18 Aug 2021, 05:00 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Wednesday, 18 August 2021

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Most new cases since 1 June confirmed on Monday

LJUBLJANA - A total of 2,058 PCR tests were performed in Slovenia to result in 318 new confirmed coronavirus infections, the highest daily number since 1 June, the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) said. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 population increased by seven to 107. The positivity rate was 15.5%, significantly higher than on the day before. The government reported on Twitter that there are 49 Covid-19 patients in Slovenian hospitals, four more than yesterday, while the number of patients in intensive care was up by one to eleven. The reproductive number, which shows how many people an infected person transmits the infection to on average, is estimated at 1.5.

Opposition announce vote of no confidence in education minister

LJUBLJANA - Four centre-left parties are planning to file a motion to vote Education Minister Simona Kustec out of office, arguing that two weeks before the start of the new school year, it is still not clear how primary and secondary schools will organise the education process while the epidemiological situation in the country is deteriorating. The announcement was made by Tanja Fajon, leader of the Social Democrats (SD) after a meeting of the leaders of the remaining three parties - the LMŠ, SAB and Left. She said that the no-confidence motion could be filed to the National Assembly within a week. The ministry stressed that preparations for the new school year had been in full swing and running smoothly since the start of the summer holidays.

Two Slovenians have left Kabul, one remains in Afghanistan

LJUBLJANA - Out of a total of three Slovenian citizens who were still in Afghanistan on Monday, two embarked on a Qatar-bound plane from Kabul last night, while the third one has remained in Afghanistan, according to unofficial information available to the Foreign Ministry. It explained that the Slovenian citizens had not turned to them for help and that their evacuation was being arranged by their employers. News portal N1 said the citizen staying in Afghanistan is in charge of security of the EU delegation and will stay there until he has arranged for evacuation of his co-workers.

Police file criminal complaint against actor Tribušon over sexual harassment

LJUBLJANA - Police have filed a criminal complaint against actor and drama teacher Matjaž Tribušon, 58, after young actress Mia Skrbinac publicly accused him of sexually harassing her while she was a student in 2014-2016 and filed a sexual harassment complaint at the University of Ljubljana last spring, Delo reported. In early February, Skrbinac, born in 1994, became the first public figure in Slovenia to come forward as a victim of sexual harassment since the start of the Slovenian offshoot of the #MeToo movement.

Janša says every government should support Prekmurje

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša said in his message on Prekmurje Unification Day it was remarkable that Prekmurje has preserved the Slovenian language and culture despite being cut off from Slovenian territory for a long time in the past. Parliamentary Speaker Igor Zorčič meanwhile said that on this day, Slovenians celebrated being together, adding that the people of Prekmurje rightly expected a boost to the regional economy, which will require a prudent, development-oriented and cohesive policy. President Borut Pahor hosted an open day in the Presidential Palace on the occasion.

Insurer Triglav ups H1 group net profit by 40% to EUR 47 million

LJUBLJANA - Insurer Zavarovalnica Triglav saw group net profit rise by 40% to EUR 47 million in the first half of the year as premium revenue rose across all segments and all markets. The company expects to hit end-year profit targets. Profit before tax amounted to EUR 56.2 million, up 39% year-on-year and 35% higher than in the first six months of the pre-pandemic year 2019, according to the interim result released on Tuesday. Consolidated gross written premium at the group level rose by 9% to EUR 731.1 million.

EU approves state aid to Postojna Cave over coronavirus closure

BRUSSELS - The European Commission has approved state aid worth EUR 1.3 million for the operator of the Postojna Cave, a global tourist attraction, to help it cope with the damage resulting from the closure due to the coronavirus. The aid covers the period between 26 October 2020 and 1 June 2021, when the Postojna Cave and the cave under Predjama Castle were closed. The measure entails a lower concession fee and lower investment obligations compared to these set down in the concession agreement for 2020 and 2021.

EU funds available for computer equipment for schools

LJUBLJANA - The European Regional Development Fund will contribute EUR 13.6 million in financing under the React-EU programme for computer equipment for Slovenian educational institutions to promote the development of virtual learning environments. The entire project is valued at EUR 16.2 million. The equipment purchase will be handled by Arnes, a public institute that provides network services to research, educational and cultural organisations.

17 Aug 2021, 04:49 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Tuesday, 17 August 2021

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Slovenia concerned over situation in Afghanistan

LJUBLJANA - The Foreign Ministry expressed concern over the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan. "Violence should be ended, the civilian population, in particular women and children, should be protected, and basic human rights standards upheld," it said on Twitter. PM Janez Janša meanwhile described the chaos in Afghanistan and the handover of modern weapons to the Taliban as "the greatest defeat for NATO in history", writing on Twitter Slovenia shared responsibility for that as a NATO member. Defence Minister Matej Tonin said three Slovenian citizens are currently in Kabul, with attempts being made to evacuate them. Slovenia is in the group of around 70 countries that have called on the Taliban to enable safe departure of all foreign citizens from Afghanistan and also to Afghan citizens who want to leave the country. Several opposition parties and NGO joined the appeal.

56 new coronavirus infections confirmed on Sunday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported 56 new coronavirus cases for Sunday, which is a week-on-week increase of ten cases, coming from a total of 801 PCR tests. The positivity rate was 7%, down by more than three percentage points compared to the day before, show data from the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ). The rolling seven-day average of new cases grew by two to 183, and the 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents increased by one to 100. The number of Covid-19 hospitalisations was up by two to 45 today, and the number of patients requiring intensive care increased by one to ten.

Vox Populi poll shows public split on mandatory Covid vaccination

LJUBLJANA - The Vox Populi poll carried out for the newspapers Dnevnik and Večer shows the public is divided over mandatory vaccination against Covid-19. 47.7% of those polled would support the introduction of mandatory vaccination, whereas 47.1% would not support it. Just over 5% refused to state their position. More inclined to support mandatory vaccination are people with vocational education and those older than 60. Almost 64% of those polled have meanwhile already been vaccinated, mainly to protect themselves or their relatives.

NGOs urge minister to propose EU exit Energy Charter Treaty

LJUBLJANA - A group of Slovenian environmental NGOs called on Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec as a representative of the Slovenian EU presidency to propose a political discussion on the EU exiting the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) at the September informal meeting of ministers in charge of energy. The call from the Slovenian NGOs comes after more than 400 European civil society organisations have called on EU leaders to exit the ECT. "The Energy Charter Treaty is an obstacle in the transition to clean energy, which is why it is high time to exit it," the NGO Umanotera said.

Pahor sees unification with Prekmurje as connecting rather than dividing

BELTINCI - President Borut Pahor said that Slovenia's celebration of its reunification with Prekmurje region is a celebration of national identity that is not targeted against any other nation, as he addressed a ceremony held on the eve of Prekmurje Reunification Day. Rather than being targeted against any other nation it is "an opportunity to reflect on the mutuality of national and common European identity in the framework of the shared European homeland". He announced that in September he and Hungarian President Janos Ader will host a meeting of the Slovenian ethnic minority in Hungary and the Hungarian ethnic minority in Slovenia.

Vox Populi poll: Centre-left opposition would win comfortable parliamentary majority

LJUBLJANA - The Vox Populi poll carried out for the newspapers Dnevnik and Večer shows that the four centre-left opposition parties which have previously joined forces in an informal coalition to topple the current Janez Janša government, would win a combined 51 seats in the 90-seat parliament if an election was held this Sunday. Nevertheless, the Janša's ruling Democrats (SDS) continue enjoying the strongest support at 18%, up 0.2 of a percentage point in August over July.

Education minister tests positive for coronavirus

LJUBLJANA - Education Minister Simona Kustec has tested positive for coronavirus. She announced on Twitter she had been isolating since Saturday, but added that all activities for the safe start of the school year continued. The minister received the first shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine on 23 March and appears to have been fully vaccinated. Several other members of the government cabinet have tested positive before, most of them before they were vaccinated, including Foreign Minister Anže Logar as well as the ministers of the environment, culture, and public administration.

NSi founder, first leader Bajuk remembered ten years after death

LJUBLJANA - New Slovenia - the Christian Democrats (NSi) remembered Andrej Bajuk, the party's founder and first leader, who died aged 67 ten years to the day. NSi leader Matej Tonin recalled Bajuk's dedication to the party and his homeland and his focus on dialogue and cooperation. Bajuk (1943-2011), who briefly served as prime minister, as well as finance minister and MP, came to prominence in Slovenia's political arena in 2000 after he was elected in April a vice-president of the SLS+SKD, a party created with a merger of the Christian Democrats (SKD), a member of which he had been, and People's Party (SLS). He served as finance minister in the first Janez Janša government between 2004 and 2008, during which time Slovenia also introduced the euro.

Over 130 shorts from 34 countries at 7th FeKK festival

LJUBLJANA - The 7th FeKK festival of short film will open in Ljubljana in the evening, bringing more than 130 short films from 34 countries until Saturday. According to the organisers, the focus will again be on the Slovenian FeKK SLO and the international FeKK BAL competition programmes. The international competition programme, previously known as FeKK YU and featuring films from the countries of former Yugoslavia, has been expanded to the entire Balkans.

16 Aug 2021, 04:38 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Monday, 16 August 2021

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This summary is provided by the STA:

95 new coronavirus infections reported for Saturday

LJUBLJANA - Out of 920 PCR tests performed on Saturday, 95 came back positive, the highest daily case count over weekends since 6 June, as the epidemiological situation kept deteriorating in Slovenia, show fresh data by the National Institute of Public Health. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents increased by one to 99 and the 7-day average of new cases grew by three to 183. The number of active cases in the country rose by 36 to 2,150.

Ljubljana archbishop urges mutual respect on Assumption Day

BREZJE - Marking Assumption of Mary, Archbishop of Ljubljana Stanislav Zore called for open-mindedness, acceptance and mutual respect as he said mass at Brezje, Slovenia's biggest pilgrimage site. Zore urged people to get vaccinated with pilgrims to Brezje having a chance to get a jab on the spot. According to the head of the Brezje Pilgrimage Office Andreja Eržen Firšt, a few hundred people gathered for the mass, which was held outdoors, a scaled-down figure due to Covid-19. The government described Assumption of Mary as a holiday of hope and faith in the fullness of life, wishing everyone peace on this day.

Olympic champion Roglič wins 1st stage of Vuelta race

VALLADOLID, Spain - Slovenian Olympic champion in time trial Primož Roglič won the first stage of the 2021 Vuelta a Espana, another time trial, on Saturday to take the red jersey already at the start of his bid to defend the 2020 Vuelta title. His compatriot Jan Tratnik finished third. Roglič (Jumbo-Visma), who aims to claim the title for the third year in a row, kept the red jersey after today's stage two.

Slovenian Caritas launching campaign to help quake-stricken Haiti

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian Caritas, a Catholic charity, launched a fund-raising campaign to help Haiti, whose plight has been worsened in the wake of Saturday's major earthquake. The organisation has already donated EUR 5,000 to the cause and intends to forward the money to Caritas Haiti. Caritas Slovenia has urged everyone to donate either via a special bank account or by texting KARITAS5 to 1919, thus donating EUR 5.

15 Aug 2021, 04:17 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Sunday, 15 August 2021

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Number of new infections on Friday highest since 3 June

LJUBLJANA - A total of 264 new coronavirus infections were confirmed in Slovenia on Friday in 1,869 PCR tests, for a positivity rate of 14.1%, up 3.3 percentage points compared to the day before. The number of new infections confirmed yesterday is by 65 higher than on Thursday, and is the highest daily number since 3 June. The rolling seven-day average of new cases rose was up by 19 to 180, and the cumulative 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents also continued to steadily increase, going up by six to stand at 92. The number of hospitalised Covid-19 patients remained at 42, with seven of requiring intensive care, one more than yesterday. There were no Covid-19 deaths yesterday.

Face masks at public cultural events mandatory as next Monday

LJUBLJANA - The government has decided that people attending public cultural events will have to wear face masks as of next Monday, with the exception of performers. There are no changes regarding restrictions of public gatherings, while stricter requirements for testing of employees in certain activities are to be introduced on 23 August. Under the decree that will be in force until 22 August, the recovered-vaccinated-tested (PCT) rule remains in force for public events and gatherings in enclosed spaces and for outdoor events for more than 100 people.

Transit passengers need to produce Covid certificate after 22 August

LJUBLJANA - The government decided on Friday that passengers transiting through Slovenia will not be required to produce a Covid certificate only until 22 August. "As of 23 August, transit will no longer be possible without meeting the recovered-vaccinated-tested rule (PCT) rule," the government said. If they want to avoid being ordered to quarantine for ten days in Slovenia, transit passengers will have to produce a certificate proving that the have either recovered from Covid-19, tested or vaccinated.

Pharma wholesaler Salus sees H1 revenue and net profit go up

LJUBLJANA - Salus, the Ljubljana-based pharmaceutical wholesaler, has reported a 13% rise in sales revenue for the first half of 2021 year-on-year to EUR 217.5 million. Its net profit stood at EUR 7.4 million, which compares to EUR 4.2 million in the same period last year. Earnings before income tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) totalled EUR 10.5 million and operating profit amounted to EUR 8.4 million, the group said in a press release.

Youth Strategic Forum debates development of Slovenia and EU

MARIBOR - A debate on future development of Slovenia and the EU as part of the Youth Strategic Forum heard Defence Minister and coalition New Slovenia (NSi) president Matej Tonin noting that it was right that young people were interested in the future, as it depended on them. Events such as this are an opportunity for them to exchange views, Tonin said at the conference organised by the youth wings of the NSi and the ruling Democrats (SDS) and in conjunction with the Young Entrepreneurs Organisation EU JEUNE and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.

Flower show in Volčji Potok marking 30 years of Slovenia

VOLČJI POTOK - An exhibition of flowers opened in Arboretum Volčji Potok to mark the 30th anniversary of Slovenia's independence. It will be on display until 29 August in ten different spots around the botanical gardens, with visitors being able to admire some 50,000 different flowers that present the natural and cultural heritage of the country. The Flowers and Peace exhibition in the venue located some 15 kilometres north of Ljubljana pays homage to the first exhibition of flowers staged there 30 years ago, after the Slovenian war for independence.

Slovenian literature translation seminar ahead of Frankfurt Book Fair

LJUBLJANA/MARIBOR - A week-long international seminar on translation of Slovenian literature got under way in Ljubljana and Maribor. Commenting on the event, former Slovenian Book Agency (JAK) head Renata Zamida told the STA that Slovenia's appearance as guest of honour at the 2023 Frankfurt Book Fair has proved a fresh impetus to translation in recent years. The goal of the seminar is to increase the number of translations of top quality books abroad and to better inform translators about Slovenian books and writers.

14 Aug 2021, 07:42 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Saturday, 14 August 2021

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Nearly 200 coronavirus infections confirmed on Thursday

LJUBLJANA - A total of 199 coronavirus infections were confirmed in Slovenia on Thursday in 1,841 PCR tests for a positivity rate of 10.8%. The cumulative 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents continued to steadily increase to stand at 92, up four on the day before, and the 7-day average of new cases rose by eight to 161, show fresh data by the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ). The NIJZ estimates there are currently 1,983 active cases in the country, up by 83. To increase the vaccination rate as the epidemiological situation is deteriorating, the NIJZ will call on people aged 50 or more to get vaccinated with an invitation letter.

Court rejects proposal to stay govt's decision not to appoint EDPs

LJUBLJANA - The Ljubljana Administrative Court has rejected a request from prosecutors Tanja Frank Eler and Matej Oštir to stay the government's May decision not to get formally acquainted with their appointment as Slovenia's European delegated prosecutors (EDPs). It argues the request has not been sufficiently reasoned. In the decision, made on Thursday, the court says that the appellants have not demonstrated the need to issue a temporary injunction in this case, shows Friday's press release from the court. Frank Eler and Oštir filed a suit against the government's decision last week, the second after their first was rejected on procedural grounds. The court intends to treat it as an absolute priority.

Centre-left opposition urge action in wake of IPCC findings

LJUBLJANA - The four centre-left opposition factions said they had filed for an emergency session of parliament's Environment Committee to debate the alarming findings of the IPPC report for Slovenia and measures to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ), Social Democrats (SD), Left, non-affiliated MPs and the Alenka Bratušek Party are concerned about the latest report by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), from which it follows that Slovenia is warming twice as fast as global average.

Business want state to pay for staff testing

LJUBLJANA - A chamber representing small businesses called on the government to scrap the requirement of frequent testing of staff who have not been vaccinated or have not recovered from Covid-19, saying in any event the cost of testing should be covered by the state. The OZS noted harsh protective measures already in place for the services sector, "while there is also no evidence the services have ever been the source of infections". Meanwhile, Mitja Gorenšček, GZS executive director, told the newspaper Delo the recovered-vaccinated-tested rule should be made into a law, so that those who met the rule could move more freely and the economy would not have to be shut down.

Passenger numbers at Ljubljana airport in H1 plummet y/y

BRNIK - Fraport Slovenija, the operator of Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport, told the STA that 70,011 passengers and almost 6,800 aircraft movements were recorded in the first half of 2021, with the first figure being almost three times fewer than in the same period last year. An increased number of passengers was recorded in the last two months though. Drop in cargo traffic was much smaller. The operator is also happy with new links with Ljubljana being established.

Traffic extremely dense on eve of weekend

LJUBLJANA - Vehicles were waiting more than six hours to enter Slovenia from Croatia at Gruškovje border crossing as traffic was extremely heavy at border crossings this afternoon ahead of another very busy holiday weekend. More than two hours were needed to enter Slovenia from Croatia at Obrežje, while an 8km tailback meanwhile formed on the Slovenian side of the Karawanks tunnel towards Austria. Traffic was also slow on the Primorska section of the A1 motorway towards Ljubljana.

130 bears culled this year in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - 130 brown bears were culled in Slovenia this year until 11 August, of which 121 were hunted on the basis of the Environment Agency's (ARSO) permits and nine were found dead, the Environment Ministry told the STA after a brown bear attacked a local while he was jogging near the town of Pivka, SW, on Monday. The attack was examined by Forest Service experts, who established the 30-year-old must have surprised the she-bear, which had no other way to escape than in his direction. After inspecting the site of the attack, the Forest Service did not issue an opinion on culling, so ARSO has not issued a culling permit.

Tomato brown rugose fruit virus confirmed in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - The first case of tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), a highly infectious plant virus that is jeopardising tomato and pepper crops, has been confirmed in Slovenia after a close encounter with the virus in spring. The virus was confirmed by the National Institute of Biology as part of national monitoring programme, and measures are under way to prevent the spread of the disease, the Agriculture Ministry said. The virus is not dangerous to people or animals.

13 Aug 2021, 07:37 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Friday, 13 August

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Parts of Slovenia turn orange as 248 infections reported for Wednesday

LJUBLJANA - Another 248 people tested positive for coronavirus in Slovenia on Wednesday as test positivity rate hit 13.6%. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents rose to 88 and the 7-day average of new cases to 153, show figures from the National Institute of Public Health. An estimate of active cases rose to 1,900. Hospitalisations increased by four to 40. Western and central parts of Slovenia turned orange in the updated ECDC map, while the rest of the country remains green.

PLF filling not to be mandatory to enter Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - As Slovenia introduces the European Digital Passenger Locator Form on Monday for air and cruise ship passengers entering the country, the Health Ministry told the STA filling out the form will not be compulsory for the time being as no one will check whether passengers have filled out one or not. The National Institute of Public Health said its epidemiological service will use the data provided by passengers to contact them or their contacts in case of an infection.

Govt endorses joint border patrol accords with several countries

LJUBLJANA - The government endorsed technical agreements with Poland, Hungary, Romania, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia on joint patrols and other forms of joint action to manage illegal migration on Slovenia's border with Croatia. The agreements, closed by the Slovenian Interior Ministry and police with the corresponding authorities in the countries concerned. The agreements are seen as a way to prevent major challenges in anticipation of an increase in illegal migration.

Calls for tests for students to be made free

LJUBLJANA - Student associations called on the authorities to make rapid coronavirus testing free for students following the announcement that to attend lectures in-person students will either have to be vaccinated, recovered from Covid-19 or have a negative test. As free rapid antigen tests are to be scrapped on 16 August, tests will be paid for by employers for the staff who need them to do their job, but university and secondary school students will have to pay for them themselves.

Ruling released on unconstitutionality of parliamentary inquiry law

LJUBLJANA - The Constitutional Court published a ruling which finds the law and parliament's rules on parliamentary inquiry in contravention of the constitution because they interfere with independence and autonomy of state prosecutors. The court also annulled the parliament's July 2019 decision to launch a parliamentary inquiry into the many court proceedings of ex-Maribor Mayor Franc Kangler in the segment pertaining to prosecutors. The court ordered parliament to amend the law within a year.

Release of impairments boosts banking sector's H1 profit

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian banks generated a cumulative after-tax profit of EUR 226.4 million in the first half of the year, an increase of 84% compared with the same period last year due to a release of impairments and provisions. According to the monthly report released by Banka Slovenije, the combined pre-tax profit of banks in Slovenia rose by over 90% year-on-year to over EUR 251 million. Banks released EUR 26 million net in impairments after forming EUR 98.5 million a year ago.

NLB group ups half-year net profit by 90%

LJUBLJANA - The banking group NLB reported EUR 139.8 million in net profit for the first half of the year, a rise of 90% year-on-year, which came with a "visible contribution" from the NLB's latest acquisition, the Serbian bank Komercijalna Banka. Net interest income increased by 32% to EUR 198.6 million and net non-interest income was up 23% to EUR 135.3 million as EUR 19 million net impairments and provisions were released. Total assets were up 8% from January to EUR 21.187 billion.

Demand for new workers growing

LJUBLJANA - Job vacancies in Slovenia increased by almost 25% from the first quarter to over 20,500 in the second quarter of the year. The strongest demand for workers was in the hospitality sector and in culture and entertainment. The country's vacancy rate thus rose to a quarterly record of 2.6%, the Statistics Office reported. Despite lockdown restrictions in place until mid-May employers started looking for workers more intensively after an almost six-month lull.

Interior minister and police trade union exchange some harsh words

LJUBLJANA - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs and a police trade union got entangled in a harsh exchange of words as Hojs rejected the union's allegations that he and Police Commissioner Anton Olaj should be blamed for what was seen as lack of police protection in front of the National Assembly. "Dear trade unionists, start working in the police, and stop politicising and looking for excuses," the minister said, later calling the union "lazy bones".

Reserved response as Šarec calls for post-election alliance

LJUBLJANA - Marjan Šarec, the former Prime Minister and leader of the LMŠ party, called on the remaining three centre-left opposition parties to sign an agreement on post-election cooperation in a bid to form a government without the Democrats (SDS) of PM Janez Janša or the parties supporting them. While the SocDems and the Left welcomed the call in principle, SocDem leader Tanja Fajon said winning over Janša should not be the sole ambition. The Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) criticised Šarec for staging a solo act.

Youth grappling with mental distress, precarious work

LJUBLJANA - On International Youth Day, the Youth Council of Slovenia warned about mental distress of the young and precarious forms of work. With the Covid-19 pandemic aggravating the situation, it is getting increasingly difficult for the young to gain independence, they cannot access housing, they are exposed to precarious forms of work and their mental distress is getting worse, the organisation said. There were some 310,600 people aged between 15 and 29 in Slovenia at the beginning of the year.

12 Aug 2021, 04:45 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Thursday, 12 August 2021

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Coronavirus case count at 248 on Tuesday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia saw 248 people test positive for coronavirus on Tuesday, an increase of nearly 80% from the same day a week ago, as 12.6% of the PCR tests were positive, show figures from the National Institute of Public Health. The 7-day average of new cases increased to 139, up by 15 from the day before, and the cumulative 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents rose by eight to 81. The Jožef Stefan Institute says the country has already moved to the orange phase under ECDC criteria.

Šketa says top court annulled parliamentary inquiries into prosecutors

LJUBLJANA - The Constitutional Court has found the law on parliamentary inquiry and the parliament's rules of procedure not to be in line with the constitution in allowing parliamentary inquiries into concrete cases undertaken by state prosecutors, State Prosecutor General Drago Šketa told the press. The court has also annulled the parliament's decision to launch a parliamentary inquiry into the many court proceedings of ex-Maribor Mayor Franc Kangler, now a state secretary at the Interior Ministry. According to Šketa, the court stressed in its latest decision, which has not been published yet, the role of independence and autonomy of state prosecutors.

Brussels clears Slovenian-Czech rail joint venture

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission approved, under the EU merger regulation, the acquisition of joint control over a joint venture created by the Slovenian rail operator Slovenske Železnice (SŽ) and Czech EP Logistics International to be active in intermodal rail freight transport. The goal of the strategic partnership is to create a logistics leader in Southeast Europe, comprising Slovenia, North Italy, Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and the rest of the Balkans.

DEM starts construction of new solar power plant SE of Maribor

MARIBOR - Dravske Elektrarne Maribor (DEM) will launch next week construction of a new solar power plant adjacent to the Zlatoličje Hydro Power Plant, some 20 kilometres south-east of Maribor. Almost 6,000 photovoltaic modules are planned to be installed, with total rated output of 2.7 MWp expected to produce 3,000 MWh of electricity annually. The project worth more than EUR 2 million will provide the Zlatoličje Hydro Power Plant, operated on the river Drava, with added value, and "Slovenia will get additional gigawatts of electricity from a renewable source," the hydro power plant operator said.

Covid certificate needed for uni lectures, self-testing advised in secondary schools

LJUBLJANA - Compliance with the recovered-vaccinated-tested rule will be a prerequisite for attending university lectures in the next academic year, Health Ministry State Secretary Franc Vindišar said. The ministry proposes voluntary self-testing for secondary school students, but if Slovenia enters tier red under ECDC criteria, they will need the Covid certificate. Student organisations have agreed to the condition of Covid certificate compliance in the case of university lectures, Vindišar said.

Govt open to negotiations on new agreement on social dialogue

LJUBLJANA - The government is not against an option of signing a new agreement on the functioning of the Economic and Social Council (ESS), which trade unions have set as a condition to return to the ESS after they walked out in protest in May. But a potential new deal should not give extra powers to any of the ESS members, the government said. The government remains open to signing the agreement, which is said to commit the signatories to consistent respect for ESS rules, even though it believes that the current ESS rules of procedure already contain everything required for the country's main industrial relations forum to function.

Digital literacy project for elderly launched in Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - A mobile classroom for the elderly around the country to learn digital skills was launched at an event at a Ljubljana care home. Simbioza Mobilna - Travelling Mobile Classroom, as the project is termed, is a collaboration of Slovenian social enterprise Simbioza and US tech giant Google. The project aims to bring ICT closer to the elderly, including in more remote parts of Slovenia, said Simbioza's co-founder Ana Pleško. Metka Svetlin, marketing manager at Google Adriatic, noted that last year, 44% of Slovenians aged 65 to 74 had never used the internet, while the EU average was 33%.

Finance Ministry state secretary switching post for OECD job

LJUBLJANA - The government endorsed Finance Ministry State Secretary Peter Ješovnik's proposal to be relieved of his duties as he is leaving to take up a diplomatic post as Slovenia's ambassador to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris. Ješovnik will no longer be state secretary from 16 August, the government decided at its correspondence session. The government also appointed Valentina Vehovar director general of the Social Affairs Directorate at the Ministry of Labour, the Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities.

New traffic rules kick in

LJUBLJANA - A set of changes to traffic rules entered into force today, substantially lowering fines for speeding while more than doubling the fine for talking on the phone while driving. The latter will carry a fine of EUR 250 plus three penalty points. The new law regulates electric scooters for the first time, and allows drivers to turn right at a red light at crossroads with good visibility. Drivers overtaking cyclists and light motor vehicles will need to keep a 1.5 metre sideward distance from them.

Ombudsman finds TV3 in violation of anti-discrimination law

LJUBLJANA - The equal opportunities ombudsman has established that the TV3 channel has violated the ban on discrimination as it broadcast a talk show Faktor during which its host made statements about the inferiority of the Black race. By broadcasting the 21 January show, TV3 violated the law on the protection against discrimination. Advocate of the Principle of Equality Miha Lobnik has established that with her statements, Norma Brščič, Faktor host at the time, classified people on the basis of race and "sent out a clear message about the inferiority of Black people". He said freedom of speech is an important constitutional right yet not unlimited, but the office has no powers to punish discrimination.

Bad bank selling nearly 63% stake in real-estate arm of Merkur

LJUBLJANA - The Bank Assets Management Company (BAMC) published a call for binding bids for its nearly 63% stake in the Merkur Nepremičnine company or 16,072 regular shares with stock symbol MRNR and all the liabilities in relation to Merkur Nepremičnine worth EUR 13.07 million. Bids will be accepted until 11 October, the bad bank announced. The stake and liabilities are offered as a package deal and cannot be sold separately.

Brewer Laško Union 2020 performance affected by Covid

LJUBLJANA/LAŠKO - Pivovarna Laško Union, Slovenia's largest brewery, last year generated EUR 145.6 million in net sales revenue, down 6.9% from 2019. The company, which is part of the Heineken group, attributes the drop to the Covid-19 outbreak. Net profit decreased by 31.5% to EUR 16.7 million. Volume-wise, sales of beers brewed by Pivovarna Laško Union in the Slovenian market were down by 9.6%. In foreign markets, volume sales of beer rose by 11.8% to represent 32% of the total sales last year.

Pahor receives crew of first feature film in independent Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor hosted the creators of the first feature film in independent Slovenia, Babica Gre na Jug (Grandma Goes South), saying that the reception in the Presidential Palace sent a message that the period of independence efforts had also been the time of major cultural events. The team that made the 1991 comedy drama was received as part of a series of events hosted by Pahor to mark the 30th anniversary of Slovenia's independence.

Fans greet Olympians in Ljubljana's Congress Square

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian Olympians were welcomed by fans in Ljubljana's Congress Square on Tuesday evening, earning cheers and applauses after what were the most successful Summer Olympic Games for the nation, as the athletes returned home with three gold medals. The men's basketball team did not attend the reception due to previous engagements, and neither did riders Primož Roglič and Tadej Pogačar, who addressed the crowd and thanked fans for the support in a video recording.

11 Aug 2021, 05:17 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Wednesday, 11 August 2021

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:

Over 200 new coronavirus cases on Monday

LJUBLJANA - A total of 216 people tested positive for coronavirus in Slovenia on Monday, the first time since 8 June that the daily count passed 200, as nearly 12% of the tests came back positive. The National Institute of Public Health estimates there are now 1,589 active cases in the country, up more than a hundred from the day before. The 7-day average rose to 124 and the cumulative 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents to 73.

NBA megastar Dončić signs supermax contract extension with the Mavs

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian NBA star player Luka Dončić signed a five-year, US$207 million supermax rookie extension with the Dallas Mavericks in what is the largest guaranteed rookie extension in NBA history, the biggest deal in Mavericks history and the biggest deal a Slovenian athlete has ever signed. Thanking the team and everyone who has supported him along the way, Dončić said: "This is an incredible day for me. I've never expected this. I dreamt of playing in the NBA as a kid and now I have signed this deal." He also said he had never doubted he would sign the extension with the Mavericks as he is very happy in Dallas.

New group of firefighters head for North Macedonia

LJUBLJANA - A new rotation of Slovenian firefighters headed for North Macedonia to replace a group of around 50 of their colleagues who have been fighting wildfires in the Berovo area since last week. The new group counts 43 firefighters and 9 civil protection members, who will be making sure their work on the ground is safe and efficient, according to the Civil Protection and Disaster Relief Administration. They are expected to return to Slovenia on 17 August.

President and sport minister receive Slovenian Olympics team

BRDO PRI KRANJU - President Borut Pahor and Minister of Sport Simona Kustec received the Slovenian Tokyo Olympics team, congratulating and thanking the athletes for their achievements at the latest Summer Games. They also highlighted the role of sports in boosting a sense of community and bringing people together. Sport climber Janja Garnbret, judoka Tina Trstenjak and canoeist Benjamin Savšek attended today's reception. Kustec announced additional steps to help the sports sector. On behalf of the entire team, Garnbret thanked Pahor and all who helped the athletes on their way to Tokyo for their support. "It was a great honour to represent our country," she said.

Hops in Savinja Valley severely damaged by Sunday hail

TABOR/ŽALEC - Sunday's hail storms wreaked havoc in the Savinja Valley damaging around 80% of the hops grown in the area, meaning this year's harvest will be rather poor. Roman Žveglič, president of the Slovenian Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry (KGZS), visited the area, saying the chamber will call on the government for aid. The KGZS will ask the government to supplement the emergency law passed this year to help farmers whose crops had been affected by frost this spring, he said. Žveglič finds it right that hops growers affected by hail be included in the law.

Roses from EU member states on display at Volčji Potok

VOLČJI POTOK - Roses from all EU member countries are on display at the Volčji Potok Arboretum, the botanical gardens some 15 kilometres north of Ljubljana, to mark the Slovenian EU presidency and present rose growing culture as an integrating element in the EU. Running until 31 October, the EU in Roses show features national flags and QR codes with the exhibited rose varieties which provide details about each variety. It is accompanied by a booklet in Slovenian and English.

30-year-old man attacked by bear near Pivka

PIVKA - A 30-year-old local was attacked by a bear in the woods near the village of Zagorje, south of Pivka in the south-west of the country, on Monday evening. He was taken to the UKC Ljubljana hospital, but there is no official information about his condition yet. According to initial information reported by the 24ur web news portal, the man had probably found himself between the bear and her cub, and the bear struck him with her paw. Koper police confirmed the incident.

Industrial output in June up 18.9% year-on-year

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's industrial output was up 18.9% in June over the year before owing to a strong performance in manufacturing and in mining and quarrying. The output was also up on the monthly basis, increasing by 1.6% compared to May, and by 5.2% compared with June 2019, the Statistics Office reported. In the first six months of the year, it expanded by 13.7% year-on-year.

10 Aug 2021, 04:56 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Tuesday, August 10 2021

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This summary is provided by the STA:

IPCC report met with calls for action in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - Climate expert Lučka Kajfež Bogataj and environmental NGO Focus underscored the need to take action on climate change now, as they commented on the latest, worrying report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Taj Zavodnik of Focus said the report also shows Slovenia is warming twice as fast as the global average, so the projected climate change is the more worrying for Slovenia. Kajfež Bogataj highlighted getting rid of fossil fuels and adaptation to climate change as two major tasks faced by Slovenia.

Slovenia's goods exports in June up 21% year-on-year

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia exported EUR 3.3 billion in goods in June, which is 21% more year-on-year, while imports were up by 30.6% to EUR 3.4 billion, the Statistics Office said, noting the figures were also up on the pre-Covid levels in June 2019. In June 2021, a deficit in trade was recorded for a third month in a row, standing at EUR 100 million, with exports covering imports at a rate of 97.5%. In the first half of the year, exports were up by 18.9% compared to the same period last year, to stand at EUR 19.2 billion, while imports were up by 24.9%, to stand at EUR 19 billion.

Growth in Covid infections continues

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported 46 new coronavirus cases for Sunday in 668 PCR tests as the week-on-week rise in infections continued. The 7-day average of new cases rose by two to 118 and the cumulative 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents increased by one to 68, show figures released by the National Institute of Public Health. There are now an estimated 1,480 active cases in the country, a daily rise of 26.

Vaccination also available at Ljubljana airport

BRNIK - Vaccination against Covid-19 three times a week is available at Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport from today, with no prior registration needed. Those who want to get vaccinated at the airport can do so on Monday (9am-noon), Wednesday (11am-2pm) and Friday (5pm and 8pm) with Jannsen's vaccine. Vaccination free of charge is available to all passengers and other members of the public. Slovenian citizens need their health insurance card and an ID, while foreign citizens need to produce their EU health insurance card and an ID.

Slovenia introducing digital PLFs for air and sea passengers

LJUBLJANA - All passengers arriving in Slovenia by plane or ship will need to fill out a Digital Passenger Locator Form (dPLF) before entering the country starting from 16 August, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced. The form makes it easier to track contacts in cases where passengers are exposed to a communicable disease during their journey. The form is available at https://app.euplf.eu

SDS continues to top Mediana poll, SD drawing nearer

LJUBLJANA - The ruling Democrats (SDS) continue to top the party rankings in the Mediana poll conducted for the newspaper Delo, getting 17.1% of support from the respondents. The SDS is followed by the opposition Social Democrats (SD) at 12.7% and the Left at 8.6%. Fewer than half of the respondents assessed the government's work positively, while President Borut Pahor returned to the top of popularity ranking after five months.

World's fourth best basketball team greeted in Slovenia

BRNIK - The Slovenian men's basketball team returned to the homeland on Sunday afternoon after winning the 4th place at the latest Summer Olympics. They were greeted at Ljubljana airport by some 500 fans and senior sport officials, who expressed gratitude for the unbelievable result for the team that made its Olympic debut in Tokyo. The team's superstar Luka Dončić, who is expected to sign a new, five-year contract with the Dallas Mavericks in Ljubljana on Tuesday, said that the initial disappointment with the team missing out on a medal had waned off, announcing the pursuit of new feats.

Seven-member Slovenian Summer Paralympics team unveiled

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian team for the 2020 Summer Paralympics, which will take place in Tokyo from 24 August to 5 September, was presented to the public, featuring seven athletes in seven sports. The event took place in front of a Lidl shop in Ljubljana where a countdown clock for the Paralympics was installed last year. Today, the athletes and guests symbolically watered a Japanese cherry tree, while Japanese Ambassador to Slovenia Hiromichi Matsushima wished the athletes all the best at the games.

09 Aug 2021, 04:28 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Monday 9 August 2021

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:

Tokyo Games most successful Summer Olympics for Slovenia yet

TOKYO, Japan - Slovenian athletes participating in the 32nd Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo won three gold medals, the largest number at any Olympics, summer or winter, since independence. With three golds, one silver and one bronze, the medal tally is the best for Slovenia at Summer Games yet. The tally places Slovenia 7th in medals per capita among the 93 countries that won at least one medal in Tokyo, the same spot as in Rio in 2016, and the 4th in golds won per capita.

Dončić makes Tokyo 2020 All-Star Five

TOKYO, Japan - Slovenia's basketball star Luka Dončić has made the All-Star Five of the Men's Olympic Basketball Tournament, FIBA as announced. But while Kevin Durant, who helped the US win gold, has been selected the tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP), Dončić won 75% of the fan vote for the MVP of the tournament. Dončić topped statistics in terms of assists, averaging 9.5 per game, along with 23.8 points and 9.7 rebounds. He was also ranked by far the most efficient player.

Coronavirus epidemic keeps spreading

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia logged 68 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, an increase of 17% from the same day a week ago, as 8.8% of the 776 PCR tests came back positive. Two Covid-19 patients died. The National Institute of Public Health estimates there are now 1,454 active cases in the country. The 7-day average of new cases rose to 116 and the 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents to 67. Of the 31 hospitalised Covid-19 patients, seven were in intensive care in the morning, show government data.

Prices of flats in Ljubljana up almost 50% in five years

LJUBLJANA - The prices of old flats in multi-storey buildings in Ljubljana rose by 48% in the period from 2015 to 2020, after the downward price trend reversed in 2015. The median price per square metre reached nearly EUR 3,000 last year. At EUR 2,960, it was record for a third year in a row and 69% above the median price for entire Slovenia, shows the 2020 Slovenian property market report by the Mapping and Surveying Authority.

Novem Car Žalec sees higher profit on lower revenue

Žalec - Novem Car Interior Design, the Slovenian subsidiary of the German supplier of decorative components and functional elements for car interiors, saw its net sales revenue drop by 15.5% last year to EUR 84.6 million due to fallout from the Covid pandemic. Meanwhile, net profit rose to EUR 2.5 million from EUR 190,000 in 2019. In the report for the 2020 business year, which ended at the end of March, the CEO of the Žalec company, David Uranjek, blamed disruption in automotive supply chains for lower than expected sales.

Cultural sector impacted strongly by pandemic in 2020

LJUBLJANA - The Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown measures had a major impact on the Slovenian cultural sector last year with data from the Statistics Office showing the turnout at museums and theatres slumping to roughly a third of the figures seen the year before. Meanwhile, many events and activities moved online. Museums and galleries held 893 in-person exhibitions last year, down from 1,406 in 2019. They attracted 989,000 visitors, compared to 2.8 million the year before. Box office revenue at cultural, theatre and music venues amounted to around EUR 5.3 million, roughly a third of that in 2019.

Julian Alps to become cross-border biosphere area

BLED - Slovenia's Triglav National Park and Italy's Prealpi Giulie Nature Park have launched a bid to have the Julian Alps declared as a single trans-boundary UNESCO MAB Biosphere Reserve to manage it together. The Slovenian Julian Alps biosphere reserve was designated as early as 2003 as the first such reserve in the country. After the Prealpi Giulie Regional Nature Park took the same step a few years ago, the two parks now seek the trans-boundary Julian Alps Man and Biosphere (MAB) Reserve designation.

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