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This summary is provided by the STA:
Govt determined not to shut down economy or public life
IDRIJA - Prime Minister Janez Janša said the government was determined not to shut down the economy or public life despite surging cases. Vaccination is the only way to avoid disruption to normal life, he said, adding that it was in the shared interests of the government, opposition, media and each individual to reach such a vaccination rate that the Covid-19 outbreak would not jeopardise public life or the health system.
Janša calls no-confidence motions tragicomic
IDRIJA - Prime Minister Janez Janša dismissed no-confidence motions sought by the centre-left opposition against two members of his government as being groundless on Wednesday, saying the attempts were rather tragicomic considering they were coming this late in the term. Janša wondered if the most they could agree on was how to bring a motion of no confidence, "how then would they cope with the epidemic."
Number of new daily coronavirus infections tops 1,000
LJUBLJANA - A total of 1,093 new coronavirus cases were recorded in Slovenia on Tuesday, a record high in the wave of the epidemic. The last time the daily number of new infections topped 1,000 was at the end of April, near the peak of the spring wave. According to fresh data provided by the government, 243 Covid-19 patients were in hospital this morning, including 61 in intensive care. Three patients died.
Minister points to lack of vaccination culture, solidarity
LJUBLJANA - Health Minister Janez Poklukar has told the STA that there would be no talk about restrictive measures, but about Slovenia opening up, if a 70% rate of vaccination against Covid-19 was achieved. He sees many reasons for a low vaccination rate, including the lack of vaccination culture and solidarity.
International organisations urge end to STA crisis
VIENNA, Austria - Nineteen international journalism and media freedom organisations have signed a joint statement urging the Slovenian government and the Government Communication Office "to immediately end the economic suffocation of the STA and take steps to ensure sustainable funding before its collapse". They point out that it has been 250 days since the agency has received public funding.
Aljoša Rehar appointed new STA editor-in-chief
LJUBLJANA - Aljoša Rehar has been named the new editor-in-chief of the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) and is to take over for a four-year term in December from Barbara Štrukelj, who is ending her 12-year stint. The decision on Rehar's appointment was issued by STA director Bojan Veselinovič on Wednesday after Rehar was backed by a 98.5% majority in a secret ballot with a turnout of 80.7%.
Proposal to waive fines for Covid infractions defected
LJUBLJANA - A proposal by the opposition to waive fines for infractions of coronavirus restrictions that were declared unconstitutional has been rejected by the Home Policy Committee. The opposition wanted to halt ongoing proceedings and compensate all individuals who had to pay fines. The coalition voted against.
Pahor and his climate advisors talk Slovenia's energy future
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor met on Tuesday with members of his permanent advisory committee on climate policy. Slovenia's energy future topped the agenda, with the participants discussing efforts to make the country carbon-neutral and energy self-sufficient, Pahor's office said.
Hidria to build EUR 40m R&D and production facility
IDRIJA - Industrial conglomerate Hidria broke ground for a EUR 40 million high-tech centre for the development and production of key components for electric motors for hybrid and electric vehicles. The new centre is slated to open in the middle of 2023, and will first service car manufacturers BMW and Mercedes. Hidria needs new production facilities after it has concluded a number of long-term deals with several leading global vehicle manufacturers.
Iskratel signs deal on fibre-optic network expansion in Ukraine
KRANJ - The Slovenian broadband access solutions provider Iskratel will work with Ukraine's Ukrtelecom on a project to expand the fibre-optic network in Ukraine in a deal worth EUR 12 million, the Kranj-based company said. Iskratel and Ukrtelecom have signed a three-year contract for a network expansion project that will provide gigabit connectivity to 1.3 million people and 530,000 homes in more than 300 locations in different regions of Ukraine, Iskratel said.
Insurers soon free of restrictions on profit distribution
LJUBLJANA - Slovenian insurance companies will be free of restrictions on the distribution of profit after the Agency for Insurance Supervision decided not to extend beyond September a macroprudential measure that severely curtailed payouts. The decision was made after a review of insurance and pension companies' interim results and against the backdrop of improved economic indicators, the agency said.
Slovenian researchers develop new medication for prostate cancer
LJUBLJANA - Slovenian researchers have developed an advanced cell-based medication for the treatment of prostate cancer that opens up the possibility for the new technology to be used also for treatment of other types of solid tumours. The medication has been developed by the Ljubljana Faculty of Medicine, UKC Ljubljana hospital, the Celica biomedicine centre and the Institute for Transfusion Medicine.
Austrian military officer's statue back in Tivoli Park
LJUBLJANA - A statue of Austrian Field Marshal Josef Radetzky (1766-1858) has been erected in Tivoli Park at the same spot in front of Tivoli Mansion from where it was removed in 1918. The decision has sparked controversy among historians, given the historical burden the monument carries. The city erected the monument quietly, without much fanfare.
Dostoevsky, Jančar and Berlin Philharmonic to headline new season at Cankarjev Dom
LJUBLJANA - A guest appearance by the Berlin Philharmonic, a series of events marking the 200th anniversary of Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky and a production based on Drago Jančar's award-winning novel will be among the highlights of the new season of Cankarjev Dom, Slovenia's biggest cultural venue. The Ljubljana International Film Festival is returning to the big screen for its 32nd iteration between 10 and 21 November.
Mako Sajko honoured by peers for his short documentaries
LJUBLJANA - Mako Sajko, a 94-year-old screenwriter and director known mainly for his short documentaries, won the France Štiglic Award for lifetime achievement as the Directors' Guild of Slovenia presented its annual accolades. The judging panel described Sajko's oeuvre as "truly exceptional" and a "series of classics, a neckless of film pearls on the thankless neck of Slovenian cinematography".
New MGL theatre's season dedicated to great expectations
LJUBLJANA - The Ljubljana City Theatre (MGL) has dubbed its new season Great Expectations, a slogan referring to the hope that in 2022 the world will re-establish itself. The programme will feature 12 premieres, including two from the previous season which were thwarted by the epidemic. The premieres include five on the big stage, four on the small and three mono-projects by the theatre's actors.
Puppet Artists Biennial starts in Maribor
MARIBOR - The Maribor Puppet Theatre is hosting the 11th Biennial of Puppet Artists of Slovenia from Wednesday to Saturday. The selector Rok Bozovičar has picked 12 productions to present an overview of puppetry in Slovenia. "I wanted to give all performances the same visibility in the festival, especially in the light of the current situation. It seemed to me that this could be an inclusive biennial, bringing together the scene in the broadest possible sense," he explained.
Medical school didn't accept non-EU students due to staff, space constraints
MARIBOR - Responding to an allegation of discrimination leveraged by a youth trade union, the Faculty of Medicine in Maribor said it did not accept any non-EU first-year candidates for the coming academic year because of a shortage of staff and space constrains. The faculty increased the number of posts for first-year students from Slovenia and the EU by 10 to 106, which it said is its upper limit. While not accepting any foreigners from non-EU countries, the faculty accepted two ethnic Slovenians without Slovenian citizenship.
Slovenia lose to Croatia in 2022 World Cup qualifiers
SPLIT - Slovenia lost against Croatia 0:3 in Split on Tuesday in the sixth round of the group stage of the World Cup qualifiers, with almost no chances left for qualification now. Coach Matjaž Kek and captain Jan Oblak acknowledged Croatia's superiority after the match.
Slovenia enter relegation round at European volleyball championship
OSTRAVA, Czechia - Slovenia will enter the relegation round at the European Volleyball Championship. The team won three of the five group matches and the final-round 0:3 loss against Italy means that they will finish the group stage in second or third place. The final placement will be determined in Thursday's game between the only undefeated team in group B, Italy, and hosts Czechia.
Coronavirus testing points goes ablaze in apparent arson
LJUBLJANA - A coronavirus testing point went up in flames in Kamnik on Tuesday night, as a fire that started in a wooden shed spread to a nearby shipping container which served as a testing point. Arson is suspected as flyers by opponents of the recovered-vaccinated-tested rule were found at the scene.
