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This summary is provided by the STA:
Slovenia condemns forcible jet landing in Belarus
LJUBLJANA - Senior Slovenian officials condemned actions by Belarus after a Ryanair flight was forced to land in Minsk. PM Janez Janša wrote on Twitter that he supported a proposal by Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki for an expansion of the agenda of today's summit of EU leaders. "Sanctions have to include everything the #Lukashenko #regime is using to legitimize itself. Sports events included." President Borut Pahor called for an independent investigation of the event, and FM Anže Logar labelled the incident as state terrorism that violated practically all international customs and norm. The Association of Slovenian Journalists (DNS) also condemned what it sees as unacceptable actions by the Belarusian authorities.
Janša impeachment motion in parliament on Wednesday
LJUBLJANA - After last week's blockade of a plenary session, parliament was back to business as the college of deputy group leaders called two emergency sessions. The impeachment motion against PM Janez Janša is scheduled at the second plenary on Wednesday. Other appointment and dismissal motions were also added to this session, but it is not yet clear whether the coalition will propose dismissing Speaker Zorčič, after he left the coalition Modern Centre Party (SMC) to become unaffiliated at the end of March.
Under 100 new cases confirmed on Sunday, one death
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia confirmed 82 new cases of coronavirus on Sunday, the lowest daily figure in over a year, as under 6% of all PCR tests were positive, the latest government data show. One patient with Covid-19 died. The number of Covid-19 patients in hospital rose by ten to 316, of which 96 were in intensive care, down two from the day before. The 14-day incidence of new cases per 100,000 population stood at 259 and the rolling daily average of new cases over the past seven days dropped slightly to 333.
Convention industry reopens with some restrictions in place
LJUBLJANA - Trade shows and events were allowed to reopen after more than a year. Indoor events may be held provided visitors have either recovered from Covid-19, been vaccinated or tested. Moreover, there are other restrictions to be heeded. Event organisers are required to make sure a one-way flow of visitor traffic is put in place, and staff must get regularly tested. The number of visitors is capped at one visitor per 10 square metres, with underage persons and those requiring assistance exempt from the cap.
Govt, Hisense sign contract on EUR 1m incentive for TV plant
VELENJE - Representatives of the government and the Chinese-owned group Hisense Europe Electronics signed a contract under which the state will provide almost EUR 1 million in non-refundable funds for its TV production plant at the existing Gorenje operation in Velenje. The contract representing 25% of the total value of the investment planned until the end of 2023 was signed by Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek and Chao Liu, the director of the Hisense Europe Electronics plant in Slovenia.
Justice minister in favour of appointing one EDP first
JESENICE - Justice Minister Lilijana Kozlovič expressed her inclination to support the idea for Slovenia to first appoint only one candidate for a European delegated prosecutor (EDP) as a way to break the impasse in the appointment of candidates for two delegated prosecutors from Slovenia. The minister said this would be a solution because it was important Slovenia join the European Public Prosecutor's Office, thus allowing the office to become fully operational in Slovenia and at the EU level. "I see it as one of the possible solutions to cut the Gordian knot and resolve the situation," she added.
Almost two-thirds of respondents oppose govt, survey shows
LJUBLJANA - The share of people opposing the government has reached 63%, a new record, while 30% support it, shows the latest poll Mediana carried out for POP TV. The remaining 7% are undecided. Nevertheless, the SDS continues to top party rankings with 18.2%, up from 17.6% last month. The SD follows with 10%, down from 10.8% in April. The LMŠ is in third place with 9%, a 0.5 percentage point increase. The most popular politician is Health Minister Janez Poklukar, followed by MEP Ljudmila Novak, who pushed President Borut Pahor to third place.
SDS warns about leftists, extremists in draft manifesto
LJUBLJANA - The ruling Democrats (SDS) warns of the dangers of the opposition Left, extremists, leftists and the escalation of circumstances in one of the five draft manifestos sent to its local branches ahead of the party congress, which is expected to be held on 19 June, the news portal 24ur.com reported. The draft warns of the above-mentioned dangers, pointing to an attack on Slovenia's democracy. Responding to the draft, the Left said that the SDS was again painting a picture that had nothing to do with reality.
Liquidity loans worth EUR 35m available to hauliers
LJUBLJANA - Hauliers, who have been severely hit by the Covid pandemic, can now count on EUR 35 million in loans to weather liquidity issues, while they can also look forward to some 10 million in grants in coming months, as a contract on financing and implementing the new scheme was signed by Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec and SIB Banka chairman Sibil Svilan. Companies providing local, inter-city, land, passenger and cargo transport will be eligible for loans from the fund, to be managed by the export and development bank SID. Svilan expects the bank could start accepting first applications soon.
Majority stake in newspaper Primorske Novice sold
KOPER - Splošna Plovba, a Portorož-based shipping company in German ownership, has sold its 52.45% stake in media company Primorske Novice to three companies - Svet24, Salomon and Curator Nova. Patricija Ukmar, the editor-in-chief of the Koper-based regional newspaper, which was launched 74 years ago and which also has a news portal, said she hoped the sale would result in successful cooperation with the new owners. Primorske Novice journalists added they believed the change in ownership will by no means encroach upon the editorial autonomy of the newspaper, it should in fact enhance it.
Opposition requests session to discuss suspension of STA financing
LJUBLJANA - The opposition Left, supported by the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ), Social Democrats (SD), Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) and the group of unaffiliated MPs, requested an emergency session of the parliamentary Commission for Public Finance Oversight to discuss the suspension of funding of the Slovenian Press Agency (STA). The parties say that suspending the funding of the STA is a direct attack on press freedom, democracy and the constitutional right of the public to be informed.
Survey shows youth more independent, but with poorer mental health
LJUBLJANA - The Youth 2020 survey into the youth in Slovenia shows that, compared to ten years ago, they are noticeably more active, responsible and independent, while on the other hand they face greater housing problems and more precarious work in the labour, with their mental health also having deteriorated. The survey, the latest after the surveys in 2000 and 2010 and including 1,200 young people around the country, also busts a number of myths about the young that were rooted in society, such as that they drank and smoked a lot, said Andraž Zgonc of the Government Office for Youth as he presented it.
Italian president receives Nova Gorica, Gorizia mayors
ROME, Italy - The mayors of Slovenia's Nova Gorica and Italy's Gorizia, Klemen Miklavič and Rodolfo Ziberna, met Italian President Sergio Mattarella, who confirmed that together with Slovenian President Borut Pahor, he will visit the two border cities in the autumn 2025 when they turn into the European Capital of Culture. The mayors and Mattarella discussed the European Capital of Culture project and the period after it, foremost efforts to develop a cross-border economic zone.
Iskra acquires Croatia's Elka
LJUBLJANA/ZAGREB, Croatia - The Slovenian privately-held electronics group Iskra has signed an acquisition agreement with Croatian electric cable manufacturer Elka. The value of the deal has not been disclosed and the transaction will be completed pending approval from the competition watchdogs in both countries. According to Delo, Iskra hopes to reap the benefits of forthcoming investments in long neglected electricity networks, rail renovation and construction, future investments in telecommunications, and efforts to reduce Europe's dependence on manufacturing in Asia.
