STA, 24 June 2021 - Residential property prices in the first quarter were on average 3.1% higher than in the previous quarter and 7.3% higher compared to the same period in 2020. The total value of residential property sold was EUR 297 million, which is EUR 33 million less than in the fourth quarter of last year and about the same as in the first quarter of 2020.

Prices of new residential property (new houses and flats combined) were on average 7.5% higher in Q1 than in the previous quarter.

That means that prices for new houses and flats have gone up for the second quarter in a row, this time up by 8.6% and 7% respectively, the Statistics Office said on Thursday.

Prices of second-hand residential property in Slovenia (second-hand houses and flats combined) increased by 2.9% on average on a quarterly level.

The prices of second-hand houses increased by 1.4%, while second-hand flats were 3.8% more expensive. The prices of second-hand flats increased the most in Maribor (4.6%) and Ljubljana (3.7%), while the average increase in the rest of Slovenia was 3.6%.

At an annual level, the prices of new flats saw the biggest increase (+13.1%), followed by new houses (+9.2%), second-hand flats (+7.5%) and second-hand houses (+6%).

The total value of all residential property sold in Slovenia in the first quarter of 2021 was EUR 297 million, compared to EUR 330 million in the fourth quarter of last year and EUR 289 million in the first quarter of last year.

The total number of residential property sales fell for the second consecutive quarter as 2,538 were sold in Q1, down by around 18% compared to the fourth quarter of last year.

Fewer second-hand residential properties were sold, 2416 with a total value of EUR 271 million, and there were also fewer sales of new residential properties.

Despite the decline in the total number of new residential property sale transactions, the trading volumes were 14% higher quarter-on-quarter, driven by higher sales prices for new residential properties.

More on this data

STA, 24 June 2021 - The centre-left opposition called for Slovenia's top officials to protest against Hungary's controversial new anti-LGBTQ law, voicing disappointment over Slovenia's failure to join the 16 EU countries that expressed their concern over the law in a joint statement.

The Social Democrats (SD) voiced their expectation in a press release that Slovenia's top officials will express a "diplomatic protest" over violation of LGBTQ rights in Hungary as Prime Minister Viktor Orban visits Slovenia for the independence ceremony anniversary on Friday.

The party said the Hungarian parliament's decision to ban debate on homosexuality in the education process marked a fast march toward a society where there would be no freedom, equality or respect for diversity. The party illuminated its headquarters in Ljubljana in rainbow colours yesterday as a sign of solidarity with the LGBTQ community.

The Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) is disappointed because Slovenia failed to sign on to the joint statement of 16 EU countries expressing concern over the contentious law and developments in Hungary "where the Viktor Orban regime sided with violation of basic human rights and tramples principles of equality".

"This is yet another piece of evidence showing our current government and Prime Minister Janez Janša in particular have been coquetting and cooperating with the Orban regime and even copying his conduct - in the field of media, judiciary and human rights as well as all other basic democratic standards".

Europe's #LGBT divide.

With Italy's late signature, these are the 14 EU countries that signed today's statement condemning Hungary's new law banning 'displaying or promoting" homosexuality to people under 18.

Portugal didn't sign because it currently holds the EU presidency. pic.twitter.com/OtttcMUsz7

— Dave Keating (@DaveKeating) June 22, 2021

Calling the actions unacceptable, the party endorsed the position of the 16 EU countries in a press release, adding that in Slovenia most of the people were committed to human rights and freedoms guaranteed in the Slovenian constitution.

Foreign Ministry State Secretary Gašper Dovžan said Slovenia did not join in the statement by the 16 EU countries because as the next country presiding the Council of the EU it would enter the role of a neutral negotiator "whose goal is to seek a balance between various views of EU member countries and look to near their views on common topics under discussion".

As a sign of protest against the Hungarian LGBTQ law, the city council of Munich called for the city's arena to be illuminated in rainbow colours for Wednesday's Euro 2020 match between Germany and Hungary, a move that was blocked by UEFA, Europe's football governing body, which is headed by Slovenia's Aleksander Čeferin.

The opposition Left criticised the UEFA leadership over the decision. In a press release on Wednesday the party called the decision regrettable, although not surprising "considering the football establishment is also invoking 'non-political' context when it imposes fines for Palestinian flags, pro-Catalan slogans [...]".

"Football is a political matter per se and at the same time a space that masses fill not only with their bodies but also with their persuasions," the party said.

STA, 23 June 2021 - The celebrations of the 30 years of Slovenia's sovereignty and independence will culminate with the main national ceremony on Statehood Day on Friday, 25 June, in memory of the day in 1991 when the Slovenian parliament passed several key documents for the country to leave the former Yugoslavia and become fully independent.

The high-profile ceremony will be held on Friday evening in Republic Square in Ljubljana, the same spot where the country's independence was ceremoniously declared on 26 June 1991.

The 9pm ceremony will also be an occasion to celebrate the start of Slovenia's EU presidency due on 1 July, so several senior foreign officials are expected to attend it.

Details of the ceremony have not yet been revealed, not even the main speaker, who is usually one of the senior-most politicians.

However, Statehood Day ceremonies are usually introduced with a firing cannon salute from Ljubljana Castle followed by a cultural programme and the main speech.

The Government Communication Office (UKOM) said this year Slovenia will be celebrated with songs, dances and recitals.

Despite coronavirus restrictions, a number of Slovenian and foreign politicians will attend the ceremony, but the list of foreign guests is still being finalised.

Representatives of all veteran organisations have also been invited. Independence War veterans confirmed their attendance and so has the head of the WWII veteran organisation, Marijan Križman.

Opposition leaders will meanwhile be largely absent. Marjan Šarec (LMŠ) and Luka Mesec (Left) will not attend, Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) new leader Ljubo Jasnič has not received the invitation and the SNS's Zmago Jelinčič will address a smaller Statehood Day event in Radenci.

Mesec will meanwhile go to an alternative 7pm event in Prešeren Square, which will be organised by groups attending Friday evening anti-government protests.

Before the state ceremony, the upper and lower chambers of parliament will meet for their festive sessions and an exhibition on Slovenia's 30 years by photographer Srdjan Živulović will open at the Parliament House.

The Slovenian Armed Forces guard of honour will be lined up at the entrance to Presidential Palace, which will be open to members of the public, who will be addressed by President Borut Pahor.

Following a democratisation drive in Slovenia and a deteriorating economic and national situation in the multi-ethnic Yugoslavia in the 1980s, the Slovenian assembly passed the key documents governing Slovenia's independence on 25 June 1991: the Basic Charter on Sovereignty and Independence, the constitutional law on to implement the charter, and the Declaration on Independence.

As the new legislation was passed, the then president of the assembly, France Bučar, said: "Long live sovereign and independent Slovenia!", to which the delegates, or MPs, stood up and applauded.

The Basic Charter says Slovenia is a sovereign and independent nation which assumes all rights and duties that were transferred onto the former Yugoslavia.

The Declaration on Independence set down a future course for the newly independent state - kind of a country Slovenia wants to be, with which institutions it intends to integrate or what relations it wants to have with former Yugoslav republics.

Independence was declared at a public event in Republic Square on 26 June 1991, when the flag of the Republic of Slovenia replaced the flag of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia in front of the parliament.

However, the festivities were short-lived as Yugoslav army tanks headed from barracks in Slovenia and Croatia to Slovenia's borders with Italy, Austria and Hungary, triggering a ten-day war of independence.

Following a ceasefire based on the 7 July 1991 Brijuni Declaration, brokered by the EU's predecessor, and a subsequent three-month independence process moratorium Slovenia had to agree to, the last Yugoslav soldiers left Slovenia in October of the same year as the Yugoslav authorities realised Slovenia could no longer be persuaded to stay in Yugoslavia.

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This summary is provided by the STA: 

Slovenia issues first sustainability bond

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia issued its first sustainability bond to finance exclusively sustainable projects. Demand for the EUR 1 billion bond with a 10-year maturity date outstripped supply by far, the Slovenian Finance Ministry said. Slovenia issued the green bond as the first Central or East European country and as the second EU member state, so the ministry labelled the transaction a milestone.

European Council head Michel to address state ceremony on Friday

LJUBLJANA - As the main ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of Slovenia's independence and the start of Slovenia's EU presidency is held on Friday, President of the European Council Charles Michel will address the part of the event dedicated to the presidency alongside PM Janez Janša. The keynote speaker at the ceremony will meanwhile be President Borut Pahor. The prime ministers of Slovenia's neighbouring countries will also take the stage.

STA decorated for irreplaceable role in media space

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor decorated the STA with the Order of Merit in recognition of its "irreplaceable mission" in the media space for the past 30 years and its vital role in the period when Slovenia was gaining its independence. In the explanation, the president's office noted that the agency was created when the country was born and it thus became its "official witness". At a ceremony in the Presidential Palace, the decoration was accepted by editor-in-chief Barbara Štrukelj and director Bojan Veselinovič, who described autonomous and institutionally and financially independent agencies as a golden standard of media freedom, democracy and respect for the right to be informed.

Coronavirus keeps receding

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported 50 new coronavirus cases for Tuesday as the 7-day average fell by a further ten to 59, while one patient with Covid-19 died, government figures show. Only 2.5% of the 2,038 PCR tests performed yesterday came back positive, as a total of 17,715 people were screened with rapid antigen tests. The cumulative 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents dropped by ten from the day before to 56, show data from the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ).

Vaccination moving to mobile units

LJUBLJANA - Mass vaccination in mobile units started in Ljubljana in an effort to raise the country's vaccination. The turnout today was not very inspiring, which medical officials attributed to high temperatures and a poor promotional campaign. As of tomorrow, mobile units will also be set up in Kamnik and then in Šenčur, Brda and around the country if there is enough interest, officials said.

Koritnik discusses EU presidency priorities with Portuguese counterpart

LISBON, Portugal - Public Administration Minister Boštjan Koritnik met Portuguese Minister for Modernization of the State and Public Administration Alexandra Leitäo in Lisbon to discuss the EU Leadership Exchange Programme and Slovenia's priorities for the upcoming EU presidency. The bilateral meeting was part of the ministerial meeting of the Informal Network of Public Administrations of the EU Member States taking place in Lisbon.

Slovenia to cooperate with Italian space agency

ROME, Italy - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek signed a letter of intent on cooperation in spacial activities for peaceful purposes with the Italian Space Agency as part of a two-day visit to Italy. He also met Italian Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti with the pair calling for boosting economic cooperation. Počivalšek signed the deal with president of the Italian Space Agency, Giorgio Saccoccia.

Slovenia on CIVICUS watchlist for restricting fundamental rights

LJUBLJANA - The CIVICUS international alliance of NGOs placed Slovenia on its list of countries to be monitored for a decline in fundamental civil liberties, which draws attention to countries where there is a serious and rapid decline in respect for civic space. Under the Janez Janša government, civil society organisations have been undermined by funding cuts and journalists and the national press agency have been targeted, CIVICUS said. It added that the government had used the Covid-19 pandemic as a pretext to pass several measures that affect basic human rights, the rule of law and the right to participation.

Changes to audiovisual media services act backed at committee

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Culture Committee unanimously endorsed at second reading a set of changes to the audiovisual media services act transposing an EU directive which regulates on-demand services and introduces a new fund to finance European audiovisual production. A debate pointed to risks of abuse of the fund, to which all providers of audiovisual media services will have to contribute.

US Chargé d'Affaires Falatko says STA important source of info

LJUBLJANA - Susan K. Falatko, the chargé d'affaires at the US Embassy in Slovenia, has told the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) that the embassy is closely monitoring the debate about the financing of the STA, whose importance should not be underestimated, as it is a major source of information about events in Slovenia for the US. The interview with the STA was conducted a few days ahead of the 30th anniversary of Slovenia's declaration of independence and a day after the 30th anniversary of the publication of the first news article by the STA. Falatko stressed that the STA "brings a diversity of voices from across the country, it brings stories from people around the country that might not be heard."

Major investment inaugurated at Koper port

KOPER - A 100-metre extension to Quay I of the container terminal at the Koper port was inaugurated in what the port operator's CEO Dimitrij Zadel said was a key strategic project that would allow Slovenia's sole maritime port to preserve its leadership in container transshipment in the North Adriatic. The first 150 metres of the shore of Quay I were built as early as 1979, with the latest being the fourth extension.

Insurance industry sees profit dip in 2020 in higher premium

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's insurance industry saw a decline in combined profit last year, despite an increase in gross written premium. Business was affected by low interest rates and the financial crisis triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic. The low interest-rate environment and the financial crisis impacted on lower return on investment on the one hand and on higher provisions on the other, Gorazd Čibej, director of the Agency for Insurance Supervision (AZN), told reporters.

TI Slovenia advocates protection on World Whistleblowers' Day

LJUBLJANA - On the occasion of World Whistleblowers Day, Transparency International Slovenia reiterated the need to protect those who act in the public interest by reporting irregularities. TI Slovenia president Alma Sedlar also stressed the importance of protecting whistleblowers as many face risk of reprisals. It wrote in a press release that whistleblowers saved lives and money that was not spent transparently by pointing to irregularities. However, individuals were often threatened with reprisals, with a survey showing that two-thirds of Slovenians believe whistleblowers may face retaliation.

Ceremony marking Slovenia's 30 years held in Brussels

BRUSSELS, Belgium - A short ceremony was held in Brussels to mark the 30th anniversary of Slovenia's independence. Among the attendees were MEPs from Slovenia and both Slovenian ambassadors in Brussels. Officials pointed to the path Slovenia has walked in the 30 years and the challenges ahead, especially the EU presidency in the second half of the year.

Teenager drowns at dangerous section of river Soča

SOLKAN - A 13-year-old boy drowned in the river Soča near the town of Solkan in the afternoon, media reported. The Nova Gorica Fire Brigade told the STA that the accident had happened on the kayak route in Solkan. This is the second teenage death in this area in less than a year.

New youth housing complex opens in Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - A new housing complex with almost 110 apartments for people aged 18-29 was inaugurated in Ljubljana in a bid to assist youths in gaining independence, starting family and securing financial freedom. Monthly rent will be some 150 EUR per person. The first of its kind in Slovenia, the youth complex in Gerbičeva Street, a student dorm district in the south-western part of the capital, features 109 apartments with either single- or twin-bedrooms. The facility also includes an intergenerational centre with a multi-purpose room, a common room, a kitchen and cafeteria, an office and an atrium.

Exhibition sheds light on independence as seen from abroad

LJUBLJANA - An exhibition entitled Impressions 30 opened at the Slovenian Ethnographic Museum (SEM), presenting personal memories of Slovenians around the world from 30 years ago, when Slovenia became independent, along with additional material published by Slovenians abroad. More than 60 reflections were gathered from a short questionnaire sent to various contacts from the countries of the former Yugoslavia, Europe, the Americas, Asia, Australia, as well as returnees.

STA, 23 June 2021 - A new housing complex with almost 110 apartments for people aged 18-29 was inaugurated on Wednesday in Ljubljana in a bid to assist youths in gaining independence, starting family and securing financial freedom. Monthly rent will be some 150 EUR per person.

The first of its kind in Slovenia, the youth complex in Gerbičeva Street (Skupnost za mlade Gerbičeva), , a student dorm district in the south-western part of the capital, features 109 apartments with either single- or twin-bedrooms.

The facility also includes an intergenerational centre with a multi-purpose room, a common room, a kitchen and cafeteria, an office and an atrium. Residents will have 40 parking spots available along with bike racks and EV charging points.

Housing Fund director Črtomir Remec said at the ceremony that the complex was also available to non-Ljubljana residents, adding that employment or education status was not a condition for getting subsidised rental apartments.

The complex is not intended for young families or students, and a tenant may occupy an apartment for a maximum of three years. First residents are expected to move in at the end of July or beginning of August.

This is the first of the three planned youth housing units, the other two being in western Ljubljana and in western Maribor. All three projects are being co-funded by the Council of Europe Development Bank.

Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković is also pleased with such development. "This is true decentralisation. The more housing units outside Ljubljana means less pressure on the capital," he said, adding this was a "beautiful acquisition."

Environment and Spatial Planning Minister Andrej Vizjak pointed out that Slovenia's long term housing strategy is to substantially increase the number of rental apartments as well as build new ones intended for various social groups.

"This pilot project shows how bringing together different generations can help propel young people towards greater independence and enable them to gain ground in their professional and family life," he concluded.

Development and European Cohesion Policy Minister Zvonko Černač, said that his prior experience in managing a housing fund showed how proper living conditions are one of the fundamental prerequisites for youths to gain independence.

Learn more at the website

STA, 23 June - CIVICUS, an international alliance of NGOs, on Wednesday placed Slovenia on its list of countries to be monitored for a decline in fundamental civil liberties. Under Janez Janša's government, civil society organisations have been undermined by funding cuts and journalists and the national press agency have been targeted, they wrote.

This comes as Monitor CIVICUS, an online platform that monitors civil liberties in 196 countries, released its updated human rights watchlist on Wednesday.

The CIVICUS Monitor Watch List draws attention to countries where there is a serious and rapid decline in respect for civic space. The list now includes Slovenia, Colombia, Ethiopia, Chad and Myanmar.

As CIVICUS pointed out, since assuming power, Janez Janša's government has been "using the Covid-19 pandemic as a pretext to pass several measures that affect basic human rights, the rule of law and the right to participation".

They said that civil society organisations faced funding cuts and smear campaigns, and the government had justified its decisions by claiming that the money will be redirected to contain the pandemic.

"In addition, the right to peaceful assembly has been disproportionately limited during the pandemic. Since the government came into power, weekly cycling protests have been held. However, police have issued fines to protesters summing up to EUR 10,000," they wrote.

"The prime minister has adopted the style of former US President Donald Trump on Twitter, constantly attacking and discrediting independent journalists, calling them 'liars' and calling women journalists 'presstitutes'," CIVICUS added.

It notes that the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) has been facing political and economic pressures as well. The government stopped funding the agency, despite an EU warning against such attempts to put pressure on public media outlets.

"At the same time, pressure is being exerted on the STA's management in an attempt to destroy the agency," CIVICUS said, also calling on the Slovenian government to stop attacking NGOs and to reverse the decisions it took to restrict their funding.

"The CIVICUS Monitor downgraded Slovenia's civic space rating in December 2020 to NARROWED, which is already a warning sign. We therefore call on European institutions to pay attention to the rapid shrinking of civic space in Slovenia, which has been in a spiral of continuous deterioration under the government of Janez Janša," said Aarti Narsee, European Civic Space Researcher for CIVICUS.

Based on constant analyses of multiple streams of data on civic space, CIVICUS assigns each country a rating as follows: open, narrowed, obstructed, repressed or closed.

Slovenia is currently rated NARROWED by the CIVICUS Monitor as one of the 40 countries in the world with this rating.

This rating is typically given to countries where democratic freedoms, such as the freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly and association, are increasingly being violated.

You can see more on the report here

STA, 23 June 2021 - Slovenia reported 50 new coronavirus cases for Tuesday as the 7-day average fell by a further ten to 59. One patient with Covid-19 died, government figures show.

Only 2.5% of the 2,038 PCR tests performed yesterday came back positive, as a total of 17,715 people were screened with rapid antigen tests.

The cumulative 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents dropped by ten from the day before to 56, show data from the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ).

Hospitalisations also decreased, by nine to 83, with 29 patients now in intensive care, down by four.

The NIJZ estimates there now 1,199 active cases in the country, out of a total of 257,117 confirmed since the first case was confirmed in March 2020.

Data released on the government website show a total of 4,743 patients with Covid-19 have died.

A total of 804,193 people have received their first shot of a vaccine against Covid-19 and 605,471 have been fully immunised, which represents 38% and 28.8% of the population, respectively, according to NIJZ.

Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

This summary is provided by the STA: 

EU inaction in Western Balkans "strategically dangerous", FM Logar says

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The EU should move "as soon as possible" from a wait-and-see approach to a problem-solving strategy in dealing with the EU enlargement to the Western Balkans, Slovenian FM Anže Logar told the Euractiv news portal in an interview in which he discussed the priorities for Slovenia's upcoming EU presidency. He said that in recent years, the EU had not been "too active in the region vis a vis reform stalemate" and that enlargement "has fallen off the EU's agenda" in the past decade.

Austrian parliament speaker visits Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - Wolfgang Sobotka, the speaker of the Austrian parliament, paid an official visit to Slovenia to meet his counterpart Igor Zorčič, Prime Minister Janez Janša and President Borut Pahor. The focus of the talks was on the EU and its enlargement to the Western Balkans, and bilateral relations, including minority issues. They officials exchanged views on topical political issues in the EU and the priorities of the Slovenian EU presidency, mainly the Western Balkans' prospects to join the EU and NATO.

Metsola discusses parliamentary aspect of EU presidency

LJUBLJANA - First Vice-President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola met representatives of both houses of Slovenia's parliament to discuss the parliamentary aspect of Slovenia's presidency of the Council of the EU. Metsola said the priorities of the Slovenian presidency were similar to the priorities of the European Parliament, be it the enlargement to the Western Balkans, cyber security or migrations. The Maltese politician met Marko Pogačnik, the chair of the National Assembly's EU Affairs Committee, National Assembly Speaker Igor Zorčič and Prime Minister Janez Janša.

Bilateral ties and EU presidency in focus as Logar visits Bavaria

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar met Bavarian State Minister for European and International Affairs Melanie Huml in Munich for discussions that focused on the efforts to deepen political and trade relations between Bavaria and Slovenia and the challenges of the Slovenian presidency of the Council of the EU. The ministers also took part in the closing part of the 32nd session of the standing bilateral Bavaria-Slovenia commission, which agreed a number of projects of bilateral cooperation.

Hojs attends EU-US justice and home affairs ministerial

LISBON, Portugal - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs took part in a meeting of EU and US ministers in charge of justice and home affairs in Lisbon which discussed cooperation in the combat against terrorism and cybercrime, as well as migration, among other issues. Hojs attended the meeting on behalf of Slovenia as the next president of the Council of the EU. One of the officials representing the US was Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas, whom Hojs invited to visit Slovenia during its presidency.

Govt adopts measures to boost vaccination

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a set of measures to scale up vaccination by making it more accessible and increase the country's immunisation rate at a correspondence session on Monday, including tasking the Health Ministry with immediately organising a large number of mobile vaccination units. The ministry was also tasked with instructing vaccination centres to provide enough time slots for vaccination without a prior appointment to all those who are interested in getting a jab and with whichever vaccine they want.

65 new coronavirus infections on Monday, one death

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported 65 new coronavirus cases for Monday in what continues to be a significant week-on-week decrease. A single Covid-19 patient died, show fresh official data. The seven-day average of new daily cases fell from 76 to 69 and the 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents dropped by seven to 66. Hospitalisations also decreased. According to data by the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ), there are currently some 1,400 active cases in the country.

Archbishop Zore says Slovenia has all but attained its goals

LJUBLJANA - Stanislav Zore, the archbishop of Ljubljana, looked back upon the path walked since Slovenia declared independence 30 years ago, finding the nation had largely attained its goals. "We may not be there yet in all segments of society and all subsystems, but those who know the workings of the old system from up close, know what path we have walked," Zore said in his homily. The Mass was attended by Slovenia's most senior officials and members of the diplomatic corps as well as the visiting president of the Austrian parliament Wolfgang Sobotka.

Opposition MPs on politics and the 30th anniversary ceremony

LJUBLJANA - The leaders of the opposition Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ), Social Democrats (SD), Left and Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) were critical of the current government in an interview with RTV Slovenija on Monday, regretting that Slovenia is so divided as the 30th anniversary of independence approaches. They also commented on the ceremony to be held on Friday with only the leaders of the SD and SAB planning to attend it.

Strategic Council presents first 40 measures for digital decade

LJUBLJANA - The Strategic Council for Digitalisation presented the first package of measures promoting digitalisation, which the government endorsed at its last week's session. "These are 40 solutions for the fourth decade of the Slovenian state, which will undoubtedly be a digital one," said the council's head Mark Boris Andrijanič. The Council, set up in April, has included solutions for the digitalisation of public administration, healthcare, education and economy into the first package.

Govt appoints state secretaries at Justice Ministry

LJUBLJANA - The government appointed Zlatko Ratej and Anže Erbežnik state secretaries at the Justice Ministry. In line with the decision adopted at Monday's session, Ratej is staying on as he already held this post under the previous justice minister with his term starting today, whereas Erbežnik is a newly-appointed state secretary, whose term will start on 1 July.

Power group HSE posted net loss of EUR 184 million in 2020

LJUBLJANA - The state-owned power group HSE posted a net loss of EUR 184.1 million last year after reporting EUR 29.7 million in net profit in 2019. The Šoštanj coal-fired power plant (TEŠ) alone generated EUR 280.4 million in net loss. Meanwhile, the group's sales revenue was record high, at EUR 1.8 billion. Investments by Slovenia's largest electricity producer totalled EUR 42.8 million, up 4.5% from the year before.

DNS launches platform for reporting attacks on journalists

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Journalist Association (DNS) launched a platform for reporting attacks on journalists that will keep track and monitor such attacks as well as raise awareness about the issue. The platform will record reports of physical as well as verbal attacks and threats, the DNS said, noting that the idea for the platform had emerged due to the increasingly hostile environment in which journalists work.

Web platform launched to boost political responsibility

LJUBLJANA - The centre for investigative journalism in the Adriatic region Oštro and the institute Danes Je Nov Dan (Today Is a New Day) launched on Monday a web platform where a list of promises made by politicians will be published as a reminder to them that they have a responsibility towards citizens. The platform Obljuba Dela Dolg (A Promise Made Is a Debt Unpaid) will aim to increase political responsibility and strengthen trust in politicians, thus encouraging participation in political processes, the institute behind the project said.

Survey shows rise in child obesity during epidemic

LJUBLJANA - The latest measurements of school children's fitness show the Covid epidemic has severely impaired school children's physical efficiency, making 10% addicted to digital devices, and increasing the share of overweight kids by 30%. Revealing the results, experts from the Ljubljana Faculty of Sport proposed several measures to address the issues, such as no more school closures and possibly no homework.

Slovenian women's basketball team knocked out of EuroBasket

STRASBOURG, France - The Slovenian women's basketball team was knocked out of the 2021 EuroBasket Women on Monday evening with a defeat against Russia (93:75) in the quarter-finals qualification. The Slovenian team will have another chance to improve on their achievements in two years' time on home court, as the 39th European Women Basketball Championship will be held in Slovenia.

STA, 22 June 2021 - The latest measurements have revealed the Covid epidemic has severely impaired school children's physical efficiency, making 10% addicted to digital devices, and increasing the share of overweight kids by 30%. Experts thus propose several measures to address the issue, such as no more school closures and possibly no homework.

"Zoom-assisted distance learning has increased the time kids sit by 63%, while the share of non-active activities rose by 30% and the share of moderate to intensive activity was at a mere 7%," Gregor Starc, a professor at the Ljubljana Faculty of Sport, told the press on Tuesday.

Kids spent time looking at various screens for more than seven hours a day, he said as he presenting the results after two-thirds of the research into physical efficiency of school children has been completed.

He noted that schools in Slovenia had been closed for more than 100 days whereas the WHO had urged governments to close them as the last institutions in the pandemic.

Starc is also very worried that despite the end of the epidemic, the future holds more distance education than before it.

He stressed that schools provided equal opportunities to children regardless of their social status, meaning inequality increased during the epidemic.

Until 2020, the share of overweight school children in Slovenia was dropping 1% a year over the past 10 years.

But now compared to 2019, the share of overweight children rose by 23% at schools which acted upon similar research results from last year when schools re-opened.

The rise in overweight children at schools which did not have the exact data increased by as much as 34%.

The epidemic took the biggest physical efficiency toll on the most physically successful children, pushing them towards those at the bottom.

"The drop in top physically efficient children in 2020 was as much as 31.4%," said Starc.

This was accompanied by other bad habits, with 10% of the children addicted to video games and 8% to social media, said Martin Korošec, a digital marketing expert.

Too much sitting was moreover coupled with unhealthy diet, a lack of socialising and communication and less time for the family, which all affects the development of brain and increases the risk of digital addiction, he said.

Both Korošeč and Starc urged measures at national level as well as broader to contain the negative effects.

Starc stressed that "foremost, schools must not be closed", and Korošec added that "screen time must be limited, including for schooling".

Sport should not be a "burdening school subject", so the idea is that it should become the first subject without marks where only a child's progress is monitored.

"Taking Finland and Denmark as a role model, homework should be abolished so that schoolwork does not eat into a child's spare time," said Starc.

Another measure to encourage physical activity would be introducing subsidies for sport for children who already have school meals subsidised.

Starc said no new gyms are needed as Slovenia is one of the best in this respect, while children can also spend time outdoors regardless of weather if properly dressed.

However, "in three generations, the radius within which children move outdoors without their parents' supervision has narrowed from five kilometres to one".