Covid situation critical as beds filling up fast
LJUBLJANA - Slovenian hospitals are filling up fast with Covid patients as the country reported another 3,344 coronavirus cases and a dozen deaths for Monday. Addressing reporters, Health Ministry State Secretary Franc Vindišar said the daily average of new admissions in the past week was nearly 100, compared to 50 discharges. Currently, 874 Covid patients are in hospitals, including 193 in intensive care (ICU). ICU occupancy rate is projected to peak on 24 November at over 250. The country's medical organisations warned the healthcare system is about to collapse, urging citizens to to do their best to avoid requiring urgent medical assistance over the next month or two.
City mayors propose creating legal basis for PC rule
LJUBLJANA - The association of Slovenia's urban municipalities called on the National Assembly to pass legal basis to allow the government to adopt scientifically supported measures to contain the Covid outbreak. The mayors suggested considering introducing the reconvalescent-vaccinated rule (PC), arguing the country is a "hostage of a minority of 200,000 people who oppose vaccination". Echoing the appeal, Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković partly blamed the government for vaccination hesitancy but urged people to show their opposition in the election rather by refusing to get the jab.
Slovenia to join three statements on transport at COP26
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia will join at the COP26 conference in Glasgow on Wednesday the statements on international aviation climate ambition, on zero emissions in maritime transport by 2050 and on the promotion of transition to carbonless cars and vans. The decision was announced by the government after a correspondence session. The statement on international aviation climate ambition will be signed on behalf of Slovenia by Environment and Spatial Planning Minister Andrej Vizjak.
Slovenia gains one spot in climate protection ranking
GLASGOW, Scotland - Slovenia ranked 50th on the Climate Change Performance Index ranking for 2022, an improvement by one spot, however scientists warn that the country's performance in fighting climate change is still quite poor. What strikes experts from NGO Germanwatch, NewClimate Institute and Climate Action Network, which publish the index yearly, as particularly problematic in Slovenia's ranking is its performance in tackling the current situation and achieving goals for 2030.
Committee okays agreement to purchase 45 Boxer APCs
LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee okayed in a 11:4 vote after hours of debate the government's plan to conclude an agreement with the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation for the purchase of eight-wheeled Boxer armoured personnel carries (APCs). The government intends to purchase 45 Boxer APCs, produced by Germany, for what is the currently estimated price of EUR 412 million.
The committee also okayed unanimously the proposal to conclude an agreement with Italy on solidarity measures to ensure reliable natural gas supply. It is expected to be signed on 2 December.
Cigler Kralj in Bratislava for launch of EU Labour Authority
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia - Labour Minister Janez Cigler Kralj was in Bratislava for the inauguration of the headquarters of the European Labour Authority (ELA), whose key task is to support EU institutions and member states in implementing the wide range of EU legislation governing various aspects of workers' mobility. In his address to the ceremony, Cigler Kralj assessed that the ELA will play an important role in the effective functioning of a rapidly changing EU labour market.
Conference urges EU states to draft child guarantee action plans
LJUBLJANA - Labour Minister Janez Cigler Kralj urged EU member states to draft action plans to reduce the number of poor children by at least five million by 2030 as he addressed an online international conference as part of Slovenia's EU presidency in Ljubljana. The ministry organised the conference Child Guarantee - Equal Opportunities for Every Child to urge EU member states to ensure free and efficient access to key services.
ECOFIN relaunches discussion on fiscal rule reform
LJUBLJANA - Chaired by Slovenia's Andrej Šircelj, the EU finance ministers relaunched the discussion on reforming the fiscal rule, which had been on hold since the outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic. The Slovenian presidency said interest had been shown for further talks on how to ensure greater simplicity and transparency of rules and favourable conditions for further recovery. "Our efforts to promote recovery are paying dividends. The response of EU members to the crisis is showing good results," said Šircelj.
Janša in video call with Cambodian PM
LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša had a video call with his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen with his office saying the pair discussed bilateral relations between the two countries which they both wish to enhance. The screen-to-screen meeting was held ahead of the Asia-Europe (ASEM) summit, which Cambodia will host later this month. The two officials established there was plenty of potential for bilateral economic cooperation between their countries.
EU Commission to keep monitoring STA situation
BRUSSELS, Belgium/LJUBLJANA - The European Commission said it would keep monitoring closely the situation of the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) after the agency signed a contract on the STA public service for November and December with the Government Communication Office. Spokesman Christian Wigand said the Slovenian authorities must ensure that the independence of the agency is fully preserved. The agreement was also welcomed by the European Alliance of News Agencies, which underlined the need to also secure a contract for 2022 to ensure the agency's autonomy and allow it to perform its mission. Meanwhile, acting STA director Igor Kadunc said the STA had managed to negotiate some key changes to the contract, but also had to agree to some compromises to avoid bankruptcy.
Zorčič addresses Auschwitz memorial event
OSWIECIM/KRAKOW/Poland - National Assembly Speaker Igor Zorčič attended a two-day memorial event in Poland, where he addressed the participants of a symposium on anti-Semitism in Krakow on Monday before visiting the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp today to deliver a speech and lay a wreath at the Auschwitz Death Wall. Zorčič noted Slovenia's legacy of anti-fascist resistance, while he condemned recent tweets by top Slovenian officials with anti-Semitic tones as intolerable.
Ljubljana synagogue reopens after renovation
LJUBLJANA - The synagogue in Ljubljana, which is part of the Ljubljana Jewish Cultural Centre, reopened after renovation. Addressing the event, President Borut Pahor underlined the importance of tolerance between religions and nurturing an inclusive society. Elie Rosen, the head of the Graz Jewish Community and the president of the Ljubljana Synagogue, noted the importance of the synagogue being opened on the day of memory of the 1938 pogroms, also known as Kristallnacht. The synagogue was refurbished as part of the EUR 1.2 million renovation of the whole building. German Embassy chipped in EUR 25,000. The comm
Car maker Revoz shrinking production
NOVO MESTO - Revoz, the Slovenian subsidiary of Renault, is switching from two shifts to one and a half on Monday, 15 November, to scale down production over uncertainties in the car industry resulting from the global crisis in semiconductors. In the coming months, around 350 of the company's more than 2,400 workers will lose their jobs.
Exports in September up 16.7% year-on-year, imports up 46.7%
LJUBLJANA - The upward trend in Slovenia's trade in goods continues, as the country exported goods worth EUR 3.5 billion in September, or 16.7% more than in the same month in 2020, while imports, totalling EUR 3.9 billion, were up by 46.7%. Slovenia's September figures were also higher than those in the same month in the pre-Covid year 2019.
GEN-I shareholders fail to appoint any candidate for CEO
LJUBLJANA - The shareholders' meeting of GEN-I, Slovenia's largest power supplier, failed to re-appoint Robert Golob as CEO after the supervisory board of Gen Energija, which owns half the company, did not give its consent for the reappointment on Monday. However, Davor Dimič, whom Gen Energija put forward to as successor of Golob, and another candidate for the management board also failed to get appointed in what media reports suggest is a political tug of war. Golob's term runs out on 17 November.
Minister Jaklitsch visits minority in Gorizia
GORIZIA, Italy - Minister for Slovenians Abroad Helena Jaklitsch started a two-day visit to the Slovenian ethnic minority in the Gorizia area as she continued visiting the minority in Italy. She visited a number of cultural and educational institutions and also met Archbishop Carlo Roberto Maria Redaelli and Mayor Rodolfo Ziberna, who presented plans for tourism information signs in Italian, Slovenian and English.
Two doctors detained on suspicion of corruption
MARIBOR - More than a hundred criminal investigators from across the country conducted a series of house raids as part of a criminal investigation into allegations of bribery and abuse of office. Two doctors were detained on suspicion of taking bribes to issue more than 10,000 illegal medical certificates over several years, including Covid-19 reconvalescence certificates and nearly a hundred proofs of negative Covid test results. The pair is thought to have made at least one million euro in unlawful gain.
Olympian Janja Garnbret makes climbing history
LJUBLJANA - Climber Janja Garnbret, who won a gold medal in sport climbing at the Tokyo Olympics, has set a new milestone by becoming the first woman to climb an 8c-rated route on-sight. She made the latest feat during a rock-climbing holiday in Oliana in Spain. In the beginning of November, she managed to climb two different 8c-rated climbing routes in the span of two days.
