Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.
This summary is provided by the STA:
Justice Minister Dikaučič survives no-confidence vote
LJUBLJANA - Marjan Dikaučič remains justice minister after 42 MPs voted in favour of a motion of no confidence, four short of the required majority. He was endorsed by 28 MPs as several deputy groups, including the junior coalition NSi, abstained. The motion focused on his responsibility for publishing an unlawful public call for applications for the appointment of two European delegated prosecutors, and of tolerating "inadmissible delays by the government, its selective approaches and political motives in the appointment". The minister dismissed all allegations saying his work was not the actual basis for the criticism, rather he was facing the motion only because he is a minister in the current government. He said he now wanted to focus on completing the appointment of delegated prosecutors and Slovenia's EU presidency.
Memorial to Slovenian-Croatia independence efforts unveiled
OTOČEC - A memorial in honour of the period when Slovenia and Croatia were gaining independence was unveiled with both countries' prime ministers Janez Janša and Andrej Plenković in attendance. The memorial commemorates the bilateral meetings and cooperation between Slovenia and Croatia, honouring and celebrating the 30th anniversary of independence of both countries. The prime ministers underlined the importance of cooperation and friendly relations. Janša said that any outstanding issues could be resolved through dialogue, good cooperation and friendship, while Croatia's Plenković said the two countries were the best of neighbours and friends.
Hojs dismisses allegations of politicisation of police
LJUBLJANA - Appearing in a televised current affairs show on Sunday, Interior Minister Aleš Hojs rejected allegations about the police organisation changes being an attempt to politicise the force. Hojs sees the new law as the first step towards a more professional police that would reduce any political interference, whereas the opposition maintains the opposite. He also said that during the previous government, the proposal had been talked about and included lower-rank changes on top of the current ones.
Slovenia lends over 40,000 Pfizer vaccine doses to Croatia
LJUBLJANA - The government decided to lend Croatia 40,950 doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine against Covid-19 in response to the neighbouring country's request for 40,000 doses. The donation will be made in the form of a dual donation - first by Slovenia to Croatia and the other in the form of Croatia returning the vaccine to Slovenia by 31 December, a release issued after the government's correspondence session said. The donation is in response to Croatia seeing a big increase in interest in vaccination.
Pahor congratulates Bulgarian president on re-election
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor congratulated Bulgarian President Rumen Radev on his re-election. The presidents also discussed the Covid-19 pandemic and stressed the importance of efforts by both Slovenia and Bulgaria to raise vaccination rates. They also discussed potential further steps in the search for a compromise solution on Bulgaria's blockade of North Macedonia's EU accession talks that would be acceptable to both sides.
Slovenia wants Belarus to remain high on EU's agenda
VIENNA, Austria - Foreign Minister Anže Logar said Belarus should remain high on the agenda of the EU and the international community as he condemned the Belarus regime and expressed support for democratisation of the country at a conference in Vienna. Logar called on the Belarus authorities to end the violence and persecution, immediately release all unlawfully detained political prisoners, investigate all human rights abuses, and make sure perpetrators are brought to justice.
New infections down for 3rd day running
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia saw its daily coronavirus count drop on the week before for the third straight day as 1,389 cases were confirmed on Sunday. However, more than half of the PCR tests were positive, and beds available for intensive treatment of Covid-19 patients are all but full as 1,162 Covid patients were treated in hospitals this morning, including 275 in intensive care, after 16 more patients died. Should the ICU figure top 288, a state of extreme emergency would be declared in healthcare, said Health Minister Janez Poklukar.
Most schools compliant with Covid rules
LJUBLJANA - The Education and Sport Inspectorate carried out 121 inspections in November to find 11 cases of irregularities in compliance with measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus, Chief Schools Inspector Simon Slokan said on Monday. Five schools were non-compliant but corrected things before re-inspections, and one school was temporarily shut down for non-compliance. It will be allowed to reopen once everything is found to be in order.
Court says reading Constitution at protest was minor offence
LJUBLJANA - The Ljubljana Local Court has dismissed a case against author and comedian Andrej Rozman Roza over his involvement in a protest reading of the Constitution in front of Parliament House in June 2020. The court said that this was minor offence that did not endanger anyone. It ruled on the matter after Rozman, who was fined for reading the Constitution at the anti-government protest along with several other intellectuals, lodged an appeal on a point of law.
Ljubljana drama theatre director resigns
LJUBLJANA - Igor Samobor, the director of Ljubljana's SNG Drama theatre, resigned due to what he described as government foot-dragging over the badly needed renovation of the building of Slovenia's largest theatre. In a resignation statement circulated Monday, Samobor says preparations for a renovation and extension of the theatre's building in the centre of Ljubljana had been proceeding since 2012, but then ground to a halt when Vasko Simoniti became the culture minister.
Renovated tomb of General Maister unveiled in Maribor
MARIBOR - After years of controversy and negotiations, the renovated tomb of General Rudolf Maister (1874 - 1934), the decorated Slovene military officer, poet and political activist, was unveiled at the Maister family grave at the Pobrežje cemetery in Maribor. The unveiling took place a day before 23 November, the anniversary of the date in 1918 when Maister's fighters seized control of the city of Maribor and the surrounding region of Lower Styria, thus protecting the northern Slovenian border.
Slovenia's independence subject of award-winning picture book
LJUBLJANA - This year's Kristina Brenk Prize for best original picture book goes to Osamosvojitev (Independence), a book by historian Nataša Strlič illustrated by Damijan Stepančič that deals with Slovenia's independence efforts and was published on the 30th anniversary of independence. The book offers an insight into the life and developments in Slovenia between 1980 and 1992.
All defendants in sawn-off hand case plead guilty
LJUBLJANA - The retrial in the infamous sawn-off hand insurance fraud case saw Julija Adlešič - the woman whose hand was sawn off - her partner Sebastien Abramov, and his parents all pleading guilty and receiving prison sentences. Adlešič and Abramov will spend 19 and 29 months in prison, respectively. Both have already served most of their sentences in custody.
Russia and Ukraine European chess champions
ČATEŽ OB SAVI - Russia and Ukraine were crowned European chess champions, respectively in the women's and open categories, as the European Team Chess Championship closed in Slovenia on Sunday evening. Among women, Georgia won silver and bronze went to Azerbaijan, whereas among men, France was second and Poland finished in third place. Slovenia's women team was 18th and men's team 32nd.
Javelin thrower Ratej withdraws appeal against doping sanction
LJUBLJANA - Martina Ratej, the Slovenian record holder in javelin, has withdrawn an appeal against doping accusations and accepted a two-year ban on competing effective from March 2020. All the results she achieved between 2012 and 2014 have been deleted from official records, in what is now a final decision.
Average gross pay in September decreases
LJUBLJANA - The average gross pay in Slovenia in September stood at EUR 1,873, while the average net pay was EUR 1,210. Both the gross pay net pay were down 1.4% nominally and 1.3% in real terms compared to August, the Statistics Office said. The average gross pay and the average net pay decreased in both the public and the private sector.
