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This summary is provided by the STA:
Ex-govt communications chief on course to head TV Slovenija
LJUBLJANA - Uroš Urbanija, the former director of the Government Communication Office, was endorsed by the RTV Slovenija programme council for appointment as TV Slovenija director, the TV arm of the Slovenian public broadcaster. RTV Slovenija director general Andrej Grah Whatmough will decide on his appointment after interviewing him next week. In-house unions representing TV Slovenija journalists said Urbanija was "the most unsuitable candidate for any position at the public broadcaster".
Call to arms on Nova24TV under investigation
LJUBLJANA - The Reporter magazine reported that prosecutors and the relevant regulator opened probes after Boris Tomašič, director of the Nova24TV channel, agreed with a viewer calling in his TV show who urged an armed resistance against the new government. The Agency for Telecommunication Networks and Services is investigating potential incitement to intolerance, while the Supreme State Prosecutor's Office would not reveal any details beyond confirming for Reporter investigation was under way.
New migration policy to respect for human rights
LJUBLJANA - A special new advisory body of the Interior Ministry for migration policy held its first meeting with Interior Minister Tatjana Bobnar telling the attendees that the body had been tasked with drafting a new policy, based on solidarity, integration and the respect for human rights. Instead of security policies and crisis management, Slovenia wants to change the paradigm and lay out a comprehensive migration policy focusing on human dignity, the ministry said.
Minister meets businesses over energy prices, gas supply
LJUBLJANA - Infrastructure Minister Bojan Kumer met the leadership of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) to discuss the high costs of energy and the uncertainty regarding the supply of natural gas. It was agreed that the government should adopt a set of measures to also help businesses. The minister said companies should focus more on solar energy and other alternative sources, announcing another call for applications for the supply of renewable energy in September.
NGOs propose climate-friendly ways to tackle price hikes
LJUBLJANA - Representatives of several NGOs set out a series of short- and long-term measures they believe the government should take to tackle the energy price hikes in the context of social and climate policies. They see the situation as an opportunity to abandon fossil fuels and take measures to reduce energy use overall. They want measures to reduce energy use and accelerate transition to renewables such as solar and wind energy, urging state investment to insulate homes and improve public transportation.
NSi urges govt to adopt emergency law to fight price hikes
LJUBLJANA - New Slovenia (NSi) called on the government to draft an emergency law to fight the looming increases in energy and food prices, fight inflation and help businesses. The opposition party is also critical of the government for purportedly being unaware of the scale of the crisis that is threatening in the autumn. The NSi urged the government to prepare measures to help vulnerable groups as soon as possible, as well as the middle class.
Geoplin to vie for Italian LNG terminal capacities
LJUBLJANA - Gas distributor Geoplin confirmed for the STA that it will be vying for capacities of the liquefied natural gas terminal in Rovigo, near Venice. The news comes over a month after it was reported that the company had not been awarded a contract for spare capacity at the LNG terminal on the Croatian island of Krk. The capacities in Krk have been fully booked until 2027, but the Croatian government has said it will expand the terminal. Geoplin has expressed interest in extra capacities in Krk as well.
Petrol to raise electricity, gas bills in September
LJUBLJANA - Petrol, Slovenia's second largest electricity provider and fourth largest gas provider, will increase prices in September, after this has already been done by the competition. Prices are expected to rise further next year. The average household will see their electricity bill go up by 13% or by about eight euros per month. Gas will set households back EUR 0.08779 per kWh, which is a 43% or EUR 24 per month increase for the average household.
Fiscal Council warns about increased spending
LJUBLJANA - The Fiscal Council finds that the state of public finances is steadily improving due to fast income growth at a time when the economy is quickly recovering and Covid stimulus measures are ending. The rest of public spending is visibly increasing though, mostly due to measures to mitigate rising costs of living. General government deficit in the first quarter reached 3.1% of GDP, which is a significant drop from last year when it stood at 7.9% GDP.
Krka group sales up 6% to EUR 857 million in January-June
NOVO MESTO - Drug maker Krka posted sales of EUR 857.4 million in the first half of the year, an increase of 6% on the year before and a new six-month record, according to preliminary estimates. Net profit was up by a third to EUR 236.2 million as operating profit (EBIT) fell nearly as much to EUR 139.2 million due to an increase in the inventories of raw materials, materials, bulk products, and products required for long-term uninterrupted supply of Krka's pharmaceuticals in the Russian market. Krka shareholders today endorsed the management's proposal to pay out a dividend of EUR 5.63 gross per share, up 12.6% from last year. The shareholders will thus get a total of EUR 175 million.
Kočevje mayor presents bid for president
MEDVODE - Kočevje Mayor Vladimir Prebilič confirmed he will run for president in the autumn election as an independent enjoying support of 45 mayors. He disagrees with the solely ceremonial role of the president and believes the president must help shape political life in the country. He thinks he can apply his experience as a mayor to the national level. Slovenia needs a non-partisan president, he said.
Friday protesters oppose reappointment of state attorney general
LJUBLJANA - Friday protesters expressed indignation over the Justice Ministry's nomination of Jurij Groznik for re-appointment as state attorney general. They hold him responsible for several lawsuits with which the previous government sought for protesters to pay for rally policing costs. The lawsuits were withdrawn by the new government. Groznik says his office is bound by law to file the lawsuits even though it opposes them. Legislative changes are in the pipeline to give the office greater autonomy.
New Covid cases up by 63% on a weekly basis
LJUBLJANA - A total of 1,627 new cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Slovenia on Wednesday in what is a 63% increase on a weekly basis, as hospital numbers rose following more than two weeks of rapid case growth. The number of hospitalised patients nearly doubled on a daily basis, and there were no Covid-19 deaths yesterday. The 14-day number of cases per 100,000 residents was at 606 yesterday, up 42 from the day before, data from the National Institute of Public Health shows.
Hospitals to initially reserve 10% of beds for Covid patients
LJUBLJANA - The newly appointed national task force to coordinate hospital admissions and bed capacities for Covid-19 patients sent instructions to healthcare providers, which say hospitals are obliged to secure up to 10% of beds for such patients. Depending on the magnitude of the epidemic, the percentage of beds reserved for Covid-19 patients can be gradually increased to 20% of the total number of beds. Once the designated beds are full, Covid-19 patients would be transferred to other hospitals.
New car sales down in H1 as EV sales up
LJUBLJANA - Nearly 30,000 cars and vans were registered in Slovenia for the first time in the first half of the year, a decrease of 17.43% from the same period last year, data from the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce shows. According to the newspaper Finance, electric car sales were up by 56% in the period. Plug-in cars now represent 4% of the market.
Art Stays festival kicks off in Ptuj
PTUJ - The 20th contemporary art festival Art Stays got underway in the medieval town of Ptuj, north-east, featuring a plethora of Slovenian and foreign masters, such as Yoko Ono, as well as up-and-coming artists. Under the title Postproduction, the festival aims to provide a retrospective of the past as well as a vision for the future. Running until 18 September, it will also showcase art installations and video-projection projects at various locations in the town.
Tadej Pogačar takes yellow jersey in Tour de France
METZ, France - Slovenia's Tadej Pogačar won the sixth stage of the Tour de France to claim the yellow jersey of the overall leader in what is the 7th stage win at the world's most prestigious road cycling race for the 23-year-old defending champion. The two-time Tour de France winner is four seconds ahead of American Neilson Powless with Dane Jonas Vingegaard of Jumbo-Visma in third, 31 seconds behind. Primož Roglič advanced to 28th after dropping to 44th yesterday's stage. He has a lag of 2:27 minutes.
No goal as Maribor start UEFA Champions League qualifications
MARIBOR - Slovenia's Maribor opened their qualifying series for the UEFA Champions League with a goalless draw against the Belarusian club Shakhtyor Soligorsk on home turf on Wednesday evening. The teams will play a return match next Wednesday. Maribor, crowned Slovenia's champion for the 16th time last season, had the upper hand in the first half of the match with the Belarus team dominating the second one.
Slovenia's Černivec becomes first woman GM in British basketball
LONDON, UK - Slovenian Vanja Černivec has become the first woman general manager in British women's basketball, as she has been appointed to the post in the London Lions women's basketball team, the reigning champions of the Women's British Basketball League. The appointment was confirmed on the website of the club as reported by the sport portals Sportal and kosarka.si.
