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This summary is provided by the STA:
Farmers to get EUR 22m in aid, state to purchase entire wheat harvest
LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Robert Golob announced that the state would provide more than EUR 22 million in aid to farmers for various purposes. The state will purchase through the Agency for Commodity Reserves this year's entire harvest of wheat in Slovenia to provide a "clear buyer and stable price" to farmers. "Unfortunately, the situation in the world, especially in Ukraine, is getting worse on a daily basis, which is evident not only in prices, but also in the availability of food," Golob noted at a press conference after the government session. It was also announced that the Agriculture Ministry had prepared in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce a list of 15 products whose prices will be monitored on a regular basis.
Govt adopts bill to overhaul RTV management, oversight model
LJUBLJANA - The government adopted and filed to parliament a bill to reform the model of management and oversight at RTV Slovenija to reduce what is perceived as political meddling with the public broadcaster. The changes to the RTV Slovenija act from 2005 aim to abolish the 29-strong programme council and the 11-strong supervisory board to introduce a 17-member RTV Slovenija council. The dominant role on the new council will be played by civil society and staff; the latter will have five members, four elected directly at the broadcaster and one to be appointed by the works council.
Jana Ahčin becomes first woman president of Court of Audit
LJUBLJANA - Jana Ahčin, a former director of the Financial Administration (FURS), was appointed Court of Audit president in a secret vote in the National Assembly in which she received 60 votes. She will take over for nine years as the court's first woman president, replacing Tomaž Vesel, whose term expired at the end of May. Ahčin, who led FURS for a full five-year term between November 2014 and November 2019, said in hwe vision presented to President Borut Pahor that she would be guided by independence, objectivity and effectiveness in her new job. She has had over 20 years of experience with high-level posts in the public sector.
Milan M. Cvikl appointed C-bank vice-governor
LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly elected in a secret ballot Milan M. Cvikl a vice-governor of the central bank Banka Slovenije. The former Slovenian member of the European Court of Auditors, who has been active in the banking sector since 1983 when he took office at Banka Slovenije's predecessor, National Bank of Slovenia, vowed during a public presentation earlier this week to act independently, diligently and professionally if appointed. The senior member of the Social Democrats (SD) dismissed allegations about some of his past actions being politically motivated, noting that he has predominantly acted as a technocrat.
Slovenia and Germany sign cooperation action plan
BERLIN, Germany - Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon met her German counterpart Annalena Baerbock, with the pair signing a joint action plan on three-year strategic cooperation and announcing further strengthening of cooperation between Slovenia and Germany, also relating to Ukraine. Fajon and Baerbock both expressed satisfaction at becoming the first female foreign minister of their respective countries, and they also expressed confidence in good and constructive cooperation in the future. Baerbock welcomed the fact that Fajon, who took over Slovenia's foreign office a month ago, picked Germany for her first bilateral visit abroad.
Kočevje Mayor Prebilič joining presidential race
KOČEVJE - Vladimir Prebilič, the mayor of Kočevje, confirmed his bid for the president of the republic. The defence expert who served as an adviser to current President Borut Pahor and former President Danilo Türk in the past is running as an independent. Serving his third term as the mayor of the Kočevje municipality in the south of the country, Prebilič told the STA that he did not seek the support of political parties but of voters and had the backing of fellow mayors belonging to the Club of Independent Mayors he helped form at the start of the year.
Govt adopts bill on forms of alternative investment funds
LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a bill on the forms of alternative investment funds that envisages three forms and two types of funds. The long-awaited bill, with which the state wants to strengthen the capital market, is one of the milestones for the payment of the first instalment from the Covid recovery mechanism. The three forms are alternative mutual fund, special limited partnership and investment company, while the two types are special investment fund and real estate investment company. The bill which will be fast-tracked in parliament in order for the state to draw grants the amount of EUR 57 million.
Government drafts bill to better protect whistleblowers
LJUBLJANA - The Justice Ministry announced it had drafted a bill dedicated to protecting whistleblowers, which would now go into public consultation until 10 August. The bill provides protection to whistleblowers reporting irregularities in their place of work. It enables three manners of reporting: internal report, external report to oversight bodies and regulators, and public disclosure of wrongdoing. It also lays down the conditions for protection and the obligation of protecting the whistleblower's identity in all procedures pertaining to the report.
Mateja Kos Zabel appointed acting director of National Museum
LJUBLJANA - Mateja Kos Zabel took office as acting director of the National Museum in Ljubljana after previous director Pavel Car resigned last month over an art forgery scandal. Appointed by the Culture Ministry, Zabel previously worked as a curator at the museum's history and applied arts department, and headed the programme management organizational unit. She will serve as acting director up to a year or until a new fully-fledged director is appointed via an open call.
Competition watchdog director Matvoz stays on after all
LJUBLJANA - Andrej Matvoz stays on at the helm of the Competition Protection Agency as the government dismissed Zlatko Ratej as the acting director today, the day he was to take over from Matvoz, and appointed the latter as the acting director. Ratej, who was named by the previous government on 12 May, tendered his resignation in mid-June. Matvoz, who took over for a five-year term on 1 July 2017 and whose term expired on Thursday, was appointed the acting director until the appointment of the full-fledged director, but no longer than for six months, the Economy Ministry said.
Ex Sberbank subsidiary gets new chairman
LJUBLJANA - N Banka, the former Slovenian subsidiary of Russia's Sberbank that was acquired by the NLB bank after sanctions were introduced against Russia, got a new chairman in Heribert Fernau. Fernau, who has already been part of the management board, is succeeding Jana Benčina Henigman whom the supervisors thanked for her contribution to a fast and successful salvaging of the bank in the tough moments in March and the smooth ongoing integration into the group of the largest bank in Slovenia, N Banka said on Friday. The parting of ways with Benčina Henigman is said to come in mutual agreement. She will continue her career elsewhere.
Talum doing well despite growing energy prices
KIDRIČEVO - Aluminium maker Talum has managed to adapt fast to the demanding changes of the past two years, from the Covid crisis to the growing energy prices, Marko Drobnič, CEO of the Kidričevo-based plant, told the STA in a recent interview. Last year, the group generated nearly EUR 354 million in revenue, up EUR 88 million over 2020, while its net profit reached nearly EUR 0.5 million.
EUR 75 million in tourist vouchers remained unredeemed
LJUBLJANA - Some 86% or a combined total of EUR 468.4 million worth of the 2020 and 2021 tourist vouchers was cashed in, shows data by the Financial Administration (FURS), and EUR 75.27 million was left unredeemed by Thursday, the last day of voucher validity. According to data from FURS, 84.5% or 301.47 million worth of these vouchers were cashed in, with a EUR 55.38 million worth of vouchers remaining unredeemed. Some 86.5% off all citizens fully or partially redeemed their vouchers.
Slovenia joining Stockholm Initiative for Nuclear Disarmament
LJUBLJANA - The government decided that Slovenia will join the Stockholm Initiative for Nuclear Disarmament, as the initiative corresponds to the country's current position regarding nuclear disarmament and paves the way to a world without nuclear weapons, the Foreign Ministry said. The ministry said it was an ambitious, though realistic and result-oriented nuclear disarmament plan, and that the initiative actually built on the gradual approach to nuclear disarmament advocated by Slovenia.
Over 900 Covid-19 cases confirmed on Thursday
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia confirmed 909 new cases of Covid-19 on Thursday, up more than 40% on the week before, as the growth seen over the past two weeks continued. The 14-day case notification rate stood at 435, up by 21 on the day before. One Covid patient died yesterday. The number of patients hospitalised with Covid as their primary condition decreased by one at ordinary care units to 28 and by three at intensive care units to eight, Health Ministry data shows.
Irwin art collective's installation featured at MUMOK
LJUBLJANA - Irwin, a Slovenian art collective of international renown, will have one of its major projects put on show at MUMOK in Vienna. Transnational will be featured as part of Collaborations, a group exhibition focussing on the avant-garde from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s and on conceptual and socially analytical approaches in contemporary art. The exhibition features some of the MUMOK works to explore the role of cooperation in the 21st century when the basic social structures and values are disintegrating, Irwin said in a press release.
Slovenia trounce Croatia in FIBA World Cup qualifier
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia defeated Croatia 97:69 in the fifth round of qualifying for the FIBA World Cup on Thursday, cheered on by a capacity crowd at the Stožice Arena that bid farewell to legend Goran Dragić. The home team set the pace in the first quarter, which it won with a 25-point gap after a 20:0 run driven by NBA stars Dragić and Luka Dončić.
