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Janša, Kurz advocate joint approach to coronavirus, migration

LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz called for a joint approach to coronavirus and to illegal migration as they met in Ljubljana. They agreed a full lockdown should be avoided this autumn, with Kurz stressing that a "light at the end of the tunnel" could be seen. Turning to illegal migration, Janša called for a strengthening of border protection, a joint EU approach and assistance to the countries that could be hit the hardest. Janša and Kurz agreed protecting the external borders was essential for removing check points on internal borders. Kurz also met President Borut Pahor, who welcomed the Austrian government's plan to tackle issues of minorities. After talks, Janša and Kurz climbed the North Face of Mount Triglav, Slovenia's highest peak.

Monday's new Covid-19 infections at 42, no new fatalities

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 42 new coronavirus cases from 1,581 tests carried out on Monday, which brings the overall tally of cases since the first one was confirmed in early March to 3,232. 546 cases are active, according to the national tracker site covid-19.sledilnik.org. No new Covid-19-related fatalities were reported, leaving the national total at 135. The number of hospitalisations rose by two to 28; four persons are in intensive care.

Several LMŠ MPs ordered to quarantine

LJUBLJANA - Several MPs of the LMŠ party of the former Prime Minister Marjan Šarec are self-isolating after coming into a contact with a person who had tested positive for the new coronavirus. Šarec said four LMŠ MPs had been issued quarantine orders, with two more to follow precautionary measures recommended by the National Institute of Public Health. They will work from home and expect to be able to cast their vote remotely as parliament votes on an opposition-sponsored proposal to oust Interior Minister Aleš Hojs on Monday. Speaker Igor Zorčič will put the proposal for remote vote for the vote on Friday.

Italy increases military and police presence on Slovenia border

TRIESTE, Italy - The Trieste-based Slovenian newspaper Primorski Dnevnik reported that Italian Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese announced that Italy would not close small border crossings on the border with Slovenia due to increased migration, but would bolster the presence of the military and police in the border area. Visiting Trieste, the minister also announced that mixed border patrols would be reintroduced. Joint Slovenian-Italian border police patrols were discontinued when the Covid-19 situation started to escalate.

Opposition to media law changes continues as public debate ends

LJUBLJANA - Despite the public consultation period on the government-proposed media reform having expired, debate continues, as the public broadcaster and other media and associations involved continue to protest against the amendments, as do most of the opposition parties. RTV Slovenija director general Igor Kadunc said the broadcaster stood to lose EUR 7.7 million a year directly as a result of the amendments along with almost EUR 10 million in lost revenue from its transmitting business.

EU Commission approves EUR 80 million for Koper-Divača track

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission gave its go-ahead for an investment worth EUR 80 million out of the cohesion fund to co-finance the new railway from Divača to Koper, which is valued at EUR 1.194 billion. The funds will be spent on building a tunnel and two viaducts on the track, which is to improve rail interconnection. "The new section is vital for managing the growing demand along the track and for linking the key corridor in the core network and maritime routes," said the Commission.

ECHR denies appeal in Roma drinking water case

LJUBLJANA - The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) grand chamber dismissed on Monday an appeal lodged by two Roma families in June who alleged violations of basic human rights because of inadequate access to drinking water and sanitation. The ruling, quashing such allegations, is thus final, said the State Attorney's Office. In March, the court found that Slovenia had taken adequate steps to provide Roma settlements with drinking water, rejecting an application by the Roma families.

Pivec discusses fisheries with German, Portuguese counterparts

LJUBLJANA - Agriculture Minister Aleksandra Pivec held an online discussion with the German and Portuguese ministers in charge of fisheries to exchange views on open issues and talk about the development of fisheries during the EU presidency of Germany, Portugal and Slovenia. Slovenia advocates a balanced approach to the interests of the industry on the one hand and small, traditional coastal fishing on the other, Pivec said. The trio expressed hope for a timely agreement in the Brexit negotiations, but said the EU must prepare measures in case no agreement is reached.

Vrtovec attends conference on EU maritime shipping industry

HAMBURG, Germany - Infrastructure Minister Minister Jernej Vrtovec supported proposed European Green Deal measures and said Slovenia was in favour of cutting CO2 emissions in maritime transport at EU and global levels as part of the International Maritime Organisation, as he attended a conference of EU transport ministers in Hamburg. He said greening the maritime shipping industry should go hand in hand with its digital transformation.

Slovenia secures EUR 78m in fresh short-term borrowing

LJUBLJANA - The treasury has auctioned off three- and six-month T-bills for a total of EUR 78 million in fresh borrowing with negative yield. The sum secured with three-month bills was above and that raised through six-month bills below the planned amount. The state had set out to issue a total of EUR 60 million worth of three- and six-month treasury bills, of which EUR 20 million in three-month bills.

Finance Committee backs 2% rise in pensions

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Finance Committee backed a proposal for a 2% rise in pensions in December regardless of the amount of GDP growth in the past year, which would come at the cost of EUR 94 million. The government has not yet taken a position on the proposal, which is sponsored by the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS), one of the junior coalition partners, however the proposal appears to have been agreed within the ruling coalition.

Slovenia, Austria working to manage border Mura river together

BAD RADKERSBURG, Austria - The Slovenian Environment Ministry and the Austrian Agriculture Ministry held the first Forum for the Mura in Bad Radkersburg, Austria, as part of the permanent Slovenian-Austrian commission for the border river. The head of the Slovenian delegation, Mitja Bricelj, said this was the first such forum in Europe. It is to hear proposals from people living along the Mura for improvements, especially in light of climate change, which affects water levels.

Gorenje posts EUR 55 million loss in 2019

LJUBLJANA - Gorenje Group generated a net loss of EUR 55.2 million last year, down from 2018's EUR 111.2 million. One-off events excluded, the group's loss amounted to EUR 37.3 million. Revenue meanwhile rose by 4% to EUR 1.23 billion, shows the group's annual report published on the website of the AJPES agency. The group said the loss was largely a result of poor performance in the first quarter of 2019, when the volume of sales was rather low. The group expects to post a profit this year.

Vilenica literary festival fusing on-site and virtual events

LJUBLJANA - The 35th international literary festival Vilenica got under way with an international comparative literature colloquium streamed online via Zoom and an on-site event in Ljubljana showcasing Vinko Möderndorfer, the Slovenian author in spotlight. Most of the events running until Sunday will be virtual due to coronavirus concerns and restrictions, with a total of five held in-person in Slovenia and Italy. The Vilenica Prize had been presented to Slovak poet Mila Haugova ahead of the festival.

Bach's Mass in B Minor to open Philharmonic's ambitious season

LJUBLJANA - Johann Sebastian Bach's Mass in B Minor opened the new season of the Slovenian Philharmonic at Cankarjev Dom. Bach's magnificent composition was conducted by Englishman Stephen Layton, featuring English soloists Anna Dennis, Helen Charlston, Ruairi Bowen and Laurence Williams. This was the first in a series of concerts this year marking the 30th anniversary of the Slovenian Philharmonic's choir.

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25 new coronavirus infections on Sunday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 25 new coronavirus cases from 706 tests on Sunday, which brings the overall tally of cases since the first one was recorded in early March to 3,190, out of which 525 remain active, according to combined data from the government and tracker site covid-19.sledilnik.org. No new Covid-19-related fatalities were reported, while the number of hospitalisations rose by three to 26, four of whom require intensive treatment. Over the past week 307 new coronavirus infections were confirmed, 89 more than the week before.

App to keep tabs on quarantined school children

LJUBLJANA - As the second week of school started with a number of groups of children in quarantine due to coronavirus cases detected among their classmates, the Education Ministry said it was developing an application which will contain all relevant information in one place. It is planning to start publishing data on a weekly basis from Friday. Quarantine for individual classes has been ordered in 13 out of Slovenia's 497 primary schools and 150 children out of over 191,700 are in isolation. "The data show the current situation is fully manageable," the ministry added.

Privacy watchdog checking police over expanded powers

LJUBLJANA - The newspaper Dnevnik reported that the Information Commissioner had launched oversight at the police force over "lack of clarity in expansion of police powers" related to measures to contain coronavirus. The privacy watchdog is looking into police procedures at the border affecting those who own real estate or vessels in Croatia as well as into other police tasks, including restricting people's movements. The watchdog is looking whether police measures are warranted by law.

Trade union protests over alleged political meddling in police

LJUBLJANA - The Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (KSJS) condemned "the pressure exerted by Interior Minister Aleš Hojs on police staff and members of the Police Trade Union of Slovenia (PSS) for several months". The KSJS pointed to what it deems Hojs's defamation in media and framing efforts. The confederation argues that Hojs does not acknowledge social dialogue and has attempted to silence the PSS trade union to enable domineering conduct and turn the police into a political tool.

Debate agrees EU trade policy must be sustainability-oriented

LJUBLJANA - An online debate on EU trade policy reform agreed a reformed trade policy must in particular be sustainability-oriented and must not favour multinationals. Ignacio Garcia Bercero of the European Commission said this would be considered in drafting the final version. The Commission decided to review trade policy in May to see whether it may contribute to a fast and sustainable socio-economic recovery post-Covid, while also examining how it may help build a stronger EU. The review will determine the political direction of the EU's trade policy in the coming year, Bercero of the Directorate General for Trade said at the debate, hosted by the European Commission Representation in Slovenia and the Economy Ministry.

Carinthian Slovenians urging bilingual signposts to be set up

KLAGENFURT, Austria - The Slovenian Consensus for Constitutional Rights (SKUP), a political group of the Slovenian minority in Austria, urged the mayors of the municipalities in the bilingual area in the state of Carinthia to set up bilingual place names in 37 villages. The SKUP called on the mayors to follow the example of another two municipalities, Žitara Vas and Šentjakob v Rožu, which decided in July to set up bilingual place names in 23 villages. The appeal comes ahead of Tuesday's visit by Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz to Slovenia.

Landmark ruling taken over environmental permit procedures

LJUBLJANA/ZAGORJE OB SAVI - A landmark ruling by the Administrative Court has asserted the right of NGOs to participate already in the preliminary stage of permit proceedings if they are able to prove an investment would have significant environmental impact. The court upheld in full a challenge by the environmentalist group Eko Krog against the Environment Agency, which has been refusing to include NGOs in the preliminary assessment of whether a planned intervention requires a comprehensive environmental impact assessment and environmental permit.

Managers proposes measures to fight Covid-19 consequences

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Business Club (SBC) presented a set of proposals to fight the consequences of Covid-19 which it believes would help companies from the most affected industries survive, and others to create new and quality jobs. The SBC wants the freezing of the minimum wage act provisions which will increase the minimum wage as of 1 January 2021, arguing this is unsustainable in the given circumstances. It wants the criteria for additional liquidity funds with state guarantee to be changed and the measure extended until the end of June. The managers would also like the meetings industry to be helped with vouchers similar to those for the tourism industry, and tourism vouchers to be expanded to tickets for natural and cultural heritage sites, among others.

Conference highlights nuclear energy as pillar of power supply

PORTOROŽ - Nuclear Energy for New Europe, a four-day international conference, opened with the reassertion that Slovenia is and will remain a nuclear country and that nuclear energy is a key pillar of sustainable power supply. The conference, organised by the Nuclear Society of Slovenia and featuring over 150 experts, is dedicated to the state and development of nuclear energy and to helping promote the importance of nuclear energy for stable supply with low-carbon power. "Nuclear energy is clean, reliable and proved to be low-carbon," Nuclear Society head Tomaž Žagar said, arguing the share of nuclear energy in the energy mix in Europe as well as Slovenia should increase.

Agra fair opens with call for sustainable practices, local food

GORNJA RADGONA - Agriculture Minister Aleksandra Pivec underscored the need to boost environment-friendly food production and processing, to increase productivity and ties between producers as she addressed the virtual opening of the international agriculture and food fair Agra. The fair, traditionally taking place in the town of Gornja Radgona, is mostly held online this year. One of the in-site events will be a day dedicated to the Austrian state of Styria.

Precarious work spreading further during pandemic

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia has for years been seeing a rise of precarious forms of work, which mostly exclude the right to paid sick leave, holiday, lunch and travel allowances. The Covid-19 pandemic has only made the situation worse. NGOs are are urging systemic changes, while the Labour Ministry will decide on potential measures based on results of a comprehensive analysis due in autumn. The Movement for Dignified Work and Welfare Society estimates 200,000 to 250,000 work in insecure forms of employment.

Paloma rebounds from loss to post EUR 1.6m profit

SLADKI VRH - The tissue maker Paloma saw its revenue drop slightly year-on-year to EUR 80.5 million last year, but it bounced back from a EUR 3.6 million loss in 2018 to post EUR 1.6 million in net profit in 2019. The company rebounded in what was its third year in the ownership of SHP Group, the Slovak group that is in turn owned by the Czech financial fund Eco Investment. This year, the company plans to generate EUR 80 million in revenue, and EUR 5.8 million in EBITDA in 2020.

Ikea opens 300 new jobs in Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - Ikea is looking for more than 300 staff for its first Slovenia store, due to open in Ljubljana later this year. Candidates for various positions in sales, logistics, customer relations and customer support, restaurants and other departments can apply for a job by the end of September. In the spring, when the Ljubljana unit hired about 20 staff, Ikea received about 200 applications for each job advertised.

Slovenia score first win in Nations League

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia defeated Moldova 1:0 on Sunday, securing the first win in this year's UEFA Nations League after drawing with Greece on Thursday. Zaglebie Lubin forward Damjan Bohar scored the only goal for Slovenia in the 28th minute. Slovenia now rank second behind Greece in Group C3, both having four points. The next games will be played in October against Kosovo and Moldova.

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Tour de France: Pogačar wins stage as Roglič dons yellow jersey

PAU, France - Slovenian riders made history at the Tour de France yet again as Tadej Pogačar won the 9th stage and Primož Roglič came in second to take the yellow jersey. The Jumbo Visma rider has become the first Slovenian ever to claim the leader's jersey at the world's most prestigious cycling race. "The yellow jersey is great (...) I hope to wear it in Paris," said Roglič. He is now 21 seconds ahead of the runner-up, Egan Bernal, the Colombian Ineos Grenadiers rider, and 44 seconds ahead of Pogačar (UAE) in 7th.

Coronavirus count hits new weekend high

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia saw 43 coronavirus infections from 1,212 tests performed on Saturday, as many as the day before but what is a daily weekend high since the epidemic was formally declared over in the country at the end of May. This was as the number of tests was also at a weekend high. The latest cases bring the overall case count to 3,165, of which 514 remain active. The number of hospitalisations rose by one to 23, government data show. No new fatalities related to Covid-19 were reported.

Janša addresses anniversary of key pre-independence event

STIČNA - Prime Minister Janez Janša remembered the spirit of cooperation and mutual trust between people of different political persuasions as he addressed a ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of a secret meeting that set out plans for Slovenia's defence on breaking independent from Yugoslavia. Janša, who attended the meeting as defence minister of the time, Janša said it was the first time the Yugoslav army was defined clearly as a potential aggressor. The ceremony was also attended by president Borut Pahor and several independence-era officials.

Basovizza victims of fascism remembered 90 years after execution

BASOVIZZA, Italy - Four victims of fascism, known among Slovenians as Basovizza Heroes, were remembered with a ceremony in Basovizza, Italy, at the site they were executed 90 years ago following a short trial before a Fascist court in Trieste. Slovenian parliamentary Speaker Igor Zorčič told the ceremony the Basovizza Heroes had become a symbol of resistance to a murdering and oppressive regime and ideology that incited hatred and violence among people. In July, President Borut Pahor and Italian President Sergio Mattarella visited the memorial in July along with the Foiba of Basovizza, a karst pit that for Italians symbolises post-war summary killings by Partisans.

Jewish heritage festival focuses on journeys

MARIBOR - Several Slovenian towns are taking part in the European Days of Jewish Heritage, which for the first time in 20 years was launched with an eight-hour online programme open to all. The theme of this year's iteration is Jewish Journeys. In Slovenia it was launched with an exhibition at the Maribor Synagogue featuring photographs on the largest-ever Slovenian pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1910. Events are also being held in Lendava, Murska Sobota and Negova Castle.

Survey shows 36% Slovenians spent summer holiday in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - A survey by the Slovenian Automobile Association (AMZS) suggests 36% of Slovenians spent their holiday in Slovenia this summer, a slight increase on figures recorded in the past, but the majority still opted for the Croatian coast. Almost 40% took a week-long holiday, slightly over 30% took two weeks off, 10% three, and 7% even more. The AMZS, which surveyed 600 respondents between 15 July and 15 August, does not have comparable figures for recent years but argued that older surveys showed about a quarter of Slovenians holidaying in Slovenia.

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Presidents Pahor, Milanović attend memorial ceremony on Rab island

RAB, Croatia - The presidents of Slovenia and Croatia, Borut Pahor and Zoran Milanović, attended a ceremony honouring the victims of the Fascist concentration camp Kampor on Rab island. This was be the first time that the two countries' presidents attend the annual event together. Prior to the ceremony marking the 77th anniversary of the liberation of Kampor, Pahor and Milanović laid a wreath to the monument of the victims of the camp, known as one of the most notorious Fascist camps in the Second World War. Pahor said the joint gesture "symbolised the importance of friendship and a shared awareness of the need to preserve memory, which should also serve as a warning".

43 new Sars-Cov-2 cases confirmed in 1,708 tests on Friday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 43 new Sars-Cov-2 cases in Friday's testing, which means a continuing decline after a spike of 55 cases on Tuesday. The number of tests, at 1,708, remained relatively high. One person died, which brings the total toll to 135. The number of the hospitalised patients decreased by two to 22, with three in intensive care. The new cases put the total number of confirmed infections thus far at 3,122, 505 of which are active, according to the national tracker Covid-19.sledilnik.

US sees Slovenia as important player in Three Seas Initiative

BLED - Matt Boyse, deputy assistant secretary at US Department of State's Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, told the STA in an interview that relations between the US and Slovenia are becoming markedly stronger. "We've been making some good progress in the bilateral relationship and we're sensing a receptivity on the part of the government to work with us. We wanted to acknowledge and pay attention to a very important ally," said Boyse, who visited to attend the Bled Strategic Forum. Boyse praised Slovenia's efforts in the Three Seas Initiative, expressing his belief its October summit will bring notable headway.

IFIMES sees Kosovo-Serbia agreement as important step forward

LJUBLJANA - The Kosovo-Serbia agreement on the normalisation of economic relations is an important step towards the normalisation of relations between Prishtina and Belgrade, the director of the IFIMES institute Zijad Bećirović has told the STA, adding this is the case even though it features little by way of political content. The head of the Ljubljana-based International Institute for Middle-East and Balkan Studies stressed there had been no dialogue between the two sides for almost two years.

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Janša tells diplomats debate about core Europe involves false dilemma

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Prime Minister Janez Janša dismissed at the annual meeting of Slovenian diplomats concerns Slovenia is drifting away from the EU's core countries, saying the "saga about a core Europe" was a false dilemma that testified a lack of confidence. However, Slovenia does not have an inferiority complex, added Janša. He said Slovenia was looking for various alliances in the EU, since the EU "is an alliance of compromises". Excluding certain alliances in advance would be imprudent, he argued. Regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, Janša expressed hope a vaccine or cure would come soon.

Slovenian, French FMs discuss cooperation among respective EU presidencies

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Slovenian and French foreign ministers Anže Logar and Jean-Yves Le Drian coordinated the preparations of their two countries for their upcoming EU presidencies in the second half of 2021 and first half of 2022, respectively, as Le Drian was a guest at the annual meeting of Slovenian diplomats, presenting a vision for a more confident EU. The foreign ministers underlined the importance of coordinated presidency programmes among incumbent Germany, as well as Portugal in the first half of 2021 and Slovenia after that. Le Drian said the conclusions adopted at the July EU Summit would have to be implemented by "us", the member states leading the EU Council after the summit.

Tusk says freedom and fundamental values cannot be negotiated

LJUBLJANA - Donald Tusk, the president of the European People's Party (EPP), visited Slovenia to honour the 20th anniversary of New Slovenia (NSi), underscoring that even though EU countries and EPP parties may pursue different interests, the EU's fundamental values such as freedom of speech, tolerance and the rule of law, were non-negotiable. Commenting on the developments in Poland and Hungary that prompted the European Commission's procedure over the allegations that the rule of law is at risk, Tusk insisted that when freedom was at stake, there was no room for negotiation.

Pahor, French minister warn against east-west divide in EU

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor received French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, with the pair calling for efforts to avoid a divide between east and west in the EU so that the Iron Curtain is not replaced by a Velvet Curtain. They agreed that the upcoming conference on the future of Europe should be used for an honest and strong debate on the joint European project - the project of peace and all-around development.

Janša, Le Drian discuss business cooperation

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Prime Minister Janez Janša met French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on the sidelines of the annual meeting of Slovenian diplomats. The talks focussed on cooperation between Slovenia and France, especially in business. According to Janša's office, the prime minister also presented Slovenia's priorities for the upcoming Slovenian EU presidency in the second half of next year.

NSi celebrated as bridge between left and right

LJUBLJANA - The New Slovenia (NSi) marked its 20th anniversary with its head Matej Tonin labelling the party as a bridge between the left and right political poles. "I believe we can create a wave of cooperation together, which is to unite Slovenian politics," The president of the European People's Party (EPP) Donald Tusk said both Slovenia and Europe needed the NSi, a party choosing dialogue over confrontation, and bridges over walls.

47 new coronavirus cases in 1,733 tests in Slovenia on Thursday

LJUBLJANA - A record 1,733 tests conducted on Thursday confirmed 47 new Sars-CoV-2 infections in Slovenia, a slight drop on the 53 and 55 cases discovered on Wednesday and Tuesday. No new fatalities were reported, meaning the death toll remains at 134. The number of hospitalised patients decreased by two to 24, with three in intensive care. The total number of quarantine orders currently in force exceeds 9,000 and there are 505 active cases currently.

Minister Pivec and party colleague investigated by corruption watchdog

LJUBLJANA - The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (KPK) named as suspects Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) president and Agriculture Minister Aleksandra Pivec and her party colleague, Izola Mayor Danilo Markočič, in an investigation looking into alleged wrongdoing on Pivec's semi-official-semi-private trips to the coast and Kras. The names were released now, as both Pivec and Markočič have received mail informing them that they are being investigated, the KPK said.

NSi leader says DeSUS crisis not affecting govt

LJUBLJANA - The government has no problems as it has a majority in parliament, New Slovenia (NSi) leader Matej Tonin said as he commented on the leadership crisis in the fellow coalition Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) and a communication breakdown between the DeSUS leader and its MPs. However, there is now more focus on direct communication with DeSUS MPs, Tonin said, adding that DeSUS MPs seemed to support the government, so he would like it to stay that way.

Committee okays EUR 780m military investment in next six years

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Defence Committee confirmed on Thursday evening a government-sponsored bill on investment in the Slovenian army for 2021-2027. The coalition MPs were inclined to the plan to modernise the army, while the opposition, in particular the Left, opposed the plan to spend EUR 780 million for the military.

Army chief of staff supports EUR 780m investment in military

LJUBLJANA - As debate on the government's plan to spend EUR 780 million for the military in the next six years is heating up, Brigadier General Robert Glavaš, the chief of the general staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF), has assessed that the planned investments are necessary for the existence of the SAF. Pointing out there was hardly any investment in the SAF in the last ten years, Glavaš said the army had its commitments to meet both at home and abroad, adding that the army needed the planned funds so it could implement the tasks it was required to by the law and constitution, and in line with the commitments to NATO.

Slovenia needs smart projects to use EU funds, debate hears

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia will be eligible for large amounts of EU funds in the coming years, but it will have to do a good job conceiving and implementing development-oriented projects, participants in a video debate hosted by the European Parliament in Slovenia agreed. Economist Mojmir Mrak said that the amount of EU funds available to Slovenia in the coming years will be the largest ever, noting that a proportion will have to be drawn fast. "There isn't a lot of time," he noted, but emphasised the positive aspect of the government responding to the situation rapidly.

Hungary grants border opening appeals from Slovenian minority

SZENTGOTTHARD - The Hungarian authorities granted an appeal from the Slovenian ethnic minority to open another border crossing for the locals, re-opening the Ketvolgy/Verica-Čepinci crossing as of Saturday between 6am and 6pm. The Hungarian authorities also granted an appeal to reopen the border crossing with Austria at Alsószölnök, which is used by Slovenian daily migrant workers. It is expected to be opened on Saturday and stay opened between 7am and 7pm.

Builder Kolektor Koling secures another major deal in Croatia

RIJEKA, Croatia - Builder Kolektor Koling signed the latest in a series of high-value construction contract in Croatia, this time for a EUR 35 million reconstruction of transport surfaces and rails at the port of Rijeka. The Slovenian builder will renovate over 110,000 square metres of surfaces, 1,625 metres of crane tracks and over 12 kilometres of rail tracks along with several other essential infrastructure segments at the port.

Telekom Slovenije selling its media arm TS Media

LJUBLJANA - Telecoms incumbent Telekom Slovenije is selling TS Media, a subsidiary running several online businesses, including the popular siol.net news portal. TS Media had 55 employees at the end of 2019, and generated EUR 6.4 million in revenue and a loss of EUR 318,000.

Filmmaker Maja Weiss honoured at docu festival

MARIBOR - Slovenian screenwriter and director Maja Weiss is in the focus of this year's Docudoc, the 9th festival of documentary film, which opened tonight. She will receive the Documentary Name 2020 citation for her outstanding contribution to the development of Slovenian documentary film. "This is not an award just for me but for all who have worked with me making documentaries over the past 35 years," the film director wrote in her thank-you note.

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Advocate General: Slovenia breached EU law on inviolability of ECB archives

LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - By seizing European Central Bank (ECB) documents from the Slovenian central bank in an investigation of the 2013 bank bailout, Slovenia breached provisions of EU law that grant the ECB special immunity, an advocate general at the Court of Justice of the EU said in her opinion in a case brought against Slovenia by the EU Commission. After it seized the documents, Slovenia neither substantiated which documents are necessary for the national criminal procedure nor returned the remaining documents which constitute protected archives of the ECB, reads the opinion, which is not binding on the court. While Slovenian Justice Minister Lilijana Kozlovič said the opinion constituted "neither victory nor defeat since the case is a precedent", the European Commission welcomed the opinion.

FM announces more ambitious foreign policy, strategy overhaul

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Foreign Minister Anže Logar announced a more ambitious foreign policy of Slovenia, with the EU and NATO memberships as the fundamental framework, as he addressed the annual meeting of Slovenian diplomats. An overhaul of the main strategic foreign policy documents was also announced. Slovenia wants to be a responsible member of the EU, NATO and international community and not only a silent observer, and is returning to the diplomatic map, Logar said.

Pahor worried about potential east-west divide in EU

BRDO PRI KRANJU - President Borut Pahor said he was concerned that an east-west divide could eventually emerge in the EU, as he addressed the 24th annual meeting of Slovenian diplomats at Brdo pri Kranju. He said Slovenia had always built its national interest on strengthening the EU's unity, and hopes this remains the case in the future. Even if the EU is in a certain crisis and deadlocked, these emerging divisions that can be noticed within the block are not in Slovenia's interest, he stressed.

France and Slovenia keen to strengthen strategic partnership

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar met his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian as part of an official two-day visit to Slovenia which the Foreign Ministry said reaffirmed the countries' shared interest in further strengthening of their strategic partnership. The ministry noted the importance of the partnership in light of of the countries' successive stints at the presidency of the Council of the EU as Slovenia passes on the baton to France in the first half of 2022.

Slovenia reports 53 new coronavirus cases, creates legal ground to fine mask rule violations

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 53 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday in record 1,653 tests. The number of confirmed cases was slightly lower than the day before but still among the highest reported. There were no new fatalities. Meanwhile, the government changed the legal basis for the mandatory wearing of face masks or other face coverings in public indoor spaces and for mandatory hand sanitising to make it possible to actually fine those who flout the rules.

First Slovenian satellites successfully deployed in space

KOUROU, French Guiana - Following a number of cancellations due to poor weather, the launch of Slovenia's first satellites, Trisat and Nemo HD, as part of a project by the European space company Arianespace, was successfully executed. Arianespace's Vega rocket, which carried a record 53 satellites from 13 countries, was successfully launched from French Guiana at 3:51am CET. Both Slovenian satellites, which are an important milestone for the country's as well as European space technology efforts, have already been placed in the orbit, with Nemo HD circulating at 515 kilometres and Trisat at 530 kilometres above Earth.

Jobless total down 1.4% on monthly level in August, but up 23.2% y/y

LJUBLJANA - The registered jobless total in Slovenia stood at 88,172 at the end of August, which is a 1.4% decrease on July but 23.2% above the August 2019 figure due to unemployment growth in April and May, show the latest Employment Service data. The number of newly registered persons was 5,277, down 35.8% compared to July but still 23.7% higher year-on-year. The Employment Service said that "compared to July, all key unemployment inflows were down".

Slovenia's Sušec appointed policy strategy head at ESM

LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Slovenian expert Matjaž Sušec has been appointed head of policy strategy and institutional relations at the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), the inter-governmental financial institution in charge of financial stability in the eurozone has announced. Sušec worked for the ESM before, being deputy head of policy strategy before being promoted to head, and having led a number of projects at the ESM.

Lot, Wizzair suspend Ljubljana flights

LJUBLJANA - Lot Polish Airlines will temporarily suspend its Ljubljana-Warsaw flights this month, with the last flight scheduled for 16 September. Further flights will be suspended until the start of the winter season. Meanwhile, low-cost carrier Wizz Air has cancelled its plans to fly between Ljubljana and Belgium's Charleroi over the coming winter. According to the Ex-Yu Aviation portal, Lot could still make changes to its plans for the winter season, which have not been confirmed yet.

Despite concerns, committee endorses changes to prosecution

LJUBLJANA - The Justice Committee endorsed amendments to the state prosecution act on second reading despite concerns raised by prosecutors and opposition MPs that they would undermine prosecutors' independence. Under the proposal a prosecutor's decision to dismiss charges for offences carrying more than three years in prison would have to be signed off by the head of the prosecution service. For offences carrying prison sentences of eight or more years, the head of the prosecution would need to consult two other prosecutors before endorsing the decision of the prosecutor in charge of the case.

More calls and book collection seek to stop controversial media reform

LJUBLJANA - The Journalism Chair at the Ljubljana Faculty of Social Sciences launched a collection of 26 essays by 31 authors that raise concern about political subjugation of the media in Slovenia and urge withdrawal of the planned media reform. The editor of the 200-page publication, communicology professor Slavko Splichal, said it was an attempt in defence of free journalism and independent media and to show through argument "how harmful the current government's efforts". Splichal accused the government of contributing to the global corporate control of the media and spread of authoritarian politics.

UNICEF finds Slovenian children skilled but at risk of mental disease

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia ranks 9th in terms of child well-being among 41 of the world's richest countries, suggests the latest Innocenti Report Card by UNICEF. Slovenian children did very well in reading and mathematical skills but their mental health is a cause for concern, the report says. The country is among a dozen countries where less that 75% of children are happy with their lives. Slovenia did a bit better in physical health of children, placing 11th, but the share of obese children is concerning.

User-friendly versions of two laws on the disabled issued

LJUBLJANA - In a bid to reduce discrimination of vulnerable groups, user-friendly versions of the acts on social inclusion of disabled persons and on personal assistance have been issued, so that they could be more widely read and understood among the target groups. According to the authors, the partners around the 4ALL - Society without Discrimination project, these are the first Slovenian legal acts in a user-friendly version, which present in a simple and understandable way what is otherwise a demanding and lengthy content.

Two more ministries reject Poland's Istanbul Convention letter

LJUBLJANA - The ministries in charge of family and of foreign affairs have backed the Justice Ministry in its negative response to Poland's invitation to join it in withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention, agreeing with the argument that there is no reason for a new document. Poland finds the treaty "harmful" because it requires schools to teach children about gender. Justice Minister Liljana Kozlovič aid Poland did not call on Slovenia to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, but to create a new initiative for a different regulation.

Govt expanding producer responsibility for waste

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted amendments to the environmental protection act as a stop-gap measure to tackle packaging waste until the extended producer responsibility (EPR) system is comprehensively overhauled as required by EU law, which needs to be done by 2023. In line with the new proposal packaging waste treatment companies will need to accept all waste from waste collection utility companies. Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak also announced changes to the packaging waste decree that will extend the waste packaging fee to those that put less than 15 tonnes of packaging on the market a year, the threshold being blamed for the large amounts of waste piling up at utility companies.

Slovenian Jana Bauer takes grand prize at literary festival in N Macedonia

SKOPJE - Jana Bauer, the winner of this year's Desetnica Prize for the best children's and youth book, has won the main prize at the Macedonian literary festival Another Story in what is the first time for an author of youth fiction to take the prize, publisher KUD Sodobnost International said. This year, the three-day festival, which started in Skopje today, focusses on youth literature and most events, including workshops, and story telling events, are dedicated to the winning book, Groznovilca v Hudi Hosti (Scary Fairy in Wicked Wood), which was released in 2011.

Police chase vehicle with 16 migrants from Ilirska Bistrica to Italy

ILIRSKA BISTRICA - Slovenian police chased on Wednesday evening a vehicle with Italian licence plates carrying 16 Eritrean citizens from the area of Ilriska Bistrica, a town in the south some 10km from Croatia, all the way to Italy, as the Spanish driver refused to pull over. When the vehicle finally stopped, the driver fled, but was caught some 300 metres from the vehicle, while the group of illegal migrants and the driver were taken over by Italian police.

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Daily coronavirus count hits five-month high

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded a spike in coronavirus infections with the daily tally hitting 55 on Tuesday, a five month high, as 1,608 tests were performed, the highest daily number so far. One Covid-19 fatality was also reported, raising the death toll to 134. Slovenia has so far confirmed 2,979 coronavirus cases, of which 486 remain active, combined data from the government and the national Covid-19 tracker site show. Of the 26 patients hospitalised four are in intensive care.

Logar to set out foreign policy vision to diplomats

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar will set out the government's vision of foreign policy to Slovenian diplomats as they meet for their 24th annual meeting on Thursday and Wednesday. Judging by this year's Bled Strategic Forum, the country's foreign policy is becoming ever more ambitious, returning Slovenia to "the diplomatic map". The diplomats will also be addressed by President Borut Pahor, PM Janez Janša and French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian.

Slovenia strongly condemns poisoning of Alexei Navalny

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Foreign Ministry has condemned the confirmed poisoning of Alexei Navalny, as the German government announced on Wednesday that the Russian opposition politician had been attacked in Russia with a chemical nerve agent. "The use of the nerve agent to silence an opposition leader is unacceptable. We expect clarifications from the Russian Federation and its cooperation with the international community," the ministry said on Twitter. The German government said testing performed by the German army had clearly confirmed that Navalny had been poisoned with a nerve agent from the novichok group.

Poland wooing Slovenia to withdraw from Istanbul Convention

LJUBLJANA - The newspaper Delo reported that Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro had invited Slovenia to join Poland in withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention, a European treaty aimed at preventing violence against women. Poland, which finds the treaty "harmful" because it requires schools to teach children about gender, proposed to Slovenia that a new convention be drawn up. Slovenia signed the Istanbul Convention in 2011 and ratified it in 2015, the same year as Poland. The Slovenian Justice Ministry said it saw no reason to withdraw from the convention or to amend it, a stance which has been made clear to Poland as well.

National Review Commission cuts list of suitable bidders for Koper-Divača

LJUBLJANA - Acting upon complaints by two Slovenian builders, the National Review Commission has shortened the list of suitable bidders for the principal construction works on the new rail section from Divača to Koper. While some bidders will reportedly be asked to supplement their bids, one bidder each from Slovenia, Turkey, China and Austria remain in play. Deciding on complaints filed by Gorenjska Gradbena Družba and Kolektor CPG after the first screening by 2TDK, the state company managing the EUR 1 billion-plus project, the review commission agreed that bids by six of the nine companies targetted had indeed "not been examined by 2TDK in accordance with demands set down in connection with the tender".

Police to review NBI work in prostitution ring case upon state secretary's urging

LJUBLJANA - Acting upon instructions from Interior Ministry State Secretary Franc Kangler, the General Police Administration has announced an investigation into alleged illegal conduct in the National Bureau of Investigation's (NBI) cracking of a suspected prostitution ring in Nova Gorica in January 2019. While the Specialised State Prosecution filed in mid-2019 an indictment against 18 persons in connection with the ring that was operating in the Marina Sauna club near Nova Gorica, the Koper District Court has excluded several pieces of evidence suspected to have been obtained illegally.

DeSUS deputy group head expects new party president next week

LJUBLJANA - While two camps within the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) remain at odds about whether the party council can dismiss president Aleksandra Pivec, the head of deputy group, Franc Jurša, expressed the belief that the council will appoint a new interim head next week, implying that Health Minister Tomaž Gantar is among the candidates. "We cannot be without leadership, this is a fact, and we need to resolve this at the council meeting," Jurša told the STA, while not wanting to discuss names, saying these would be discussed at the council meeting.

Janša supports Czechia in Taiwan row with China

LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša has expressed support for the Czech Republic after a visit by a senior Czech official to Taiwan has upset China, saying on Wednesday that "Slovenia stands by the Czech Republic". "EU-China relations are based on dialogue and mutual respect. Threats directed at one of the EU members and its representatives contradict the very essence of our partnership and as such are unacceptable," reads Janša's tweet on Wednesday, the same statement that Slovakian President Zuzana Čaputova used in a tweet yesterday. Slovenia accepts the One-China policy and does not have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, which is however defined as an important market for Slovenia.

Hungary's border closure a problem for Slovenian minority

SZENTGOTTHARD - After Hungary closed its border for foreign citizens on Tuesday to contain the coronavirus, the Slovenian ethnic minority there would like the country to open one smaller border crossing with Slovenia, the Ketvolgy/Verica-Čepinci one, saying it would considerably facilitate communication with Slovenia. Like during the Covid-19 pandemic in spring when the borders were closed, all three borders crossings in the area populated by the Slovenian minority are now closed. This is a problem for many teachers from Slovenia who help teach at minority schools in the Raba river basin and for all the others commuting daily to work.

IPI worried about media freedom in Slovenia

VIENNA, Austria - Having analysed the state of mass media in Slovenia since the Janez Janša government took over in mid-March, the International Press Institute (IPI) found that "few countries in Europe have experienced such a swift downturn in press and media freedom after a new government came to power". The IPI report, published on 1 September, notes the government's plan to de-fund public broadcaster RTV Slovenija and Janša's attempt to expand his party's pro-government media system, urging the OSCE, the EU and the Council of Europe to follow the developments in Slovenia.

Austrian Chancellor Kurz due in Ljubljana on Tuesday

LJUBLJANA - Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz is to visit Ljubljana next Tuesday for talks with his Slovenian counterpart Janez Janša, the prime minister's office confirmed. The talks are expected to focus on topical EU issues, as well as bilateral cooperation in the light of Covid-19 and illegal migrations. The Austrian press agency APA reported that Kurz will travel to Ljubljana to coordinate with Janša ahead of the EU summit scheduled for 24 and 25 September.

Private and public health institutions eligible for funds to cut waiting times

LJUBLJANA - The Health Ministry has decided to invite both public and private health services providers to help cut waiting times for patients. Both will be able to participate in a call for applications worth EUR 42 million under equal terms, Minister Tomaž Gantar said on Wednesday. He said EUR 14 million would be available by the end of the year. The public call for applications will be published this month and the funds will be available by the end of next year. The government plans to allocate EUR 14 million for these efforts this year, while the remaining EUR 28 million will partly come from the EU.

FURS boss replacement triggers speculation of political staffing

LJUBLJANA - Following early dismissal on Monday of Financial Administration (FURS) boss Peter Jenko and the appointment of Finance Ministry State Secretary Irena Nunčič in his stead has triggered media speculation that the senior coalition Democrats (SDS) are taking control of the tax office. The newspaper Dnevnik reported that Nunčič was a vocal supporter and member of the SDS, while public broadcaster TV Slovenija said that Jenko had allegedly been replaced in relation to the invesigation into the procurement of medical ventilators from company Geneplanet.

Pipistrel takes orders for autonomous cargo aircraft

AJDOVŠČINA - The Ajdovščina-based ultra light plane developer Pipistrel announced it had started accepting orders for a new series of electric aircraft Nuuva. The flagship Nuuva V300 is a long-range large-capacity heavy-weight autonomous vessel for logistics and aerial cargo delivery. It operates ten times more economically than helicopters and requires no runways. The highly customizable autonomous aircraft can carry up to 460 kg. Entry into service is planned for the second half of 2023.

ITC and pharmaceutical companies pay leaders

LJUBLJANA - ITC and pharmaceutical companies continued to dominate the business paper Finance's list of top 100 companies in terms of pay. However, Microsoft Slovenija, which topped the ranking for several years, was overtaken by SAP, whose 36 employees' monthly gross pay averaged over EUR 10,100 in 2019. Microsoft's Slovenian business, which had 55 employees with average gross monthly pay of almost EUR 8,850, placed second and Merck Sharp & Dohme (EUR 7,900 gross) third.

Court orders debt restructuring at newsstand operator

LJUBLJANA - The Ljubljana District Court ordered a court-mandated debt restructuring for newsstand operator Delo Prodaja on Wednesday on the proposal by Luxembourg-based York Global Finance Offshore BDH and with agreement of Delo Prodaja. Creditors have until 2 October to report liabilities to receiver Miha Mušič, according to the AJPES agency for public legal records. York Global Finance Offshore filed for debt restructuring in late July stating Delo Prodaja had been in violation of the 2017 financial restructuring agreement. Claims, by York as well, had fallen due, while Delo Prodaja was insolvent.

Cigarette prices to go up by almost 5% in October

LJUBLJANA - The Finance Ministry proposes a hike in excise duties that entails a 4.8% increase in the average price of a pack of cigarettes in October. The prices of other tobacco products will also go up, while heat-not-burn products and electronic cigarettes will not be affected. The rise is expected to bring in an additional EUR 18 million a year. Under the proposal, to be discussed by the government at a forthcoming session, excise duty per 1,000 cigarettes will increase from 114 to 120 euro.

Police apprehend 60 migrants in south-east

NOVO MESTO - Police apprehended a group of 60 people who had illegally entered the country near the town of Semič in the south-east on Tuesday. The migrants come from Pakistan and Afghanistan. The foreigners are still being processed by police.

Cross-border workers push for legislative changes

LJUBLJANA - The trade union representing commuting migrant workers started collecting voter signatures on Monday in support for changes to legislative provisions that limit unemployment allowances paid by the host state and provisions allowing a double levying of income tax. The Trade Union of Slovenian Migrant Workers has been protesting against rules that mostly affect Slovenian commuters to Austria for four years. It hopes for support from the ruling Democrats (SDS) and New Slovenia (NSi), which had been pushing for changes when still in opposition.

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Janša, Orban call for closer cooperation

BLED - PM Janez Janša held talks with his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban. They discussed "close all-around cooperation" between the two countries. The pair expressed strong support for the respective minorities on both sides of the border and called for stronger cooperation in a variety of bilateral projects. They also "highlighted the importance of strategic cooperation in the Central European area," Janša's office said. The meeting was held a day after Orban attended the Bled Strategic Forum, at which he participated in the leaders' panel along with Janša and several other Central and Eastern European leaders.

Croatian FM advocates bilateral resolution of open issues

BLED - Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman called for the remaining open issues between Croatia and Slovenia to be resolved bilaterally as he was interviewed by the STA on the sidelines of the Bled Strategic Forum. He noted that the EU Court of Justice advised Slovenia and Croatia to seek a bilateral solution. "Both sides need to come to terms that this is reality. There is no arbitration if there is no other side," he said. He also lauded bilateral cooperation in the fight against Covid-19.

Opposition committee members critical of PM's stances at EU summit

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary EU Affairs Committee debated on Tuesday the positions Prime Minister Janez Janša advocated at the last EU summit, with the opposition MPs accusing him of supporting the alleged opposition of a group of countries to the idea to tie EU funds drawing with the respect of the rule of law. FM Anže Logar rejected the accusations, saying they were said it "typical fake, invented fake news". He noted that the session of the European Council had been held behind closed doors and that only the prime ministers knew what they had talked about.

Pivec deems boosting agricultural resistance key

KOBLENZ, Germany - The EU's agricultural ministers discussed the agricultural and food sector's resistance to the Covid-19 pandemic as they met in Germany's Koblenz. Slovenia's Aleksandra Pivec believes a further strengthening of the system's resilience to future outbreaks is key. Providing opportunities for the recovery of Europe's economy is equally important, she said at the two-day informal ministerial. The minister also highlighted the importance of immediate and joint efforts at the EU level in the event of such crises. Normal functioning of the markets and food supply chains as well as cooperation among member states are key for a stable food supply system in the EU.

Daily tally of coronavirus cases at 41 on Monday

LJUBLJANA - After a drop in new daily coronavirus cases attributed to reduced testing at the weekend, Slovenia recorded 41 infections from 1,415 tests on Monday. The overall case count hit 2,924, out of which 468 remain active cases. No fatalities were reported and hospitalisations remain stable at 25. Government spokesman Jelko Kacin said that only five of the latest cases had been imported, which showed Slovenia successfully contained the import of infections from abroad. Meanwhile, the national voluntary contact tracing app #OstaniZdrav (#StayWell), launched in mid-August for Android to help manage the epidemic, was also released for the iOS operating system.

DeSUS split over party council's powers

LJUBLJANA - After a split on whether its head Aleksandra Pivec should step down over suspicion of corruption, the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) is now divided over the issue of which party body can dismiss the party president. While the commission for statute matters said on Monday that the party council has that power, a group led by Pivec begs to differ. The head of the party's council Tomaž Gantar said today that the commission's opinion would help the council make a decision next week. Pivec disagrees with the interpretation that the council can dismiss her, arguing this would mean that the party's top body, the congress, was not needed.

School year starts in-class amid warnings by experts

LJUBLJANA - The new school year started in-class for almost 191,000 primary and secondary pupils and almost 18,000 teachers. However, many precautions are in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus, including the wearing of face masks in common areas, which the public health authorities recommended for pupils of all ages. On the occasion, experts advised caution, saying that unlike earlier studies more recent ones show there was potential for children to not only spread coronavirus but become primary sources of infection in the family.

Loan guarantee scheme uptake at 1%

LJUBLJANA - Out of two billion euro in state loan guarantees offered to businesses as a stimulus measure passed in April to revive production in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak, only about 1% have been used since the scheme became operational in mid-July. Data from SID Bank, the state-run export and development bank which manages the scheme, show a total of EUR 21 million worth of state guaranteed loans have been approved with contracts already signed for EUR 16.9 million worth of loans.

Ljubljana-Amsterdam air link suspended

BRNIK - The Dutch low-cost airline Transavia will put on hold its Ljubljana-Amsterdam service starting on 13 September due to Slovenia red-listing the Netherlands in terms of Covid-19 risk. The air route is supposed to be renewed on 29 October, online portal Ex-Yu Aviation reported. After Slovenia changed the status of the Netherlands some ten days ago, any arrivals from there regardless of their citizenship are required to undergo a 14-day quarantine.

Roglič and Pogačar secure historic double Slovenian stage win at Tour de France

BRIANCON, France - Slovenia's cycling star Primož Roglič won the fourth stage of the Tour de France, while Tadej Pogačar in second place helped secure a historic double win for Slovenia. Roglič, the Vuelta a Espana champion who is also among the prime candidates for final overall victory at the Tour, won the uphill sprint in Orcieres-Merlette in the Alps after 160.5 kilometres of racing. Roglič advanced to third place overall, three seconds behind Britain's Adam Yates and seven seconds behind French rider Julian Alaphilippe. 21-year-old Pogačar consolidated his fourth position overall and donned the white jersey of the best young rider.

Swim City initiative showcased in Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - Swiss Ambassador to Slovenia Denis Knobel opened an exhibition themed Swim City at the Architecture and Design Museum (MAO) to present a Swiss initiative promoting swimming in city rivers as a new phenomenon in urban areas. The exhibition, set up by the Swiss Architecture Museum in 2019, highlights rivers as an important element of public space. Also on display will be a project highlighting the Ljubljanica river as one of the fundamental elements of the city of Ljubljana.

Slovenian Cinematheque paying homage to Morricone

LJUBLJANA - Film buffs are in for an exciting new season at the Slovenian Cinematheque, which strarted on Tuesday evening with a screening of Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in the West, scored by Ennio Morricone, who passed away recently. Apart from honouring the work of the famous Italian composer, Slovenska Kinoteka will also stage a retrospective of the iconic Swedish filmmaker Andersson this month, while an exhibition and film screenings will mark the centenary of Federico Fellini's birth from late October to December.

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BSF as introduction to debates on EU's future

BLED/LJUBLJANA - The 15th Bled Strategic Forum (BSF) boasted the most high-profile turnout in its 15-year history despite the coronavirus pandemic. Two presidents, seven prime ministers, six foreign ministers and many others attended in person, plus a number of high-profile panellists remotely. The debates focused on the future of the EU and the region's role. Foreign Minister Anže Logar said the debates were a prelude to talks on the future of the EU at the EU level, but the event also marked a "return to the diplomatic map" for Slovenia. He believes this is "an encouragement for Slovenian diplomacy to continue to actively and energetically approach international relations." The line-up was meanwhile criticised by the opposition; the Social Democrats (SD) labelled the BSF a get-together for destroyers of basic EU values, whereas the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) is concern with Slovenia's shift in foreign policy towards eastern EU members.

Slovenia's economy contracts by 13% in Q2, by 7.9% in H1

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's economy has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing lockdown with fresh data from the Statistics Office showing the country's output contracted by 13% in real terms in the second quarter compared with the same quarter a year ago. The second straight quarter of negative growth places the country in a technical recession with the annual rate of contraction in the first half of the year at 7.9%. On the up side, available data suggest a rebound in the second half of the year. IMAD, the government's macroeconomic think-tank whose forecasts serve as a basis for state budgeting, said the contraction was within its expectations, with an improvement expected in the third quarter.

BSF: CEE a force to be reckoned with

BLED - Seven Central and East European leaders gathered for the main panel of the 15th annual BSF highlighted the region's growing influence in the EU. The prime ministers, including Slovenia's Janez Janša, Poland's Mateusz Morawiecki and Hungary's Viktor Orban, stressed their region was a force to be reckoned with and highlighted the importance of true solidarity between all member states, noting that double standards were used for the region. Meanwhile, calls for close cooperation, communication and the easing of restrictive EU state aid rules in the face of the pandemic dominated a panel debate featuring top foreign policy officials. A small protest was held on the sidelines of the event to protest against the policies pursued by Janša, Orban and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.

Panel hears EU will need to adjust security and defence policy

BLED - A panel debate at the BSF saw the participants agree that a lot of adjustments to the European defence and security policy will be needed, including because of cyber threats and the Covid-19 pandemic. China was also discussed as an element which seeks to direct countries in the region more towards the east. Matthew Rhodes of the Marshall Center said at the European Security and Asymmetric Threats panel the Balkans had been identified as the area in Europe which was the biggest reason for concern, a lot of which was related to Russia and China's activities in the area. "Both countries took advantage of a slower response by NATO to present themselves as saviours," he said. Pawel Herczynski of the European External Action Service added that "a greater role of the EU in security and defence will strengthen NATO".

Western Balkans are part of EU's story, says Lajčak

BLED - The Western Balkans are part of the European story and the region's problems are also the bloc's problems, Miroslav Lajčak, the EU's special representative for Belgrade-Prishtina dialogue and the Western Balkans, told the BSF. He stressed that normalisation in Serbia-Kosovo relations was a process. Lajčak also stressed the importance of a credible European perspective for the Western Balkans: "If the EU wants to be a global actor ..., we have to start demonstrating that we can help organise things in a European way on European soil." He also saod that the EU should stop ignoring the political aspect of enlargement. Lajčak as well as the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell were also received by President Borut Pahor as well as by Prime Minister Janez Janša.

Fiscal Council says stimulus measures could reduce GDP slump by 1.5 pp

LJUBLJANA - The Fiscal Council, a government advisory body, updated its estimate of the actual public budget expenditure directed thus far toward mitigating the impact of the coronacrisis, putting it at EUR 1.5 billion. While this compares to a government-planned EUR 2.8 billion, the measures could reduce the GDP contraction by about 1.5 percentage points. "The simulation of all measures showed that the level of economic activity could end up being 1.5 percentage points higher this year than would be the case in a scenario without measures," the body overseeing Slovenia's adherence to the fiscal compact said.

Revised budget for 2020 raises expenditure by almost 30%

LJUBLJANA - The supplementary budget for 2020, which the government filed to parliament today, raises expenditure by EUR 3 billion or 29% to EUR 13.39 billion. A major portion of the extra funding is to go to the Finance Ministry; its budget is to increase by EUR 2.1 billion to EUR 4.6 billion. Covid-19-related costs account for 19% of all expenditure, with EUR 2.6 billion earmarked for measure meant to mitigate the impact of the coronacriss. Opposition parties are meanwhile largely critical of the revised budget, saying it lacks ambition and is not development-oriented, cutting funds for science and research. They also fear the enormous expenditure would have to be paid for by generations in the coming decades.

18 new coronavirus cases reported for Sunday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 18 new coronavirus infections from 588 tests performed on Sunday, according to the government data release Monday. The latest figures bring the total national case count to 2,883, of which 454 remain active. A total of 25 Covid-19 patients were in hospital, three of them requiring intensive treatment, that is one more than the day before. No new fatalities were reported, with the death toll from Covid-19 remaining at 133.

FURS boss Peter Jenko dismissed

LJUBLJANA - The government dismissed Peter Jenko from the post of director general of the Financial Administration (FURS) after he led the national revenue service for nine months. Irena Nunčič, until now one of the state secretaries at the Finance Ministry, became acting director general for up to six months, effective on 1 September, the Government Communication Office said in a release after today's government correspondence session.

Slovenian-developed vaccine produces high immune response in mice

LJUBLJANA - A team of researchers at the National Chemistry Institute in Ljubljana has developed a coronavirus vaccine that has produced a high immune response in mice. Trials have shown the antibodies neutralise the virus just like with other vaccines and just like the antibodies in patients who have recovered from infection. The team, led by Roman Jerala, developed the vaccine based on the plasmid DNA that contains the code for the virus proteins and triggers the production of virus proteins in human cells.

Police can use electroshock weapons from 1 Sept

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian police officers who will find themselves in danger will be able to use electroshock weapons against their attackers starting from 1 September. The police say the use of the new weapon will be very restricted and all procedures involving them will be recorded. Slovenia currently has 20 sets of the Taser X2 paralyser, and 237 experienced police officers have been trained to use them, the General Police Department said. The legislation introducing the new, controversial weapon was passed three years ago.

Price growth negative in August

LJUBLJANA - Consumer prices in Slovenia fell by 0.1% in August year-on-year as well as on July with the Statistics Office attributing annual deflation mainly to cheaper petroleum products and the monthly fall in prices to clearance sales. Goods prices went down by 1.2% in a year, while prices of services rose by 1.6%. Measured with the harmonised index of consumer prices, an EU-wide gauge, Slovenia recorded an annual deflation rate of 0.7% in August with no change at the monthly level.

Comtrade CDS acquired by British IT firm Endava

LJUBLJANA - Comtrade CDS, the largest Slovenian IT company in terms of workforce size, has been acquired by the British IT company Endava in a deal worth EUR 60 million, the business newspaper Finance reported. Comtrade CDS was recently spun off from the Slovenian arm of the Serbian Comtrade group, and consists of the divisions for digital services and system integration, which together accounted for almost two thirds of Comtrade's EUR 70.5 million in revenue last year. The roots of the Slovenian Comtrade arm go back to the former Ljubljana IT company Hermes SoftLab, which was bought by Serbian entrepreneur Veselin Jevrosimović in 2008 for roughly half of what was paid now by Endava.

Covid-19 slashing DARS revenue and profit

LJUBLJANA - National motorway company DARS posted EUR 187.9 million in operating revenue in the first half of 2020, a 25% drop compared to the same period in 2019 due to the corona crisis. Net profit plunged by almost two thirds year-on-year, totalling EUR 28.4 million, shows the company's unaudited report. Net sales revenue was at EUR 179.7 million, with DARS recording the biggest fallout in revenue from tolling (-20%), which accounts for 97% of total net sales revenue.

President decorates Prof Edward Gobetz

CLEVELAND, US - Edward Gobetz, professor emeritus at Kent State University, was honoured with the Order of Merit for his contribution to the recognition of Slovenia and enrichment of knowledge about the achievements of Slovenians in the US and the world. The decoration was presented to the professor on behalf of Slovenian President Borut Pahor by Consul General Alenka Jerak in Cleveland on Sunday.

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Revised budget for 2020 projects deficit at 9.3% of GDP

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a revised budget for 2020. With revenue down and expenditure soaring due to the coronavirus epidemic, the budget deficit is projected to stand at EUR 4.2 billion or 9.3% of GDP. Revenue is planned at EUR 9.2 billion, almost 15% lower than in the currently valid budget, and expenditure at EUR 13.4 billion, nearly 30% higher, the Government Communications Office said.

Slovenia confirms 31 new coronavirus cases for Saturday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia registered 31 new cases of coronavirus on Saturday, a figure which marks a decline over the previous two days but is still fairly high for a weekend day. A total of 769 tests were performed. There are estimated to be some 450 active cases in the country, with 24 people in hospital with Covid-19, one more than in Friday, and two in intensive care, the same as the day before.

Serbia moved to yellow list, Croatia remains red-listed

LJUBLJANA - Serbia is no longer on the red list of high-risk countries and was moved to the yellow list, having more than 40 infected persons infected with coronavirus per 100,000 inhabitants. There is a quarantine requirement for travellers from countries on the yellow list, but there are many exemptions. Croatia remains on the red list, so quarantine is still required for most travellers returning from the country.

Janša, Vučić discuss W Balkans, Covid-19

BLED - Prime Minister Janez Janša held talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. The agenda included bilateral relations, the situation in Western Balkans and the situation regarding the coronavirus pandemic. The meeting came on the eve of the Bled Strategic Forum where Janša will host the Leaders' Panel at which Vučić will be one of the speakers.

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