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Roglič wins Olympic gold in time trial

TOKYO, Japan - Primož Roglič outclassed the competition by more than a minute in the men's Olympic time trial to win the second gold for Slovenia in Tokyo and the second medal for Slovenian cycling at the current Games. Bouncing back from difficulties in the Olympic road race, Roglič entered confidently into the 44.2 kilometre time trial, stepping up the pace throughout the course, to crush the field in the second of two laps for a winning time of 55 minutes 4.19 seconds. "Amazing ... It goes to show how fortunes can turn fast if you believe in yourself and work hard for new challenges ahead. Absolutely amazing," Roglič said.

Ljubljana Plečnik landmarks listed as UNESCO's World Heritage

LJUBLJANA - Ljubljana's landmarks designed by architect Jože Plečnik (1872-1957), including the Triple Bridge, Congress Square and Žale Cemetery, have been included in UNESCO's World Heritage List in line with a decision adopted by the World Heritage Committee. The decision came after the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) positively assessed Slovenia's bid on 4 June, recognizing Plečnik's works in Ljubljana as an exceptional example of urban space design in accordance with the architect's deeply human vision that transformed a former provincial town into a symbolic national capital.

Ceremony at Russian Chapel to mark Slovenia-Russia Friendship Day

LJUBLJANA - In a telephone conversation, Slovenian president Borut Pahor and Russian president Vladimir Putin agreed to declare the day of the annual ceremony in memory of Russian POWs who died building the Vršič pass during WWI also as Slovenia-Russia Friendship Day, said Pahor's office. On 23 July, Pahor sent a letter to Putin proposing this. Putin has now informed Pahor that Russian Ambassador to Slovenia Timur Eyvazov would hand him a letter on Thursday welcoming the proposal.

Slovenia logs 85 new coronavirus cases for Tuesday

LJUBLJANA - Another 85 people tested positive for coronavirus in Slovenia on Tuesday, in what is a decline on the same day a week ago, data from the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) show. The test positivity rate remains high, at 5.37%, but slightly lower compared to over 6% a week ago. 1,583 PCR tests were conducted yesterday, along with 19,482 rapid antigen tests. The rolling 7-day average of new cases dropped by four from the day before to 65.

Slovenian PEN centre expresses support to Montenegrin counterpart

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian PEN centre expressed support in a statement to the Montenegrin PEN centre and called on the international community, the EU and Slovenia's EU presidency to condemn the violence against the Montenegrin nation and its culture. It said it supported the Montenegrin PEN in its fight against "exclusive and violent policy of the current Montenegrin government, which together with the Serbian Orthodox Church and pro-Serbian aspirations for dominance brutally attacks the constitutional foundations of the democratic country of Montenegro".

Real estate fund Equinox seeks floatation

LJUBLJANA - Equinox, a real estate fund created with the split of the real estate branch from the rest of the Group Union Hoteli, has become operational. Its shares are expected to be listed on the Ljubljana Stock Exchange in the autumn. Equinox's portfolio includes four hotels and commercial properties in Ljubljana spanning over a total of 65,000 square metres.

Retail turnover in June higher than pre-pandemic levels

LJUBLJANA - Retail turnover in the first half of this year was 10.8% higher than in the same period last year and 0.2% higher than in the first six months of the pre-pandemic year of 2019. Turnover in June was 12.8% higher compared to June 2020 and 6.6% higher than in June 2019, according to the Statistics Office.

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Daily case count exceeds 100 on Monday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported 106 new coronavirus infections for Monday in 1,650 PCR tests for a positivity rate of 6.4%, an increase on 5.1% a week ago, show fresh official data. The gradual but steady upward trend continues as the 14-day incidence per 100,000 population has risen by one to 41. The 7-day average case count increased by two to 69. The National Institute of Public Health estimates that there are 871 active cases in the country, up from 850 a day ago. The latest round of sequencing by the National Laboratory of Health, Environment and Food shows that 210 of the 222 samples or nearly 95% were the Delta variant.

Judoka Tina Trstenjak wins silver Olympic medal

TOKYO, Japan - Slovenian judoka Tina Trstenjak won the silver medal in the 63kg category at the Tokyo Olympics. The second-best-ranked in the category had to concede to the top-ranked Clarisse Agbegnenou of France in what was a replay of the gold medal match from the previous Olympics where Trstenjak won. Agbegnenou defeated Trstenjak with a waza-ari after 37 seconds of extra time following a tense and aggressive face-off during regulation time which saw penalties awarded to both competitors. "It didn't go according to plan, but I'm super happy I've gotten to the final at two consecutive Olympics," Trstenjak told RTV Slovenija after the match.

Rejected candidates make renewed bid for delegated prosecutors

LJUBLJANA - Matej Oštir and Tanja Frank Eler, the candidates picked by the State Prosecution Council for Slovenia's two European delegated prosecutors before the nomination process was annulled by the government, have also applied in a repeat call for the posts. Prosecutor Oštir confirmed for Radio Slovenija him and Frank Fler have applied in the repeat call. The Justice Ministry, which is responsible for the procedure, has told the STA it has received no application in response to the repeat call by the Monday deadline, but did not rule out the possibility that a bid may have yet arrive by mail.

Ministry joins EU's call regarding Cyprus

LJUBLJANA - The Foreign Ministry shared on Twitter a statement by the EU condemning Turkey's unilateral steps regarding the town of Varosha in Cyprus. "Slovenia supports all endeavours towards a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus issue in line with the UN resolutions and European Union values," the ministry wrote. The EU strongly condemned Turkey's "unilateral steps and the unacceptable announcements made by the Turkish president and the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community on 20 July 2021 on the further reopening of the fenced-off town of Varosha".

STA still waiting for talks with govt to resume

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Press Agency (STA) is still waiting for a response from the government after calling for a new round of talks on financing a week ago. Nor has the agency received any funds for the public service it provides. The STA called on the government to engage in a new round of talks to reach an agreement to finance the STA public service in 2021 after the Administrative Court stayed the implementation of a government regulation detailing the rules governing the STA public service which served as a basis for a draft agreement that the Government Communication Office sent to the STA with the demand to sign it.

Ceremony commemorating Russian POWs to mark other anniversaries as well

LJUBLJANA - The annual ceremony in memory of Russian POWs who died building the Vršič pass during the First World War will this year mark not only 105 years since their death but also the 200th anniversary of Alexander I of Russia's attendance at the Congress of Ljubljana and 30 years of Slovenia's independence. The ceremony will be held on Saturday. The Russian delegation will feature Konstantin Kosachev, the deputy speaker of the Federation Council, Russian parliament's upper house. The Russian Orthodox Church will be represented by Archbishop Tikhon, the primate of the diocese of Berlin and Germany.

Toll sticker sales increase y/y but remain below 2019 levels

LJUBLJANA - Between 1 December 2020 and 30 June 2021, the national motorway company DARS sold a total of 2,622,601 toll stickers, which is 5% more than in the same period last year. However, this year's sales are still 30% lower than in 2019, before the Covid-19 epidemic, when DARS sold 3,769,910 toll stickers by the end of June. The value of toll stickers sold from 1 December 2020 to the end of June this year amounted to EUR 109.17 million. This is slightly below the sales between 1 December 2019 and the end of June 2020 (EUR 110.61 million).

Darko Jorgić achieves best Olympic result in Slovenia's table tennis so far

TOKYO, Japan - Slovenia's Darko Jorgić has made it to the quarter finals in the men's singles table tennis event at Tokyo Olympics as he beat Tomokazu Harimoto, Japan's wunderkind and the fourth-ranked in this category. Jorgić's feat is the best Olympic result in table tennis for Slovenia so far. The 22-year-old, who now ranks 31st in world rankings, could get a ticket for the semi-final on Wednesday when he takes on the seventh-ranked Lin Yun-Ju of Taiwan.

Trajković misses Olympic medal in taekwondo

TOKYO, Japan - Slovenia's Ivan Trajković finished fifth in taekwondo at the Tokyo Olympics after missing bronze by a whisker in the men's +80kg event, having to concede to South Korea's In Kyo-don, the number 2 seed, 4:5. This is Trajković's best Olympic result after he placed 11th at the 2012 Olympics in London. He failed to make it to the Rio Games four years later.

Coach service links Tolmin and Cividale del Friuli

TOLMIN - A coach service linking Tolmin in western Slovenia with Cividale del Friuli in Italy during the summer season was launched with a promotional ride and a meeting between mayors from both sides of the border. Running in July and August, the service was put into operation with the help of Crossmoby, a project under the Interreg programme of interregional cooperation between Slovenia and Italy which is supported by the European Regional Development Fund.

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Canoeist Savšek convincingly wins Olympic gold in C-1 slalom

TOKYO, Japan - Canoeist Benjamin Savšek convincingly won the men's C-1 slalom to earn the first gold medal for Slovenia at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo and the second overall medal for the country. The 34-year-old finished 3.71 seconds ahead of Lukaš Rohan of the Czech Republic and 5.45 seconds ahead of Sideris Tasiadis of Germany. "My first thought was that I managed an excellent run in the finals. A sleepless night is behind me. I finally got the monkey off my back, I had been working hard for this for a long time," he said.

Slovenia beat Argentina in Olympic basketball tournament opener

TOKYO, Japan - Slovenian superstar Luka Dončić scored 48 points as the basketball team cruised past Argentina to open their campaign at the Olympics with a 118:100 win. The first Olympics win for Slovenia came against the runners-up from the last World Cup. Slovenia are on pace to qualify for the elimination round but will probably need at least one more win out of Thursday's encounter with hosts Japan and Sunday's match-up with Spain.

EU finance ministers endorse Slovenia's recovery plan

BRUSSELS, Belgium - EU finance ministers endorsed another four national recovery and resilience plans, including Slovenia's, which the European Commission approved at the beginning of the month. A formal confirmation in writing will follow shortly. Finance Minister Andrej Šircelj Slovenia would get the first funds, EUR 231 million of the EUR 2.5 billion plan, in September at the latest. Cohesion Policy Minister Zvonko Černač said ministries would publish the first calls for applications this year.

Slovenia and Croatia launch platform to fund technology transfer

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian state-owned development bank SID, its Croatian counterpart HBOR and the European Investment Fund (EIF) signed an agreement to establish a regional technology transfer platform under which universities and public research institutions will be able to tap on EUR 40 million to start up and commercialise their development projects. The EIF will chip in EUR 20 million and the two development banks EUR 10 million each.

Slovenia reports 22 coronavirus cases for Sunday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia confirmed 22 cases of coronavirus on Sunday, more than double the figure of a week ago, as the steady rise in infections continues. A total of 593 PCR tests were confirmed and the positivity rate stood at 3.7%. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 population rose by one to 40 and there are now an estimated 850 active cases in the country. Hospital numbers remained flat.

Inquiry finds police response to anti-maskers' attack flawed

LJUBLJANA - An inquiry into police handling an incident in front of the Parliament House in which several MPs were harassed by a group of anti-maskers in early July has found several flaws, including a lack of coordination and a plan of response and subsequent failure to protect the site. The inquiry was launched after criticism that police had been near the scene but did not intervene as several MPs were harassed by protesters after the National Assembly passed amendments to the communicable diseases act.

POP TV survey: SDS in the lead, govt rating remains low

LJUBLJANA - The latest survey conducted by pollster Mediana for POP TV shows that the government enjoys an approval rating of 33%, while 58.8% disapprove of its work and 8.2% were undecided. Among political parties, the ruling Democrats (SDS), at 18%, command a wide lead ahead of the Social Democrats (SD) at 11.7% and the Left at 8%. After five months, president Borut Pahor is back at the top of the list of most popular politicians, overtaking Health Minister Janez Poklukar.

Mercator shareholders endorse plan to offset 2020 loss

LJUBLJANA - Retailer Mercator will offset last year's net loss of EUR 55.4 million in part with retained earnings in the amount of EUR 16.3 million and in part through a simplified decrease in share capital by EUR 36 million, under decisions endorsed by the company's shareholders' meeting. Fortenova, the successor to the bankrupt Croatian holding Agrokor, holds over 89% voting shares in Mercator.

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Week-on-week rise in coronavirus cases continues on Saturday

LJUBLJANA - A total of 740 PCR tests were performed in Slovenia on Saturday, resulting in 32 new infections, in what is a week-on-week increase of 11 cases. The rolling seven-day average was also up by two to 65, shows the website of the National Institute for Public Health (NIJZ). The positivity rate for Saturday is meanwhile down by 0.6 of a percentage points compared to Friday to 4.3%. The number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals remained at 29, and the number of patients in intensive care units stayed at eight. One person died of Covid-19 on Saturday, the government meanwhile said on Twitter.

Slovenian police to get another multi-purpose helicopter

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian police force will get another AW169 soon after Slovenia purchased the first multi-purpose helicopter, manufactured by Italy's Leonardo Helicopters, in early 2020. The EUR 15 million contract on the purchase, delivery and maintenance of the AgustaWestland AW169, a twin-engine, 10-seat multi-purpose transport helicopter, was signed on Saturday by Slovenian Interior Minister Aleš Hojs with representatives of Leonardo. Hojs said on the occasion that he was happy that the helicopter fleet of the Slovenian police was being expanded, the Interior Ministry said on Saturday.

Olympics: Judoka Gomboc finishes 7th in men's 66kg category

TOKYO, Japan - Slovenian judoka Adrian Gomboc finished 7th in the men's 66kg category at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo after dropping to Baruch Shmailov of Israel in the repechage. The 26-year-old fought a tactical and cautious fight against the Israeli, who is ranked 8th on the global judo rankings. After the four minutes of regulation time, the pair fought for the golden point in extra time, with Shmailov concluding the duel with an ippon in only 34 seconds.

Yummy wins main award at Grossmann horror festival

ORMOŽ - Yummy, a 2019 Belgian comedy horror by Belgian director Lars Damoiseaux, won the Vicious Cat award as the 17th Grossmann Fantastic Film and Wine Festival came to a close last night. The judging panel said that that the film about a zombie outbreak that occurs after a Belgian couple goes to a hospital in the Eastern Europe to have plastic surgery was "an "exuberant treat" that merges two genres in the wish to make the audience both laugh and be scared. In addition to the award for the best feature film, Yummy has also received the audience's award, the organisers said on Saturday.

Slovenia's population decline in 2020 highest since 1945

LJUBLJANA - The Covid-19 epidemic has left an indelible mark on Slovenia's demographics, with the negative natural change recorded in Slovenia last year being the highest since 1945 due to high mortality as the number of deaths exceeded the number of births by almost 5,250. The Statistics Office said that the 2020 natural population decrease is mostly a result of above-average high mortality in November and December during the second Covid-19 wave. More than 24,000 residents died last year, an increase of nearly 3,800 on the average figure recorded in 2015-2019.

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Cycling star Tadej Pogačar wins bronze Olympic medal

TOKYO, Japan - Reigning Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar won the bronze medal in the men's cycling road race at the Tokyo Olympics in what is the first Olympic medal in cycling for Slovenia and the first medal for Slovenia at the 2020 Summer Olympics. Ecuador's Richard Carapaz won the gold medal and Wout van Aert from Belgium the silver. "This is something completely unbelievable, I'm speechless," Pogačar told the public broadcaster TV Slovenija. He became the first rider ever to have won an Olympic medal after winning the Tour de France.

Hospitality providers will also have to check Covid certificates

LJUBLJANA - Under the government's decision made on Friday evening hospitality providers in Slovenia will have to check guests' Covid certificates from Monday. Indoor venues such as pubs, cafes, restaurants, casinos, clubs and accommodation facilities will have to check compliance with the rule that visitors be vaccinated, tested or have recovered from coronavirus before entry. The rule, which already applies to organisers of public events and gatherings, is in place until 1 August for now, said the Government Communication Office.

Friday case count rises week-on-week

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported 93 new coronavirus infections for Friday in what is another daily case count increase in weekly comparison after two days of a downward trend in infections. The 7-day average case count is up by four to 63 and the cumulative 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents rose by one to 39, fresh official data show. The latest cases come from 1,865 PCR tests with the positivity rate standing at 5%, up from 3.5% a week ago. The NIJZ estimates that the number of active cases in Slovenia has increased from 818 to 831.

Janša urges pre-election efforts at SDS annual get-together

BOVEC - The leader of the ruling Democrats (SDS) Janez Janša addressed the party's rank and file at the kick-off of their annual gathering, calling on the party's members to step up in the 2022 election campaign. The Slovenian prime minister told the get-together that the party had been successfully steering Slovenia through the Covid-19 epidemic for almost a year and a half. As the super election year of 2022 is approaching, SDS members and supporters should highlight the party's achievements in the pre-election period, Janša said.

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Lenarčič says it is not him who harms Slovenia

BRDO PRI KRANJU - European Commissioner Janez Lenarčič rejected the accusation by Prime Minister Janez Janša that he was acting against Slovenia's interests, as he arrived for an EU ministerial at Brdo estate, saying "Slovenia is being harmed by those who undermine the rule of law and media freedom, rather than those of us who warn of such conduct being problematic". He denied the allegation by Janša in the wake of his comments on the European Commission's Rule of Law report that he sought for strings to be attached to Slovenia's EU recovery funds.

European affairs ministers urge coherent action in time of crises

BRDO PRI KRANJU - After an informal meeting of the EU ministers for European affairs, Slovenian Foreign Ministry State Secretary Gašper Dovžan and European Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčič noted that it had been agreed that the EU must be integrated and coordinated in the time of crises. Lenarčič announced drafting of scenarios for future crises, on the basis of which European resilience objectives will be prepared. The pair stressed the importance of cooperation with the Western Balkan countries, representatives of which attended a part of today's meeting.

Matoz named BAMC chairman

LJUBLJANA - Franci Matoz, a prominent lawyer, was named chairman of the board of directors of the Bank Assets Management Company (BAMC), Slovenia's bad bank. The news comes just a day after the government appointed Matoz, best known as a long-time legal representative of Prime Minister Janez Janša and his Democratic Party (SDS), a non-executive director to replace a director who stepped down last week. Gregor Planteu was named a non-executive alongside Matoz. Non-executives then elected Matoz chairman.

Certificate checking mandatory from today

LJUBLJANA - Organisers of public events and gatherings must check visitors' Covid certificates from today under a regulation that the government put in place yesterday. A mobile app has been released, for now only for devices running Google's Android operating system. A version for Apple devices is expected within two weeks. The checking of compliance is coupled with shorted validity of both rapid tests and the more reliable PCR tests, now valid for 48 and 72 hours, respectively, rather than a week. Health Minister Janez Poklukar said the app would not share any personal data with the organisers. The Information Commissioner launched a supervision of the app, warning of a potential lack of a relevant legal basis.

Report of Janša's vacations with lobbyists in Mauritius raising dust

LJUBLJANA - The web portal Necenzurirano reported that PM Janez Janša had been holidaying in Mauritius for almost 20 years, playing golf and socialising with lobbyist Božo Dimnik and entrepreneur Andrej Marčič, representatives of the largest healthcare suppliers in Slovenia. Part of the opposition demanded a debate in parliament. On the other hand, the prime minister's office noted that Janša had never been on the island during the time when he served as prime minister.

58 new Covid cases reported for Thursday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's daily coronavirus count dropped for the second straight day week-on-week as the country logged 58 new cases for Thursday. According to data released by the National Institute of Public Health, 1,641 PCR tests were performed yesterday, for a positivity rate of 3.5%. The estimated number of active cases has dropped to 818, as the 7-day average case count fell by one to 59 and the cumulative 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents was down two to 38.

EUR 65 million available for reducing wait times

LJUBLJANA - The Health Ministry has made EUR 65 million available for the reduction in waiting times for health services. More than 20,000 patients are expected to benefit, according to Health Minister Janez Poklukar. Slovenia's health system has been plagued by long waiting times for years, a situation exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Poklukar said more than 70,000 people were currently waiting for their first specialist exam and over 100,000 are in line for specialist services.

Tourism picking up as June figures substantially up

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's tourism is beginning to pick up with fresh statistics showing visitor numbers and nights spent at tourism accommodation facilities rose substantially year-on-year in June. Arrivals were up by 54.7% to over 375,000 and nights spent rose by 66.7% to over a million, data from the Statistics Office show. Slovenian tourists accounted for 69% of the nights spent. Their numbers were up by 62% and foreigners' by 42%. Both spent most of their nights in the coastal municipality of Piran.

Revoz struggling with chip shortage

NOVO MESTO - Revoz, Renault's Novo Mesto-based assembly plant, will have two sets of collective leave this summer due to a shortage of chips that has plagued the automotive industry worldwide. The company says it will be difficult to meet production targets. Workers were sent on three-week leave or furlough in early July. Production resumed for a week until next Thursday, when all 2,400 workers will be sent on three-week leave again, head of corporate communications Nevenka Bašek Zildžović told the STA.

Business confidence down in July

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's business confidence indicator declined in July, ending seven months of growth. It was down 2.2 percentage points on the month before but was still 22.6 points up on the annual level, the latest Statistics Office data show. All sub-indicators declined at the monthly level, led by a 1.2-point drop in the services sector. Manufacturing was down 0.3 points and retail by 0.5 points. Consumer confidence was 0.2 points lower and the construction sector reported a 0.1-point drop.

High youth turnout in waters act referendum

LJUBLJANA - Youth turned out in great numbers in the referendum on the government-sponsored waters act on 11 July with data from the National Electoral Commission showing 46.66% of the eligible voters aged 18 to 30 cast their ballots. Their vote represented 15.3% of the overall vote. Overall, the turnout stood at 46.39%. By comparison, the turnout in the youngest group of voters in the 2018 general election stood at 40.54%. They contributed 12.57% of all ballots.

Slovenia with multiple medal favourites in Tokyo

TOKYO, Japan - Slovenia is fielding 54 athletes at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo starting today, including numerous candidates for medals. Kayaker Eva Terčelj and table tennis player Bojan Tokić will bear the Slovenian flag at the opening ceremony. Apart from the men's basketball team, headlined by the young NBA superstar Luka Dončić, Slovenia's favourites include sports climber Janja Garnbret, riders Tadej Pogačar and Primož Roglič, judoka Tina Trstenjak and kayakers Terčelj and Peter Kauzer.

Slovenian athletes not to carry EU flag at Olympic opening ceremony

TOKYO, Japan - The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has rejected a call by European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas and Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša to feature a European flag at the opening ceremony carried by the Slovenian team. An IOC spokesperson told the Brussels-based news portal Politico that "an Olympic team can only use one flag, one emblem and one anthem adopted by its National Olympic Committee and approved by the IOC Executive Board."

Slovenian research sheds new light on microbiome

LJUBLJANA - A group of Slovenian researchers has created software that helps scientists analyse the content of microbiomes, the communities of microorganisms living in the human gut, in order to detect specific pathways that may indicate the presence of a disease. The discovery creates opportunities for the development of new personalised-medicine therapies. The paper has been published in the journal Metabolites (https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/11/6/336) and is featured on its front page.

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Cross-border workers added to exceptions for entry to Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - The government added cross-border workers to the list of exceptions for quarantine-free entry to Slovenia if they do not have a Covid certificate. The exception will apply to workers who live up to ten kilometres from the national border. Cross-border workers are required to return within five days after they cross into another country. It is a temporary exception that is expected to be in force until 15 August, and not later than until 1 September.

Ministers debate future of textile, energy intensive industries

BRDO PRI KRANJU - EU ministers in charge of competitiveness debated the future of Europe's textile and energy-intensive industries at an informal meeting focusing on how these industries can transition to a circular economy. "Sustainable development is very important for industry, the preservation and improvement of long-term prosperity as well as the fight against climate change and efforts for a safe and inclusive society," Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek said. The meeting also featured several successful companies from the textile and energy-intensive sectors.

New digital transformation office established

LJUBLJANA - The government established a new Digital Transformation Office, which will be headed by Mark Boris Andrijanič, who was recently appointed minister without portfolio for digital transformation. The new office will monitor and analyse digital transformation at the national and regional levels, draw up strategic documents, coordinate their implementation, and manage its own digital transformation projects. Both Andrijanič and Prime Minister Janez Janša have said that Slovenia is lagging behind in digitalisation and fast steps are needed to narrow the gap to the digital leaders.

Two non-executive directors appointed at bad bank

LJUBLJANA - The government appointed two non-executive directors at the Bank Assets Management Company (BAMC), lawyer Franci Matoz and Gregor Planteu, who was until recently the government's trustee on the board of retailer Mercator. The new appointees will replace Franc Dover, who stepped down earlier this week, and Marko Tišma, who started out as non-executive director in 2018 and was dismissed today. The appointment of Franci Matoz was proposed by the Finance Ministry, whereas the replacement of Tišma with Planteu was proposed by the Economy Ministry, the Government Communications Office said.

Lawyer Jamie Harpootlian nominated for US ambassador to Slovenia

WASHINGTON, US - US President Joe Biden on Wednesday nominated prominent Columbia lawyer Jamie L. Harpootlian to be ambassador to Slovenia. She is the wife of South Carolina Senator, Democrat Dick Harpootlian. After being confirmed by the US Senate, the new ambassador will succeed Lynda Blanchard, who tendered her resignation in January after Donald Trump lost to Biden in last year's presidential election. Since then Susan K. Falatko has served as chargé d'affaires at the US Embassy in Ljubljana.

Event organisers will have to check Covid certificates

LJUBLJANA - The government decided to make verification of Covid certificate compliance mandatory at all public events and gatherings. Persons who do not have a Covid certificate - a paper of electronic document proving that they have been vaccinated, tested or recovered from Covid-19 in the past six months - must be prohibited from entering the venue, the government said. "It is about those attending events doing so safely and with the knowledge that they will not get sick," Mateja Logar, the head of the government's Covid advisory group, told the press.

Slovenia's first children's house formally established

LJUBLJANA - The government established the country's first Barnahus for children in the form of a public institute that will be dedicated to comprehensive treatment of children involved in criminal proceedings as victims, witnesses or perpetrators. The basis for the children's house is the law passed by the National Assembly at the end of March, which stipulates that comprehensive treatment of children is performed as a public service financed by the state. The law introduces the internationally established model that has also been recognised as good practice by the Council of Europe.

Slovenia donates fence, equipment to help Lithuania stem migrations

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia will donate equipment to Lithuania to help it stem the flow of illegal migrations from Belarus. Under the government decision adopted, Lithuania will get ten kilometres of fence, plus power generators, blankets and ready-made meals. Lithuania has asked EU member states to help and Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite addressed a letter to Slovenian counterpart Aleš Hojs asking for assistance in the construction of physical barriers on the border with Belarus.

Court of Audit happy with PPE procurement remedial measures

LJUBLJANA - The Court of Audit established that remedial measures that were taken by the government and the Agency for Commodity Reserves on the basis of the court's audit of the efficiency of purchases of personal protective and medical equipment had been satisfactory. Nevertheless, the court's post-audit report reminds the government that changes are still needed to set out in more detail responsibilities of relevant stakeholders. The audit report, released on 18 March, found major faults with the PPE procurement scheme.

Industry chamber supports second unit at Krško N-plant

LJUBLJANA - The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) backed the planned construction of the second unit at the Krško nuclear power station, noting that before the project is launched, its price tag should be set out in a transparent and precise way, all safety conditions should be made clear, and a broad social consensus should be reached. The GZS sees Unit 2 as a way to ensure a stable and autonomous electricity supply as one of the main prerequisites for a successful economy.

Daily coronavirus count drops to 69

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported 69 new coronavirus infections for Wednesday, in what marks a week-on-week drop after two days that the daily count was up. One Covid-19 patient died. Official data show that 1,446 PCR tests were conducted yesterday, for a positivity rate of 4.8%. The estimated number of active cases remains at 838, while the 7-day case count average and the cumulative 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents both rose to 60 and 40, respectively.

Electoral commission rejects allegations of referendum irregularities

LJUBLJANA - The National Electoral Commission (DVK) dismissed allegations about voter suppression during the new waters act referendum campaign. The criticism saying that the commission is responsible for issues with informing care home residents, mail voting and early voting stems from false understanding of referendum rules, the DVK said.

Consumer confidence slightly deteriorates

LJUBLJANA - Consumer confidence weakened in July by one percentage point compared with the month before but improved by 10 points year-on-year to three percentage points above the long-term average. The Statistics Office reported that the monthly decrease was mostly due to consumers being more pessimistic about the economic situation in the country (-8 points). Year-on-year improvements were recorded across all components of the indicator.

May pay up in nominal terms, down in real terms

LJUBLJANA - The average gross pay in Slovenia in May stood at EUR 2,008, up 0.7% nominally on April and down 0.2% in real terms. Totalling EUR 1,287, the average net pay was up 0.6% in nominal terms and down 0.3% in real terms, the Statistics Office said. Average gross pay increased by 5.1% in the public sector, whereas it decreased by 2.1% in the private sector. Education saw the most significant increase, at 12%.

Artnik improves own free diving world record

NASSAU, the Bahamas - Slovenian freediver Alenka Artnik further improved the constant weight world record she set three days ago by plunging as far as 122 metres deep at the Vertical Blue competition in the Bahamas. "The dive was absolutely magical, so controlled and relaxed," Artnik said in announcing her feat in a post on her Facebook profile. Artnik set a new world record in her discipline three days ago, diving 120 metres deep into Dean's Blue Hole on Long Island, the Bahamas.

Mura pull out a goalless draw against Ludogorets

MURSKA SOBOTA - Slovenian football champions Mura pulled out a goalless draw against Bulgaria's Ludogorets in the first leg of the second round of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League at home on Wednesday, which means their potential promotion to the third round will be decided in the fixture in Bulgaria next Wednesday. Mura were on the defensive for most of the game, they came closest to actually scoring a goal as Žiga Kous hit the woodwork in the 84th minute.

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EU environment ministers discuss biodiversity, pollinators

BRDO PRI KRANJU - A new proposal for a global framework for biodiversity after 2020 was in the focus of the closing day of the informal meeting of EU environment ministers. Minister Andrej Vizjak said that "the time is to stop the trend of declining biodiversity." He added that "ambitious global objectives should be set to contribute to preserving nature, protecting 30% of global land and oceans by 2030 and restoring degraded ecosystems."

Court stays govt regulation on STA

LJUBLJANA - The Administrative Court granted the STA's request to stay the implementation of a regulation adopted by the government in June that introduces detailed rules governing the public service provided by the STA. The court decided to suspend its implementation pending a final decision arguing the arguments and documents presented by the STA indicate the likelihood of the agency sustaining damage that would be hard to repair. STA director Bojan Veselinovič hailed the court's decision as "yet another confirmation ... that the government should have financed us long ago".

Post-resignation, aide issues sharp critique of Justice Ministry

LJUBLJANA - Anže Erbežnik voiced harsh criticism of the situation at the Ministry of Justice and of his former boss in his letter of resignation as a state secretary a day after his resignation was made public, saying he stepped down because he was unable to work respecting EU law, the rule of law and human rights. "As to the key issue of European delegated prosecutors, the ministry is trying to cover up for its own mistakes in the past unsuccessful appointment procedure, such as by censoring legal explanations to the media and other stakeholders," he said in the letter published by the newspaper Delo.

Daily coronavirus count passes 100

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported 111 coronavirus cases for Tuesday, the highest daily figure since mid-June, with the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) estimating there are now 838 active cases in the country. The rolling 7-day average of new daily cases has increased by four from the day earlier to 58 and the cumulative 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents rose by two to 39. Tuesday's cases were confirmed from 1,807 PCR tests, for a positivity rate of 6.1%, the highest since 12 June.

After Haemorrhagic fever, Tularemia infections appear in Slovenia

TOLMIN - The epidemic of the rodent-borne Haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in northern Primorska, caused by an increase in the number of mice, is beginning to slow down. However, another infectious disease is spreading in the same area in the west - 17 cases of Tularemia, also known as rabbit fever, have been confirmed so far, said the regional unit of the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) in Nova Gorica. The outbreak of the rare infectious disease, which has not been reported in the region for decades, probably originated from a small private water source.

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Rule of law report raises alarm over prosecutors, media situation

BRUSSELS, Belgium - In its second Rule of Law Report, the European Commission's raised concerns over delays in Slovenia in the appointment of state prosecutors and the country's two European delegated prosecutors, as well as about deteriorating media freedom and pluralism. Presenting the report, Commission Vice President Vera Jourova and Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders called on the Slovenian authorities to ensure a stable financing of the STA. Reynders pointed to potential measures over non-appointment of European delegated prosecutors come autumn. Commissioner Janez Lenarčič, who comes from Slovenia, said the Commission had serious concerns about the rule of law in Slovenia.

EU ministers exchange views on Fit for 55, COP26 conference

BRDO PRI KRANJU - EU environment ministers conducted a preliminary exchange of opinions on Fit for 55, the EU's new energy and climate package, at an informal ministerial. Slovenia's Andrej Vizjak said the package was seen as a good basis for talks. "The guiding line has to be fairness among member states, solidarity, ambition and effectiveness," Vizjak said as he summed up the proceedings. The ministers also discussed preparations for the UN climate conference COP26 in Glasgow in November with Vizjak pledging Slovenia would work for the conference achieve concrete results.

One-month high of 88 new coronavirus cases confirmed on Monday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia confirmed 88 new cases of coronavirus on Monday, the highest daily figure since mid-June. The positivity rate jumped to 5.1%, show data by the National Institute of Public Health. A total of 1,734 PCR tests were performed along with almost 28,000 rapid antigen tests. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 population is now 37, up one from the day before. The situation in hospitals improved slightly as 28 patients were hospitalised and nine were in intensive care this morning.

C5 foreign ministers say pandemic is not yet over

PRAGUE, Czechia - The epidemiological situation has improved, however the coronavirus pandemic is far from over, the foreign ministers of Slovenia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary warned after a meeting of what is known as the C5 group. Slovenia's Anže Logar lauded vaccine solidarity and said Slovenia's EU presidency was focused on developing the European Health Union and boosting the EU's strategic autonomy.

Justice Ministry state secretary steps down

LJUBLJANA - Anže Erbežnik, a state secretary at the Justice Ministry, stepped down after less than a month on the job. Erbežnik was named to the post on 22 June, a week after Marjan Dikaučič was appointed minister following the resignation of Lilijana Kozlovič over the government's refusal to appoint two European delegated prosecutors. Dikaučič told the STA Erbežnik had resigned due to "diverging views on the management of the portfolio and the role of the state secretary".

Deputy anti-graft tzar Uroš Novak steps down

LJUBLJANA - Uroš Novak, one of the two deputy heads of the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (KPK), stepped down, citing new professional challenges as the reason. President Borut Pahor received Novak's letter of resignation today. Apart from giving the reason for the move, Novak also thanked Pahor for trust and support. Novak was appointed to the post by Pahor in March 2018, and he assumed his duties in April that year. His five-year term would have ended in less than two years.

Bad bank chairman steps down

LJUBLJANA - The Bank Assets Management Company (BAMC), Slovenia's bad bank, announced that Franc Dover resigned as chairman of the BAMC's board of directors in a decision effective from 21 July and prompted by personal reasons. Dover was appointed a BAMC non-executive director by the government in February to replace Boris Novak, who was dismissed. Dover was to serve as a non-executive director until the end of 2022.

UKOM sends agreement for STA to sign

LJUBLJANA - The Government Communications office (UKOM) sent the Slovenian Press Agency a final draft of the agreement under which the STA is to provide the public service, expecting the agency to sign the document immediately. UKOM said the agreement, valued at EUR 2.028 million, took into account the costs of individual services of the public service as submitted by STA director Bojan Veselinovič. However, Veselinovič said UKOM failed to take into consideration a single of the STA's key remarks, calling for a new round of talks.

Social partners and regions get greater say in conference on EU future

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The executive board of the Conference on the Future of Europe decided to allocate more seats in the Conference Plenary to both regional and local representatives, and social partners, the Slovenian EU presidency said. The changes mean that the current 534-strong plenary will become a body with 550 representatives. "Today's update ... aims to bring Europe further beyond its capitals and gives greater voice to citizens from every walk of life," said Foreign Ministry State Secretary Gašper Dovžan, who co-chairs the board.

Amendments tabled to help foreign students

LJUBLJANA - A group of 40 MPs tabled legislation revoking the requirement that foreign students must provide proof of sufficient funding for their entire stay in Slovenia, which was enacted in May. Left MP Primož Siter said the legislation had unduly tightened conditions for studying in Slovenia by requiring students prove they have at least EUR 5,000 on their bank account. Previous legislation merely required that students present a statement from their parents to the effect that they will finance their children.

German donation for renovation of Jewish Cultural Centre

LJUBLJANA - The Jewish Cultural Centre Ljubljana and the German Embassy signed an agreement under which the German government will provide EUR 25,000 for renovation works. With the financial support, the centre's synagogue can be completed this year and reopen for worship in late autumn. Robert Waltl, director of the Ljubljana Jewish Cultural Centre, told the STA that the total investment for the renovation of the whole building is valued at EUR 1.2 million. The works are about halfway completed.

Eid al-Adha celebrations begin

LJUBLJANA - The Muslim community celebrates Eid al-Adha from 20 to 23 July. The main ceremony took place in the morning at the Muslim Cultural Centre in Ljubljana, with Mufti Nevzet Porić leading the prayer and stressing the importance of vaccination and personal responsibility. He endorsed calls by health experts for vaccination against Covid-19, expressing hope that closures of places of worship will not happen again.

Taxes and levies up 25% in first six months year-on-year

LJUBLJANA - The Financial Administration (FURS) collected EUR 9.34 billion in taxes and other levies in the first six months of 2021. This is up 24.6% year-on-year and also 8% more than in same period in 2019, show preliminary FURS data.

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Energy permit issued for second unit of Krško nuclear power station

LJUBLJANA - The Infrastructure Ministry issued an energy permit for the construction of the second unit of the Krško nuclear power station. "The energy permit kick-starts the broadest possible public debate, not just at the expert level but also among the people," Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec told the press, adding that this did not mark the final decision on the investment, it is merely the first step. The project will be managed by the state-owned Gen Energija. Details such as the estimated price, time frame and choice of technology are not known yet.

Intel oversight chair hints at potential spyware abuse in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - Matjaž Nemec, the chair of the parliamentary Intelligence Oversight Commission, confirmed in a tweet the commission had received first hints of potential abuse of spyware in Slovenia as early as last year, but said it was not clear what type of software was involved. The commission became even more attentive when PM Janez Janša visited Israel last December, he told the STA after a consortium of media reported that hacking spyware sold by the Israeli NSO Group has been allegedly used by governments to target journalists, activists and political opponents. The Slovenian online portal Oštro reported last spring that Janša had met representatives of NSO while in Israel.

Rapid tests no longer available free of charge for all from 23 Aug

LJUBLJANA - While rapid antigen tests are now available to all residents in Slovenia free of charge, they will be available for free only to some groups from 23 August, the government decided at a correspondence session. Persons who are not allowed to get vaccinated for health conditions will still be eligible for free rapid antigen testing, and so will be individuals who have not yet been ill with Covid-19 or have not yet been fully vaccinated but could "spread Covid-19 while working or while being in other environments where there is direct risk of spreading the virus". This group features users of health services, care homes residents, prisoners, and individuals at centres for foreigners, safe houses, asylum centres or children's crisis centres.

Ministers say EU needs common research area

BRDO PRI KRANJU - EU ministers in charge of research agreed that Europe needs a common research area as they met for an informal meeting at Brdo pri Kranju as part of Slovenia's EU presidency to discuss revitalising the European Research Area (ERA), and the role of international cooperation to promote research and innovation. Slovenian Minister of Education and Science Simona Kustec said decision-makers will not create such a research area on their own but in collaboration with all stakeholders, particularly researchers and businesses. A number of measures to further encourage research and innovation were presented, including financial, infrastructure and soft measures. The ministerial was also attended by Commissioner for Innovation and Research Mariya Gabriel.

EU agriculture ministers endorse organic action plan

BRUSSELS, Belgium - EU agriculture ministers meeting under Slovenia's presidency for the first time unanimously endorsed an action plan aiming for at least 25% of agricultural land to be under organic farming by 2030 in what is also of the priorities of Slovenia's presidency. Minister Jože Podgoršek, who chaired the meeting, hailed the endorsement of the plan, which he said was one of the priorities of Slovenia's presidency of the Council of the EU. The action plan is part of the From Farm to Fork strategy, set out by the European Commission in May 2020 as one of the key measures in the European Green Deal.

Govt urged to stop delaying prosecutor appointments

LJUBLJANA - The State Prosecution Council urged the government to take a decision on the appointment of 12 candidates for state prosecutors put forward by the previous justice minister between last September and June as soon as possible. In a call adopted by the council, its head Tamara Gregorčič noted staff shortages at some prosecution offices, which she said were partly due to the government's "unprompt an selective decision-making on the proposals for prosecutor appointments".

Court rejects motion challenging inadmissibility of army investment vote

LJUBLJANA - The Constitutional Court rejected an opposition-sponsored motion challenging the inadmissibility of a referendum on a EUR 780 million investments in the Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) in 2021-2026 as declared by parliament. The motion was thrown out due to non-compliance with formal conditions. The court's decision was unanimous and comes after the parliament decided to ban the referendum in November 2020. The court is now in the process of deciding on the constitutionality of the act itself based on a different motion.

Slovenia and Israel mark first friendship day

CERKLJE OB KRKI - A ceremony at the Prilozje air strip near the town of Metlika in south-east marked the first Slovenia-Israel Friendship Day in memory of the joint struggle against Nazism and Fascism in WWII with President Borut Pahor and Israeli Ambassador Eyal Sela wishing for the event to become an annual tradition. The event marked the centenary of the birth of Israeli hero and poet Hannah Szenes, who parachuted into the Bela Krajina region on a mission during WWII in a heroic story that Pahor said linked the two nations.

Push for Slovenian athletes to carry EU flag at Olympics

LJUBLJANA - European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas and Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša have proposed that the Slovenian team carry the EU flag alongside their national flag at the Olympic Games opening ceremony in Tokyo. In a joint letter addressed to International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach, they said this would "render Slovenian athletes ambassadors of European unity and the values underpinning our Union which match those of the Olympic movement".

Govt with lowest rating so far, SDS retains lead in Vox Populi poll

LJUBLJANA - The latest Vox Populi poll, commissioned by the dailies Dnevnik and Večer, shows that the rating of the Janez Janša government has hit its lowest point so far, with nearly 72% disapproving of its work. The ruling Democrats (SDS) nevertheless remain in the lead, with 18.2%, down 0.9 points over the month before. The opposition Social Democrats (SD) are in second place with 12.7%, up from 12.1% in June, trailed by the Left in third at 10.1%, a three-point gain month-on-month.

Nine new coronavirus cases confirmed as downward trend persists

LJUBLJANA - Nine new cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Slovenia on Sunday, the fifth day in a row that cases dropped on a week-on-week basis, show the latest data released by the National Institute of Public Health. The positive cases came from 590 tests, for a positivity rate of 1.5%. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 population currently stands at 36, down marginally from the day before. Hospital numbers remained unchanged.

Police and interior ministry to get new premises in four years

LJUBLJANA - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs and Marjan Podgoršek, director general of the state-owned real estate investment firm DSU, signed a contract for the provision of new premises for the ministry and police. The two bodies will get new premises in the Šiška borough in Ljubljana in four years' time. Standing in an exceptional location, the premises will house a number of departments of the ministry and police, said Hojs. Both the force and the ministry will hence empty out their premises in a number of locations, including in the city centre near the Ljubljana Skyscraper and Prešernova Street.

Wholesale and retail sees 5.7% drop in sales in 2020

LJUBLJANA - Turnover from the sale of goods in Slovenia declined in both wholesale and retail trade in 2020. It totalled EUR 26.2 billion, down 5.7% on 2019. Due to the lower mobility of the population, fuel sales revenue fell markedly, the Statistics Office said.