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This summary is provided by the STA:
25 new coronavirus infections on Sunday
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 25 new coronavirus cases from 706 tests on Sunday, which brings the overall tally of cases since the first one was recorded in early March to 3,190, out of which 525 remain active, according to combined data from the government and tracker site covid-19.sledilnik.org. No new Covid-19-related fatalities were reported, while the number of hospitalisations rose by three to 26, four of whom require intensive treatment. Over the past week 307 new coronavirus infections were confirmed, 89 more than the week before.
App to keep tabs on quarantined school children
LJUBLJANA - As the second week of school started with a number of groups of children in quarantine due to coronavirus cases detected among their classmates, the Education Ministry said it was developing an application which will contain all relevant information in one place. It is planning to start publishing data on a weekly basis from Friday. Quarantine for individual classes has been ordered in 13 out of Slovenia's 497 primary schools and 150 children out of over 191,700 are in isolation. "The data show the current situation is fully manageable," the ministry added.
Privacy watchdog checking police over expanded powers
LJUBLJANA - The newspaper Dnevnik reported that the Information Commissioner had launched oversight at the police force over "lack of clarity in expansion of police powers" related to measures to contain coronavirus. The privacy watchdog is looking into police procedures at the border affecting those who own real estate or vessels in Croatia as well as into other police tasks, including restricting people's movements. The watchdog is looking whether police measures are warranted by law.
Trade union protests over alleged political meddling in police
LJUBLJANA - The Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (KSJS) condemned "the pressure exerted by Interior Minister Aleš Hojs on police staff and members of the Police Trade Union of Slovenia (PSS) for several months". The KSJS pointed to what it deems Hojs's defamation in media and framing efforts. The confederation argues that Hojs does not acknowledge social dialogue and has attempted to silence the PSS trade union to enable domineering conduct and turn the police into a political tool.
Debate agrees EU trade policy must be sustainability-oriented
LJUBLJANA - An online debate on EU trade policy reform agreed a reformed trade policy must in particular be sustainability-oriented and must not favour multinationals. Ignacio Garcia Bercero of the European Commission said this would be considered in drafting the final version. The Commission decided to review trade policy in May to see whether it may contribute to a fast and sustainable socio-economic recovery post-Covid, while also examining how it may help build a stronger EU. The review will determine the political direction of the EU's trade policy in the coming year, Bercero of the Directorate General for Trade said at the debate, hosted by the European Commission Representation in Slovenia and the Economy Ministry.
Carinthian Slovenians urging bilingual signposts to be set up
KLAGENFURT, Austria - The Slovenian Consensus for Constitutional Rights (SKUP), a political group of the Slovenian minority in Austria, urged the mayors of the municipalities in the bilingual area in the state of Carinthia to set up bilingual place names in 37 villages. The SKUP called on the mayors to follow the example of another two municipalities, Žitara Vas and Šentjakob v Rožu, which decided in July to set up bilingual place names in 23 villages. The appeal comes ahead of Tuesday's visit by Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz to Slovenia.
Landmark ruling taken over environmental permit procedures
LJUBLJANA/ZAGORJE OB SAVI - A landmark ruling by the Administrative Court has asserted the right of NGOs to participate already in the preliminary stage of permit proceedings if they are able to prove an investment would have significant environmental impact. The court upheld in full a challenge by the environmentalist group Eko Krog against the Environment Agency, which has been refusing to include NGOs in the preliminary assessment of whether a planned intervention requires a comprehensive environmental impact assessment and environmental permit.
Managers proposes measures to fight Covid-19 consequences
LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Business Club (SBC) presented a set of proposals to fight the consequences of Covid-19 which it believes would help companies from the most affected industries survive, and others to create new and quality jobs. The SBC wants the freezing of the minimum wage act provisions which will increase the minimum wage as of 1 January 2021, arguing this is unsustainable in the given circumstances. It wants the criteria for additional liquidity funds with state guarantee to be changed and the measure extended until the end of June. The managers would also like the meetings industry to be helped with vouchers similar to those for the tourism industry, and tourism vouchers to be expanded to tickets for natural and cultural heritage sites, among others.
Conference highlights nuclear energy as pillar of power supply
PORTOROŽ - Nuclear Energy for New Europe, a four-day international conference, opened with the reassertion that Slovenia is and will remain a nuclear country and that nuclear energy is a key pillar of sustainable power supply. The conference, organised by the Nuclear Society of Slovenia and featuring over 150 experts, is dedicated to the state and development of nuclear energy and to helping promote the importance of nuclear energy for stable supply with low-carbon power. "Nuclear energy is clean, reliable and proved to be low-carbon," Nuclear Society head Tomaž Žagar said, arguing the share of nuclear energy in the energy mix in Europe as well as Slovenia should increase.
Agra fair opens with call for sustainable practices, local food
GORNJA RADGONA - Agriculture Minister Aleksandra Pivec underscored the need to boost environment-friendly food production and processing, to increase productivity and ties between producers as she addressed the virtual opening of the international agriculture and food fair Agra. The fair, traditionally taking place in the town of Gornja Radgona, is mostly held online this year. One of the in-site events will be a day dedicated to the Austrian state of Styria.
Precarious work spreading further during pandemic
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia has for years been seeing a rise of precarious forms of work, which mostly exclude the right to paid sick leave, holiday, lunch and travel allowances. The Covid-19 pandemic has only made the situation worse. NGOs are are urging systemic changes, while the Labour Ministry will decide on potential measures based on results of a comprehensive analysis due in autumn. The Movement for Dignified Work and Welfare Society estimates 200,000 to 250,000 work in insecure forms of employment.
Paloma rebounds from loss to post EUR 1.6m profit
SLADKI VRH - The tissue maker Paloma saw its revenue drop slightly year-on-year to EUR 80.5 million last year, but it bounced back from a EUR 3.6 million loss in 2018 to post EUR 1.6 million in net profit in 2019. The company rebounded in what was its third year in the ownership of SHP Group, the Slovak group that is in turn owned by the Czech financial fund Eco Investment. This year, the company plans to generate EUR 80 million in revenue, and EUR 5.8 million in EBITDA in 2020.
Ikea opens 300 new jobs in Ljubljana
LJUBLJANA - Ikea is looking for more than 300 staff for its first Slovenia store, due to open in Ljubljana later this year. Candidates for various positions in sales, logistics, customer relations and customer support, restaurants and other departments can apply for a job by the end of September. In the spring, when the Ljubljana unit hired about 20 staff, Ikea received about 200 applications for each job advertised.
Slovenia score first win in Nations League
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia defeated Moldova 1:0 on Sunday, securing the first win in this year's UEFA Nations League after drawing with Greece on Thursday. Zaglebie Lubin forward Damjan Bohar scored the only goal for Slovenia in the 28th minute. Slovenia now rank second behind Greece in Group C3, both having four points. The next games will be played in October against Kosovo and Moldova.
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