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This summary is provided by the STA:
Boris Pahor, Trieste-based Slovenian writer, dies
TRIESTE, Italy - Boris Pahor, the internationally-renowned Trieste-born Slovenian writer who wrote about his own experience of Fascism and the suffering in Nazi death camps during World War II, has died at his home in Trieste, aged 108, Radio Slovenija reported. Pahor spent his life raising awareness of the dangers of totalitarian regimes. He has been immortalised in several documentaries, including the BBC's 2019 documentary The Man Who Saw Too Much, which portrayed him as the oldest living survivor of a Nazi concentration camp. Writers, politicians, media, minority representatives and others are sharing their thoughts and expressing condolences, with the main message being that a great man has died.
Fajon announces return to EU core, credible foreign policy
LJUBLJANA - Tanja Fajon, candidate for foreign minister, announced that Slovenia would return to the core EU countries as she singled out commitment to shared values and the rule of law, and a distancing from the Visegrad bloc, in her presentation to the parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee, which endorsed her candidacy. "I realise that we face hard work to restore credibility and the country's unfortunately eroded reputation," she said.
Incoming finance minister plans tax changes, but not rushed
LJUBLJANA - Klemen Boštjančič was endorsed as candidate for finance minister after laying out a blueprint for tax changes that would result in higher proceeds centred around a real estate tax, and tweaks to existing taxes coupled with more effective collection. Boštjančič said the prospects for additional tax sources were "fairly limited" but noted that a real estate tax was feasible provided the real estate records are good. "By that I don't mean a tax on the property you live in, but for the second or third property," he said, adding that these changes will not be rushed though.
Švarc Pipan declares commitment to rule of law in hearing
LJUBLJANA - Dominika Švarc Pipan, the candidate for minister of justice, expressed her commitment to the rule of law as an ideal that everyone should aspire to and an essential element to restore trust in society in a presentation that earned her the go-ahead from the relevant parliamentary committee. Švarc Pipan, a jurist who served as a state secretary at the Justice Ministry between 2018 and 2020, criticised the outgoing government for "ruling carelessly by decrees, which were serially overturned by the Constitutional Court", and pledged to focus on ensuring quality cooperation between the prosecution and the police.
Šarec supports territorial defence, parliament having power to deploy soldiers
LJUBLJANA - Marjan Šarec appeared as the candidate for defence minister before the relevant parliamentary committee, noting that whether Slovenia should have an army was not a dilemma. "We can only talk about how it should look like and how it should be equipped," he said. The former prime minister (2018-2020) told the MPs before being endorsed by the committee he would re-introduce the concept of territorial defence, and transfer the power of deploying Slovenian troops abroad to the National Assembly. He also intends to revise some key documents that are outdated or inadequate, if appointed minister.
Interior minister candidate plans to rebuild police's reputation
LJUBLJANA - Tatjana Bobnar, the candidate for interior minister, presented her vision for the ministry at the relevant parliamentary committee, stressing efforts to restore trust in police work, independence and depoliticisation. She plans to pay special attention to femicide, and replace border fence with video surveillance. The former police commissioner, who was endorsed in a 9:4 vote, said she had accepted the candidacy for minister to rebuild the reputation and trust in police. "I will perform the ministerial tasks as an expert and will never urge police officers on Twitter to be rough," she said.
Ajanović Hovnik to start talks on pay system reform right away
LJUBLJANA - Sanja Ajanović Hovnik announced she would name a team to start talks with trade unions to reform the public sector pay system as soon as she gets appointed public administration minister, as she set out her priorities on the relevant parliamentary committee on Monday before getting its clearance. The member of the Freedom Movement who has worked in public administration, also identified a reorganisation of administrative units and changes to the administrative procedure act as her priorities, apart from resuming social dialogue.
Constitutional Court judge Pavčnik asks to end term early
LJUBLJANA - Constitutional Court judge Marijan Pavčnik has asked to be relieved of his duties at the end of this year, halfway into his nine-year term, kicking off proceedings for the election of a new judge several years before a new round of judicial appointments was scheduled to start. The news was revealed as President Borut Pahor asked parliament to relieve Pavčnik of his duties effective on 31 December this year in line with the law governing the Constitutional Court. Once Pavčnik is relieved of his duties, Pahor will issue a call for applications to holding a vote on the candidate "before the end of the year."
Outgoing government lifts all remaining Covid restrictions
LJUBLJANA - The outgoing government lifted all remaining Covid restrictions as it repealed the main decree governing anti-Covid measures under a motion by the Health Ministry's advisory group for coronavirus, the Government Communication Office said. The group led by Mateja Logar had proposed it be dissolved and Health Minister Janez Poklukar endorsed this.
EUR 6 million subsidy for Carthago plant confirmed
LJUBLJANA - The government confirmed a EUR 6 million subsidy for German-owned motorhome maker Carthago, which is building a second production facility in Slovenia, in Ormož. The project is valued at EUR 45.5 million VAT excluded and the company will receive the subsidy in two instalments, the Government Communication Office said. The plant will create 120 new jobs in the economically disadvantaged region.
Report: Polish Enterprise Investors to sell Intersport
LJUBLJANA - Finance reported that the Polish Enterprise Investors fund, which acquired the Naklo-based sporting goods retailer Intersport ISI from Mercator back in 2016, is now looking for a buyer. The polish acquired Intersport ISI, the owner of the Intersport Group brand for the Wester Balkans, in December of 2016 for EUR 34.5 million as part of operational restructuring and disinvestment in Slovenia's largest retailer. The investors have set their expectations high regarding the price, over EUR 100 million according to the newspaper, whose source says the plan is to sell to a retailer and not another fund.
Health Ministry official appointed chair of WHO executive board
GENEVA, Switzerland - The executive board of the World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed the appointment of Vesna Kerstin Petrič, head of the public health directorate at the Health Ministry, as the chair of the WHO executive board, the government said in a press release. The WHO executive board is composed of 34 technically qualified members elected for three-year terms. The board meets twice a year - in January when the members agree upon the agenda for the World Health Assembly, and in May-June, as a follow-up to the Health Assembly. Kerstin Petrič was first elected to the board for the 2021-2024 period two years ago.
Country's prime theatre festival opening in Maribor
MARIBOR - The Maribor Theatre Festival, the country's biggest, is getting under way in Slovenia's second largest city with a section devoted to development of new theatre audiences. The two-week festival will see 16 productions in the running for awards, plus eight Slovenian and five foreign productions in the accompanying programme. The official opening of the festival on Friday will feature Outwitting the Devil, a production by the UK dance troupe Akram Khan Company.
Man who swindled NLB out of half a million euro apprehended in Rijeka
RIJEKA, Croatia - A 45-year-old Koper man wanted in Slovenia since 2015 for swindling the NLB bank out of more than half a million euro has been arrested in Rijeka, Croatia, and is now awaiting extradition to Slovenia, the Croatian news portal telegram.hr reported, identifying the man as Aleš Semolič. One of the most wanted Slovenians on the run is suspected of fraud in collusion with four other suspects.
