Health experts propose phasing out Covid pass and quarantine
LJUBLJANA - Health experts outlined a gradual easing of measures against the Covid-19 epidemic at a consultation with the government, proposing the abolition of the Covid pass for shops, banks, post offices and administrative units, and the abolition of quarantines in case of high-risk contacts. They proposed that the rule that sets out a maximum number of people inside such establishments at the same time be maintained. Health Minister said that any changes were still to be decided on by the government, adding that imposing mandatory quarantines in case of high-risk contacts could come to end as early as Friday.
Week-on-week drop in coronavirus cases continues
LJUBLJANA - A total of 7,122 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Slovenia on Monday, a significant drop from a week ago when just over 11,000 cases were recorded. 427 people were in hospital due to Covid-19 this morning, 19 fewer than yesterday, including 114 in intensive care, down by four, government data show. In total, 943 hospital patients are infected with Covid, which is 16 fewer than yesterday. Another 23 patients with Covid died on Monday.
Health and social care workers to go on strike on Wednesday
LJUBLJANA - Trade unions representing workers in health and social care maintain they will go on strike on Wednesday, as talks with the government on their strike demands, including a pay rise, have failed to make any meaningful progress, the unions told the STA. They had announced the strike in late January, saying the government had failed to resume talks by the agreed deadline, and they insist on it after the latest round of talks with Health Ministry representatives, as they believe the government has failed to resolve the situation. On top of a pay rise, the unions' demands also include an improvement in working conditions.
Slovenia, UAE to collaborate in sustainable development, food systems
DUBAI, UAE - Slovenia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a memorandum of understanding on sustainable development and food systems as Agriculture Minister Jože Podgoršek held talks with Emirati Environment and Climate Change Minister Mariam Bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri. Podgoršek said the two countries would "develop cooperation in sustainable rural development, sustainable food production, food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary issues, and the promotion of trade in agricultural products," according to the Agriculture Ministry.
DeSUS and LIDE to jointly contest election
LJUBLJANA - The opposition Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) decided to form a joint list of candidates for the April general election with the Liberal Democrats (LIDE), a party formed last month by parliamentary Speaker Igor Zorčič, an unaffiliated MP. The intention to form a joint slate with DeSUS was confirmed earlier in the day by Zorčič, who left the coalition SMC in March 2021 together with another two MPs. Neither Zorčič nor DeSUS leader Ljubo Jasnič excludes a closer alliance of the two parties.
Our Land launches campaign, focuses on vulnerable groups
LJUBLJANA - Aleksandra Pivec, the president of Our Land, announced that the party has collected more than 1,500 signatures of voters, so it officially enters the election race. She said the party's platform would mainly address vulnerable groups, adding that it was too early to speak about post-election alliances. The former agriculture minister said such a large number of signatures collected in a short time shows that "there is a silent majority ... who want peaceful and respectful policies."
Cultural organisations urge lifting Covid restrictions
LJUBLJANA - Cultural institutions and association have addressed a letter to decision-makers to fully reopen cultural venues in Slovenia, and lift all coronavirus restrictions which govern organising and visiting cultural events by 21 February at the latest. The appeal, which was among others sent to the president, government, parliament and political parties, was signed by 70 organisations, including most theatres and museums, several festivals and arts centres, as well as Kino Šiška and the GIZ KOS association of concert organisers.
NGOs call for gender equality ahead of April election
LJUBLJANA - A number of organisations and individuals working for equal rights and opportunities for men and women have unveiled pre-election demands and sent them to parties and movements that will stand in the April general election. Gender equality is the foundation, not an upgrade of democracy, they said. They called for education on gender stereotypes, sex education, non-violent conflict resolution and the right to personal integrity to be included in the curricula on all levels.
Average gross pay up 6% in 2021
LJUBLJANA - The average gross pay in Slovenia rose by 6.1% in nominal terms in 2021 to EUR 1,970, the fastest pace in five years. The increase was almost equally driven by the public and private sectors, show the latest Statistics Office figures. While the nominal increase is the fastest in five years, the real increase was a more modest 4.1% due to high inflation last year.
Slovenia's fall in CO2 emissions in Q3 2021 biggest in EU
LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Slovenia saw the biggest decline in greenhouse gas emissions in the EU in the third quarter of 2021 when compared to the same quarter a year before even as emissions across the bloc increased to slightly below pre-pandemic levels, Eurostat data shows. Slovenia was one of only three EU countries whose emissions decreased in the period, by 2.6% year-on-year, along with Luxembourg (-2.3%) and the Netherlands (-1.6%), shows the report by the EU's statistics office.
Value of construction down nearly 6% in 2021
LJUBLJANA - The value of construction in 2021 decreased by 5.8% over the year before, the latest data released by the Statistics Office (SURS) on Tuesday show. The value of construction of buildings - residential and non-residential - plummeted by 23.6%, while that of specialised construction activities dropped by 1.2%. Civil engineering construction meanwhile saw a 4.8% rise, SURS said.
Tušmobil case statute barred
LJUBLJANA - The case of Tušmobil focusing on the telecoms company's acquisition of mobile telephony spectrum free of charge in 2006 and 2008, has become statute barred for all suspects, including former Tušmobil owner Mirko Tuš and the regulator's ex-director Tomaž Simonič. The Ljubljana District Court said in a retrial for Simonič on Tuesday that the alleged crimes had become stature barred in 2018. The prosecutors announced an appeal.
Pahor receives honorary doctorate at Lisbon University
LISBON, Portugal - President Borut Pahor was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Lisbon at a special ceremony, being honoured for his efforts to promote dialogue and for his continued commitment to fundamental European values, the president's office said. In his speech at the ceremony, Pahor expressed his gratitude for the recognition, and stressed that the European project is based on unity and reconciliation. He also talked with international relations students from the university.
Project aims to develop common understanding of history of three nations
KLAGENFURT, Austria - A pilot project led by the Slovenian Scientific Institute in Klagenfurt, Austria, is seeking to develop a trilingual online platform in a bid to contribute to multicultural education and a common understanding of the past shared by Slovenia, Austria and Italy. In the first phase the two-year project will try to present various aspects of the shared past side by side, says Daniel Wutti of the Institute for Multilingualism and Transcultural Education at the University College of Teacher Education in Klagenfurt.
Seven suspected of distributing child sexual abuse material
LJUBLJANA - Police conducted house searches yesterday at addresses of seven people suspected of distributing child sexual abuse material online. The pictures and videos seized show foreign children aged three to 13 years, police told reporters today. "Inquiries so far show the victims of sexual abuse do not include Slovenian children, nor have we so far found the perpetrators producing the contentious material themselves or sexually abusing the children," criminal investigator Robert Tekavec told reporters.
Regulator accepts commitments by four gas utilities
LJUBLJANA - The Competition Protection Agency (AVK) said it had accepted a set of commitments that four liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) utilities have made to do away with their controversial practice pertaining to the return of gas cylinders by clients. The investigation into potential collusion among Istrabenz Plini, Plinarna Maribor, Butan Plin and Ina Slovenija was launched in November 2020 over suspicion that they had secretly agreed to only accept the returns of their own gas cylinders.
Number of passengers in public transportation up in 2021
LJUBLJANA - The number of passengers carried in public transportation in Slovenia was up significantly last year compared to 2020. However, taking into account all the restrictions due to the epidemic, the numbers recorded in 2021 are still relatively low compared to the pre-Covid year 2019, the Statistics Office said. Buses in urban mass transit networks carried 30.8 million passengers last year, which is 22% more than in 2020. An increase in the number of passengers was also recorded in rail and air passenger transport, as trains carried 11.9 million passengers in 2021, almost double the number recorded in 2020.
Most wanted Slovenian suspect apprehended in Spain
LJUBLJANA - A Slovenian wanted in connection to the 300 kilo heroin bust at the Koper port in April 2018 has been apprehended in Barcelona with procedures now under way for his extradition to the Slovenian justice authorities. "The arrest is the result of excellent cooperation between Slovenian and Spanish police authorities," the online portal 24ur.com quoted the Slovenian police authorities as saying. Enis Končan, 39, also known as Dec, was apprehended in Barcelona on 4 February. He had been on the list of the 62 most wanted suspects or convicted criminals released by Europol online in December.
Downhill skier Štuhec wraps up Olympic career with 22nd place
BEIJING, China - Slovenia's skier Ilka Štuhec underperformed in the women's downhill at the Beijing Olympics due to back pain. the two-time downhill world champion finished in 22nd place, three seconds behind the first-placed Corinne Suter of Switzerland. This was Štuhec's last Olympic performance. Slovenian Maruša Ferk Saioni also competed in today's downhill race to finish 23rd.
Slovenia place 11th in biathlon men's relay in Beijing
BEIJING, China - The Slovenian men's biathlon team, including Miha Dovžan, Jakov Fak, Lovro Planko and Rok Tršan, finished eleventh in men's 4x7.5km relay at the Beijing Winter Olympics. The gold medal went to Norway. The relay race featured twists and turns and had a dramatic finish, which saw Russia, the silver-medallist, losing to Norway in the last standing stage.
World's largest serving of bograč cooked in Lendava
LENDAVA - The largest serving of bograč, a traditional Prekmurje dish, was cooked in Lendava on 4 September 2021, the Guinness Book of Records officially confirmed on Monday. The cooking team prepared 1,801 kilogrammes of the dish in a single cauldron. It took 16 hours for six cooks and 20 assistants to prepare the dish is typically made of three types of meat, wine and potato.
