News

18 Jul 2022, 06:17 AM

Headlines for Slovenia: Monday, 18 July 2022

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:

Ministry urges support for ICC on 20th anniversary

LJUBLJANA - On Day of International Criminal Justice, the Foreign Ministry marked the 20th anniversary since the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the International Criminal Court (ICC), took effect on 1 July, by underscoring the court's role and calling for sufficient political and financial support for it. The war in Ukraine has "emphasized the ICC's role in ensuring accountability for the most serious crimes and the urgent need for sufficient political and financial support for the court's work," said the ministry.

More than 180 battle wildfire in Kras

RENČE - More than 180 firefighters are battling a fast spreading wildfire in the north-western Kras, near the border with Italy, helped by an army chopper. An Italian civil protection helicopter has also been activated and a European solidarity mechanism deployed with a request for a Canadair. The fire broke out in the steep and hard to access terrain above Renče in the Vipava Valley, but then spread toward the village of Kostanjevica na Krasu and Cerje with the help of string bora wind.

Roglič quits Tour de France due to injuries

NANTES, France - Primož Roglič pulled out of the Tour de France for a second straight year due to injuries sustained in a crash in the chaotic 5th stage on the Paris-Roubaix cobbles. Ahead of stage 15, his team Jumbo-Visma announced the 31-year-old was quitting the race to be able to recover from his injuries. "I'm proud of my contribution to the current standings and I trust that the team will realise our yellow and green ambitions," Roglič said. His teammate Jonas Vingegaard is currently in the lead.

Vicious Cat award for Taiwanese film The Sadness

LJUTOMER - The Sadness, a Taiwanese film in which mutation of a flu-like virus causes an outbreak of hellish violence on the streets of Taipei, won the Vicious Cat for best feature film as the 18th Grossman Festival of Fantastic Film and Wine came to a close in Ljutomer late on Saturday. Written and directed by Canadian filmmaker Rob Jabbaz in his feature-length directorial debut, The Sadness was praised by the judging panel headed by director Jack Sholder as a great genre film.

Over two-thirds of waste water was treated in 2021

LJUBLJANA - Almost 233 million cubic metres of waste water was brought into the public sewage system in Slovenia last year, which is up 0.6% from the year before. More than two-thirds of waste water was treated before being released into the environment, the Statistics Office data shows. Almost 55% of waste water came from rainwater, followed by waste water from households (31%) and other activities, including industry (6%) and agriculture (0.2%).

Firefighters converging on Celje for Olympics

CELJE - Firefighters from twenty countries began gathering in Celje for the 17th International Fire Brigade Competitions, popularly known as the Firefighting Olympics, in what is the biggest such event ever held in Slovenia. Featuring more than 2,600 participants from 198 teams, the Olympics will officially start on Wednesday with a concert featuring more than 200 participants. Running until next Sunday, the Olympics will be accompanied by a number of events aimed at the general public.

Average Slovenian eats four litres of ice cream a year

LJUBLJANA - An average Slovenian indulges in nearly four litres of ice cream at home a year, shows data released by the Statistics Office to mark unofficial holiday celebrating this treat. Slovenia exports far more ice cream than it imports. Last year, Slovenia imported ice cream worth almost EUR 16 million, mainly from Germany and Croatia, but it exported more than five times as much, primarily to the UK and Germany. Ice Cream Day celebrations originate from the US. They peak on the third Sunday in July.

17 Jul 2022, 10:53 AM

Tour de France: Injuries Force Roglič Out of Race

STA, 17 July 2022 - Slovenia's rider Primož Roglič has been forced to pull out of the Tour de France for a second year in a row due to injuries sustained in a crash in the chaotic 5th stage on the Paris-Roubaix cobbles.

Ahead of the 15th stage on Sunday, Roglič's team Jumbo-Visma announced the 31-year-old was quitting the race to be able to recover from his injuries.

Roglič had a bad crash when he hit a hay bale that appeared to have been moved onto the road by a race motorbike in stage 5. He dislocated his shoulder, put it back in himself and continued the race but lost over two minutes overall to his key rivals.

Roglič then moved into a support role and kept riding despite his pains. Ahead of today's stage he was 21st overall, with a gap of 33 minutes and 39 seconds behind his teammate Jonas Vingegaard, who took the yellow jersey from the defending Slovenian champion Tadej Pogačar in stage 11.

"I'm proud of my contribution to the current standings and I trust that the team will realise our yellow and green ambitions. Thanks to everybody for your great support," Roglič said in a brief message on pulling out.

17 Jul 2022, 06:31 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Sunday, 17 July 2022

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:

Govt adopts legislative changes on same-sex marriage, adoptions

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted on Friday legislative changes to remedy the regulation prohibiting homosexual couples from getting married or adopting children. The changes to the family code will be fast tracked through parliament, the Government Communication Office said. This comes after the Constitutional Court announced last week that a law under which only heterosexual partners can marry and same-sex couples cannot adopt children was a violation of the constitutional ban on discrimination.

Hikers injured by lightning brought safely from the mountains

KRANJ/MOJSTRANA - Hikers who were injured by lightning during a storm in the area of Mt Triglav in the Julian Alps on Friday and spent the night at a hut on Mt Kredarica under the supervision of a doctor and mountain rescuers have been safely transported from the mountain, the Kranj police said. Among them were two foreigners. Two of the 18 hikers sustained serious injuries and had been transported to the valley on Friday evening.

Former Ambassador Peter Toš dies

LJUBLJANA - Former Ambassador Peter Toš has died aged 83, the STA learned from the diplomat's family. Toš started his career as Yugoslavian ambassador to Tanzania and was the head of the club of former Slovenian ambassadors in recent years. He was born in 1939 in Celje and started his career as diplomat as Yugoslavian ambassador to Tanzania. After the break-up of Yugoslavia, he returned to Slovenia to chair a mixed Slovenian-Croatian commission for tackling the border issues. He served as Slovenian ambassador in Cairo and Tel Aviv. President Borut Pahor expressed condolences to Toš's family.

Slovenia's positive net migration lowest since 2017

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded what is the lowest positive net migration since 2017 last year as 2,480 people more moved in than out. Compared to 2020, the number of people who moved in was down by more than a third while the number of people who moved out was up by almost 20%, the Statistics Office said.

16 Jul 2022, 07:00 AM

Last Week in Slovenia: 8 - 14 July, 2022

What follows is a weekly review of events involving Slovenia, as prepared by the STA.

If you’d like to keep up on the daily headlines then follow those here, or get all our stories in your feed on Facebook.

FRIDAY, 8 July
        LJUBLJANA - The Constitutional Court legalised same-sex marriage and adoptions with immediate effect after finding legislation under which only heterosexual partners can marry and adopt children to be in contravention of the constitutional ban on discrimination. The court gave parliament six months to amend the law, as the government and the gay community welcomed the decision.
        LJUBLJANA - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked European countries, including Slovenia, for their support for Ukraine in its fight for freedom as he addressed the National Assembly via video call. He also called on Slovenian companies to join Ukraine's post-war reconstruction. The event was attended by Slovenia's top officials, President Borut Pahor, PM Robert Golob and speakers of both houses of parliament.
        LJUBLJANA - The government adopted an emergency bill estimated at over EUR 200 million that is designed to reduce waiting times for health services. The core provision is the removal of the cap on the number of services the ZZZS public health insurer pays in a given year for the period between 1 September 2022 and end-2023.
        LJUBLJANA - Interior Minister Tatjana Bobnar announced the Slovenian army will start removing razor wire from the border with Croatia in the week starting on 11 July, an effort expected to take 150 days. The razor wire and the fence were put up in the wake of the 2015/16 migration crisis.
        LJUBLJANA - The government established a centre in Postojna to accommodate 120 Ukrainian citizens who have been granted or requested temporary protection status. The first to move will be vulnerable Ukrainian citizens who are currently at the asylum centre in Logatec.
        LJUBLJANA - The government amended a regulation on renewable sources in transport in a bid to keep fuel prices in check giving Slovenian fuel retailers greater leeway in determining how much biofuel they add to their fuels.
        POSTOJNA - TV Slovenija reported that two Ukrainian staff had allegedly physically abused Ukrainian orphans staying in Slavina near Postojna. The local social centre received several anonymous complaints and the Labour Ministry suspended the two teachers replacing them with Slovenian ones. Oversight has been beefed up.

SATURDAY, 9 July
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's treasury extended the issue of three bonds with a total value of just under EUR 405.5 million in what the first long-term borrowing under the new government of Robert Golob. This puts Slovenia's total long-term borrowing this year at EUR 3.27 billion.
LJUBLJANA - Delo reported that a building appearing in a new Marvel series movie is very similar to the Kolašin WWII memorial complex Slovenian architect Marko Mušič designed in Montenegro in the mid-1970s, wondering whether this could be a case of a potential copyright infringement.

SUNDAY, 10 July
LJUBLJANA - Slovenian ICT companies generated EUR 4.55 billion in revenue in 2020, 2% more than in 2019 and 34% more that a decade earlier. Their value added reached EUR 1.74 billion, 10% more than in 2019, and the number of people working in the sector exceeded 30,000, data from the Statistics Office shows.

MONDAY, 11 July
        LJUBLJANA - The Energy Agency urged Slovenian gas consumers to use natural gas with care as a precaution as it declared stage one warning to notify the public of potential disruption to supply in the future in case of reduced supplies from Russia. Companies in Slovenia are looking for alternatives, but the business chambers said this would take time, funds and cooperation, while they also expect the state to help out.
        PRAGUE, Czech Republic - Interior Minister Tanja Bobnar attended an informal EU ministerial in Prague, telling her colleagues the Slovenian police has not yet detected major security threats stemming from the war in Ukraine, but is paying close attention, including to potential human trafficking.
        LJUBLJANA - The Advocate of the Principle of Equality urged legislative changes after reviewing the international protection act to find potential discrimination in provisions on unaccompanied minors seeking international protection. The Interior Ministry said it is willing to cooperate with oversight bodies.
        LJUBLJANA - Lawyer Nataša Pirc Musar is in the lead in the presidential race, according to a poll conducted by Mediana for public broadcaster RTV Slovenija. She enjoys the support of 23.9% of respondents and is followed by ex-Foreign Minister Anže Logar (16.6%) and Freedom Movement vice-president Marta Kos (14.4%). Kos meanwhile dismissed ex-Slovenian President Milan Kučan's argument that it would be inadmissible to have members of one party holding the top three posts in the state. She believes Kučan's argument is being abused by some other presidential candidates to disqualify her from the presidential race.
        MARIBOR - The shareholders of NKBM bank decided to sell NKBM's leasing firm Summit Leasing Slovenija to Biser Topco, the Luxembourg-based owner of NKBM's owner Biser Bidco, which is owned by the US Apollo fund and the EBRD.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's electricity output dropped by over 8% in 2021 while consumption rose by 3%. The country's output met 83% of its needs, down almost 10 points from 2020 but on a par with pre-pandemic years, Energy Agency data shows.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's consumption of natural gas rose by 6% in 2021 over the year before to a record 10,163 GWh since 2010, Energy Agency data shows. The total consumption increased with all gas consumers, and is attributed to an increase in the number of gas users and colder weather.
        COPENHAGEN, Denmark - Slovenia's capital Ljubljana and the country's second largest city Maribor fared poorly among 344 cities in the European Environment Agency's city air quality rankings - placing 279th (poor air quality) and 207th (moderately clean air), respectively.
        KLAGENFURT, Austria - Florjan Lipuš, one of the most important Slovenian minority writers in the Austrian state of Carinthia, received the Grand Golden Badge of Honour of Carinthia for his contribution to the preservation of the Slovenian language and for major literary work.
        LJUBLJANA - A total of 5,194 final-year secondary school students or some 95% passed the national school-leaving exam, known as the matura exam, which is close to last year's 97%. A total of 302 students passed it with flying colours, the same as last year, while the number of candidates that scored all points, rose by 3 to 18.

TUESDAY, 12 July
        BERLIN, Germany - PM Robert Golob paid his first bilateral visit to Germany. The meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz focussed on the war in Ukraine and its ramifications, EU enlargement, and bilateral cooperation. Golob said the goal of getting through the winter without Russian gas was very ambitious but attainable if the EU works together. Golob and Scholz agreed that the Western Balkans had been in the waiting room for EU membership for too long.
        LJUBLJANA - The newspaper Finance reported that Slovenian hauliers pay a lower diesel price at Petrol service stations along motorways compared to the prices others pay, as they have commercial agreements with Petrol under which diesel costs the same as outside Slovenia's motorways. Business chambers confirmed the news. The Infrastructure Ministry declined to comment, while Minister Bojan Kumer said at the end of June there would be no such double prices in Slovenia.
        LJUBLJANA - The European Commission filed a lawsuit against Slovenia for failing to transpose the EU directive on electronic communications. A bill that would replace the 2024 electronic communications act was voted down twice under the previous government over provisions which would allow Chinese provider Huawei's exclusion.
        LENDAVA - It was revealed that the Administrative Court ruled in June that Hungarian minority MP Ferenc Horvath did not breach incompatibility of dual office rules when also serving on the council of a Hungarian minority organisation. Horvath said the court had found no conflict of interest because he represented the interests of the Hungarian community in both offices, and ordered the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption to change its decision concerning Horvath.
        LJUBLJANA - The opposition New Slovenia (NSi) expressed its opposition to the government's decision to remove the razor wire from the border with Croatia, arguing it had been taken without a security assessment and cannot be justified from the aspect of migrations and security.
        LJUBLJANA - The Economy Ministry allocated EUR 69 million to 20 projects to develop and restructure ski resorts into all-year mountain centres and construct additional or renovate the existing accommodation facilities. However, Kanin, one of the main ski resorts in dire need of an upgrade, did not make the cut.
        LJUBLJANA - The ZZZS public health insurance fund said the government-proposed EUR 200 million emergency bill aiming to cut waiting times in healthcare will not stabilise the healthcare system. The fund believes waiting lists should be brought up to date first to see how many staff and how much funds are actually needed.
        LJUBLJANA - Big Bang, the largest Slovenian consumer electronics retailer, announced it had signed a contract to acquire Sancta Domenica, one of the largest Croatian retailers in the same segment to created a strong regional player with 30 shops in two countries.
        LJUBLJANA - The newspaper Dnevnik reported that after Slovenian retailer Mercator had been transformed from a joint stock company into a limited liability company at the beginning of July, its owner Fortenova is planning to merge certain business functions of Mercator and Croatian retail chain Konzum. The Mercator brand is to be preserved.

WEDNESDAY, 13 July
        LJUBLJANA - The newspaper Delo reported the government is in talks to potentially buy Polish KTO Rosomak troop carriers, which would cost about half the price of the 45 German-made Boxers ordered by the previous government, a deal the new government subjected to an internal review. Previous Defence Minister Matej Tonin warned the KTO Rosomak vehicles are outdated and provide a lower level of safety.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission released its third annual Rule of Law Report, with Vice President Vera Jourova saying that past developments in the media in Slovenia, including the suspension of STA financing, had prompted the Commission to start thinking about media rules that would apply to all EU states. The justice and culture ministries as well as human rights ombudsman welcomed the report, with the Journalist Trade Union saying Slovenian media landscape was at a crossroads.
        KOUROU, French Guiana - Trisat-R, a nanosatellite developed at Slovenia's University of Maribor, was launched in space in French Guiana as the third Slovenian satellite to date, in what the university hailed as "a pioneering mission" in which only three European countries are taking part - Slovenia, France and Italy.
        MARIBOR - Franc Kangler, an ex-state secretary who served as Maribor mayor in 2006-2012, will not get EUR 588,000 in damages as the Ljubljana District Court rejected in a retrial his compensation claims for the trials in which he was either acquitted or the charges were dropped, according to the media. He is only entitled to EUR 50,000 for wrongful conviction in a case concerning a flat fortune teller Karin Ježovita received from the municipality.
        SERRE CHEVALIER, France - Half way through the 2022 Tour de France, Slovenia's defending champion Tadej Pogačar lost the yellow jersey of the overall leader at the world's most prestigious road cycling race, finishing 11th stage in 7th place.

THURSDAY, 14 July
        LJUBLJANA - Electricity prices for households and small and medium-sized companies will be capped from 1 September to August 2023, and households will pay between 15% and 60% less for electricity than now, depending on provider, Infrastructure Minister Bojan Kumer announced.
        LJUBLJANA - PM Robert Golob appealed for political unity as he set out his government's plans to ensure energy and food security and address rising prices and inflation in parliament. The government plans to double strategic food reserves and replenish fuel reserves, as it declared level 1 threat with respect to electricity production.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission upgraded its forecast for Slovenia's GDP growth from 3.7% to 5.4% for this year, but it expects growth to slow down sharply to just 1% in 2023 compared to its earlier projection of 3.1%. Slovenia is expected to enjoy the second highest growth rate in the EU after Portugal this year based on a strong carry-on effect from last year.
        LJUBLJANA - Parliament passed an emergency bill designed to tackle long wait times for health services by securing more money and prepare the system for a more sweeping reform that is to follow. It lifts the cap on the value and number of services that the public health insurer pays in a given year.
        LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly endorsed the bill ratifying the NATO accession protocols for Finland and Sweden. Only the coalition Left reiterated its opposition to NATO enlargement and advocacy of Slovenia's quitting the alliance, voting against. PM Robert Golob said on the occasion that Finland and Sweden's decision to join NATO was "historic".
        LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly unanimously ratified an agreement between Slovenia and Italy on solidarity measures to safeguard the security of gas supply under which Slovenia can ask Italy to supply gas to protected customers in the event of supply disruptions, and vice versa.
        LJUBLJANA - The MPs passed an omnibus act filed to parliament with voter signatures to change eleven laws passed under the previous government that the 8 March Institute NGO deemed harmful to equality, human rights and the rule of law. The act restores the legislation to the state before it was amended by the Janez Janša government in fast-track procedures or without consulting experts.
        LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed changes to the act on RTV Slovenija with which the government would like to reduce what it sees as the influence of politics on the public broadcaster. Under the changes, the existing programming council and the supervisory board will be replaced with a single council with 17 members in which more power would be given to the civil society and staff.
        LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a bill on personal data protection that aims to transpose the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) into Slovenia's legislation. The Information Commissioner welcomed the move, noting that Slovenia remains the only EU member state that failed to draft new legislation following the GDPR.
        LJUBLJANA - Pharmaceutical company Lek confirmed reports it had discovered an error in its calculations of wages which led to its staff being underpaid in the last 20 years by a combined total of about EUR 100 million. Lek plans to reimburse all current and former employees for the last five years with default interest for the last three years, the minimum required by law, despite appeals by trade unions for more money.
        LJUBLJANA - A further 1,738 people tested positive for coronavirus in Slovenia in the latest daily count, an increase of 6% from the same day a week ago. Hospitalisations rose by 12 to 66 in a week, with ICU cases down by one to seven.

16 Jul 2022, 04:39 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Saturday, 16 July 2022

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:

Hungarian president notes need for unity to tackle challenges

LJUBLJANA/LENDAVA - Slovenian and Hungarian presidents Borut Pahor and Katalin Novak praised bilateral relations and noted that the war in Ukraine and its consequences represent a huge challenge for the region and Europe that requires joint and uniform solutions, as they met as part of Novak's official visit. Pahor noted "brilliant continuation of relations between Slovenia and Hungary", which is symbolised by the fact that Novak had chosen Slovenia for her first official visit after taking office. Novak, too, noted the trust and the good relations, also pointing to the care for the rights of the Hungarian and Slovenian ethnic minorities. In the afternoon, the presidents attended the opening of the new Hungarian Community House in Lendava.

Michel replies to Pahor's letter on Bosnia's EU candidate statues

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor has received European Council President Charles Michel's reply to his 14 June letter in which Pahor advocated giving Bosnia-Herzegovina EU candidate status and only then require of it to meet the accession criteria. Michel says the EU is fully and unwaveringly committed to the European perspective of Western Balkan countries and supports the accelerated process of their EU accession. He also notes the 23 June summit underlined its readiness to grant candidate status and called on all political leaders in Bosnia to stick to their commitments and swiftly implement the necessary reforms.

Brussels welcomes action on media independence

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission welcomed Slovenia's action regarding media independence after the National Assembly passed amendments to the act on public broadcaster RTV Slovenija that strip parliament of its role in appointing members of management and supervisory bodies. "In the past we raised concerns about attempts to undermine the independence of public service media in Slovenia, so it's good that the government wants to take action with the aim to adopt more safeguards to protect this independence," Commission spokesman Christian Wigand said.

Minister vows security to be ensured post-border fence removal

METLIKA - Slovenian soldiers started removing the 51km of razor wire that runs along the southern border with Croatia, starting at a border crossing near Metlika, SE, with Interior Minister Tatjana Bobnar and acting Police Commissioner Boštjan Lindav on hand. Bobnar said the wire fence was a totally disproportionate measure, so the government decided to get rid of it and guarantee security in other ways. Once the razor wire is removed, the panel fence will be also removed in collaboration with local communities once a contractor has been selected in an open call. The razor wire and panel fence had been set up in the wake of the 2015 migration crisis.

Social partners find common ground at first meeting in over a year

LJUBLJANA - The Economic and Social Council (ESS) met for the first time in 14 months to establish that there are no major disagreements and that common ground was found on the essential points of discussion, while commitments were made to revive social dialogue after it was stalled under the previous government. Lidija Jerkič, the head of the ZSSS trade union confederation, said the first session of the country's main industrial relations forum under the new government showed the "meeting was positive and we are pleased with the response of the entire ministerial team present".

PM calls meeting on cost-of-living crisis for Wednesday

LJUBLJANA - PM Robert Golob called a high-level working meeting for Wednesday to discuss the challenges of high energy and food prices in a bid to secure political unity in adopting measures to address the cost-of-living crisis. Invited are the leaders of all parliamentary parties, all deputy group leaders, the finance, infrastructure and economy ministers, the director of the Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development, several economists and several representatives of energy companies. Golob said yesterday that both opposition leaders, Janez Janša and Matej Tonin, had expressed readiness to cooperate.

Urbanija to become boss of TV Slovenija

LJUBLJANA - Uroš Urbanija, who served as the head of the Government Communication Office (UKOM) under the previous government, will be appointed director of TV Slovenija by RTV Slovenija general director Andrej Grah Whatmough on Monday, RTV Slovenija said in a statement. The news comes after Urbanija was interviewed by Grah Whatmough today after having already received approval of the broadcaster's programme council last week. The trade unions reiterated their opposition to Urbanija, saying based on his modus operandi in the past, they expect his appointment to lead to further deterioration of relations within the broadcaster.

Two new members appointed to RTV Slovenija programme council

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly appointed on Thursday journalists Alenka Sivka and Branimir Piano members of the public broadcaster RTV Slovenija programme council to replace two members who resigned. Piano is a culture writer and critic and Sivka a magazine journalist and editor who unsuccessfully ran on the Freedom Movement's ticket in the general election.

Govt to build "giant solar power plants" for households

LJUBLJANA - The government is gearing up to increase the capacity of production of electricity from solar energy, with PM Golob announcing on Thursday a plan to set up "giant solar power plants" available to households in the next three years. The Infrastructure Ministry confirmed for the STA today it was working intensively on the plan to increase the solar power production capacity. On Thursday, the government tasked the infrastructure minister with drawing up a plan to increase this capacity by 1,000 megawatts by 2025 in suitable locations in cooperation with national grid operator ELES and distribution system operator SODO.

Catholic Church regrets legalisation of gay marriage, adoptions

LJUBLJANA - The Bishops' Conference accepts the Constitutional Court's legalisation of gay marriage and adoptions with regret, saying in a statement that the objective is to reject human nature and build a new social order in which every person will be able to shape themselves as they wish and without regard for their natural characteristics. The bishops said that adoption is not a human right, so it was all the more important to prioritise children's rights and optimal circumstances for their growth and development.

Ex-govt officials paid EUR 230,000 for unspent annual leave

LJUBLJANA - The magazine Mladina reported the Janez Janša government distributed EUR 230,000 among its members as compensation for the annual leave they did not take. This was done on 1 June, just one day before the new government was sworn in. The biggest recipients were Zdravko Počivalšek, Simona Kustec and Andrej Šircelj, the former ministers of economy, education and finance. Former officials are entitled to 80% of their pay for a year after end of service if they do not do any other work as it is.

Covid figures keep rising

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported 1,592 new cases of coronavirus for Thursday, an increase of 20% from the same day a week ago, as hospital figures rose following a surge in infections over the past two weeks. Data released by the Health Ministry shows the number of patients hospitalised with Covid-19 as their prime condition rising to 78, up by 12 from the previous day as the number of intensive care cases rose by three to ten. One patient with Covid-19 died yesterday.

First section of large solar plant completed at Zlatoličje

PTUJ - A 2.5 megawatt peak (MWp) solar power plant has been connected to the grid at the complex of Slovenia's largest hydro power station as part of what will eventually be a 30 MWp solar plant that would be able to generate over 37,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of green electricity annually. The solar plant was built on the left bank of the discharge canal of the Zlatoličje-Formin power station near Ptuj in a project valued at just over EUR 2 million. The investor was the hydro plants operator DEM.

Hit by worst drought in 35 years, coast braces for severe water shortages

KOPER - Rižanski Vodovod, the company supplying drinking water to the entire Slovenian coast, said the current drought is the worst in 35 years. After a number of restrictions have been in place for a while, the company introduced additional limitation today, saying water shortages are unavoidable this summer. "When every litre of water is in question, cars can stay dirty and wait for the next rain," Rižanski Vodovod director Martin Pregelj pleaded, warning the situation is deteriorating by the hour. He said there will be water every day yet not 24 hours a day, and warned that tap water will not be potable.

*Lightening injures 18 in Alps

KRANJ - A lightning strike in the area of Mt Triglav in the Julian Alps injured 18 mountaineers, two of them seriously. The pair were flown to hospital in Ljubljana but their lives are not at stake. The rescue effort was hampered by fog, the country's Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief said. The accident happened around 3pm CET in the area of Mt Mali Triglav, a 2,725-metre peak, as the mountaineers were en route from Mt Triglav, the country's tallest mountain, towards Mt Kredarica, 2,515 metres, the Kranj Police Department said.

Composer Nina Šenk wins Austria's Johann Joseph Fux Prize

GRAZ, Austria - Slovenian composer Nina Šenk won this year's Johann Joseph Fux Prize, awarded by the government of the Austrian state of Styria, for her new opera composition called Canvas, based on the libretto by Slovenian writer Simona Semenič. The judging panel praised Šenk for her technical skills and maturity, saying they were strongly impressed by her oeuvre. She is the second Slovenian to win the prize after Tomaž Svete, who won it in 2000 for his chamber opera Kriton.

15 Jul 2022, 14:27 PM

57th Beer & Flowers (& Music) Festival in Laško, 15 – 17 July

STA, 15 July 2022 - The 57th Beer and Flowers Festival will kick off on Friday, turning the eastern town of Laško into a three-day Mecca for beer lovers and horticulturists. In addition to traditional brews and blooms, the event promotes green practices, the organisers said.

There will be rock beats, polka music and other musical performances as well, with popular names such as singer-songwriter Vlado Kreslin and Šank Rock band.

The festival in 2019

The organisers, Laško Centre for Sport, Tourism, Information and Culture, noted that visitors can opt for sustainable and green transportation to get to the festival. They can hike or ride a bike or a train to get to Laško, a town famous for beer brewing.

The national railway operator is again preparing a special train ride to accommodate the festival.

The event will wrap up on Sunday with a flower show, an exhibition marking the 160th anniversary of the Laško Brass Band and a Beer and Flowers parade.

Laško Brewery used to be the largest brewery in Slovenia. Together with the Ljubljana-based Union Brewery it was acquired by Dutch beer giant Heineken in 2015, and the two merged into Laško Union Brewery the following year. Last year, production was moved from Ljubljana to Laško due to safety concerns, but packaging and logistics activities continue in the capital.

Learn more about the festival on the website

15 Jul 2022, 14:21 PM

Drought Brings Water Restrictions to Coast, Many Other Parts of Slovenia

STA, 15 July 2022 - Prolonged drought has prompted water restrictions in the coastal region as well as many other areas in the country. The latest such measure to be taken in the region is a ban on using drinking water to irrigate agricultural land and for other agricultural uses.

The ban is a result of escalating droughts and a further decline of available water resources, the Koper water utility company said on Friday.

Farmers have been dreading this against the backdrop of warnings that the current drought may be the worst in 50 years.

The decision comes after a number of other measures were adopted to mitigate the situation in the coastal-Karst region.

Until further notice, sprinkler systems on public lawns are turned off, as are showers on all beaches and fountains in public areas. Watering of lawns and car washing are banned, with the exception of car washes using recycled water. Utilities will continue to water trees and flowerbeds only from potential water wells and other water sources.

The Koper water utility warns that compliance with the restrictions is the only way to avoid water supply disruptions before the end of this month.

The similar situation occurred in 2012 when calls for water efficiency were successful and there was no need for restrictions, the company's director, Martin Pregelj, noted in late June when the situation started to escalate.

Many municipalities in the wider Primorska region and elsewhere are following suit with similar steps. Some, including those in the east, have also imposed a ban on watering gardens, car washing and filling up swimming pools.

Drought is currently the worst in the northern Gorenjska and western Goriška regions and in most of the Primorska region, but other areas are also at risk of severe water shortages, with the exception of the north-east, shows fresh data by the Environment Agency.

15 Jul 2022, 14:03 PM

Slovenian Employers Group Wants to Make Hiring Foreign Workers Easier

STA, 14 July 2022 - Employers wanting to hire workers from abroad are unhappy over how long it takes for the required paperwork to be approved, a round table debate hosted by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Gospodarska zbornica Slovenije - GZS) heard on Thursday. This is costing Slovenia a workforce it desperately needs, they said.

GZS representatives want the government to intervene and enable faster issuance of work permits. However, Labour Ministry official Grega Malec said the existing procedure was good and that the ministry was not thinking about making any interventions.

Employers also want Slovenia to strike new bilateral labour agreements.

Matevž Frangež, a state secretary at the Economy Ministry, said the debate showed changes must be made. His ministry is addressing the issues with a task force bringing together relevant ministries. He believes procedures must not be too complicated, but warned against abolishing safeguards.

Frangež believes there is room for improvement within the existing framework, also mentioning changes to administrative unit jurisdiction rules and the establishment of what he called a "virtual administrative unit" to handle work permit application backlogs.

Aleksander Vojičić, the head of the Administrative Unit Service of the Interior Ministry, said the problem lay in the lack of appropriately trained staff. At the end of last year, more were hired and backlogs have started to decrease, he said.

He added that the service had tried to change jurisdiction rules for administrative units, but "the response was not good". Sabina Hrovatin of the Migrations Directorate was critical of this option, saying the rules had their purpose: a local administrative unit knows the local employers best.

Meanwhile, Anton Pirih the head of Foreign Ministry's visa department believes procedures have to be simplified and safeguards relaxed.

15 Jul 2022, 09:03 AM

Parliament Repeals 11 Laws Passed by Janša Govt, On Tax, Police, Uber, Environment & Culture

STA, 14 July 2022 - The MPs passed in a 52:27 vote on Thursday an omnibus act filed to parliament with voter signatures to change eleven laws passed under the previous government. The laws have been deemed by the 8 March Institute NGO as harmful to equality, human rights and the rule of law. The opposition SDS plans to challenge the act at the Constitutional Court.

The act on reducing inequalities and harmful political interference and ensuring the respect for the rule of law - the name under which it was filed to parliament - restores the legislation to the state before it was amended by the Janez Janša government either in fast-track procedures or without consulting experts.

The act has enjoyed the support of the parties that formed the new government after the 24 April election since it was presented this spring.

It prevents political staffing in the police force, foremost the National Bureau of Investigation, and interference in independence of state prosecutors.

The legal basis for the entry of platforms such as Uber onto the Slovenian market is being eliminated, and environmental NGOs will again more easily take part in planning procedures.

The culture minister will lose some powers in awarding public funds in public tenders while the Culture Ministry's expert commissions will gain some.

The act changes the corporate income tax act in that it lowers the basis for partly recognised entertainment costs and costs of oversight bodies.

Finance Ministry State Secretary Tilen Božič said during today's debate that this particular change will increase annual budgetary revenue by EUR 2.6 million.

The construction law, which excluded architects and landscape architects from being in charge of construction projects, will also be restored to the previous state. This has upset civil engineers, who have announced they will fight the latest changes with all legal means.

The act moreover changes the composition of councils at education institutions where the number of staff representatives was reduced, and foreign students will no longer have to have EUR 5,000 in their bank account as one of the conditions to study in Slovenia.

The act was endorsed by the coalition Freedom Movement, Social Democrats (SD) and Left, who said they thus met their pre-election pledge of cooperation with NGOs.

Voting against were the opposition Democrats (SDS) and New Slovenia (NSi), which argued it would be better to amend each of the 11 laws separately to enhance transparency, a point also raised by the National Assembly's legal service.

The SDS and NSi also find it problematic that the act cannot be put to a referendum as it contains changes to the corporate income tax act.

SDS MP Dejan Kaloh said claiming the changes passed under the previous government had "harmful consequences" was premature due to the short period since the legislation was passed.

Coalition SD MP Meira Hot meanwhile stressed the previous government had "planted" into coronavirus emergency legislation "a number of changes that had little to do with the pandemic but have permanently changed some social and systemic relations".

Today's debate largely focussed on changes to the weapons act which narrow down the eligibility to buy semi-automatic firearms.

The SDS argued this would amount to abolishing some sports, but Interior Ministry State Secretary Branko Lobnikar said the act does not ban any sport weapons. He explained the EU has made purchases of these weapons more difficult in the wake of terrorist attacks in Europe.

The 8 March Institute started thinking about drafting the act in November and collected some 15,000 signatures in spring to file it to parliament, while 5,000 are needed.

"We were wondering how to put an end to the feelings of helplessness when the previous government was trampling on democracy," its head Nika Kovač told the press before today's vote, happy that by supporting the act the coalition kept its pre-election promise of working with the civil society.

"Natural disasters call for emergency measures but the last two years were a natural disaster for the country's democracy," said Goran Forbici, head of one of the NGOs which helped the 8 March Institute in the omnibus bill effort.

Kovač said the whole effort was not easy as they had been constantly attacked and criticised, and announced legal action against those who insulted them and told lies at the Home Affairs Committee session on Tuesday.

Forbici, head of the Centre of NGOs of Slovenia, responded to the view that it would be better to amend each law separately, saying it would take four years to complete the process.

15 Jul 2022, 08:44 AM

Slovenia Starts Taking Down Barbed Wire Fence on Croatian Border

STA, 15 July 2022 - Slovenia will start removing the fence from its border with Croatia on Friday. The fence was erected in 2015 in response to the refugee crisis that saw thousands of immigrants cross Slovenia from the south.

The news portal N1 reported that troops will start removing the 51 kilometres of barbed wire, after which the remaining 143 kilometres of wire fence will be removed by a contractor that is yet to be selected.

The launch of the removal will be attended by Interior Minister Tatjana Bobnar and acting Police Commissioner Boštjan Lindav.

The minister recently announced that Slovenia would change its migration policy, focusing on human rights and solidarity.

Countries must adapt their policies and measures to the situation in local and global environment and measures must be in proportion to the security situation, the ministry has said in a press release.

The fence was erected as a temporary measure. "It is inadmissible for it to become a permanent element of Slovenia's border policy."

However, the opposition believes that the government's decision to remove the fence had not been preceded with a security assessment and was made without expert reasoning.

New Slovenia (NSi) believes the security situation will deteriorate and recommends that government be selective in deciding which parts of the fence should be removed.

15 Jul 2022, 05:59 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Friday, 15 July 2022

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:

Electricity prices for households, small business capped as of September

LJUBLJANA - Electricity prices for households and small and medium-sized companies will be capped from 1 September to August 2023, and households will pay between 15% and 60% less for electricity than now, depending on provider, Infrastructure Minister Bojan Kumer told the press after the cabinet session. Prices will be kept low through a combination of lower duties and measures that will reduce the profits of power generation companies, according to Kumer. The excise fee on electricity will remain at 50% of the headline level, whereas the contribution for renewable sources will be cut in half come September.

Brussels projects sharp slowdown for Slovenia in 2023

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission upgraded its forecast for Slovenia's GDP growth from 3.7% to 5.4% for this year, but it expects growth to slow down sharply to just 1% in 2023 compared to its earlier projection of 3.1%. Slovenia is expected to enjoy the second highest growth rate in the EU after Portugal this year based on a strong carry-on effect from last year. Next year the growth rate is expected to be among the third lowest in the EU behind Sweden and Italy, and even below the eurozone average of 1.4%.

PM appeals for cross-partisan unity to address cost-of-living crisis

LJUBLJANA - PM Robert Golob appealed for political unity as he set out his government's plans to ensure energy and food security and address rising prices and inflation in parliament. The government plans to double strategic food reserves and replenish fuel reserves, as it declared level 1 threat with respect to electricity production. The purpose of the latter decision is to "increase strategic fuel stocks in the power industry, of all fuels, from oil products, to gas and coal." The infrastructure minister was tasked to work together with the transmission and distribution system operators to prepare preventive and preparatory measures for the implementation of crisis scenarios of electricity supply.

Bill passed to reduce wait times in healthcare

LJUBLJANA - Parliament passed an emergency bill designed to tackle long wait times for health services by securing more money and prepare the system for a more sweeping reform that is to follow. It lifts the cap on the value and number of services that the public health insurer pays in a given year. Health Minister Danijel Bešič Loredan says that all the services that are provided will be paid for. Roughly EUR 200 million is currently budgeted but the figure could rise further. The bill exposed a fault-line between the Left and the rest of the ruling coalition as the former is worried the law could undermine public healthcare.

Parliament ratifies Sweden and Finland's bids to join NATO

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly endorsed the bill ratifying the NATO accession protocols for Finland and Sweden. Only the coalition Left reiterated its opposition to NATO enlargement and advocacy of Slovenia's quitting the alliance, voting against. Addressing the MPs before the vote, PM Robert Golob urged them to ratify the accession protocols unanimously, saying Finland and Sweden's decision to join NATO was "historic". The accession to NATO of the countries that were neutral for decades or centuries is, he said, a direct consequence of Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

Parliament ratifies Slovenia-Italy accord on gas supply

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly unanimously ratified an agreement between Slovenia and Italy on solidarity measures to safeguard the security of gas supply under which Slovenia can ask Italy to supply gas to protected customers in the event of supply disruptions, and vice versa. The mechanism is activated after a country has carried out all measures on its territory to supply gas to protected customers and once all unprotected customers have been cut off. Protected customers include households, healthcare and educational institutions, and providers of social services, according to Slovenia's energy act.

MPs pass omnibus act repealing previous govt's dozen laws

LJUBLJANA - The MPs passed an omnibus act filed to parliament with voter signatures to change eleven laws passed under the previous government that the 8 March Institute NGO deemed harmful to equality, human rights and the rule of law. The act restores the legislation to the state before it was amended by the Janez Janša government either in fast-track procedures or without consulting experts. The opposition Democrats (SDS) plans to challenge the act, which has enjoyed the support of the parties that formed the new government after the 24 April election since it was presented this spring, at the Constitutional Court.

MPs pass changes to RTV Slovenija act

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed in 53:26 vote changes to the act on RTV Slovenija with which the government would like to reduce what it sees as the influence of politics on the public broadcaster. The changes come after RTV journalists recently went on strike twice demanding editorial autonomy. Under the changes, the existing programming council and the supervisory board will be replaced with a single council with 17 members in which more power would be given to the civil society and staff.

Government adopts legislation transposing GDPR

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a bill on personal data protection that aims to transpose the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) into Slovenia's legislation. The Ministry of Justice said after the government session that new legislation was needed because the GDPR brought substantial changes to personal data protection and had replaced much of the national provisions in the field. The Information Commissioner welcomed the move, noting that Slovenia remains the only EU member state that failed to draft new legislation following the GDPR. The cost of the implementation is estimated at EUR 100,000 in 2023 and 2024.

Act on alternative investment funds passed

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed an act on forms of alternative investment funds that provides for three forms and two types of funds. The long-awaited legislation, with which the state wants to strengthen the capital market, is one of the milestones for the payment of the first instalment from the Covid recovery mechanism. Such legislation is one of the measures from this reform and also a condition that the state must fulfil in order to draw the first instalment of grants the amount of EUR 57 million. It has also been the wish repeatedly expressed by the financial sector.

Govt abolishes Demography Office, postpones long-term care act

LJUBLJANA - The government decided to abolish the Demography Office, whose powers will be transferred to the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities. The abolishment was proposed because the office's purview overlaps with that of the ministry, which will hire the office's staff, take over documents and the funding earmarked for the office. The government also postponed the entry into force of the act on long-term care from the start of 2023 to April 2024, so that it could amend it.

Vraničar Erman again appointed high representative for succession

LJUBLJANA - Mateja Vraničar Erman, the ex-finance minister, was re-appointed as Slovenia's high representative for succession to the former Yugoslavia after she was dismissed from the post in March 2021 by the previous government. She is replacing international law expert Miha Pogačnik. Vraničar Erman held the office between 18 June 2019 and 18 March 2021, while she served as finance minister under the Miro Cerar government between September 2016 and September 2018. The country's first and longest serving high representative was Rudi Gabrovec, who served twice - in 2001-2005 and 2009-2014.

Viršek back at the helm of radwaste agency ARAO

LJUBLJANA - The government appointed Sandi Viršek the director of the Radioactive Waste Agency (ARAO), which is in charge of construction of a EUR 194 million storage facility for waste from the Krško N-plant, for a four-year term starting on 15 July with the option of re-appointment. Viršek headed the agency before, until 29 March this year, when his term expired and the previous government appointed Petra Grajžl as interim director. The previous government was critical of Viršek for his failure to meet the obligations regarding the construction of low- and intermediate-level rad waste facility at Vrbina near Krško by 2023.

Lek employees' wages miscalculated for the last 20 years

LJUBLJANA - Pharmaceutical company Lek confirmed reports it has discovered an error in its calculations of wages which led to its staff being underpaid in the last 20 years by a combined total of about EUR 100 million. The company said it would reimburse all current and former employees for the last five years with default interest for the last three years, the minimum required by law, despite appeals by trade unions for more money. The error was discovered when the company switched payroll accounting providers and the new provider carried out a due diligence with an audit.

Wednesday's Covid-19 count up 6% w/w

LJUBLJANA - A further 1,738 people tested positive for coronavirus in Slovenia on Wednesday, an increase of 6% from the same day a week ago. The seven-day average of cases is now at 1,379, up by 17 from the day before and up 295 in a week. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 population rose by 35 and 216, respectively, to 822. Hospitalisations rose by 12 to 66 in a week, with ICU cases down by one to seven. While the figures indicate the spread may be slowing, Nuška Čakš Jager, deputy head of the communicable diseases centre with the NIJZ, said that infections were likely to keep rising for another four weeks.

Slovenia to send EUR 36,000 in demining equipment to Ukraine

LJUBLJANA - In line with Ukraine's request for international assistance through the EU's civil protection mechanism, the government confirmed material assistance to Ukraine in the form of demining equipment, which is valued at EUR 36,140, including transport. Slovenia will send to Ukraine ten metal detectors, protective bulletproof vests, protective visors and collapsible metal shovels that can be worn on a belt, the Government Communication Office (UKOM) said.

Govt revokes Slovenia's withdrawal from Forum of Slavic Cultures

LJUBLJANA - The government annulled the decision of the previous, Janez Janša government for Slovenia to withdraw from membership in the Forum of Slavic Cultures (FSC), which was taken on 21 April, three days ahead of the general election. The government argued that the opinion of the Government Office for Legislation against the decision had been disregarded. What is more, the points of the operative part of the decision, taken three days ahead of the general election, are legally and formally inadequate, as they are not in line with the material regulations, the government said in a press release.

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