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This summary is provided by the STA:
Slovenia's GDP up 8.1% in real terms in 2021
LJUBLJANA - Driven by stimulus-fuelled domestic spending, Slovenia's economy expanded by 8.1% in real terms in 2021 after a 4.2% contraction the year before. In nominal terms it was up 10.9%, show preliminary estimates released by the Statistics Office. In the fourth quarter GDP grew by a seasonally adjusted 5.4% year-on-year. Domestic spending surged by 10.8% year-on-year, with final consumption, growing at 9.4%, having a bigger impact on headline growth than investments, although investments expanded by 15.5%. The central bank and the government's macroeconomic think-tank said future trends would be impacted by factors associated with Russia's military aggression.
Operation of Sberbank in Slovenia limited until Wednesday
LJUBLJANA - As a consequence of sanctions against Russia, the operation of the Russian bank Sberbank in Slovenia has been temporarily limited to card transactions, the central bank announced. Other services will be unavailable until Wednesday, and branch offices closed. Withdrawals and payments are limited to EUR 400 per day. In the wake of this, Gorenjska Banka decided to halt the planned acquisition of Sberbank Slovenija and the latter's clients faced difficulties as some 100 social transfers had been rejected and other issues are expected. PM Janez Janša assured Slovenian citizens who have their deposits with the Slovenian subsidiary of Sberbank that their savings are safe.
Slovenia sending rifles, helmets and ammunition to Ukraine
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia has sent rifles, ammunition and helmets to Ukraine, Defence Minister Matej Tonin revealed. He would not talk about quantities beyond saying that the aid has already been dispatched with "several aircraft". He said Slovenia had sent to Ukraine the Kalashnikov rifles that the Slovenian army had used before receiving the FN F2000 rifles. In this phase of the Russian attack, Ukraine needs anti-aircraft and antitank weapons as well as substantial quantities of personal equipment such as rifles, helmets, bulletproof vests etc., Tonin said.
Logar and Baerbock see EU values defended in Ukraine
BERLIN, Germany - Russia's invasion of Ukraine topped the agenda as Foreign Minister Anže Logar was hosted by his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock in Berlin. The pair agreed that EU values are being defended in Ukraine. Russia's conduct in Ukraine is a danger not only to Europe, but to the whole world, said Baerbock, who expects the UN General Assembly in the coming days to condemn Russian aggression and international isolation of the Russian leadership.
Slovenians in Russia or Belarus urged to leave the countries
LJUBLJANA - The Foreign Ministry urged Slovenian citizens who are currently in Russia and Belarus to leave the countries due to "limited flight connections and increased safety risks". The ministry said in a tweet they should choose safe travel options. The ministry said on its website that the assistance that the Slovenian Embassy in Moscow could provide to Slovenian citizens in these areas was limited.
Pahor promises help to Moldova over Ukrainian refugee crisis
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor pledged full support to Moldova in its efforts to help Ukrainian refugees as he spoke to President Maia Sandu on the phone on Monday. Slovenia will examine ways to help Moldova, he said, expressing Slovenia's support for Moldova's European perspective. According to a press release from Pahor's office, the two presidents exchanged views on the developments in Ukraine and condemned Russian aggression.
Pahor discusses situation in Ukraine with Polish counterpart
LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor and Polish President Andrzej Duda exchanged views in a telephone conversation on the current situation in Ukraine. They expressed "great concern over this clear violation of international order by Russian political leadership and called for the end of the Russian attack," Pahor's office said in a press release. The pair underlined the importance of a united and strong EU response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine that started last week.
First refugees from Ukraine arriving in Slovenia
LJUBLJANA - Defence Minister Matej Tonin announced that some ten refugees from Ukraine had already arrived in the country, and the company Esotech said that two families of its workers who were building a wastewater treatment plant in the city of Zhytomyr had been accommodated in a hotel in Velenje. Esotech chairman Marko Škoberne told the STA that the families included two children, aged one year and a half, and two years. All but one parliamentary party welcomed Slovenia's offer to accept Ukrainian refugees, although there was some scepticism whether the country has the capacity or would even need to take in between 180,000 and 200,000 as suggested by Interior Minister Aleš Hojs.
PM and NGOs call for separate protests in support of Ukraine
LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša and several NGOs have called each for their own protest in support of Ukraine. While the rally announced by Janša is to be held in Ljubljana on Wednesday, NGOs are calling for a protest for peace on Tuesday. Janša announced the protest in a post on his Twitter account on Sunday evening. It is to be held in the Slovenian capital on Wednesday at 5pm with the more exact location to follow.
Slovenia supports LNG terminals to diversify EU gas supply
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec underscored the need to diversify the EU's gas supplies and to synchronise Ukraine's power grid with Europe's as he addressed reporters after an emergency EU ministerial in Brussels discussed the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the energy market. Being that the EU depends heavily on Russian gas, diversification of oil and gas supply sources is urgently needed to ensure that gas and oil supplies are not disrupted by escalations such as the current one and potential future tensions, said Vrtovec.
MPs pass systemic bill to promote digital literacy
LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed a bill to encourage digital inclusion which is designed to enhance digital development of the economy and the entire society. The centrepiece is a scheme of "digital vouchers" for students and adults over 55 to buy digital devices and attend digital literacy courses. Apart from the over-55s, beneficiaries of the vouchers will be students and secondary school children, but also primary school children in the last three grades.
Annual inflation in February at 6.9% due to expensive energy
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded an annual inflation rate of 6.9% in February, the highest figure since July 2008, with the surging prices of energy being the main contributing factor. Inflation on a monthly level was at 1.4%, the Statistics Office said. Compared to February 2021, the prices of goods were up by 8.5% on average, and the prices of services by 3.7%.
Over two-month low in Covid cases confirmed on Sunday
LJUBLJANA - A total of 656 coronavirus test samples returned positive in Slovenia on Sunday for the lowest daily figure since mid-December after another two-month low in coronavirus cases was confirmed the day before, show fresh official data. The number of Covid hospitalisations continued to decrease steadily with 385 patients being treated for Covid as their main condition, down by six from yesterday. Another 15 people with Covid died, government data show.
Another poll puts Freedom Movement ahead of SDS
LJUBLJANA - Robert Golob's Freedom Movement is ahead of Prime Minister Janez Janša's Democrats (SDS) in the latest poll released by POP TV that this time also includes parties which have not contested the previous general election. The Freedom Movement ranked at 17.4%, a percentage point ahead of the SDS, which remained flat over the month before. The new party appears to have chipped away at the approval ratings of the centre-left opposition parties.
Ex-Luka Koper chairman acquitted in retrial
KOPER - Robert Časar, ex-chairman of port operator Luka Koper, and Milan Pučko, former executive director at the company, were acquitted in a retrial at the Koper District Court on Monday after they were found guilty of abuse of office in defrauding Luka Koper when planning a logistical centre in Beltinci, north-eastern Slovenia. The June 2018 guilty verdicts were, however, annulled by the Higher Court in Koper in late 2019 and the case was returned to the first-instance court for retrial.
Screenings for rare diseases to be stepped up
LJUBLJANA - Ahead of Rare Disease Day, the Health Ministry announced that the national screening programme for congenital rare diseases will be expanded to cover additional four conditions. The ministry will set aside EUR 2 million for this, Health Minister Janez Poklukar said. The programme will now include screenings for 40 diseases, up from 20, a figure that was set in 2018.h
