable rapid antigen testing for coronavirus for all users of healthcare services, who are currently obliged to meet the recovered-vaccinated-tested (PCT) rule. This would protect the system from new infections and prevent irreparable deterioration of health of individuals, the ombudsman believes.

Istrabenz Plini opens new technical gas filling station in Serbia

BELGRADE, Serbia - Istrabenz Plini Group, a Koper-based Italian-owned energy company, opened a new filling station for industrial gases and a distribution centre in Šimanovci near Belgrade last week in an investment valued at EUR 16 million. By 2023, the company plans to invest EUR 4 million more in expansion of capacities.