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This summary is provided by the STA:
EU rule of law report for Slovenia points to lack of resources for key bodies
BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission raised several issues in its Rule of Law Report for Slovenia, expressing concern about a lack of resources for key independent bodies like the corruption watchdog and networks regulator, and pressure exerted on journalists through lawsuits and online harassment. The Commission appears not to have taken into account the Slovenian government's critical comments to the contents of the report, which raised a lot of dust in Slovenia. The Foreign Ministry said the report was relatively favourable, while the opposition said it was worrying Slovenia was nearing the countries which did not respect the rule of law.
New record of 203 coronavirus infections on Tuesday
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reached a new record in daily coronavirus cases, as 203 tested positive on Tuesday in a total of 3,391 tests and one Covid-19 patient died, the government said. The share of positive tests was 5.99%, according to the national Covid-19 tracker Sledilnik. There were 1,736 active coronavirus infection in Slovenia on Tuesday, with 86 people requiring hospital care, of whom 16 were in intensive care.
State budget to stay in deficit over next two years
LJUBLJANA - The government adopted budget proposals for the next two years under which the pandemic-driven deficit is projected to decrease from 9.2% of GDP this year to 5.6% in 2021 and 3.1% in 2022. Speaking to reporters in Ljubljana after the government session at Brdo estate, Finance Minister Andrej Šircelj said the budgets for the next two years were "development-oriented" with investment funding increasing significantly.
Govt gives final nod to fifth stimulus package
LJUBLJANA - The government gave its final nod late on Tuesday to the fifth stimulus package designed to help alleviate the consequences of the coronavirus crisis. The government already endorsed the package last week in a near final form. The press release issued by the government late last night indicated no major changes to the previous version of the bill, which entails measures for healthcare, labour, social security, economy, education, justice, criminal sanctions, agriculture and infrastructure.
Government orders measures to improve security of 5G networks
LJUBLJANA - The government has ordered the Public Administration Ministry and the telecommunications market regulator to put in place rules on enhanced security of fifth-generation (5G) telecommunications networks. Under a decision adopted on Tuesday, the government told the Public Administration Ministry to prepare legislation that would give the regulator and the body in charge of information security additional powers to demand from operators that they provide for cybersecurity in communication networks.
Govt amends law for event of mass migration
LJUBLJANA - The government adopted amendments to the foreigners act to tighten provisions on residence permits and reintroduce solutions that would provide for the triggering of a special regime in the event of a massive influx of illegal migrants seeking asylum in the country. The proposal includes similar solutions to those planned under the controversial amendments passed in 2017 but were quashed by the Constitutional Court in 2017.
Slovenia's general govt deficit hits 16% of GDP in second quarter
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia generated a general government deficit of EUR 1.74 billion in the April-June period, which translates into 16.1% of GDP. The Statistics Office (SURS) says the high deficit results from economic activity practically ceasing during the spring lockdown and from the government's measures to cushion the Covid-19 epidemic's impact. Since SURS started measuring it under the EU's methodology, general government deficit was higher only in the last quarter of 2013, when it soared to 3.59 billion, or 38.6% of GDP.
Pahor warns about biodiversity decline at UN summit
NEW YORK, US - President Borut Pahor said that the high rate of decline in biodiversity was a serious threat to life on Earth and undermined human progress, as he addressed the UN Biodiversity Summit via videolink. He reaffirmed Slovenia's commitment to mitigation efforts. "The colour of our post-pandemic world must be green and oriented towards sustainable production and consumption without overstepping planetary boundaries," said the president.
Logar discusses plebiscite anniversary, minority rights in Vienna
VIENNA, Austria - Foreign Minister Anže Logar and his Austrian counterpart Alexander Schallenberg discussed preparations for the upcoming centenary of the Carinthia plebiscite and the position of the Slovenian ethnic minority in Austria, as they met in Vienna. EU topics, including the new migration pact, were also on the agenda. Logar expressed Slovenia's expectation for Austria to honour its commitments towards the Slovenian minority as set down in the 1955 Austrian State Treaty.
Erbežnik emerging as leading candidate for constitutional judge
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor wrapped up the first round of consultations with deputy groups as he prepares to nominate a candidate for a Constitutional Court judge. He announced that Anže Erbežnik, a professor at the Nova Gorica-based European Faculty of Law, had the best chances of getting the required support in parliament. Meanwhile, Arjana Brezigar Masten enjoys most support for a vice-governor post at Banka Slovenije.
Pensions to rise by 2% in December
LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly confirmed late on Tuesday a 2% rise in pensions that will go ahead in December, after the government provided assurances that the indexation was fiscally feasible. Under existing legislation, an extraordinary flat EUR 6.5 increase for all pensioners was planned in December, but only if GDP growth in 2019 exceeded 2.5%. But then the National Council proposed a 1% rise, and the bill was further amended as the coalition Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) proposed a 2% rise.
Bill to raise vaccination rate passed
LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed a set of changes to the communicable diseases act which aim to increase vaccination rate by making vaccination mandatory for kindergarten children. The vaccination rate for pre-school children in Slovenia has dropped to 93%, which no longer guarantees collective health, MPs said. The aim of the new legislation - proposed by the coalition Modern Centre Party (SMC), Democrats (SDS) and Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) - is to raise childhood vaccination rate to at least 95%, which should already provide for herd immunity.
Parliament appoints new supervisor at STA
LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly named a new member to the supervisory board of the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) as lawyer Radovan Cerjak was appointed with 47 votes in favour and 35 on Tuesday evening. Culture Minister Vasko Simoniti described Cerjak as a legal expert and dismissed the opposition's warnings that the government had no right to launch a new selection process instead of completing a procedure launched by the previous government, which had already picked a candidate.
Janez Žlak named new Sovereign Holding chairman
LJUBLJANA - Janez Žlak, currently serving as executive director for energy and environment at the energy company Petrol, was appointed new chairman of Slovenian Sovereign Holding, which manages over EUR 10 billion worth of state equity stakes. Žlak will succeed Gabrijel Škof, who resigned in July. He will take over on 7 October from interim CEO Igor Kržan. The holding posted a EUR 4.68 million net profit for the first half of the year, a EUR 25.7 million decrease on the same period last year
Govt and municipalities sign agreement on funding in 2021 and 2022
LJUBLJANA - Public Administration Minister Boštjan Koritnik and representatives of municipalities signed an agreement that raises the lump sum which municipalities receive per resident from the state. The sum, which was raised from EUR 589 to EUR 624 in April under the new government, will be EUR 628 in 2021 and 2022. Commenting on the agreement, Koritnik stressed such a deal had only been reached four times in the last 15 years. He assessed the raise since April meant around EUR 80 million more annually for municipalities in total.
Businesses upset by Sunday shopping ban, union relieved
LJUBLJANA - The head of the Chamber of Commerce (TZS), Mariča Lah, presented gloomy projections in response to parliament's decision to close most shops on Sundays, while the Union of Shop Assistants expressed relief today. The ban has also been welcomed by the Catholic Church. Lah expressed bewilderment as to how such as step could be made in a situation when everything should be done to boost the economy.
Slovenia records second consecutive month of deflation in September
LJUBLJANA - Following a 0.1% drop in consumer prices in August year-on-year as well on the monthly level, a deflation of 0.3% and 0.4% respectively was also recorded in September. The annual deflation was mostly the result of cheaper petroleum products, the Statistics Office said. Measured with the harmonised index of consumer prices, an EU-wide gauge, Slovenia recorded an annual deflation rate of 0.7% in September while the monthly deflation was 0.2%.
Sale of Planet TV to Hungarian TV2 Media finalised
LJUBLJANA - Telecommunications company Telekom Slovenije announced that the sale of Planet TV to Hungarian media company TV2 Media had been finalised. The purchase price is EUR 5 million, but Telekom also provided a capital injection for its troubled subsidiary, which produces the eponymous TV channel, via debt to equity conversion before finalising the transaction. TV2 Media is owned by Jozsef Vida, whom media associate with the business network of the Hungarian ruling party Fidesz.
Steel group SIJ posts EUR 8.4 million H1 loss
LJUBLJANA - The Russian-owned steel group SIJ generated EUR 359.7 million in sales revenue in the first half of 2020, down 11.9% compared to the same period in 2019, show unaudited data released on Wednesday. The group has suffered roughly a EUR 8.4 million loss due to the impact of Covid-19 on long-term funds. SIJ said the European steel market, it key source of revenue, felt an impact of the pandemic and an increasing volume of steel imports from non-European countries.
Issues with long-term care among main points in Human Rights Ombudsman report
LJUBLJANA - The Human Rights Ombudsman's report for 2019 highlights problems with elderly care, accessibility issues for disabled persons, and lack of pedopsychiatrists among continuing human rights challenges in Slovenia. The report lists 305 violations and irregularities that involved 48 bodies. The largest number of cases was related to administration, children's rights, protracted proceedings, violations of the rule of law and the welfare state and of the right to social protection.
Vatican Christmas tree to come from Slovenia this year
LJUBLJANA - The spruce tree decorating St Peter's Square in the Vatican for Christmas this year will come from Slovenia, under a decision taken by the government. The tree and the accompanying events are seen as an excellent opportunity for Slovenia's promotion. in particular in light of its presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of 2021. The 30-metre-high Slovenian spruce will also symbolically mark the 30th anniversary of the referendum on Slovenia's independence.
Pušča, biggest Roma village in Slovenia, presented in a book
MURSKA SOBOTA - Pušča, the biggest Roma village in Slovenia which is seen as an example of how Roma issues should be solved in Slovenia and beyond, is now presented in a monograph by Jožek Horvat Muc, the head of the Slovenian Roma Association. Pušča, a village just west of Murska Sobota in the north-east of the country, was founded with a referendum in 1998. The Roma community now living there was a part of the town of Černelavci until 2002 and has been in the area for more than a century.
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