New high of 7,420 daily coronavirus cases
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia saw a new record of 7,420 coronavirus cases on Tuesday as 13 Covid-19 patients died. The 7-day average of daily cases thus rose to 4,367 and the 14-day incidence per 100,000 people to 2,142. Over 45,000 people are estimated to be actively infected. 538 patients are treated in hospital, including 154 in intensive care, government data shows. Official data available on Covid tracker site shows 10% of primary school children and 16% of secondary students were self-isolating as of Tuesday.
Low-volume fracking to be allowed under new legislative proposal
LJUBLJANA - The government adopted on Tuesday amendments to the mining act under which low-volume hydraulic fracturing would be allowed but high-volume fracturing banned, legislation that paves the way for fracturing in the only location in Slovenia where it is currently being explored, the Petišovci gas field in the east. The bill - hydraulic fracturing is only a part thereof - comes just a day after a rival bill that would ban hydraulic fracturing altogether was to be discussed on committee.
Several of Logar's aides tipped to become ambassadors
LJUBLJANA - The news web portal N1 cited unofficial sources in reporting that Slovenia is to appoint several ambassadors and consuls this year with the list of candidates to include several closest aides of Foreign Minister Anže Logar. State Secretary Gregor Dovžan is to be appointed new ambassador to Croatia, while State Secretary Stanislav Raščan is to serve in Bratislava. Head of staff, Mihael Zupančič is to be posted to Copenhagen and Secretary General Jožef Drofenik to the Hague.
Ceremony marks 30th anniversary of international recognition
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor hosted a ceremony at the Presidential Palace to mark the 30th anniversary of recognition of Slovenia by European Community members and other European countries. The event was also by addressed by Dimitrij Rupel, the foreign minister of the time, and incumbent Anže Logar, who particularly emphasised the importance of unity among Slovenian people. Rupel opined that the diplomatic efforts that led to the country's recognition were underestimated by many today.
Progress in digitalisation listed as a presidency achievement
LJUBLJANA - Presenting the achievements of the Slovenian EU presidency in dossiers under his purview, Public Administration Minister Boštjan Koritnik highlighted the progress achieved in digitalisation, particularly the agreement between the Council and European Parliament to extend free mobile roaming rules in the EU until 2032. An agreement was also reached with the Parliament on the data governance act in what is an important milestone that will promote the data-driven economy in Europe, said Koritnik.
No clear favourite for new C-bank vice-governor yet
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor wrapped up two-days of consultations with deputy groups on the nomination of a new vice-governor of the central bank. It is not clear which of the five candidates have the best chances of appointment. Apart from incumbent Primož Dolenc, whose term expires on 5 April, other candidates are Sibil Svilan, outgoing CEO of SID Bank, Marjan Divjak, senior advisor at the treasury directorate, Branko Babič, strategic advisor at Banka Slovenije, and Miha Mihič, an executive director at the Delavska Hranilnica bank.
NGO urges change to prevent epidemic affecting right to vote
LJUBLJANA - The Legal Network for the Protection of Democracy called on Public Administration Minister Boštjan Koritnik to draft changes to electoral legislation to ensure that those who may be ill with Covid-19 or self-isolating during elections could still cast their vote. The NGO noted the health minister's statement that due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, as many as a quarter of the country's population could be ill with Covid or ordered to self-isolate at one point.
LIDE party founded with Zorčič as one of leaders
LJUBLJANA - A new party called Liberal Democrats (LIDE) was founded with National Assembly Speaker Igor Zorčič elected as one of up to three leaders in a move showing the party is open to alliances. Promoting liberal values, the party will seek to strengthen the middle class. The congress also adopted the party's platform, which Zorčič says gives the party a centre-left profile. Other founding members include former Health Minister Tomaž Gantar and several affiliated with former liberal parties SMC, Zares and LDS.
MP leaves the Left for SocDems
LJUBLJANA - MP Željko Cigler has left the deputy group of the opposition Left to join the Social Democrats (SD). The head of the SD's deputy group, Matjaž Han, said this did not affect the relations within the Constitutional Arch Coalition (KUL), whose members are both the Left and SD. The Left has now seven MPs and the SD has 13. Cigler is the second MP of the Left to join the SD after Franc Trček, who defected in March 2020.
PCT declared word of the year
LJUBLJANA - The word as well as sign language gesture of the year 2021 is PCT, the abbreviation for the recovered-vaccinated-tested rule, the ZRC research centre at the Slovenian Academy of Arts and Sciences announced. PCT received most votes from the public, and was closely followed by the word water, another expression that left an indelible mark on last year as a result of the July referendum. In third place is the word anti-vaxxer.
Slovenian passport 10th best for travel globally
LONDON, UK - Slovenia's passport gives its holders access to 181 countries without a prior visa, which ranks it 10th on the latest Global Passport Ranking, compiled by Henley & Partners, a London-based global citizenship and residence advisory firm. The country has thus climbed one spot from last year. Like the year before, the 2022 list is topped by Japan and Singapore, whose passports afford access to 192 countries without a visa or allows its holders to get a visa on arrival in the destination country.
Banks urge relaxation of consumer loan curbs
LJUBLJANA - Representatives of the Bank Association urged the lifting of restrictions that the central bank imposed on consumer lending in 2019, calling them illogical and not giving the banks a level-playing field. The association's director Stanislava Zadravec Caprirolo argued that Slovenian households were among the least indebted in Europe and could support consumption and thus the economy. The officials said that Slovenian banks are stable and in good shape with their liquidity at record levels.
Plečnik Auditorium in Tivoli Park to be reconstructed
LJUBLJANA - The municipality of Ljubljana has announced a public call for the reconstruction of the Plečnik Auditorium, the former open-air amphitheatre in a clearing behind Tivoli Mansion in Tivoli Park. It was designed by architect Jože Plečnik (1872-1957) and constructed in 1933, but left to decay after the Second World War. According to the plans drawn up by the architectural firm Medprostor, the wooden grandstand will be rebuilt on a steel structure with the open-air theatre covered in grass.
Unexploded WWII bomb found in Maribor
MARIBOR - An unexploded Second World War bomb has been found at a construction site in Maribor. The site has been cordoned off as a precaution and a bomb disposal team will neutralise and remove the 250-kilo device on Sunday. All residents within the 300-metre radium of the site will be evacuated and movement will be restricted in a 600-metre zone around the site. Slovenia's second largest city was one of the most bombed cities by the Allies in the lands of the former Yugoslavia during the Second World War.
