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This summary is provided by the STA:
Covid restrictions tightened up
LJUBLJANA - A number of new Covid restrictions came into effect today to help contain the unrelenting outbreak of infections. Under decisions taken by the government on Friday, gatherings are banned and the Covid pass mandate now applies from the age of 12. Cloth masks are no longer deemed suitable as sporting and cultural events audiences are reduced to half the sitting capacity. A curfew was reimposed on bars and restaurants, which can only serve customers at table, and nightclubs are shut until further notice. Several pharmacies said they were running out of self-test kits, while there is no shortage of surgical face masks, except those for children.
Coronavirus curve keeps rising
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 1,282 new coronavirus cases on Sunday to push the rolling 7-day average and the 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents higher still, to 2,862 and 1,735, respectively. Over 43% of the PCR tests came back positive, and another 13 people died, bringing the national death toll to 5,162. Hospitalisations totalled 843 on Monday morning, up by 46 on Sunday, including 190 patients in intensive care, up by six. With hospital capacities expected to become stretched further, the Health Ministry ordered a mobilisation of the whole health system, including public and private providers.
Janša meets Dodik to discuss situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina
LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša met on Sunday Milorad Dodik, the Serbian member of the Bosnia-Herzegovina presidency, to discuss the political situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the region. Janša described the meeting on Twitter as a substantive exchange about the situation in the country. "The future lies in full sovereignty of Bosnia-Herzegovina and EU membership," Janša said, while Dodik informed him of Republika Srpska's commitment to preserve the Dayton Agreement, Serbian press agency Tanjug reported.
Climate summit key step for Earth's future, says Vizjak
GLASGOW, UK - The COP26 climate conference is a key step for the future of our planet and younger generations, Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak said at a press conference in Glasgow, speaking alongside European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans. "It's time we act responsibly and move up from good intentions to concrete actions," Vizjak said. Slovenia represents the EU and is in charge of coordinating the member states' views as it holds the EU presidency. Timmermans said negotiators and the participating countries still had a lot to do, noting the EU's stance that ambitious targets only count if backed by concrete measures.
STA signs public service agreement with UKOM
LJUBLJANA - Igor Kadunc, the new acting director of the STA, and Uroš Urbanija, the director of the Government Communications Office (UKOM), signed a EUR 2 milion contract on the STA's public service valid until the end of the year, which Kadunc said "will enable normal financing and thus also the STA's activities this year, while we will also have something left for next year". STA staff welcomed the signing of the contract, but warned that certain solutions could indirectly affect the editorial autonomy and negatively affect the STA's finances. The STA has been performing its public service without pay since the start of the year.
Accetto elected new president of Constitutional Court
LJUBLJANA - Matej Accetto was elected president of the Constitutional Court after his peers voted to give him a three-year term at the helm of Slovenia's top court. He will take over from Rajko Knez on 19 December. The Constitutional Court did not release the results of the vote, but one of the judges, Klemen Jaklič, announced he would boycott the proceedings to appoint a "pre-arranged candidate" by a majority that had taken the court to where it became the subject of "unprecedented criticism".
Slovenia to roll out biometric identity cards in March
LJUBLJANA - An agreement on the production of Slovenia's new biometric identity cards was signed on Monday. The new IDs, expected to start being issued in March 2022, will cost 29 euro and contain multiple identity markers and security features. The agreement was signed by Roman Žnidarič, the director of the Cetis company, that will produce the cards, by Interior Minister Aleš Hojs and Public Administration Minister Boštjan Koritnik.
Digitalisation in education should be enhanced, EU presidency conference hears
LJUBLJANA - Digital transition is one of the key challenges alongside green transition, Education Minister Simona Kustec said as she addressed a two-day hybrid conference on education starting in Ljubljana as part of Slovenia's EU presidency, which is attended by around 300 participants. "But we have to be aware that digital transition in education is an even more demanding process, which will be successful only if we join forces and act together," she said at the conference Resetting Education and Training for the Digital Age. EU Commission Vice Presidents Margaritis Schinas and Margrethe Vestager stressed the digital transition should be enhanced at all levels.
Sacked Elektro Ljubljana boss turning to court
LJUBLJANA - After being dismissed as chairna of Elektro Ljubljana, the country's largest power distributor, Andrej Ribič announced he would challenge the dismissal in court. He argues he was dismissed for political reasons, saying he was convinced Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec was behind the move, suggesting the reason was Elektro's voting rights related to the government's alleged plan to dismiss the chairman of electricity trader GEN-I Robert Golob. Vrtovec denied any involvement.
Civil society organisations come up with pre-election demands
LJUBLJANA - A network of 57 civil society and non-governmental organisations associated in an informal Voice of the People initiative ahead of the general election presented a number of requests related to the rule of law, climate change, housing policy, the elderly, and welfare state, calling on political parties to take their position on them. The initiative has already outlined ten requests, while a total of 100 are planned.
Govt approval rating lowest in this term
LJUBLJANA - The government approval rating slipped to its lowest point this term in the latest Barometer poll commissioned by the newspaper Delo, with as many as 40% of the respondents giving the cabinet a very negative grade. The gap between the ruling Democrats (SDS) and the opposition Social Democrats (SD) has narrowed, as the two polled at 15.6% and 12.8%, respectively. The SDS and SD are thus less than three percentage points apart, the same as in April.
EU Commission registers Slovenia-led environmental protection initiative
BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission has decided to register a European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) called Call to Action - Environmental Protection in All Policies, with Slovenia serving as the leading EU member state in the initiative, which aims at declaring an environmental crisis in the EU. If the initiative, registered by the European Commission at the end of October, receives at least one million statements of support within a year from at least seven member states, the Commission will have to react to it. "The creation of the ECI is the result of the work of citizens from eight EU countries," Jure Leben, Slovenia's former environment minister, said on behalf of the initiators.
Slovenia hosting European Team Chess Championship
ČATEŽ OB SAVI - The European Team Chess Championship 2021 will be held between 11 and 22 November at the Terme Čatež spa near Brežice in eastern Slovenia in what will be the biggest chess event in the country since 2002. Slovenia will field the strongest team ever, spearheaded by international master Laura Unuk and grandmaster Luka Lenič. The event will feature more than 500 chess players as part of 70 teams from 38 countries. There will be no spectators, however the matches will be livestreamed.
