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This summary is provided by the STA:
MPs change 2020-2024 budgeting framework to allow higher expenditure
LJUBLJANA - As the country continues fighting the epidemic with a number of measures, parliament endorsed on Friday the government's proposal to raise the public spending ceiling for the period until the end of 2024. Considerably higher expenditure is planned for 2021, to be followed by a gradual decrease. The expenditure ceiling for this year will rise from EUR 24.9 billion as set last November to EUR 25.3 billion, putting the general government deficit at 8.6% of GDP.
MPs reject merger of eight regulators
LJUBLJANA - In a 46:42 vote, MPs rejected the government's proposal to merge eight major regulators into two agencies, as the majority of opposition MPs criticised the government for wanting to subjugate oversight institutions. Under a bill the government adopted last October, one new agency for market and consumers would regulate the energy and telecommunications markets, postal services, media and audiovisual services, and all forms of transport, while also supervising mergers and takeovers, and competition and consumer protection, while the other would be the agency for financial markets, which would also take over some of the powers from the central bank.
Vaccination now open to over 50s
LJUBLJANA - All persons over 50 are now eligible for vaccination under a revised vaccination strategy that the government adopted last night. Besides the over 50s, the priority groups now once again include teachers and staff working in critical infrastructure. New priority groups include the pharmaceutical industry, staff essential to the functioning of the state, employees and volunteers offering assistance to chronic patients and other vulnerable groups.
Inter-regional travel, some cultural events permitted
LJUBLJANA - Slovenians are free to travel between regions and some cultural events are permitted as of today under government decrees, but public assembly has been scaled back from a hundred to ten people. The ten-people limit, which replaces an earlier decree that allowed the public assembly of a hundred people, comes with the caveat that organisers of such events must ask for permission under rules governing public assembly.
Case count at 900 on Thursday amid stepped-up testing
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported 900 new cases of coronavirus for Thursday, a slight increase over the week before amid significantly stepped-up testing. Six patients with Covid-19 died. The positivity rate for PCR tests stood at 16.8% compared to over 20% the week before, as almost 5,400 PCR tests and nearly 30,000 rapid tests were performed. The situation in hospitals remains stable with 629 Covid-19 patients currently hospitalised and 159 in intensive care.
Vaccine coordinator calls for diversity of suppliers
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Jelko Kacin, the national coordinator for vaccination, called for a diversity of vaccine suppliers as he paid a visit to Brussels. "We cannot completely rely on one supplier, even if that is BioNTech," he said. Speaking to reporters after meeting Commission staffers, he said it was necessary to face the fact that the Union has just four suppliers at the moment instead of eight as planned. This is why the Slovenian EU presidency will have to form a "very responsible and long-term policy" of cooperation with suppliers, which includes development and production of vaccines in Europe.
Govt expects digitalisation proposal by 15 Sept
BRDO PRI KRANJU - The Strategic Council for Digitalisation met for its maiden session at Brdo pri Kranju on Friday to discuss its goals, timeline and organisation while its members also presented some concrete proposals. Prime Minister Janez Janša said the government expected a proposal of the country's digitalisation plan by 15 September. "We expect a proposal of the country's digitalisation plan by 15 September, we expect you to say what should be done in individual areas, without delving into issues of how much it would cost, how it would be done or who would do it," Janša told the council.
Prime minister's wife receives death threat
CELJE - The wife of Prime Minister Janez Janša, Urška Bačovnik Janša, has received a death threat targeting her and the couple's children. The letter was sent to the hospital in Celje where she works as a doctor and has been handed over to police, Večer newspaper reported. Celje police said they had been informed about an anonymous threat and had launched an investigation. "We're vigilant and react carefully to threats against the most senior representatives of the state," the police said.
Commissioner Johansson and FM Logar talk Slovenian EU presidency
LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar met EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson to discuss the priorities of the Slovenian EU presidency in the second half of 2021. Johansson is wrapping up her two-day visit to Slovenia in what has been an expression of support for Slovenia's coming stint at the helm of the Council of the EU. Johansson and Logar also talked migration, the Schengen system and other topics that will be in the spotlight during the Slovenian presidency, said the Foreign Ministry in a press release. Moreover, the pair discussed the current migration situation in Europe's southern neighbourhood and the Western Balkans.
Sakellaropoulou and Pahor unveil bench of friendship
KOPER - President Borut Pahor and Greek counterpart Katerina Sakellaropoulou unveiled a bench of friendship in Koper in what is a gesture celebrating ties between Slovenia and Greece. The pair highlighted that Koper was where the family of Greek statesman Ioannis Kapodistrias's originated. The bench was set up next to a bronze statue of Kapodistrias (1776-1831) in the eponymous square. The statesman was one of the most eminent diplomats in 19th century Europe and also the first head of state of independent Greece.
Documents sent by STA to government returned
LJUBLJANA - Business documents that the STA had sent to the government in a bid to resolve the standoff over financing were returned to the agency. The reason is not clear. The STA management has rejected receipt of the package and the courier took it back to the seat of government. Quizzed by the STA about the move, the Government Communications Office (UKOM) said it had still not received the documents. The STA has reached out to the government secretariat general for comment and is yet to hear back.
Year after first cycling protest anti-govt protesters on their bikes again
LJUBLJANA - One year after the first anti-government protest on bicycles took place, another rally was held in Ljubljana on Friday with cyclists ringing their bells to show disagreement with the government. The cyclists took a round tour around the city centre from Republic Square past the government building, police headquarters and to Prešeren Square.
Transfer of retailer Mercator from Agrokor to Fortenova completed
LJUBLJANA - Slovenian retailer Mercator is in majority ownership of Fortenova after the transfer of shares from the troubled Croatian group Agrokor has been completed in line with the restructuring plan, Mercator announced. After 18.5% of Mercator stock was transferred at the end of March, the remaining 69.6% was transferred today. Fortenova now holds a 88.10% stake in Mercator. The Mercator management sees the transfer as the beginning of a new era and an opportunity for development of all stakeholders. Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek too welcomed the move.
Luka Koper management proposes dividends of one euro per share
KOPER - The management and supervisors of Luka Koper propose that the port operator allocate EUR 14 million of the EUR 30.64 million in last year's distributable profit for dividends, which is one euro per regular share. The rest of the profit will remain undistributed, according to a press release published on the web site of the Ljubljana Stock Exchange. The proposal on the distribution of profit was discussed by Luka Koper's supervisory board today and is to be put to a vote at the annual general meeting. The dividend for 2019 amounted to EUR 1.07 gross per share.
Unior group with EUR 2.2m loss in 2020
ZREČE - Unior, a Zreče-based group specialising in forged metals and tools, posted a loss of EUR 2.2 million in 2020, down from a profit of EUR 10.4 million in 2019, on EUR 210.3 million in sales revenue, down 18%. The core company meanwhile generated EUR 138.1 million in net sales revenue, a drop of 21.3% from its record year 2019, which is almost 21% short of the target. Its loss amounted to EUR 7.96 million, Union said in a press release on Friday after its financials were discussed by the supervisory board on Thursday.
Telekom Slovenije group revenue down by 3% to EUR 647m in 2020
LJUBLJANA - The telco group Telekom Slovenije generated EUR 647.2 million in sales revenue last year, which is 3% less than in 2019. Net profit reached EUR 24.9 million. Apart from the epidemic, the sale of the company Planet TV affected the group's business results. Excluding the negative effects of coronavirus and measures to mitigate the effects, the net profit of the group would have stood at EUR 32.8 million, Telekom said.
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