22 May 2020, 04:19 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Friday, 22 May 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Emergency bill to help kick-start investment

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted late on Wednesday an emergency bill to facilitate investment seen key to kick-start the economy after the Covid-19 epidemic. Investments worth EUR 500 million in total will get priority treatment in all procedures, including administrative and judicial procedures. As eligible investments Economy Minister Andrej Vizjak listed major roads and railway tracks, including Koper-Divača track, hydro power plants and the Ljubljana passenger terminal.

Talks on border crossing deals with neighbouring countries under way

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia and Croatia are expected to initial a bilateral agreement regulating the crossing of their border by the end of this week, government spokesperson Jelko Kacin announced. While Croatia is the first country Slovenia put on a list of countries whose nationals may enter without limitations and a formal agreement is in the making, Kacin said Hungary and Austria were expected to follow soon.

FM Logar discusses concerted response to coronavirus with Canadian counterpart

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar held a phone conversation with his Canadian counterpart Francois-Philippe Champagne focusing on national measures to combat the coronavirus epidemic. The ministers emphasised the importance of cohesion and concerted action in transatlantic relations and in the international community in general. They also voiced support for an independent and comprehensive estimate of the World Health Organisation's (WHO) response to the pandemic.

Logar meets ambassadors to discuss pandemic

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar attended a meeting of ambassadors from EU countries accredited to Slovenia which was hosted by Croatian Ambassador to Slovenia Boris Grigić, whose country presides over the Council of the EU in the first half of the year. Logar urged close cooperation among EU members as they relax lockdown measures and welcomed the European Commission's recommendations for a coordinated approach to re-establishing the freedom of movement.

Parliament to debate EU General Court judge nominees next week

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Privileges and Credentials Commission debated three candidate judges for Slovenia's two spots at the EU's General Court in Luxembourg, approving Klemen Podobnik, while a vote will be taken by the plenary next week to decide whether Jure Vidmar or Nina Savin Bossière will take the second spot. The three candidates had been put forward by President Borut Pahor after consulting the government, the Judiciary Council and parliamentary groups.

Motion to replace two members to RTVS supervisory board withdrawn

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Privileges and Credentials Commission withdrew a proposal from the ruling Democrats (SDS) to dismiss two members of the supervisory board at public broadcaster RTV Slovenija and appoint two that would better reflect the current balance of power in parliament. The move comes after the parliament's legal service said that the replacement may be made only under the conditions determined by the law, of which the balance of power is not one.

Care homes to start readmitting residents

LJUBLJANA - Care homes, which have accounted for the vast majority of Covid-19-related deaths in the country, will start receiving residents who were moved into home care during the epidemic as well as new residents on Monday under a government decision. The move marks a major milestone in the gradual restoration of pre-coronavirus reality, since a handful of over 100 care homes in the country had developed into major Covid-19 hotspots.

Public administration and court services to resume on 1 June

LJUBLJANA - The government decided to fully restore public administration and court services as of 1 June, a day after the epidemic is formally over. The protective measures in place for more than two months had suspended procedural deadlines and restricted in-person submitting of requests as well as court hearings and personal deliveries of documents.

Slovenia's Covid-19 death toll rises to 105

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's Covid-19 deaths toll has increased to 105 after one more patient died yesterday, while the case count remains at 1,468 with none of the 909 tests conducted yesterday returning positive, data from the government show. Only 21 Covid-19 patients remain hospitalised, three of them in intensive care. Slovenia has not seen more than one new daily case for a week now.

Health insurance fund expects EUR 129m loss due to Covid-19

LJUBLJANA - The ZZZS, the fund collecting and managing mandatory health insurance, expects a shortfall of EUR 129 million by the end of the year due to the Covid-19 epidemic. The fund would like the loss to be offset by the national budget, or else healthcare funding could be suspended in December. The fund expects its revenue to drop by EUR 205 million this year, with a current deficit projected at EUR 215 million, EUR 86 million of which ZZZS is to cover from reserves.

Report to be compiled on militia police station visit

LJUBLJANA - Government spokesman Jelko Kacin told reporters that Interior Minister Aleš Hojs had asked the police commissioner to file a report on the visit by the self-styled uniformed village guard called Štajerska Guard to the Slovenjska Bistrica police station on Sunday. This was after the left-leaning opposition parties condemned the incident, urging Hojs and Defence Minister Matej Tonin to take action in response to the incident, or else the Left threatened to seek a vote of no confidence in them. Tonin as well as the coalition Modern Centre Party called the incident inadmissible.

Janša's appeal in defamation case rejected

CELJE - After the Supreme Court quashed a guilty ruling in a defamation case brought against PM Janez Janša by a journalist over an insulting tweet, the Celje Higher Court has rejected Janša's appeal in a separate case filed against him by the other journalist mentioned in the controversial tweet. The Celje Court has rejected Janša's appeal in the defamation case brought against him by RTV Slovenija journalist Evgenija Carl in which he was ordered to pay EUR 6,000 in damages for calling her a "washed-up prostitute" on Twitter.

Info commissioner cautions about use of thermal imaging

LJUBLJANA - After Slovenia started to emerge from a two-month coronavirus lockdown, the Information Commissioner's Office called for caution in the possible use of thermal cameras as tools to prevent Covid-19 contagion. Businesses considering body temperature screenings should first consult medical experts. The purpose of thermal imaging is to identify individuals with elevated body temperatures so as to take timely action, however, the office said this in itself is personal data processing.

US donates protective equipment to Slovenian care homes

LJUBLJANA - US Ambassador to Slovenia Lynda C. Blanchard handed a US donation of 1,660 protective face shields to the Labour Ministry. The protective equipment, sponsored by the United States European Command as part of its international humanitarian aid programme, is intended for care home staff. The US Embassy described the donation as "a symbol of the longstanding partnership". The visors had been made by the small Ajdovščina-based company 3D Solutions.

Krka reports over 20% rise in Q1 profit, revenue

NOVO MESTO - Pharma group Krka Group saw its net sales revenue increase by 22% year-on-year to EUR 462.9 million in the first quarter as the coronavirus pandemic pushed up the demand for its products. Operating profit rose by as much as of 85% year-on-year to EUR 133.9 million, and net profit was up 21% to EUR 85.2 million. The group generated 95% of sales outside Slovenia, with East Europe, its biggest market, accounting for 33.2% of overall sales.

Minister to propose furlough scheme extension for car industry

LJUBLJANA - Coming out of a meeting with representatives of the automotive industry, Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek said he would propose that the latest stimulus legislative package included a one-month extension of subsidies for furloughed workers also for that sector. As the measure would not solve all the sector's problems, a task force is to be established to see "how to address the challenges ahead of the automotive cluster with investments in research, development and innovation."

Gorenje reduces planned lay-offs from 830 to 560

VELENJE - Hisense, the owner of Velenje-based household appliances maker Gorenje, announced it would lay off fewer people than initially planned. Citing the coronavirus crisis, the group said in April it would fire nearly 830 people in Slovenia, but the statement today suggests the number will be at about 560. The in-house trade union agreed with the management that the company must not make redundant both spouses or partners and no single parents.

Consumer confidence improves in May, but still low

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's consumer confidence somewhat improved in May, with the relevant index going up by five percentage points compared to April. It was however still 25 percentage points below the long-term average, the Statistics Office reported. The slight improvement comes after the consumer confidence index plummeted 30 percentage points on the monthly level in April to the lowest point on record, or since March 1996.

Covid-19 measures drag down March salary statistics

LJUBLJANA - Gross average pay in Slovenia was 2.3% lower in nominal terms in March compared to February. The Statistics Office attributed the drop to the fact that the state covered salaries of furloughed workers. The drop was biggest in the hospitality sector, while there was a substantial increase in the banking and insurance sectors. Average net pay in March was at EUR 1146.11, 2% lower in nominal terms and 1.2% in real terms.

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21 May 2020, 04:51 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Thursday, 21 May 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Government adopts new, EUR 1 billion economic stimulus package

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a new economic stimulus package, featuring subsidies for shortened working time, vouchers for citizens to be spent in tourism facilities around the country, and favourable liquidity loans. The package is worth around one billion euros. An estimated EUR 345 million worth of vouchers will be awarded to all Slovenian citizens to be used as of 1 June. Finance Minister Andrej Šircelj announced that Slovenia planned do draw EUR 900 million from the European Commission's SURE mechanism to subsidise short-time work as part of the stimulus measures.

Border reopening to depend on Covid-19 situation, says foreign minister

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar told the Foreign Policy Committee that the reopening of borders with the neighbouring countries would depend on the epidemiological situation but that Slovenia would do all in its power to normalise the regime on its borders by 1 June. Logar plans to meet his Croatian counterpart Gordan Grlić Radman on Friday to examine cooperation and identify "problem points". Next week a visit is planned to the Slovenian-Hungarian border while talks continue with Austria. Meanwhile, Italy does not meet the conditions epidemic-wise for a further relaxation on the border.

EU Commission tells Slovenia to boost economy, prop up healthcare

BRUSSELS, Belgium - A new set of recommendations issued to Slovenia by the European Commission as part of the European semester calls on the country to take all needed economic measures to support the recovery after the coronavirus epidemic, provide social protection, as well as resilient systems of healthcare and long-term care. To start with, the Commission proposes that Slovenia "in line with the general escape clause, take all necessary measures to effectively address the pandemic, sustain the economy and support the ensuing recovery".

PM says Slovenia's reputation of safe country could boost tourism, investment

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša said as the government was adopting a new anti-coronavirus stimulus package, that Slovenia's reputation of a safe and orderly country capable of protecting its citizens' health was the best recommendation both for tourism and investments. He called for joint efforts for this to remain so. In a video address, Janša reiterated that Slovenia was on the right track, as "we are among the most successful countries in the world and the best in Europe in terms of the results in battling the new coronavirus epidemic. For now."

Just one new coronavirus infection reported, no deaths

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's coronavirus case count has increased to 1,468 after one new infection was confirmed on Tuesday out of 981 tests. No new fatalities have been reported, leaving the death toll at 104. Only 23 patients were still in hospital with Covid-19 yesterday, after one was discharged. Only four remained in intensive care. So far, 276 patients have been discharged from hospital.

Foreign minister in phone call with Russian counterpart

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar talked with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov about the Covid-19 pandemic and its fallout on the telephone today. The pair affirmed good bilateral relations. According to a press release from the Foreign Ministry, Logar and Lavrov exchanged information about the impact of the pandemic on their countries and the international community.

Slovenian, Croatian police chiefs discuss anti-Covid-19 measures

LJUBLJANA/ZAGREB, Croatia - Acting Police Commissioner Anton Travner and Croatia's Police Commissioner Nikola Milina met to discuss the coronavirus pandemic and measures imposed by both countries to contain the spread of the virus. They also talked about illegal migration. The talks mostly revolved around the measures restricting social life, a gradual easing of restrictions that had been introduced and the role of the police in the current circumstances.

Judiciary seen as having performed well in 2019

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian courts received 839,000 cases last year and resolved roughly 850,000, reducing the backlog of pending cases to 133,000, shows the annual report on the work of the judiciary compiled by the Supreme Court. Proceedings are getting shorter, in particular insolvencies, while the number of cases older than ten years dropped from 5,000 in 2015 to 1,500. The report mentions some problems, including class action lawsuits in which the state is the defendant, the high average age of judges and lack of space at some courts.

To catch up, courts will recess for only two weeks in summer

LJUBLJANA - The summer recess of Slovenian courts will be reduced from a month to two weeks this summer so that judges may catch up with proceedings which have been delayed by the two-month coronavirus closure, Supreme Court president Damijan Florjančič said. Almost all non-urgent proceedings were suspended during the lockdown and courts have already started to step up activities leading up to the full resumption of operations on 1 June. During the lockdown the number of pending cases rose from 128,000 to 136,100.

Revoz layoffs to affect mostly agency workers

NOVO MESTO - After confirming that it will lay off about 400 workers, the Slovenian Renault subsidiary Revoz said that most of them would be agency workers and those nearing retirement. The cut may reach 450 posts if night shift workers transferred to the day shift find their salaries too low. If the company, which currently employs some 3,150 people, decides to open more jobs again, those laid off now will have priority.

Indictment filed at last over controversial generator project

LJUBLJANA - Almost a decade after police opened their first inquiries into the case, the prosecution has filed an indictment over the controversial EUR 1 billion-plus generator project at the Šoštanj coal-fired power plant. Twelve Slovenian and foreign individuals and one Slovenian and one foreign legal entity are charged with 24 counts of abuse of office or money laundering. The indictment will be served to the defendants once it is translated into French and German.

Chemistry Institute starts coronavirus vaccine trial in mice

LJUBLJANA - The National Institute of Chemistry has started testing a potential coronavirus vaccine in a mouse study after receiving a green light for the animal trial on Tuesday. The nanoparticle-based vaccine contains viral antigens and could be more effective than a protein-based vaccine, Roman Jerala of the institute told the STA. The first results of the study are expected in July when it will be clear whether the mice have responded to the vaccine by creating neutralising antibodies that prevent the coronavirus infection.

Beekeepers urge efforts to preserve bees

LJUBLJANA - Swift and specific measures to preserve bees are needed and every individual action counts, the Slovenian Beekeepers' Association stressed at a special session marking World Bee Day. Addressing the event, Boštjan Noč, the head of the association, said that there was still room for improvement in efforts for preserving bees. "Bees are threatened by climate change, intensive farming and an excessive use of pesticides, therefore by humans," he warned, pointing to Slovenia's initiative to declare World Bee Day, which he believes is an example of best practices.

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20 May 2020, 07:32 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Wednesday, 20 May 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Janša welcomes EUR 500bn relief fund to revive economy

LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša welcomed a German-French proposal for the EU to set up a 500 billion euro fund to restart the economy after the Covid-19 pandemic. However, he believes an even more ambitious approach would be needed to address a crisis of such proportions. He also discussed it with his Italian and Austrians counterparts.

Croatians free to enter Slovenia without restrictions

LJUBLJANA - Croatia became the first country Slovenia put on a list of countries whose nationals may cross the border without limitations. The decision was made by the government late on Monday after the National Institute of Public Health assessed the determined that the risk to the spread of coronavirus is similar in both countries. Accordingly, there is no need for Croatians to quarantine or self-isolate when they cross the border. Talks are under way on similar arrangements with other neighbouring countries, government spokesman Jelko Kacin said.

Report: Trieste National Hall to be returned to Slovenian community

TRIESTE, Italy - The Trieste National Hall, which used to be the centrepiece of Slovenian cultural life in the town, will be symbolically returned to the Slovenian community there at a ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the building's arson before its ownership is formally transferred to the community, a process that may take several years, Il Piccolo reported. The University of Trieste, which currently owns the building in the city's centre, will get the building of the former military hospital in Trieste in return.

After sharp downturn, PM Janša expects rapid recovery

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's economy is expected to contract sharply this year due to the coronavirus epidemic, but Prime Minister Janez Janša believes the economy will rebound next year provided the correct measures are taken. "If the predictions hold - and if this government remains in office, it will - we will be roughly at the pre-crisis level in about a year. This means prosperity will not have been significantly affected," Janša told Nova24TV Monday evening.

Coalition declare unity amid defections, speculation of reshuffle

LJUBLJANA - Junior coalition parties rushed to put on a show of unity after two Modern Centre Party (SMC) MPs defected to the opposition, and amid speculation about an imminent government reshuffle. The coalition's majority in parliament has been reduced to 46 out of 90 seats after Jani Möderndorfer joined the ranks of the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) and Gregor Židan defected to the Social Democrats (SD). Commenting on the latest defection, Janja Sluga, the head of the SMC deputy faction, attributed it to the opposition's desire to bring down the government, saying that the offers some SMC MPs keep getting to defect "have crossed all limits of propriety".

One more coronavirus infection, no new Covid-19 fatalities

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia confirmed one more coronavirus infection on Monday, raising the total number of confirmed cases so far to 1,467, official data show. The national death toll remains at 104, as no new Covid-19 fatalities have been reported. A total of 1,128 tests were performed yesterday, roughly on a par with the daily testing volume since the start of the epidemic.

Self-pay coronavirus testing available from Thursday at UKC Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - The Department of Infectious Diseases at the Ljubljana University Medical Centre (UKC) will start offering self-pay testing for the novel coronavirus from Thursday at the price of EUR 93. UKC Ljubljana said that those wishing to undergo testing should register online, while more information would be available on Wednesday.

Logar talks cooperation with counterparts from Western Balkans

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar spoke about cooperation in efforts to deal with the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic in a videoconference with counterparts from Western Balkan countries, their neighbours in the EU and high EU representatives. According to the Foreign Ministry, Logar provided an update on the handling of the situation in Slovenia, while he stressed the importance of European solidarity and regional cooperation in the Western Balkans and the region's close cooperation with the EU.

Financial Administration collects 25% less in April due to epidemic

LJUBLJANA - The Financial Administration (FURS) collected EUR 1.2 billion in April, which is 25% less than in the same month last year, the drop being attributed to the slowdown of business due to the coronavirus epidemic. A 4% drop in collected taxes and other levies was already recorded in March, half of which was affected by the anti-epidemic measures.

Banka Slovenije says banks should be fine if GDP falls moderately

LJUBLJANA - An analysis conducted by Banka Slovenije that does not account for stimulus measures suggests that banks in Slovenia would probably stay in the black this year if the economy contracts by no more than 6%. A deeper recession would on the other hand mean significant losses. The analysis notes that banks entered the crisis in good shape and that compared to the last crisis they are more exposed to households than to companies.

Special council set up to cut red tape

BRDO PRI KRANJU - A Debureaucratisation Council was set up to tackle the red tape, seen by many as an obstacle for the Slovenian economy. Prime Minister Janez Janša announced that the council would be headed by Ivan Simič, a tax expert who has headed both Slovenia's and Serbia's tax administrations in the past 15 years. In the tweet, Janša said that "more than 20,000 regulations are simply too many". The council will look into taxes, economy and the environment, the press release from the Government Communication Office said.

Gorenje workers come to Ljubljana to protest against layoffs

LJUBLJANA - A group of some 30 workers and trade unionists from home appliances maker Gorenje, a group which has been in China's Hisense ownership since 2018, came from the town of Velenje to Ljubljana to protest against the planned layoffs and to tell Slovenian decision-makers that they had let Gorenje workers down. Hisense said almost a month ago that it would lay off nearly 830 Gorenje workers. The protesters believe the Chinese takeover was "a big scam" and that the decision makers had broken their promises about new jobs and investments at Gorenje.

Over 400 jobs slashed as Revoz scraps night-shift

NOVO MESTO - Revoz, the Slovenian subsidiary of the French car maker Renault, will scrap the night shift due to a fall in demand brought on by the coronavirus pandemic as a result of which 400 jobs will be lost. Speaking to the STA, Revoz said the final decision had been taken not to launch half-capacity night shift, while production in two shifts would continue at full capacity.

Steklarna Hrastnik slashing workforce due to coronavirus fallout

HRASTNIK - Glass maker Steklarna Hrastnik plans to reduce its 700-strong workforce by almost a tenth by September, having recorded a severe contraction of demand. The company said had adopted measures aimed at keeping the business afloat and maintaining the healthy core of operations in the long-term. Whole-year sales are projected to contract by a quarter and net profit by a third.

Insurer Sava posts 5.6% drop in Q1 profit on higher claims, lower returns

LJUBLJANA - Insurance group Sava posted a first-quarter net profit of EUR 10.3 million, down 5.6% year-on-year, as higher reinsurance claims and lower investment returns affected the bottom line despite a 17.3% increase in gross written premiums. The group generated nearly EUR 149.0 million in operating revenue, up 16.2% over the year before, as gross premiums written rose by 15.1% to EUR 197.5 million.

Gen-I posts record EUR 15 million net profit for 2019

LJUBLJANA - The energy group Gen-I last year sold a record 83.4 terawatt-hours of electricity to generate more than EUR 2.2 billion in revenue for a third year in a row. Net profit exceeded EUR 15 million for the first time ever, increasing by 16% from 2018. CEO Robert Golob said that the group had also improved its financial standing last year by further reducing debt. Return on equity exceeded 16% for a third year in a row.

Prosecution decreasing number of pending indictments

LJUBLJANA - The Office of the State Prosecutor General says in its 2019 report that the Slovenian prosecution managed to decrease the number of pending indictments for the sixth year in a row last year, which brought their number to a record low. The number of convictions meanwhile increased compared to 2018. Last year, the state prosecution received 28,495 indictments and resolved 1.9% more. Up the most was the number of indictments targeting legal entities and minors.

Plans launched to upgrade rail network in greater Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - Plans have been set in motion to upgrade the railway network in the greater Ljubljana area, with the Infrastructure Ministry determining the existing railways leading from Ljubljana to Kamnik in the north and to the south-eastern border as priority. Minister Jernej Vrtovec has tasked the public company for public railway infrastructure engineering to start siting the projects.

President's panel says anti-epidemic measures must not deepen climate crisis

LJUBLJANA - The president's climate policy advisory panel warned the government and parliament that, as measures to restart the economy after the coronavirus epidemic are being drafted, the ongoing climate and environmental crisis must not be deepened. President Borut Pahor presented the panel's recommendation for after the Covid-19 crisis, which includes the expectation that "the light at the end of the tunnel should be sustainable development."

Uniformed group visits police station to protest police procedure

SLOVENSKA BISTRICA - About 50 members of self-styled village guards or militias dressed in uniform visited the Slovenjska Bistrica police station on Sunday to protest against police activity prompted by a three-day camp held by the group in the area. Led by Andrej Šiško, who has spent time in prison for organising a militia that call themselves Štajerska Guard, the uniformed men pressed two officers to explain why the home of the owner of the land provided for the camp had been visited by police.

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19 May 2020, 07:03 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Tuesday, 19 May 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

After opening borders, Slovenia opts for gradual approach

LJUBLJANA - Three days after opening Slovenia's borders to EU residents almost without exception, the government opted for a more gradual approach by determining that only citizens of EU and Schengen zone countries with which bilateral technical agreements are reached will be allowed to cross without restrictions. The government will yet determine the list of eligible countries and update it on an ongoing basis. Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek discussed reopening the borders with the relevant Hungarian and Austrian ministers saying the goal was to reopen borders with the neighbour countries in early June. In a videoconference with EU counterparts, Foreign Minister Anže Logar said Slovenia was ready to welcome tourists in the coming weeks.

Bulk of coronavirus restrictions lifted, schools reopen

LJUBLJANA - Children returned to schools and kindergartens as part of a major easing of quarantine restrictions in the country as Slovenia reopened kindergartens, primary schools for the first three grades and secondary schools for final-year students. Information from schools and kindergartens suggest the majority of eligible children and students returned and no major problems were reported. All shops were allowed to open and some shopping malls reported significant crowds. Bars and restaurants are allowed to serve their patrons indoor as well.

No new coronavirus infections, deaths

LJUBLJANA - No new coronavirus infections or deaths were recorded in Slovenia on Sunday after 479 tests were conducted. Twenty-five people were still in hospital with Covid-19, five of them in intensive care, government data show. The total number of infections in Slovenia so far remains at 1,466 and the death toll at 104. The number of people in hospitals dropped by one, while the number of patients in intensive care remains the same.

Trade unions, employers largely happy with short-time work scheme

LJUBLJANA - The Economic and Social Council's task force for labour market and social affairs largely harmonised measures from a draft third coronavirus stimulus package, most notably a planned scheme to subsidise a shorter work week. To prevent major job losses, safeguards were included under which the employers benefiting from the scheme could not lay off a larger number of workers for a month after they no longer get subsidies. The package is expected to be passed by the government on Tuesday.

Automotive industry says govt stimulus crucial for its survival

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian automotive industry said it was seeing its worst crisis yet due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Automotive Cluster of Slovenia urged a follow-up on the first two stimulus packages to save the sector, warning of a loss of jobs and bankruptcies unless aid is extended. CEO of the Kolektor group, Radovan Bolko, reported that the automotive sector had seen a 60% drop in production in April and a 50% in May. No recovery is expected in June yet.

Tourism industry reopening tentatively

LJUBLJANA - Tourism companies were largely able to resume business today, and travelling appears to be in demand again, although agritourism providers, campsites and beaches are still relatively empty. A path to recovery is expected to be long after a two-month lockdown, so the Slovenian Hospitality Chamber (TGZS) and the Association of Natural Spas urged the government to extend until the end of the year the measures designed to help tourism cope with the coronavirus epidemic - especially the subsidies for idled workers - or else 20,000 jobs could be lost by the end of 2020.

LMŠ proposes EUR 1.8bn consumption boost

LJUBLJANA - The opposition Marjan Šarec List presented a proposal for a EUR 1.8 billion stimulus package focused on boosting demand, an aspect it said had been almost completely ignored by the government. The list of measures includes a EUR 400 tourism voucher and a temporary universal monthly basic income of EUR 100. Former PM Marjan Šarec, accompanied by economist Jože P. Damijan, tore apart the government's first two stimulus packages, saying they had failed to come to life in practice.

Junior coalition SMC loses another MP

LJUBLJANA - The ruling coalition's majority in parliament has been reduced to 46 out of 90 seats after MP Gregor Židan defected from the Modern Centre Party (SMC) to join the opposition faction of Social Democrats (SD). Židan would not comment on the move, but the SMC expressed surprise, while adding that the latest defections would consolidate rather than weaken the deputy group. Židan's departure comes after Jani Möderndorfer left for the opposition Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) on Friday.

SDS firmly in lead, PM Janša slips in Vox Populi ranking

LJUBLJANA - The senior coalition Democratic Party (SDS) continues to lead the field in the latest Vox Populi poll for the newspapers Dnevnik and Večer. The SDS polled at 22.1% in the May survey, compared to 22.5% in April. The opposition Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) in second gained 2.4 percentage points to 12.2%. The government's performance was assessed positively by 47.3% of the respondents. However, Prime Minister Janez Janša slipped eight spots to 15th on the ranking of politicians.

Asylum requests processed again after being on hold during epidemic

LJUBLJANA - The Interior Ministry confirmed it had restarted processing all asylum protection requests after it had put on hold cases it did not deem urgent during the coronavirus epidemic. The ministry, which is now processing 10 to 15 requests daily, assessed that applications for international protection that are conducted orally cannot be counted as urgent. The ministry received 563 asylum requests from January to the end of April, which compares to 1,111 at this time last year.

Slovenia advocates modernisation of education after Covid-19

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The EU ministers in charge of education discussed the reopening of schools in a videoconference. Slovenia's Education Ministry State Secretary Damir Orehovec announced the drafting of long-term strategic guidelines regarding the accessibility of remote learning with an emphasis on safe, stimulative and inclusive educational environment. Slovenia will advocate a positive approach to mobility and support virtual mobility, which however cannot replace physical activity.

Ministry to change environmental impact assessment rules

LJUBLJANA - The Environment Ministry has made a step towards simplifying procedures for investors by proposing changes that would allow them to skip the environmental impact assessment in cases when previous analyses show that no major impact on the environment is expected. Since 2014, the Environment Agency has decided in some 2,440 requests for a preliminary analysis or more than 40 a month on average. Only in 3.7% of the cases an environmental impact assessment was required.

Theatres struggling but hoping to come out on top of epidemic

LJUBLJANA - The longer theatres across Slovenia stay closed due to coronavirus concerns, the bigger the economic fallout they face. Theatres are presenting this year's projects that have been cancelled due to the pandemic and preparing for reopening with rehearsals about to kick off in the coming weeks. Theatres called on the government to provide safety guidelines and reopening timelines in cooperation with health experts as well as present the relevant financial situation.

Slovenian football great Marko Elsner dies

LJUBLJANA - Marko Elsner, one of the greatest Slovenian football players of all time, died at the age of 60 after battling a severe illness for several years. One of his finest moments was winning an Olympic bronze medal with the Yugoslav team in 1984. He played for the Yugoslav national team in 1984-1988, earning 14 caps, and also for the Slovenian team after the nation gained independence, making two caps - against Cyprus in November 1992 and against Estonia in April 1993.

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18 May 2020, 04:04 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Monday, 18 May 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

One new Covid-19 case and one death reported for Saturday

LJUBLJANA - One new coronavirus infection and one death were reported for Saturday, which takes the total number of infections in Slovenia so far to 1,466 and the death toll to 104. The number of Covid-19 patients in hospital care was down by one to 26. Five patients were in intensive care, also one less than the day before.

Third stimulus package focusing on part-time work support and tourism

LJUBLJANA - While subsidies for part-time work worth up to EUR 1 billion are seen as a key feature of the emerging third coronavirus stimulus package, draft documents obtained by the STA also include measures such as vouchers for tourism, aid to ski lift operators, extended permits for foreign labour, as well as a solution for packaging waste issues. The proposal for tourism vouchers envisages vouchers in the value of 200 euros to be provided to everybody in regular employment as well as the self-employed.

Thirtieth anniversary of precursor of the Slovenian army marked

LJUBLJANA - The 30th anniversary of the rejection of an order to disarm Slovenian military units during independence efforts and the formation of the Tactical Line was marked today by the Association of Veterans of the War for Slovenia. This year's commemoration was restricted to the laying of wreaths and video addresses, including by the association's head Ladislav Lipič and the president of the Sever union of police veteran associations Tomaž Čas. PM Janez Janša also issued a statement, reaccussing ex President Milan Kučan of responsibility in connection to the disarmament order.

Majority feel govt moved too hastily in declaring the epidemic over

LJUBLJANA - Almost 40% of those quizzed in the latest Mediana poll believe Slovenia should have waited for developments in other countries before declaring the coronavirus epidemic over. The poll, released on Sunday, puts the share of those believing Slovenia should not have declared the epidemic over before other countries did so at 38%. The share of those arguing it was good that Slovenia went first is 27.1%, while roughly a third do not have an opinion or do not care. Concern about the epidemic is meanwhile continuing to decrease. While the share of those worried or very worried still stood at 60% at the end of March, it was down to half by mid-April and is now at 38%.

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17 May 2020, 04:29 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Sunday, 17 May 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Pahor and Peterle urge cooperation as they remember DEMOS govt

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor and Lojze Peterle, prime minister of the DEMOS government (1990-1992), urged cooperation and putting divisions aside as they remembered 16 May in 1990 when the government which led Slovenia to independence was endorsed in parliament. Both drew parallels between the time of independence and the coronavirus crisis at a cemremony at Presidential Palace. Pahor said the focus of the DEMOS government was independence and the focus of the Janez Janša government dealing with the consequences of the epidemic. He belives the opposition should realise it has the responsibility to cooperate. Peterle said Slovenia's main problem was "the virus of division" which does not allow for respecting the other and which is not based on truth.

Home ministers urge easier crossing of Slovenia-Croatia border

ORMOŽ - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs and Croatian counterpart Davor Božinović met in Slovenia's Ormož do discuss easier crossing of the Slovenia-Croatia border, illegal migrations and Croatia's bid to join the Schengen zone. The pair confirmed Slovenian citizens can also enter Croatia as tourists after Croatia opened its borders for EU citizens on Sunday. Slovenian conronavirus spokesperson Jelko Kacin meanwhile took to Twitter saying that Croatia "is for now easing the crossing of the border for owners of property, vessels, while a general easing for tourist reasons is to follow once Slovenia and Croatia have reached an agreement". A similar view was presented by PM Janez Janša, who tweeted that opening borders could only be a bilaterally agreed measure.

No new coronavirus infections, deaths in Slovenia on Friday

LJUBLJANA - No new coronavirus infections and no new deaths were recorded in Slovenia on Friday. This means the total number of Covid-19 cases since the first Sars-CoV-2 infection was confirmed in the country on 4 March remains at 1,465 and the death toll at 103. As many as 1,151 tests for the virus were carried out yesterday, bringing the total so far to 68,852, the government figures released today show. Of the total of 1,465 infected so far, the majority, or 818, have been women. Since the curve of infections has been all but flat for a while, the government decided a few days ago to declare the epidemic over with the end of May.

Minister announces infrastructure fund

LJUBLJANA - Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec said an infrastructure fund was in the making to finance investments into railways and roads, which would bring some EUR 180 million a year. He also told the newspaper Dnevnik that electronic motorway toll stickers for personal vehicles will be introduced on 1 December 2021. Although he is in favour of sustainable means of transport, the minister believes roads will still be needed for quite some time. He however expects that in ten years' time, Slovenians could be encouraged to use railways to a greater degree. The government is also thinking about transferring the management of the construction of Koper-Divača rail track onto the national rail operator Slovenske Železnice. He said a decision on how to proceed should be taken soon.

Slovenia's meetings industry expects to pick up in autumn

LJUBLJANA - As practically all business meetings and conferences planned for the first half of 2020 were cancelled, the meetings industry, one of the key sectors of Slovenian tourism, does not expect to recover from coronavirus anytime soon. First events are planned to be held again this autumn and in 2021. "The meetings industry is faced with a very hard situation because this year's events were arranged several years ago. Some have been rescheduled to this autumn or next year, but many are lost for good," Slovenian Convention Bureau director Miha Kovačič told the STA. Ljubljana and Bled, two major venues for the meetings industry in the country, are happy the majority of planned events have not been cancelled but rescheduled.

VAT revenue down 20% in March due to lockdown

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's revenue from VAT in March, when most shops closed as Slovenia went into lockdown on 16 March, dropped to EUR 187 million, down nearly 30% over February and 19% over March 2019, the latest data from the Financial Administration (FURS) showed. Almost EUR 705 million in VAT was meanwhile collected in January and February, up 4.8% from the same period last year. Shops have been gradually reopening since, with all allowed to reopen on Monday, 18 May, but analysts do not expect domestic consumption to pick up anytime soon.

EU economy ministers urge aid scheme for car industry

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Economy ministers from twelve EU countries, including Slovenia, have signed an appeal to the EU stating their joint interest in introducing a plan to revive the car industry, one of the EU sectors that has been severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. They belives this would reduce the negative impact on production, it would preserve jobs and the sector as a world leader. The statement has been signed by Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Latvia, Italy, Spain, Malta and Portugal.

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16 May 2020, 04:23 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Saturday, 16 May 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Public gatherings of up to 50 persons allowed as of Monday

LJUBLJANA - The government issued after a correspondence session a decree allowing gatherings in public places of up to 50 persons as of next Monday, but only if the safety distance recommended by the health authorities can be ensured. The decree eases public assembly restrictions that have been in place since mid-March, but concerts, parties and other public gatherings where safety distance cannot be maintained remain banned. Organisers of events must ensure that those attending will be able to keep a safety distance of 1.5 metres. The press release from the government also says that gatherings in night clubs remain banned, as well as events taking place in water. Moreover, spectators are still not allowed at sports events.

New regime in place on Slovenian borders

LJUBLJANA - EU residents are free to cross into Slovenia from Austria, Italy and Hungary at pre-determined checkpoints while most non-EU nationals will have to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine, in what is a major step for the country as it accelerates the easing of restrictions. Under the government decree adopted late on Thursday, there will be 19 checkpoints on the border with Austria, nine on the border with Italy and five on the border with Hungary. Slovenians who own real estate in Croatia meanwhile rushed to the border as quarantine upon return to Slovenia has been abolished. Waiting times on border crossings were reported to stand up to four hours and a half.

Third stimulus bill brings EUR 1bn in part-time work subsidies

LJUBLJANA - Subsidies worth between EUR 0.5-1 billion to help employers cover pay checks of workers working part-time will be the centrepiece of a third legislative package in Slovenia aiming to help businesses and people overcome the coronavirus crisis. As anounced by Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Minister Janez Cigler Kralj to the Economic and Social Council (ESS), the idea is for the state to use EU funds to fund up to half of working hours of individual workers until the end of the year. The measure is to be available to all industries and is said to cover all the needs of the economy and the labour market.

Opposition says decision to declare end of epidemic financial, unions concerned

LJUBLJANA - The opposition heaped criticism on the government over its late night decision on Thursday to declare the coronavirus epidemic in Slovenia over, saying that the move was motivated by finances and as confusing the population about how to behave. Employers welcomed the formally declared end of the Covid-19 epidemic in Slovenia, while warning measures to mitigate the crisis and kick-start the economy will be needed for some time to come. Trade unionists on the other hand expressed concern the government's decision was based on economic reasons at the expense of people's health.

Slovenian, Croatian presidents praise cooperation in fighting Covid-19

PTUJ - President Borut Pahor and his Croatian counterpart Zoran Milanović met to praise what they labelled as excellent cooperation between the countries in their response to the coronavirus pandemic, which resulted in the restrictive measures being eased and the countries' opening doors to each other. "This enables Slovenians to visit Croatia and vice-versa," said Pahor, while Milanović added that "now it is time to open up" and that "we are doing this in Croatia very courageously and quickly and perhaps this is the only way." He noted that many Slovenians owned real estate in Croatia and that it was thus logical that the countries were the first to relax mutual communication.

One new infection, no new Covid-19 deaths

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded just one new coronavirus infection for the second straight day on Thursday as the number of patients hospitalised with Covid-19 dropped to 29. No new deaths have been reported. The latest figures released by the government bring the tally of confirmed coronavirus cases since the first Sars-CoV-2 infection was confirmed in the country on 4 March to 1,465. A total of 103 patients with Covid-19 have died so far, a vast majority of them elderly from care homes.

Slovenia advocates reviving Middle East peace process

BRUSSELS, Belgium/LJUBLJANA - Just like a majority of EU members, Slovenia supports reviving the peace process in the Middle East, the Foreign Ministry said after the EU foreign ministers discussed the stalled process before the new Israeli government is sworn on Sunday amid fears it would annex Israeli settlements. Minister Anže Logar "called for strengthening the EU's dialogue with all key players, Israel, Palestine, the US and relevant Arab countries, to implement the common interest of lasting peace and stability in the Middle East". he ministry also said in a release that the majority of EU members, including Slovenia, urged the EU's unity and credibility regarding the peace process.

Počivalšek joins EU calls to boost industry, urges special attention for auto sector

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek urged a new industrial strategy and a greater competitiveness of European industry as crucial for the EU's recovery as he participated in a videoconference featuring EU ministers responsible for the common market and industry. He joined calls for the auto sector to get special attention in recovery plans. With the ministers urging a quick plan for recovery and coordinated measures and highlighting the European Commission's proposals, Počivašek welcomed the March recovery package, but argued individual priorities would need to adapt to new circumstances.

Pahor discusses coronavirus response with Greek counterpart

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor held a videoconference with his Greek counterpart Katerina Sakellaropoulou to discuss measures to fight the coronavirus epidemic in Slovenia and Greece. The Greek president congratulated Slovenia on its good results and declaring of the end of the epidemic. The presidents agreed that a lot of wisdom and skill would be required to tackle the epidemic-related economic and social challenges ahead. They also stressed the importance of the EU's unity.

Logar talks bilateral ties, Covid-19 crisis with Danish counterpart

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar held a meeting with his Danish counterpart Jeppe Kofod by videolink for talks on bilateral relations, response to the crisis provoked by the coronavirus pandemic and EU affairs. The Foreign Ministry said the pair noted the excellent bilateral relationship and called for enhancing bilateral cooperation further, in particular in green economy. The ministers also spoke about the functioning of the Schengen area, EU enlargement and migration.

Officials praise force on Slovenia Army Day

LJUBLJANA - Marking Slovenian Army Day in memory of the 29th anniversary since training of first Slovenian soldiers started, President Borut Pahor as the supreme commander stressed the importance of the Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF), in particular in the face of a changing world. Defence Minster Matej Tonin announced efforts to secure more funding, while the army launched a special media campaign in en effort have more people enlist. In his written address on the occasion, PM Janez Janša congratulated SAF members, and expressed gratitude to those who served in the formations preceding SAF for their courage and sacrifice. He moreover blamed former governments for the army's problems.

Slovenia notes importance of Austria independence treaty

LJUBLJANA - The Foreign Ministry marked the 65th anniversary of the Austrian State Treaty by underscoring that Slovenia is an indisputable signatory to the treaty as a successor to the former Yugoslavia, one of the original signatories. In a letter to his Austrian counterpart Alexander Schallenberg, FM Anže Logar called for full implementation of Article 7, which deals with the rights of the Slovenian minority. The Office for Slovenians Abroad also stressed that Slovenia was a legal successor to the treaty and that it would continue to make utmost efforts for Austria to fully implement Article 7.

Migrant workers welcome EU action v Austria

LJUBLJANA - The trade union of Slovenian migrant workers welcomed the European Commission's decision to file a lawsuit against Austria at the Court of Justice of the EU over child benefits. The trade union's head, Mario Fekonja, is convinced the EU will succeed to prove Austria is discriminatory in this field. EU citizens who work in Austria but whose children do not live in the country receive lower child benefits than those whose children reside in Austria.

Coalition MP joins deputy faction of ex-PM

LJUBLJANA - MP Jani Möderndorfer quit the junior coalition Modern Centre Party (SMC) and its faction in parliament to join the deputy group of the opposition Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ), the party of the former PM. Möderndorfer noted that he had been opposed to the SMC joining the government led by Janez Janša from the start, something that he said was fateful not only for the party but also for the country. His defection has not jeopardised the ruling coalition's majority in parliament though.

Slovenia to try Japanese drug on Covid-19 patients

LJUBLJANA - The government decided Thursday night to close an agreement with the UN Office for Project Services on the delivery of the Japanese anti-influenza medicine called favipiravir for clinical trials in treatment of Covid-19 patients. The Japanese government made the donation of the medicine in response to Slovenia's appeal. Slovenia has thus become one of the first countries worldwide to get the medicine, known commercially as Avigan, which is not available on the market yet.

Expert: Predicting second Covid-19 wave pure guesswork

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's health system is getting ready for a potential second wave of coronavirus infections, however any forecasts about when another phase might hit are pure speculation. Tatjana Lejko Zupanc, the head of the UKC Ljubljana hospital's Department of Infectious Diseases, the main facility treating Covid-19 patients in the country, told the STA in an interview that securing enough healthcare staff would be the main challenge should Covid-19 come back, possibly as early as summer.

5G test network set up at Iskratel

KRANJ - A test network featuring 5G technology has been set up at a production facility of telecoms equipment maker Iskratel in Kranj in cooperation with Telekom Slovenije to explore new business models. Electromagnetic field measurements conducted as part of the project have shown values well below risk thresholds. Iskratel said the 5G core was a product of the company's own knowledge and development that was combined into a comprehensive solution together with partners.

Thousands ride bikes in anti-govt protests again

LJUBLJANA - Despite poor weather and the ban on public gathering which has been in place for two months due to the coronavirus epidemic, several thousand protesters took to the streets of Slovenian cities once again, expressing dissatisfaction with the government's conduct. As has become customary during the coronavirus epidemic lockdown, most protesters were riding their bikes, some were on scooters, while other walked through the streets of city centres. For the fourth consecutive week, protesters were making noise and shouting paroles like "thieves" and "we won't give up freedom".

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15 May 2020, 04:44 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Friday, 15 May 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

PM Janša indicates formal end of epidemic near

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša indicated in parliament the government could soon declare the coronavirus epidemic over, having brought the situation under control in the two months since it took office. "Slovenia has contained the epidemic. Today it has the best epidemiological status in Europe," he said, adding that the epidemic could formally be declared ended at a time which will "probably coincide with the date of the expiry of the first two anti-corona packages", that is the end of May.

Janša denies wrongdoing in PPE purchases

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša dismissed allegations of government misconduct in the purchasing of personal protective equipment as he delivered the opening address in a parliamentary debate on a government report on PPE purchases. He argued that quick action saved dozens of lives after the government was faced with empty stockpiles of protective gear when it took office a day after the epidemic was declared. He also said the government made all contracts public.

Just one new coronavirus infection, no new deaths

LJUBLJANA - Only one out of 984 tests for the novel coronavirus conducted in Slovenia on Wednesday came back positive, raising the total of cases confirmed so far to 1,464. No new fatalities have been reported, leaving the death toll unchanged at 103. Only 32 patients diagnosed with Covid-19 remain in hospitals, according to government data as of midnight, after seven more were discharged yesterday. Seven remain in intensive care.

Janša talks with von der Leyen, Stoltenberg

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša had separate conversations with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, focussing on responses to the Covid-19 pandemic. According to a tweet posted by Janša, he and von der Leyen had a constructive discussion on the EU's new budget proposal and on a new recovery fund. The conversation with Stoltenberg centred "on the priorities of the alliance, our common missions around the world and on unfulfilled promises given by the previous government and Slovenia's plans to strengthen its defence capability and credibility", Janša tweeted.

President talks coronavirus pandemic with Georgian counterpart

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor talked with his Georgian counterpart Salome Zourabichvili over the phone, discussing the novel coronavirus pandemic. Both presidents expressed the view that their respective countries are dealing well with the pandemic. They agreed that a great level of caution will be needed in the future so as to avoid more breakouts, Pahor's office said in a press release. The presidents also share the view that the economic and social consequences of the health crisis will be a great challenge.

Central bank gets adverse opinion from Court of Audit

LJUBLJANA - The Court of Audit found a series of violations at Slovenia's central bank between 2017 in 2018, releasing an adverse opinion in what is its first audit of Banka Slovenije. While the court is yet to complete a review of the banking regulator's supervisory role prior and during the bailout of banks in 2013-14, a scrutiny of the operations in 2017-18 showed the central bank flouted regulations on hirings, employments, severance packages and public procurement. Unofficially, the court took issue with EUR 76,000 severance package paid to former governor Boštjan Jazbec as he resigned in March 2018.

NLB bank's net profit down by 68% y/y in Q1 to EUR 18.3m

LJUBLJANA - NLB generated EUR 18.3 million in net profit at group level in the first quarter, a 68% year-on-year decrease that Slovenia's largest bank said was the result of credit impairments and provisions formed due to the coronavirus epidemic. Net interest income decreased by 3% to EUR 77.4 million, "mainly due to higher interest expenses resulting from new Tier 2 instruments issued by the bank, which was partly compensated for by increased loan volumes", said NLB's business report. Meanwhile, the European Central Bank cleared Petr Brunclik as a new member of the NLB management.

Telekom Slovenije reports 12% higher Q1 profit on lower sales

LJUBLJANA - Telecoms group Telekom Slovenije saw its net profit rise by 12% year-on-year to EUR 11.3 million in the first quarter of the year, as sales dropped by 2% to EUR 168.6 million. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization were flat at EUR 56.4 million, and earnings before interest, taxes rose by 23% to EUR 14.5 million. The company saw a surge in online and mobile traffic and sales since the coronavirus epidemic was declared in Slovenia in mid-March.

Triglav Group Q1 pre-tax profit down 12% to EUR 26.5m

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's leading insurance group, Triglav, reported EUR 26.4 million in pre-tax profit for the first quarter, a 12% year-on-year decrease that it primarily ascribes to several disaster events. The group posted a total of EUR 348.9 million in consolidated gross written premium, up 10% relative to the same period last year. "Major CAT events in the first quarter of the year - an earthquake in Zagreb and hailstorms in Slovenia - decreased year-on-year quarterly profit," the company said, while adding the pandemic had reduced the value of financial investment.

Opposition wants debate on foreign minister's letter on judiciary

LJUBLJANA - The Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ), Social Democrats (SD), Left, and Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) asked for the foreign policy and judiciary committees to discuss what they consider Foreign Minister Anže Logar's contentious letter on the judiciary sent to the EU, as well as Prime Minister Janez Janša's letter entitled War against the Media. In a letter accompanying the Slovenian report on the rule of law in the country, Logar presented a critical view of some aspects of the Slovenian judiciary.

DeSUS demands govt tend to its priorities, not happy with ideological topics

LJUBLJANA - The executive committee of the coalition Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) issued a demand that the government start working on DeSUS's priorities. Highlighting the priority coalition agreement commitments for DeSUS, the party demands that a task force be formed to draw up the act forming a demographic fund, a pension support fund in which state assets would be pooled to help finance public pensions. Party head Aleksandra Pivec said the party was united and that the dismissal of its secretary general was a part of a staffing reshuffle.

Jaklitsch talks economic cooperation with Slovenian minority in Austria, Italy

LJUBLJANA/KLAGENFURT, Austria/TRIESTE, Italy - The need to nurture cross-border cooperation and the economy in the border regions was highlighted in a video-call featuring Minister for Slovenians Abroad Helena Jaklitsch and representatives of Slovenian business in Austria and Italy. Current activities, in particular those related to challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, were presented, including efforts to deal with the impact on cross-border economic activities, the government's Office for Slovenians Abroad said.

Minority in Austria critical of state on independence treaty anniversary

KLAGENFURT, Austria - Marking the 65th anniversary of the Austrian State Treaty, the Slovenian Consensus for Constitutional Rights (SKUP), a political group of the Slovenian minority in Austria, as well as the Community of Carinthian Slovenians (SKS), one of the minority's key organisations, warned that the minority's rights were not completely implemented. SKUP highlighted that the Austrian government had been ignoring proposals regarding bilingual education, and should step up its efforts to secure equality of the Slovenian language as an official language in the Carinthian region as well as funds for the minority.

Slovenia sending PPE and disinfectants to Italy

LJUBLJANA - The government decided to send to Italy EUR 92,000 worth of disinfectants. Moreover, Slovenia will also send protective suits to Friuli Venezia Giulia. The government said in a press release that the aid will be sent to Italy through the EU's civil protection mechanism to fight the coronavirus pandemic. The protective suits, worth EUR 5,600, will be sent to Friuli Venezia Giulia following a bilateral request.

Major LGBTI study finds discrimination still rampant

BRUSSELS, Belgium - A major new EU study has found that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and intersex (LGBTI) persons are increasingly open about their sexual identity, but they still face intimidation, violence and discrimination in everyday life. In Slovenia, the situation appears to be improving, with 55% saying that prejudice and intolerance to LBGTI persons decreased in the last five years, compared to 40% providing the same assessment in the EU on average.

Slovenians ever less worried about epidemic, survey shows

LJUBLJANA - Slovenians are becoming ever less worried about the coronavirus epidemic, the most recent survey by the pollster Valicon showed. At the end of March, 82% of respondents said they were worried about the epidemic, but now the share has dropped to 52%. In terms of measures imposed by the government, 47% of respondents find them appropriate, while 42% believe they are too strict. On the other hand, 11% worry that they are not strict enough. The respondents' opinion about the strictness of the measures has been changing through the epidemic. In late March, 57% of the respondents found them appropriate, while only 6% said they were too strict, while as many as 37% said measures were not strict enough.

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14 May 2020, 08:18 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Thursday, 14 May 2020

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Major easing of coronavirus restrictions planned for Monday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia will see a major easing of quarantine restrictions on 18 May. Tourism will reopen starting with smaller operations. The only facilities that must remain closed are accommodation facilities with over 30 rooms, accommodation for spa guests, wellness and fitness centres, pools and water parks. All shops will be allowed to open, while bars and restaurants will be able to serve patrons indoors again. The previously announced plan to re-open kindergartens, primary schools for the first three grades and the final grade, and secondary schools for final-year students on 18 May was confirmed as well. The majority of sports activities will be allowed to resume on 23 May, including practices and recreation in indoor facilities, and trainings and competitions in team sports.

One more Covid-19 fatality, two more infected

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded one more Covid-19 fatality on Tuesday, which raises the national death toll to 103, as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose by two to 1,463, official data show. Only 38 patients diagnosed with Covid-19 were still being treated in Slovenian hospitals yesterday, two fewer than the day before after one was discharged. Nine remained in intensive care. As many as 1,147 tests for Sars-CoV-2 were conducted yesterday, or a total of 65,694 so far.

MPs demand explanations from govt about equipment procurement

LJUBLJANA - After two sessions dedicated to Slovenia's procurement of personal protective equipment, the parliamentary Commission for Public Finance Oversight asked the government to provide a list of all deals, deliveries and prices paid. It also demands to see information under which the government decided to use intermediaries and not buy the equipment directly from manufacturers and the names of those responsible for this decision. It decided to recommend that the Court of Audit look into equipment procurement.

Teršek and Zobec parties' favourites for top court judge

LJUBLJANA - Barbara Zobec and Andraž Teršek emerged as the front-runners for one vacant post on the Constitutional Court after President Borut Pahor met the deputy group leaders of the six largest parliamentary on the first day of consultations. Zobec, a Supreme Court judge and the only woman among seven candidates, was backed by the Democrats (SDS) and deemed acceptable by the fellow coalition New Slovenia (NSi). The other parties meeting Pahor today, one coalition and three opposition parties, are largely more in favour of constitutional law expert Teršek, with two of them explicitly against Zobec.

EBRD projects 5.5% contraction for Slovenia this year

LONDON, UK - The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) expects that Slovenia's economy will contract by 5.5% this year due to the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, before rebounding to a 5% growth in 2021. This is the least pessimistic outlook for the country among the institutions that have already revised their forecasts in response to the coronavirus crisis. The EBRD expects the contraction to be driven to a large extent by a significant fall in exports.

Coronavirus crisis starting to affect banking sector

LJUBLJANA - The coronavirus crisis has started to affect the banking sector, as Slovenian banks reported only EUR 69.6 million in profit before tax in the first quarter of the year, less than half of last year's figure for the same period, the central bank said in a monthly report. "Although banks entered the crisis with high capital adequacy, good liquidity and other indicators, and even though their stability has been boosted ... we can expect that the serious situation in domestic and international business environments will have an increasingly pronounced impact on bank operations," it said.

Carinthian Slovenians urge reopening of border with Slovenia

KLAGENFURT, Austria - Gabriel Hribar, the leader of the only political party of Carinthian Slovenians, United List, urged the reopening of two border crossings between Slovenia and Austria so as to enable free movement of goods and services. Hribar appealed to both countries to open border crossings Pavličevo Sedlo and Jezerski Vrh. He noted that Austria has already agreed to open its border with Germany, which has far more coronavirus cases than Slovenia.

Austria opening four more checkpoints on border with Slovenia

GRAZ, Austria - Austria intends to open four more checkpoints on the border with Slovenia as it continues to ease measures adopted due to the coronavirus epidemic, Austrian press agency APA reported on Wednesday. Before the crossings Kramarovci, Cankova, Juri and Gerlinci in the east of the country can open for traffic as planned on Friday, the move will have to be coordinated with Slovenia.

Govt opposes plan to declare climate emergency

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Committee on Infrastructure, Environment and Spatial Planning failed to take a vote on an opposition-sponsored motion to declare a climate emergency after more than eight hours of debate yesterday. The proposal was backed by three largest opposition factions as well as by the heads of the deputy factions of DeSUS and SMC, the two centre-left parties in the ruling coalition, but the government does not support the proposed resolution. Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak said a broader consensus was needed, while the issues were being tackled in a climate strategy.

Month-long military exercise in crisis response starts

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) are conducting a month-long series of exercises aimed at training its members to operate in crisis situations and respond in natural and other disasters, which the SAF force commander Mitja Škerbinc assessed as precisely what the Slovenian army needs at the moment. In what is one of the largest exercises of the SAF ever, started on Monday, Leap 2020 will take place in several locations around the country until 19 June. It will primarily deal with training for tactical procedures.

Austria decorates law professor Trstenjak

LJUBLJANA - Verica Trstenjak, a law professor and former advocate general at the European Court of Justice, received a state decoration from Austria for her efforts in strengthening relations between Slovenia and Austria and for her contribution in promoting European law. Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen bestowed on her the Cross of Honour for Science and Art, First Class and Trstenjak was given the medal by Austrian Ambassador to Slovenia Sigrid Berka.

Minority newspaper celebrates 75th anniversary

TRIESTE, Italy - Primorski Dnevnik, the newspaper of the Slovenian ethnic community in Italy, marked its 75th anniversary with a special edition in which Slovenian and Italian presidents, Borut Pahor and Sergio Mattarella, shared their thoughts on the occasion. They note that Primorski Dnevnik has been connecting the two countries and contributing to the preservation of cultural diversity and the Slovenian identity in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region.

Hauliers demand aid, threaten road blocks

LJUBLJANA - The hauliers section of the Chamber of Trade Crafts and Small Business (OZS) called on Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec to have hauliers included in the pending third coronavirus stimulus package or risk "unrest and road blocks". "We were left out of the first corona package, then from the second and I hope the state will not allow us to also be excluded from the third," the representative of hauliers at the OZS Peter Pišek said.

Cinkarna Celje sees revenue rise but profit fall in Q1

CELJE - Cinkarna Celje, the Celje-based chemical company, saw sales revenue rise by 5% year-on-year in the first quarter to EUR 47.8% as net profit decreased by 12% to EUR 6.89 million. The company said demand had increased due to the absence of Chinese producers of titanium dioxide in the European market at the start of the year, while the pandemic and general panic in Europe in March triggered a stockpiling of pigment among buyers. However, figures turned down at the end of the first quarter.

Pharma wholesaler Salus buys stake in tech start-up

LJUBLJANA - Salus, a wholesale supplier of medicine and other pharmaceutical products, announced it had acquired a 10% stake in the tech start-up Medifit, which provides solutions for insurers, healthcare providers and patients. Medifit's products have included a platform with information on the services and waiting times in public healthcare. Salus said the investment was part of its 2018-2022 strategy.

Slovenians switch to food deliveries, bread baking

LJUBLJANA - During the coronavirus epidemic, Slovenians have mostly switched from buying food in shopping centres to frequenting local grocery shops and ordering food online, shows a survey conducted by the Nutrition Institute. Lockdown has changed shopping and dietary habits with almost two thirds of the respondents making bread from scratch. The number of households that get their groceries in shopping centres has been halved and almost 20% have been buying local.

Ljubljana Festival preparing to go ahead this summer

LJUBLJANA - Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the company behind Slovenia's largest summer festival is planning to go ahead with the Ljubljana Festival this year. Its director Darko Brlek told the STA that some changes had already been made but that everything would depend on restrictions in Slovenia as well as abroad. The festival should open on 2 July with Beethoven's Symphony No.9 and close on 31 August with the Philharmonic Orchestra from La Scala. All major events are to be held outdoors.

Return of sports competitions to start with golf and tennis

LJUBLJANA - Golf and tennis, which were also the first to be exempt from lockdown restrictions for recreational purposes in mid-April, will be the first sports in Slovenia to see a return to competitions. The golfers will start on 22 May and the tennis players a week later, but without spectators. The Arboretumu Ljubljana golf course north of Ljubljana will be the one to mark the relaunch of competitions with a three-day tournament that is part of the Slo Tour series.

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13 May 2020, 04:14 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Wednesday, 13 May 2020

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

This summary is provided by the STA:

If positive trends continue, return to normal life to accelerate

LJUBLJANA - Bojana Beović, the head of the Health Ministry's advisory task force for the coronavirus, indicated Slovenia may take bolder steps in easing restrictions if the the favourable trends regarding the Covid-19 epidemic in Slovenia continue until the end of the week. She said the epidemic was slowing down, as no more than ten new infections on a daily basis had been recorded since 30 April and the reproduction rate was below one. Government spokesman Jelko Kacin said that the cabinet would discuss an exit strategy and possibilities to relax certain measures later today.

Limited air service to Ljubljana expected in June

BRNIK - Although the ban on international air passenger transport with Slovenia was lifted as of today, passenger flights from Slovenia's airports are not expected before June. Lufthansa, Swiss and Brussels Airlines have already opened bookings on June flights. Air Serbia, EasyJet and Turkish Airlines are expected to launch flight in June as well, according to reports by several media. The Jože Pučnik Ljubljana Airport expects more action in July, but everything will depend on the epidemic-related developments in Europe and the economic recovery.

Only one person tests positive on Monday, no new deaths

LJUBLJANA - A total of 1,182 tests for Covid-19 were performed on Monday resulting in only one positive test to bring the total number of infections to 1,461. No deaths were recorded, with the death toll remaining at 102. A total of 40 patients diagnosed with Covid-19 were in hospital, nine of whom were in intensive care, show the figures released by the government.

Logar's judiciary comments spark reactions among MEPs, at home

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar's critical comments attached to a report filed by Slovenia for the European Commission's first annual rule of law report sparked strong reactions at home and among Slovenian MEPs, most of whom see it as inappropriate Europe should be notified about domestic political issues in such a way. Criticism also came from junior coalition parties, in particular the Modern Centre Party (SMC), which said the report was based on credible and concrete data that showed the situation in the judiciary was in fact improving. Distancing herself from "letters written or signed by individuals", Pensioners' Party head Aleksandra Pivec said that if the coalition is distracted by ideological discord instead of focusing on concrete commitments, time would come for DeSUS to reflect whether it made sense continuing to cooperate in the coalition any further.

PM makes the case for confrontation with the media

LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša made the case for confrontation with the media in an essay entitled War with the Media, in which he argues that keeping silent while media wage war is not an option and has damaging effects on society. Arguing Slovenia needs more media plurality, he particularly took issue with public broadcaster RTV Slovenija as well as POP TV, writing that "the atmosphere of intolerance and hatred is created by a narrow circle of [female] editors with familial and capital ties to the pillars of the deep state and a handful of average and below-average journalists on demand who would not even make it as reporters from the produce market in a normal media outlet." For Janša, these are signs of totalitarianism. The letter drew strong criticism from several parties, including the fellow coalition SMC, which said it believes in the professionalism and independence of the media.

FM discusses pandemic, EU presidency with Dutch counterpart

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Andraž Logar held a videoconference with his Dutch counterpart Stef Blok, discussing coordination of easing of restrictive measures designed to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. They discussed responses to the pandemic and Slovenia's upcoming EU presidency, the Foreign Ministry said. Logar said the Netherlands was an important economic and political ally to Slovenia, adding that the countries shared similar views on a number of EU-related issues. The ministers expressed the wish for the continuation of positive economic trends which have made the Netherlands the sixth largest investor in Slovenia, the ministry also said.

Committee backs amendment restricting environmental NGOs

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Environment Committee approved changes to the nature conservation act that significantly limit the ability of NGOs to take part in administrative procedures representing public interest. The original proposal, filed by the opposition National Party (SNS) and coming after a similar change was adopted as part of construction legislation, ended up being softened a little amid warnings it would slash the number of NGOs recognised as representing public interest in conservation of natural environment from 47 to 5 and could potentially be unconstitutional. While some opposition parties spoke of an open attack on NGOs, the coalition argued investment was needed and was too often blocked by NGOs for selfish reasons. Several hundred protesters rallied against the amendment in front of parliament.

Complaint against Pahor, ministers over anti-epidemic rules rejected

LJUBLJANA - The prosecution has reportedly rejected a lawyer's criminal complaint against the president, the defence minister and the interior minister over them not wearing protective equipment and ignoring social distancing rules during a visit to the border river Kolpa, arguing that it could not be alleged that this had facilitated the spread of the coronavirus epidemic. Boštjan Verstovšek, who filed the complaint after Interior Minister Aleš Hojs urged the prosecution of street protesters during the epidemic, responded to the decision by saying it was also good news for "all others who were afraid of exercising their constitutional right to the freedom of assembly and expression because of the threats of criminal prosecution."

Chamber with several proposals for third coronavirus package

LJUBLJANA - The Chamber of Small Business (OZS) has drafted a set of proposals it wants included in the third coronavirus package of measures the government will start working on more intensively next week. The OZS would like more liquidity aid for small companies and sole proprietors, and a lower VAT for services in tourism and some other lines of small business. It would also like a solution to rent payment when a private business rents a place from a private owner after the government has recently helped those renting from the state. The OZS would moreover like the government to ease layoff conditions, and introduce measures to kick-start the construction sector.

Left expects broad support for ban on Sunday shopping

LJUBLJANA - The opposition Left has drawn up a legislative motion in a bid to keep stores closed on Sundays even after the end of the coronavirus epidemic. Considering support expressed from both sides of the political isle and part of the public, the party hopes the bill can be passed by summer. The Left drafted amendments to the trade act in response to a call by the Trade Union of Shop Assistants in its Labour Day message to keep stores closed on Sundays and public holidays beyond the epidemic. Appearing at today's press conference of the Left, the union's secretary general Ladi Rožič said that hundreds of union members wanted Sundays to be a day off for retail workers as well.

Instead of expansion, Brdo Hotel to get a facelift

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Brdo Hotel at the Brdo pri Kranju estate, where most EU presidency activities are due to take place, will not undergo a thorough renovation and expansion as initially planned, it will only get a facelift. After several rounds of bidding, the cost of renovation was declared as too high. The Government Secretariat-General told the STA on Tuesday that the hotel would only get a facelift, which is expected to be completed before Slovenia starts its presidency of the EU in the second half of 2021.

Nika Ham wins OHO Group Award

LJUBLJANA - Nika Ham, a painter who has shifted her focus to video, digital art and performance, has won the 2020 OHO Group Award for up-and-coming Slovenian artists. Ham has taken part in several group and solo exhibitions as a student, and has been the head of the graphic section of the LET'S CEE Film Festival in Vienna since 2016. She also collaborates with the band Laibach and works at Moderna Galerija, the national museum of modern and contemporary art.

Real-world exhibition explores alienation at time of isolation

LJUBLJANA - In one of the first real-world exhibitions to go on show following the reopening of Slovenian galleries, the Ravnikar Gallery Space in Ljubljana launched a solo exhibition by Nevena Aleksovski which explores alienation during coronavirus isolation and lockdown. Featuring drawings and paintings that have mostly been produced during the confinement within the four walls, the exhibition And then So Clear grapples with the questions of how human alienation is heightened by isolation.

Body of missing Polish student found in Soča

BOVEC - The body of a Polish exchange student who slipped into the Soča river on Sunday and was missing since has been recovered 100 metres downstream from the site of the accident, Nova Gorica police said. Police said the body had been found in a net near the village of Soča, where the 23-year-old went missing. The Polish national and four friends, all exchange students, had been staying at a camp site in the village of Soča, near the Great Soča Gorge, a popular destination for tourists.

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