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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:
Third Slovenian coronavirus death confirmed
LJUBLJANA - Slovenian authorities confirmed the third coronavirus-related death as a 67-year-old man with multiple underlying conditions died at the infectious diseases department at the UKC Ljubljana hospital. The Health Ministry said the man had arrived at the hospital from home and his death was not the direct result of the infection. It described the case as a "complex situation" since the man was multimorbid and had experienced multiple medical complications in the past. The number of coronavirus cases rose by 28 in a day to 442 by 2pm today. A total of 13,812 tests have been performed so far.
Second emergency package taking shape, govt to discuss guidelines
LJUBLJANA - The government discussed this evening guidelines for a new emergency package to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus epidemic. PM Janez Janša announced that the guidelines, to serve as a basis for legislation the government wants to adopt by Friday, had been coordinated by the coalition parties and supplemented with proposals by ministries and the advisory task force led by economist Matej Lahovnik. The package includes 10-200% pay bonuses to those working in critical sectors and a temporary 30% pay cut for all state officials. Janša said the guidelines would include solutions for the self-employed.
Pahor supports giving army police powers
LJUBLJANA - Responding to an initiative by the new government to activate legislation giving the army police powers, President Borut Pahor said in his capacity of commander-in-chief of the Slovenian Armed Forces that he understood the need to give the military additional powers within the bounds of law. The response comes after Interior Minister Aleš Hojs recently said he was considering proposing the activation of article 37.a of the defence act, which allows the Slovenian Armed Forces to help the police in "broader protection of the state border".
Support for govt below 50%, SDS leads party rankings
LJUBLJANA - A public opinion poll on the new government, conducted before it took the latest measures to fight the new coronavirus outbreak, sees the government support below 50%, while the ruling Democrats (SDS) lead the party rankings with a support of 20%. In the Mediana poll conducted for the commercial broadcaster POP TV, 45.4% of the respondents said they supported the right-leaning government, which also features New Slovenia (NSi), Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) and Modern Centre Party (SMC).
Govt economic forecaster projects up to 8% contraction, central bank chief calls for action
LJUBLJANA - After halving its economic growth forecast for Slovenia for the year to 1.5% less than a fortnight ago, the government economic think-tank IMAD is now projecting a six to eight percent contraction in the country's GDP due the worsening coronavirus crisis. Banka Slovenije governor Boštjan Vasle believes the coronavirus crisis will have a huge impact on Slovenia and Europe's economies, and monetary policy measures will be commensurate to the gravity of the situation, while decisive and fast fiscal policy action will be equally important. He said the scope of the economic contraction could only be assessed once the health situation calms down.
Employers present proposals to mitigate impact of epidemics
LJUBLJANA - Employer representatives proposed to the government further measures to mitigate the impact of the lockdown imposed to contain the coronavirus epidemic. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry proposed that, in order to secure financial stability and liquidity, the obligation to pay taxes and social security contributions for March and April be written off, while the Chamber of Craft and Small Business proposes full coverage by the state of the wage bill in companies for sole proprietors who have been banned from working or have no work due to the crisis situation. The Tourism and Hospitality Chamber said that, in order to avoid mass lay-offs, the state should provide EUR 1,000 per worker in the tourism industry a month, or adopt amendments increasing the state's share in wage compensation from 40% to 80%.
Businesses reckon EUR 2-4bn stimulus package needed
LJUBLJANA - Almost all Slovenian businesses have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic and its ramifications, with 93% of the companies surveyed by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) reporting serious difficulties. "The situation at businesses is getting more alarming by the day," the GZS said today as it released the results of a survey conducted last week showing that 40% of companies estimate their revenue will drop by more than 70% in March, a further 18% expect to halve their revenue and as many project a fall of at least 30%. The chamber estimates a stimulus package of up to 4 billion euro is needed to avert an economic and social crisis.
New Covid-19 testing rules in place
LJUBLJANA - Slovenian authorities have changed the 16 March rules to test more people for Covid-19, chiefly those with milder signs of a potential coronavirus infection. The new rules expand testing to persons older than 60, to persons with other risk conditions and those with immunodeficiency disorders regardless of their age even if they only have mild symptoms. In cases of other persons with mild symptoms, it will be up to GPs and paediatricians to decide whether testing is needed. Under the previous rules, patients with signs of acute respiratory infection, regardless of fever, were not eligible for testing when the disease is mild except if decreed by epidemiologists.
Thousand Slovenians still looking to be repatriated
LJUBLJANA - More than 1,000 Slovenians are still looking to get home from other EU member states or third countries amid travel restrictions across the globe as a result of the escalating coronavirus pandemic, Foreign Minister Anže Logar revealed following a videoconference with his EU counterparts. A group of 26 Slovenians stranded abroad returned home on a repatriation flight from the Montenegrin capital Podgorica today, eleven evacuated from Montenegro and 15 from Kosovo.
Slovenian engineers join forces to develop ventilator
LJUBLJANA - With only 168 ventilators available as Slovenia expects to soon see the Covid-19 outbreak culminate, several groups of engineers are busy developing various types of new ventilators. The first prototypes were turned on Sunday after development of several versions started over a week ago, Ljubljana Technology Park director Jernej Pintar told the newspaper Finance. The initiative to develop a homegrown ventilator came from the Association for Electrical Engineering and Electronics after doctors said at least another 100 ventilators would be needed if the number of the most seriously ill started rapidly rising.
Slovenia receives fresh shipment of protective gear, Boxmark launching face mask production
LJUBLJANA, KIDRIČEVO - Slovenia received another shipment of protective gear today, including 125,000 surgical masks, 93,000 pairs of gloves, 856 Tyvek suits, 20,000 head covers and 2,550 shoe covers, according to a tweet by Defence Minister Matej Tonin. Like many other countries, the country is also launching its own mask production. Boxmark Leather, the Kidričevo-based maker of car upholstery, launched production today to produce between 40,000 and 45,000 masks per week or some 5,000 to 8,000 per day. The Celje-based Prevent&Deloza plans to soon make between 30,000 and 40,000 washable masks, first supplying critical services and then also selling them in shops.
Fuel prices fall to ten-year low
LJUBLJANA - As the coronavirus turmoil continues to spread globally, administered fuel prices in Slovenia will slump to multi-year lows as of midnight. Regular sold at service stations outside the motorway network will cost 1.029 per litre, down 17.6 cents, while diesel will be 12.9 cents cheaper at EUR 1.017. Retail prices of regular in Slovenia have not been this low since May 2009 at the time of the global financial and economic crisis, while diesel has not been this cheap since March 2016, a time when Slovenia was deciding on a gradual liberalisation of oil derivatives.
MP Franc Trček joining SocDems after leaving Left
LJUBLJANA - MP Franc Trček, who left the opposition Left after the National Assembly confirmed the Janez Janša cabinet in mid-March, is joining the deputy group of the Social Democrats (SD), the party announced. More information about the move, which increases the SD deputy group to 11 MPs, will be known on Thursday, when a press statement is scheduled to take place.
Candles lit in front of parliament in protest against govt moves
LJUBLJANA - Several candles were lit in front of Parliament House to show disapproval of the government's recent moves. "This is not a rally, it is not assembling, it is not socialising. It is lighting of candles to mark the death of democracy in Slovenia," wrote the author of the event on Facebook. The candles were lit by those "who care" for all the people that will be unable to pay their bills, will lose their jobs, as well as those working "on the front line", and by those concerned by restrictions imposed on journalists at pressers and those fearing that the Slovenian army would be forced to act against its own people, the organisers said.
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