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This summary is provided by the STA:

Second Slovenian Covid-19 patient dies

LJUBLJANA/METLIKA - Slovenia recorded a second coronavirus fatality as the number of confirmed cases rose by 31 in the past day to 414 by 2pm out of 13,098 tests taken. Health Minister Tomaž Gantar said that both patients who had died were in their 90s and had underlying conditions. "It's hard to say at the moment that anyone has died only because of being infected with Covid-19," the minister told reporters. Unofficially, the latest fatality was an elderly woman from the Metlika nursing home, like the man that died just over a week ago. Visiting the facility PM Janez Janša pledged an all out effort to supply enough protective equipment.

Slovenia sends quake relief aid to Croatia

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia sent emergency relief aid to Croatia in response to the neighbouring country's appeal for help via the European civil protection mechanism after a magnitude 5.3 earthquake hit the capital Zagreb in the morning. Slovenia dispatched ten tents equipped to accommodate up to 80 people with 60 beds and 60 sleeping bags and 20 heating devices, valued at EUR 107,000. Defence Minister Matej Tonin on the occasion called for continued solidarity in Europe in the face of the coronavirus outbreak and natural disasters such as the latest quake. Earlier, help and solidarity was offered to Croatia in phone calls with their counterparts by Prime Minister Janez Janša, Foreign Minister Anže Logar and President Borut Pahor.

Krško N-plant operating normally after Zagreb earthquake, Austria urges closure

KLAGENFURT, GRAZ, Austria, KRŠKO - The Krško Nuclear Power Station (NEK) reported that a preventive examination of systems and equipment had not detected any damage or impact on operations caused by a severe earthquake in Zagreb that was felt in Slovenia as well. The power station, situated near the border with Croatia and hence close to the earthquake's epicentre, is operating normally, said the Nuclear Security Administration. However, a group of Austrian politicians reiterated their calls for the closure of Slovenia's sole nuclear power plant, saying that the plant posed a great risk to the region's security and that its lifespan was coming to an end.

Stranded Slovenians returning home from Paris

PARIS, France - A group of Slovenians stranded abroad due to air traffic cancellations and restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic returned home. A repatriation commercial Air France flight from Paris was then scheduled to head back to France with French citizens who had found themselves in a similar predicament. The flight brought home 22 Slovenian citizens and two people with permanent residence in Slovenia.

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Slovenia to restrict movement of people to municipal limits

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia will impose a ban on exiting one's municipality of residence in the coming days, Jelko Kacin, the spokesman for the government coronavirus crisis unit, said. "We are trying to make it as friendly as possible, so as not to cause problems in the flow of people performing urgent tasks and jobs." He also advised Slovenians against flooding tourist spots this weekend.

Number of covid-19 cases reaches 383

LJUBLJANA - The number of confirmed covid-19 cases in Slovenia increased by 42 to 383 and a total of 12,162 tests have so far been performed. By Friday the Health Ministry issued 180 quarantine orders to people who have been in close contact with infected individuals. Prime Minister Janez Janša visited the town of Šmarje pri Jelšah, one of the hotspots of the epidemic, where 41 cases have been confirmed, second in number only to Ljubljana. Meanwhile, the Civil Protection distributed 1.2 million pieces of protective equipment to medical and care institutions around the country. This included surgical masks, gloves, overalls, glasses and sanitisers.

Crisis response unit established to assist hauliers

LJUBLJANA - The government has established a crisis response unit to deal with issues faced by hauliers as the nation fights to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, Infrastructure Minister Tadej Vrtovec said. Among other tasks, the unit will help hauliers manage paperwork and resolve complications in foreign countries. Trucks with perishable goods cannot be held up on borders for 15 hours, he said, adding that Slovenia will allow passage of trucks from Italy if Croatia will grant them entry.

Shoppers getting anxious in face of limitations

LJUBLJANA - Retailer Mercator called on shoppers to show patience, keep the recommended safety distance and respect the shopper number limitations, after several cases of people shoving and yelling at each other and employees have been reported. In some cases the situation escalated to the point that the police had to be called. There is enough food for everybody, the retailer said in a press release, adding that vulnerable groups take priority in the time of covid-19 epidemic.

Condemnation as PM Janša accuses public broadcaster of lie

LJUBLJANA - Public broadcaster RTV Slovenija, the Journalists' Association (DNS) and the Journalists' Trade Union condemned a Twitter post by Prime Minister Janez Janša in which he accused TV Slovenija of lying. The tweet was a response to an interview with a trade unionist who expressed indignation about the cabinet's pay raise. The DNS and the trade union said that Janša's tweet amounted to a threat to RTV Slovenija employees about possible loss of employment or other repressive measures that may befall them unless they report in a way that suits the government. RTV Slovenija CEO Igor Kadunc told Radio Slovenija today "this is not a war and we do not intend to submit to censorship."

Education Ministry happy with home schooling during covid-19 epidemic

LJUBLJANA - A week after all schools in Slovenia were closed due to the covid-19 epidemic, remote schooling is going very well, Education Minister Simona Kustec said. 380 primary schools, out of a total of 455, are taking part, while others are encouraged do so as well. There were some toothing problems on Monday, much of which had been addressed by the next day. Kustec said the process was going better than expected. Problems of some 700 students without access to computer or internet are being addressed.

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Slovenia enters lockdown mode

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia entered lockdown mode at midnight as the government issued decree prohibiting the movement and gathering of people in public places until further notice. There are exemptions to ensure society can function. Individuals may leave their homes for a public place mindful of keeping a safe distance and only for work-related activities, to eliminate immediate threats to health, life and property, to care for people in need of support, and to access shops that remain open. People may access public parks and other areas for walking. Local communities may make more detailed rules depending on the community's needs. Slovenia registered 341 confirmed coronavirus cases by 2pm, up by 22 in the last 24 hours.

Minister to seek police powers for army next week to secure border

LJUBLJANA - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs expects he will present his proposal to invoke legislation that would give the army police powers to deputy factions next week. He says the sole purpose of the measure is to secure Slovenia's south border against increasing illegal migration. Addressing the nation, Hojs said he would formally submit the proposal to activate article 37.a of the defence act for inter-departmental adjustment today, which should be completed by Monday. He thus expects to be able to present the reasons for the activation to all deputy factions in parliament next week. The move would need to be endorsed by a two-thirds majority in parliament. Meanwhile, the government said today that the Armed Forces are inviting all who wish to help in these difficult times to sign up as volunteers or for temporary military service.

Parliament passes package of laws to mitigate fallout of coronavirus crisis

LJUBLJANA - Parliament passed a package of laws aimed at mitigating the impact of the coronavirus crisis. Measures include pay compensation for temporary lay-offs, credit payment and tax duty deferrals for companies, as well as trade restrictions for agriculture and food products. One act gives the government complete discretion in the use of budget funds approved for purposes not deemed part of legally binding tasks. Another will allow banks to defer liabilities of companies, co-operatives, self-employed and farmers by 12 months.

Minister assures public there is enough food for months

LJUBLJANA - Agriculture Minister Aleksandra Pivec assured the public that there is enough basic foodstuffs in Slovenia for a few months as she assuaged fears about possible supply disruptions. Pivec said the situation was constantly monitored, backup plans were in place in case of disruption in existing food supply channels and procedures had been launched to supply products from other countries if necessary. There may however be sporadic problems with the supply of fresh fruit, such as citrus and tropical fruit, and certain vegetables - foods that Slovenia mostly imports from Italy.

Govt shortens opening hours of grocery stores

LJUBLJANA - Facing a strike threat in protest against an emergency decree forcing grocery stores to be open from 8am to 8pm, the government adopted changes to the decree by pushing the closing time to 6pm, as demanded by the trade union of shop assistants. The restrictions do not apply for smaller retailers. While the government's reasoning was that longer opening hours mean less people in the store at the same time, the union argues longer opening hours mean that shop assistants are exposed to the risk of a coronavirus infection for longer, and work overtime.

Power prices for households and SMEs cut by 20%

LJUBLJANA - To ease the impact of the coronavirus fallout, the government issued a decree reducing electricity prices for households and small businesses by about 20% for the next three months. The government said it suspended payment of contributions for subsidies for high-efficiency cogeneration and renewables for small business consumers and households. The suspension, valid between 1 March and 31 May, is estimated to reduce electricity bills for the two types of consumers by about 20%.

Expert: Current testing regime rational, not ideal

LJUBLJANA - Alojz Ihan, a recognised expert in immunology, believes Slovenia's current regime of testing for coronavirus, which focuses on groups at greatest risk such as health staff and the elderly, is optimal and clinically rational even though many of the infected would remain undetected. Broad testing would not contribute to better clinical treatment of the disease, while it would engage many more health workers, protective equipment, entry points, tests, lab capacities. Ihan also proposes frequent mandatory testing of all health staff.

Ivan Eržen named acting director of public health institute

LJUBLJANA - The governing council of the National Public Health Institute (NIJZ) appointed Ivan Eržen the acting director after the government relieved Nina Pirnat of her duties and moved her to the Health Ministry's Healthcare Directorate. Eržen had already headed the NIJZ between 2014 and 2018. Explaing Pirnat relocation, made at the behest of Health Minister Tomaž Gantar, the NIJZ highlighted Pirnat's "engagement in the management of the coronavirus epidemic, broad knowledge of the healthcare system and the need to strengthen the staff at the directorate."

Government Communication Office gets new acting head

LJUBLJANA - Only days after being appointed, Miro Petek was dismissed as acting director of the Government Communication Office (UKOM) and replaced by Uroš Urbanija, a former STA home desk editor. Urbanija, who has also worked as editor at the public broadcaster's news web portal MMC RTV Slovenija and commercial broadcaster Planet TV, is appointed as of 21 March under a decision taken by the government at today's correspondence session. Miro Petek, a journalist, former MP and press officer for PM Janez Janša's Democratic Party (SDS), was named to the post at the maiden session of the Janša government following Friday's appointment.

Unions angered by pay rise for top government officials

LJUBLJANA - Several trade unions have criticised the new government's decision to raise the pay of the ministers and state secretaries to the highest possible allowed for these posts in the public sector pay system. They find the move inappropriate, especially in the crisis situation Slovenia is in now. While criticism also came from the Association of Pensioners, the government offered a more detailed explanation of its decision today, saying that no rules had been changed to allow for the pay rise. Given the current situation and a significant increase in the scope of work, the pay was raised in line with the existing legislation, it said.

Criticism as some reject repatriation flight

LJUBLJANA - Poland assisted Slovenia in evacuating citizens stranded abroad due to air traffic cancellations and restrictions by providing 19 seats on a flight from the Canary Islands to Warsaw on Thursday night, however seven Slovenians decided to "wait for a better option" and did not board the flight. Andrej Šter, the head of the Foreign Ministry's consular service, criticised the conduct and warned that the window for returning to Europe or Slovenia was closing rapidly. He deems the decision of those who had dismissed the opportunity "a catastrophic gesture including for our future cooperation with Poland".

Slovenia joins efforts to develop new coronavirus vaccine

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Centre of Excellence for Biosensors, Instrumentation and Process Control (COBIK) has started developing a coronavirus vaccine in cooperation with Slovenian and international companies, research institutes and universities. The main goal of the consortium is to develop a platform which would enable fast creation of vaccines in case of similar epidemics. According to Matjaž Peterko, the head of the COBIK, development could take between less than a year and a few years, depending on how fast testing can proceed.

Slovenia does not understand why IOC refuses to postpone Tokyo

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Olympic Committee (OKS) has expressed puzzlement over the International Olympic Committee's continuing refusal (IOC) to postpone the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which are scheduled to take place between 24 July and 9 August. "They say it is too soon to postpone, but we think the opposite. It will be not possible to organise the games in July under the Olympic principle," OKS president Bogdan Gabrovec said. He believes that athletes lack the appropriate conditions to prepare for the games as restrictive measures are being imposed to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Govt decides for lockdown, in force as of midnight

LJUBLJANA - With the number of confirmed Covid-19 case continuing to rise - to 319 by 2pm on Thursday -, the government adopted a decree banning gatherings and movement of people in public areas, albeit with a number of exceptions. The measure is in force as of Monday. Despite the stepped up restrictions, people will be allowed to leave home to go to work, the pharmacy and to buy groceries at their closest shop. Oeople will also be allowed to go outdoors and to parks, but only alone or with people living in the same household. They will also be able to run errants related to their household or agricultural activities. Fines for violations will be about EUR 400.

Parliament passes package of laws to mitigate fallout of coronavirus crisis

LJUBLJANA - Parliament passed a package of laws aimed at mitigating the impact of the coronavirus crisis. Measures include pay compensation for temporary lay-offs, credit payment and tax duty deferrals for companies, as well as trade restrictions for agriculture and food products. The act on temporary redunancies, estimated at EUR 50 million, stipulates temporarily laid-off workers will be entitled to 80% of their wage average from the past three months, with the employers having to cover 60% of this sum and the state 40%. One of the acts in the package also gives the government direct control over the budget despite concerns this could constitute a breach of the Constitution.

Number of confirmed coronavirus cases at 319 by 2pm, up by 33 in a day

LJUBLJANA - The number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Slovenia stood at 319 at 2pm on Thursday, up by 33 in the last 24 hours. A total of 9,860 persons have been tested so far, up by 1,130 from Wednesday, meaning the number of people tested daily remains at slightly above 1,000. Hospitals are reportedly presently looking after around 40 Covid-19 patients. While no new deaths have been reported since the first confirmed casualty on the weekend, the latest increase is slightly higher than on Tuesday and Wednesday, when it stood at 20 and 13 respectively. With testing restricted to health and emergency workers, the elderly, those in hospital and people exhibiting more severe symptoms, the government has warned that the number of actually infected people is probably several times higher.

Minister mulling police powers for the army

LJUBLJANA - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs said he was considering an activation of legislation that would give the army police powers, a move that would need to be endorsed by a two-thirds majority in parliament. Speaking for public broadcaster TV Slovenija on Wednesday evening, Hojs said "I will propose the activation of article 37.a [of the defence act] as the competent minister." The article in question was adopted at the peak of the migration crisis, in October 2015, and has been activated once since, in early 2016. The centre-left opposition indicated they would want more questions as to the necessity of activating the army, echoing some of the same civil rights concerns that accompanied the drafting of the legislation in 2015. Meanwhile, PM Janez Janša announced Thursday evening that the Armed Forces would be supplemented with volunteers.

Half a million face masks delivered to civil protection services

LJUBLJANA - Around half a million face masks were delivered to a civil protection warehouse near Ljubljana on Thursday morning to cover the most urgent needs for protective equipment. Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek said that the government would try to pull off a planned supply of an additional 1.5 million type FFB2 masks by the end of the week. The same quantity of the more effective type FFP3 masks is expected to be delivered at the beginning of next week. One planned shipment did not work out though, as an order of 1.5 million masks that was expected to arrive through Italy turned out to have been a fraud attempt.

New rules for shops in place

LJUBLJANA - New rules for grocery shops took effect. They must be open from 8am to 8pm, and for the first two hours, until 10am, groups particularly vulnerable to infections - the elderly, pregnant women and disabled persons - must be given priority. All shops bar petrol stations and pharmacies must be closed on Sunday and holidays. This follows from a government decree adopted late on Wednesday as part of ongoing efforts to contain coronavirus by imposing strict social distancing rules. The vast majority of shops, all bars and restaurants, hotels, and services establishments such as hair salons were shut down by decree on Sunday. The trade union of shop assistants responded by threatening with a strike unless the closing time is pushed forward to 6pm.

Slovenian companies in China resuming work after lockdown

ZREČE/TRŽIČ/NOVO MESTO - Slovenian companies operating in China are gradually returning back to pre-coronavirus levels although production is not yet going ahead at full steam. The situation has been brought under control, Unior, which forges car parts in China at a plant employing 460 workers, said. The Cablex group, owning a subsidiary with a 400-strong workforce in China, said saying that after restarting production in mid-February, output is now approaching the planned capacity. Pharma company Krka, which co-owns a subsidiary in China, also reported that the situation is returning to pre-coronavirus levels. The companies are however concerned about the dire conditions in Europe and elsewhere, which are causing supply disruptions.

SBI TOP loses 3%

LJUBLJANA - The SBI TOP index of blue chips on the Ljubljana Stock Exchange lost another 3%. The most active issue was again the share of pharma Krka, which gained 1% and contributed almost EUR 402,000 to the daily turnover of EUR 1.67 million. Apart from the Krka shares, the only issue that was not among losers was port operator Luka Koper, which was up by 3.2%.

Slovenian companies ramping up production of sanitiser

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian makers of disinfectants are working around the clock to meet the spike in demand, in particular for hand sanitiser, caused by the coronavirus epidemic. Production has been ramped up. The biggest producer of medical disinfectants in Slovenia, the Trzin-based Kimi, makes disinfectant only for Slovenia because the majority of foreign providers stopped their supply. Ilirija in Ljubljana increased its output ten-fold but is experiencing issues in securing raw materials. Both Kimi and Ilirija have refrained from raising their prices despite surging demand, quoting ethical reasons.

Govt moves National Public Health Institute boss to healthcare directorate

LJUBLJANA - Adopting a number of staffing decisions, the government dismissed Nina Pirnat as the director of the National Public Health Institute (NIJZ) and appointed her the acting director general of the Health Ministry's Healthcare Directorate. It also appointed secretary generals at the health and foreign ministries. Darja Hrga was appointed acting secretary general at the Health Ministry. Hrga so far served as secretary general at the Defence Ministry, where she is to be succeeded by Marko Doblekar, who to be appointed acting secretary general at the proposal of Defence Minister Matej Tonin. Moreover, Jožef Drofenik was appointed acting secretary general at the Foreign Ministry, replacing Mitja Močnik, who was dismissed.

Govt raising pay for ministers and state secretaries

LJUBLJANA - Public Administration Minister Boštjan Koritnik announced what amounts to a raise of the pay for the ministers and state secretaries of the new government to the highest possible allowed for these posts in the public sector pay system. Koritnik, who argued this was not a pay increase but the determining of wage brackets, said the 61st wage bracket will be used for all state secretaries at ministries and the 64th for all ministers. PM Janez Janša tied the measure to the coronavirus situation. In the previous government, led by Marjan Šarec, all ministers bar the finance minister were ranked in the lowest possible bracket for the post, meaning the 62nd bracket. The same applied for all state secretaries, which meant the 59th bracket.

Support to NATO membership lowest in Slovenia, survey shows

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Only half of Slovenians support NATO membership, while 27% are against it, which is the lowest support among all members of the alliance, suggests a survey presented in Brussels. The average support to membership is 64%. France and Iceland also have only 50% of the population supporting NATO membership but there the percentage of those opposing it is lower than in Slovenia. The country with the highest share of NATO opponents is Montenegro, where it stands at 33%. However, support to the alliance there is slightly higher than in Slovenia, at 54%.

Chief defendant in hospital queue-jumping case back at work

LJUBLJANA - Uroš Smiljić, the main defendant in a hospital queue-jumping racket case which is still being processed by courts, has returned to his job at the UKC Ljubljana hospital after a higher court confirmed he had been unlawfully dismissed in 2018. He managed to prove at the Labour Court that he had been dismissed "for fictitious reasons", while the higher court fully dismissed an appeal by UKC Ljubljana. The investigation against Smiljić is ongoing.

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A schedule of all the main events involving Slovenia this week can be found here

This summary is provided by the STA:

Slovenia to ban public gatherings of more than five persons

LJUBLJANA - The government will ban public gatherings of more than five persons in order to fight the coronavirus epidemic. The relevant decree is expected to be adopted shortly. Defence Minister Aleš Hojs said the ban would be modelled on Austria's. It will be policed and fines will be put in place for violators. The number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Slovenia rose to 286 by 2pm, up by 13 in the last 24 hours. A total of 8,730 persons have so far been tested.

Hospitals making room for potential new coronavirus patients

LJUBLJANA - Hospitals around Slovenia are preparing for an expected increase in the number of coronavirus patients who will need intensive treatment. Additional rooms have been reserved and transitional units established for those suspected of being infected. UKC Ljubljana, the country's largest hospital, has increased the number of beds for intensive care and the orthopaedic and dermatology wards have been reorganised to admit coronavirus patients. Additional beds will also be made available at community health centres.

Pahor urges Von der Leyen to facilitate purchase of medical equipment

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor spoke with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in via videoconference, calling for procedures of public procurement of medical equipment for fighting the coronavirus pandemic to be facilitated. Pahor also spoke with EU High Representative Josep Borrell and European Parliament President David Sassoli. The officials agreed that other important issues must not be overlooked during the coronavirus crisis, including illegal migration, negotiations on the next multi-year EU budget, climate change, digitalisation and EU enlargement.

Upper chamber to eschew vetoing emergency laws

LJUBLJANA - The National Council, the upper chamber of parliament, plans to actively avoid vetoing emergency laws in order to accelerate their implementation. As soon as the government tables a bill, the National Council will convene a correspondence session asking councillors if they give up their right to veto in advance. If such a proposal is confirmed, the National Assembly will be able to pass legislation with immediate effect rather than waiting for eight days as customary for a National Council veto decision. National Council president Alojz Kovšca said only emergency laws would be treated this way.

Committees clear first emergency bills

LJUBLJANA - Parliamentary committees backed ahead of Thursday's emergency plenary the first set of bills aimed at mitigating the coronavirus crisis. The measures include pay compensation for temporary laid-off workers and the possibility to impose restrictions on trade in agriculture and food products to ensure sufficient food supplies in the country, as well as a one-month suspension of prison sentences or early release when there are no safety concerns. Notably, amendments were adopted that expand the temporary aid to some 106,000 self-employed in the country.

Govt adopts bill to defer company debt payments

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted an emergency bill to allow banks to defer liabilities of companies, co-operatives, self-employed and farmers by 12 months. Banks will be compelled to do so for those unable to operate under government measures to contain the coronavirus outbreak. Finance Minister Andrej Šircelj said only solvent and tax paying debtors would be eligible. He said the measure, which is to be passed by parliament tomorrow, would not affect the country's financial stability.

UEFA boss and Alibaba founder secure face masks for Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia is to receive 300,000 protective face masks from two foundations of the Chinese multinational technology company Alibaba and its founder Jack Ma. The donation, which is expected to arrive in Slovenia on Thursday evening or Friday morning, is a result of a friendship between Ma and UEFA boss Aleksander Čeferin. Another shipment of 1.5 million masks in expected to arrive on Thursday, mostly intended for healthcare workers, social institutions.

More than 650 Slovenians still away abroad

LJUBLJANA - More than 650 Slovenians are still away abroad amid world-wide cancellations of flights and other public transport links due to the coronavirus crisis. The Foreign Ministry said that almost half of those who responded to its call to get in touch were currently in EU countries, and a third in the Middle East, Asia and Russia. They are mostly tourists and travellers rather than those living, working or studying abroad, the ministry said, adding it was working to help get them home.

Drug makers working hard to secure undisrupted supply

NOVO MESTO/LJUBLJANA - The two main pharmaceutical companies in Slovenia, Krka and Lek, say they are making the greatest possible effort to keep production and supply of the market at normal levels, while introducing measures to contain the coronavirus epidemic. The pharmaceutical wholesale group Salus, an important link in the chain of supply of medications and other related products to medical institutions, pharmacies and individuals, said that it was making the same effort.

Slovenia points to coronavirus impact on transport

LJUBLJANA - Infrastructure Ministry State Secretary Blaž Košorok took part in a videoconference of EU ministers in charge of transport, pointing to the major negative financial consequences of the battle to contain the new coronavirus on the sector and the need for financial aid. The Slovenian government is preparing financial aid from the budget, but if the crisis continues, "additional aid from the EU and, temporarily, higher flexibility of state aid will be required," Košorok said.

Actor Peter Musevski dies

LJUBLJANA - Actor Peter Musevski, best known for his lead role in Bread and Milk, the 2001 drama that won the Lion of the Future in Venice, died, aged 54. Musevski, a theatre and film actor who made a name for himself for portraying difficult, low-life characters, had been a member of the Prešernovo Gledališče Kranj theatre since 2003. His most recent film role was in Vinko Möderndorfer's Deadlock. His artistic accomplishments won him the 2009 Prešeren Fund Prize.

Art galleries moving online due to coronavirus

LJUBLJANA - Several Slovenian galleries and museums have closed their doors to visitors during the coronavirus epidemic but that does not mean art lovers will be left in the lurch. Art events, including museum tours, are simply moving online. The National Gallery, Equrna Gallery, Moderna Galerija and the Ethnographic Museum are among those showcasing online, while Ljubljana City Art Gallery will exhibit art pieces created during the social isolation on Facebook.

Visiting Ljubljana? Check out what's on this week, while all our stories on Slovenia, from newest to oldest, are here

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A schedule of all the main events involving Slovenia this week can be found here

This summary is provided by the STA:

Official coronavirus case count at 275, actual figure likely five times higher

LJUBLJANA - Health Minister Tomaž Gantar warned Slovenians that everyone should behave as if they were contagious as he said that the number of those infected with the novel coronavirus was likely five-fold the official number of confirmed cases, at 275. This was because those with mild symptoms who can stay at home are no longer being tested. A total of 7,587 tests have been taken so far. Bojana Beović, the expert affiliated with the government coronavirus crisis response team, said that despite the changed approach the number of tests had not been reduced. Six of those infected are foreigners.

Govt to step up measures to contain coronavirus

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša announced a stepping up of measures to contain the coronavirus epidemic after chairing a session of the National Security Council in the broadest format yet that also saw President Borut Pahor, speakers of both houses of parliament and heads of opposition parties and the two minority MPs. The most urgent legislative measures are expected to be adopted on Thursday, followed by an umbrella crisis package. "These will be measures you have never seen before, because the situation is strategically different," said Janša.

Commissioner Lenarčič argues for widespread testing

BRUSSELS, Belgium - European Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčič told Slovenian reporters in Brussels that the World Health Organisation and the European Centre for Disease (ECDC) both advised as much testing for coronavirus as possible, which the Commission belives should be followed. The Slovenian believes the measures being taken now can start producing effects in a week or two. "If the virus's spread is limited significantly, we'll know in about 10 to 14 days what the real scale of this problem is," he assessed.

Austria, Croatia closing small crossings on Slovenia border

LJUBLJANA/ZAGREB, Croatia - Austria and Croatia announced they would temporarily close dozens of small crossings on the border with Slovenia to help stop the spread of coronavirus, after which the Slovenian government ordered closure of 27 local border crossings with Croatia from Tuesday. Major crossings remain open. As of midnight Tuesday, crossings to and from Austria will only be allowed at the major crossings Karavanke, Šentilj, Gornja Radgona and Ljubelj, and the smaller border posts Kuzma, Jurij, Trate, Radelj, Gederovci, Korensko Sedlo, Holmec and Vič.

Rajko Kozmelj steps down as SOVA intelligence agency boss

LJUBLJANA - The head of the intelligence agency SOVA, Rajko Kozmelj, stepped down with immediate effect saying he had received no instructions or guidelines from the new government, which he sees as a sign of personal distrust. Kozmelj was also excluded from the National Security Council, which transformed into the National Operational Defence Headquarters yesterday because of the coronavirus epidemic. Kozmelj disagrees with this decision, finding it misguided. PM Janez Janša commented that intel services had little role in fighting a virus.

Govt pushing back tax duties for companies, taking direct control of budget

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a set of emergency measures that reduce the administrative and tax burdens on companies affected by the coronavirus epidemic. The bill on emergency measures in the field of public finances also gives the government greater discretion in the use of budget funds. The Finance Ministry also announced a bill that would allow business to ask banks for a 12-month deferral of credit payments in case these were not already due before the epidemic set in.

Fiscal rule not to hinder fight against coronavirus

LJUBLJANA - The government welcomed EU-wide agreement that fiscal rules should not stand in the way of action to fight the coronavirus epidemic. "The role of the fiscal rule is acknowledged and will be respected, but saving lives and economic recovery must be given priority in these times," Finance Minister Andrej Šircelj said. "We are pleased that the importance of flexibility in respecting fiscal policy has been acknowledged by European institutions as well," said Šircelj after eurozone and EU finance ministers held a videoconference on Monday.

Many Slovenians still stranded abroad, new evacuation flights planned

LJUBLJANA - Around 90 Slovenian citizens have requested consular help unable to return home due to border closures. The government is planning additional evacuation flights after successfully organising a special flight from Moscow, Andrej Šter, the head of the Foreign Ministry's consular service, told Radio Slovenija. In addition to the 90 who have contacted consular services, Šter said at least twice as many were probably still stranded abroad. Slovenian citizens have been advised to cancel all travel plans.

Army field hospital ready to admit Covid-19 patients

LJUBLJANA - The field hospital at the Edvard Peperko Barracks on the outskirts of Ljubljana is ready to admitting Covid-19 patients if necessary. The basis for the new unit, which can serve as an isolation centre for up to 140 patients, was the main field hospital of the Slovenian Armed Forces, Role 2, which was relocated from Maribor. Defence Minister Matej Tonin paid a visit today, saying the hospital was ready as backup, but was hopeful it would actually end up being used for other purposes.

Boxmark to make face masks for the state

KIDRIČEVO - Car upholstery maker Boxmark Leather plans to launch production of protective face masks for Slovenia next week. CEO Marjan Trobiš told the STA the launch depended mainly on the supply of material, the machines are ready. "At the moment, the demand is the highest for masks, since there are thousands of people who need to wear them for protection and self-protection at work. Every country is protecting its interests and does not allow exports of these products, so we decided to help our country," Trobiš said. Boxmark will produce the masks for the state only, not for the market.

Talks reportedly under way to use tocilizumab drug in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - Pharmaceutical company Roche confirmed for Delo that talks were under way in Slovenia on the use of tocilizumab, an immunosuppressive drug used to treat pneumonia in coronavirus patients. "We are in talks with the local regulator, health institutions and doctors about the possibility to secure the tocilizumab drug for Slovenian patients who need it," Delo quoted Roche as saying. There is no firm evidence as yet about the drug's efficacy against coronavirus, but limited trials in Italy and China have shown promising results.

Migrants test negative for coronavirus

ILIRSKA BISTRICA - The police announced that a group of migrants that crossed the border illegally and were apprehended on Sunday evening tested negative for the novel coronavirus. Several media reported that some of the nine migrants, who were transported in a van by two Bosnian citizens, had been coughing and showing signs of fever. After the tests returned negative, they were all accommodated in a migrant centre, while the alleged smugglers face charges.

Industrial output broadly flat in January

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's industrial output was broadly flat in January compared to the year before as industrial production rose by 0.3%. Only manufacturing performed better than in January 2019. Manufacturing, by far the biggest segment of industry recorded a 3.1% year-on-year increase in output. Mining output plunged by more than a quarter and the supply of electricity, gas and steam declined by just over 20%.

State urged to preserve Bled as lake turns red

BLED - The local authorities at the lakeside resort of Bled called on the national authorities to help them maintain the popular Lake Bled and remedy the deteriorating state of the water, which has been coloured red for months due to the spread of cyanobacteria. The open letter from the Municipality of Bled has been sent to the National Assembly, the Slovenian president, government and the National Council, calling for immediate state aid in the maintenance of the lake.

Division I ice hockey worlds in Slovenia cancelled

LJUBLJANA - Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) cancelled the Ice Hockey World Championship Division I, whose Group A tournament was scheduled to take place in the Slovenian capital between 27 April and 3 May. In addition to the Slovenian national team, the tournament in Ljubljana's Tivoli Arena was supposed to feature France, Austria, South Korea, Hungary and Romania. The new date for the tournament will be determined at the next IIHF congress, which is scheduled to take place in June.

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Number of coronavirus cases rises to 253

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia registered 253 confirmed coronavirus cases by 2pm, an increase of 34 over the past 24 hours. A total of 6,712 tests had been taken. Bojana Beović, a senior expert affiliated with the government coronavirus crisis unit, said that 29 of the coronavirus patients were hospitalised, three of them in intensive care. The condition of two of those was deteriorating rapidly. The fresh statistics came as public life in the country ground to a halt.

Passenger flight ban in force as of midnight

LJUBLJANA - The government issued a decree banning passenger flights in Slovenia from Tuesday because of the spread of the new coronavirus. Air traffic will be suspended throughout the EU by the end of the month, while flight connections with non-EU members are suspended until further notice. The Infrastructure Ministry said the ban did not apply to aircraft transporting cargo or mail, aircraft conducting special transport without passengers or ferry flights. Neither does it apply to foreign aircraft or helicopters on humanitarian or health missions.

Shops, banks limiting opening hours

LJUBLJANA - As the decree entered into force closing down a vast majority of retail establishments along with shops providing services, such as hair salons, beauty parlours, restaurants and gyms in order to contain the coronavirus epidemic, retailers and banks shortened their opening hours or even restricting the number of customers allowed inside a store or office at the same time. Moreover, they encouraged customers to switch to online services.

Janša discusses new coronavirus measures with Von der Leyen

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša discussed the coronavirus situation with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. "Finally good news from Brussels," he wrote on Twitter, announcing that the EU was closing all external borders except with Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and the UK, and imposing a ban on exports of critical medical and protective gear. It also adopted guidelines to ease cargo transport on internal borders. Joining a videoconference with their EU counterparts, Health Minister Tomaž Gantar urged the European Commission to limit prices of protective and medical gear at the EU level, while Interior Minister Aleš Hojs proposed the Commission coordinate controlled transportation of passengers and cargo.

Slovenian, Hungarian FMs discuss coronavirus

LJUBLJANA - Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto paid a visit to Slovenia to meet his new Slovenian counterpart Anže Logar. The talks revolved around measures to contain the new coronavirus and bilateral cooperation between the countries. In a statement after the meeting, Logar urged Slovenians to stay at home and limit physical contact, while Szijjarto said Hungary would close its border for passenger transport except for Hungarian citizens, and impose restrictions for goods transport.

Croatia limits entry ban to Slovenians from border region

LJUBLJANA/ZAGREB, Croatia - After a back-and-forth by Croatian authorities regarding whether Slovenia was on Croatia's list of coronavirus crisis countries, Croatia said Sunday evening that Slovenians will be turned back on the Croatian border or sent into 14-day self-isolation in Croatia only if they come from the border region of Bela Krajina. The same home quarantine rules apply to Croatians who go to work in Bela Krajina and decide to return home.

Brigadier Škerbinc reinstated as SAF force commander

VRHNIKA - Brigadier Miha Škerbinc took over as the new force commander of the Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF), after being reinstated following his dismissal under the previous government in April. In his address at a ceremony at the Vrhnika army barracks Brigadier Škerbinc pledged to organise the force in a way as to allow efficient and sustainable support for the country in containing the spread of coronavirus and control the situation. Defence Minister Matej Tonin said the injustice was being redressed through Škerbinc's reinstatement.

Ban on sale of protective equipment lifted

LJUBLJANA - The government lifted a ban on the sale of protective equipment that had been put in place last week to ensure a sufficient supply of face masks, sanitizer and protective suit for health and rescue personnel. Under a decree that took effect on Sunday evening, the ban was revoked with immediate effect to prevent any problems occurring. "Sales must be approved if we want to supply this protective equipment and to make sure work in this area runs smoothly," Health Minister Tomaž Gantar said.

Companies adapting to new reality, unions want govt restrictions

LJUBLJANA - Companies in Slovenia are adapting to life in the country and beyond almost grinding to a halt. Some have closed shop, among them household appliance maker BSH Hišni Aparati, sports equipment manufacturer Elan, and footwear manufacturer Alpina, others adopted safety measures but continue with operations, including large corporations such as car maker Revoz and home appliances maker Gorenje. Fearing the impact on workers' health, the ZSSS trade union called on the government to order companies making non-essential products to shut down. The trade union Solidarnost meanwhile accused certain employers of ignoring government measures imposed to contain coronavirus.

Govt to help self-employed hit by coronavirus

LJUBLJANA - Following mounting pressure to help self-employed amid the coronavirus crisis, the Economy Ministry said it was preparing measures for this group as part of a bill to subsidy pay of temporarily laid-off employees. Social security contributions payments for sole proprietors are to be deferred. The measure is to be included in the bill that had been tabled by the previous government and is to be passed at an emergency session of the National Assembly on Wednesday.

Govt proposes one-month suspension of prison sentences over virus

LJUBLJANA - The government tabled a bill under which a one-month suspension of a prison sentence and an early release of prisoners up to six months before the end of their sentence would be possible as a means of containing the coronavirus outbreak. The proposals are part of the bill on temporary coronavirus containment measures in judicial, administrative and other public legal matters, which is to be passed by the National Assembly on Wednesday.

SDS surges in Dnevnik poll

LJUBLJANA - The approval rating of the Democrats (SDS) surged, while the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) lost more ground after Šarec's decision to step down as prime minister, shows a Dnevnik poll conducted in the run-up to the appointment of the new government last week. The SDS polled at 23.5%, up almost four percentage points over the month before as the LMŠ was down two points to 15%. In the politicians' popularity rankings, former Health Minister Aleš Šabeder leaped to second place from tenth, right behind the perennial leader, President Borut Pahor. Prime Minister Janez Janša jumped seven spots to 12th.

Poll: Coronavirus not yet perceived as major threat last week

LJUBLJANA - Almost seven out of ten Slovenians did not feel threatened by coronavirus in the middle of last week when the Vox Populi poll was conducted. A large majority of the respondents assessed the government-imposed protective measures as adequate. Just over 68% of those quizzed by pollster Ninamedia said they did not feel threatened by coronavirus, which shows that last week a large part of the Slovenian public was not yet aware of the gravity of the situation, Dnevnik said, adding that the picture would probably be very different this week.

January pay up y/y, down from December

LJUBLJANA - Slovenians earned EUR 1,172.56 in average take-home pay in January, 3.5% down in nominal terms from December in what is a seasonal decline, but up 5.1% compared to monthly earnings in January 2019. Releasing fresh figures, the Statistics Office noted that the decrease in average earnings was mostly due to the Christmas bonus and 13th month payment included in December pay.

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Shops closed, public transportation suspended as of Monday

LJUBLJANA - The vast majority of retail establishments in Slovenia will close at midnight under a government decree. Grocery stores, pharmacies, banks, post offices, petrol stations, news stands and stores selling agricultural products will remain open. The government is also suspending public transportation services and the school closure takes effect on Monday. Schools were originally expected to remain closed for two weeks but under a new decree the closure will be indefinite until the reasons for the closure persist. On Tuesday, air traffic will be suspended as well, but the details of that decree have not been revealed yet.

Foreign Ministry advises Slovenians against any travel

LJUBLJANA - The Foreign Ministry advised Slovenian citizens against any travel abroad due to the outbreak of the new coronavirus, adding that special warnings were in force for Italy, Serbia, Spain, Iran, South Korea, the US and China. It also said on Twitter that Colombia had restricted flights from Europe, and that Bolivia had cancelled air links with Europe. The ministry thus advised against travel to Colombia and Bolivia as the status of trans-Atlantic flights is becoming unpredictable. Slovenians who are currently there should try to lave the countries as soon as possible.

Serbia closed for Slovenians, self-isolation required in Croatia

LJUBLJANA - The Foreign Ministry announced that Slovenian citizens were no longer allowed by Serbian authorities to enter the country as a measure to contain the spreading of the new coronavirus. Slovenians who want to enter Croatia meanwhile need to state an address in Croatia where they would stay in two-week isolation and be supervised by sanitary inspectors and epidemiologists, otherwise they would be rejected. The measure is also in place for Croatian daily migrants who work in Slovenia's Novo Mesto. If they show up for work in Slovenia on Monday, they would need to stay in two-week isolation upon re-entry to Croatia.

Number of confirmed coronavirus cases up to 219

LJUBLJANA - A total of 6,156 persons have been tested for the novel coronavirus in Slovenia so far, with infection confirmed in 219 persons by 2pm on Sunday, the government said. The government also published statistics on the persons that have been confirmed as infected persons by 10am today (216 cases). The most of the infected belong to the 30-49 age group (73), followed by the 16-29 age group (45) and the 50-59 age group (41).

Sustainability in focus as Consumer Rights Day is marked

LJUBLJANA - As World Consumer Rights Day is marked today, putting sustainable consumption in focus, the Consumers' Association of Slovenia (ZPS) noted that consumers felt the consequences of climate change and increased health risks due to higher levels of gas emissions in the atmosphere. "A sustainable consumer is thus gaining in importance. What is needed for a transition to more sustainable consumption is change in the existing production and consumption patterns," the ZPS added. The Statistics Office meanwhile noted that households in Slovenia spent EUR 19,560 on average for basic necessities in 2018, or EUR 1,630 a month.

Man in Maribor dies as police intervene in domestic dispute

MARIBOR - A man from Maribor died on Saturday afternoon as the police intervened following a report of a domestic dispute involving the man and his father. The man resisted the police intervention by using his martial arts skills, injuring some of the officers. They had to use physical force, pepper spray and handcuffs in order to restrain the perpetrator. The perpetrator then lost consciousness and died on the spot despite medical assistance. The newspaper Večer said the person in question was a 28-year-old mixed martial artist previously known to the police. The incident is being investigated by the Specialised State Prosecution.

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Slovenia records first coronavirus fatality as elderly man dies

LJUBLJANA - An elderly man died of coronavirus at UKC Ljubljana hospital in Ljubljana, the first covid-19 victim in Slovenia. The man is reported to have had multiple underlying conditions and been very ill prior to the infection. He had been infected in Metlika, where several residents of a nursing home contracted the disease from a doctor who became ill in Italy. Seven residents and five staff have tested positive for coronavirus, making Metlika one of the biggest hotspots of the disease in Slovenia.

Focus shifting from confirmed to severe covid-19 cases

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia is shifting the focus of efforts to fight the coronavirus epidemic from the number of confirmed cases to the number of serious cases. Announcing the change, Prime Minister Janez Janša said that this would allow the country to better plan and allocate resources. Persons with respiratory infections will be told to self-isolate for two weeks and will not be tested for coronavirus. Only if they need to be hospitalised will they be tested. The number of positive cases by 2pm rose to 181, including a person on a Turkish Airlines 1061 flight to Ljubljana on 10 March.

Cap on protective gear prices, dispensing of drugs

LJUBLJANA - The new government issued a decree that caps the highest prices of protective personal and medical equipment and agents used by the services dealing with the coronavirus outbreak. The prices of products such as surgical masks, goggles, gloves, hazmat suits, sanitizers and ventilators over the next three months cannot increase beyond the highest retail prices as of 8am Saturday. A decree also stepped into force limiting dispensing of prescription and over-the-counter drugs. The government also decreed that measures "stipulated in the contagious diseases act for plague or viral haemorrhagic fevers" be applied to fight the covid-19 epidemic.

Govt acting to secure emergency food supplies

LJUBLJANA - The government ordered the Commodity Reserves Institute to gradually increase reserves of milk, meat and dairy products for emergency supply of the population during the coronavirus outbreak. The government also put forward to parliament an emergency bill to intervene in agricultural markets, which would allow it to impose restrictions or bans on food and livestock imports and exports, and imports of wood and to cap food prices in response to disruption on the market.

Public transportation to be suspended Monday, bar ban planned

LJUBLJANA - The government's crisis management unit agreed additional measures to contain coronavirus, including a suspension of all public transportation starting on Monday. "Stopping public transportation is an urgent measure if we want to effectively contain the outbreak," Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec said. Health Minister Tomaž Gantar announced a closure of bars and restaurants without specifying when it may take effect. Prime Minister Janez Janša wrote on Twitter that "Slovenia will close or limit all non-urgent activities".

Foreign Ministry advises against all travel to Spain

LJUBLJANA - The Foreign Ministry issued a travel alert advising against all travel to Spain, the second major coronavirus hotspot in Europe after Italy. All Slovenians in Spain were advised to return home as soon as possible. The ministry again appealed on Slovenians to postpone non-essential travel aboard, advising in particular against travel to Italy, Iran, South Korea and China. As the US travel ban from Europe came into force, Slovenian citizens were urged to return home immediately.

Govt makes first replacements

LJUBLJANA - The Janez Janša government dismissed Police Commissioner Tatjana Bobnar and Chief of the General Staff Alenka Ermenc its maiden session, naming security expert Anton Travner and Ermenc's deputy Robert Glavaš as stand-ins until new naming full-fledged replacements. Andrej Osolnik was appointed director of the Defence Ministry's intelligence and security service OVS in place of Dejan Matijevič. The government also appointed new state secretaries, and replaced Kristina Plavšak Krajnc with SDS public relations officer Miro Petek as director of the Government Communication Office.

State budget implementation suspended

LJUBLJANA - The new government suspended the implementation of the state budget until a supplementary budget is drawn up in response to the coronavirus crisis. Spending rights of direct budgetary users to a combined EUR 400 million in unallocated rights were reduced by 30% to set aside funds for urgent measures to contain and tackle the coronavirus fallout. The need for a supplementary budget became obvious after the country's growth forecast for the year was halved to 1.5%.

MP Franc Trček leaves the Left

LJUBLJANA - Franc Trček, a high-profile MP for the Left, parted ways with the opposition party shortly after the National Assembly confirmed the Janez Janša cabinet on Friday. This was after fellow MPs accused him of effectively praising the new prime minister because in a brief statement he made during the session he noted that as co-chair of the parliamentary Health Committee he had cooperated well with the co-chairs from the ranks of the Democrats (SDS) and Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ).

AI leveraged to track coronavirus news

LJUBLJANA - The International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence taking shape in Slovenia has joined efforts to raise awareness about the coronavirus pandemic. Leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) technology, it developed a tool for the real-time monitoring of media reports. The tool, available at http://coronaviruswatch.ircai.org/ and powered by Event Registry, provides rolling coverage of news about coronavirus at the global level and for individual countries.

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Slovenia gets 14th government as Janez Janša's cabinet endorsed

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia got its 14th government at the height of the coronavirus epidemic as the National Assembly confirmed the centre-right cabinet of Janez Janša at a session at which the fight against coronavirus and the previous government's inaction in the face of the outbreak dominated the debate. Janša came out in force against the previous government's efforts, accusing it of having missed the best time to take action. He promised the new government would take concerted and far-reaching measures. The virus can no longer be stopped, but its spreading must be slowed. "This is a battle with time, a battle that has to be won inasmuch as this is possible," he said. The opposition said it would be constructive at a time of such a national emergency but would keep a close eye on any excesses. Janša and his team already received congratulations from the US Embassy and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.

Urgent appeal for social distancing as COVID-19 cases keep rising

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's health officials appealed on the population to keep their social contacts to the minimum to curb the accelerating spread of coronavirus as the number of those who tested positive rose to by 45 yesterday to 141 by 2pm. Nina Pirnat, director of the National Public Health Institute, said "we must limit social contacts to the greatest possible extent to curb the spread of infections as much as possible". She called on parents to make sure young people follow social distancing rules as schools close on Monday. Various distance learning methods will be organised. The Health Ministry issued an order banning the sale and export of protective gear such as gloves, hazmat suits, masks, goggles and sanitizer. These will be reserved for health workers, police, the army and rescue services.

Gantar: COVID-19 outbreak could get out of hand unless slowed down

LJUBLJANA - Tomaž Gantar, the new health minister, warned of the urgency to slow down the current rate of growth in new coronavirus cases in Slovenia or else the situation could soon get out of hand. In his hearing before the parliamentary Health Committee, Gantar announced further measures to curb the epidemic. "It's necessary to beat the drum at the maximum level and adopt most drastic measures interfering in our lives," he said. Gantar said the problem had been underestimated at the beginning with COVID-19 compared to flu and a two-metre distance seen as sufficient to prevent the virus from getting transmitted.

Černač determined to speed up drawing of EU funds

LJUBLJANA - Zvonko Černač said there was a lot of room for improvement in the phasing of EU funds in his committee hearing. He is determined to prevent Slovenia from losing any of the funding it is entitled to. "My task will be making sure that by 2023 we draw all the funds from the existing financial perspective and prepare in a timely fashion the ground for successful phasing in the new perspective." He said that both SDS-led governments so far had been successful in negotiations for "our piece of the Brussels pie" and that he was moderately optimistic that the situation would improve in Slovenia's favour now.

Jaklitsch calls for joint effort in fostering ties with diaspora

LJUBLJANA - Helena Jaklitsch, the new minister without portfolio in charge of the diaspora, argued in her presentation in parliament that several government departments should be engaged in honouring Slovenia's commitment to Slovenians abroad. "The minister and office cannot do everything, so it's necessary to engage several ministries in this field, starting with the Foreign Ministry," said Jaklitsch. Particular attention should be directed to young people and the return of Slovenian emigrants and their descendants.

National culture programme top priority for new culture minister

LJUBLJANA - Vasko Simoniti will make it his first task as culture minister to draw up a new national culture programme, the framework for programming and financial priorities in the arts. Acceleration of private investments in the arts and greater phasing of EU funds will also be high on the agenda, he told the Culture Committee. Simoniti said financing models for the arts needed to change since Slovenian cultural policy had so far relied too heavily on budgetary funding, suggesting that private investment and own funding of cultural institutions should be boosted.

Cerar not to take seat in National Assembly

LJUBLJANA - Outgoing FM Miro Cerar announced that after the appointment of the new government, he would not take a seat in the National Assembly he is entitled to as an MP elected on the list of the Modern Centre Party (SMC). Cerar recently quit the party he founded in 2014 and presided until last September over the decision of the SMC leadership to join a coalition around the right-wing Democratic Party (SDS). His decision means that Jani Möderndorfer will keep his MP seat. Möderndorfer does not support the new coalition, and there are reports that he could defect to the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ).

Petrol increases net profit by 15% last year to EUR 105.2m

LJUBLJANA - The energy group Petrol said it generated sales revenues of EUR 4.4 billion last year, which is 1% more than in 2018, while net profit was up by 15% to EUR 105.2 million. The group last year posted EUR 472.9 million in adjusted gross profit, up 7% year-on-year, while earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 9% to EUR 196.5 million. It sold 3.7 million tonnes of petroleum products in 2019, 6% more than in 2018. As for the coronavirus outbreak, Petrol said that "there have been no disruptions to our operations so far".

Chamber of Commerce says economic damage of coronavirus will be grave

LJUBLJANA - The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) said the duration of the coronavirus crisis measures will be the key factor when it comes to the final scale of what will in any case be a significant blow to the economy. The measures cause fairly asymmetrical and unpredictable shocks, the GZS's chief economist Bojan Ivanc said. Consumption and net exports are expected to go down, while investment will probably be less affected in the short-term. Ivanc said Slovenia should consider loosening the balanced-budget rule.

Officials react to stockpiling with assurances supply is stable

LJUBLJANA - Seeing people rush to grocery stores for large purchases in recent days, the country's top officials are trying to assuage fears about food supply. Agriculture and Food Minister Aleksandra Pivec said the supply of essential goods was stable and reserves were being replenished or expanded where disruptions are expected, and outgoing PM Marjan Šarec added that "basic foodstuffs will be there and there is enough in the reserves." His successor Janez Janša, who has indicated Slovenia will go into lockdown mode once his government takes over, called on people to show restraint.

Public administration winding down operations

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian public administration is gradually winding down operations due to the coronavirus epidemic. Courts will suspend must proceedings, while administrative units, which handle most administrative procedures and issue documents, will minimise their activities. Supreme Court president Damijan Florjančič ordered a suspension of most activities from 16 March until 15 May at the latest, during which time all procedural deadlines will be frozen. Administrative units will close some departments to focus on the most urgent matters, most applications will be processed electronically. Marriages will not be performed.

Cultural institutions closing doors due to coronavirus

LJUBLJANA - Public cultural institutions in Slovenia are closing their doors as a measure to contain the spreading of the new coronavirus, following the recommendation to do so by the Ministry of Culture. The ministry said the recommendation related to "closure of exhibitions, libraries, cancellation of shows, round table debates, workshops and other events attracting a large number of people." Numerous institutions around the country have already announced closure, including almost all major libraries, theatres, museums, galleries and cinema theatres.

Legendary director of football Zlatko Zahovič leaving Maribor

MARIBOR - Zlatko Zahovič, the long-serving director of football at Maribor, bid the club farewell in what has been announced as a mutual agreement reached with the management. Confirming the departure of the legendary player and manager, the club management said "the joint story, which started in 1 August 2007, has ended." Zahovič's departure comes amidst a crisis in the club, which has been struggling to keep pace with the arch-rivals Olimpija Ljubljana. Coach Darko Milanič recently resigned as well.

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