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:
Omicron estimated to represent 40% of all coronavirus cases in Slovenia
LJUBLJANA - Omicron variant is rapidly becoming the dominant variant of coronavirus in Slovenia and experts estimate it already accounts for 40% of all cases. Last week, omicron represented a few percent of all cases that were positive in PCR tests. Among tests performed on Wednesday, 40% were omicron, said Tatjana Lejko Zupanc, the head of the infectious diseases department at the UKC Ljubljana. The National Laboratory of Health, Environment and Food confirmed 981 omicron cases with PCR tests and 93 with gene sequencing by yesterday; by today the figures rose to 1,170 and 248, respectively.
Epidemiologists oppose mandatory Covid vaccination for now
LJUBLJANA - The college of epidemiologists at the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) has unanimously endorsed the position that they cannot support the introduction of mandatory vaccination for now, citing an absence of legal basis and questions about implementation. The epidemiologists said it was likely that mandatory vaccination would end up being "dead ink on paper" given the absence of an implementing plan that would set down administrative procedures, and action in the event individuals decline to be vaccinated.
50% weekly rise in new coronavirus cases recorded
LJUBLJANA - The number of new coronavirus cases in Slovenia increased by more than 50% on a weekly basis as 1,704 cases were recorded on Wednesday, the National Institute of Public Health said. The test positivity rate was up by more than two percentage points on the day before to 33.4%. The number of active cases increased by 367 to 16,895. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 people was up by 17 to 798. Hospitalisations were up by two to 574 today, with 186 patients being in intensive care, or four fewer than yesterday. Seven Covid-19 patients died.
Janša indicates new coronavirus restrictions likely
LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša told public broadcaster TV Slovenija as he gave an end-of-the-year interview on Wednesday evening that Slovenia was "very likely in for days and weeks with the highest numbers of infections", which also entails difficult weeks when some freedoms will very likely have to be sacrificed again. He was not very specific about the prospect of mandatory vaccination against Covid-19, noting that the Constitutional Court had annulled several coronavirus measures. As for state borrowing to finance the many anti-coronavirus measures, Janša said the money had been distributed to people and businesses.
Opposition against mandatory vaccination in current situation
LJUBLJANA - Marjan Šarec, the head of the LMŠ, Social Democrats (SD) vice-president Andreja Katič, Left coordinator Luka Mesec, Alenka Bratušek of the SAB, Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) head Ljubo Jasnič and Zmago Jelinčič, the president of the National Party (SNS) appeared in a end-of-year talk at the public broadcaster TV Slovenija on Wednesday evening to discuss several issues. Most of them were against mandatory vaccination against Covid-19, citing great distrust of the people towards the authorities and misinformation that causes fear in some people.
Annual inflation in Slovenia at 4.9% this year
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded an annual inflation at a 4.9% rate this year, compared to a 1.1% deflation last year, the Statistics Office reported. Contributing the most (1.3 percentage points) to the annual inflation rate in 2021 were the more expensive petroleum products - the price of diesel fuel was up by 34.5% and of petrol by 31.8%. The prices of food increased on average by 4% to contribute 0.6 of a percentage point to the annual inflation, while half a percentage point was contributed by the higher prices of heating (+70.9%). On a monthly basis, the consumer price index remained unchanged.
General government deficit at 2.5% of GDP in third quarter
LJUBLJANA - As a result of the government's measures against the Covid-19 epidemic, Slovenia's public finances continued to run a deficit in the third quarter of this year, although it decreased significantly compared to the first two quarters, amounting to EUR 339 million, or 2.5% of GDP, the Statistics Office said. Total general government revenue amounted to EUR 5.7 billion in the third quarter, which was 7.9% higher than in the third quarter of last year. Total expenditure amounted to EUR 6.03 billion, an increase of 8.5%.
Budget with EUR 2.5bn deficit at the end of November
LJUBLJANA - The state budget revenue reached EUR 10.06 billion in the first eleven months of the year, or 20.5% more than in the same period last year. Expenditure was up by 14.8% to EUR 12.6 billion, with the deficit amounting to EUR 2.54 billion, slightly lower than last year at that time. What contributed to the lower deficit was the significant growth in revenue, the Finance Ministry said, noting the growth in revenue from personal income tax, corporate income tax, VAT and funds received from the EU.
SBI TOP benchmark up nearly 40% this year
LJUBLJANA - The SBI TOP, the benchmark index on the Ljubljana Stock Exchange, added 39.8% this year compared to a 2.8% loss incurred last year. The market capitalisation of all traded instruments rose by 7.6% to EUR 44 billion, stock exchange operator Ljubljanska Borza said. NLB bank was the standout performer among the blue chips, adding more than 66% in a year. Energy group Petrol was up by 56% and insurer Sava Re added by more than 50%. Krka was up by 29%.
Port of Koper surpasses annual transshipment record
KOPER - The container terminal of the port of Koper has surpassed its annual record for container transshipment, which stood at 988,501 container units. Port operator Luka Koper said it would have transshipped 996,000 containers by the end of the year, a significant milestone given the impact of the pandemic on global logistics flows. With further investments in increasing capacity, the Koper port will remain the largest container terminal in the Adriatic Sea, said chairman Boštjan Napast.
Higher network charges to cause electricity price rise
LJUBLJANA - Network charges for the distribution of electricity will increase by 14.16% as of new year, which will bring about an annual price increase of EUR 22.52 for the average household, the Energy Agency said. An average industrial consumer with annual consumption of 50 MWh will see the annual cost increase by EUR 468.85, while an industrial consumer with annual consumption of two GWh will pay an extra EUR 3,407.05 a year. The transmission system network charge will remain unchanged.
%MCEPASTEBIN%
