09 Nov 2020, 04:00 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Monday, 9 November 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

PM Janša says US to remain Slovenia's strategic partner

LJUBLJANA - The US is a strategic partner of Slovenia, which will continue to build close friendly ties with Washington in the future, PM Janez Janša said in his latest tweet related to the US presidential election, posted a day after Democrat Joe Biden declared victory. This is in reference to some who have wondered how his government would cooperate with the US under Biden after he said it was "pretty clear" incumbent Donald Trump won when many votes were yet to be counted and several key states were yet to declare the winner. Several foreign media noted today that unlike many world leaders, including President Borut Pahor, Janša had not yet congratulated Biden.

Slovenia's Roglič crowned Tour of Spain winner for second time

MADRID, Spain - Slovenian rider Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) crossed the finish line in Madrid to seal his victory of Vuelta a Espana, defending the title, which he won for the first time in 2019. This is another culmination for Slovenian cycling after the stunning double victory at Tour de France Tadej Pogačar and him secured in September, confirming Roglič's reputation as one of the best riders in the world. Apart from winning the red jersey for the second year running, Roglič also won the green jersey for best sprinter, which makes him the first ever rider at Vuelta's 85-year history to win both two years in a row. Saying the two jerseys were the crown of this year's season for him, the rider said there were still challenges ahead, as he had not yet won the Tour de France or Giro d'Italia.

Share of new Covid-19 infections keeps dropping, death toll exceeds 550

LJUBLJANA - 889 new Covid-19 infections were recorded on Saturday from 3,918 tests, meaning the share of infections in relation to tests dropped by over three points to roughly 22.7% compared to Friday, the government's coronavirus spokesperson Jelko Kacin said on Twitter. The two-week average of infections per 100,000 residents was 1,058, down from 1,096 the day before. Covid-related deaths have meanwhile risen by 23 to 554 today compared to yesterday. The number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care dropped by two to 176 compared to Friday, putting the number of hospitalised patients at 1,125, up from 1,084 on Friday. Kacin said the number of patients in intensive care dropped even if the number of those discharged on Saturday - 42 - was by more than half lower than on Friday. He said the trend showed "the measures are working".

Poll shows SDS strongly in the lead ahead of SD, LMŠ

LJUBLJANA - Should a general election he held today, it would be won by the coalition Democrats (SDS) with 21.3% of the vote, according to a poll released by the private broadcaster Nova24TV. The SDS would be followed by the opposition Social Democrats (SD) with 11.1% and the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) with 10.1%. The opposition Left would place fourth with 5.9%, the coalition Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) fifth with 4.7% and the opposition New Slovenia (NSi) sixth with 4.2%. The other parties would not garner the necessary 4% of the vote to enter parliament, shows the poll. 18.5% of respondents were undecided.

All neighbouring countries on Slovenia's red coronavirus list

LJUBLJANA - As of today, several more countries are on Slovenia's red, quarantine list, including all of its four neighbours - Austria, Croatia, Hungary and Italy, as well as Serbia and Spain. Only the southern region of Calabria remains the "orange" exception in Italy. The government updated the coronavirus-risk lists on Thursday, and while the changes were expected to enter into force on 9 November, they kicked in already on 8 November. The red list now features 147 countries, up from 116, but in some countries only some regions are red-listed.

Alenka Artnik improves freediving world record

SHARM EL SHEIK, Egypt - Slovenia's best freediver Alenka Artnik set another world record, diving to 114 metres in monofin after she and Italy's Alessia Zecchini won the 2019 Freediving World Championships with a record 113 metres last year. Artnik now improved the record she held with Zecchini by one metre at the Blue Week competition in Egypt's Sharm el Sheik. Her record-breaking dive, which she labelled the greatest success of her career, lasted three minutes and 41 seconds.

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08 Nov 2020, 04:12 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Sunday, 8 November 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Highest daily Covid-19 death toll recorded on Friday as 34 die

LJUBLJANA - The highest daily Covid-19 death toll was recorded in Slovenia on Friday as 34 people died, bringing the overall death toll to 531. The number of hospitalised patients was up slightly to 1,084, of which 178 required intensive care, or ten more than on Thursday, the government said. The daily coronavirus tally was up by almost 50 to 1,612, but the number of tests was also up on Friday to 6,340. The share of positive tests was down by more than one percentage point to 25.42%. A total of 93 patients were discharged from hospital yesterday, but the overall number of hospitalisations was up from 1,069 by 15.

All persons suspected of contracting Covid-19 to be tested

LJUBLJANA - The Health Ministry has changed the strategy for coronavirus testing based on recommendations from the expert advisory group. All persons suspected of contracting Covid-19 will be tested once again. This is expected to result in an increased number of tests, which is important for managing the epidemic, the ministry said on Friday. This comes after the advisory task force head Bojana Beović said on 28 October that testing would be focused on persons older than 60, persons with chronic diseases, with a weakened immune system and healthcare workers. The change of strategy resulted in a slightly lower number of tests in the last week.

Slovenia's Roglič wins the Vuelta a Espana for second time

SALAMANCA/Spain - Slovenian cyclist Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) is set to win the Vuelta de Espana for a second time as he defended his lead over Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers) in the crucial penultimate stage from Sequeros to the Covatilla ski resort. Wearing the leader's jersey before the 17th stage of the race around Spain and having a 45-seconds advantage ahead of Carapaz, the 31-year-old Slovenian managed to keep the lead, although giving away 21 seconds to Carapaz.

President Pahor congratulates new US president

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor congratulated Democratic candidate Joe Biden on being elected the new president of the United States. Writing on Twitter, Pahor said he fondly remembered their meetings, in particular official talks at the White House in 2011 and Biden's participation in the Brdo-Brijuni Process meeting in 2015. "All this inspires me with optimism about our shared future, in which Slovenia and the United States of America will remain friendly countries and firm allies."

Ex-ambassador says US election means end to trans-Atlantic relations as we knew them

LJUBLJANA - Former Ambassador to US Božo Cerar has assessed in an interview for the STA that the US presidential election has "finally ended the trans-Atlantic relations as we have known them for the last 50-70 years" and that "Trumpism" is very much alive and would be for a while even if Joe Biden wins. Europe will need to come to terms with this and take its destiny in its own hands, and "if it fails to respond appropriately and get organised, the remaining great powers will be competing also over Europe's back." Europe should realise that it needs to take more responsibility for its own safety and take care of its neighbourhood, he said.

A third in Nova24TV poll supports anti-government protests

LJUBLJANA - The latest survey by Nova24TV shows that the anti-government protests on Fridays are supported by 33.2% of the respondents, which is the smallest share since the television station started measuring support for the protests in September. More than 61% of the people polled oppose them. The web portal of Nova24TV says that at the beginning of October, 45% of the respondents supported the protest, and in a poll conducted in mid-September, 38.8% of the people polled were supportive. The number of undecided respondents has been increasing, from 3.6% in mid-September to 4% at the beginning of October and to 5.3% in the latest survey, which was carried out on 2-4 November among 730 persons by the pollster Parsifal.

Business's ability to adjust key to reduce pandemic's impact, analyst says

LJUBLJANA - Since at least two more major Covid-19 waves are expected in the coming months, it is key for businesses to be ready to adjust fast, Marko Derča, a partner at the consultancy A. T. Kearney, has told the STA. He said the epidemic's negative impact on the economy will be ten times bigger than the last financial crisis, mostly affecting employment as joblessness will rise considerably. Derča believes being ever better prepared will reduce the epidemic's impact on the economy.

Lorries banned from overtaking on A1 motorway as of new year

LJUBLJANA - Heavy lorries will be banned from overtaking on the Slovenian A1 motorway between Šentilj (NE) and Koper (SW) in the daytime as of new year, Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec announced. He said in a Facebook post that overtaking would be allowed only on A1 sections with three traffic lanes, adding that the decision had been taken in cooperation with the national motorway company DARS. "Cargo vehicles weighing more than 7.5 tonnes will be banned from overtaking in the daytime. This will ensure better traffic flow and greater safety," the minister said.

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07 Nov 2020, 04:33 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Saturday, 7 November 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Daily coronavirus tally and deaths drop but hospitalisations keep increasing

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's daily coronavirus tally dropped by over a hundred to 1,564 on Thursday as the share of positive tests inched down to 26.53%, and the daily death toll fell to 26 from 30 the day before. Hospitalisations increased to 1,069 as 92 patients were discharged home, and the number of patients in intensive care units rose by a further seven to 168, but government spokesman Jalko Kacin presented data by the government indicating the peak has been passed. "The trend is good (...) if the trend continues the same way we can look forward to the future and can consider what the government could do next week," Kacin said.

C5 ministers meet online to discuss Covid-19 measures

LJUBLJANA - FM Anže Logar and his counterparts from Austria, Czechia, Slovakia and Hungary met on-line as part of the informal Central 5 (C5) initiative dedicated to measures to curb the Covid-19 pandemic, in particular cross-border movement of people, goods and services. The Slovenian Foreign Ministry said they agreed that undisrupted cross-border business should be secured as soon as possible and that measures should be unified at the EU level. They endorsed the introduction of a joint European form for reporting passenger travel, while noting that personal information needed to be protected. The ministers also resolutely condemned the Vienna attack and all forms of violence and terrorism which endangered security, human values and people's trust in peaceful and dignified life.

Official says rapid tests no silver bullet

LJUBLJANA - Miroslav Petrovec, the head of the Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, dampened expectations that rapid antigen tests could soon be a key part of the efforts to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, but said efforts were under way to improve their reliability and the tracing of their results. "We cannot solve the Covid-19 epidemic by means of rapid tests and we cannot replace measures that we have a duty to abide by," he said. Slovenia has joined the European Commission's plan to bulk buy rapid tests, which would mean cheaper and more reliable tests. Petrovec said these could be useful as an aid, but PCR tests remained the norm.

Intel oversight commission to debate violent protests

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Commission for Oversight of Intelligence and Security Services will convene a session next Friday to look into the possible role of intelligence agency SOVA in violent protests in Ljubljana. Commission chair Matjaž Nemec scheduled the session after PM Janez Janša posted on Twitter a photo of Ivan Gale, the employee of the Agency for Commodity Reserves who came out with accusations of wrongdoing in the purchases of personal protective equipment in spring, that the screenshot showed was shared by the SOVA director, leading Nemec to wonder what role SOVA played in the protests. Janša said the picture was from Facebook, which subsequent media reports showed was true.

Condemnation after protests turn violent

LJUBLJANA - Senior officials and several organisations condemned the violence that erupted at protests in Ljubljana on Thursday, leaving 15 police officers injured and resulting in multiple arrests. President Borut Pahor said he resolutely rejected violence as a means of achieving political aims, while Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković said in such protests were "not endorsed in Ljubljana or elsewhere, and we do not need them." The opposition also distanced itself from the riot, rejecting the claims it was behind it and announcing to investigate it. Ljubljana Police Department chief Stanislav Vrečar said infrastructure had also been damaged and assessed that the use of force by police was proportionate.

EFJ condemns attacks on media in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) condemned in the strongest terms verbal and physical attacks on the media following an anti-government protest that turned violent Thursday evening. "We strongly condemn the attacks on media workers and express solidarity with them. It is very worrisome to see that Slovenian politicians are greatly contributing to the increasing hostility and hatred towards journalists," EFJ general secretary Ricardo Gutierrez said. Anti-government protests have been a mainstay of Friday afternoons for months, however, the groups organising the Friday protests have distanced themselves from the rally organised yesterday, mostly by a group named Anonymous Slovenija.

Three Seas' investment fund to narrow infrastructure gap

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's SID Banka will contribute EUR 23 million to an investment fund that twelve Three Seas Initiative countries between the Baltic Sea, Adriatic Sea and Black Sea have set up to improve infrastructure in transport, energy and digitalisation in a bid to narrow the infrastructure and development gap with Western Europe. "SID Banka will gradually contribute EUR 23 million and thus try to provide additional funding to Slovenian business and the public sector," its CEO Sibil Svilan said. For Slovenia, the fund is a novelty in that projects have been so far financed mainly with debt instruments.

Sava Re cancels shareholder meeting, dividend payout on hold

LJUBLJANA - Sava Re, Slovenia's second largest insurance and reinsurance group, called off a general meeting scheduled for 16 November and consequently suspended the payment of dividends due to potential new risks stemming from its international reinsurance business. It said on Friday it had now been informed of "new circumstances that had arisen in certain EU insurance markets and in the United Kingdom that are in contrast to previously obtained legal advice".

Travel agency Kompas sold to Luxembourg company

LJUBLJANA - Kompas, Slovenia's oldest travel agency, has been sold to the Luxembourg-based company Special Sits General Partner II, with the newspaper Delo reporting that the company behind the new owner is a Spanish venture capital fund. The seller, Croatian group Fortenova, has already notified the competition watchdog, which needs to give its go-ahead for the takeover. According to the news web portal Siol.net, Kompas employs more than 200 people in Slovenia alone, generating about EUR 75 million in annual sales revenue. Kompas was recapitalised in 2017 and has been operating at a profit for the past three years.

Sekulić named new coach of men's national basketball team

LJUBLJANA - The executive committee of the Slovenian Basketball Association (KSZ) appointed Aleksander Sekulić the new head coach of the men's national basketball team. Taking over from Radovan Trifunović, he will coach the team for the first time as it continues the qualifiers for the 2022 EuroBasket at the end of November. The 42-year-old assistant coach with Nymburk in the Czech Republic is expected to present the roster on 18 November, the KZS said on Friday after announcing the appointment. The new coach is also to introduce himself to the media as the training camp starts on 22 November.

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06 Nov 2020, 04:48 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Friday, 6 November 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

All pupils switching to distance learning

LJUBLJANA - After an extended two-week holiday, primary school pupils will not return to schools on Monday due to the coronavirus situation in Slovenia, as the government decreed that distance learning will be introduced once again for primary schools as well. This is after secondary schools switched to remote teaching this week. Kindergartens remain closed as well, but childcare will continue to be available to parents who work in vital services.

Lockdown restrictions extended, new exceptions added

LJUBLJANA - With the coronavirus situation remaining serious, the government extended restrictions on movement outside municipalities and gatherings for another week, while it allowed some more services and businesses to reopen from Friday. These are pedicure services, and specialised shops selling baby, childcare and mother care items, technical goods, cars, bicycles, furniture, photographic and photocopying services, watch and jewellery shops. Only one customer per 30 square metres is allowed.

All of Austria, Croatia, Hungary on Slovenia's quarantine list

LJUBLJANA - The government amended the coronavirus status of several countries as a result of which the whole of Croatia, Austria and Hungary plus Serbia will be on Slovenia's quarantine list starting from Monday, as will almost entire Italy with the exception of Calabria. Also moved to the red list were the whole of Serbia, Spain, Cyprus, Bulgaria, the Vatican and San Marino. Interior Minister Aleš Hojs said the government advised against all non-essential travel outside the country.

Coronavirus cases down slightly but deaths and hospitalisations record high

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's daily coronavirus infections fell to 1,685 on Wednesday from over 2,000 the day before, however, the number of hospitalised Covid-19 patients and those in intensive care increased to new highs of 979 and 161, respectively. So did the daily death toll rise to a record 30. The share of positive tests decreased by four percentage points to 28% and the rolling 14-day average per 100,000 residents fell to 1,114, which government spokesman Jelko Kacin said was a good sign. The R0 fell to 1.11.

Violent protesters clash with police

LJUBLJANA - A violent protest originally organised by Anonymous Slovenia in Ljubljana saw protesters clashing with the police, using flares and throwing granite pavement cubes at the riot police. The police used a water cannon for the first time since 2012. Several persons were injured, including a photojournalist who had to seek medical assistance, and several police officers sustained light injuries. Ten of some 500 protesters were apprehended. Prime Minister Janez Janša tweeted support for the police officers. The organisers of Friday bicycle protests disavowed the protest beforehand.

Brussels projects Slovenia's GDP to contract 7.1% this year, rebound by 5.1% in 2021

LJUBLJANA - The European Commission forecast for Slovenia's economy to contract by 7.1% this year, roughly on par with its previous estimate. A rebound of 5.1% is expected in 2021, a percentage point lower than the forecast in July. The economy is expected to return to pre-coronavirus levels in 2022, when GDP growth is estimated to be at 3.8%, according to the Commission's autumn report. Job losses have been smaller than expected and the measures taken have avoided a surge in bankruptcies thanks to public policy measures, the commission said.

Centre-left coalition says Janša no longer fit to serve

LJUBLJANA - The Constitutional Arch Coalition (KUL), the recently formed initiative of four centre-left parties, said that PM Janez Janša lost all credibility in the international arena with his tweets on the US election. Such a person is not fit to serve as PM and even less so to lead the EU presidency next year, KUL wrote, saying that Janša has absolutely no regard for the values of democracy, coexistence and harmony that took decades to build.

Anti-graft commission detects corruption risk in PPE purchases

LJUBLJANA - The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption has detected multiple corruption risks concerning the purchases of personal protective equipment in spring as part of a focused review of these purchases. It will launch its own inquiries as early as this month and inform the competent authorities of suspected wrongdoing that it not within its purview. Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek, a key official responsible for the procurement, responded by saying he had followed all rules and that the report would help improve proceedings in the future.

Govt approves aid for countries hit by pandemic

LJUBLJANA - The government approved humanitarian aid for developing countries and countries facing humanitarian crises during the coronavirus pandemic. EUR 45,000 will be allocated to the World Food Programme for the global Covid-19 response plan, and EUR 50,000 to address humanitarian needs in North Macedonia. Slovenia has so far contributed a total of EUR 1.22 million for response to Covid-19 in developing countries.

Slovenian MEPs welcome deal tying rule of law to EU funds

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Half of Slovenia's eight MEPs welcomed the agreement of the member states and the European Parliament tying the rule of law to states' access to funds. "The EU will no longer be a cash machine while its basic values are being trampled in some member states," Ljudmila Novak (EPP/NSi) tweeted. Tanja Fajon (S&D/SD) labelled the agreement historic and so was the agreement welcomed by MEPs Irena Joveva and Klemen Grošelj (both Renew/LMŠ).

Judicial Council backs Ilešič, Brkan for Luxembourg posts

LJUBLJANA - The Judicial Council unanimously endorsed the bids of Marko Ilešič and Maja Brkan for the country's two spots at the EU's General Court in Luxembourg. This time, the council issued its opinion on the candidates in a shorter procedure, without interviewing them, and without assessing the other candidates that applied for the job. Slovenia's efforts to fill the two spots on the EU's General Court in Luxembourg began in June 2018, but so far no candidate got further than the vetting committee.

For unions, legislated minimum wage rise non-negotiable

LJUBLJANA - Trade unions are strongly against the possibility of freezing the 1 January 2021 rise in the minimum wage, as demanded by businesses and supported by the economy minister, with ZSSS confederation head Lidija Jerkič saying that the unions won't negotiate on it. Opposition was also expressed by the KSJS confederation of public sector trade unions, and the opposition Left. From 2021, the minimum wage is due to rise above the minimum cost of living.

Telekom revenue, profit down slightly in Jan-Sep

LJUBLJANA - Telekom Slovenije, the majority state-owned telecoms incumbent, saw net sales decline by 4% year-on-year in the first nine months of 2020, to EUR 440 million. Net profit declined by 7% to EUR 27.4 million. Operating profit was up 7% to EUR 40.1 million and profit before income tax, amortisation and depreciation was down 1% to EUR 144.6 million. The figures exclude the media arm Planet TV, which has already been sold to TV2 in Hungary, and the Kosovo subsidiary Ipko, which was supposed to be sold by now but has not been after the sales procedure was terminated.

Slovenia's 2019 gross R&D spending record high

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's gross domestic expenditure on research and development (R&D) amounted to a record EUR 989.3 million in 2019, up 10.8% from 2018 and 5.8% more than the previous high in 2013, preliminary data released by the Statistics Office show. Last year thus saw the second consecutive rise in R&D spending - that of more than EUR 90 million in nominal terms and that of 10% in relative terms. R&D expenditure was higher in all sectors. Businesses accounted for 61% of the spending.

Banks at low to moderate risk to climate challenges

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian central bank's report on climate risks in Slovenia shows that banks are not greatly exposed to climate-related risks in the most climate-sensitive sectors, such as manufacturing, electricity production, transport and construction, or in relation to households. Their exposure shares range from 36% to 44%. Financial systems are faced with a new kind of risk stemming from climate change, which reflects in higher costs of natural disasters, which bring more physical risks.

Watchdog suspects collusion among four LPG providers

LJUBLJANA - The Competition Protection Agency said it had launched an investigation into potential collusion among energy companies Butan Plin, Ina Slovenija, Istrabenz Plini and Plinarna Maribor. They are suspected of having secretly agreed to only accept the returns of their own liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, to parcel up the LPG cylinders market. This could constitute orchestrated action that aims to prevent, hamper or distort competition in Slovenia and in a substantial part of the EU's internal market.

Metronik named Delo Business Star of the year

LJUBLJANA - Metronik, a Ljubljana-based company specialising in automation and digitalisation of production, critical infrastructure and smart buildings, was declared the 2020 Delo Business Star by the newspaper publisher. The company convinced the jury with its business results, success on foreign markets and sustainability. The readership choice award went to prefabricated house maker Marles Hiše Maribor.

Dismissed NBI head fails with motion to halt appointment of successor

LJUBLJANA - A court in charge of labour disputes has reportedly rejected the motion by the lawyer of Darko Muženič, the dismissed director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), to halt the call for applications for his successor. According to a report by the newspaper Dnevnik, the reasoning is that although the Administrative Court found Muženič's May dismissal to have been illegal, it did not determine that he needed to be reinstated to the post.

Canada extradites Slovenian charged with sex trafficking

LJUBLJANA - Canada has extradited to Slovenia Sergej Racman, who was wanted on international arrest warrant on sex trafficking charges. Slovenian police said Wednesday evening the man had been handed to police after being deported from Canada and taken to the Koper prison. The former owner of the cinema chain operator Kolosej had been wanted under an Interpol Red Notice alert for his alleged role in a prostitution ring that was allegedly operating in the Marina Sauna Club near Nova Gorica.

First image by Slovenian satellite Nemo released

LJUBLJANA - SPACE-SI, the Slovenian Centre of Excellence for Space Sciences and Technologies, posted the first images made by their satellite Nemo HD, which was launched into space in early September. The microsatellite, launched together with another Slovenian satellite on 3 September, will circle the Earth for the 1000th time this weekend, says SPACE-SI's website. The centre posted what it termed "the first, historic image" the microsatellite made above eastern Slovenia on 18 September.

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05 Nov 2020, 04:01 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Thursday, 5 November 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

New uptick in daily infections, Covid-19 fatalities

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia has recorded a new uptick in daily coronavirus infections with 2,027 of 6,311 tests performed on Tuesday returning positive results, or as many as 29%. The country also reported 29 fatalities, a new daily high. Hospitalisations have increased to 979, up by 54 from the day before, with 158 patients now in intensive care, 13 more than the day before. Despite the increase in cases, government spokesman Jelko Kacin noted the reproduction number kept falling, which he finds encouraging. Kacin however added the situation in hospitals remains very serious. Slovenia has an estimated 23,417 active cases. A total of 441 patients with Covid-19 have died.

Janša says Trump re-election pretty clear

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša tweeted in the morning that it was "pretty clear that American people have elected Donald Trump" for another four-year term as US president. The more that there will be "delays and fact denying" from mainstream media, the bigger the final triumph for the president, Janša added. Janša, who also congratulated the Republican Party "for strong results across the US", had endorsed Trump for a second term on 23 October. Janša's latest tweet was accompanied by a warning label by Twitter saying: "Official sources may not have called the race when this was tweeted". It also prompted a series of questions from foreign media at the European Commission's midday briefing. Commission chief spokesperson Eric Mamer would not comment on Janša's tweet, but he did say that as a rule an electoral process was not to be commented on, something that should be followed, while Janša's tweet was going in a different direction. Croatian President Zoran Milanović meanwhile said that he hoped the tweet was not a sign of Janša's conduct at the helm of the EU "because this is not done in principle", referring to Slovenia's spell at the presidency of the Council of the EU next year.

Environment minister tests positive for coronavirus

LJUBLJANA - Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning Andrej Vizjak has become the second member of the Slovenian government to test positive for the novel coronavirus after Foreign Minister Anže Logar. Vizjak tested positive Tuesday, 3 November. Although he has been feeling well and has not displayed any symptoms, he has been self-isolating since Tuesday, 27 October. As for Logar, government spokesman Jelko Kacin said "he is feeling relatively well, but he is still positive, getting tested again (...) he's got a mild headache." Kacin said three persons were infected at the Foreign Ministry.

October jobless total level on the month before

LJUBLJANA - The registered jobless total in Slovenia stood at 83,654 at the end of October, down 0.1% on September and up 15.5% year-on-year, the Employment Service said, adding that anti-coronavirus restrictions did not increase unemployment last month. At the end of October, 112 fewer persons were registered as unemployed than in September but compared to October 2019 the number was higher by 11,238. The number of newly registered persons was 6,510, up 37.2% on September and down 5.7% year-on-year. 6,431 persons got a job, 20.8% less than the month before and 39.7% more than a year ago. At the end of February, before the epidemic, 77,484 persons were registered as unemployed.

Slovenia to sent draft recovery plan to Brussels this year

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Slovenia will send its draft recovery and resilience plan to Brussels by the end of 2020, Finance Minister Andrej Šircelj told the press after an online session with his EU counterparts. The deadline to submit draft plans to draw from the EU's EUR 750 billion recovery plan is 30 April 2021, but the European Commission had encouraged member states to start sending them already after 15 October.

Trade unions present proposals for sixth stimulus package

LJUBLJANA - The ZSSS trade union confederation proposes a number of measures for the easing of the consequences of the epidemic. It urged the government to include them into the pending sixth stimulus package. The ZSSS proposes 32 measures, including a 100% pay compensation to one of the parents for child care in case schools and kindergartens remain closed. The self-employed should be reimbursed by the state in the amount of the minimum wage. While the Chamber of Commerce and Industry proposed the government delay the implementation of the new legislation that is to raise the minimum wage, trade unions believe helping companies at workers' expense would be misguided.

OZS updates list of measures it wants in next stimulus package

LJUBLJANA - The OZS chamber of small business presented a list of measures it believes the government should adopt as part of the planned sixth stimulus package to help small businesses cope with the coronavirus crisis. Some measures were sent to the government already in October, but the list has been expanded after Slovenia has gone into partial lockdown as part of the ongoing second wave of the epidemic.

ESS session suspended due to absence of ministers

LJUBLJANA - A session of the Economic and Social Council (ESS) was suspended due to the absence of the finance and economy ministers since employers and trade unions believe that their presence is necessary to discuss the emerging demographic fund proposal and the planned sixth anti-corona legislative package. When today's session is to resume will be probably known on Thursday when the ESS college is to hold a meeting, said the head of the ZSSS trade union confederation Lidija Jerkič.

Telekom Slovenije gets new chief supervisor

LJUBLJANA - Supervisors at the majority state-owned telco Telekom Slovenije appointed Boštjan Koler the new chief supervisor after former Health Minister Aleš Šabeder resigned from the post on 19 October. Koler's deputies are Barbara Kürner Čad, representative of the capital, and Drago Kijevčanin, representative of employees, Telekom said in a press release.

Culture committee continues debate on RTV Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Culture Committee resumed a debate on government pressure on public media requested by four opposition parties. Public broadcaster RTV Slovenija was again in the centre of a heated debate in which the opposition highlighted its importance for the media landscape and the coalition criticised it as biased. The four centre-left opposition parties proposed that the committee call on the government to stop all attempts at subordinating public media, but their proposal was rejected in a 10:6 vote.

Opposition fails with its call for Kustec's resignation

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary committees of health and education resumed a debate on the failure of Education Minister Simona Kustec to wear a face mask at a gala event in late September. The opposition's call for Kustec's resignation did not receive enough support.

AmCham director general expects different rhetoric if Biden wins

LJUBLJANA - Ajša Vodnik, director general of AmCham Slovenija, pointed to the difference between rhetoric and actions as she commented on the effects that US presidential elections will have on global relations. Looking back at Donald Trump's actions in the global arena in recent years, she said he was using very sharp rhetoric, which however was not always followed by actions. If Joe Biden wins, she primarily expects changes in the rhetoric. She thinks Biden could also strengthen the partnership with the EU.

Financial analyst expects Trump to take more pragmatic approach in event of new term, Biden an unknown

LJUBLJANA - Kruno Abramovič, the chairman of asset manager NLB Skladi, believes Donald Trump would probably take a more pragmatic approach should he win a second term, while he finds Democrat Joseph Biden a much bigger unknown. Commenting for the STA as the result of the US elections is not clear yet, Abramovič said that no major difference was expected from the aspect of US economic policies regardless of who wins the vote as the Republicans would almost certainly keep a majority in the Senate despite a Democrat majority in the House of Representatives.

Threat level low for Slovenia after Vienna attack

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's inter-ministerial task force for counter-terrorism efforts has determined that the risk level in the country remains low following the Vienna terror attack, said the Government Communication Office, noting that the likelihood of an attack in Slovenia is thus low, however the possibility could not be ruled out.

Japan decorates OKS boss Gabrovec

LJUBLJANA - Bogdan Gabrovec, the president of the Slovenian Olympic Committee (OKS), is one of this year's recipients of Japan's high-profile state decorations, the Japanese Embassy in Ljubljana said. He will receive the Order of the Rising Sun, Golden Rays with Rosette, for promoting judo in Slovenia and exchanges of athletes between Japan and Slovenia, according to the OKS.

Art museum director Zdenka Badovinac receives Igor Zabel Prize

LJUBLJANA - The Igor Zabel Prize for culture and theory for 2020 has been conferred on Zdenka Badovinac, a curator, art historian and director of Slovenia's Museum of Modern Art, which she has been leading since 1993. Badovinac was honoured as one of the most important and zealous locally anchored and globally connected figures in cultural production in recent decades.

Tim Gajser secures his third MXGP class motocross championship

TRENTO, Italy - Tim Gajser won the penultimate race of the MXGP class of the FIM Motocross World Championship season in Italy's Pietramurata having already secured the title of world champion by finishing second in the first leg. This is the third title for the 24-year-old Slovenian motocross racer after the 2016 and 2019 seasons.

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04 Nov 2020, 03:56 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Wednesday, 4 November 2020

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: Slovenia in for at least a month of tough battle with coronavirus

LJUBLJANA - In an address to Slovenian citizens, PM Janez Janša said that the winter will be long and that "we are in for at least a month of a hard battle with the virus and then months of great caution". Nevertheless, he is convinced that Slovenia can successfully weather the health crisis. "If we are successful in the coming weeks, we will be able to spend Christmas and the New Year in a more normal way than the autumn holidays." The prime minister believes that as fast antigen tests become more accessible, it will be possible to contain individual outbreaks of the virus more easily.

A further 1,176 infections as Slovenia's Covid-19 death toll passes 400

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's death toll from Covid-19 has risen to 412 after 24 more patients with Covid-19 died on Monday. A further 1,176 infections were recorded as more than one out of four tests came back positive. The number of those requiring hospital treatment exceeded 900. Data released by the government show that 4,587 tests were performed on Monday, which means a positivity rate of 25.64%, slightly up from the day before.

Care homes said to be coping well as outbreak moves west

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian public has been assured that care homes are coping well with coronavirus infections as those have started spreading through aged-care facilities in the western region of Primorska and the situation is stabilising in Gorenjska in the north west. Addressing a government coronavirus briefing, spokesman Jelko Kacin said that a further 112 infections had been confirmed among care home residents and 44 among staff while eight residents died on Monday.

Slovenian officials condemn Vienna terrorist attack, express solidarity with Austria

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian officials have condemned Monday's terrorist attack in Vienna and expressed solidarity with Austria. Prime Minister Janez Janša called for "zero tolerance against radical Islam" and President Boruto Pahor wrote a condolence letter to counterpart Alexander Van der Bellen, saying he was deeply shaken and hurt. Defence Minister Matej Tonin talked to Austrian counterpart Klaudia Tanner, expressing condolences and offering Slovenia's assistance. The Foreign Ministry said it was "appalled by the terrifying events in #Vienna", calling for unity in the fight against terror. Slovenia's Ambassador to Austria Ksenija Škrilec advised Slovenian citizens in Vienna to be more cautious and careful. So far, there have been no reports of any Slovenians being injured or in danger, she said.

Slovenian Islamic community strongly condemns Vienna attack

LJUBLJANA - The Islamic community in Slovenia strongly condemned Monday's terrorist attack in Vienna in which it says innocent people were killed and wounded. The community called for peace and trust to be established among people and nations from the entire world, and added that "no religion allows or justifies the killing, the shedding of blood of innocent people."

Defence experts believe Vienna attacked had not acted alone

LJUBLJANA - Defence experts Vladimir Prebilič and Iztok Prezelj believe that the perpetrator of the terrorist attack in Vienna has not acted alone, with Prezelj saying that the attack confirmed the links of Islamic radicals in Austria with the Western Balkans. He also believes that Slovenia has cause for concern, being in in the pathway of Islamist radical. Prebilič meanwhile believes that Slovenia, or Ljubljana, make for a far less attractive terrorist target than Vienna.

Tonin and Hungarian counterpart talk disaster relief, security, defence industry

BUDAPEST, Hungary - Defence Minister Matej Tonin and his Hungarian counterpart Tibor Benko met to discuss possibilities for closer cooperation in protection and disaster relief in defence and security. The pair dedicated a great deal of attention to the Covid-19 epidemic, while international missions and army modernisation were broached too. Tonin told the STA that he thanked his host for Hungary's assistance during the first wave of the epidemic when Hungary provided logistic support in the procurement of personal protective equipment. He also said Hungary expressed readiness to help with equipment in case things deteriorate and also with personnel should the situation get critical.

HSE gets new management board

LJUBLJANA/ŠOŠTANJ - Viktor Vračar, until now the director general of the TEŠ coal-fired power station, became the new director general of the HSE energy group for four years after the supervisors dismissed Stojan Nikolić. The change at the largest Slovenian producer of electricity comes after October's overhaul of the HSE supervisory board. The new supervisory board also appointed today Uroš Podobnik, until now assistant manager, to the management board as chief operating officer, replacing Mirko Marinčič. Supervisor Andrej Janša was meanwhile appointed as another chief operating officer, although only until a new, full-fledged one is appointed.

Court appoints three supervisors at Telekom Slovenije

LJUBLJANA - The Ljubljana District Court appointed three new supervisors at the majority state-owned telco Telekom Slovenije after three members resigned two weeks ago. Boštjan Koler, Dimitrij Marjanovič and Štefan Belingar will replace Aleš Šabeder, Barbara Cerovšek Zupančič and Bernarda Babič, the company said as the court decision became final.

Telekom Slovenije suspends sale of Kosovo subsidiary Ipko

LJUBLJANA - Telekom Slovenije has suspended the procedure to sell its Kosovo subsidiary Ipko Telecommunications. The procedure is concluding without a buyer being selected, and Ipko remains part of the Telekom Slovenije group, the Slovenian telecoms incumbent said in a press release. Ipko, which was founded in December 2007, is the leading provider of fixed communication services in Kosovo and holds a notable share in mobile telephony. It employs more than 500 people.

Acquitted former Church treasurer claims damages from state

LJUBLJANA - Mirko Krašovec, the former treasurer of the Maribor Archdiocese who was fully cleared in 2019 of the charge that he instigated EU funds misuse more than ten years ago, is reportedly seeking compensation from the state as he had spent more than three months in prison before being eventually acquitted. According to the newspapers Delo and Slovenske Novice, Krašovec is seeking compensation from the state in relation to the case in which he had been initially sentenced to two years in prison in December 2013 in relation to the renovation of the Church-owned Betnava mansion in Maribor.

Star chef urges positive discrimination as way out of lockdown

VIPAVA - Tomaž Kavčič, a chef running a Michelin-starred restaurant, has made an urgent appeal to prevent what he sees as an imminent collapse of the top-notch culinary industry, floating the idea of a positive discrimination as a way out of the coronavirus lockdown. In a letter addressed to the public and decision-makers, the chef writes that the top-class cuisine sector is on the brink of collapse. "If we let it collapse, it will take starting from scratch (...) Generations of chefs, waiters and sommeliers may disappear, become scattered at the far ends of the world or leave for other type of business," he wrote.

Slovenia ranks 11th in EU on Gender Equality Index

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia places 11th in the European Union in the latest Gender Equality Index, the same rank it had in 2019. With a score of 67.9 points out of 100, slightly lower than last year, it is just below the EU average. The index, compiled by the European Institute for Gender Equality, measures countries' performance across six core domains - work, money, knowledge, time, power and health. Slovenia's scores are highest in the domains of health (86.9 points) and money (83 points). Its highest ranking is in the domain of time, where it ranks 7th.

Online exhibition on bees launched

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Ethnographic Museum (SEM) is opening an online exhibition on bees today in cooperation with its Croatian counterpart to mark their deep-rooted ties. The display is available in Slovenian, Croatian and English. The exhibition, entitled Where the Bees Are at Home, will be available on web portals of the Ljubljana as well as Zagreb ethnographic museums.

Polls show more optimism regarding epidemic

LJUBLJANA - Slovenians are more optimistic about the future course of the epidemic, with citizens' trust in the government on the rise, shows a recent Valicon poll. The second wave of coronavirus infections seems to arouse somewhat fewer worries compared to the first wave, an Aragon survey meanwhile indicates. In the past two weeks, the share of those trusting the government more on taking action to stem the spread of the virus increased from 19% to 25%, shows the Valicon survey.

Roglič's crucial stage win restores Vuelta leader's jersey

ALTO DE'L ANGLIRU, Spain - Slovenian cyclist Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) won the stage 13 time trial at the 2020 Vuelta de Espana, donning the leader's jersey again ahead of the remaining five stages. The defending champion now has a 39 seconds lead over Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers). The 33.7km individual time trial from Muros to Mirador de Ezaro kicked off the final week of the prestigious race that has been a very close affair this year. Apart from Roglič, three riders are now most likely still in the running for winning the race.

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03 Nov 2020, 03:59 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Tuesday, 3 November 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

25 Covid-19 patients die as hospitalisations keep rising

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's death toll from Covid-19 rose to 388 after 25 more patients died on Sunday. There were 557 new cases from 2,244 tests, as the share of positive tests declined to just under 25%, however government coronavirus spokesman Jelko Kacin warned that Sunday data were atypical. Covid-19 hospitalisations rose to 868, of whom 135 are in intensive care. The rolling 14-day average of new cases per 100,000 residents rose to 1,075 and the number of active cases to 22,521. Epidemiologist Irena Grmek Košnik warned the third wave of coronavirus was expected during the flu season in late December.

Opposition speaks of brutal staffing, govt finds it legal and vital

LJUBLJANA - The four centre-left opposition parties accused the government of brutal staffing and of undermining the independence of sovereign institutions as the National Assembly held a session on the topic at their behest. While the opposition sees the replacements as guided primarily by party affiliation and servility as opposed to competence and as excessive and inappropriate during a health crisis, the government and coalition parties insisted that the replacements had been legal, were normal under all governments and that having the right personnel was crucial for effective work.

US ambassador says good relations with Slovenia to remain priority

LJUBLJANA - Good relations with Slovenia will remain a priority for the US regardless of the outcome of tomorrow's presidential election, US Ambassador to Slovenia Lynda Blanchard said in a video address, published on the embassy's Twitter. "The importance of our defence relationship, drive to strengthen economic ties, and ever-expanding cooperation and collaboration between the people of our two countries will remain at the forefront," the ambassador said.

Slovenian SocDems hope for Donald Trump's defeat

LJUBLJANA - The opposition Social Democrats (SD) discussed the US election's ramification's for the world, with MP Matjaž Nemec saying Donald Trump's challenger Joe Biden's win would mean a change for the better in terms of democracy, dialogue and multilateralism. He believes this will be a watershed election also because Trump's victory would give populists in Europe fresh momentum. Jernej Štromajer, who works for the SD deputy group and holds a PhD in American studies, believes the election will be foremost a referendum on Trump and his rule. "Biden's greatest advantage is that he is not Trump," he said. Research fellow Nina Pejič believe no significant change in US foreign policy could be expected with Biden as president, although she thinks Trump will win.

Bankers discuss path from crisis to sustainability

LJUBLJANA - The need to direct the recovery measures for the current crisis towards socially responsible and sustainable development and the crucial role of banks in this endeavour was at the centre of this year's Day of Slovenian Bankers event, held online. Stanislava Zadravec Caprirolo, the head the Bank Association, pointed to the drastic shift from discussions about trade wars, Brexit, economic slowdown, unsustainable pollution and inequality growth at the start of the year to current debates on the preservation of job and liquidity. Along with central bank governor Boštjan Vasle, she noted a favourable liquidity situation in Slovenia. Vasle also praised fiscal measures, in particular the moratorium on loan payments.

RTV Slovenija director general stays on

LJUBLJANA - The programme council of public broadcaster RTV Slovenija did not adopt a motion proposed by 13 councillors to dismiss director general Igor Kadunc. The 14:9 vote in favour was one vote short of the necessary majority on the 29-member council to dismiss him. The motion was put forward in October accusing Kadunc of working negligently and causing significant damage to RTV. They claimed he was responsible for RTV operating in the red between 2017 and 2019 and of failing to draw up a number of documents. Kadunc rejected all the allegations, saying the motive for the dismissal was changing editorial policy. Earlier in the day, the parliamentary Culture Committee discussed the dismissal attempt, with the left-leaning opposition parties arguing it was meant to facilitate the government's taking control of the public broadcaster, while the coalition MPs said the session was a form of pressure on RTV councillors not to sack Kadunc.

Public Health Institute gets EU funds to fight coronavirus

LJUBLJANA - The Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy approved almost EUR 6 million in EU funding to the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) for measures to fight the spread of coronavirus, including for support staff and equipment. The NIJZ will beef up epidemiological services by securing and training support staff, activating mobile teams and procuring office space and equipment. It will also raise awareness about preventing Covid-19 and support self-isolating individuals.

Employment prospects for 2021 fairly encouraging

LJUBLJANA - Job prospect projections in Slovenia for next year remain relatively encouraging despite the aggravated circumstances. A survey by the Employment Service suggests demand will exceed labour market supply in many professions, although the opposite is also possible for a long list of jobs. The Occupations barometer survey, which includes assessments for 177 professions, suggests demand will for instance exceed supply in healthcare, construction, transport, hospitality and in information technology.

Borzen gets new boss

LJUBLJANA - Martin Bratanič was appointed by the supervisory board as the new director general of power market operator Borzen, taking over on Sunday, 1 November. He came to Borzen from the Posavje regional development agency, which he led since 2010. He has also served as a supervisor of the SODO state-owned electricity distribution system operator since April. The top post at Borzen had been vacant since Karol Peter Peršolja resigned in September.

Food delivery platforms growing due to lockdown

LJUBLJANA - The closure of restaurants as part of the Covid-19 lockdown measures has resulted in a steep rise in turnover for food delivery platforms in Slovenia such as E-hrana and Wolt, whose couriers on bicycles can be seen buzzing around major Slovenian cities all the time. E-hrana, the Slovenian company started in 2011, covers more than 400 restaurants around the country, 150 of which have joined during the pandemic. Finland-based Wolt added 70 new restaurants from Ljubljana and Maribor in the second wave.

EasyJet not to fly to Ljubljana until next year

LJUBLJANA - EasyJet has postponed the resumption of scheduled flights to Ljubljana airport until next year due to the worsening coronavirus situation, according to a report by the Ex-Yu Aviation news portal. After a break in November, the British low-cost carrier had been planning to resume flights from London Gatwick to Ljubljana in December. The service has now been delayed until 1 January 2021. Air France announced yesterday it was suspending flights to Ljubljana starting from 7 November.

Libraries partly reopening

LJUBLJANA - Libraries are reopening after being exempt from lockdown restrictions. They will adjust their opening hours and the lending regime to the coronavirus situation in their town. Where the number of active cases is not very high, libraries will operate normally, while elsewhere contactless book checkouts and returns will be introduced. The head of the Slovenian libraries' association, Vesna Horžen, urged readers to check the opening hours and regime of their library before visiting.

Ana Belac attains greatest achievement for Slovenian golf ever

CHARLOTTE, US - Ana Belac won the women's Carolina Classic golf tournament on Saturday in what is by far the greatest success for Slovenian golf ever. By winning the US$200,000 tournament four shots ahead of the American Allison Emrey, the 23-year-old Portorož-born golfer came very close to making it to the world elite in the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), having taken second place in the overall rankings of the Symetra Tour, the entry point for the LPGA.

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02 Nov 2020, 04:10 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Monday, 2 November 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Slovenia records 1,342 new coronavirus infections on Saturday, 25 people die

LJUBLJANA - There were 1,342 new Sars-CoV-2 infections confirmed in Slovenia on Saturday, a continuation of the slightly declining daily cases count, albeit on a slightly scaled down weekend testing figure of 4,807. The 28% positivity rate is on par with that seen in recent days. A record 25 fatalities were recorded, raising the death toll to 363. The number of hospitalised Covid-19 patients has increased by 5.4% to 821 and the number of those in intensive care by 7.4% to 131. The number of patients on ventilators grew by 5 to 70. Since the start of the epidemic Slovenia has recorded 35,649 cases, of which 22,501 are currently active, while the rolling 14-day average has increased by 2.8% 1,074 per 100,000 residents.

Slovenia honours All Saints' Day, fewer people visit cemeteries

LJUBLJANA - All Saints' Day, a public holiday, was honoured in Slovenia. Due to the epidemic, fewer people than usually visited cemeteries, with many already paying their respect in recent days. President Borut Pahor, accompanied by several senior state officials, attended a wreath laying ceremony at the Memorial of Victims of All Wars in Ljubljana's Congress Square. The ceremony, scaled down due to the epidemic this year, also featured Parliament Speaker Igor Zorčič, National Council President Alojz Kovšca, Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek, Slovenian Armed Forces Chief-of-Staff Robert Glavaš and acting Police Commissioner Andrej Jurič.

Ljubljana-Paris air link suspended after next week

BRNIK - Due to coronavirus restrictions, French carrier Air France has temporary suspended a number of flights in Europe, including flights to Slovenia scheduled between 7 November and 16 December. The last flights to Ljubljana airport will be executed on Monday and Thursday. Air France, which expects additional adjustments to its schedules will be made next week, recently announced a winter schedule that would initially have it fly to Slovenia three times a week and later again every day.

Cycling: Roglič concedes 10 sec and Vuelta leader's jersey to Carapaz

ALTO DE'L ANGLIRU - Slovenia's Primož Roglič fell back to second place overall at the Vuelta de Espana after the toughest stage of the Spanish race. He clocked in 10 seconds behind his main rival, fourth-placed Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz, with whom he was on neck-and-neck at the top of the general standings before stage 12. Victory in the 109.4 mountain stage went to British rider Hugh Carthy, who successfully attacked on the final climb to Alto de L'Angliru, which served up gradients up to 23%. Following a rest day on Monday, Tuesday will already bring the time trial and thus the main opportunity for Roglič, the defending Vuelta champion, to reclaim the red jersey from Carapaz.

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31 Oct 2020, 03:40 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Saturday, 31 October 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Anti-corona restrictions to be extended for a week, says PM

LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša announced that anti-corona measures are to be extended for a week as projections suggest case and hospitalisation figures will keep growing for some time. He said a gradual relaxing of the restrictions could be expected in seven to ten days if the measures are heeded. Also, the autumn holidays will be extended for a week for primary school children. Remote schooling will resume in secondary schools, and kindergartens will continue providing only urgent daycare. Meanwhile, the list of exceptions allowed to operate during the lockdown has been expanded with construction, maintenance and installation works where there is only minimal contact with customers, as well as repair shops, chimney sweeping services and libraries.

Slovenia reports 1,798 new coronavirus cases as fatalities peak

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 1,798 infections in slightly scaled-down testing on Thursday, and another 23 fatalities among patients with Covid-19, the highest daily death toll yet, data from the government showed. The positivity rate fell to 28.23% from almost 35%. Hospitalisations have risen to 703 and the number of patients requiring intensive care increased to 122. The latest infections bring the number of active cases to 20,980, while the rolling 14-day average has increased to 1,001 per 100,000 residents. The government adopted a decree providing public healthcare institutions and care homes with stocks of certain essential equipment, such as ventilators and oxygen supply devices, from the commodity reserves.

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Chief epidemiologist does not see light at the end of the tunnel yet

LJUBLJANA - Mario Fafangel, the head of the infectious diseases centre at the National Institute of Public Health, told TV Slovenija in the late hours of Thursday that Slovenia is not out of the woods yet, even though coronavirus figures for Thursday might be lower than in the past two days. "It could be that the figures are down even when an epidemic is in full swing. They fall because testing capacities have been exceeded." Fafangel urged people to stay at home, work from home, whenever possible.

NSi turns down invitation to join attempt to form new govt

LJUBLJANA - Matej Tonin, the leader of the junior coalition party New Slovenia (NSi), turned down the invitation for his party to enter talks in a bid to form an alternative government after meeting Jože P. Damijan, a potential candidate for prime minister. Describing the talks as constructive, Tonin highlighted that "Slovenia is facing the biggest test after independence, which is calling for a stable and operational government".

Počivalšek says talk of govt replacement tasteless, inappropriate

LJUBLJANA - Zdravko Počivalšek, the economy minister and president of the Modern Centre Party (SMC), told Delo that discussions about a possible government replacement were tasteless and inappropriate given the moment. He added that the current government was operational, which he believes is the most important thing as the country is battling an epidemic.

Central bank governor says forecasts are worsening

LJUBLJANA - Following a meeting of the European Central Bank (ECB) Governing Council on Thursday, Banka Slovenije governor Boštjan Vasle said that the worsening epidemiological situation in Europe and hence tighter coronavirus restrictions aggravate forecasts for the rest of 2020 as well as those for 2021. He added that the services sector will be again the worst hit in the entire euro area, including Slovenia, following the lockdown period in the spring.

Slovenians in Hungary adjusting to Covid-19, staying in touch with Slovenia

SZENTGOTTHARD - While Hungary has not shut down public life yet as a new wave of the Covid-19 pandemic has hit Europe, the Slovenian community in the country has scaled down its work and reduced the number of events. The community has meanwhile managed to stay in close touch with Slovenia despite the closure of the border, said Andrea Kovacs, the president of the Association of Slovenians in Hungary.

Slovenia's annual inflation rate at -0.1% in October

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's consumer price index remained in negative territory for the third month in a row in October, standing at -0.1% at the annual level despite a 0.3% increase in consumer prices over the month before, show the latest data from the Statistics Office.

EU Commission urges Slovenia to improve access to justice in environmental matters

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia has received two formal notices and two reasoned opinions in the European Commission's October infringement package. The formal notices pertain to the handling of priority substances and basic safety standards, while reasoned opinions refer to waste and access to justice in environmental matters.

Jurist joins appeals for making court decision public

LJUBLJANA - Law professor Jurij Toplak joined appeals for a system under which court decisions would be public by default, after access to decisions has been constrained by a recent Supreme Court ruling that he described as "one of the most damaging judgements". In May the Supreme Court issued a judgement in a case concerning not court decisions but records produced by prosecutors. It determined that these records are no longer subject to freedom of information requests. This ruling is now being interpreted as extending to court decisions. Toplak's request follows a similar appeal by the Slovenian Journalists' Association

Cycling: Roglič also wins flat 10th stage of Vuelta, dons red jersey

SANTANDER, Spain - Slovenia's Primož Roglič secured his third stage win at this year's Vuelta de Espana in a somewhat surprising sprint triumph following a flat 185 km stage from Castro Urdiales to Suances. The ten second victory bonus helped him reclaim the red jersey of the overall standings leader. The 31-year-old Roglič, who had lost the red jersey in the sixth stage, is now neck and neck time-wise with Richard Carapaz, but he took over the leader's jersey because he has more points than the Ecuadorian.

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30 Oct 2020, 04:05 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Friday, 30 October 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Slovenia's coronavirus total tops 30,000 after 2,488 more cases

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's coronavirus total has passed 30,000 and the number of active infections exceeded 20,000 after it reported a further 2,488 cases for Wednesday. Government spokesman Jelko Kacin said the cases were from 7,202 tests, which means a positivity rate of 34.55%. Covid-19 hospitalisations rose to 660 with intensive care cases rising to 109. The Covid-related death toll rose to 292 after 14 more deaths. Hospitals around the country continue to increase capacity. UKC Ljubljana for example said it will furnish unused space that could accommodate up to 150 beds, in a EUR 2.3 million project.

Slovenia expresses solidarity with France after Nice attack

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia joined the expressions of solidarity with France and the condemnation of today's attack in Nice, in which one man stabbed at least three people to death and hurt several more with a knife. President Borut Pahor expressed on Twitter "profound condolences", while Prime Minister Janez Janša tweeted "stay strong, France, Tolérance zéro pour le terrorisme!", addressing French Emmanuel Macron and adding the hashtag #solidarité. The Foreign Ministry also expressed support on Twitter in French to the French people and in defence of European values.

Instructions issued as epidemiologists overwhelmed

LJUBLJANA - As epidemiologists are no longer able to contact all persons with a confirmed coronavirus infection due to the steep increase in cases, the health authorities have issued special instructions. Nuška Čakš Jager of the National Institute of Public Health said a web portal would be launched where persons with a confirmed infection can get a code to activate the exposure notification app.

Rail operator supervisors confirm strategic partnership with Czech holding

LJUBLJANA - The supervisory board of rail operator Slovenske Železnice endorsed a strategic partnership with the Prague-based EP Holding in the cargo and logistics segment. The details of the deal have not been revealed beyond the company saying that a joint venture will be formed in which Slovenske Železnice will have a 51% stake and EP Holding 49%. Initial plans involved the strategic partner acquiring a 49% stake in the cargo division SŽ - Tovorni Promet. The deal still has to be endorsed by the Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH).

Three coalition parties invited to talks on alternative government

LJUBLJANA - Three junior coalition parties have been invited to join talks on the formation of an alternative government, after the original four opposition members of the Constitutional Arch Coalition reportedly reached a consensus on core priorities, said Jože P. Damijan, who offered himself as prime minister of such an alternative government. The SMC said it would make its position clear soon. The NSi said they intended to engage in talks since dialogue is always important. DeSUS said they would talk with Damijan.

People mostly comply with restrictions, inspectors find

LJUBLJANA - In the week since the fifth set of coronavirus legislative changes took effect, the number of inspectors checking compliance with a variety of restrictions has increased. Not only has this power been given to several inspection services, but also the police. In general, people are abiding by the rules, according to the Health Inspectorate. The Health Inspectorate conducted 1,420 inspections last week, issuing 141 fines to the tune of EUR 68,400, the bulk, EUR 36,800, for violations of restrictions in public outdoor spaces.

Luka Koper does not see investments in neighbouring ports as threat

KOPER - Port operator Luka Koper said the arrival of the operator of the Hamburg port to neighbouring Trieste and the interest of major logistics players in the Rijeka port was a recognition of the increasing importance of the southern transport route through the Adriatic, but did not present a serious threat to Koper's strategic status. "It is in the interest of all ports in the region that we increase our capabilities and strengthen our competitiveness in relation to the ports in Northern Europe," the company said.

New director appointed at Slovenian Research Agency

LJUBLJANA - The government appointed Robert Repnik, a professor of physics, director of the Slovenian Research Agency, the body in charge of disbursing public funding for scientific research. His term is five years. Repnik is a professor of physics at the University of Maribor's Faculty of Science and Mathematics. His research focuses on the physics of liquid crystals and didactics in physics.

Financial aid available to farmers hit by epidemic

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a regulation extending aid to farmers who have been unable to deliver their goods due to the Covid-19 epidemic. Up to EUR 7,000 is available for individual farmers and up to EUR 50,000 for small and medium-sized agri-food companies. The aid will be a one-off payment under the Rural Development Programme.

Healthcare to get additional EUR 20m in EU funds to fight Covid

LJUBLJANA - The Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has increased EU-approved funds for treating Covid-19 patients by EUR 20 million. EUR 59 million in EU funds will thus be allocated for medical and personal protective equipment. The increase announced is a result of the worsening epidemiological situation.

Support expressed for protesters in Poland

LJUBLJANA - A small group of young activists staged a protest in front of the Polish embassy to express their support for demonstrators in Poland protesting over the top court's ruling to ban nearly all abortions. Due to coronavirus restrictions, only five members of the Youth Activist Organisation (MAO) gathered. They set up a cord to hang wire clothes hangers on it, a symbol of the danger of illegal abortions.

Stories from the Chestnut Woods Slovenia's candidate for Oscars race

LJUBLJANA - Stories from the Chestnut Woods, an award-winning debut by director Gregor Božič, has been selected by a group of experts as Slovenia's submission for a nomination for best international feature film award at the 93rd Oscars, set to be held on 25 April 2021. The Union of the Associations of Slovenian Filmmakers believes the film captures a timeless, almost archetypal spirit of Benečija, an area in eastern Italy populated by ethnic Slovenians.

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