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Slovenia lose to Australia to finish 4th at Olympic basketball tournament

TOKYO, Japan - Slovenia's men's basketball team lost to Australia 93:107 at the Tokyo Olympics to settle for the fourth place in what is the nation's first Olympic appearance, as Australia proved too strong throughout the bronze medal match. This is nevertheless an excellent result, as Slovenia had put in an exceptional performance and was the only team in the semi-finals that had to go through qualifications. The country had 54 athletes competing in Tokyo, who are returning home with five medals - three golds, a silver and a bronze. Slovenian Olympic Committee vice-president Tomaž Barada said "the medal tally is more than satisfactory". Sports climber Janja Garnbret, who won gold in the women's combined sport climbing on Friday, will carry the Slovenian flag at the closing ceremony on Sunday.

133 new Covid cases confirmed on Friday, one death

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia logged 133 new coronavirus cases on Friday as 1,575 PCR tests came back positive, putting the positivity rate at 8.4%. This compares to 135 new cases and a positivity rate of 8.1% a week ago. One Covid patient died. The National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) estimates there are 1,418 active cases in the country, a daily rise of 39. The 7-day average of new cases dropped by 2 to 114 and the 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents rose by 1 to 65 on Friday over Thursday.

Govt ensures vaccine for foreign citizens

LJUBLJANA - The government decided on Friday to make the vaccine against Covid-19 available to foreign citizens temporarily residing in Slovenia who are not entitled to it under the national vaccination strategy. 5,000 doses will be available for this purpose. Foreigners who do not have permanent or temporary residence here, have no medical insurance, are not employed with a company seated in Slovenia, and are not diplomats accredited to Slovenia will now be able to get vaccinated. The cost of vaccination will however not be covered by the state, but by the foreigners themselves.

Govt says Slovenia complies with directive on non-EU citizens and property

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted on Friday a response to the European Commission's June warning that Slovenia does not comply with a directive on the status of non-EU citizens who are long-term residents and their right to buy property. The government argues the Slovenian law is not in breach of the directive as it allows this group to rent housing, whereas several conditions need to be met before they can buy housing or land.

Debate hears Roma across Europe still subject to discrimination and hatred

MURSKA SOBOTA - Marking the 2 August Roma Holocaust Memorial Day, a panel debate held in Murska Sobota on Friday heard that it was important to remember the Nazi genocide against the Roma as a reminder because Roma were still subjected to discrimination and hate crimes across Europe. Miha Lobnik, the advocate of the principle of equality, noted that apart from other victims, half a million of Romany people lost their lives during the Third Reich, and many more were persecuted. Jožek Horvat Muc, the head of the Slovenian Roma Association, said the situation of the Roma in Europe was deteriorating.

Delays at border with Croatia, MEP addresses question to EU Commission

LJUBLJANA - Heavy traffic was reported from Slovenian roads towards Croatia, with long waiting times at border crossings to exit or enter Slovenia, including up to four hours. Worried about the congestions on the Slovenian-Croatian border, Slovenian MEP Klemen Grošelj (Renew) has asked the European Commission how it will address the situation to bring it in line with the goals set when the EU's digital Covid certificate was adopted. In his view, the situation shows the goals of the certificate have not been achieved.

Two Slovenian products win best local food gifts awards

LJUBLJANA - Two Slovenian local products have won awards for best European food or food-related gifts as part of a European Food Gift Challenge, a competition organised by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism (IGCAT) for the second time. Both winning products are from Slovenia's Mediterranean and Karst area. "Karst Commons in a Mug" features a herbal tea, a mini jar of acacia honey with designated origin, a handmade cup with a tea strainer, all wrapped in a small bundle. Luka Boltar's WoodLoveStone Collection includes four kitchen utensils made of stone and wood.

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Janja Garnbret Olympic champion in sport climbing

TOKYO, Japan - Janja Garnbret won the Olympic gold medal in the women's combined sport climbing, the first time that the sport was featured at the Summer Games, to secure the third gold medal for Slovenia in Tokyo, the highest gold Olympic tally since independence. The 22-year-old finished fifth in speed, but dominated in bouldering and in lead, her flagship discipline. "I sacrificed everything for this success. I'm proud of myself, for achieving it all under such pressure," Garnbret commented.

Slovenian soldiers receive requests for asylum from Afghan aides

LJUBLJANA - After NATO troops left Afghanistan, several people who had worked with the Slovenian service members there turned to Slovenia for help as they now fear Taliban retaliation, the newspaper Dnevnik reported. While the Defence Ministry confirmed individuals had turned to the ministry or the army for help, Minister Matej Tonin said disclosing the number of these persons or their location would jeopardise the evacuation. He said the Slovenian army "will not leave anyone behind", while the ministry said Slovenia was joining "the efforts by the international community to help all those who directly supported the functioning of contingents in Afghanistan."

Slovenian presidency calls ministerial over Lithuania situation

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The Slovenian presidency of the Council of the EU called a meeting for 18 August at which EU interior ministers will discuss the situation in Lithuania, which has been recently under much migration pressure from Belarus. The Slovenian Permanent Representation to the EU said the ministers would meet via video call as part of the Integrated Political Crisis Response mechanism, while Slovenia's Interior Minister Aleš Hojs will be in Brussels.

Von der Leyen says countries pick their energy mix themselves

LJUBLJANA - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reiterated in an interview with the newspaper Delo that EU countries decide on which energy sources they will use themselves as she responded to a question regarding Slovenia's plans to expand the lifespan of the Krško nuclear power station by 2043 and build a second unit. The decision on running or closing down nuclear power stations is also in the jurisdiction of EU member states, von der Leyen added.

Anti-graft body looking into appointments at band bank

LJUBLJANA - The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (KPK) is looking into the circumstances of the appointment of Franci Matoz, a well-known lawyer best known as a long-time legal representative of PM Janez Janša and his Democratic Party (SDS), as the chairman of the board of directors of the Bank Assets Management Company (BAMC). The inquiry is based on a report the anti-graft body had received in May. The KPK will also check the circumstances of the appointments of non-executive directors and members of the BAMC management board carried out in the past weeks.

New Covid infections continue to rise week-on-week

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported 144 new coronavirus infections for Thursday on a positivity rate of 8.1% as the week-on-week rise in new infections continued for the 9th day in a row. The 7-day average of new cases and the 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents were up by four, to 116 and 64, respectively. One Covid patient died as hospitalisations remained stable with 29 patients in hospital, including seven in intensive care, show figures released by the government.

TIGR Primorska condemns glorification of Nazism

SEŽANA - TIGR Primorska, an association promoting anti-Fascist values, strongly condemned a tweet in which a member of the right-wing Yellow Vests and head of the Association for the Promotion of Traditional Values glorified Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. It criticised the government's lukewarm response and urged law enforcement to take action. TIGR Primorska head Gorazd Humar said that he would at least expect the Culture Ministry to do more than just condemn Urban Purgar's tweet.

Theatre art for sale at auction house

LJUBLJANA - "Ich kann nicht anders", a production by the dance and theatre troupe Beton Ltd., will be offered for sale at a pilot auction during the festival of performing art Mladi Levi on 27 August by an auction house for performing art called FORSALE. Launched today, the auction house is owned by Bunker, the non-profit behind Mladi Levi. It has been designed as a work of conceptual art by Lea Kukovičič and will provide a legal basis to allow (co)ownership of theatre productions.

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Slovenia to play for bronze after losing to France

TOKYO, Japan - The Slovenian men's basketball team lost 89:90 against France in the semi-finals of the Olympic basketball tournament on Thursday and will hence play for the bronze medal against Australia on Saturday. This is Slovenia's first loss at the tournament after the team sailed through the group phase and outperformed Germany in the quarter-finals. In scoring, Slovenia were led by Mike Tobey with 23 points and Klemen Prepelič with 17 points, while NBA superstar Luka Dončić scored a triple-double, collecting 16 points, 10 rebounds and 18 assists for only a third Olympics triple-double ever.

Two non-appointed delegated prosecutors suing govt again

LJUBLJANA - Prosecutors Tanja Frank Eler and Matej Oštir have filed another suit against the government over its decision not to appoint them Slovenia's European delegated prosecutors as proposed by the Justice Ministry after they were vetted by the Prosecution Council. The Ljubljana Administrative Court said it had received the lawsuit on Wednesday and would process it during the summer recess as a matter of priority.

EU law is not above member states' constitutions, Janša tells PAP

WARSAW, Poland - Prime Minister Janez Janša has discussed the judiciary and the issue of primacy of EU law in an interview with the Polish news agency PAP, saying that EU law is above national laws, but not above member states' constitutions. He talked of the importance of understanding the countries' historical circumstances and starting positions. "EU law is above national laws, but it does not take primacy over the constitutions of member states. No EU institution has a right to impose on a member state anything that goes against its constitutional order," Janša said.

Carinthian Slovenians critical of Austrian minorities report

KLAGENFURT, Austria - The National Council of Carinthian Slovenians (NSKS) is very critical in its response to Austria's report to the Council of Europe on the implementation of the CoE Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. The report suggests that everything is fine with minorities in Austria, which is not the case, said lawyer Rudi Vouk, the author of the NSKS response to the 254-page report that Austria submitted to Strasbourg.

138 new coronavirus infections confirmed on Wednesday

LJUBLJANA - The week-on-week growth in new coronavirus cases continued in Slovenia for the 8th straight day, as 138 new infections were detected in 1,610 PCR tests on Wednesday, according to data by the National Institute of Public Health. The estimated number of active cases rose by 69 to 1,293, while the number of new cases was down by one compared to Tuesday.

Govt adopts decree on Covid certificate checks

LJUBLJANA - The government has adopted a decree setting down the method of checking compliance with the recovered-vaccinated-tested rule. Under a decision made at a correspondence session on Wednesday, the user scanning the Covid certificate QR code using a relevant app will have access to the certificate holder's name and year of birth. Information Commissioner Mojca Prelesnik said she would suspend the app-related procedure to ask the Constitutional Court to review the decree.

England puts Slovenia on its green travel list

LONDON, UK - Late on Wednesday, the British government updated its entry requirements and placed several countries, including Slovenia, on the green list. As of Sunday morning, travellers from Slovenia will only need a negative Covid test to enter England, regardless of the person's vaccination status, foreign news agencies report.

NIJZ orders more doses of flu vaccine than last year

LJUBLJANA - The National Institute of Public Health has ordered 360,000 doses of flu vaccine for this season, which is more than last year, when demand exceeded expectations. It is not clear yet whether the vaccine will be available for free this year as well. Flu vaccination usually starts in October. Last year, 270,000 doses were ordered, but the vaccine ran out within weeks due to the high demand.

SID Bank to get new management as long-serving CEO Svilan bids farewell

LJUBLJANA - SID Bank, Slovenia's development and export bank, will get a new management in January 2022 as the term of the management led by Sibil Svilan expires at the end of 2021. The fully state-owned bank will be led by Damijan Dolinar, with Gašpar Ogris Martič and Stanka Šarc Majdič serving as board members. However, since Dolinar will take over on 1 February, Ogris Matič will lead the bank in January, to move to the post of a board member in February.

SSk worried about autonomy of Slovenian education in Italy

TRIESTE/GORIZIA, Italy - The Slovenian Community (SSk), a party of the Slovenian minority in Italy, said it was worried about Slovenian education in the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, opposing plans to cut the number of teachers. In recent days the head of the Office for Slovenian Schools, which is part of the Regional Education Office, broke the news that the number of teachers at Slovenian schools in Friuli Venezia Giulia will be cut by around 50.

Koper police help migrants caught in a storm

KOPER - Koper police on Wednesday helped a group of migrants caught in a storm, and pulled over a van with eleven illegal migrants in south-western Slovenia, the Koper Police Department said. Police received a phone call from an Afghan citizen who said that a group of migrants was caught in a storm "somewhere in the hills".

Tina Šutej fifth in Olympic pole vault

TOKYO, Japan - Tina Šutej placed fifth in the women's pole vault at the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo. The 32-year-old national record holder cleared 4.50 metres in the final and then failed to clear the height of 4.70 metres to join the top four. US Katie Nageotte cleared the final height of 4.90 metres to win gold. The Slovenian shared the fifth best result with Ukraine's Maryna Kylypko and Finland's Wilma Murto in what is her career-high in major outdoor pole vaulting events.

Italy, Slovenia and Croatia set up quantum communication

TRIESTE, Italy - The first ever public demonstration of fully encrypted quantum communication between Italy, Slovenia and Croatia took place during a meeting of G20 digital economy ministers. It was the first time in history that fully quantum encrypted communication was made possible by means of optical fibres connecting three nodes. The technology uses quantum keys, sequences of random numbers established remotely through exchange of individual photons of light.

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Coronavirus case count at 139 on Tuesday

LJUBLJANA - A total of 139 people tested positive for coronavirus in Slovenia on Tuesday, as the week-on-week growth in new cases continued for the 7th straight day, shows data from the National Institute of Public Health. As rising trend continues, the 7-day average of new cases has now topped 100, at 105, up eight from the day before. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents increased by two to 57. There are now an estimated 1,224 active cases in the country.

Slovenia sends firefighters to N Macedonia

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia deployed a civil protection unit and vehicles to North Macedonia to help fight wildfires there in response to the country's asking for help through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. Slovenia sent 48 members of civil protection specialising in fighting wildfires with 17 vehicles, including fire engines, the Civil Protection and Disaster Relief Administration said.

Ministry condemns tweet labelling Adolf Hitler a hero

LJUBLJANA - The Culture Ministry condemned as reprehensible a tweet labelling Adolf Hitler a hero by Urban Purgar, the president of the Association for the Promotion of Traditional Values, an NGO in public interest in the field of culture. It also resolutely rejected incitement of hatred and totalitarian ideas. The ministry told the STA that the association had been awarded the special status under all rules for the relevant administrative procedure. The tweet will be investigated by the Ljubljana District Prosecution.

Three police officers given warnings over conduct in two protests

LJUBLJANA - The General Police Directorate confirmed for the STA that three officers of the Ljubljana Police Department have been given written warnings before termination of employment due to violations of the employment contract in relation to their conduct in two separate protests - an alternative celebration of Statehood Day in Ljubljana on 25 June by anti-government protesters and a rally by anti-maskers in front of parliament from 5 to 7 July. The SPS police trade union said this was an unlawful and inadmissible measure. Reportedly, all three officers hold senior positions at the department.

Petrol launches its second wind farm in Croatia

KNIN, Croatia - Slovenian energy company Petrol has opened its second wind farm in Croatia. Ljubač, situated near the town of Knin in south Croatia, has nine turbines, which should generate around 96 gigawatts of electricity a year, covering the needs of 30,000 households. The company built its first wind farm in Croatia, near the coastal town of Šibenik, in 2017.

Slovenia's joblessness keeps falling

LJUBLJANA - A total of 70,655 people were registered as unemployed in Slovenia in July, a decline of 0.6% from June and down as much as 21% from July 2020, according to a report released by the Employment Service. The total kept falling despite the number of the newly registered rising by 54% from June to 5,443. The latter figure was still nearly 34% below last year's.

Sailing: Mrak and Macarol finish fifth at Tokyo Olympics

TOKYO, Japan - Slovenian Olympic sailors Tina Mrak and Veronika Macarol finished fifth in the 470 class at the Tokyo Olympics, losing one more place (69 points) after the final medal race, in which they finished seventh. The gold was won by Britain's Hannah Mills and Eilidh McIntyre (37 points). Poland's Agnieszka Skrzypulec and Jolanta Ogar finished second, while France's Aloise Retornaz and Camille Lecointre finished third.

Slovenia's Mišmaš Zrimšek sixth in 3000-meter steeplechase

TOKYO, Japan - Slovenia's Maruša Mišmaš Zrimšek placed sixth in the women's 3000-meter steeplechase at the Olympic Games in Tokyo after securing the finals on Sunday. By clocking 9:14.84 at what are her debut Olympics, she set a new Slovenian record. Gold went to Peruth Chemutai from Uganda, who finished 13.39 seconds ahead of her.

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Slovenia make it to semifinals of Olympic basketball tournament

TOKYO, Japan - Slovenia advanced to the semi-finals of the Olympic basketball tournament in a historic feat by defeating Germany 94:70. In their debut Olympic appearance, Slovenia remain unbeaten in Tokyo and will play France for a medal in the semis on Thursday at 1pm CET. Slovenia outperformed Germany in all elements, particularly in rebounding. Commenting, NBA star Luka Dončić said this was perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for him and his teammates to bag an Olympic medal.

Coronavirus count hits 181 as over 10% tests positive Monday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's daily coronavirus count hit 181 on Monday, the highest daily increase in infections since 9 June, as the test positivity rate exceeded 10%, data from National Institute of Public Health show. The 7-day average of new cases rose by ten to 97 and the cumulative 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents increased by four to 55. There are now an estimated 1,195 active cases in the country.

Govt working on legal basis for Covid certificate app

LJUBLJANA - The National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) and Health Ministry are working on a legal basis for the mobile app to check one's digital Covid certificate. NIJZ director Milan Krek told the STA the legal basis was expected to be adopted by the autumn, to be immediately followed by an updated version of the app.

Condemnation as NTA editor-in-chief labels Hitler a hero

LJUBLJANA - A tweet in which the editor-in-chief of the recently established National Press Agency (NTA) labels Adolf Hitler a hero has raised dust in the Slovenian public and drew condemnation from part of politics, with opposition parties demanding a response from the government and relevant authorities. Urban Purgar, the NTA editor-in-chief and president of the Association for the Promotion of Traditional Values, which operates the media outlet, tweeted on Sunday that "Hitler is #hero" to spark strong reactions and condemnations.

Iberia launches flights between Ljubljana and Madrid

BRNIK - Spanish flag carrier Iberia launched scheduled flights between Madrid and Ljubljana on Monday. Two weekly flights are for now planned until the end of August, but airport operator Fraport Slovenija would like to see the route become year-round as soon as possible. On the first flight, Iberia's Airbus A320 brought just over 140 passengers to Ljubljana, and around 70 flew back to Madrid. Madrid is the 12th destination available from Ljubljana airport, with at least three more expected by the end of September.

Dončić to land US$202 million contract extension with Mavericks

DALLAS/MIAMI, US - Slovenian NBA star Luka Dončić is to sign a five-year, US$202 million contract extension with the Dallas Mavericks after the Tokyo Olympics, US media have reported. The deal is expected to be offered to the 22-year-old before he enters the final year of his rookie contract, said web portal Bleacher Report and acclaimed sports reporter and NBA expert Marc Stein. Meanwhile, another Slovenian NBA player Goran Dragić is moving from the Miami Heat to the Toronto Raptors, but might be even re-routed to the Mavericks in the final move.

Pogačar skips Vuelta, Roglič to defend title

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian cycling superstar Tadej Pogačar seems to be skipping the 2021 Vuelta as he is scheduled to attend a reception at his native town of Komenda on 13 August, one day ahead of the start of the tour around Spain. Pogačar, the double Tour de France winner, will be welcomed home after winning bronze in the road race at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Meanwhile, Primož Roglič, the Olympic champion in the time trial, will take part in the Vuelta to defend his two-time title.

Archaeologists find Butcher's Bridge remains from Medieval Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian archaeologists have discovered several finds along the river Ljubljanica during the renovation Zlata Ladjica house, including the foundations of the Butcher's Bridge, which has since the Middle Ages been replaced by the current Shoemaker's Bridge. The find did not come as a surprise because the Butcher's Bridge in what is now Jurčič Square was known from historical records, yet it is the first material evidence to prove its existence, Martin Horvat, an archaeologist at the Ljubljana Museum and Galleries (MGML), told the STA.

Two rings organising illegal crossings of border arrested

LJUBLJANA - Ljubljana police have in recent months arrested seven suspects, of whom two foreigners, as part of two criminal rings that organised transport of over 200 illegal migrants from Bosnia-Herzegovina via Slovenia to Italy for financial gain in 2020 and 2021. Six suspects have been remanded in custody and one is in house arrest. Both rings are estimated to have ganined over EUR 434,000 in illegal gain.

Hail storm hits Žužemberk area

ŽUŽEMBERK - A strong hail storm hit the Žužemberk and Dvor area in the south-east this afternoon, causing substantial damage, especially in agriculture. The amount of hail was such that it had to be removed with a snowplough, media reported. The storm raged at around 3pm, completely destroying this year's crops in the area, reported web portal 24ur.com.

Drunken 25-year-old injures police officers in head-on collision

NOVO MESTO - A drunken 25-year-old from the Krško area driving without a driving licence injured two police officers as he crashed in a police car this morning. One officer sustained serious injuries. The driver, who has a history of traffic offences, and his two passengers in the car were not injured, p

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Janša offers help to Belarusian athlete Tsimanouskaya

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Janez Janša indicated Slovenia would be willing to offer refuge to Belarusian athlete Krystsina Tsimanouskaya amid reports that she is planning to seek asylum after the Belarusian Olympic Committee removed her from the national team for publicly criticising the coaches. In a tweet posted on Sunday evening in reply to a post by Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Janša said: "Krystsina is welcome in Slovenia."

Stress tests affirm stability of Slovenian banking system

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian central bank announced that stress tests conducted by the European Central Bank (ECB) and Banka Slovenije confirmed the stability of the Slovenian banking system, pointing out Slovenian banks would fare well even under unfavourable economic scenarios. Given Covid-related challenges, the banks were urged to continue to assess and manage credit risks properly. NLB and NKBM banks were involved in ECB bottom-up stress tests, while the central bank also assessed the capital adequacy of smaller Slovenian banks.

Telemach suing Telekom Slovenije for almost EUR 30m

LJUBLJANA - The telecommunications provider Telemach has filed a lawsuit at the Ljubljana District Court against telecoms incumbent Telekom Slovenije over alleged violations of regulatory decisions, demanding the payment of EUR 28.796 million in damages with default interest from 1 June until payment. Telemach refers to decisions issued by the Agency for Communication Networks and Services, and alleged abuse of dominant position, according to a release on the website of the Ljubljana Stock Exchange.

Coronavirus remains on the increase

LJUBLJANA - A total of 31 people tested positive for coronavirus in Slovenia on Sunday, the fifth straight day that the daily case count was up compared with the same day a week ago. Data released by the National Institute of Public Health show the 7-day average of new cases rising by one to 87 and the cumulative 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents by as much to 51. There now an estimated 1,103 active cases in the country.

Brussels clears Slovenia's scheme to support businesses

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission approved a EUR 22.8 million worth Slovenian scheme to support companies in various sectors affected by the coronavirus outbreak and the restrictions implemented to limit the spread of the virus. The measure was approved under the State aid Temporary Framework. The aid, which will take the form of direct grants, will cover the costs corresponding to the holiday pay for employees' annual leave.

Exhibition on European humanists on show at Cankarjev Dom

LJUBLJANA - On the occasion of Slovenia's EU presidency, the Ljubljana arts centre Cankarjev Dom hosts a documentary exhibition entitled Europe - Legacy of the Humanists. The travelling exhibition presents 44 scholars selected by 22 countries, as Slovenians Primož Trubar and Avguštin Prygl join the ranks of European humanists. Trubar was the most famous Slovenian Protestant, while Avguštin Prygl is not as well known, but he was one of the most prominent humanists of the 16th century in Slovenia. The exhibition is an initiative of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in cooperation with EUNIC Austria.

Roma Holocaust Memorial Day marked in Maribor

MARIBOR - A memorial ceremony was held in Sinagoga Maribor to mark Roma Holocaust Memorial Day to commemorate the victims of the genocide committed against the Roma in WWII. "This should be spoken about so that such things do not repeat," Amanda Fetahi of the Maribor Roma community said on the occasion.

Lithuania pip Slovenia to gold at beach volleyball World Tour meet

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian pair Alan Košenina and Rok Bračko won silver at the beach volleyball World Tour tournament in Ljubljana on Sunday after conceding to Lithuania's Audrius Knasas and Patrikas Stankevicius in the men's finals. Serbia's Miloš Milić and Lazar Kolarić placed third. In the women's tournament, Martina Williams and Marie-Sara Stochlova of the Czech Republic beat Dutch Emi and Mexime van Driel for gold. Slovenian female players were trounced in the group phase.

Large carnivores presented at new centre in Pivka

PIVKA - A centre opened in Pivka presenting three species of large carnivores living in Slovenia - the brown bear, wolf and lynx. Center Dina is a continuation of a European project Carnivora Dinarica, concluding at the end of the month which is aimed at protecting the carnivores and promoting co-existence. According to the head of the centre, Dragica Jaksetič, the museum will offer interactive content, while visitors will do research themselves, and collect information about the carnivores.

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Slovenia's basketball team continues winning streak at Olympics

TOKYO, Japan - After securing a place in the quarter-finals of the basketball tournament at the Tokyo Olympic Games, Slovenia continued their winning strike by beating Spain 95:87 in the third game of the tournament, in which Slovenia remains undefeated. Slovenia will face either Italy or Germany in the quarter-finals.

Janša and Lithuanian president call for aid to Lithuania in face of migration

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda have called on EU member countries to provide aid to Lithuania in the face of "ongoing critical security situation" on the Lithuanian-Belarus border due to illegal migration. Protection of the EU's external border is our common responsibility, Janša said in a Tweet.

Slovenia logs 58 new coronavirus cases on Saturday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia logged 58 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, an almost 45% increase over the week ago. A total of 761 PCR tests were conducted for a positivity rate of 7.6%, show data provided by the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ). On Friday, the positivity rate was 8.1%. One Covid-19 patient died on Saturday.

Olympics: Mišmaš Zrimšek in the finals in Women's 3000mSC

TOKYO, Japan - Slovenia's Maruša Mišmaš Zrimšek made it to the finals in the women's 3000-meter steeplechase in Tokyo. By clocking 9:23.36, she was second in the third group and tenth overall, thus securing a place in the finals on Wednesday. In her debut appearance at the Olympics, Mišmaš Zrimšek was in the lead after the first kilometre and second in the finish line, preceded only by Kenyan Hyvin Kiyeng (9:23.17).

Summer puppetry festival celebrating Slovenian independent puppet artists

MARIBOR - The 32nd Summer Puppet Pier festival dedicated to the art of puppetry got under way in Maribor to run until late August. Same as last year, the international festival will put Slovenian independent puppeteers in spotlight in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The organisers are glad the festival will promote quality domestic puppetry production as they believe supporting independent puppet artists is all the more important in the light of Covid-related challenges and struggles.

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Minister sees Slovenia as geopolitical broker

KRANJSKA GORA - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek offered up Slovenia as a broker in geopolitical issues as he addressed an annual ceremony dedicated to Russian prisoners of WWI. Slovenia can play an active role in the resolution of geopolitical issues. "Our country has enough knowledge and even more economic results to get actively involved in the game of big player," he said.

Seven-week high of 135 cases confirmed on Friday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia confirmed 135 new cases of coronavirus on Friday, up more than 45% over the week ago a seven-week high. The positivity rate was 8.1%, a full percentage point higher than the day before and a level last seen during the tail end of the third wave in early June. Hospital figures remained stable.

Discuss thrower Čeh fifth in Olympic debut

TOKYO, Japan - Discuss thrower Kristjan Čeh crowned his maiden appearance at the Olympic games with fifth place. The 22-year-old had been considered one of the top contenders for a medal given his impressive record in the last season, but he seemed to take it in his stride. "This is my first Olympic appearance, I was fifth, this is awesome," he said.

Career highlight for Dvoršak at prestigious shooting event

TOKYO, Japan - Slovenian shooter Živa Dvoršak achieved her best ever result at Olympic Games after finishing seventh in the rifle three position. The rifle three position is considered the most prestigious shooting event and Dvoršak's seventh place is a marked improvement over her 30th place finish in Rio de Janeiro and 36th in London.

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This summary is provided by the STA: 

Joint patrols back on Slovenian-Italian border

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian and Italian police resumed the joint patrolling of the border in a bid to prevent illegal migrations on the Balkan migrations route, the Slovenian police said on. Joint patrols had been suspended more than a year ago due to Covid-19. Now, officers are also allowed to use unmanned aerial vehicles.

116 coronavirus infections confirmed on Thursday

LJUBLJANA - The gradual rise in the new coronavirus infections in Slovenia continues, as 116 new cases were confirmed on Thursday in 1,686 PCR tests, according to fresh data provided by the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ). The estimated number of active infections rose from 916 to 970.

New Covid certificate scanning app available as of Friday

LJUBLJANA - The National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) announced that a new, much delayed mobile app for checking the validity of EU digital Covid certificates is available to event organisers and service provider as of Friday. The app scans QR codes on EU digital Covid certificates and checks whether the person has been tested for, recovered from or vaccinated against Covid-19 without getting access to personal or health information of the person.

Two doctors face consequences due to anti-vaccine sentiment

LJUBLJANA - Proceedings have been launched against two doctors by the Medical Chamber tribunal due to their contentious statements about Covid-19 vaccination and vaccines, the chamber has told the STA. Unofficially, one of them is a member of a prominent anti-vaccine doctors' movement. Hearings in both cases are expected to be held in late August.

Budget with EUR 1.9bn deficit in first six months of 2021

LJUBLJANA - In the first half of the year the national budget recorded a EUR 1.946 billion deficit, which is slightly more than in the same period in 2020, when it reached EUR 1.917 billion, the Finance Ministry said. Contributing the most to the increased deficit was an 18% growth of expenditure, which was mitigated by a 25.3% growth of revenue.

Annual inflation in July at 2% due to more expensive fuel

LJUBLJANA - Annual inflation in Slovenia in July ran at 2%, mostly on the account of more expensive petroleum products, the Statistics Office reported. Petroleum products accounted for 1.2 percentage points of the annual inflation rate in July, as the prices of liquid fuels were up by 25.2%, diesel by 29.2% and petrol by 24.4%.

EU Commission issues warning to Slovenia over two directives

LJUBLJANA - The European Commission has urged Slovenia to notify it about the transposition of the EU directives on copyright and TV and radio programmes into its national legislation. Slovenia has two months to respond or take action. The National Assembly passed changes to the audiovisual media services act at the beginning of the month, but the upper chamber vetoed them on 16 July.

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Bosnia's coronavirus tests recognised by Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - The list of countries whose PCR and rapid antigen tests for coronavirus are recognised by Slovenia has been expanded to include Bosnia-Herzegovina under a decision taken by the government on Wednesday. Under certain conditions tests from countries not on the list will be also accepted, that is if they are of the standard compatible with tests in EU and Schengen countries and if they carry a QR code that can be verified the same way as the EU Digital Covid Certificate.

Nearly 100 new coronavirus cases on high positivity rate

LJUBLJANA - A total of 99 people tested positive for coronavirus in Slovenia on Wednesday as the test positivity rate hit 6.7%, data from the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) shows. The rolling 7-day average of new cases rose to 68 and the 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents to 43. There are an estimated 916 active cases in the country.

Janez Mravljak appointed head of recovery office

LJUBLJANA - The government on Wednesday appointed Finance Ministry official Janez Mravljak to head the newly founded Recovery and Resilience Office as acting director starting from 2 August. The office was founded on 3 June under the Finance Ministry to coordinate and manage the implementation of the national recovery and resilience plan, which was formally endorsed by the Council of the EU earlier this week. The whole plan is valued at EUR 2.5 billion.

Krka's H1 net profit up 11% to EUR 177m

NOVO MESTO - Pharma group Krka Group saw its net profit rise by 11% to EUR 177.4 million in the first six months on record sales revenue of EUR 808.6 million, according to unaudited data. Sales revenue was up by 1% compared with the same period last year and up 6% from the first half of 2019. The group generated 95% of the sales in markets outside Slovenia. Sales revenue in East Europe, its biggest region, was up 2% to EUR 276.5 million, and Western Europe was the only to see a drop, of 12% to EUR 159.6 million.

Telekom Slovenije reports 44% higher H1 net profit

LJUBLJANA - The group Telekom Slovenije generated EUR 317.6 million in sales revenue in the first half of the year, down 1% from the same period in 2020. Net profit was up by 44% to EUR 21.3 million. "The Covid-19 pandemic had an impact on revenue in 2021, through lower revenues from our users roaming in foreign operators' networks, and foreign users roaming in our mobile networks, along with lower revenue from IT licenses," the group said in a press release.

Upgraded Jesenice rail tunnel opens, improving link with Austria

JESENICE - Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec and his Austrian counterpart Leonore Gewessler took part in a ceremony marking the reopening of the Karavanke railway tunnel following a safety and technical upgrade. Vrtovec noted the upgrade was a major step in securing greater traffic flow capacity between Slovenia and Austria. The ministers said railways represented the backbone of the future of mobility.

Survey unemployment down to 4.8% in June

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's ILO-compatible survey unemployment rate fell to 4.8% in June, down 0.2 percentage points from May and half a point down from June a year ago, show data released by the Statistics Office. The office estimates about 47,000 people aged 15 to 74 were out of a job in June. Women represented 57% of the unemployed and men 43%. This puts the joblessness rate among women at 6%, compared to 3.8% for men. The monthly estimates are experimental statistics and thus less reliable.

Slovenian, Montenegrin police talk efforts to strengthen cooperation

LJUBLJANA - Montenegrin Police Commissioner Zoran Brđanin visited Slovenia as part of a Montenegrin delegation to meet Interior Ministry State Secretary Božo Predalič and Police Commissioner Anton Olaj. Lauding cooperation between the countries' interior ministries and police forces, the officials discussed efforts to strengthen cooperation in various areas, including criminal police, specialised units and training.

SD calls for independent forensic investigation of mobile devices

LJUBLJANA - The opposition Social Democrats (SD) president and vice-president Tanja Fajon and Matjaž Nemec, respectively, called on PM Janez Janša to initiate an independent, voluntary forensic investigation of mobile devices of political leaders, journalists and civil society representatives in the face of the Pegasus scandal. Fajon said Janša should explain what he was doing and talking about during his visit to a company selling the spyware Pegasus in Europe while in Israel in December 2020.

President Pahor holds talks on ways to revive social dialogue

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor received chair of the Economic and Social Council Mitja Gorenšček to talk about reviving social dialogue. On the latter's initiative, Pahor will host in the second half of August an informal talk with representatives of the government, employers and trade unions to look for ways to resume dialogue. Social dialogue as part of the country's main industrial relations forum has been suspended for three months, with more than 40 items waiting to be discussed, the president's office said after the meeting.

Slovenian subsidiary of Unicredit gets new leadership

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian subsidiary of the Italian banking group Unicredit announced it has new leadership as Lorenzo Ramajola recently took over as the chairman and Mojca Kovač and Tsvetelin Minchev as board members. The management board of UniCredit Banka Slovenija now features six members and the chairman. Ramajola was appointed chairman in April, but needed approval of the national regulatory body.

Slovenia through to Q/F of Olympic basketball tournament

TOKYO, Japan - Slovenia made it to the quarter-finals of the basketball tournament at the Tokyo Olympics after defeating the hosts Japan 116:81 for what is their second win in as many matches. Led by the NBA All-Star Luka Dončić, Slovenia were in the lead throughout the game. With plenty of motivated players in action, they were effective on the offensive and solid in defence. All 12 players scored points; Dončić contributed 25 and Zoran Dragić 24. They will face Spain in the final game of the group phase on Sunday.

Mura out of UEFA Champions League qualifying

RAZGRAD, Bulgaria - Slovenian football champions Mura were knocked out of further qualifying for the UEFA Champions League after losing 1:3 to Bulgaria's Ludogorets in the away leg of the 2nd round on Wednesday. After a goalless draw in the first leg, Mura have been relegated to the Europa League where they will face Lithuania's Zalgiris in the 3rd round.