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This summary is provided by the STA:
Constitutional Court legalises same-sex marriage, adoptions
LJUBLJANA - The Constitutional Court legalised same-sex marriage and adoptions with immediate effect after finding a law under which only heterosexual partners can marry and same-sex couples cannot adopt children to be in contravention of the constitutional ban on discrimination. The court gave the National Assembly six months to amend the law, but until then its ruling stands as the law and means that marriage is a union between two persons regardless of gender, and same-sex partners living in a civil partnership may adopt a child together under the same conditions as married spouses. The government welcomed the rulings and said legislation implementing the court decision will be adopted in a matter of weeks.
New bill to cut waiting times for health services
LJUBLJANA - The government adopted an emergency bill estimated at over EUR 200 million that is designed to reduce waiting times for health services. The core provision is the removal of the cap on the number of services that the public health insurer pays in a given year. "All health services will be paid ... and all forces directed at the primary level to stabilise it," Health Minister Danijel Bešič Loredan said after the government session. The unlimited funding will be available from 1 September this year to the end of 2023. Doctors' organisations are sceptical the legislation will do much to address chronic problems in healthcare.
Removal of razor wire on border with Croatia starts next week
LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Armed Forces will start removing razor wire from the border with Croatia next week, Interior Minister Tatjana Bobnar announced after the government adopted a resolution to that effect. "The most effective migration policy is to provide lawful and hence safe and regulated migrations," Bobnar said. She expects the army to remove about 200 metres of razor wire a day, which means the project could take 150 days.
Golob to visit Berlin on Tuesday
LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Robert Golob will travel to Berlin on Tuesday for what will be his first bilateral visit abroad since taking office over a month ago. He will meet with Chancellor Olaf Scholz to discuss war in Ukraine, EU enlargement and cooperation between Slovenia and Germany, his office said. The prime ministers will exchange views about topical issues, including the EU's response to the war in Ukraine and food and energy security, EU enlargement onto the Western Balkans and the implementation of decisions of the June EU Summit.
Govt adopts bill to ratify Finland and Sweden's NATO accession
LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a bill to ratify the NATO accession protocols for Finland and Sweden, which were signed on Tuesday in Brussels, according to a press release issued after the government session. The bill will now be discussed by the parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee and then put to vote at the plenary session.
Zelensky calls on Slovenian companies to join recovery plan
LJUBLJANA - Addressing the National Assembly by video call, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked European countries, including Slovenia, for their support for Ukraine in its fight for freedom. He called on Slovenian companies to join recovery plans for postwar future in Ukraine. "I thank the Slovenian nation, thank you for your big and brave heart," he said. The event was attended by Slovenia's top officials, President Borut Pahor, PM Robert Golob and speakers of both houses of parliament.
Over 100 Ukrainians to be accommodated in Postojna
LJUBLJANA - A hundred and twenty Ukrainian citizens who have already been granted temporary protection status in Slovenia or have requested it will be placed in an accommodation centre in the town of Postojna, south-west, the government said. The first to move to Postojna will be the vulnerable Ukrainian citizens who are currently at the asylum centre in Logatec, some 25 km south of Ljubljana. In this way, room will be made at Logatec's centre, which houses more than 280 refugees, for more vulnerable persons who are now at the asylum centre in Ljubljana.
Greater flexibility in mandatory share of biofuels
LJUBLJANA - Slovenian fuel retailers will have greater leeway in determining how much biofuel they add to their fuels under an amended regulation on renewable sources in transport that the government adopted in a bid to keep fuel prices in check. If they do not reach the target share of biofuels in a given year, retailers will be allowed to offset the gap with any surpluses over the minimum quantity in preceding three years or next three years.
Pahor expresses condolences to Japan on Abe's death
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor expressed condolences over the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to his family, Japan's emperor and its people, saying in a video post on Twitter he felt "sincere hurt and anguish". He said Abe had been very favourably inclined to Slovenia and to the deepening of comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, for which "we will always be grateful to him".
Former auditing chief becomes newspaper director
NOVO MESTO - Tomaž Vesel, until recently president of the Court of Audit, has been appointed director of Dolenjski List, a regional newspaper indirectly owned by media mogul Martin Odlazek and his family. Vesel succeeded Gregor Repič on 1 July. Dolenjski List, which covers the south-eastern region Dolenjska, is part of Odlazek's media group Media24. The latter also owns the weekly magazine Reporter, other print media, small radio stations, and indirectly has stakes in newspapers Večer and Primorske Novice.
NovaTV24.si director says no ownership change finalised yet
LJUBLJANA - Boris Tomašič, executive director of NovaTV24.si, commented on a report that he had acquired a stake in the media company running the news channel Nova24TV from Hungarian owners by saying no transaction had yet been finalised. He said the company was a target of political pressure by the ruling coalition. They appealed to the viewers to help the company with financial contributions and the response has been excellent, he said. NovaTV24.si is preparing to issue new shares.
Covid figures keep on growing
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia logged 1,323 new Covid cases on Thursday, up 31% on the same day a week ago, in what continues to be a steady upward trend. Two people with Covid died. A total of 44 patients whose main condition is Covid were hospitalised, down by two on the day before, and the number of ICU cases stayed the same, totalling eight patients, the Health Ministry said.
Schools found to be discriminating against disabled students
LJUBLJANA - Only a quarter of secondary schools are fully accessible to students with physical disabilities, Equality Ombudsman Miha Lobnik found in a special report on the matter. Despite the right to education in one's local environment, in some regions only one school is fully accessible, in some regions none. The information on accessibility that is available is insufficient with many schools not responding to enquiries or giving incomplete answers.
Pogačar wins stage 7 of the Tour, Roglič third
COLMAR, France - Slovenia's Tadej Pogačar, the man favoured to win the Tour de France, dominated the first mountain stage to extend his lead in the overall standings. In a close finish to the Super Planche des Belles Filles, Pogačar defeated the Dane Jonas Vingegaard after yesterday's surprise win. Slovenia's Primož Roglič was third, 12 seconds adrift.
