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This summary is provided by the STA:
Pahor to call general election for 24 April
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor formally informed the National Electoral Commission (DVK) that he would sign a presidential decree for a general election on 9 February, setting Sunday, 24 April, as the election date. This is in line with his earlier announcement that he would call this year's election at the earliest possible date. He believes that despite the Covid epidemic, the DVK has enough time to prepare and organise the election.
More than 10,000 Covid cases on Wednesday, Slovenia sending PCR samples to Germany
LJUBLJANA - A total of 10,288 new coronavirus cases were reported in Slovenia for Wednesday, a day after a record of more than 12,000 infections was confirmed, show official data. Roughly three weeks into the Omicron-driven wave, hospitals are gradually starting to fill up, with 580 Covid-19 patients hospitalised this morning. Seven patients with Covid-19 died yesterday. Overwhelmed with PCR test samples, the National Laboratory of Health, Environment and Food started sending part of the samples to Germany for analysis. The Eurofins lab processes them in 48 hours, which is in line with the new PCR testing protocol that kicked in yesterday.
EU Parliament endorses Slovenian candidate for Court of Auditors
STRASBOURG, France - The European Parliament endorsed on Wednesday Jorg Kristijan Petrovič, Slovenia's candidate for the European Court of Auditors. The non-binding vote was 487 in favour and 196 against, with 11 abstentions. The endorsement came after Petrovič, currently the first deputy president of the Slovenian Court of Audit, assured MEPs of his political independence and impartiality.
Pahor says Slovenia advocates One-China principle
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor said as he responded to PM Janez Janša's statements about China and Taiwan that ever since Slovenia and China established diplomatic relations, Slovenia had consistently advocated the One-China principle, a principle the EU is also bound to. "Taipei has representation offices in 20 EU member states. The idea to open one such representation office in Slovenia is not new. The president sees it as an encouragement to economic relations," Pahor's office said and made a point noting the difference between Taipei as Taiwan's capital and Taiwan as a country.
Business council says companies feel consequences of Janša's Taiwan statements
LJUBLJANA - After calling for stable political relations following PM Janez Janša's statements on closer ties with Taiwan, the Slovenian-Chinese Business Council said that Slovenian companies in the Chinese market were already facing a response from Chinese partners, some of them terminating contracts and exiting the agreed investments. Janša's statements prompted three centre-left opposition parties to request an emergency session of the parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee today, as they believe these could have long-term consequences for relations with Asian countries.
Počivalšek urges Janša to bear economy in mind in relations with China
LJUBLJANA - In the aftermath of PM Janez Janša's recent comments about Taiwan, Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek said on Wednesday Slovenia's foreign policy must keep the country's economic interests a priority, as China was one of Slovenia's largest economic partners outside the EU. "Personal views, even if given with the best of intentions, must take into account the economic reality," he said.
NLB management board expanded from three to six members
LJUBLJANA - The supervisory board of the NLB bank appointed Hedvika Usenik, Antonio Argir and Andrej Lasič to the management board to expand it from three to six members. Their five-year terms will start after approval from banking regulator, and they will continue to serve as assistants to the management board until then.
FURS head Simič new chief supervisor of SSH
LJUBLJANA - Ivan Simič, director general of Slovenia's Financial Administration (FURS), was appointed the chief of the supervisory board at Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH), taking over on Friday, SSH said. At the same session today, the supervisory board dismissed Simič's predecessor at the helm of the supervisory board Karmen Dietner, who however remains on the board.
Hungarian fund reportedly eyeing Sava stake
LJUBLJANA - Diofa Asset Management, a Hungarian asset manager, is the most likely buyer of a 43% stake in Sava, Delo and POP TV reported on Wednesday. The stake is held by York Global Finance Offshore, which is reportedly willing to sell it for EUR 35 million. The state assets guardian meanwhile dismissed today speculations that a sale of the state stake was on the horizon. Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek said in a response that it would be detrimental for the tourism sector if the state sold its stake in Sava in the state it was today.
Car maker Revoz cutting production further
NOVO MESTO - After switching from two shifts to one and a half in mid-November due to uncertainties in the car industry associated with the global semiconductor crisis, the Novo Mesto-based Revoz, Renault's Slovenian subsidiary, continues to shrink its production by switching to a single shift in April. Around 450 workers will be affected.
Government extends regulation of heating oil prices
LJUBLJANA - The government decided to extend the administered pricing of heating oil through the regulation on the pricing of petroleum products that was introduced last year, under which the distributors' margin has been limited to a maximum of six cents per litre of heating oil.
IMAD says productivity is rising, but progress is too slow
LJUBLJANA - The report by the government macroeconomic think thank IMAD on productivity in Slovenia, presented today, shows that while progress exists, it is not significant enough. Slovenia is lagging behind the top EU countries and is being caught up with by its rivals from Central and Eastern Europe, the think thank said.
Govt adopts negotiating position for pay talks with doctors
LJUBLJANA - The government adopted its negotiating position for pay talks with trade unions representing medical doctors, estimated at EUR 111.57 million annually. The negotiating position says that the top pay bracket for doctors could rise by six brackets to the 63rd under the public sector pay system.
Ex-CEO ordered to pay EUR 13 million in damages
NOVA GORICA - Former CEO of brewer Pivovarna Laško, Boško Šrot, and his family business Atka-Prima have been ordered to pay EUR 13 million in damages to fruit drinks producer Fructal over several deals dating back to 2008 and 2009, Primorske Novice reported. Šrot's lawyer Uroš Pogačnik told the paper that they would appeal the ruling.
Culture Ministry denies NGOs not awarded funds for political reasons
LJUBLJANA - The Culture Ministry has denied the allegations that the distribution of funds among independent culture producers for 2022-2025 was politically motivated, as it responded to criticism that certain producers have not received state funds as part of the four-year scheme worth EUR 14.4 million because they are critical of the government.
Slovenia's Expo pavilion hosted over 200 businesses in 2021
LJUBLJANA/DUBAI, UAE - The Slovenian Expo pavilion in Dubai has hosted 211 Slovenian companies up until the end of December and was visited by almost 400,000 people during that period, which is a fair number given the Covid-19 restrictions, said Matic Volk, Slovenia's Expo commissioner. "We are planning for a total of 350 companies to present themselves individually or through delegations at the Slovenian pavilion by the end of the Expo," he added.
Survey shows energy price rises putting companies at risk
LJUBLJANA - A survey by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) has shown that almost half of the 148 participating companies find the steep energy prices to be threatening to their long-term viability. The GZS has called for measures that would mitigate the situation, at least in the short term.
