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This summary is provided by the STA:
Advocate General: Slovenia breached EU law on inviolability of ECB archives
LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - By seizing European Central Bank (ECB) documents from the Slovenian central bank in an investigation of the 2013 bank bailout, Slovenia breached provisions of EU law that grant the ECB special immunity, an advocate general at the Court of Justice of the EU said in her opinion in a case brought against Slovenia by the EU Commission. After it seized the documents, Slovenia neither substantiated which documents are necessary for the national criminal procedure nor returned the remaining documents which constitute protected archives of the ECB, reads the opinion, which is not binding on the court. While Slovenian Justice Minister Lilijana Kozlovič said the opinion constituted "neither victory nor defeat since the case is a precedent", the European Commission welcomed the opinion.
FM announces more ambitious foreign policy, strategy overhaul
BRDO PRI KRANJU - Foreign Minister Anže Logar announced a more ambitious foreign policy of Slovenia, with the EU and NATO memberships as the fundamental framework, as he addressed the annual meeting of Slovenian diplomats. An overhaul of the main strategic foreign policy documents was also announced. Slovenia wants to be a responsible member of the EU, NATO and international community and not only a silent observer, and is returning to the diplomatic map, Logar said.
Pahor worried about potential east-west divide in EU
BRDO PRI KRANJU - President Borut Pahor said he was concerned that an east-west divide could eventually emerge in the EU, as he addressed the 24th annual meeting of Slovenian diplomats at Brdo pri Kranju. He said Slovenia had always built its national interest on strengthening the EU's unity, and hopes this remains the case in the future. Even if the EU is in a certain crisis and deadlocked, these emerging divisions that can be noticed within the block are not in Slovenia's interest, he stressed.
France and Slovenia keen to strengthen strategic partnership
LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar met his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian as part of an official two-day visit to Slovenia which the Foreign Ministry said reaffirmed the countries' shared interest in further strengthening of their strategic partnership. The ministry noted the importance of the partnership in light of of the countries' successive stints at the presidency of the Council of the EU as Slovenia passes on the baton to France in the first half of 2022.
Slovenia reports 53 new coronavirus cases, creates legal ground to fine mask rule violations
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 53 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday in record 1,653 tests. The number of confirmed cases was slightly lower than the day before but still among the highest reported. There were no new fatalities. Meanwhile, the government changed the legal basis for the mandatory wearing of face masks or other face coverings in public indoor spaces and for mandatory hand sanitising to make it possible to actually fine those who flout the rules.
First Slovenian satellites successfully deployed in space
KOUROU, French Guiana - Following a number of cancellations due to poor weather, the launch of Slovenia's first satellites, Trisat and Nemo HD, as part of a project by the European space company Arianespace, was successfully executed. Arianespace's Vega rocket, which carried a record 53 satellites from 13 countries, was successfully launched from French Guiana at 3:51am CET. Both Slovenian satellites, which are an important milestone for the country's as well as European space technology efforts, have already been placed in the orbit, with Nemo HD circulating at 515 kilometres and Trisat at 530 kilometres above Earth.
Jobless total down 1.4% on monthly level in August, but up 23.2% y/y
LJUBLJANA - The registered jobless total in Slovenia stood at 88,172 at the end of August, which is a 1.4% decrease on July but 23.2% above the August 2019 figure due to unemployment growth in April and May, show the latest Employment Service data. The number of newly registered persons was 5,277, down 35.8% compared to July but still 23.7% higher year-on-year. The Employment Service said that "compared to July, all key unemployment inflows were down".
Slovenia's Sušec appointed policy strategy head at ESM
LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Slovenian expert Matjaž Sušec has been appointed head of policy strategy and institutional relations at the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), the inter-governmental financial institution in charge of financial stability in the eurozone has announced. Sušec worked for the ESM before, being deputy head of policy strategy before being promoted to head, and having led a number of projects at the ESM.
Lot, Wizzair suspend Ljubljana flights
LJUBLJANA - Lot Polish Airlines will temporarily suspend its Ljubljana-Warsaw flights this month, with the last flight scheduled for 16 September. Further flights will be suspended until the start of the winter season. Meanwhile, low-cost carrier Wizz Air has cancelled its plans to fly between Ljubljana and Belgium's Charleroi over the coming winter. According to the Ex-Yu Aviation portal, Lot could still make changes to its plans for the winter season, which have not been confirmed yet.
Despite concerns, committee endorses changes to prosecution
LJUBLJANA - The Justice Committee endorsed amendments to the state prosecution act on second reading despite concerns raised by prosecutors and opposition MPs that they would undermine prosecutors' independence. Under the proposal a prosecutor's decision to dismiss charges for offences carrying more than three years in prison would have to be signed off by the head of the prosecution service. For offences carrying prison sentences of eight or more years, the head of the prosecution would need to consult two other prosecutors before endorsing the decision of the prosecutor in charge of the case.
More calls and book collection seek to stop controversial media reform
LJUBLJANA - The Journalism Chair at the Ljubljana Faculty of Social Sciences launched a collection of 26 essays by 31 authors that raise concern about political subjugation of the media in Slovenia and urge withdrawal of the planned media reform. The editor of the 200-page publication, communicology professor Slavko Splichal, said it was an attempt in defence of free journalism and independent media and to show through argument "how harmful the current government's efforts". Splichal accused the government of contributing to the global corporate control of the media and spread of authoritarian politics.
UNICEF finds Slovenian children skilled but at risk of mental disease
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia ranks 9th in terms of child well-being among 41 of the world's richest countries, suggests the latest Innocenti Report Card by UNICEF. Slovenian children did very well in reading and mathematical skills but their mental health is a cause for concern, the report says. The country is among a dozen countries where less that 75% of children are happy with their lives. Slovenia did a bit better in physical health of children, placing 11th, but the share of obese children is concerning.
User-friendly versions of two laws on the disabled issued
LJUBLJANA - In a bid to reduce discrimination of vulnerable groups, user-friendly versions of the acts on social inclusion of disabled persons and on personal assistance have been issued, so that they could be more widely read and understood among the target groups. According to the authors, the partners around the 4ALL - Society without Discrimination project, these are the first Slovenian legal acts in a user-friendly version, which present in a simple and understandable way what is otherwise a demanding and lengthy content.
Two more ministries reject Poland's Istanbul Convention letter
LJUBLJANA - The ministries in charge of family and of foreign affairs have backed the Justice Ministry in its negative response to Poland's invitation to join it in withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention, agreeing with the argument that there is no reason for a new document. Poland finds the treaty "harmful" because it requires schools to teach children about gender. Justice Minister Liljana Kozlovič aid Poland did not call on Slovenia to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention, but to create a new initiative for a different regulation.
Govt expanding producer responsibility for waste
LJUBLJANA - The government adopted amendments to the environmental protection act as a stop-gap measure to tackle packaging waste until the extended producer responsibility (EPR) system is comprehensively overhauled as required by EU law, which needs to be done by 2023. In line with the new proposal packaging waste treatment companies will need to accept all waste from waste collection utility companies. Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak also announced changes to the packaging waste decree that will extend the waste packaging fee to those that put less than 15 tonnes of packaging on the market a year, the threshold being blamed for the large amounts of waste piling up at utility companies.
Slovenian Jana Bauer takes grand prize at literary festival in N Macedonia
SKOPJE - Jana Bauer, the winner of this year's Desetnica Prize for the best children's and youth book, has won the main prize at the Macedonian literary festival Another Story in what is the first time for an author of youth fiction to take the prize, publisher KUD Sodobnost International said. This year, the three-day festival, which started in Skopje today, focusses on youth literature and most events, including workshops, and story telling events, are dedicated to the winning book, Groznovilca v Hudi Hosti (Scary Fairy in Wicked Wood), which was released in 2011.
Police chase vehicle with 16 migrants from Ilirska Bistrica to Italy
ILIRSKA BISTRICA - Slovenian police chased on Wednesday evening a vehicle with Italian licence plates carrying 16 Eritrean citizens from the area of Ilriska Bistrica, a town in the south some 10km from Croatia, all the way to Italy, as the Spanish driver refused to pull over. When the vehicle finally stopped, the driver fled, but was caught some 300 metres from the vehicle, while the group of illegal migrants and the driver were taken over by Italian police.
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