20 May 2021, 04:28 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Thursday, 20 May 2021

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

This summary is provided by the STA:

FM Logar calls for EU unity on Middle East

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Foreign Minister Anže Logar called for EU unity and active engagement towards finding a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as he attended a virtual session of the EU's Foreign Affairs Council. A political solution based on negotiations is the only way to achieve just and lasting peace based on the two-state principle that would fulfil the legitimate expectations of Palestine and Israel, Logar was quoted as saying by the Foreign Ministry.

CO2 emission cuts, biodiversity in focus of Slovenian EU presidency's environment agenda

BRUSSELS, Belgium - A demanding legislative package to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and biodiversity will be at the core of Slovenia's EU presidency priorities in the field of environment in the second half of 2021, Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak said during. Biodiversity will be another key priority, and will be given roughly the same attention because it is an important topic for Slovenia. The main goal is to involve the protection of biodiversity in all policies.

Minister presents Slovenia's EU presidency priorities in education

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Minister of Education, Science and Sport Simona Kustec presented the priorities of the upcoming Slovenian EU presidency to her EU counterparts. She said experience related to Covid-19 would be an important topic. Slovenia will strive for the young to be heard, for everyone to obtain quality education and for the European model of sports. A special debate is also envisaged on the experience related to Covid-19 and adoption of measures that would help bring life back to normal.

Simoniti talks Slovenia's EU presidency priorities in culture in Brussels

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Culture Minister Vasko Simoniti met Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture and Youth Mariya Gabriel, as he was in Brussels to attend a session of the EU Council for Education, Youth, Culture and Sport and to present the priorities in the culture, media and audiovisual sectors during Slovenia's EU presidency. The innovative potential of culture and the competitiveness of European culture will be at the forefront of Slovenia's EU presidency alongside efforts to address the consequences of the pandemic in the culture and creative sectors.

Student self-testing to be launched next week

LJUBLJANA - Student self-testing will be launched next Monday, but only for some secondary school students for now, Health Minister Janez Poklukar said. Others, including older primary school pupils, could start taking swabs a week later or as soon as possible. Student self-testing remains voluntary and will be conducted at home. Initially it had been planned that the self-testing would start in schools on 16 April, however the situation hit a standstill due to delays in testing kits deliveries, which then had to be certified by health authorities.

Almost 500 coronavirus new cases logged as hospitalisations drop below 400

LJUBLJANA - A further 497 people tested positive for coronavirus in Slovenia on Monday and six patients with Covid-19 died as hospitalisations dropped below 400 for the first time in nearly seven months, official data show. Data released by the government show 4,232 PCR tests were performed, for a positivity rate of 11.7%. The latest daily case count marks a slight increase (1.4%) from Monday a week ago, but data from the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) show the 7-day average of new cases remains flat at 444. Hospitalisations were at 383, the lowest figure since 21 October.

Professional firefighters preparing for strike

LJUBLJANA - The trade union representing professional firefighters announced it was preparing for a strike after its calls for implementing the 2018 strike-averting agreement had been completely ignored by the government. "Despite several months of efforts to continue the implementation of strike-averting commitments with the new government after the previous stepped down, the talks have not even started as Defence Minister [Matej] Tonin has been ignoring us completely," the trade union said. Under the agreements, all operative firefighters should get higher wages. It was also agreed that the ministry would change the law on firefighting in the part dealing with a loyalty bonus.

Centre-left opposition still think they lack representation in working bodies

LJUBLJANA - After the unaffiliated MPs got 12 seats in parliamentary working bodies, the centre-left opposition still insist that the new breakdown of seats does not reflect the actual balance of power between the coalition and opposition, noting the opposition is still eight seats short. They propose proposed to parliamentary Speaker Igor Zorčič two possible approaches to ensure a fairer representation - either assigning additional eight seats to the centre-left opposition or coming up with a completely new structure in the working bodies.

NGO files criminal complaint against UKOM head over STA funding

LJUBLJANA - An NGO that offers legal support to individuals and organisations that find themselves in legal proceedings because of their non-violent public activity has filed a criminal complaint against the head of the Government Communication Office (UKOM) over suspension of funding to the Slovenian Press Agency (STA). The Legal Network for the Protection of Democracy argues that UKOM head Uroš Urbanija has abused his office, crossed the boundaries of his official rights and failed to conduct his official duties, thus causing substantial damage to the STA.

Govt approves EUR 1 million incentive for Hisense TV plant

LJUBLJANA - The government approved the Chinese-owned group Hisense Europe Electronics EUR 1 million in non-refundable funds for its TV production plant at the existing Gorenje operation in Velenje. It included the project to expand TV production capacities in Velenje in the state budget plan of development programmes for the 2021-2024 period, approving up to EUR 997,734 as incentive for the initial investment. "The project crucially contributes to regional development through creation of new and preservation of existing jobs," the government said.

Triglav's group net profit up 18% in Q1

LJUBLJANA - Insurer Zavarovalnica Triglav saw group net profit rise by 18% in the first quarter to EUR 26.6 million as gross written revenue increased by 7% over the year before to almost EUR 372 million. Gross claims paid amounted to EUR 171.3 million, down by 4% year-on-year, as there were no major catastrophic events in the first three months of 2021. Assets managed in mutual funds and discretionary mandate assets increased by 13% to EUR 1.307 billion, the company said in an earnings release.

Church-state dialogue welcomed by both sides in a symposium

LJUBLJANA - National Council President Alojz Kovšca pointed in an online symposium on religious freedom to the importance of the state's role in promoting and protecting religious freedom, while Apostolic Nuncio Jean-Marie Speich recalled the role of Pope John Paul II in Slovenia's independence. Owing to the personal decision of Pope John Paul II, the Holy See was among the first to recognise Slovenia as an independent state, he said. Both welcomed this type of dialogue between church and state as they addressed the event as a prelude to the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Slovenia's independence.

Bee Family wins Mugerli EU Prize for Literature

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Anja Mugerli has been declared one of the 13 winners of the European Union Prize for Literature for 2021. The fourth Slovenian author to win the prize, Mugerli convinced the jurors with Čebelja Družina (Bee Family) a book of seven stories. The recurring theme of the seven stories is the old Slovenian customs and traditions that are put into a new context or into a new, contemporary time frame where they gain on a new role. The family features as a central theme.

Wastewater analysis shows drug use in Slovenian cities mostly below int average

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian cities are mostly below international average when it comes to the use of illicit drugs, with the exception of ecstasy levels in Ljubljana and amphetamine in Velenje, an international study based on waste water analysis for 2020 has shown. According to information provided by the Jožef Stefan Institute (IJS), which coordinates the study in Slovenia, Ljubljana recorded the highest levels of biomarkers of cocaine, ecstasy and methamphetamine in its wastewater, while Velenje had the highest level of traces of amphetamine among the six Slovenian towns included in the study.

19 May 2021, 04:00 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Wednesday, 19 May 2021

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

This summary is provided by the STA:

FM Logar calls for EU unity on Middle East

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Foreign Minister Anže Logar called for EU unity and active engagement towards finding a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as he attended a virtual session of the EU's Foreign Affairs Council. A political solution based on negotiations is the only way to achieve just and lasting peace based on the two-state principle that would fulfil the legitimate expectations of Palestine and Israel, Logar was quoted as saying by the Foreign Ministry.

CO2 emission cuts, biodiversity in focus of Slovenian EU presidency's environment agenda

BRUSSELS, Belgium - A demanding legislative package to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and biodiversity will be at the core of Slovenia's EU presidency priorities in the field of environment in the second half of 2021, Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak said during. Biodiversity will be another key priority, and will be given roughly the same attention because it is an important topic for Slovenia. The main goal is to involve the protection of biodiversity in all policies.

Minister presents Slovenia's EU presidency priorities in education

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Minister of Education, Science and Sport Simona Kustec presented the priorities of the upcoming Slovenian EU presidency to her EU counterparts. She said experience related to Covid-19 would be an important topic. Slovenia will strive for the young to be heard, for everyone to obtain quality education and for the European model of sports. A special debate is also envisaged on the experience related to Covid-19 and adoption of measures that would help bring life back to normal.

Simoniti talks Slovenia's EU presidency priorities in culture in Brussels

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Culture Minister Vasko Simoniti met Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture and Youth Mariya Gabriel, as he was in Brussels to attend a session of the EU Council for Education, Youth, Culture and Sport and to present the priorities in the culture, media and audiovisual sectors during Slovenia's EU presidency. The innovative potential of culture and the competitiveness of European culture will be at the forefront of Slovenia's EU presidency alongside efforts to address the consequences of the pandemic in the culture and creative sectors.

Student self-testing to be launched next week

LJUBLJANA - Student self-testing will be launched next Monday, but only for some secondary school students for now, Health Minister Janez Poklukar said. Others, including older primary school pupils, could start taking swabs a week later or as soon as possible. Student self-testing remains voluntary and will be conducted at home. Initially it had been planned that the self-testing would start in schools on 16 April, however the situation hit a standstill due to delays in testing kits deliveries, which then had to be certified by health authorities.

Almost 500 coronavirus new cases logged as hospitalisations drop below 400

LJUBLJANA - A further 497 people tested positive for coronavirus in Slovenia on Monday and six patients with Covid-19 died as hospitalisations dropped below 400 for the first time in nearly seven months, official data show. Data released by the government show 4,232 PCR tests were performed, for a positivity rate of 11.7%. The latest daily case count marks a slight increase (1.4%) from Monday a week ago, but data from the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) show the 7-day average of new cases remains flat at 444. Hospitalisations were at 383, the lowest figure since 21 October.

Professional firefighters preparing for strike

LJUBLJANA - The trade union representing professional firefighters announced it was preparing for a strike after its calls for implementing the 2018 strike-averting agreement had been completely ignored by the government. "Despite several months of efforts to continue the implementation of strike-averting commitments with the new government after the previous stepped down, the talks have not even started as Defence Minister [Matej] Tonin has been ignoring us completely," the trade union said. Under the agreements, all operative firefighters should get higher wages. It was also agreed that the ministry would change the law on firefighting in the part dealing with a loyalty bonus.

Centre-left opposition still think they lack representation in working bodies

LJUBLJANA - After the unaffiliated MPs got 12 seats in parliamentary working bodies, the centre-left opposition still insist that the new breakdown of seats does not reflect the actual balance of power between the coalition and opposition, noting the opposition is still eight seats short. They propose proposed to parliamentary Speaker Igor Zorčič two possible approaches to ensure a fairer representation - either assigning additional eight seats to the centre-left opposition or coming up with a completely new structure in the working bodies.

NGO files criminal complaint against UKOM head over STA funding

LJUBLJANA - An NGO that offers legal support to individuals and organisations that find themselves in legal proceedings because of their non-violent public activity has filed a criminal complaint against the head of the Government Communication Office (UKOM) over suspension of funding to the Slovenian Press Agency (STA). The Legal Network for the Protection of Democracy argues that UKOM head Uroš Urbanija has abused his office, crossed the boundaries of his official rights and failed to conduct his official duties, thus causing substantial damage to the STA.

Govt approves EUR 1 million incentive for Hisense TV plant

LJUBLJANA - The government approved the Chinese-owned group Hisense Europe Electronics EUR 1 million in non-refundable funds for its TV production plant at the existing Gorenje operation in Velenje. It included the project to expand TV production capacities in Velenje in the state budget plan of development programmes for the 2021-2024 period, approving up to EUR 997,734 as incentive for the initial investment. "The project crucially contributes to regional development through creation of new and preservation of existing jobs," the government said.

Triglav's group net profit up 18% in Q1

LJUBLJANA - Insurer Zavarovalnica Triglav saw group net profit rise by 18% in the first quarter to EUR 26.6 million as gross written revenue increased by 7% over the year before to almost EUR 372 million. Gross claims paid amounted to EUR 171.3 million, down by 4% year-on-year, as there were no major catastrophic events in the first three months of 2021. Assets managed in mutual funds and discretionary mandate assets increased by 13% to EUR 1.307 billion, the company said in an earnings release.

Church-state dialogue welcomed by both sides in a symposium

LJUBLJANA - National Council President Alojz Kovšca pointed in an online symposium on religious freedom to the importance of the state's role in promoting and protecting religious freedom, while Apostolic Nuncio Jean-Marie Speich recalled the role of Pope John Paul II in Slovenia's independence. Owing to the personal decision of Pope John Paul II, the Holy See was among the first to recognise Slovenia as an independent state, he said. Both welcomed this type of dialogue between church and state as they addressed the event as a prelude to the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Slovenia's independence.

Bee Family wins Mugerli EU Prize for Literature

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Anja Mugerli has been declared one of the 13 winners of the European Union Prize for Literature for 2021. The fourth Slovenian author to win the prize, Mugerli convinced the jurors with Čebelja Družina (Bee Family) a book of seven stories. The recurring theme of the seven stories is the old Slovenian customs and traditions that are put into a new context or into a new, contemporary time frame where they gain on a new role. The family features as a central theme.

Wastewater analysis shows drug use in Slovenian cities mostly below int average

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian cities are mostly below international average when it comes to the use of illicit drugs, with the exception of ecstasy levels in Ljubljana and amphetamine in Velenje, an international study based on waste water analysis for 2020 has shown. According to information provided by the Jožef Stefan Institute (IJS), which coordinates the study in Slovenia, Ljubljana recorded the highest levels of biomarkers of cocaine, ecstasy and methamphetamine in its wastewater, while Velenje had the highest level of traces of amphetamine among the six Slovenian towns included in the study.

18 May 2021, 04:25 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Tuesday, 18 May 2021

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

This summary is provided by the STA:

Brdo-Brijuni Process summit reaffirms commitment to EU enlargement

BRDO PRI KRANJU - President Borut Pahor hosted a summit of the Brdo-Brijuni Process featuring his counterparts from Croatia, Albania, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia and the presiding trio of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Marking the 10th anniversary of the initiative, the summit adopted the Brdo Declaration in which the leaders reaffirm their commitment to EU enlargement, and urge the EU to speed up the process to include the whole region in the bloc. Meanwhile, due to Serbia's insisting on a wording that was unacceptable for others, the declaration failed to support the unchangeability of borders in the region. Pahor described the meeting as hard but successful.

Janša, Merkel talk pandemic and EU presidency

LJUBLJANA/BERLIN, Germany - Prime minister Janez Janša held a videoconference call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to discuss the coronavirus pandemic and vaccination. The pair also talked about Slovenia's EU presidency priorities, the Conference on the Future of Europe and the Western Balkans. Janša's poffice said that this year's Bled Strategic Forum, expected to be attended by a number of European leaders, will be dedicated entirely to the discussion on the bloc's future.

Parliamentary session aborted over failure to confirm agenda

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly failed to confirm the agenda proposed for the May plenary session with 42 MPs voting in favour and 42 against. Thus, Speaker Igor Zorčič suspended the session before it even began. The plenary, which was to run until Tuesday next week, was to vote on the opposition-sponsored motion to impeach Prime Minister Janez Janša and on the proposal by the coalition to dismiss Igor Zorčič as the speaker. In response, the centre-left coalition filed for an emergency session to discuss impeachment, while the coalition requested an emergency session to vote on most other items on the agenda of the regular plenary, except for the vote on Zorčič and opposition bills.

Unaffiliated MPs get 12 seats in parliamentary working bodies

LJUBLJANA - The college of deputy groups confirmed a new breakdown of seats in the working bodies of the National Assembly to assign seats in a total of 12 bodies to the four unaffiliated MPs. Nine seats were vacated by the Modern Centre Party (SMC) and three by the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS). The group of unaffiliated MPs comprises former SMC deputies Janja Sluga, Branislav Rajić and Igor Zorčič, who is also the speaker of the National Assembly, and former DeSUS MP Jurij Lep.

Palestinian ambassador condemns Israeli flag raising

LJUBLJANA - Palestinian Ambassador Salahem Abdel-Shafi expressed indignation over the Slovenian government's decision to raise Israel's flag in Ljubljana to express solidarity with Israel amid the latest escalation of violence in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Israeli Ambassador to Slovenia Eyal Sela told news portal Siol.net that Israel had the duty to protect its citizens as much as any other country. The government raised the Israeli flag along the Slovenian and EU flags on the government building on Friday, and said on Twitter: "We condemn the terrorist attacks and we stand by Israel."

Hojs says Slovenia to strengthen Schengen as presiding country

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs took part in a virtual session of the Schengen Forum, saying that Slovenia as the presiding country of the EU Council in the second part of the year would make an effort to strengthen the Schengen Area. The Schengen Forum is a platform with which the European Commission wants to deepen the political and strategic debate ahead of the presentation of a strategy on the future of the Schengen Area, scheduled for the beginning of June.

Slovenia cancels EU presidency art exhibition in Brussels

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Parliament confirmed that Slovenia had cancelled an exhibition of works of art by Slovenian artists that had been scheduled to be held in Brussels during Slovenia's EU presidency in the second half of 2021. The Parliament was recently notified of the cancellation by Slovenia's Permanent Representation to the European Union. Such exhibitions that mark EU member states' six-month stints at the helm of the Council of the EU have been a regular feature since 2011.

Govt with lowest support so far in Vox Populi poll

LJUBLJANA - The latest Vox Populi poll, commissioned by dailies Dnevnik and Večer, shows that the support for the Janez Janša government hit its lowest point so far as 70.2% think the government is not doing its job well. Meanwhile, the ruling Democrats (SDS) remain in the lead at 18%, followed by the opposition SocDems, at 13%. The share of respondents who assess the government's work as unsuccessful increased by almost 3 percentage points, while 26.1% still believe the government is doing a good job.

Prime Minister Janša honoured by mountaineering association

LUČE - Prime Minister Janez Janša was honoured by the Skala mountaineering club at a ceremony on Sunday for his contribution to the promotion of the club's values and goals, the prime minister's office said. The association said in a press release that Janša had received the Kocbek Prize for his "visionary and selfless work, as well as his numerous initiatives and exemplary persistence on the way to the common goal - the establishment of the Slovenian mountaineering club Skala".

113 new coronavirus infections on Sunday, three deaths

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia logged 113 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, when 1,504 tests were performed for a positivity rate of 7.5%. The number of patients in hospitals is 407, including 121 in intensive care, after eight were discharged and three patients died, government data show. Ten people were meanwhile admitted to hospital.

Former PM to be reported for intel agency hiring

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Commission for Oversight of Intelligence and Security Services (KNOVS) announced it would file a criminal complaint against former Prime Minister Marjan Šarec, his ex-aide Damir Črnčec and former head of the SOVA intelligence agency Rajko Kozmelj on suspicion of abuse of office in hiring Šarec's acquaintance at SOVA. The KNOVS intends to report the trio to the authorities in 14 days, SDS MP Anja Bah Žibert told the press after the commission's meeting.

Sava Turizem's revenue almost halved last year

LJUBLJANA - The tourism company Sava Turizem last year generated EUR 55.2 million in sales revenue, which is 47% less than in the year before. It generated more than a quarter of the revenue from tourism vouchers that were used by domestic tourists between the first and second waves of the Covid-19 epidemic.

March pay increases monthly, annually

LJUBLJANA - The average gross pay in March was EUR 2,010, up 3.3% nominally and 3% in real terms compared to February. The average net pay for March was EUR 1,291, which was 3% higher nominally and 2.7% higher in real terms, the Statistics Office said. Pay was also higher on an annual basis. The average gross pay in March this year was 14.3% higher than in March 2020, when the country was gripped by the Covid-19 epidemic. The average net pay rose by 12.6% year-on-year.

17 May 2021, 04:53 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Monday, 17 May 2021

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

This summary is provided by the STA:

Pahor greets co-host Milanović ahead of Brdo-Brijuni summit

BLED - President Borut Pahor received his Croatian counterpart Zoran Milanović on the eve of the Brdo-Brijuni Process summit, saying everything was ready for the event organisation-wise and politically. From Pahor's point of view, the most important thing on Monday will be that the leaders arrive at a joint position on the importance of faster enlargement of the EU to the Western Balkans and the need for reform in these countries. Milanović said that "we are here to help the Western Balkan neighbours join the EU as soon as easy as possible," and that Croatia would do everything in its power so that the neighbours became a part of the same community, which was important for human, practical and business reasons.

292 new infections confirmed as 7-day average inches up

LJUBLJANA - A total of 2,471 PCR tests for the novel coronavirus were performed in Slovenia on Saturday to confirm 292 infections, with the positivity rate staying flat at 11.8% compared to the day before. The seven-day average of new infections was up by 2 to 449, the latest figures released by the government show. The number of hospitalised persons was down by 13 to 408, of whom 121 are in intensive care, which is the same as the day before, while three persons died of Covid-19. According to the National Institute of Public Health, the share of the fully vaccinated population is 13.6%.

Minister Jaklitsch visits Slovenian community in Italy

Gorizia, 16 May - Minister for Slovenians Abroad Helena Jaklitsch visited on Saturday the Slovenian community in Italy's San Floriano del Collio, with locals assuring the government representative that "as proud Slovenians, they are not letting go of the Slovenian language and culture." As part of the visit in the Province of Gorizia, Jaklitsch met Mayor Franca Padovan and representatives of the local cultural associations. Jaklitsch also attended a presentation of a collection of articles that marks the 70th anniversary of the local farmer and worker association, a section of the Slovenian Community party.

Consumption of vegetables increasing

LJUBLJANA - Slovenians eat more and more vegetables, official statistics suggest. In 2019, a total of 246,000 tonnes of vegetables were consumed, which is about 118 kilogrammes per capita and up 50% compared to 2000, the Statistics Office said this week to mark the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables. Slovenians eat more vegetables than the country produces. In 2019, the vegetable self-sufficiency rate was 43%. The rate was the lowest in 2010, at 30%, and highest in 2000, at 47%.
Farmers produced over 120,000 tonnes of vegetables in 2019, while Slovenians consumed 267,000 tonnes of fruit in 2019.

16 May 2021, 05:22 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Sunday, 16 May 2021

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

This summary is provided by the STA:

Slovenian Armed Forces Day marked with optimism

IG - Slovenian Armed Forces Day was marked at a special ceremony remembering the day 30 years ago when Slovenian conscripts started serving exclusively in Slovenia. President Borut Pahor, the supreme commander, praised the army as a military pillar of national security. Pahor, as well as Defence Minister Matej Tonin and Maj-Gen Robert Glavaš, chief of the general staff, said the legislative changes adopted over the past year signalled better times ahead in terms of funds and staff. Pahor praised the EUR 780 million military investment law as "a brave and wise decision", with Tonin saying that at the start of its fourth decade the army was "in for modernisation, which entails great responsibility". The event was also attended by PM Janez Janša and the president of the upper chamber of parliament, Alojz Kovšča.

Lenarčič says Commission worried about situation in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčič said the European Commission was worried about the situation in Slovenia, chiefly about media freedom, although Brussels had never treated Slovenia as a problematic member. While some might wish Slovenia follow in the footsteps of Hungary and Poland, the situation here is different than in Hungary, Slovenia's member of the Commission said in an interview with the newspaper Dnevnik. He said "we still have media plurality, and I hope it stays that way", arguing free media are a fundamental ingredient of democracy , which is one of the fundamental values of the EU.

Govt rejects co-funding two newspapers, small radio stations

LJUBLJANA - The dailies Delo and Dnevnik reported that several small radio stations with special status, as well as Delo and Dnevnik, had lost the state's financial support provided under the Culture Ministry's annual co-funding scheme. Especially for the small radio stations this is bound to cause serious financial problems. Delo and Dnevnik said their applications had been rejected for their alleged media bias and because they did not focus on local coverage enough. Media expert Marko Milosavljević told Dnevnik the ministry's commission in charge of reviewing the applications was in fact politically imbalanced itself, with four of the five members being extremely close to the ruling SDS. The ministry will release the outcome of the media tender once all applicants have been notified of the results.

494 coronavirus infections on Friday, six deaths

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported 494 coronavirus infections for Friday in what continues to be a steady improvement of the epidemiological status and the situation in hospitals. The 7-day average declined further to 447. Another six Covid-19 patients died, show fresh official data. The latest cases came from 4,177 PCR tests, for a positivity rate of 11.8%, down from 14.6% on the same day a week ago. Hospitalisations decreased to 421 this morning, ICU cases were down to 121.

Cap on public events, rallies up from 10 to 50

LJUBLJANA - As easing of coronavirus restrictions continues following the government's 12 May decisions, some changes kicked in today, when up to 50 persons are allowed to gather for organised public events and rallies, while several countries are no longer on the list of high-risk red countries, including Slovakia and Israel. Quarantine can be again interrupted, if imposed on entry into Slovenia, after five days in case of a negative PCR test. Further easing is kicking in on Monday, when all secondary school and university students will be allowed to fully return to in-person schooling.

OHO prize won by Lene Jekše

LJUBLJANA - Lene Jekše, born in 1995, was honoured with this year's OHO prize, the main award for up-and-coming visual artists in Slovenia. Her work Strategies of Whistling was praised by the jury as "dealing with specific circumstances of work in the pandemic without words, precisely and critically". Lekše graduated in sculpture from the Ljubljana Academy of Art and Design in 2018, where she also earned her master's degree. Her works have been exhibited as part of several group and solo shows in Tallinn, Ljubljana, Celje and Novo Mesto.

15 May 2021, 03:54 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Saturday, 15 May 2021

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

This summary is provided by the STA:

Pahor, Vučić discusses unchangeability of borders in the Balkans

BELGRADE, Serbia - President Borut Pahor met Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vučić in preparation for the Brdo-Brijuni Process summit with the pair agreeing that the borders in the Western Balkans must not be changed. Pahor reiterated his opposition to any changing of the borders in the region, noting that peaceful changes to the border were not possible. He said this was important not only for peace and stability in the region, but within the EU as well. Vučić said that Serbia, which does not recognise Kosovo's independence, exclusively advocated the principle of unchangeability of borders in line with UN decisions.

New basic training concept for military service

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia has a new concept of basic training for the Slovenian Armed Forces, designed as a single entry point for those interested in either voluntary or professional service. For the whole 13 weeks of training, recruits will get pay of roughly EUR 3,200. Defence Minister Matej Tonin said a modern military required stable financing and more staff. Financing has been secured, while the new training system, which will be launched in July, is expected to increase the inflow of potential staff.

Unions say govt expelled them from ESS with ignorance of social dialogue

LJUBLJANA - Trade union confederations said they had decided to leave the Economic and Social Council (ESS) because the government had practically abolished social dialogue and thus deprived them of the seats at the negotiating table. They warned the government's action was leading to a conflict. Lidija Jerkič of the ZSSS said unions intended to fight for worker rights with other means. Labour Minister Janez Cigler Kralj regretted the decision. He said the current situation was tough, as the foundations were being laid for post-Covid times, so he urged them to return to negotiating table as soon as possible.

Govt flies Israeli flag in solidarity with Israel

LJUBLJANA - An Israeli flag was hoisted along the Slovenian and EU flags on the Slovenian government building as an expression of solidarity with Israel. "We condemn the terrorist attacks and we stand by Israel," the government said on Twitter, a message also shared by Prime Minister Janez Janša. President Borut Pahor expressed disagreement, tweeting that he was "not in favour of the expression of the country's views on international issues with the raising of other countries' flags", a view also echoed by Speaker Igor Zorčič. There was a rally in support of Palestine in front of the Israeli consulate in the afternoon featuring about 100 protesters.

Timing of phaseout of monetary policy measures key, governor says

LJUBLJANA - Boštjan Vasle, the governor of Slovenia's central bank, thinks the key challenge of the post-corona recovery will be to get the timing of the end of extraordinary monetary policy measures right. "We have to be mindful not to withdraw [the measures] too quickly and thus jeopardise the strengthening of the recovery dynamics to a sustainable level," he told the STA in an interview. At the same time, the measures must not persist for too long since they have negative side affects as well, while the precise timing depends on the course of the pandemic and monetary policymakers remain cautious.

Slovenia wants green certificate deployed by 1 July

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia thinks it is essential that the EU digital green certificate, which is designed to facilitate cross-border travel, be implemented by 1 July. If that does not happen, member states will be forced to resort to national solutions, Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek said after an informal meeting of EU ministers in charge of tourism. "We want to have a safe relaxation of cross-border mobility and the provision of safe tourist services," Počivalšek said.

Economist Mrak criticises government's recovery plan

LJUBLJANA - Economist Mojmir Mrak has criticised for Mladina the content and the drawing up of the national recovery and resilience plan. He feels that the measures are not sufficiently oriented towards development and productivity, and that the government showed distrust towards experts and public in the process. Mrak, a professor at the Ljubljana School of Economics and Business, also pointed out plan relied heavily on constructing physical infrastructure.

Slovenia's 1991 defence guidelines remembered with memorial plaque

POLJČE - A memorial plaque was unveiled in Poljče marking a key meeting in May 1991 that set the guidelines for Slovenia's defence in the independence war that followed in June. All those at the meeting knew Slovenia declaring independence would result in a clash with the Yugoslav People's Army, PM Janez Janša, at the time defence minister, said. He unveiled the plaque together with Defence Minister Matej Tonin and Janez Slapar, who was back then the chief of Slovenian Territorial Defence.

Logar thinks Slovenia, Andorra could boost coop in agriculture, high-tech

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar met Andorran Foreign Minister Maria Ubach Font, with the pair agreeing that the cooperation between Slovenia and Andorra could be enhanced. Logar proposed agriculture and high-tech as the areas with the most potential, while assessing bilateral relations between the two countries were currently at a low level but there are many opportunities to change that.

DeSUS MPs remain party members

LJUBLJANA - The executive committee of the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) was expected to decide whether to strip its MPs of party membership over their recent voting record. Due to procedural issues, the matter was not put to a vote. Four regional chapters would have had to back the proposal to hold a vote, but only two did, the party's interim president Brigita Čokl said. The session was held in the aftermath of reports that some regional chapters were unhappy that their MPs continue to vote with the government even though the party left the coalition in December.

Fines for quarantine violations confirmed

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly endorsed amendments to the act on communicable diseases that bring fines of between EUR 400 and EUR 4,000 for those who ignore orders to quarantine. The new provisions stipulate that the National Institute of Public Health may order individuals to quarantine if they have been in a high-risk contact with a person infected with a dangerous communicable disease. Police may issue quarantine orders on arrival in the country.

CIVICUS warns of Janša's pressure on civil society, media

LJUBLJANA - CIVICUS, an international organisation of NGOs, warns in its latest report of the attitude of Prime Minister Janez Janša and the Democrats (SDS) towards the civil society and media. It expresses concern over government attacks on the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) and a ban on protests. CIVICUS lists several examples of government pressure on people's freedoms, the civil society and media.

Slovenia recorded 471 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, six deaths

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia logged 471 new coronavirus cases on Thursday and six new deaths, as the rolling seven-day average of new cases dropped to 466. Another 443 Covid-19 patients are currently in Slovenia's hospitals, fresh government data show. Yesterday, 11.9% of the 3,961 tests came back positive, which is a lower positivity rate than the day before, when it stood at 12.9%.

Miner initiation ritual declared intangible cultural heritage

VELENJE - The Ministry of Culture has declared the Jump over the Leather Apron, a traditional initiation ritual for beginner miners in Velenje, as Slovenia's intangible cultural heritage. Novice miners symbolically jump over a leather apron as this is an accessory that used to be worn by miners to protect themselves from damp. This initiation event was first held in 1961.

14 May 2021, 04:50 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Friday, 14 May 2021

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

This summary is provided by the STA:

Pahor endorses continuation of Prishtina-Belgrade dialogue

PRISHTINA, Kosovo - President Borut Pahor met his Kosovo counterpart Vjosa Osmani in the run up to the the Brdo-Brijuni Process summit in Slovenia. He said that as a "big advocate of the dialogue between Prishtina and Belgrade", he expects the new authorities in Kosovo would be willing to provide the dialogue with a new momentum. Pahor announced that the leaders of the regional cooperation initiative would consult about a "fresher, more optimistic view of the European prospects of the Western Balkans".

C5 ministers call for coordinated border measures ahead of summer season

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia - The foreign ministers of the Central 5, including Slovenia's Anže Logar, discussed possible relaxation of Covid-19 border restrictions during the summer season. They agreed that coordinating and informing each other about measures was necessary so that movement of people and business is not excessively restricted, and that until a digital green certificate is fully implemented in the EU, regional and bilateral agreements on recognition of vaccination certificates would be needed.

Slovenia urged to appoint delegated prosecutors

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Slovenia's upcoming presidency and the delay in the appointment of Slovenia's European delegated prosecutors (EPDs) topped the agenda as Justice Minister Lilijana Kozlovič met European Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders on Wednesday. Reynders called Slovenia again to appoint the two prosecutors, after Kozlovič earlier said that she had done everything in her power to make the EPPO operational in Slovenia.

State secretary talks transatlantic ties with US official

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Ministry State Secretary Stanislav Raščan stressed the role of the transatlantic partnership and pledged Slovenia's commitment to strengthen Slovenia-US ties as he had a video call with Philip Reeker, acting assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs at the US Department of State. Raščan confirmed Slovenia's strong and well-developed relations with the US, saying the ties and cooperation will be further strengthened.

Trade union confederations leaving Economic and Social Council

LJUBLJANA - Trade unions decided to leave the Economic and Social Council (ESS), the country's main industrial relations forum. The main reason is the "government's systematic violation of rules on the functioning of the ESS". Labour Minister Janez Cigler Kralj said the door to continue dialogue remained open. Employers expressed regret, arguing the tri-partite dialogue was very important.

57 Slovenians so far repatriated from Venezuela

LJUBLJANA - A total of 57 persons of Slovenian descent have so far been repatriated from Venezuela. The repatriation project was launched in 2019 and those who arrived in the first round have completed Slovenian language classes. Many have found jobs and their children are in school, said Dejan Valentinčič, state secretary at the Office for Slovenians Abroad told the Commission for Slovenians Abroad.

Number of new coronavirus cases at almost 600 on Wednesday

LJUBLJANA - A total of 597 new coronavirus infections were confirmed in 4,636 PCR tests in Slovenia on Wednesday, which means 12.9% of the tests came back positive. Currently, 450 people are in hospitals, including 123 in intensive care, government data show. Four Covid-19 patients died and 45 have been discharged from hospital. While the first case of the Indian variant has been confirmed, health authorities believe is very unlikely to spread in Slovenia, not least because the British strain is currently highly predominant.

Telekom Group revenue, profit down in Q1

LJUBLJANA - Telekom Slovenije Group generated EUR 157.5 million in revenue in the first quarter of this year, which is down 6% from the same period last year. Net profit dropped by 14% to EUR 9.7 million. The business operations were still affected by the epidemic, while the revenue drop is partly attributed to a drop in revenue from IT licenses.

SIJ group with EUR 50m loss in 2020

LJUBLJANA - Steel manufacturer SIJ posted a loss of EUR 49.9 million at group level at the end of 2020 on EUR 696 million in sales revenue, a drop of over 9% compared to 2019. The loss compares to 2019's net profit of EUR 44.9 million, which was an over 800% rise from 2018 largely resulting of the sale of poultry producer Perutnina Ptuj.

State increases stake in spa Olimia to over 98%

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH) increased the state stake in the spa company Terme Olimia to 98.25% as part of efforts to create a state hospitality holding. SSH acquired a further 20.64% stake in Terme Olimia in a public takeover bid that run out on Monday, according to a notice published in the newspaper Delo. Offering EUR 27.50 per share, SSH paid EUR 4 million for the stake.

Spanish company Glovo to acquire Ehrana delivery platform

LJUBLJANA - Spanish start-up Glovo announced it would acquire one of the largest food delivery providers in Slovenia, Ehrana. The acquisition is expected to be formally completed in the next few months and the two companies are already planning their transition strategy. The purchase price has not been disclosed.

Former foreign owners of Adria Airways suspected of misdeeds

LJUBLJANA - The prosecution has requested an investigation against former German owners and management of Adria Airways for financial misdeeds due to which the Slovenian flag carrier ending up in receivership in 2019, news portal Necenzurirano reported. The portal names the suspects as former Adria Airways CEO Arno Schuster, his successor Holger Kowarsch, Klaus Platzer, who acted as financial advisor to the company, and Eggo Laukamp.

Bidder says suspension of TS Media sale bad news for Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - Responding to Telekom Slovenije suspending the sale of its subsidiary TS Media, United Group, one of the bidders, said that this was bad news for all foreign investors and even worse for Slovenia. "Our bid was very good and it is obvious that it is not possible to carry out in Slovenia an independent and fair tender whose objective is exclusively in the domain of economic interests," United Group's vice president of marketing and media Victoriya Boklag said.

Condemnation as Bosniak association leader comes under attack

LJUBLJANA - A group of NGOs and research institutions has condemned incitement of "racist and ethnic hatred" after Jasminka Dedić, the head of the Slovenian Bosniak Cultural Association, came under attack from right-wing media for comments she made for the Sarajevo-based newspaper STAV. "We understand the minister's conduct as pejorative and malicious ethnic and racist labelling of Slovenian citizens who are being denied the right to express political views as representatives of minority cultural associations," reads the letter.

13 May 2021, 04:10 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Thursday, 13 May 2021

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

This summary is provided by the STA:

Restrictions eased as epidemic extended from 17 May

LJUBLJANA - The government eased several coronavirus restrictions, including raising the cap on gatherings to 50, and relaxing restrictions on hospitality, tourism, sports, culture and education. It also extended the state of Covid-19 epidemic by another 30 days from 17 May. Cultural, sports and other events as well as casinos will be able to reopen to 50% sitting capacity for visitors that have been vaccinated, tested or recovered from Covid-19. Opening hours for hospitality establishments are being extended to between 5am-10pm. Secondary schools and colleges are allowed to fully open.

Indian variant of coronavirus confirmed in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - The Institute of Microbiology and Immunology at the Ljubljana Faculty of Medicine confirmed it had confirmed the Indian variant of coronavirus in a sample taken on 20 April from a person who tested positive after returning from India. This was after the institute back analysed all Slovenian samples again after updating on 11 May the algorithm to sequence the new mutation.

Almost 730 new coronavirus infections on Tuesday, two deaths

LJUBLJANA - A total of 726 out of 4,698 PCR tests came back positive on Tuesday, fresh government data show. 463 Covid-19 patients are in hospitals, including 127 in intensive care. Two patients died yesterday. The rolling seven-day average of confirmed cases dropped by 29 to 520.

Brussels upgrades Slovenia's GDP forecast for 2021 to 4.9%

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission upgraded Slovenia's GDP growth forecast for this year by 0.2 of a percentage point to 4.9%, while downgrading it to 5.1% for 2022, by 0.1 of a point from its previous, winter outlook. Recovery is expected to be driven by domestic demand and by investment, which will fuel demand for imports.

Slovenia urging sides in Israel to prevent further civilian casualties

LJUBLJANA - The Foreign Ministry responded to the escalation of the conflict between Israel and Palestinians by calling on all sides to prevent further civilian casualties. "Rocket attacks on #Israel as well as any form of violence are unacceptable and must end immediately. The only way to a peaceful solution is without violence. We call on all sides to prevent further civilian casualties," the Foreign Ministry said in a post on its Twitter profile.

Minister expects EU to have enough vaccine in coming months

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Health Minister Janez Poklukar expects the EU will have enough Covid-19 vaccine in the coming months to fight off the pandemic, and that a digital green certificate will also play an important role. Its first version could be available in Slovenia in June, allowing residents to travel abroad over the summer, he said after meeting European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides.

Vrtovec says Slovenia will be ambitious in energy, transport

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec wrapped up a two-day visit to Brussels where he met senior EU Commission officials by saying that Slovenia's upcoming EU Council presidency would be very ambitious in energy and transport. "We have important objectives, for which I am convinced will be attained, in particular in the field of e-mobility and decarbonisation," the minister told Slovenian reporters.

Hojs talks upcoming EU presidency with Hungarian counterpart

BUDAPEST, Hungary - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs met in Budapest his Hungarian counterpart Sandor Pinter, with the working visit dedicated to presenting the priorities in interior affairs during Slovenia's presidency of the EU Council in the second half of the year. Slovenia and Hungary have similar views when it comes to migration - they advocate progress in the external dimension and more effective refoulement, the ministry said.

FM Logar says Slovenia to join MED7 in autumn

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia expects to be invited to a summit of MED7, a group of seven Mediterranean EU countries, this autumn, Foreign Minister Anže Logar said as he answered an MP question about the country's plans to join MED7. He told the parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee he had received confirmation as he attended a session of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on Monday.

Media Freedom Rapid Response plans mission to Slovenia in May

BRUSSELS, Belgium/LJUBLJANA - The partners within the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) project will conduct a virtual mission to Slovenia in late May and early June to assess reports on the deterioration of media freedom in the country over the past year. The virtual fact-finding mission will be led by the European Federation of Journalists and the International Press Institute in partnership with the Slovene Association of Journalists, and joined by other partner organisations.

EANA calls on Janša to settle dispute over STA

BERN, Switzerland - The European Alliance of News Agencies (EANA) addressed an open letter to Prime Minister Janez Janša calling on him to resolve the dispute with the Slovenian Press Agency (STA). It expressed concern about Janša's tweet accusing STA director Bojan Veselinovič of being an accomplice to the "murder" of former STA editor-in-chief Borut Meško, which they see as "another blunt attempt to attack STA and its independence".

Court of Audit boss cleared of incompatibility of offices

LJUBLJANA - The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption established that Tomaž Vesel's work for FIFA's Audit and Compliance Committee is not incompatible with his office of Court of Audit president under Slovenia's integrity legislation, and terminated the procedure against him on Monday. His work for FIFA was questioned by some media and politicians as the court was reviewing Slovenia's public procurement of personal protective equipment last year.

Court hires detective to deliver mail to Janša

LJUBLJANA - The newspaper Dnevnik reported that the Ljubljana District Court hired a detective to try to deliver court mail to Prime Minister Janez Janša, who is not picking up mail related to the Trenta case. The case involves a piece of land in the Trenta Valley that Janša bought in 1992 and sold in 2005 for nearly nine times the price he paid, and for which an indictment against him and another two defendants was filed last autumn over abuse of office.

Opposition fails to exclude foreign capital from Koper-Divača project

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly narrowly rejected opposition-sponsored changes to the act on the construction of a new railway line between the port of Koper and Divača seeking to strike out the option that allows foreign capital to be invested in the project. Coalition MPs pointed to the role of foreign countries in the port's development. 43 deputies voted in favour and 44 against.

Telekom Slovenije suspends sale of TS Media

LJUBLJANA - Telekom Slovenije announced it had suspended the sale a 100% stake in its subsidiary TS Media, whose portfolio includes the news portal Siol.net, while not disclosing the reasons. The state-owned telco published a call for expressions of interest in TS Media last November. According to data from the Slovenian Advertising Chamber, Siol.net is the second most popular web portal in Slovenia, trailing only 24ur.com.

38 Oshkosh tactical vehicles arrive in Koper

KOPER - The shipment of 38 Oshkosh light tactical vehicles for the Slovenian Armed Forces arrived at the Koper port on Tuesday. Slovenia purchased the four-wheeled vehicles from the US under a government-to-government deal signed on 12 November 2018, the Defence Ministry said. The purchase comprises 38 JLTV 4x4 vehicles fitted with M153 Kongsberg weapon station.

Cinkarna Celje sales revenue, net profit up in Q1

CELJE - Chemical company Cinkarna Celje saw its sales revenue rise by 5% to EUR 50.3 million in the first quarter of 2021 year on year, while its net profit rose by 8% to EUR 7.4 million. The management considers the results good and above the projections for the first three quarters.

Women's rally calls for freedom, democracy

LJUBLJANA - A peaceful rally marked the 78th anniversary of the end of the first women's protests held in the occupied Ljubljana, with dozens of protesters calling for freedom, democracy and a serious attitude towards the topical social issues that would shape the quality of life in the future. The authorities were also urged to protect the environment.

Carmina Burana staged by Edward Clug to premiere on Sunday

MARIBOR - The Carmina Burana cantata choreographed by Edward Clug will bring together 130 dancers, musicians and singers to the stage of the SNG Maribor opera and ballet house as it premieres on Sunday evening in a live broadcast on national television. Conducted by Simon Krečič, the show will also feature opera soloists, but there will be no live audience due to the Covid-19 restrictions. The performance will be thus broadcast live on Channel 2 of TV Slovenija.

Preparations for Giro d'Italia in full swing in Goriška region

NOVA GORICA/BRDA - The municipalities of Brda and Nova Gorica are all set for the 15th stage of the Giro that will take place on 23 May and will run from Grado to Gorizia across Slovenia. Numerous activities are under way to make this an unforgettable day, although it is not yet clear whether spectators will be allowed to watch the race from the sides

12 May 2021, 04:32 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Wednesday, 12 May 2021

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

This summary is provided by the STA:

Janša denies reports over his non-attendance at Strasbourg ceremony

LJUBLJANA/BRUSSELS, Belgium - Prime Minister Janez Janša denied on Twitter media reports that he was being sidelined from the inauguration ceremony of the Conference on the Future of Europe in Strasbourg on Sunday. Foreign Ministry State Secretary Gašper Dovžan, speaking in Brussels told reporters in Brussels Janša could have attended the ceremony if he wanted to. The newspaper Delo reported the co-chair of the executive committee, Guy de Verhofstadt, allegedly did not want Janša to be invited, but Janša said the Council of the EU was represented at the conference by the PM of the current presiding country, Portugal, while he would co-chair the conference next time.

Minister says she's done everything to appoint EU delegated prosecutors

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Following several calls to speed up appointment of Slovenia's two delegated European prosecutors, Justice Minister Lilijana Kozlovič said she had done all in her power, while it was now on the government to act. The minister made comments as she visited Brussels as part of Slovenia's preparations for EU presidency. She said making the European Public Prosecutor's Office operational was of utmost importance for preventing corruption and money laundering across the EU. The minister will outline her view to European Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders tomorrow.

Procedures to buy military aircraft to start this year

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Defence Committee discussed an amended national defence plan for 2018-2023 that would allow for the purchase of a tactical transport aircraft for the army, and two helicopters for the special forces. The procedure to purchase the plane will start this year and for the helicopters by 2023. Defence Ministry State Secretary Uroš Lampret said Slovenia needed its own capabilities due to deterioration in global security and the distance to NATO's international operations. Opposition Left criticised the planned purchases.

Pahor visits Astral Knight exercise

ČRNI KAL - President Borut Pahor as the commander-in-chief of the Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) visited SAF air defence unit members and their US counterparts who are taking part in the international exercise Astral Knight as part of the Defender Europe 2021 war games. Pahor, who was accompanied by the chief of the SAF general staff, Major General Robert Glavaš, said it was important SAF members were testing their capabilities with partners in international military exercises.

Coalition MPs file bill to raise funding of private primary schools

Ljubljana, 11 May - In a bid to have a Constitutional Court ruling implemented, coalition MPs tabled a bill to secure 100% state funding of private primary schools' obligatory curriculum and 85% of their optional programmes. Public primaries, which present a large majority, are fully funded from the state budget, while state covers only 85% of the obligatory and above-standard curricula at private primaries. The changed funding is to increase annual education spending by EUR 350,000.

Hojs discusses returning of migrants with EU counterparts

LISBON, Portugal - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs took part in a ministerial conference on migration organised by Portugal's EU presidency in Lisbon with EU ministers and ministers of several African countries sharing their experience with migration. The talks focussed on finding a solution to return migrants from the EU to African countries, said Hojs, who was one of the ministers attending the conference in person. He believes countries will likely stick to bilateral agreements.

EUSAIR strategy forum marks end of Slovenia's AII presidency

PORTOROŽ - As Slovenia is concluding its third presidency of the Adriatic and Ionian Initiative (AII), the Izola Declaration was adopted at the EUSAIR strategy forum in Portorož, underlining the European perspective of the Western Balkans. At the annual EU Strategy forum for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR), Slovenian Foreign Minister Anže Logar also hosted a meeting of the foreign ministers of the nine AII member countries. Slovenia will pass the presidency of the AII to Albania on Wednesday.

Podgoršek presents EU presidency priorities to Kyriakides

LJUBLJANA - Agriculture Minister Jože Podgoršek discussed Slovenia's EU presidency priorities concerning food safety, and animals and plants with European Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides via videoconference. He said Slovenia would devote utmost attention to consumer safety and food traceability. In trade agreements with third countries that concern agriculture, the minister believes the high EU standards need to be protected, especially in veterinary medicine.

Conditions met for yellow tier

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia met the conditions to move to the yellow tier of infections as the 7-day average of new coronavirus cases fell below 600, to 549, the lowest since October, and Covid-19 hospitalisations dropped to 477. This was after 491 new cases were confirmed from 3,642 PCR tests on Monday, a 45% drop from a week ago. Three Covid-19 patients died, while 131 patients require intensive care, government figures show.

Nearly half unwilling to be vaccinated, survey finds

LJUBLJANA - Three-quarters of respondents in a survey supported by the pollster Valicon and the Covid-19 tracker community are somewhat worried about the epidemic, but almost half are still unwilling to be vaccinated. The main reason for people's reluctance to be vaccinated is fear of possible side effects, as out of those who do not want to be vaccinated, more than 80% said they were "at least somewhat" concerned. The poll was conducted on 16-23 April among 1,042 participants.

Former foreign minister tipped for top job at Book Agency

LJUBLJANA - Dimitrij Rupel, a long-serving former foreign minister, is tipped for the job of the director of the Slovenian Book Agency in an interim role after none of the candidates were picked in a call for applications issued in February. "I'm in talks with the ministry, the matter is not definitive yet, a decision has not yet been taken," Rupel told the STA. The 75-year-old served four stints as foreign minister between 1990 and 2008, and he was also a university professor, the editor of several political magazines and mayor of Ljubljana.

NLB bank more than trebles Q1 net profit

LJUBLJANA - NLB, Slovenia's largest banking group, reported a net profit of EUR 64.6 million for the first quarter of the year, about 3.5-fold the figure posted in the same period a year ago. This was as EUR 15.5 million in net impairments and provisions were released. The parent bank posted EUR 39.3 million in profit, which compares to EUR 7.5 million a year ago. While virtually all subsidiaries operated at a profit, the group's results, in particular interest income, were boosted by its latest acquisition, the Serbian group Komercijalna Banka.

Erste Group also interested in NKBM, Finance reports

LJUBLJANA - The business newspaper Finance reported, citing unofficial but reliable sources, that apart from Hungarian bank OTP, Austria's Erste Group is also interested in acquiring NKBM, the second largest bank in Slovenia. While NKBM's owner Apollo, a US private equity fund, declined to confirm the report, sources in the financial industry close to Apollo confirmed that OTP, which entered Slovenia with the acquisition of SKB Bank in 2019, is not an exclusive potential buyer of NKBM. Erste Group is present in Slovenia with its Sparkasse bank and had already sought to expand its presence.

Police officer fined over unauthorised data access

LJUBLJANA - The Koper District Court has fined a Nova Gorica police officer EUR 5,000 due to unauthorised access to police data on almost two dozen persons in 2019, including the defence minister at the time, Karl Erjavec. Officer Zdenko Kabaj accessed the data while working at the Aliens Centre in Postojna. His search triggered a red-flag warning because of Erjavec's status as a protected person, prompting an internal investigation, several media reported.

Croatian journalists express solidarity with STA

ZAGREB, Croatia - Croatian journalists issued a statement to express solidarity with journalists in Slovenia, where "the public and independent press agency STA is exposed to increasing political and financial pressures". The Croatian Journalist Association (HND) and the Trade Union of Croatian Journalists (SNH) are worried about the situation which forced the STA to seek "donations from citizens, who must be guaranteed the right to information".

Conference remembers 1821 Congress of Laibach

LJUBLJANA - Ljubljana is hosting an online conference marking the 200th anniversary of the Congress of Ljubljana, which put what was then a small provincial town in the spotlight of European diplomacy. The congress was an attempt of the monarchical powers of the Holy Alliance to address demands for more political rights in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars. Ljubljana, at the time called Laibach, was chosen due to its proximity to Austria and Italy, where unrest emerged in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

Michelin-starred chef to cook for Slovenia's EU presidency guests

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Distinguished Slovenian chef Tomaž Kavčič will be in charge of cuisine at all top-level events during the upcoming Slovenian presidency of the Council of the EU, which makes Slovenia the first country to entrust such a job to a Michelin-starred chef. As announced by JGZ Brdo State Protocol Services, the aim of the cooperation with Kavčič is to combine first-class service, excellent staff and cuisine at the highest level. He will be in charge of the culinary programme at four locations - Villa Tartini, Strmol Castle, Villa Bled and the renovated Elegans Brdo hotel.

Rodent-borne haemorrhagic fever on the rise in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - Haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome is on the rise in Slovenia as the National Institute of Public Health recorded as many as 95 cases so far this year. More than half of the cases (56) were registered in the Ljubljana area. There were only eight cases of the fever recorded in 2015, 12 cases each in 2016 and 2018, and 76 in 2017, but they peaked in 2019 at 252. The State Forests company said that the increased mice population may be due to a prolific beechnut season.

11 May 2021, 04:07 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Tuesday, 11 May 2021

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

This summary is provided by the STA:

Border police get help from Estonia, Lithuania and Poland

NOVO MESTO - Police officers from Estonia, Lithuania and Poland joined their Slovenian colleagues to help patrol the border with Croatia and prevent illegal migrations. The 21 officers will be deployed for at least a month and up to six months and are soon to be joined by additional officers from several European countries. Interior Minister Aleš Hojs said the National Assembly's refusal to clear the deployment of soldiers played a major role in the decision to seek help in the EU.

Janša presenting EU presidency priorities in Athens

ATHENS, Greece - Prime Minister Janez Janša presented the priorities of the Slovenian EU presidency at the Delphi Economic Forum, highlighting resilience to health crises and cyber attacks, and the European way of life. " I think we have all learned a lot in the last few months and that a large majority of Europe agree we must build a Europe that will be resilient to new epidemics but also to other challenges that we have to be better prepared for, one of them being cyber security," he said. Janša also held talks with his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis and European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas.

FM Logar stresses importance EU's involvement in W Balkans

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Foreign Minister Anže Logar emphasised the importance of the EU's continued engagement in Western Balkans as EU foreign ministers reaffirmed the EU membership prospects of countries in the region. He expressed regret over the standstill of the enlargement process and the negotiating frameworks for North Macedonia and Albania and voiced the hope that Portugal's EU presidency will be successful in efforts to remove any reservations about that.

Logar says Slovenia well prepared for EU presidency

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar told the commercial broadcaster POP TV Sunday that Slovenia would be well prepared to preside the Council of the EU. Asked whether Slovenia being in the spotlight of EU institutions due to the "war with the media" and issues concerning the rule of law was bad for its presidency, Logar said that "this is a matter of individual perception". He described Slovenia as a reliable partner and said the government was not encroaching on media freedom.

Vaccination rollout gathers momentum

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's vaccination rollout is expected to gather momentum as jabs became available to adults under 50 years of age, while older and more vulnerable will continue to take priority. Mass vaccination for all adults comes after a nation-wide vaccination booking app was launched last week. Data from the National Institute of Public Health show nearly half a million or nearly a quarter of Slovenia's population have received one shot and roughly half of them or 12% have been fully vaccinated.

Public told AstraZeneca supplies sufficient for 2nd jab

LJUBLJANA - After the European Commission decided not to order new Covid-19 vaccines from AstraZeneca beyond June, Bojana Beović, the head of the national advisory committee on immunisation, assured those who had already received the first dose that they would also receive the second one. She said 133,000 people had received the first dose and were waiting to get another while almost half a million doses were expected in May and June. Should that fail, they would get a mRNK vaccine.

Covid-19: 7-day average drops further as hospitalisations rise

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia logged 147 coronavirus infections for Sunday as the 7-day average dropped further to 606. Six patients with Covid-19 died, fresh data from the government show. The number of patients hospitalised with Covid-19 inched back above 500 after falling just below that figure yesterday. Given more hospital discharges and a continuation of the declining trend in new infections, the country could move to the yellow tier of coronavirus restrictions in coming days.

Agreement signed to end police strike

LJUBLJANA - The Police Trade Union (PSS) and Interior Minister Aleš Hojs signed an agreement designed to end a strike that police officers started on January and suspended a month later. Under the terms of the deal, some police wages will increase, a bonus for working on the Schengen border will be reinstated, and talks on a new collective agreement for the force should start within a year. The strike will formally end once the agreement is fully implemented.

SDS and govt make gains in Delo poll

LJUBLJANA - The ruling Democratic Party (SDS) gained two percentage points in the latest Barometer poll commissioned by Delo, to poll at 17.4%, the highest since November. The voter approval rating for the government also increased slightly as the share of those who assess its work negatively dropped from 57% to 55%. The main opposition parties lost some ground, including the SocDems, who rank second at 12.2%. Almost a third of those questioned were undecided or would not vote for anyone.

EU Court candidate wants to continue successful work

LJUBLJANA - Marko Ilešič, the Slovenian judge at the Court of the EU in Luxembourg who has been nominated for another term, said he would like to continue what he deems has been successful work there. Ilešič, who has been representing Slovenia at the court since 2004, said he had decided to run again because this was an intellectual challenge for him and because he believed that he had performed the job well so far, noting that as rapporteur, he had the main say in some of the major decisions of the court, including a 2014 ruling involving Google.

EUR 189,000 raised in first week of campaign for STA

LJUBLJANA - Some EUR 189,000 has been raised a week into what is planned to be a month-long fundraising campaign to secure funding for the Slovenian Press Agency (STA), which the Association of Slovenian Journalists labelled as an exceptional start. This roughly equals the monthly compensation for the public service performed by the STA. The Za obSTAnek campaign aims to raise two million euro via small SMS donations and from potential larger donors.

Exports up 18% in March year-on-year

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia exported EUR 3.5 billion worth of goods in March, 18% more than in the same month last year, when trade slowed down due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Imports were up by 20.4% to EUR 3.4 billion, with Germany being the most important partner in both directions of trade. Trade with the EU member states accounted for 68.6% of total exports and 69.8% of total imports, the Statistics Office reported.

Industry records growth in first quarter

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian industry recorded year-on-year growth in the first quarter, with the total value of industrial production increasing by 3%, turnover by 4.1% and inventories by 0.6%. In March, the value of industrial production was 1% lower than in February, while turnover was 1.2% lower. The quarterly increase was driven by manufacturing, where output rose by 3.5%, data from the Statistics Office show.

Laibach announce new European tour

LJUBLJANA - Laibach have announced a new European tour called The Coming Race, which is to start at the end of October. Before that, the band is scheduled to perform at the Exit Festival in Serbia in July. Whether the festival will happen at all, given the current situation, will be clear in the coming weeks. Laibach also plan to release a new album with Mute Records, Wir sind das Volk. It is based on the texts of the German playwright and poet Heiner Müller.

Queue jumping trial ends with acquittal

LJUBLJANA - The Ljubljana District Court acquitted all the defendants in a case involving queue-jumping at Slovenia's largest hospital, UKC Ljubljana. The judge said that bribery must involve a business activity, which public health service is not. The chief defendant Uroš Smiljić worked at the UKC Ljubljana warehouse at the time when he was said to be accepting bribes in exchange for faster medical treatment; he was involved in neither business nor medical activity.

Ljubljana related