30 Aug 2020, 04:07 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Sunday, 30 August 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

37 new coronavirus infections in Slovenia on Friday

LJUBLJANA - A total of 1,328 coronavirus tests were conducted in Slovenia on Friday and 37 came back positive, the government said on Twitter today. Twenty-three Covid-19 patients were in hospital yesterday, two of them in intensive care. One person was discharged from hospital and no new fatalities were recorded.

Left warns against haste in passing defence investment plan

LJUBLJANA - The opposition Left warned on Saturday that Defence Minister Matej Tonin and the coalition New Slovenia (NSi) were dodging a public debate on the bill envisaging EUR 780 million in investment in the Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF). After the Left proposed a debate, the NSi moved to cut the time for debate to less than five days, the party said. Although Tonin of the NSi said he was "looking forward to a public debate" on the bill, the NSi filed a request for an emergency session of the parliamentary Defence Committee to be held on Thursday.

Nova24TV poll shows SDS going strong

LJUBLJANA - The latest poll commissioned by the private broadcaster Nova24TV shows the senior coalition Democrats (SDS) top the party ratings on 20.9% support, followed by the opposition Social Democrats (11.9%) and the Marjan Šarec List (10.2%).The opposition Left polled at 6.8%, followed by the coalition New Slovenia (NSi) at 3.1%, Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) at 2.6% and the opposition National Party (SNS) at 2.1%.

Friday anti-govt protest was peaceful, police say

LJUBLJANA - Friday's anti-government protests were peaceful with police detecting only one violation of the public assembly act. Some 4,000 people gathered for the rally, according to police data. The 19th weekly protest focussed on environmental issues, criticising the proposed new construction law and Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak, who according to the protesters turned the ministry into an anti-environment ministry.

EU Commission urges Slovenia to lower labour taxes

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The EU Commission has assessed that high labour taxation in Slovenia has a highly probable negative impact on the labour market and hence the country's GDP. The Slovenian government has been advised to reduce the tax burden from labour and introduce a more growth-friendly tax system. The Commission this week released a publication on labour taxation in Slovenia, which apart from the impact on the GDP also shows that effects of high labour taxes are even more profound in countries with population ageing and a decline in active population.

Insurers collect a record EUR 2.3bn in premiums last year

LJUBLJANA - Insurance companies operating in Slovenia last year collected a record EUR 2.3 billion in gross premiums, which is 7.2% more than in 2019, while damage payouts were up 3.2% to EUR 1.6 billion. More than 70% of the total gross insurance premiums and damage payouts were covered by the four largest insurance companies. In terms of the structure of the insurance market, 80% of the total gross insurance premiums was collected and 85% of the total damages was paid out to individuals, according to the data of the national Statistics Office.

Ski lift operators want extension of vouchers into winter season

LJUBLJANA/BOVEC - Since last winter season was disastrous because of lack of snow and the coronavirus epidemic, Slovenian ski lift operators would like the government to extend the validity of tourist vouchers into next year. They also warn that restricting the number of skiers at ski slopes would make their business non-profitable.

Highlights of Maribor art gallery on display

MARIBOR - The Maribor Art Gallery is opening an exhibition on Saturday showcasing the highlights of all of its collections so far. The crème de la crème exhibition will present a fusion of iconic artworks as well as more contemporary expressions of art. Artists stemming from north-eastern Slovenia will be in the spotlight.

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29 Aug 2020, 04:07 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Saturday, 29 August 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Petrol's H1 net profit halved to EUR 21 million, revenue down nearly a third

LJUBLJANA - Petrol, Slovenia's largest energy group, saw its net profit halved to EUR 20.6 million in the first six months of the year, as sales plunged by 28%, to EUR 1.53 billion, due to the lockdown and subsequent coronavirus-related restrictions. Profit before income tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) plunged by 22% to EUR 64.3 million, the company said in an earnings release.

Despite pandemic, BSF boasts high-profile guests, weighty debates

BLED - The 15th Bled Strategic Forum will be held on Monday against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic and the strict precautionary measures this entails. Nevertheless, a host of senior officials will be in attendance and the organisers expect substantive debates on some of the most pressing issues the world faces. PM Janez Janša will host Bulgarian counterpart Boyko Borissov, Croatia's Andrej Plenković, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić for the leaders panel.

Logar joins calls for Turkey to end unilateral actions

BERLIN, Germany - EU foreign ministers, including Slovenian Foreign Minister Anže Logar, urged Turkey at an informal meeting in Berlin to end unilateral actions in the eastern Mediterranean, which are fuelling tensions in the country's relations with Greece and Cyprus, and hence with the EU, the Foreign Ministry said in a press release. The ministers called for safeguarding the EU's interests and expressed solidarity with Cyprus and Greece.

Corruption watchdog launches investigation into Pivec

LJUBLJANA - The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (KPK) has launched an investigation after preliminary findings indicated the risk of corruption in alleged wrongdoing of Agriculture Minister Aleksandra Pivec, commission president Robert Šumi told the press. The investigation has been expanded to include more persons and several events, as well as several instances of suspected wrongdoing.

New Covid-19 cases reach 42 in 1,338 tests on Thursday

LJUBLJANA - 42 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Slovenia on Thursday when a total of 1,338 tests were performed, the government said as it released the most recent data on Friday. This brought the total number of cases to 2,797, with 428 being active infections, according to the national tracker Covid-19.sledilnik.

All primary school children advised to wear masks in shared premises

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's health authorities have recommended that all primary school children wear face masks in corridors and shared areas as the new school year starts next week. The relevant minister has suggested that the government will respect any new recommendations the National Public Health Institute (NIJZ) may give.

Men found lockdown easy, women no so much

LJUBLJANA - A third of Slovenians perceived the coronavirus lockdown to be tough, a survey conducted by the pollster Mediana has shown. But nearly 30% of respondents, most of them men, said the situation was simple or that it improved their everyday lives. While significantly more men then women said that lockdown was easy, significantly fewer women agreed with this view.

Boring works on Karavanke Tunnel finally launched

JESENICE - After months of delays, first because of complaints in the contracting procedure and then due to the coronavirus pandemic, workers have finally started boring the second tube of the Karavanke Tunnel on the Slovenian side. Turkish contractor Cengiz currently has 43 workers on site, a figure that is set to increase to 150 when boring is ramped up to a 24/7 cycle, according to Valentin Hajdinjak, the chairman of motorway company DARS.

Contractors picked for first section of Third Axis expressway

LJUBLJANA - The project of linking Koroško in the north and Bela Krajina in the south with the motorway network, known as the Third Development Axis, got a fresh impetus, motorway company DARS picked a consortium of three contractors to carry out the initial works on the northern part of the planned expressway. Companies Kolektor, CGP and VOC Celje have been picked to do the works at the expressway junction Gaberke for EUR 8.47 million without VAT, DARS announced. If nobody challenges the selection procedure, the works at Gaberke could start in mid-October.

Merger of publishers Dnevnik and Večer halted

LJUBLJANA - The merger of Dnevnik and Večer, the publishers of the third and fourth largest daily newspapers in Slovenia, has come to a halt, Dnevnik's owner Bojan Petan of publisher DZS and Večer's co-owner Uroš Hakl have confirmed. Petan implied at Dnevnik's general assembly on Thursday that there were disagreements over ownership, whereas Hakl told the STA today that the reasons for putting the merger on hold were a matter of business.

Battery maker TAB recovers after coronavirus snag in spring

MEŽICA - After a drop in production in the spring resulting from the coronavirus lockdown, the Slovenian maker of starter batteries for cars and industrial batteries TAB has improved its standing, generating EUR 109 million in revenue and EUR 9 million in profit in the first half of the year. But it is because of the state aid that the shareholders of the company based in Mežica in northern Slovenia will not get dividends this year after several fruitful years in this respect.

Pandemic drags Unior into the red

ZREČE - Toolmaker Unior saw its half-year results drop significantly due to the coronavirus crisis, the group said. With a 35% drop in revenue, which was at EUR 59.1 million, the group reported a net loss of EUR 2.7 million, according to unaudited results. The core company's loss was even higher, at EUR 5.3 million. The net outcome was more than EUR 12 million worse than last year, when the group posted a net profit of EUR 9.4 million in the first six month.

Slovenian charged with sex trafficking arrested in Canada

LJUBLJANA - The Canadian police have tracked down and apprehended a Slovenian citizen wanted by the Slovenian police for participating in a criminal organisation linked with sex trafficking. The relevant court has confirmed for the web news portal 24.ur that the suspect is businessman Sergej Racman. The Slovenian police were notified of the arrest by the Canadian colleagues on Wednesday, the General Police Administration said.

Festival celebrating Gottschee culture kicks off

SEMIČ - The Days of Gottschee Culture, a series of events celebrating the culture of an ever-smaller German-speaking community in south Slovenia and striving to preserve its heritage, will get under way tonight. The 6th edition of the festival will run until Sunday as a joint project of three municipalities, Semič, Dolenjske Toplice and Kočevje, under the auspices of President Borut Pahor.

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28 Aug 2020, 04:35 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Friday, 28 August 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Furlough scheme extended by a month until end of September

LJUBLJANA - The government extended the subsidised furlough scheme, one of the main ways in which Slovenia has propped up the economy during the coronacrisis, by a month until the end of September. The situation on the labour market shows employers still need the scheme, Janez Cigler Kralj, the minister of labour, the family and social affairs, tweeted.

Primary, secondary school students to start school year in classrooms

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian primary and secondary school students will start the new school year in classrooms on 1 September, the government decided after assessing the current epidemiological situation. The decision means all students will start instruction in class, though they will have to observe guidelines issued by the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ).

33 coronavirus cases recorded in Slovenia on Wednesday

LJUBLJANA - Out of 1,299 coronavirus tests conducted in Slovenia on Wednesday, 33 came back positive, said the government on Twitter. A total of 23 persons were in hospital, three more than the day before, with none in intensive care. There were no Covid-19 related deaths. The national death toll thus remains at 133. The number of active cases currently stands at 423, according to the national tracker covid-19.sledilnik.

Slovenia to send protective equipment to Montenegro, Kosovo

LJUBLJANA - The government decided to help Montenegro and Kosovo with protective equipment to contribute to the two Balkan countries' efforts to stem the spread of the coronavirus. The assistance will feature three-layer face masks, hand sanitiser and the Ecocid surface disinfectant, the Defence Ministry said. Together with the cost of transport, the aid is worth a total of 204,000 euro, and will be paid from the Slovenian budget's reserve.

Pahor urges political consensus on structural change in healthcare

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor urged reaching a political consensus on strategic changes needed in Slovenia's public healthcare, as he hosted several doctors to discuss the novel coronavirus. "Having seen in recent years that not everything is good in healthcare, we cannot expect that healthcare will deliver better in emergencies such as the coronacrisis." Pahor and the five doctors shared a view that while the Covid-19 situation has improved, one will have to learn how to live with the coronavirus, which entailed a change in lifestyle.

Tonin talks closer cooperation with German, Portuguese colleagues

BERLIN, Germany - Defence Minister Matej Tonin met in Berlin his German and Portuguese counterparts, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and Joao Gomeso Cravinho, to mainly talk about closer cooperation in defence as part of the EU presidency trio. On the sidelines of an informal meeting of the EU defence ministers, the German and Portuguese colleagues accepted Tonin's initiative for regular meetings as part of the 18-month presidency, which started with Germany on 1 July.

Ombudsman not sure whether IDing of protesters was lawful

LJUBLJANA - The Office of the Human Rights Ombudsman is not fully satisfied with the answers from the Interior Ministry related to the IDing of protesters at a June protest and says that the question remains whether all procedures were in line with law. The office checked the police procedures in determining identity of a number of protesters at an anti-government rally on 19 June in Ljubljana at its own initiative after the information circulated on social networks and in the media about police officers IDing several persons during the protest, including random passers-by.

Farmers say low prices ruining them

LJUBLJANA - Representatives of Slovenian farmers have made an urgent appeal to the government to intervene in the market since some purchase prices are so low they do no even cover the cost of production. Purchase prices have been declining for many years but "the situation has never been so bad before," Anton Medved, the president of the Trade Union of Slovenian Farmers, told the press. "Value added tax amounts for a higher proportion of the price of a loaf of bread than the money the farmer gets for his wheat," he said.

Report: Valji bought by Austrian rival

ŠTORE - The Štore-based company Valji, one of the main employers in the Celje area, has been taken over by Austrian company Rudolf Weinberger Holding, which includes Valji's Austrian rival Eisenwerk Sulzau-Werfen, on-line portal Necenzurirano reported. Valji, a manufacturer of rolls and castings, was sold to the Austrians by the company Elements Skladi, which entered the company in 2017, by Petrol and some of its creditors which held a minority share in the company. They held a combined 90% stake in the company.

Košorok and Csanyi agree to sign memorandum on Ljubljana Passenger Terminal

LJUBLJANA - Investors in the Ljubljana Passenger Terminal will shortly sign a special memorandum to signal the formal start of the project's implementation, Infrastructure Ministry State Secretary Blaž Košorok and Sandor Csanyi, the owner of the Hungarian OTP bank, agreed. The Ljubljana Passenger Terminal consists of a public segment featuring a new railway station and a new bus station, as well as a commercial segment. While the investor for the the new railway station is the Slovenian Infrastructure Agency, the OTP has emerged as the investor for the commercial segment.

Govt appoints new chief market inspector

LJUBLJANA - The government appointed Martina Gašperlin acting director of the Market Inspectorate. Former head Andrejka Grlić was dismissed in July, after a criminal complaint was lodged against her, allegedly by her subordinates, accusing her of corruption, and after a task force was appointed to look into alleged bullying of employees by Grlić. Gašperlin will take over on 1 September and will remain in charge until a full-fledged boss is appointed but no longer than six months.

Conventa Crossover conference this year in hybrid form

LJUBLJANA - More than 30 Slovenian and international experts in conference industry gathered for the two-day Conventa Crossover conference, which will this year also take place on-line and discuss relevant topics in connection with the coronavirus pandemic. The organisers, the market communication company Toleranca Marketing, says that the event will discuss topical issues prior, during and after the coronavirus crisis in event organisation, creative content and experience marketing.

Remains of episcopal see mansion found in Tolmin

TOLMIN - Archaeologists have unearthed remains of the Patriarchate of Aquileia residence at Tolmin in the north-west under the auspices of the Tolmin museum. The structure is believed to have been built in the late 13th century. According to written records, Tolmin was the home of two castles, one of them was a summer residence belonging to the Patriarchate of Aquileia, an episcopal see in north-eastern Italy which lost its power in the 18th century. A few years ago, archaeological research got under way, and excavations in the past few days confirmed the existence of the residence.

Pomurje borders in spotlight of new exhibition

MURSKA SOBOTA - A turbulent slice of Pomurje region's history is in the spotlight of a new exhibition at the regional museum in Murska Sobota that explores life under different masters. Entitled Stable Was Under Germans, House Under Hungarians, the Prekmurje Museum exhibition highlights life in Prekmurje and Porabje regions in WWII, and the people's resistance to occupation.

Ljubljana old town to resonate with traditional sounds of modern music

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia-based artists will be in the focus of the 32nd Nights in Old Ljubljana Town. The international music festival will bring traditional sounds of modernity to the Ljubljana old town Thursday through Saturday. "Culture is one of the sectors that have been hit particularly hard by the current crisis. Therefore we decided to support domestic artists this year," Janoš Kern of organiser Imago Sloveniae said in a press release.

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27 Aug 2020, 04:05 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Thursday, 27 August 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Pahor and Steinmeier for a strong & united EU

BERLIN, Germany - President Borut Pahor and his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier called for a strong and united EU as they held a working meeting. Pahor said Slovenia wanted to remain part of the core EU countries while Steinmeier pointed to the union's common future. The presidents had a long, in-depth and friendly conversation focussing on the EU's future and ways of ensuring its unity, opening a number of topics, Pahor's office said. They shared the belief that the debate on the EU's future should be intensified and should address common European values and a vision of ever stronger integration.

Military taking additional measures to help police guard border

LJUBLJANA - The defence and interior ministries agreed to boost cooperation in guarding the state border. The Defence Ministry said it will tweak the rules and prepare four levels of deployment in line with provisions of the defence act which enable SAF members to help the police patrol the border without having any police powers. The green level will signal the deployment of 150 soldiers along the border, the yellow level 400, the orange level 800 and the red level will mean 2,000 soldiers are to be deployed, reads the ministry's press release.

Police presence beefed up in Roma settlements

LJUBLJANA - Novo Mesto police have recently intensified their presence and preventive activity in areas Dolenjska populated by the Roma community in a bid to prevent high rates of violence and crime. "I feel something positive is happening in the Novo Mesto Police Department area," Interior Ministry State Secretary Anton Olaj told the press after the first meeting of a new task force for Roma issues that he chairs. But he also warned that police were facing staff shortages, including due to increased presence on the border with Croatia.

Unions fear long-term care bill will lead to privatisation

LJUBLJANA - ZSSS, the largest confederation of trade unions in Slovenia, expressed criticism of several parts of the government-proposed bill on long-term care and is concerned that it "opens the door wide to pure private practice". Lidija Jerkič, the president of the ZSSS trade union confederation, said that while a long-term care bill was needed immediately, "this does not mean we need it at any cost." ZSSS said it was problematic that the standard package of services is not defined, so it is unclear what services would be covered from the mandatory insurance contribution.

Slovenia supports Germany's model of European Peace Facility

BERLIN, Germany - Defence Minister Matej Tonin backed at an informal meeting of EU defence ministers Germany's idea for a two-pillar European Peace Facility. In line with the proposal, the financing of operations and missions would be separated from support measures. The efficiency of training missions would also be boosted through closer cooperation with international organisations such as NATO, the UN and the African Union, the Defence Ministry said in today's press release.

Luka Koper to pay out EUR 15m in dividends

KOPER - The shareholders of port operator Luka Koper will get EUR 1.07 gross a share in dividends, the company's AGM decided. In total, EUR 14.98 million will be paid out, while EUR 15 million in profit will remain undistributed. While the management wanted a smaller sum to be paid out, EUR 12.88 million or EUR 0.92 gross a share, the AGM confirmed a counter proposal filed by the Sovereign Holding (SSH).

Cinkarna Celje H1 revenue down by 4% to EUR 88.7m, net profit by 21% to EUR 9.9m

CELJE - Cinkarna Celje, the Celje-based chemical company, saw its net profit plummet by 21% in the first half of the year to EUR 9.9 million while revenue was down 4% to EUR 88.7 million. Operating revenue decreased by 22% year-on-year, show the company's unaudited results. Cinkarna explained that it changed is valuation system for stocks of finished products this year. This boosted net profit in the first half by 2.35 million.

Sava Re intends to pay out dividends

LJUBLJANA - Insurer Sava Re will notify the Insurance Supervision Agency of its plan to pay out dividends for 2019 this year. If the regulator has no objections, Sava Re will call an AGM to decide on the dividend payment. The development comes after the insurance sector was recommended not to pay out dividends due to Covid-19 uncertainties. Sava Re said it would provide strong arguments for its decision.

Most tourism vouchers by far redeemed in hotels

LJUBLJANA - Since tourism vouchers became valid on 19 June, by far the biggest number has been redeemed in hotels, followed by apartments, apartment complexes and camps, show data from the Financial Administration (FURS). So far, a total of 511,554 Slovenian residents have used their vouchers, which is 25% of all beneficiaries. The data for until 23 August shows that a total of 204,010 vouchers were used in hotels, in the total value of EUR 31.1 million, which is 43% of all used vouchers and 47.8% of the entire value spent.

Boris Pahor, fighter against totalitarianisms, turns 107

TRIESTE, Italy/LJUBLJANA - Boris Pahor, an acclaimed Slovenian writer from Italy's Trieste, a Nazi camp survivor and an outspoken fighter against all totalitarianisms, turned 107 today. While only last year he still attended a special event celebrating his birthday, an online event will be organised this year due to his health concerns. In a video posted by the Ljubljana-based publisher Mladinska Knjiga, Pahor points to the three main postulates for the 21st century - freedom, justice and truth.

Medieval town listening to poetry in dark over wine

PTUJ - The 24th Days of Poetry and Wine festival will start in Ptuj featuring more than 30 poets, including this year's guests of honour Scottish poet and novelist John Burnside and Italian poet Patrizia Cavalli. The festival's Open Letter to Europe will be penned by Hungarian author Krisztina Tóth. Apart from the main venue, the oldest Slovenian town, events will take place until Sunday in various other towns and cities across Slovenia.

Dance festival deems art vaccine for maintaining humanity

MURSKA SOBOTA - The 15th Front@ contemporary dance festival got under way in Murska Sobota highlighting that art is a vaccine for preserving humanity. Matjaž Farič, the festival's head, has said that art and culture help maintain some kind of normalcy in our lives, pointing out that digital technology cannot replace the value of live events. The events, running until Friday, will heed public health precautions, but they will raise awareness not merely abut the importance of physical health, but mental health as well.

Celje in Europa League qualifying after defeat against Molde

CELJE - Slovenian football champions Celje will seek their fortunes in the second-tier Europa League after they lost 1:2 to four-time Norwegian champions Molde in the second round of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League. Mitja Lotrič scored the only goal for the home side.

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26 Aug 2020, 03:52 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Wednesday, 26 August 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

DeSUS president loses confidence vote, remains party leader for now (adds)

LJUBLJANA - Aleksandra Pivec, the president of the coalition Pensioners' Party (DeSUS), lost a confidence vote at a session of the party's governing council but remains the leader for now. The vote was 33 to 19. While the council had a dismissal vote on the agenda, the session was suspended until 9 September due to differing interpretations as to whether it can in fact dismiss the party president given that she was elected at a congress. Pivec, who only took over in January but has come under fire after failing to pay for two of her recent ministerial trips around Slovenia which she combined with family time, insists that an extraordinary electoral congress is the way to go.

Monday sees 21 coronavirus infections in 1,370 tests

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 21 new coronavirus cases on Monday after conducting 1,370 tests, fresh official data show. A total of 17 persons were hospitalised with Covid-19, same as the day before, none requiring intensive care. There were no Covid-19 related fatalities. Government Covid-19 spokesperson Jelko Kacin said the number of imported cases was decreasing slightly. Slovenia had 20 infections per 100,000 residents in the past 14-day period. In the past three days, 63,000 Slovenians returned from Croatia without any major traffic tailbacks, Interior Minister Aleš Hojs said.

Slovenia, Argentina affirm good cooperation

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar and his Argentinian counterpart Felipe Carlos Sola affirmed the good cooperation between Slovenia and Argentina and expressed interest in further strengthening ties as they spoke over videolink, said the Foreign Ministry. They called for an increase in trade, including with the help of certain legal instruments which are already in the works, and confirmed strong bilateral ties in international organisations. Logar also held a telephone talk with his Swiss counterpart Ignazio Cassis.

Labour minister wants companies to switch from furlough to reduced working hours

LJUBLJANA - The minister in charge of labour, Janez Cigler Kralj, told the STA that the government would decide on Thursday whether to extend the availability of furlough subsidies through September. Personally, he wants as many companies as possible to switch to reduced working hours, but not at any cost. He said the measures introduced by the government so far had helped save 300,000 jobs during the lockdown.

Heavy drop in tourist arrivals, nights partly offset in July

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian tourism industry, which has been severely affected by the Covid-19 epidemic, saw an upbeat trend in Slovenian tourist arrivals and nights in July, partly offsetting the low numbers from the first half of the year, the Statistics Office said. Over 653,000 arrivals were recorded at accommodation facilities in July, down 27.5% compared to July 2019, with the number of nights down by 18.5% to 2.07 million. However, the number of Slovenian tourists in the overall number increased by 176% to almost 404,000, and the number of nights by 155% to nearly 1.4 million.

Port operator Luka Koper H1 net profit falls 40% to EUR 15m

KOPER - Net profit at port operator Luka Koper declined by 40% year-on-year to EUR 15 million in the first six months of 2020, as net revenue was down 11% to EUR 107 million. All cargo categories were affected by the slowdown in trade, shows the company's interim report. EBIT, at EUR 17 million, was down 42% compared to the same period last year and EBITDA dropped by 29% to EUR 31 million. Total transshipment, expressed in tonnes, declined by 15% to 10.1 million tonnes. The figures show the coronavirus pandemic had a significant impact on world trade, but North Adriatic ports were actually not among the worst affected, the company said.

Business sentiment continues to improve

LJUBLJANA - Business sentiment in Slovenia continued to improve in August, climbing 11.3 percentage points (pp) over the month before. However, the index was still 12.3pp lower than in August 2019, the Statistics Office said. Reaching -6.6pp in July, the index was also 6.7pp lower than the years-long average, the Statistics Office said.

Disaster relief groups and state upgrade cooperation in phasing of EU funds

LJUBLJANA - The Defence Ministry, organisations involved in civil protection and disaster relief as well as municipalities signed on Tuesday an agreement on cooperation in the phasing of EU funds. They expect EUR 120 million in EU funds by 2027 and plan to add another EUR 30 million in own funds to modernise infrastructure, equipment and training. Defence Minister Matej Tonin said that the civil protection and disaster relief system needed to be upgraded and modernised constantly so as to remain one of the best in Europe.

Activists stage protest against alleged maltreatment at Centre for Aliens

POSTOJNA - A migrants rights advocacy group staged a rally in front of the Centre for Aliens in Postojna, claiming that conditions at the centre were reminiscent of a concentration camp and that the rights of foreigners kept there were being violated. The group claims that "this disgraceful camp", which is seeing hunger strikes, was further expanded in recent months, with the state starting to send asylum seekers there and returning them to Croatian police from there. The police has rejected the accusations, saying all procedures were conducted in line with national and European legislation and international conventions. It dismissed claims of overcrowded conditions, saying there are presently 93 foreigners at 180 capacity centre.

Poll: Majority thinks quarantine after Croatia belated measure

LJUBLJANA - More than half of the people recently polled by Valicon think that mandatory quarantine for Slovenians upon return from Croatia is a measure that comes too late. Half of them also agree that the main source of the increase in infections in Croatia and, consequently, in Slovenia are night clubs and irresponsible behaviour of young people. The poll carried out between 21 and 23 August among 523 persons aged 18-75 sees 52% of the respondents saying that quarantine is a belated measure, 24% that it is excessive and 21% that it is a right measure.

Poet Borut Gombač wins Veronika Prize

CELJE - Borut Gombač has been honoured with the Veronika Prize for best collection of poetry while the Golden Coin of Poetry for lifetime achievements went to Iztok Geister Plamen. The awards ceremony was held in the city of Celje, which has given out the prize since 1997. "It's rewarding if you manage to write a book which proves worthy of an award. This is more of an award for the book than for me," said the 58-year-old Gombač. The Veronika Prize, one of the most prestigious poetry prizes in Slovenia, came with a cheque of 4,000 euro.

Kino Otok brings over 100 films from around the globe

IZOLA - The 16th Izola international film festival starting on Wednesday will bring a total of 36 feature films and 67 shorts to the Slovenian coast this summer, with the main part of the festival taking place between 26 and 30 August in the coastal town of Izola. The number of films remains comparable to previous years, whereas the format of the festival has been somewhat adjusted to the coronavirus situation. (See more here)

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25 Aug 2020, 04:07 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Tuesday, 25 August 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Two Covid-19 deaths, 14 new cases, no delays at Croatia-Slovenia border

LJUBLJANA - Two people died of Covid-19 in Slovenia on Sunday to put the death toll at 133, and 14 tested positive as 543 coronavirus tests were carried out, according to the most recent government data. 410 infections were active, of which 17 infected persons were in hospital. Thousands of Slovenian holidaymakers were meanwhile expected to return from Croatia today, because a of Tuesday arrivals will be ordered to quarantine for 14 days. However, traffic ran smoothly at the border. Interior Minister Aleš Hojs assessed that the returns had gotten dispersed across the past week and that some also opted for quarantine. But the government and health authorities expect more infections in the coming fortnight, since the number of Covid-19 cases has skyrocketed in the neighbouring country.

Govt spokesperson says Croatia becoming threat to EU

LJUBLJANA - Jelko Kacin, the government's spokesperson for Covid-19, described Croatia as a "serious threat to all other EU countries" due to the coronavirus situation there. "Time will tell how serious the situation there is. I have many reasons to worry," he told the latest edition of Reporter magazine. Croatia successfully tackling coronavirus is in Slovenia's strategic interest, he said, highlighting that Slovenia would not allow the situation to deteriorate the way it did in spring.

Pahor to visit Steinmeier in Berlin on Wednesday

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor will be on a working visit in Berlin on Wednesday to meet his counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier to continue the regular dialogue the pait had started over the phone during the Covid-19 pandemic. Pahor and Steinmeier assessed in Tuesday's telephone conversation that in-depth talks were needed about various topical issues. They also stressed the importance of European unity in facing the Covid-19 pandemic and other strategic challenges in the EU.

Govt rating down in POP TV poll, but SDS still in the lead

LJUBLJANA - The rating for the Janez Janša government dropped for the fourth consecutive month in the latest POP TV poll for August, but the senior coalition Democrats (SDS) continue to top party rankings, followed by the opposition Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) and Social Democrats (SD), which share the second place. The share of those who do not support the government rose from 50.4% to 53%, and 9.6% were undecided. President Borut Pahor remains the most popular politician, followed by Health Minister Tomaž Gantar, European Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčič and SocDem leader Tanja Fajon.

Slovenia and Georgia should strengthen cooperation

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar and his Georgian counterpart David Zalkaliani discussed over the phone bileteral relations, and agreed the economic and political cooperation as well as cooperation as part of multilateral forums should be further enhanced. Logar presented Slovenia's preparations for its upcoming EU presidency in the second half of 2021, which will also highlight Eastern Partnership. Zalkaliani in turn acquainted Logar with political developments in Georgia and the preparations for the October general election. The political situation in Belarus after the presidential election was also discussed.

Left proposing referendum on EUR 780m in defence investment

LJUBLJANA - The opposition Left proposed to parliament to call a consultative referendum on a bill envisaging EUR 780 million in defence expenditure in 2021-2026. The party argued money that would suffice to build several infection clinics, 170 care homes or 100,000 flats for the young will instead be spent on an imaginary enemy. Defence Minister Matej Tonin said this debate could actually be good, since "we will finally be able to talk about the Slovenian Armed Forces" and answer the question of "whether we want a Slovenian army or not".

Remains of 250 victims of post-WWII killings found in Kočevski Rog

LJUBLJANA - Archaeologists presented details of the remains of about 250 victims exhumed in July from a mass grave uncovered in May in Kočevski Rog, a vast forest area riddled with chasms in the south-east of Slovenia, which has become synonymous with post WWII-executions. Most of the victims were young men, mainly civilians, killed in the autumn of 1945. The government commission for mass graves said the remains had been retrieved from Chasm 3, as the grave is named. Jože Dežman, the commission chair, believes Chasm 3 could provide some clues as to what happened to the Novo Mesto Homeguard, a group of several thousand who failed to flee after World War Two.

Brussels embassy, permanent representation move to new premises

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The Slovenian Embassy and the Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels were moved to new premises last week to provide for proper conditions for Slovenia's stint at the helm of the EU next year. The temporary move to the new premises, located at Boulevard du Regent, cost Slovenia EUR 26,480, while rent will cost around EUR 290,500 for every three months. The embassy and the representation are expected to move back to the old location, where renovation works will take place, in September 2022.

Slovenian MEP of Macedonian descent target of insults

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian MEP Irena Joveva (LMŠ/Renew) has recently become a target of insults on social media and web portals linked to the ruling Democrats (SDS), including web portal Nova24TV, because of her Macedonian descent, the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) said. Joveva noted that she was not bothered by the insults on a personal level, but rather concerned about the course of Slovenian politics. The LMŠ called on PM Janez Janša, the SDS head, who is a co-owner of Nova24TV, to make sure that "his portal stops publishing insulting, nationalist and racist articles". The prime ministers's office wrote said it would not comment.

Jurist Jambrek buys Adria Airways flight school

BRNIK - The flight school of the bankrupt former air carrier Adria Airways has been acquired by an institute led by former Constitutional Court chief justice Peter Jambrek, who entered the project with a Chinese partner. The Institute for Constitutional System and Human Rights bought the school for EUR 7,500, the asking price at the first public auction. The news portal necenzurirano.si said Jambrek, chancellor of the private New University, is entering the Adria Aviation Academy venture with Chinese businessman Kai Dai. The latter holds 55%, Jambrek 30% and Jamrek's son Oskar Peter 1%. Jambrek told the newspaper Finance the plan was to become the biggest flight school in the world.

Voluntary contact tracing app downloaded by 37,400 in first week

LJUBLJANA - The national voluntary contact tracing app, designed to help curb the coronavirus epidemic, has been downloaded by around 37,400 users since it became available last Monday, the Public Administration Ministry told the STA. This is the number of users who have downloaded the app #OstaniZdrav (#StayWell) by Sunday at 1pm, the ministry said, adding that the feedback was positive, with users praising the user-friendliness and low battery consumption. The app is currently available only for devices with the Android operating system and one of the most frequently asked questions at the ministry's app call centre is when it will be available for the devices using the iOS operating system.

Brussels Airlines pushes its Ljubljana flights to October

LJUBLJANA - Brussels Airlines has once again delayed the resumption of its service between Ljubljana and Brussels, this time until the start of the 2020-2021 winter season on 27 October, on-line portal Ex-Yu Aviation reported. Moreover, Israel's Israir and Ukraine's Windrose Airlines have cancelled their plans to launch operations to Ljubljana airport this year.

Docu on Roglič's Tour de France training, book on Vuelta win presented

LJUBLJANA - A documentary about Slovenian cycling star Primož Roglič preparing himself for this year's Tour de France had a pre-premiere in Ljubljana's Kinodvor cinema, with the film still being in production as it is also to feature Roglič's recent appearance in the Critérium du Dauphiné, the race considered as a warm-up for Tour de France. Roglič, who finished the most prestigious stage cycling race in the world 4th in 2018, is ready for the race that starts this weekend and is considered one of the main favourites. His partner Lora Klinc meanwhile launched her literary debut - Kilometre Zero, a which speaks about her thoughts around Roglič's first win in a Grand Tour race - at Vuelta a Espana last year.

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24 Aug 2020, 04:42 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Monday, 24 August 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Slovenia sees 34 coronavirus cases on Saturday

LJUBLJANA - Out of 760 coronavirus tests conducted in Slovenia on Saturday, 34 came back positive, the highest weekend number since late March. There were no Covid-19 related fatalities, with the national death toll remaining at 131. A total of 17 persons were in hospital with Covid-19, none requiring intensive care, showed fresh official data. There were 402 active cases in the country, according to the national tracker covid-19.sledilnik.

EU's future, regional cooperation in focus of Bled Strategic Forum

LJUBLJANA - The 15th Bled Strategic Forum (BSF) will be very different from previous iterations of Slovenia's flagship foreign policy event, said Peter Grk, the BSF secretary general, in an interview with the STA, highlighting that the line-up would nevertheless be exceptional. Restrictions will be in place to help prevent the spread of coronavirus and some panels will be held online. There will be fewer guests in Bled than in years past, the forum will be a one-day event, there will be no youth or business section.

No major traffic jams on Slovenian-Croatian border

LJUBLJANA - Slovenians holidaying in Croatia will probably return home in great numbers on Monday, the last day to come back without having to go into a 14-day quarantine after Croatia was put on Slovenia's Covid-19 red list, since there were no particularly long car queues at border crossings between the two countries until the evening. Traffic congestion and longer waiting times are expected in the evening hours and on Monday.

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23 Aug 2020, 04:35 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Sunday, 23 August 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Friday's new Covid-19 cases at four-month high

LJUBLJANA - Of of 1,203 tests were carried out, 43 new coronavirus cases were recorded in Slovenia on Friday, matching Wednesday's four-month record. One person meanwhile died, which put the national Covid-19 death toll at 131. Eighteen Covid-19 patients were in hospital, but none required intensive care. The number of active cases is now at 370, the majority, 90, in the municipality of Ljubljana, which recorded the largest number of new cases, 10, according to the tracker covid-19.sledilnik. Slovenian health authorities expect infections to further rise in the coming weeks as many Slovenian holidaymakers are returning from Croatia.

German ambassadorial pair advocates united and strong EU

LJUBLJANA - The new German ambassadors to Slovenia, who will take turns in their duties in what is the first such ambassador duo appointed by Germany, told the STA that they see a solution to the coronavirus crisis in a united EU. Natalie Kauther and Adrian Pollmann said this would be one of the main priorities as their country has taken over the EU presidency. According to Kauther, Slovenia and Germany share similar views and are very close when it comes to certain topics. Slovenia is also interesting for Germany as it is a junction between Western Europe and the Western Balkans, and serves as a kind of an interpreter and connecting tissue.

Over half of all Covid-19 infections in summer imported from Croatia

LJUBLJANA - 300 persons infected with Sars-CoV-2 came to Slovenia from abroad, of whom 55% from Croatia, shows data obtained by National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) epidemiologists and labs for the period between 1 June and 21 August. The majority of a total of 165 persons who brought the virus from Croatia, or 120, were aged 15 to 34. The majority (108) were men. Another 26 persons got infected from them in Slovenia, NIJZ said. Since the number of infected persons returning from Croatia was rapidly rising over the past two weeks, the Covid-19 task force and NIJZ proposed imposing quarantine for Slovenians returning from Croatia, NIJZ explained.

World consumes natural resources 4 months after Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - As a society and economy, Slovenia uses as much resources as if it had three Slovenians at its disposal, the national Environment Agency (ARSO) said on Earth Overshoot Day, a date calculated to show when humanity consumes natural resources beyond the Earth's capacity to regenerate them that year. While the world arrived at Earth Overshoot Day, previously known as Ecological Debt Day, almost a month later than before due to the coronavirus crisis, Slovenia reached it already on 26 April, a day earlier than in 2019. According to ARSO, Slovenia's ecological footprint is largely a result of unsustainable energy use, foremost in households (heating) and transport. It said long-term investments in transport and other infrastructure were of utmost importance to avert the tend.

Slovenia with narrowest gap between minimum and average wages in EU

LJUBLJANA - The gap between the minimum and average wages in Slovenia stood at 50.6% in 2019, which made the country the EU member state with the narrowest gap, data from Slovenia's Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development (IMAD) shows. Since Slovenia introduced the minimum wage in 1995, legislation has been amended on several occasions changing the manner in which the minimum wage is set or raised. Over the past 25 years, there have been two major minimum wage raises, which have brought the minimum wage closer to the average salary, one in 2010 and the other in 2020-2021. IMAD also said that minimum wage growth had exceeded productivity growth throughout the last decade.

Slovenians not returning from Croatia en masse yet

LJUBLJANA - Contrary to expectations, Slovenians holidaying in neighbouring Croatia were not yet returning home in great numbers today after the country was put on Slovenia's red list in terms of Covid-19 on Friday. More massive returns are expected on Sunday and Monday, as Slovenians can return from Croatia without having to go into a 14-day quarantine until Monday midnight. Waiting times on the border to enter Slovenia were thus comparable to previous years. Mirko Skuhala of border police at Gruškovje told the press that 11,000 vehicles entered Slovenia last night, on a par with the same period last year.

New football season begins, multiple teams vying for title

SEŽANA - The 30th season of the Slovenian football league got under way with a ten-day delay due to Covid-19 infections among football players. Celje, crowned champions for the first time in history last season, will be defending the title as the ten participating clubs seem closer than ever in terms of quality. Still, Maribor and Olimpija from Ljubljana are likely to be the main obstacle in Celje's efforts to defend the title. The opening match between Tabor Sežana and Koper ended 1:0 (1:0).

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22 Aug 2020, 04:21 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Saturday, 22 August 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Long-term care bill finally unveiled

LJUBLJANA - The government unveiled a long-awaited draft bill on long-term care, which envisages a full coverage of rights from mandatory insurance for long-term care. The contribution rate has been proposed at 1.47%, while the contribution for mandatory health insurance would be somewhat reduced. The bill on long-term care and long-term care insurance allows for the systems of social care, health care and long-term care to be connected, said the ministries in charge of health and social affairs. Most opposition parties welcomed the fact that Slovenia is getting long-term care legislation, but must study it first before commenting. The draft bill will be in public consultation for 45 days.

Bill proposed banning unvaccinated children from kindergartens

LJUBLJANA - The Health Ministry presented a draft bill under which unvaccinated children would not be allowed to go to public kindergartens and private kindergartens co-funded by the state. Students of secondary schools and faculties teaching healthcare, education and social care would also have to vaccinated. State Secretary Tina Bregant said the changes to the communicable diseases act were meant to prevent unwarranted avoidance of vaccination while protecting public health. The bill was sent into public consultation until 30 September.

Quarantine kicks in for entry from Croatia

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia placed nine countries, including six from Europe, on the red list of countries where the risk of coronavirus is high and quarantine required for most travellers as of today. Added to the red list were Croatia, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, Ukraine and Venezuela. Nevertheless, Slovenian holidaymakers will be able to return from Croatia without being ordered to quarantine until the end of the day on Monday to reduce tailbacks at border crossings. However, Health Ministry State Secretary Tina Bregant called on all those returning to self-isolate even though they will not have a formal quarantine decision.

One fatality and 38 coronavirus cases recorded on Thursday

LJUBLJANA - Following a new four-month high of 43 cases on Wednesday, Thursday's coronavirus tests confirmed 38 new infections. One person died, which raised the death toll to 130. There were 18 Covid-19 patients in hospital, but none required intensive care. The largest number of cases, nine, was again confirmed in Ljubljana, while infections were discovered in 23 more municipalities.

Pahor, Supreme Court head call for debate on rule of law

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor received Supreme Court president Damijan Florjančič, with the pair agreeing that it would be useful to hold a round-table debate on the situation related to the rule of law, especially from the aspect of cooperation between the three branches of power while respecting their independence. The meeting comes after Florjančič had sent a letter to Pahor taking issue with the communication between the three branches of power, most notably PM Janez Janša tweets. A round table debate is to be held at Presidential Palace, if possible in the first half of October.

* Protesters condemn oversight at NBI

LJUBLJANA - Some 3,000 protesters, by the organisers' estimate, gathered in Prešeren Square for the traditional Friday evening protest, this time highlighting the government's oversight of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). The crowd accompanied the speeches whistling and shouting "villains". "We're letting politicians know that interfering in police and their investigations is unacceptable and illegal. The government must not only stop with such actions but also resign," said Teja Jarc of the Young Plus Trade Union. In their invitation to today's protest, the organisers had announced that they intended to insist on protests "as long as necessary".

Registered unemployment rate down slightly in June to 9.2%

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's registered unemployment rate was down 0.1 of a percentage point in June over May to 9.2%, said the Employment Service. In February, before the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the rate was 7.9%. The June rate was the highest in Murska Sobota, north-east (12.9%) and the lowest in Nova Gorica, west (6.7%).

Consumer confidence up for fourth consecutive month

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's consumer confidence improved for the fourth consecutive month in August, with the relevant index going up by six percentage points compared to July. Consumer sentiment was however 17 percentage points down year-on-year and compared to the 2019 average, Statistics Office data showed. The index has been improving since April, however it is still 7 percentage points below the long-term average.

Pivovarna Laško boss calls for aid to hospitality sector

LJUBLJANA - The managing director of brewer Pivovarna Laško, Zooullis Mina, hopes the company will be able to gradually offset the 20% drop in sales caused by the coronavirus lockdown. Reducing the drop to a low double-digit figure by the end of 2020 would be a success, he said in an interview with the STA. After generating EUR 156.5 million in revenue and increasing profit by EUR 4.1 million to EUR 24.4 million last year, Pivovarna Laško saw its H1 revenue drop by 20% year-on-year as a result a nearly 100% drop in sales to the hotel, restaurant and catering sector. Echoing the Slovenian Brewers' Association, he expressed the wish for brewers to meet with government representatives to discuss additional aid measures for the economy, such as lower alcohol duties and VAT rates.

Part of Hidria management and partners successfully execute buyout

IDRIJA - The long-running battle for control of industrial conglomerate Hidria seems to have been won by the group of managers around Iztok Seljak and Dušan Lapajne. Following the takeover bid published in July by the pair together with partners, the Seljak Lapajne camp said it had managed to acquire enough shares securing it definitive majority ownership.

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21 Aug 2020, 04:25 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Friday, 21 August 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Croatia put on Slovenia's coronavirus red list as of Friday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia put Croatia on the red list of countries from which travellers must undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine effective on Friday, but the government also put in place a number of exemptions to make sure trade, commerce and cross-border ties run smoothly. There are exemptions for daily and weekly cross-border commuters, persons who have health reasons to visit Croatia and several other groups, Interior Minister Aleš Hojs said. There is also a special exemption for owners of boats and real estate in Croatia. They will be allowed to go to Croatia for 48 hours to sort out any errands concerning their property without having to quarantine on return.

New daily confirmed Sars-Cov-2 cases rise to 43 in Wednesday's testing

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 43 new confirmed Sars-Cov-2 infections in 1,168 tests on Thursday, a figure that had last been seen on 3 April and means a new record for the second wave which has seen a steady rise in the last 10 days. No Covid-19 patients died on Wednesday, which means the death total remains 129. Seventeen patients need hospital treatment, two are in intensive care. There have so far been 2,536 confirmed Sars-CoV-2 infections, with 313 active at present. The younger population continues to stand out among the cases discovered during the second wave. On Wednesday, 10 cases were in the 15-24 age group, 11 among 25 to 34-year-olds, seven among people aged 35-44, and four among 45-54-year-olds.

Govt demographic office set up, to be led by DeSUS minister

LJUBLJANA - The government established an office for demographic affairs, which will be up and running in 15 days. Led by a minister without portfolio from the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS), the office will be headquartered in Maribor. Aleksandra Pivec, DeSUS leader, said that with the new office Slovenia was getting "a specialised institution to address demographic challenges". The establishment of the office also fulfils some of DeSUS's and the government coalition's strategic commitments, she stressed. The office "focusing on the consequences of ageing and on strengthening human resources at all levels" represents a strong expert-based and political platform for the field.

Supreme Court rules fast-track returns of migrants to Croatia legal

LJUBLJANA - In a landmark ruling for the rights of migrants entering Slovenia, the Supreme Court has overturned an Administrative Court ruling that allowed for no return of migrants to Croatia without a formal decision, the newspaper Dnevnik reported. The Supreme Court argues this is allowed under an agreement on fast-track returns signed by Slovenia and Croatia in 2006. Deciding in a case of a Moroccan migrant, the Administrative Court had ruled fast-track returns based on an inter-state agreement but without an issued decision and thus a chance for appeal violated European and Slovenian legislation and constitutionally secured rights.

Inspectors checking protection of classified information at NBI

LJUBLJANA - The Internal Affairs Inspectorate has launched a review of the protection and handling of classified information at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), weeks after a review of several closed cases had been ordered by the interior minister triggering accusations of political meddling in police work. The inspectors are checking whether NBI staff are handling and protecting classified information in line with the law on classified information and other regulations, the General Police Directorate told the STA. The confirmation comes after the portal 24ur.com reported that inspectors were not only checking the handling of classified information but looked for classified documents even though they are not allowed to check the content thereof.

New defence intelligence service boss appointed

LJUBLJANA - The head of the Defence Ministry's Intelligence and Security Service (OVS), Andrej Osolnik, was relieved of his duties and Jaroš Britovšek was appointed acting director general by the government. The government said in a press release that Osolnik asked to be relieved of his duties on 15 August, which Defence Minister Matej Tonin accepted. Osolnik handed in his resignation five months after being appointed for a full five-year term at the government's maiden session. Britovšek will take over as acting director general on 1 September. He will serve in this position until a full-fledged director general is appointed.

Government proposing e-tolling for cars

LJUBLJANA - The government amended the road tolling act to put in place a legal basis for an electronic tolling system for cars as of 1 December 2021. The Infrastructure Ministry said that e-tolling would be a fairer version of the current tolling system because subscription would be valid for a year, whereas the vignettes are only valid until 31 January of the following year. Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec said that the new system would be based on the screening of licence plates. Motorway company DARS will be in charge of the system. Subscriptions purchase is to be possible via app, online or at gas stations.

Sava H1 revenue up by 16.6% to EUR 314.2m, net profit by 42% to EUR 32.2m

LJUBLJANA - The insurance group Sava generated EUR 314.2 million in operating revenue and a net profit of EUR 32.2 million in the first half of 2020, 16.6% and 42% increases year-on-year, respectively, shows the group's business report. The group's "operating revenue reached 51.5% of the original full-year 2020 target, and the net profit 71.5% of the original annual target", says the report. There was also a 2% drop in the group's non-Slovenian non-life premiums and operating revenues of assistance business also saw a decline. "Covid-19 had a major impact on the financial markets, eroding the value of assets under management in pension companies and in the fund management company," the report says.

Trimo sold to Irish building materials company Kingspan

TREBNJE - Polish private equity fund Innova Capital has sold the outright stake in Trimo, the Trebnje-based maker of prefabricated building components, to Irish concern Kingspan. No details are known yet about the deal which needs to get regulatory approval, probably in the last quarter of the year. Trimo said in the new ownership structure the company was to keep its development, decision-making and corporate brand independence. "We are happy that Trimo will continue to develop independently and promote its brand on the global market," said CEO Božo Černila. Trade unionist Peter Štrekelj said he was "happy that the new owner respects our independence and that no major changes are expected when it comes to employees".

GZS urges investments in six priority fields to boost economy

LJUBLJANA - The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) has come up with a document proposing projects with which it believes Slovenia should give its economy a fresh impetus post-Covid, including by encouraging domestic consumption and infrastructure projects and by investing in digitalisation, R&D and smart specialisation. "It is of utmost importance for Slovenia's development how we support development projects which will have a long-term impact on sustainable business transformation and which will stimulate productivity growth," the GZS said asi it presented Fresh Economic Impetus for Slovenia 5.0, a document with six priorities to achieve economic revival and social progress.

Festival honouring Tartini's 250th death anniversary

PIRAN - The 19th Tartini Festival will get under way tonight as part of more than 60 events dedicated to the 250th anniversary of the death of Piran-born Italian Baroque composer and violinist Giuseppe Tartini (1692-1770). The opening concert will be given at St George's Church in the coastal town of Piran by the Venice Baroque Orchestra and acclaimed violinist Giuliano Carmignola. The festival's series of 13 concerts connecting Piran and Koper will then wrap up in Ljubljana on 3 December at the Slovenian Philharmonic Hall.

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