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This summary is provided by the STA:
Daily coronavirus count hits five-month high
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded a spike in coronavirus infections with the daily tally hitting 55 on Tuesday, a five month high, as 1,608 tests were performed, the highest daily number so far. One Covid-19 fatality was also reported, raising the death toll to 134. Slovenia has so far confirmed 2,979 coronavirus cases, of which 486 remain active, combined data from the government and the national Covid-19 tracker site show. Of the 26 patients hospitalised four are in intensive care.
Logar to set out foreign policy vision to diplomats
LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar will set out the government's vision of foreign policy to Slovenian diplomats as they meet for their 24th annual meeting on Thursday and Wednesday. Judging by this year's Bled Strategic Forum, the country's foreign policy is becoming ever more ambitious, returning Slovenia to "the diplomatic map". The diplomats will also be addressed by President Borut Pahor, PM Janez Janša and French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian.
Slovenia strongly condemns poisoning of Alexei Navalny
LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Foreign Ministry has condemned the confirmed poisoning of Alexei Navalny, as the German government announced on Wednesday that the Russian opposition politician had been attacked in Russia with a chemical nerve agent. "The use of the nerve agent to silence an opposition leader is unacceptable. We expect clarifications from the Russian Federation and its cooperation with the international community," the ministry said on Twitter. The German government said testing performed by the German army had clearly confirmed that Navalny had been poisoned with a nerve agent from the novichok group.
Poland wooing Slovenia to withdraw from Istanbul Convention
LJUBLJANA - The newspaper Delo reported that Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro had invited Slovenia to join Poland in withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention, a European treaty aimed at preventing violence against women. Poland, which finds the treaty "harmful" because it requires schools to teach children about gender, proposed to Slovenia that a new convention be drawn up. Slovenia signed the Istanbul Convention in 2011 and ratified it in 2015, the same year as Poland. The Slovenian Justice Ministry said it saw no reason to withdraw from the convention or to amend it, a stance which has been made clear to Poland as well.
National Review Commission cuts list of suitable bidders for Koper-Divača
LJUBLJANA - Acting upon complaints by two Slovenian builders, the National Review Commission has shortened the list of suitable bidders for the principal construction works on the new rail section from Divača to Koper. While some bidders will reportedly be asked to supplement their bids, one bidder each from Slovenia, Turkey, China and Austria remain in play. Deciding on complaints filed by Gorenjska Gradbena Družba and Kolektor CPG after the first screening by 2TDK, the state company managing the EUR 1 billion-plus project, the review commission agreed that bids by six of the nine companies targetted had indeed "not been examined by 2TDK in accordance with demands set down in connection with the tender".
Police to review NBI work in prostitution ring case upon state secretary's urging
LJUBLJANA - Acting upon instructions from Interior Ministry State Secretary Franc Kangler, the General Police Administration has announced an investigation into alleged illegal conduct in the National Bureau of Investigation's (NBI) cracking of a suspected prostitution ring in Nova Gorica in January 2019. While the Specialised State Prosecution filed in mid-2019 an indictment against 18 persons in connection with the ring that was operating in the Marina Sauna club near Nova Gorica, the Koper District Court has excluded several pieces of evidence suspected to have been obtained illegally.
DeSUS deputy group head expects new party president next week
LJUBLJANA - While two camps within the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) remain at odds about whether the party council can dismiss president Aleksandra Pivec, the head of deputy group, Franc Jurša, expressed the belief that the council will appoint a new interim head next week, implying that Health Minister Tomaž Gantar is among the candidates. "We cannot be without leadership, this is a fact, and we need to resolve this at the council meeting," Jurša told the STA, while not wanting to discuss names, saying these would be discussed at the council meeting.
Janša supports Czechia in Taiwan row with China
LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša has expressed support for the Czech Republic after a visit by a senior Czech official to Taiwan has upset China, saying on Wednesday that "Slovenia stands by the Czech Republic". "EU-China relations are based on dialogue and mutual respect. Threats directed at one of the EU members and its representatives contradict the very essence of our partnership and as such are unacceptable," reads Janša's tweet on Wednesday, the same statement that Slovakian President Zuzana Čaputova used in a tweet yesterday. Slovenia accepts the One-China policy and does not have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, which is however defined as an important market for Slovenia.
Hungary's border closure a problem for Slovenian minority
SZENTGOTTHARD - After Hungary closed its border for foreign citizens on Tuesday to contain the coronavirus, the Slovenian ethnic minority there would like the country to open one smaller border crossing with Slovenia, the Ketvolgy/Verica-Čepinci one, saying it would considerably facilitate communication with Slovenia. Like during the Covid-19 pandemic in spring when the borders were closed, all three borders crossings in the area populated by the Slovenian minority are now closed. This is a problem for many teachers from Slovenia who help teach at minority schools in the Raba river basin and for all the others commuting daily to work.
IPI worried about media freedom in Slovenia
VIENNA, Austria - Having analysed the state of mass media in Slovenia since the Janez Janša government took over in mid-March, the International Press Institute (IPI) found that "few countries in Europe have experienced such a swift downturn in press and media freedom after a new government came to power". The IPI report, published on 1 September, notes the government's plan to de-fund public broadcaster RTV Slovenija and Janša's attempt to expand his party's pro-government media system, urging the OSCE, the EU and the Council of Europe to follow the developments in Slovenia.
Austrian Chancellor Kurz due in Ljubljana on Tuesday
LJUBLJANA - Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz is to visit Ljubljana next Tuesday for talks with his Slovenian counterpart Janez Janša, the prime minister's office confirmed. The talks are expected to focus on topical EU issues, as well as bilateral cooperation in the light of Covid-19 and illegal migrations. The Austrian press agency APA reported that Kurz will travel to Ljubljana to coordinate with Janša ahead of the EU summit scheduled for 24 and 25 September.
Private and public health institutions eligible for funds to cut waiting times
LJUBLJANA - The Health Ministry has decided to invite both public and private health services providers to help cut waiting times for patients. Both will be able to participate in a call for applications worth EUR 42 million under equal terms, Minister Tomaž Gantar said on Wednesday. He said EUR 14 million would be available by the end of the year. The public call for applications will be published this month and the funds will be available by the end of next year. The government plans to allocate EUR 14 million for these efforts this year, while the remaining EUR 28 million will partly come from the EU.
FURS boss replacement triggers speculation of political staffing
LJUBLJANA - Following early dismissal on Monday of Financial Administration (FURS) boss Peter Jenko and the appointment of Finance Ministry State Secretary Irena Nunčič in his stead has triggered media speculation that the senior coalition Democrats (SDS) are taking control of the tax office. The newspaper Dnevnik reported that Nunčič was a vocal supporter and member of the SDS, while public broadcaster TV Slovenija said that Jenko had allegedly been replaced in relation to the invesigation into the procurement of medical ventilators from company Geneplanet.
Pipistrel takes orders for autonomous cargo aircraft
AJDOVŠČINA - The Ajdovščina-based ultra light plane developer Pipistrel announced it had started accepting orders for a new series of electric aircraft Nuuva. The flagship Nuuva V300 is a long-range large-capacity heavy-weight autonomous vessel for logistics and aerial cargo delivery. It operates ten times more economically than helicopters and requires no runways. The highly customizable autonomous aircraft can carry up to 460 kg. Entry into service is planned for the second half of 2023.
ITC and pharmaceutical companies pay leaders
LJUBLJANA - ITC and pharmaceutical companies continued to dominate the business paper Finance's list of top 100 companies in terms of pay. However, Microsoft Slovenija, which topped the ranking for several years, was overtaken by SAP, whose 36 employees' monthly gross pay averaged over EUR 10,100 in 2019. Microsoft's Slovenian business, which had 55 employees with average gross monthly pay of almost EUR 8,850, placed second and Merck Sharp & Dohme (EUR 7,900 gross) third.
Court orders debt restructuring at newsstand operator
LJUBLJANA - The Ljubljana District Court ordered a court-mandated debt restructuring for newsstand operator Delo Prodaja on Wednesday on the proposal by Luxembourg-based York Global Finance Offshore BDH and with agreement of Delo Prodaja. Creditors have until 2 October to report liabilities to receiver Miha Mušič, according to the AJPES agency for public legal records. York Global Finance Offshore filed for debt restructuring in late July stating Delo Prodaja had been in violation of the 2017 financial restructuring agreement. Claims, by York as well, had fallen due, while Delo Prodaja was insolvent.
Cigarette prices to go up by almost 5% in October
LJUBLJANA - The Finance Ministry proposes a hike in excise duties that entails a 4.8% increase in the average price of a pack of cigarettes in October. The prices of other tobacco products will also go up, while heat-not-burn products and electronic cigarettes will not be affected. The rise is expected to bring in an additional EUR 18 million a year. Under the proposal, to be discussed by the government at a forthcoming session, excise duty per 1,000 cigarettes will increase from 114 to 120 euro.
Police apprehend 60 migrants in south-east
NOVO MESTO - Police apprehended a group of 60 people who had illegally entered the country near the town of Semič in the south-east on Tuesday. The migrants come from Pakistan and Afghanistan. The foreigners are still being processed by police.
Cross-border workers push for legislative changes
LJUBLJANA - The trade union representing commuting migrant workers started collecting voter signatures on Monday in support for changes to legislative provisions that limit unemployment allowances paid by the host state and provisions allowing a double levying of income tax. The Trade Union of Slovenian Migrant Workers has been protesting against rules that mostly affect Slovenian commuters to Austria for four years. It hopes for support from the ruling Democrats (SDS) and New Slovenia (NSi), which had been pushing for changes when still in opposition.
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