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: 

Pahor urges unity to make presidency a success

BRUSSELS, Belgium - President Borut Pahor reiterated his call for joint efforts by all stakeholders in Slovenia to make EU presidency a success. He said after talks with top EU officials Slovenia could preserve and enhance its image as a reliable country capable of leading demanding dossiers, despite the current political uncertainty in the country. "It is because of this that I appeal for a shared responsibility for the success of the presidency," he said. He also acknowledged Slovenia "would not be the first or the last country to have a certain degree of uncertainty during the presidency".

Von der Leyen appreciates Slovenian presidency's energy to work on resilience and recovery

BRUSSELS, Belgium - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described today's meeting with President Borut Pahor ahead of Slovenia's EU presidency as very constructive, saying she appreciated "the enormous energy with which the presidency will work on the resilience and recovery of the EU after this heavy pandemic". According to Pahor's office, he shared with von der Leyen his view of the situation in Slovenia, saying that despite "the increased political uncertainty" Slovenia was preparing seriously and responsibly to assume the presidency. Pahor also met David Sassoli, the European Parliament president, pledging Slovenia's commitment to Europe's fundamental values.

Slovenia and Italy to reintroduce joint police patrols on the border

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Slovenia and Italy will soon start policing the shared border with joint police patrols, the interior ministers, Aleš Hojs and Luciana Lamorgese, said after a meeting. Hojs said the patrols would be relaunched as soon as possible equipped with modern technology and devices such as drones. While it is yet to be agreed where exactly they will be active, Lamorgese mentioned Udine and Trieste as the most likely areas. The pair also discussed the EU's new pact on migration and asylum, on which the two neighbours have different views.

Marjan Dikaučič nominated for justice minister

LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša formally nominated Marjan Dikaučič, an official receiver, Slovenia's new justice minister after the candidate was put forward by the Modern Centre Party (SMC). If appointed, Dikaučič will replace Lilijana Kozlovič, who resigned last week when the government annulled the call for applications for the country's European delegated prosecutors. The nominee, whom the party picked because receivership legislation is a priority, is expected to be heard by the parliamentary Justice Committee next week.

Slovenia presents its EU presidency slogan, logo

LJUBLJANA - The slogan of Slovenia's EU presidency in the second half of the year will be Together. Resilient. Europe. According to the Government Communication Office, the slogan was picked as a response to the challenges of the EU and questions about future development. The logo of the presidency was also presented, symbolising connectivity of Slovenia and the EU. PM Janez Janša said "the EU faces many challenges that it can overcome only if it is united, free and at peace with itself". In an address on the new presidency website he noted the priorities of Slovenia's EU presidency were based on this.

CoE urges govt to stop deterioration of freedom of expression, media freedom

STRASBOURG, France - The Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović urged the Slovenian authorities in a memorandum to put a stop to the deterioration of the situation regarding media freedom and freedom of expression in the country. In the context of media freedom, she pointed to harassment, intimidation and criminal lawsuits against journalists. She also highlighted "sexist harassment and misogynistic speech against female journalists" and the government's attitude to public media. Interior Minister Aleš Hojs said the report did not reflect the views he had presented to Mijatović, especially regarding freedom of speech.

Pahor expects STA, prosecutor issues to be resolved before EU presidency

BRUSSELS, Belgium - President Borut Pahor expressed the expectation that the government will have secured stable financing of the STA and resolve the appointment of European delegated prosecutors by the start of the country's EU presidency. After holding talks with heads of the main EU institutions, he said he expected that the government would soon secure stable financing of the STA and appoint Slovenia's two European delegated prosecutors since "there is almost no excuse for an EU presiding country" not to do that during its presidency.

European chief prosecutor says her hands tied over Slovenia

BRUSSELS, Belgium - European Chief Prosecutor Laura Codruta Kövesi expressed concern about the deadlock in the appointment of European delegated prosecutors (EDP) from Slovenia, saying it would affect the efficiency of the office and trust in oversight of EU funds. However, speaking with a group of media on Thursday, including the STA, she said her hands over the situation were tied. "With Slovenia - it's a very delicate situation for us ... what worries me a lot was the press statement that the general prosecutor gave a few days ago," she said.

MPs unanimously adopt changes redefining sexual violence

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed in a unanimous vote amendments to the penal code that redefine sexual consent in line with the concept that only yes means yes. The vote was hailed as historic by MPs, who said the credit should go to the NGOs which mobilised the public to create a genuine social movement. The driving force behind the redefinition of sexual violence was Institute 8 March, whose leader Nika Kovač said the legislative changes had proven that there was a general human value in Slovenia - sexual integrity.

AI and cyber security high on Slovenia's presidency agenda

LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Public Administration Minister Boštjan Koritnik attended a session of the EU's Telecommunications Council to present Slovenia's EU presidency priorities in digitalisation. He said that Slovenia was placing digitalisation, development of artificial intelligence and cyber security high on the agenda. Slovenia will also look to secure an "appropriate measure of security and privacy, consistent respect of human rights and ethical principles".

Coronavirus figures stable

LJUBLJANA - A total of 280 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in 3,915 PCR tests in Slovenia on Thursday, fresh government data show. This is a slight increase from 273 infections recorded the day before, but the epidemiological curve remains stable. There were 205 Covid-19 patients in hospital this morning, eight fewer than yesterday, including 59 in intensive care, one fewer than yesterday. Two patients died. The rolling seven-day average dropped by one to 259.

Slovenian army officially takes over 38 Oshkosh vehicles

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) officially took over 38 Oshkosh four-wheeled light tactical vehicles purchased from the US under a government-to-government deal, with the presentation ceremony in Edvard Peperko Barracks in Ljubljana featuring senior government officials. Another 37 vehicles are to be ordered this year. The Defence Ministry said the deal enabled faster and more transparent purchase of military equipment without intermediaries and corruption risks. The vehicles are fitted with M153 weapon stations of the Norwegian contractor Kongsberg.

Shuttle operator GoOpti acquired by investment fund from Oman

LJUBLJANA - GoOpti, a provider of shared and private shuttle transfers to airports and between towns, is being taken over by the International Strategic Ventures investment fund from Oman, Delo reported. The value of the deal is not known, while founders Marko Guček and Tomaž Lorenzetti will stay in the company for now. Guček told the newspaper that the acquisition had already been coordinated, signed and implemented.

Monument unveiled to WWII British pilot in Suhorje

PIVKA - A monument was unveiled in the village of Suhorje in the south-west on the site where a British fighter aircraft crashed just before the end of the Second World War in April 1945. The death of the pilot of the British Royal Air Force (RAF), Edmund Ramsbotham, shocked the local community, which wanted to preserve the memory of the accident for future generations. The monument was unveiled by Maj-Gen Robert Glavaš, chief of the general staff, and deputy UK Ambassador to Slovenia Paul Jancar.

New additions to the register of intangible cultural heritage

LJUBLJANA - Three new pieces of heritage have been added to the Slovenian register of intangible cultural heritage: the Bovec dialect, a special type of multi-voice singing (Na Četrtko) and St Nicholas Day. All three were proposed to the Culture Ministry by the Slovenian Ethnographic Museum as the coordinator for the protection of intangible heritage. The latest additions mean the register now includes 94 units and 263 intangible cultural heritage holders.

Črnomelj petrol bomb attack not politically motivated

ČRNOMELJ - April's petrol bomb attack on a LMŠ politician in Črnomelj was a result of "peer disagreements among teenagers", Novo Mesto crime police said, explaining the target was not city councillor Vesna Fabjan, but her son. A Molotov cocktail was thrown though a window of Vesna Fabjan's home on 9 April, causing a small fire which the family managed to put out quickly. Nobody was hurt.

STA, 4 June 2021 - The slogan of Slovenia's EU presidency in the second half of the year will be Together. Resilient. Europe. According to the Government Communication Office, the slogan was picked as a response to the challenges of the EU and questions about future development. The logo of the presidency was also presented today.

"The slogan was picked as a response to the challenges the EU is faced with and as a response to the questions about the future development, which will be in the centre of debate on the future of Europe.

"During the presidency we will strive to actively contribute to the strengthening of the EU's resilience to crises in the areas of health, business, energy and climate, and the cyberspace," the office said.

Crucial for boosting resilience is mutual connectivity, cooperation and solidarity of all for the good of each and every European citizen, and this is what the slogan is all about, it added.

The government's EU presidency spokesman, Domen Petelin, said in a presentation video published on the website of the presidency www.si2021.eu launched today that the phrase Stronger Together was the common thread of the presidency trio of Germany, Portugal and Slovenia. The word Europe represents "our future" to which debates on the future of Europe lead, he said.

"So the slogan consists of three separate yet interconnected messages. Together to a resilient Europe that will be efficient in addressing challenges," he said.

This was echoed by Prime Minister Janez Janša. "The Covid-19 pandemic is still present, but we must look beyond. The European Union faces many challenges that it can overcome only if it is united, free and at peace with itself," he said in an address on the website.

He said the priorities of Slovenia's EU presidency were based on this. The first is to build a resilient and strategically autonomous Europe, which Janša says can only be achieved through unity and solidarity, and a digital and green economic recovery.

The second priority is the conference on the future of Europe, where Slovenia will promote debate on the implementation of EU principles and values. "Every voice must be heard and taken into account," he said.

The third priority is the union of the European way of life, the rule of law and equal standards for everyone, and the fourth a credible and safe EU that is capable of providing for stability and safety, especially in its neighbourhood. This is what the EU-Western Balkan summit will discuss, expectedly in early October, Janša said.

He added that the EU must strengthen its cooperation with NATO in order to preserve its safety, and increase its own capacities.

The Government Communication Office also presented the logo of the presidency today, which symbolises connectivity of Slovenia and the EU.

In the logo, a ribbon in the colours of the Slovenian flag draws a silhouette of Mt Triglav, Slovenia's national symbol representing the independent country that is at the same time a solid member of the European Union, the office said.

It also symbolises the ups and downs that are a part of the EU's development. However, precisely because of respect of the fundamental European values and persistent efforts of everyone for the common good the EU is even more resilient and more connected after every fall.

Above Mt Triglav, seven golden stars from the European flag represent the seventh stanza of France Prešeren's poem Toast, which is the Slovenian national anthem. Its lyrics call for dialogue and open society and promote the idea of cooperation and all nations living together in peace.

The logo was designed by Danijel Kovačič Grmek in cooperation with the Foreign Ministry and the Government Communication Office.

Both the logo and the slogan are presented at www.si2021.eu, the new website about the presidency available in Slovenian, English, German, French, Italian and Hungarian. It features news about the presidency, a schedule of events, programme and information for the media.

The website is a new project, as in the past every presiding country set up its own website. A few years ago, several countries, including Slovenia, proposed that the General Secretariat of the Council of the EU in cooperation with the presiding country set up a single website for all presiding countries. Slovenia is the first country to use this joint solution.

The organisational part of the presidency is also presented on the website with Gregor Štajer, the head of the government secretariat in charge of presidency organisation, saying that the most important EU presidency events would take place at the Brdo pri Kranju estate.

Marjan Hribar, the director of the Brdo estate, said intensive preparations were under way for the presidency. Accommodation facilities are ready, the renovation of the hotel is coming to en end, and the congress centre is also ready, he asserted.

STA, 4 June 2021 - A man from the village of Papeži in the municipality of Osilnica (S) has been sentenced to 15 years and four months in prison for an attempted murder of his neighbour in September 2018, as the lower instance ruling has been confirmed by the Ljubljana Higher Court.

The prison sentence for Jože Šercer also includes counts of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, the newspapers Dnevnik and Večer reported on Friday.

On 20 September 2018, he took his shotgun and shot at the neighbour as she was leaving her home to go to work. He hit her in the right arm and stomach, but the woman managed to escape and survive the attack.

The alleged motive is that he could not cope with the neighbour having a new partner less than a year after her husband's death, according to the newspaper Slovenske Novice.

Šercer admitted already in the pre-trial investigation that he had been watching and following the woman for a while, and that on the day of the attack he had been waiting for her hidden in the bushes for two hours.

According to Dnevnik and Večer, Šercer claimed during the trial that he did not intend to kill the woman, but only scare her with the shot.

His lawyer Samo Mirt Kavšek said that his client was very affected by such a high sentence for such an act, as he had never intended to take the woman's life.

"The sentence ... which in my opinion departs from the usual case law, actually represents a life sentence for my client," he said. If he serves the whole sentence, Šercer will be 80 years old at the time of release from prison.

The lawyer has announced an appeal on a point of law at the Supreme Court.

STA, 4 June 2021 - In a nationwide prevention campaign for the safety of cyclists between 17 and 30 May, officers detected 1,241 offences among cyclists and 204 among motorcyclists, the police said on their website. They will also increase control checks on single-track motor vehicles, according to the Traffic Safety Agency (AVP).

During the 14-day campaign, the police issued 1,020 warnings and 49 cyclists were caught drunk-driving. More detailed information on the number and types of road traffic offences was provided by the Maribor and Koper police departments.

Police officers in Maribor recorded 252 infringements during the period. Eight cyclists were drunk-driving. The officers issued 87 fines and 178 warnings.

The Koper Police Department carried out 48 blood alcohol tests and found three cyclists with alcohol levels two times higher than the legal limit. They detected 59 infringements and issued 46 warnings and eleven fines.

The police found that the most common offences among cyclists were riding on an unsuitable surface or without lights, using a mobile phone while riding and not wearing a safety helmet.

The AVP also announced increased controls in view of the worsening road safety situation for drivers of single-track motor vehicles, as almost half of the fatalities on roads in May were motorcycle drivers.

As a result, all eight Slovenian police departments have already started putting up silhouettes of police officers, which help in slowing down the traffic, according to 2019 data. Average speeds are expected to drop by up to 20%, and the AVP also said that police would periodically carry out aerial traffic monitoring.

According to provisional data from the AVP, 138 motorcycle riders and 90 moped riders had been involved in road accidents up until the end of May. Almost two thirds of the accidents were their own fault, the agency added.

The AVP continues to highlight drunk-driving as a major problem, as eleven out of 85 motorcyclists who caused accidents were driving under the influence of alcohol.

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: 

Pahor would like presidency strengthen Slovenia's role in EU

BRUSSELS, Belgium - President Borut Pahor started his two-day visit to Brussels by appearing in a debate with think-tanks, saying that Slovenia would like to hold another successful presidency. He would like the country to use the opportunity to strengthen the EU and its role in it. The debate organised by the think-tank European Policy Centre focused on the future of Europe and the Western Balkans. Pahor will meet the heads the European Commission, Parliament and European Council tomorrow.

Govt sets up recovery and resilience office

LJUBLJANA - The government established the Recovery and Resilience Office. The new department will operate under the Finance Ministry to coordinate and manage the implementation of the national recovery and resilience plan. The office will be inaugurated on 1 August at the latest. It will perform tasks related to efforts to set up a system to implement the plan and coordinate and manage the implementation of the plan, monitor, check and confirm the targets and conduct oversight.

Access to digital identity eased to facilitate certificate launch

LJUBLJANA - In order to expand the use of digital Covid certificates once they enter into force, the government is expanding the number of points where residents will be able to get their digital identity. In addition to administrative units, those points will include vaccination centres, social work centres, the Financial Administration and other points. According to Health Minister Janez Poklukar, the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) is gearing up for the certificate, with a production test with the European Commission scheduled for this week.

Minister Šircelj talks EU presidency with senior EU officials

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Finance Minister Andrej Šircelj was on a working visit to Brussels on Tuesday and Wednesday for talks with senior officials in preparation for the EU presidency. Meeting European Commissioner for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis, he emphasised the importance of fast and successful post-pandemic recovery. "I think that it is in our common interest that the recovery and resilience mechanisms start to get implemented as soon as possible," Šircelj said. Šircelj also met Regional Policy Commissioner Johannes Hahn and Financial Stability Commissioner Mairead McGuinness.

Slovenia's EU priorities in transport will be sustainability, resilience

LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec attended a meeting of EU transport ministers in Luxembourg to present the priorities of Slovenia's upcoming EU presidency in transport. He said the country would promote sustainability and resilience. "Transport is one of the main sectors that can make the decarbonisation policy a success. On the other hand, transport is one of the sectors that was hit hardest by the pandemic, so we must enable its recovery and improve its resilience," Vrtovec was quoted as saying by his ministry.

Govt urged to restore STA funding

LJUBLJANA - The opposition-dominated parliamentary Commission for Oversight of Public Finances urged the government to resume STA funding as set down in a coronavirus relief law in three days. Culture Ministry State Secretary Ignacija Fridl Jarc told MPs the ministry would like the Government Communication Office and STA to resolve the dispute over contractual obligations, so a relevant decree was being drafted. She assured the MPs that the government did not intend to destroy the STA.

EANA says UKOM missing the point over STA funding dispute

BERN, Switzerland - The European Alliance of News Agencies (EANA) voiced disappointment over an open letter it received from the Government Communication Office (UKOM) in response to its appeal for the STA funding dispute to be resolved. UKOM is "missing the point" when raising allegations against the STA management, EANA said. The response followed EANA's open letter to Prime Minister Janez Janša in mid-May calling on him to resolve the dispute with the Slovenian Press Agency (STA).

Počivalšek to remain minister

LJUBLJANA - The leader of the coalition Modern Centre Party (SMC), Zdravko Počivalšek, told the party he had decided to remain economy minister rather than return to parliament. This is after an MP of the ruling Democrats (SDS) said last week that Počivalšek returning to parliament to secure the coalition an absolute majority was still an option. The SMC today discussed two potential candidates to replace Lilijana Kozlovič as justice minister, the most likely being Marko Starman, who teaches at the European Faculty of Law at the University of Nova Gorica.

Zorčič takes part in first Three Seas Parliamentary Forum

LJUBLJANA - National Assembly Speaker Igor Zorčič took part in the first Three Seas Parliamentary Forum, which was held in a virtual format to discuss the role of parliaments in the initiative and how they could contribute to making it more recognisable. In his address, Zorčič described cooperation in the Three Seas initiative as an important instrument in the implementation of Slovenia's foreign policy strategy, voicing Slovenia's commitment to regional cooperation.

Minister visits Slovenian community in Serbia

BELGRADE, Serbia - Minister for Slovenians Abroad Helena Jaklitsch visited the Slovenian ethnic community in Serbia on Wednesday and Thursday, attending a ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the Slovenian association Sava. She also met Minister for Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue Gordana Čomić and Archbishop of Belgrade Stanislav Hočevar. Meeting Čomić, Jaklitsch pledged for Slovenia to continue to support Serbia in its bid to join the EU.

Coronavirus figures keep gradually improving

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 273 coronavirus cases for Wednesday as the rolling 7-day average daily case count further dropped by 13 to 260. Three patients with Covid-19 died. The latest cases were confirmed from 3,837 PCR tests, for a positivity rate of 7.1%, down from 9% for Tuesday. The number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals dropped by one to 213 this morning after 19 were discharged. 60 patients, or two fewer than yesterday, were in intensive care.

Permitted attendance at sport, cultural events increased to 75% of capacity

LJUBLJANA - The government changed the decrees limiting attendance at public sport and cultural events to increase the permitted number of viewers from 50% to 75% of the number of fixed seats at a venue. The eased attendance cap applies both to indoor and outdoor venues. All other conditions and limitations related to public cultural events remain unchanged.

Slovenia's jobless total down 17% y/y to 75,150 in May

LJUBLJANA - A total of 75,148 were registered as unemployed in Slovenia at the end of May, down 5.2% over April and 16.9% over May last year, in what is the fourth month in a row that unemployment decreased, the Employment Service said. The figure dropped because fewer job seekers registered with the Employment Service in May while more jobless persons found a job. The number of newly unemployed, at 3,701, was down almost 5% compared to April and as much as 53% over May 2020.

Flydubai plans to launch flights to Ljubljana in September

LJUBLJANA - Low-cost airline Flydubai intends to start operating flights between its base in Dubai and Ljubljana in September. According to the Ljubljana airport flight schedule, Flydubai will launch flights to Slovenia's capital on 24 September, flying three times per week, aviation portal Exyuaviation.com reported. Flydubai will start flying to Ljubljana just ahead of the start of Expo 2020 Dubai, which was pushed forward due to the pandemic and opens on 1 October this year.

Turkish rail project workers to be committed to a campus

LJUBLJANA - Turkish workers who will work on the 27-km Divača-Koper rail track are arriving in Slovenia. The public broadcaster TV Slovenija reported that about 450 workers would stay in a campus in the village of Orehek near Postojna, and would not be allowed to move freely. Postojna Mayor Igor Marentič told TV Slovenija the workers would "work hard seven days a week". The opposition Left protested, saying the conditions the workers would be subjected to were in violation of workers' rights.

Cinematheque celebrates Fellini with retrospective, exhibitions

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Cinematheque is paying tribute to Federico Fellini, one of Italy's most celebrated cinematographers, with a retrospective, three exhibitions and several accompanying events. It opens tonight with Fellini's first film, The White Sheik, bringing all of his 20 feature films and four documentaries by German-American Gideon Bachmann until 6 July. One of the segments is an exhibition of posters Yugoslav distribution companies used to attract cinema goers to Fellini's films.

Slovenians set Guinness sailing record in a dinghy

DUBROVNIK, Croatia - Slovenians Uroš Kraševac and Maruša Močnik have set a new Guinness world record in distance travelled in a pair with a dinghy-class sailing boat, covering 360 nautical miles in over 80 hours to break the previous record by almost 30 nautical miles. The Slovenians set off for their journey in Slovenia's Izola on Sunday and reached the record near the Croatian island of Mljet on Wednesday.

Police bust drug ring after a tip by DEA

NOVO MESTO - The Novo Mesto criminal police revealed they had apprehended 17 members of a drug trafficking organisation in cooperation with other police departments, seizing a large haul of illegal drugs worth millions of euros. The Slovenian police had been tipped off by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in early 2018. The police seized almost 80 kilos of various drugs, including cocaine, heroine and amphetamine. Slovenia saw an almost 78% increase in detected drug-related organised crime so far this year compared to the same period last year.

STA, 3 June 2021 - The Novo Mesto criminal police have apprehended a number of members of a drug trafficking organisation in cooperation with other police departments, seizing a large haul of illegal drugs worth millions of euros. The Slovenian police had been tipped off by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). 

The police arrested 17 members, aged between 30 and 53, for drug trafficking and money laundering in mid-May.

France Božičnik, the head of the Novo Mesto criminal police, told today's online press conference that in early 2018 the DEA notified the Slovenian police it had been made aware of illegal activity perpetrated by individuals from Slovenia.

The individuals had been discussing the procurement of a large amount of cocaine in the Dominican Republic. The Slovenian police and their foreign colleagues uncovered that the Slovenians were part of a criminal organisation.

On 18 May this year, 18 house raids were conducted in Ljubljana, Nova Gorica and Celje, leading to a seizure of almost 80 kilos of various drugs, including cocaine, heroin and amphetamine, that were supposed to be distributed in Slovenia.

The police also found equipment for mixing, compressing and packing drugs. The analysis of the seized haul is ongoing, but according to an initial estimate the drugs are valued at millions of euros.

Nine of the 17 detained members have been taken into judicial custody. All of them are Slovenian citizens.

Seven individuals were also charged with money laundering after the police established that they had been part of an international money laundering network that was active in Italy, Germany, Serbia and Slovenia.

The criminal organisation of 17 Slovenians was allegedly run by a 36-year-old Ljubljana citizen, who was also in charge of drug procurement. Most of the suspects are familiar faces to the police.

At the start of the Covid-19 epidemic the police detected disruption in the drug supply networks, however drug trafficking organisations were quick to adapt and the epidemic has not had any significant impact on them, said Uroš Lavrič of the General Police Administration.

Slovenia saw an almost 78% increase in detected drug-related organised crime so far this year compared to the same period last year. Taking into account drug-related offences that were not committed as part of organised crime, the figure stands at 24%.

STA, 3 June 2021 - The government changed on Thursday the decrees limiting attendance at public sport and cultural events to increase the permitted number of viewers from 50% to 75% of the number of fixed seats at a venue.

The relaxed attendance cap applies both to indoor and outdoor venues, the Government Communication Office said.

Rapid Antigen Test Now Enables Entry to Slovenia, Some Restrictions to Service Sector Relaxed

All other conditions and limitations related to public cultural events remain unchanged.

Events cannot be organised without seats, and attendance is permitted only to persons who have been vaccinated or recovered from Covid-10 and to persons who produce a negative test.

The ban on serving and consumption of food and drinks at events remains in force.

STA, 3 June 2021 - In order to expand the use of digital Covid certificates once they enter into force, the government is expanding the number of points where residents will be able to get their digital identity, Public Administration Minister Boštjan Koritnik told the press on Thursday.

In addition to administrative units, these points will include vaccination centres, social work centres, the Financial Administration and other points.

Koritnik said that residents who do not have digital identity should visit one of the registration points, where they would be identified by means of a valid identification document with a photograph.

The SIGENCA and SMSPASS certificates will be free of charge for citizens, he said, adding that digital identity would enable them to access the national portal zVem.

In addition to certificates of convalescence, vaccination and PCR test results, the portal enables access to other health information about individuals and a series of other public administration services, said Health Minister Janez Poklukar.

At the portal, Slovenians will soon be able to get the European digital green certificate, which will enable them easier travel and crossing of borders in the EU.

According to Poklukar, the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) is gearing up for the certificate, with a production test with the European Commission scheduled for this week.

The number of residents who have acquired digital identity is increasing sharply, as 66,000 people did so this year alone, which is equal to the number for the entire 2020.

In addition to the mentioned points for registration of digital identity, it is also planned that this will be soon possible at the application point of the Justice Ministry and units of the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia, Koritnik said.

Andrej Šter, the head of the Foreign Ministry's consular service, has meanwhile told the STA that the digital green certificate is expected to be introduced at the EU level on 1 July.

The list of countries that enable persons who tested negative, are vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19 to travel freely is expanding, but this is not the case in all EU and Schengen Area member states.

This is based on bilateral or regional agreements, Šter said, adding that the card received upon vaccination could be used to enter Croatia and Hungary, while medical certificate in at least two languages was required for other countries.

"The certificate that in addition to Slovenian is usually also in English is used by all EU member states, and some other countries with which we have reached agreements, that is the UK, US, Turkey, Russia and Serbia."

STA, 3 June 2021 - Slovenians Uroš Kraševac and Maruša Močnik have set a new Guinness world record in distance travelled in a pair with a dinghy-class sailing boat, covering 360 nautical miles in over 80 hours to break the previous record by almost 30 nautical miles.

The Slovenians set off for their journey in Slovenia's Izola on Sunday and reached the record near the Croatian island of Mljet on Wednesday, finishing the trip in the nearby city of Dubrovnik.

The 28-year-old Kraševac is a member of the Sailing Association of Slovenia, where he coaches the national youth team in the Laser Standard class. He is active in competitive offshore long-distance sailing, his team has said.

His sister Maruša Močnik is a former competitive sailor, and the team also featured a number of friends and acquaintances who observed the feat.

One of the conditions for the record is that the sailors have absolutely no contact with the outside world. They were followed by viewers online, where they published daily challenges that could also be proposed by the followers.

Next year, Kraševec is scheduled to participate in the qualifiers for the 4,000 nautical mile Mini Transat race, a solo transatlantic yacht race that typically starts in France and ends in the Caribbean.

The race uses small 6.5 metre yachts of the Mini 650 class, and outside assistance is not permitted. Competitors are not allowed to have contact with the outside world and may not use weather support via satellite.

STA, 2 June 2021 - The government has changed the decree on the conditions for entering Slovenia to recognise a negative rapid antigen test in addition to a negative PCR test. The change enters into force on 5 June and is valid until 13 June, the government said in a press release. Some measures in the services sector have also been relaxed.

Persons who produces a negative result of a PCR or rapid antigen test not older than 48 hours will be allowed to enter Slovenia without being ordered to quarantine, the government decided at Wednesday's session.

A PCR or rapid antigen test is acceptable if it was performed in a member state of the EU or the Schengen Area, Australia, Israel, Canada, New Zealand, Russia, Serbia, the UK and the US and, at international air travel checkpoints, Turkey.

There are no changes for persons who have recovered from Covid-19 or who have been vaccinated, as they can enter Slovenia without being ordered to quarantine.

The government also relaxed some restrictions in the services sector.

Accommodation providers with up to 60 units will be able to fill up to 45 as of Monday, and those with more than 60 units will be allowed to fill up to 75% of their capacity. This also applies to camping sites.

Swimming pools will be available at up to 75% of capacity for visitors who are either tested, vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19.

The ban on consuming food and drink at the takeaway points has been lifted and shopping centres will need to reserve 10 sq metres for each customer instead of 20 sq metres, the Government Communication Office said.

The rules for the convention industry have also been slightly relaxed.