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This summary is provided by the STA:
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor is convinced that Slovenians can be proud of what the country has achieved in the last thirty years. Speaking for the STA, he said the nation had done great things when it worked together. He acknowledged that there was a rift, but said it was not as deep as some made it out to be. Pahor warned that the election as such will not necessarily result in change, even if there is a change in government, adding that having an election now would "not be as fateful as during the epidemic".
Slovenia, France discuss EU presidency priorities
PARIS, France - Slovenia's EU presidency priorities and the shared interests of both countries in the EU topped the agenda as Foreign Minister Anže Logar held talks with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian. The two countries share interests when it comes to the bloc's post-Covid recovery, the build-up of strategic sovereignty and resilience, and greater autonomy in healthcare and cybersecurity, the Foreign Ministry said. Logar also highlighted the Conference on the Future of the EU as a shared interest of the successive EU presidencies.
Weekly fall in coronavirus continues
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 88 new coronavirus cases for Thursday, as the 7-day average dropped by a further five to 92. After zero deaths the day before, two patients with Covid-19 died, government figures show. The number of patients hospitalised with Covid-19 has dropped by a further three to 109 this morning; 39 are in intensive care, one more than the day before. The cumulative 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents has fallen by a further nine to 90, data from the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) show.
Šircelj expects Slovenia's recovery plan to be assessed as soon as possible
BRUSSELS - Finance Minister Andrej Šircelj would not speculate on when the European Commission will assess Slovenia's recovery plan or when it could be confirmed. Asked whether the country's plan would be among the first that are expected to be confirmed in mid-July, he said he expected it to be assessed as soon as possible but that the Commission had not said which countries would be next. This is not "up for bargaining", he said.
Education in focus of minister's visit to Carinthia
KLAGENFURT, Austria Minister for Slovenians Abroad Helena Jaklitsch met with representatives of several educational institutions offering instruction in Slovenian as she paid a visit to Klagenfurt. She held talks with the head teachers of Slovenian secondary schools and kindergartens as well as professors of Slavic studies at the University of Klagenfurt and the university's rector, Oliver Vitouch.
Telekom Slovenije shareholders to get EUR 4.50 dividend
LJUBLJANA - The shareholders of Telekom Slovenije backed a dividend payout of EUR 4.50 gross per share, endorsing a counter-proposal by the Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH) that is 50 cents above the amount proposed by the management. The decision means that out of the EUR 35 million in distributable profit for 2020, EUR 29.3 million will be paid out to shareholders. The shareholders also appointed two new members of the supervisory board, Karla Pinter, an Economy Ministry official, and Jurij Toplak, a constitutional scholar and law professor.
GZS says Slovenia's drop in IMD Raking a serious warning
LJUBLJANA - The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) sees Slovenia's losing five spots in the IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking as a serious warning. Slovenia ranked 40th among 64 countries in this year's index, with the GZS noting that the country's score deteriorated most sharply in business efficiency and in efficiency of government, while it improved in business excellence. The chamber pointed to digitalisation at companies, noting there there were not enough apprentices or qualified foreign experts.
Prospects for hiring for third quarter remain cautiously optimistic
LJUBLJANA - Just like in the previous quarter, Slovenian employers are cautiously optimistic about hiring prospects in the third quarter of the year. A 9% net growth is expected, a survey by employment company Manpower Group shows. Employers in all ten sectors included in the survey plan to hire, especially in construction and manufacturing. Of all employers included, 14% announced hiring, 1% layoffs, and 78% stable employment. About 7% are still undecided.
Cost of long-term care estimated at EUR 744 million by 2025
LJUBLJANA - Health Minister Janez Poklukar said the new bill on long-term care was necessary as the population was ageing fast ans there would be almost 70,000 beneficiaries by 2025. The costs of services for that year are estimated at EUR 744 million, with a third of that to be secured with a new contribution. The ministry estimates there will be around 63,400 beneficiaries of long-term care next year, and almost 69,300 in 2025.
Slovenia co-host of AI and gender equality event in New York
NEW YORK, US - Slovenia organised on Thursday a virtual UN event dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI) and gender equality alongside the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Australia, Grenada, Maldives and UN Women. Taking place in New York, UN ambassadors and experts called for use of AI to boost gender equality and a stepped up integration of women in AI development.
Imago Sloveniae, Summer in Old Ljubljana festivals kick off
LJUBLJANA - The 33rd edition of the Imago Sloveniae and Summer in Old Ljubljana festivals starts in Congress Square with opera excerpts by the SNG Maribor theatre ensemble. The gala concert led by conductor Simon Dvoršak will be held in celebration of last year's 100th anniversary of the SNG Maribor opera and ballet house. Both festivals will offer some 30 classical music and jazz concerts that will take place at various sites in the capital over the next two months.
Banking museum opens in Ljubljana
LJUBLJANA - Bankarium, the museum of Slovenian banking, opened in Ljubljana and will admit the first visitors on Saturday. The museum is managed by the NLB Group, and its mission will be to give visitors an insight into the history of Slovenian banking, experience banking practice and broaden their financial knowledge. Museum visitors will be able to see a collection of currencies used in Slovenia over the last 200 years, as well as the inside of an ATM and a bank vault.
Four detained over illegal sewage sludge dumping
MARIBOR - Four suspects have been remanded in custody following a series of police raids earlier this week in connection to illegal dumping of nearly 200 tonnes of sewage sludge in the village of Pivola, south of Maribor, as new dumpsites are being discovered around the country. The head of Maribor crime investigators Beno Meglič said a total of six suspects and two legal entities faced criminal charges in the case, with the four detained to be brought before an investigating judge tomorrow.
