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This summary is provided by the STA:
Deal on sale of 43% of Sava sealed
LJUBLJANA - Prestige Tourism, a company backed by the Hungarian asset manager Diofa Asset Management, has confirmed buying a 43.2% stake in Slovenian tourism company Sava pending suspensive conditions. It plans to develop the company's tourism business with a EUR 200 million investment. The statement came after it was reported that the investment fund York had sold its stake for EUR 38 million. The state-owned Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH) and KAD fund now have 30 days to exercise their pre-emptive right to buy the stake, which would be in line with plans promoted by the Economy Ministry to establish a Slovenian tourism holding, consolidate it, and then privatise it.
Kokot appointed director of postal operator for full term
MARIBOR - The supervisory board of postal operator Pošta Slovenije appointed Tomaž Kokot the new director general of the state-owned company. kokot, who stepped in as Pošta Slovenije's interim director in late March 2021, when the previous director resigned. was given a full term of five years. Kokot took office today, the company said, with Sebastijan Gostenčnik, who took office in September 2021, and Karmen Lebe Grajf, who took office in October last year, staying on as members of the management board alongside him. Kokot was previously the chief supervisor of the company.
Top court annuls rulings unfavourable to Swiss franc loan borrowers
LJUBLJANA - The Constitutional Court announced it had annulled rulings by two courts that rejected borrowers' request for annulment of contracts on loans in Swiss francs and for a refund of overpayments, in what is the first decision of Slovenia's top court related to issue of Swiss franc loans. It has found that the rulings did not adequately address the concerns regarding the assessment of the standard of banks' duty of disclosure and that of fairness, and has returned the cases for reconsideration. The Bank Association said in a response that the decision was due to procedural reasons and thus refers to courts and not to banks.
Cross-party support indicated for Swiss franc loan bill
LJUBLJANA - Cross-party support appears to be emerging for a bill that would distribute the cost of the surge in the value of the Swiss franc in 2015 between banks and some 32,000 borrowers who saw the cost of their debt in euros soar as a result. This is despite concerns voiced by the government, banks and the parliamentary legal service.
Daily Covid case count somewhat lower than a week ago
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia logged 11,810 new coronavirus cases on Monday, a drop of 7.5% from the same day a week ago but on fewer PCR tests. Data released by the National Institute of Public Health shows the 7-day average of new daily cases dropping by 144 from the day before to 13,911. The 14-day notification rate per 100,000 people was still up by 149 to 8,328.
Change of government goal shared by Golob and KUL
LJUBLJANA - The leaders of the four centre-left opposition parties held their first formal meeting with Robert Golob, agreeing they were aspiring to the same goal, which is a change of government and the situation in the country. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Golob said voters expected to have another alternative to the ruling politics on the one hand and the KUL alliance of four opposition parties on the other, an alternative represented by his Freedom Movement party.
STA and UKOM sign public service contract for 2022
LJUBLJANA - Igor Kadunc, the director of the Slovenian Press Agency, and Uroš Urbanija, the head of the Government Communication Office (UKOM), signed a contract on financing the STA's public service in 2022. The two sides have thus "laid the foundation for the undisrupted continuation of the STA's work in this important year, when the agency is expected to work responsibly during the super election year", Kadunc told the STA. UKOM said that the total annual amount planned when it comes to state aid in the form of compensation for the financing of public service for 2022 remained the same as in the previous two years, at EUR 2,028,000.
After-hours voting proposed for those in quarantine, isolation
LJUBLJANA - In a bid to adjust the upcoming general election to the Covid reality, the National Electoral Commission has proposed that polling stations remain open for two extra hours in the evening to enable people in isolation or quarantine to cast their votes. In line with the proposal, voters who are in isolation or quarantine would come to cast their vote between 7.15pm and 9.15pm. People unable to arrive at polling stations because of Covid-19 would be allowed to vote from home. A decision on the proposal is expected on Thursday.
Validity of Covid certificates now limited
LJUBLJANA - Validity of Covid-19 vaccination certificates for adults is now limited to 270 days in line with EU recommendations, but can be extended with booster jabs. Also from today, a rapid test will be valid as proof of infection, but only in Slovenia. For the fully vaccinated their certificates will be valid for 270 days since the last prescribed full vaccination, which in most cases means from the second shot. On getting an mRNA booster, the certificate's validity will be unlimited.
Počivalšek talks ways to decrease EU's strategic dependence
PARIS/LENS, France - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek has paid a working visit to France, meeting French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade Franck Riester on Monday and participating in an informal debate of the EU economy ministers on Tuesday, discussing ways to reduce the EU's strategic dependence on third countries. Počivalšek highlighted measures in green and digital recovery, and those related to energy-intensive industries, such as the manufacturing of semiconductors.
Bill to remediate Celje Basin rejected in parliament
LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly rejected on Tuesday a bill would have seen the chemical company Cinkarna Celje pay EUR 16 million and the state EUR 7 million in a decade to remediate the heavily polluted Celje Basin. The bill had been tabled by Janja Sluga, a former MP of the ruling coalition, and supported by four current opposition parties. It had already been voted down by the Infrastructure Committee, with the coalition saying that a more systemic law was needed.
Janša visits Slovenia's central bank upon 30th anniversary
LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša paid a visit to Banka Slovenije on Tuesday after Slovenia's central bank recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. He received a gold medal that represents the "connection between the central bank and the country", his office said. One side of the medal symbolises the creation of the Slovenian state, the graphic representation of which was chosen by the citizens of Slovenia in an online vote, while the other side depicts the development of the central bank.
New honorary consul of Austria in Maribor taking over
MARIBOR - Helga Rudorfer has taken over as the new honorary consul of Austria in Maribor, which has also been moved to new premises in the building of the Grawe insurance company in Slovenia's second-largest city. The appointment comes after Jože Protner served in this capacity for the last twelve years. Announcing that Rudorfer had taken over on 10 January, the Austrian Embassy said that the consulate had moved to Gregorčičeva Road in Maribor. I will be open three days a week from 10am to noon.
Over 1,000 additional beds to be available in care homes
LJUBLJANA - The Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs has secured a total of 1,107 additional places in care homes all over the country, as EUR 65 million was allocated towards that goal. Almost a third of the newly available places will open in the region of Gorenjska in the north-west, the ministry said. The region with the most additional spots in care homes, Gorenjska, will provide 348 spots in the towns of Škofja Loka, Radovljica and Cerklje.
E-vignettes fully replace toll stickers in Slovenia
LJUBLJANA - Toll stickers are no longer valid on Slovenian motorways, as e-vignettes are being fully phased in today. They are linked to an individual vehicle's registration number and their validity is no longer tied to the duration of a calendar year. The sticker vignettes that have been in use in Slovenia for the last 13 years are to be discontinued in full, and the use of all toll roads in Slovenia is now possible only with an electronic vignette.
EEA report shows Ljubljana third greenest city in Europe
LJUBLJANA - Ljubljana is among the capital cities with the highest ratings in Europe in terms of urban tree cover and total green infrastructure, while it is sub-par in terms of public access to the city's abundant green spaces, shows a report published by the European Environment Agency. In terms of the percentage of urban tree cover and total green infrastructure, Ljubljana ranked third among the EEA members' capital cities in both indicators with 67% and 50%, respectively.
Marguč replaces Košir as Slovenia's Olympic flag bearer
BEIJING, China - Snowboarder Rok Marguč will replace his team-mate Žan Košir as one of Slovenia's flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Beijing on 4 February, as Košir remains in isolation after testing positive for coronavirus upon arriving in China, the Slovenian Olympic Committee said. It also announced that cross-country skier Eva Urevc had tested positive for coronavirus upon arriving in China as well. If her next two tests are not negative, she will need isolate.
