07 May 2021, 10:34 AM

Koper Port to Get Enhanced Role in EU Military Mobility

STA, 6 May 2021 - Defence Minister Matej Tonin argued the EU should put political decisions into practice faster, as he attended what was the first in-person EU defence ministerial in about a year. The ministers discussed military mobility in Europe where the Slovenian infrastructure, in particular the Koper port, will play a major part.

The ministers endorsed the decision to include Canada, Norway and the US in PESCO projects on military mobility to enable troops to move more quickly across Europe. In this way they for the first time allowed third countries to participate in the EU's Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO).

The project aims mainly to upgrade infrastructure such as bridges, railways and roads with the goal being to reduce the time it takes to move troops.

Addressing a virtual press conference in Brussels, Minister Tonin hailed the agreement as a major success. "Military mobility is not just a matter of logistics, it is a strategic one," he said.

Minister @MatejTonin se je v Bruslju udeležil simpozija o vojaški mobilnosti. K njej Slovenija pomembno prispeva tudi z uvajanjem uporabe alternativnih goriv za obrožene sile. @eusatcen #EUdefence #MilitaryMobility pic.twitter.com/HChz879NmP
— Ministrstvo za obrambo RS (@MO_RS) May 6, 2021

Slovenia is actively involved in the project with Tonin noting that attention was being paid with all infrastructural projects to allow civilian-military dual-use.

This was also kept in mind in planning the new Koper-Divača rail track so that all the tunnels and viaducts and the entire link will also be suitable to move military vehicles. The Koper port will play an important role there, also for strategic movement of troops to the East and Central Europe, said Tonin.

To boost military mobility the EU allocated roughly EUR 1.7 billion over the next seven years. Tonin could not say yet how much Slovenia will draw, but he promised they would try to use every opportunity available.

The defence ministers dedicated much of their attention today to the Strategic Compass, a process seeking to link strategic and operative levels to achieve the bloc's ambitions in defence and security. "It's an additional tool to enhance Europe's strategic autonomy," said Tonin.

He emphasized that strengthening European cooperation in defence and security was not meant as competition to other allies in NATO but to upgrade joint capabilities. "A strong Europe is a strong NATO," said Tonin, adding that to do that faster action was needed and putting political decisions into practice faster.

In discussion on the Strategic Compass the ministers focused on crisis management and risk assessment. Slovenia will continue discussion on the topic during its presidency of the Council of the EU, and Tonin today discussed the issue with the EU's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell.

The ministers also talked about the end of NATO-led mission to Afghanistan on 11 September. Tonin said it did not mean a complete withdrawal from Afghanistan as cooperation would continue at the civilian level, in particular development cooperation.

Slovenia will complete its involvement in the Resolute Support Mission in coordination with the allies. The date of when the six Slovenian troops will withdraw has been determined but Tonin would not disclose it for security reasons. The last Slovenian rotation was deployed in Afghanistan in February for half a year.

07 May 2021, 04:30 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Friday, 7 May 2021

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:

Coalition MPs file proposal to dismiss Speaker Zorčič

LJUBLJANA - MPs from the coalition parties tabled a motion to dismiss Speaker Igor Zorčič, with the argument that he had joined at the end of March a group of unaffiliated MPs, which is not part of the coalition. The Democrats (SDS), New Slovenia (NSi) and Modern Centre Party (SMC) filed the motion a day after the ruling SDS's deputy group leader Danijel Krivec announced the coalition had collected 47 signatures to urge Zorčič to step down. The first attempt on 30 March failed as only 45 voted for the dismissal, one short.

Vaccination of all adults to start on Monday

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša announced that all adults under 50 will start to get vaccinated on Monday. "We will have enough vaccine for everyone by summer. Let's be responsible to ourselves and others, get vaccinated and hold out for a few more weeks. It is time for a normal summer," he wrote on Twitter. Jelko Kacin, the national vaccination logistics coordinator has said that Slovenia has at least 450,000 doses of vaccines 19 available in May, which will speed up the vaccination process.

Over 770 new coronavirus infections, three deaths on Wednesday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia logged 774 coronavirus cases for Wednesday from almost 4,230 PCR tests for a positivity rate of slightly over 18%, an improvement from Wednesday last week. Three Covid-19 patients died, half Tuesday's figure, shows the latest government figures. Wednesday's daily count of new coronavirus cases compares to almost 920 new cases a week ago and to a positivity rate of just over 20%. The 7-day average of new cases dropped significantly - from 750 to 729 in a day. The situation in hospitals continues to gradually improve as the overall number of patients declined by 9 to 551.

Pahor talking EU enlargement to the region in Tirana

TIRANA, Albania - President Borut Pahor met his Albanian counterpart Ilir Meta as part of a whistle-stop tour of the region in preparation for the 17 May regional summit in Slovenia. In a renewed call for EU enlargement to the Western Balkans he said EU membership would make country borders less important and cancel out the need to change them. He said he expected the Brdo-Brijuni summit to send out a strong message on the importance of the enlargement process. He repeated that the process needed to be sped up bearing in not just specific countries but to the region as a whole.

Pahor calls for new momentum in EU enlargement to Western Balkans

PODGORICA, Montenegro -President Borut Pahor said after meeting his Montenegrin counterpart Milo Đukanović on Wednesday that a new momentum needed to be provided for the process of EU enlargement to the Western Balkans, as there was a certain standstill. He added that his task was to find fresh ideas together with the leaders of the countries from the initiative about how to develop a new strategy for a faster enlargement of the EU to all countries in the Western Balkans. Pahor is on a tour to meet Western Balkan leaders ahead of the Brdo-Brijuni Process summit, to be held in Slovenia on 17 May.

Koper port to play major part in EU-wide military mobility

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Defence Minister Matej Tonin argued the EU should put political decisions into practice faster, as he attended an EU defence ministerial. The ministers discussed military mobility in Europe where the Slovenian infrastructure, in particular the Koper port, will play a major part. The project aims mainly to upgrade infrastructure such as bridges, railways and roads with the goal being to reduce the time it takes to move troops. Tonin hailed the agreement as a major success. "Military mobility is not just a matter of logistics, it is a strategic one," he said.

Minister Hojs discusses migrations in Poland

WARSAW, Poland - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs discussed migration issues as he met his Polish counterpart Mariusz Kaminski as part of Slovenia's preparations for the upcoming EU presidency. His ministry said in a statement that Slovenia and Poland advocate "elimination of the root causes of migration, and a greater role of the external dimension of migrations, foremost sending migrants back more effectively". The ministers agreed that together with the European External Action Service, the European Commission must "enhance talks with key partner states".

President urges political moderation in response to MEP letter

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor reiterated his appeal for political moderation as he responded to a call by four MEPs to use his authority to calm down the tense social atmosphere in Slovenia. It would be "very useful if everyone realised that things have gone too far in many ways and be able to take a step back so that we can then move forward more easily together," he said on Twitter. According to Pahor, it is necessary to find solutions to overcome the crisis and its numerous consequences, something the political class is responsible for to a great extent.

Tax changes designed to improve competitiveness

LJUBLJANA - Changes to three major tax laws adopted by the government are designed to improve the competitiveness of the Slovenian economy. While income tax changes alone are expected to reduce annual tax receipts by EUR 276 million, Finance Minister Andrej Šircelj says public finances remain sound. "Public finances are perfectly stable and aligned with the Stability Programme, on the basis of which we will be reducing the deficit in the coming years," Šircelj said, adding that the shortfall will be offset with higher economic growth.

Government secures EUR 5.1m to help out wine sector

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a decree on measures to remedy the market disruptions in the wine sector caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Like last year, the decree provides for temporary exceptional measures of crisis wine distillation and crisis wine storage for this year. Around EUR 5.1 million will be allocated for the two measures, including EUR 4.8 million for crisis distillation. The two measures will be financed by the sector-specific national financial envelope for wine, while additional funding will also be provided by the national budget.

Restrictions being stiffened for pet owners

LJUBLJANA - The government proposed a series of legislative changes to enhance pet owner responsibility and protect pets, including by making it illegal to tether dogs and put down healthy abandoned pets. "It's a significant step forward in protecting pets," Agriculture Minister Jože Podgoršek said as he set out the amendments to the animal protection act. The amendments would also restrict possession of exotic species based on a list of permitted and banned animal species.

MPs want systemic approach to coronavirus bonuses

LJUBLJANA - The Commission for the Oversight of Public Finances has called on the government to adopt a systemic approach to coronavirus bonuses for frontline staff after determining that the bonuses had not been distributed fairly in the healthcare sector and in aged care. The debate came amidst reports that bonuses were distributing unequally, with the opposition Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) claiming that some were by a factor of 30-40 larger than others. This appears to have happened because bonuses were distributed as a percentage of pay, not in nominal amounts.

Brussels expects swift solutions to STA financing

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission noted the Slovenian government's duty under law to secure suitable funding for the STA in response to the agency's questions about the fundraising campaign for the STA, calling for swift solutions to unblock the funding and preserve the agency's independence. "While such initiative is admirable and showing good cooperation within the media sector, public press agencies should not have to resort to these types of solutions for funding," Christian Wigand, the Commission spokesman for rule of law, said in a written response to the STA's questions.

Kangler seeks EUR 634,000 compensation over court proceedings

LJUBLJANA - Interior Ministry State Secretary Franc Kangler demands compensation from the state over a series of court procedures related to his stint as the mayor of Maribor which ended with acquittals or were stopped. The court proceedings were "pure political warfare. Somebody in Maribor co-opted the court to settle scores with me," Kangler said on Thursday as the civil procedure at the Ljubljana District Court wrapped up. The claim, which includes EUR 200,000 in compensation for lost wages and EUR 410,000 for emotional pain inflicted by years of court procedures, refers to five court procedures.

Govt official worried TEŠ will be forced to close as early as 2024

LJUBLJANA - Hinko Šolinc, the head of the Infrastructure Ministry energy directorate, is worried that due CO2 emission coupon prices will force the closure of Slovenia's coal-fired power station TEŠ much earlier than the currently planned date in the early 2030s, perhaps as early as 2024. TEŠ is the largest power station in the country, producing a third of Slovenia's annual electricity output. Its latest unit 6 was launched in 2014.

Govt and Ljubljana sign 2020-2023 cooperation agreement

LJUBLJANA - Public Administration Minister Boštjan Koritnik and Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković signed an agreement under which the government and Ljubljana will cooperate on 29 projects in 2020-2023. The deal is in line with the law on the Slovenian capital city. In the next three years, the government is expected to allocate EUR 13.7 million for the projects in the area of Ljubljana which are of importance to the state. Janković hopes new projects will be added soon, which Koritnik is optimistic about.

Catholic weekly Družina celebrating 70th anniversary

LJUBLJANA - The Catholic weekly Družina (Family) is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, with the events coming under the slogan Always with You, which according to its leadership sends the message that the paper writes about all fields of life that its readership finds interesting and topical. The first issue of Družina was published on 7 May 1952 as a religious biweekly newspaper of the Apostolic Administration for the region of Goriška. In 1973, it switched to a weekly format. The anniversary will also be marked with a new website, although the role of the print edition remains important.

06 May 2021, 20:32 PM

Royal Bled Golf Resort Welcomes Players Back with Stunning Views, Great Accommodation, Fine Dining & Exciting Tournaments

Slovenia’s slow reopening continues along with its vaccination program and those of its neighbours. At present (6 May) outdoor drinking and dining is possible, along with indoors under certain conditions, as set by set by the National Institute of Public Health. Hotels, hostels and B&Bs are also open, albeit currently limited to offering 30 rooms, and visits to galleries, museums, and so on can be made. Moreover, with the EU making plans to enable international tourism, there’s every expectation that the country will have a relatively busy summer season, as people take advantage of their new freedoms to do things they once took for granted.

Of course, when it comes to Slovenian tourism one site stands out above all in the promotional literature – Lake Bled, its island and castle, which reopened for business a few weeks ago – along with the views that surround it.

The oldest and largest golf course in Slovenia

It’s this backdrop that helped Royal Bled win the honour of being added to the World of Leading Golf’s list of “Best and Most Beautiful” courses in 2018, based on the high quality of service, excellent golf courses – both 18- and 9-hole – and the fact that golfers rated it as well worth revisiting.

In February 2020, just before the world shut down, Royal Bled gained further renown when it joined golfscape’s top 100 courses in the world. The oldest and largest course in Slovenia came in at #86, just after The Blue Monster at Trump National Doral Miami, USA, and before Golf de Spérone, France. Unsurprisingly, it was again the beauty of the area that caught the imagination of the authors, with the report noting “the course is flanked by towering mountains and the impressive valleys of the Alps. With excellently manicured grounds, many hail it as one of the most beautiful courses in all of Europe.”

But can you enjoy Royal Bled today, with the epidemic still not over? The simple answer yes, Royal Bled’s golf courses and restaurant are open for business, as is the luxury accommodation that’s available in the King’s House – originally built for King Alexander I of Yugoslavia – and the Lake House, with special “Play & Stay” packages available to ensure comfort, convenience and full golfing pleasure (details here)

Golfers who plan on staying elsewhere can book a tee time online for the 18-hole championship King’s Course (€155), or the 9-hole Lake’s Course (€55), and clubs, trolleys and carts can be rented. Note that the handicap requirements to play on the King’s Course are 29.0 for men and 36.0 for women, with an HCP certificate needed to prove this. There’s also a dress code for both club and restaurant, with details here.

The tournament season at the club begins in June, with the Royal Bled International Pro Am running from the 10^th to 13^th, open to a maximum of 22 teams of four players including one professional, with more details here. July then sees the 47^th Golden Lion Trophy on the 17^th, while the 28^th to 31^st is the 48^th Golf Week, sponsored by Tesla, Castrol, Optisis and SK Golf, all played with those beautiful views.

In short, if you’ve spent the last year trapped at home and dreaming of wide open spaces, great natural beauty, and a good walk enhanced with a game, then now’s the time to visit the Royal Bled website and plan your trip to one of the best golf courses in Slovenia.

Golf Resort Royal Bled, Vrba 37a, 4248 Lesce, Slovenia

How many golf courses are there in Slovenia?

At last count there were 14 golf clubs in Slovenia, offering both 9- and 18-hole courses. Lean more about them here.

06 May 2021, 14:37 PM

Vaccinations for Under-50s Start Monday, Normal Summer Possible for Slovenia

STA, 6 May 2021 - Prime Minister Janez Janša announced on Twitter on Thursday that all adults under 50 will start to get vaccinated on Monday. "We will have enough vaccine for everyone by summer. Let's be responsible to ourselves and others, get vaccinated and hold out for a few more weeks. It is time for a normal summer," he wrote.

Jelko Kacin, the national vaccination logistics coordinator, announced on Wednesday that Slovenia has at least 450,000 doses of four types of vaccines against Covid-19 available for the month of May, which will speed up the vaccination process.

Od ponedeljka dalje bo steklo cepljenje tudi vseh odraslih pod 50 let starosti. Do poletja bomo zagotovili dovolj cepiva za vse. Bodimo odgovorni do sebe in drugih, #CepimoSe in zdržimo še nekaj tednov. Čas je za normalno poletje. https://t.co/G0hnqVuNI6
— Janez Janša (@JJansaSDS) May 6, 2021

At the same time, Kacin announced additional quantities of vaccines and urged everyone to make the decision to get vaccinated.

He also explained that a new application is to be presented by Health Minister Janez Poklukar at today's press conference. The app will enable people to sign up to get inoculated and make it easier to monitor the progress of vaccination across the country.

In accordance with the current national vaccination strategy, people in the 50-59 age group, chronic patients and critical infrastructure workers are being vaccinated.

On Wednesday, Kacin did not have information on how many people were still waiting, but he did report that 16.3% of the 50-54 age group and 23.3% of people in the 55-59 age group had already been vaccinated. In total, 70 000 people in the 50-59 age group have received the vaccine.

According to the National Institute of Public Health, a total of 449,477 people have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.

The vaccination website

06 May 2021, 12:06 PM

Slovenian Wine Sector Gets €5.1mn to Help Overcome COVID-Related Market Disruption

STA, 6 May 2021 - The government has issued a decree on measures to remedy the market disruptions in the wine sector caused by the coronavirus pandemic, worth EUR 5.1 million. Like last year, the decree provides for temporary exceptional measures of crisis wine distillation and crisis wine storage for this year.

Around EUR 5.1 million will be allocated for the two measures - EUR 4.8 million for crisis distillation and EUR 300,000 for crisis wine storage. The two measures will be financed by the sector-specific national financial envelope for wine, while additional funding will also be provided by the national budget.

According to the Agriculture Ministry, an estimated 10 million litres of wine need to be withdrawn in order to rebalance the wine market in Slovenia, based on the level of wine stocks in 2020 and an inquiry into the stagnation in wine sales.

Last year, measures were already taken to withdraw certain quantities of wine that are not marketable, due to significant disruptions on the wholesale wine market, retail and beverage service sectors.

These measures include crisis distillation of wine into industrial alcohol or alcohol for medicinal purposes and crisis storage of wine, whereby a certain quantity is temporarily withdrawn from the market, the Government Communication Office said.

06 May 2021, 10:42 AM

Changes to Tax Laws Coming in 2022, Affecting Companies, Individuals, Investments, Renting & More

STA, 5 May 2021 - The government has adopted amendments to three tax laws in a bid to reduce labour taxation and help businesses and individuals in the post-Covid recovery, including by increasing the general personal income allowance, reducing tax on capital and reducing red tape. The amendments are to be implemented on 1 January 2022.

Amendments to the company income tax act will allow more favourable than existing tax measures and provide a friendlier administrative framework of taxation through simplification and in pursuit of tax certainty, the Finance Ministry said in a release issued after the government session on Wednesday.

The measures include an upgrade of tax breaks for employment, for practical work in vocational training, for donations and investment in digital transformation and green transition. Recognition of certain expenditure in determining the tax base is being simplified and made more favourable.

Under amendments to the personal income tax act the general allowance will be gradually raised by 2025 from EUR 3,500 to EUR 7,500 and the rate of tax in the top income bracket will be cut from 50% to 45%, while credits and net annual tax bases are to be adjusted to inflation again.

The conditions for more favourable treatment of bonuses paid based on company performance are being made less harsh.

The rate of personal income tax on income from interest, dividend and capital gains is being reduced from 27.5% to 25%, with taxed waived on divestment as early as after 15 years of ownership. Rental income tax is being reduced to 15%.

A similar upgrade on tax breaks as in the case of company income tax would also apply to taxation of income from activities.

When using a plug-in company car for private purposes, the user will no longer pay the credit and the tax break for over 70-year-olds is being reintroduced, with changes applying to assessment and payment of ow tax on pensions and income from education funds.

Amendments to the VAT act transpose relevant EU directives and some simplifications and administrative easing on taxpayers and the Financial Administration. A paper receipt, for example, would be issued only on the customer's demand.

The amendments are planned to be implemented on 1 January 2022, except for those transposing EU directives on e-trading and administrative simplifications in the VAT act that would be implemented on 1 July this year.

06 May 2021, 09:50 AM

Slovenia Redefines Rape to Focus on Consent, Not Violence

STA, 5 May 2021 - The Justice Committee unanimously adopted on Wednesday amendments to the penal code redefining sexual violence. Judges, prosecutors and lawyers had opposed the changes, saying there is nothing wrong with the existing legislation. But MPs sided with the organisations which work with victims of sex crimes.

Under the changes, rape will no longer have to involve force, as the changes incriminate interference in sexual integrity without consent.

Under the changes filed by the opposition based on a proposal from NGOs, those involved must express consent to the sexual act either implicitly or verbally.

MP for the opposition Left Matej T. Vatovec said the proposed changes were the result of a long campaign and battle of organisations dealing with victims of sexual violence.

Justice Minister Lilijana Kozlovič also endorsed the changes, noting that the ministry had been working on such changes for two years. She said it would take even longer for people's mindset to change.

Supreme Court Judge Marjeta Švab Širok said the debate on the definition of sexual violence had been triggered by one wrong court decision. She said legislative changes were not necessary. Instead, she proposed responding to new forms of crimes.

Supreme state prosecutor Mirjam Kline said that it was wrong to think that victims would no longer need to testify or that they would be more protected. "Mere legislative changes will not do that," she warned. She was also critical of the proposed lowering of the minimal prison sentence from a year to six months.

Mitja Jelenič Novak from the Bar Association said the changes would not improve the penal code but create a more repressive and dangerous criminal law on sexual offences.

But MPs were not convinced. "If experts are aware that we need changes but nothing happens, then politicians make a move," said Predrag Baković from the opposition Democrats (SD).

He said statistics showing that most people accused of sexual violence get probation spoke in favour of the changes.

Katja Zabukovec Kerin from the Association for Non-violent Communication said that statements that there is nothing wrong with the current legislation were dangerous and disrespectful to all the victims who have been warning for years that the system was not good and do not feel safe to speak up.

The head of the SOS hotline, Maja Plaze, said the legislative changes in line with the principle only yes means yes were a historical move.

NGO the March 8 Institute, which has been campaigning for a redefinition of sexual violence, said ahead of the session it expected broad support for the legislative changes. It said the changes would be a step in the direction of victim protection but that sexual harassment and violence would still need to be addressed.

06 May 2021, 04:01 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Thursday, 6 May 2021

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 provide by the STA:

Committee green light for transportation platforms

LJUBLJANA - The Infrastructure Committee endorsed amendments to the act on road transport that create the legal basis for transportation platforms such as Uber or Lyft, changes that the government argues will facilitate the digitalisation of the transport sector. The proposal sets down that drivers using digital platforms would need to get a licence, just like regular taxi drivers, whereas taximeters would no longer be mandatory for taxi drivers, who would be allowed to use software solutions.

Divača-Koper construction symbolically launched

DEKANI - Construction of currently the largest infrastructure project in the country was symbolically launched as ground was broken on the 27-km Divača-Koper rail track and the final contract to build one of its two sections, from Divača to Črni Kal, was signed. The project is valued at just below EUR 1 billion and will be built by a consortium led by the Slovenian company Kolektor CPG. "The die has been cast, the second rail track is being built from today," said Infrastructure Minster Jernej Vrtovec.

April's registered joblessness drops by almost 11% y/y

LJUBLJANA - Just over 79,000 were registered as unemployed at the end of April, down 10.6% over the year before and 4.1% compared to March, the Employment Service said. The number of newly unemployed, at 3,890, was down almost 15% compared to March and as much as 73% lower than in April 2020, during the first wave of the pandemic. Of the 7,243 that were deregistered, more than three-quarters found a job or became self-employed.

Government proposing a series of tax tweaks

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted amendments to three tax laws in a bid to reduce labour taxation and help businesses and individuals in the post-Covid recovery, including by increasing the general personal income allowance, reducing tax on capital and reducing red tape. The amendments are to be implemented on 1 January 2022. The Finance Ministry said one of the goals of the amendments is to create a friendly administrative framework and tax certainty.

Coalition in new attempt to replace speaker

LJUBLJANA - National Assembly Speaker Igor Zorčič was urged to step down by the start of next week or else the ruling coalition will bring another motion to dismiss him. The call had been signed by 47 MPs from the three coalition parties, the opposition SNS and DeSUS plus both minority MPs. Zorčič plans to talk it over with some MPs before deciding whether to resign or stay on and let parliament try to dismiss him.

MEPs urge Pahor to act to mend atmosphere in the country

LJUBLJANA - Four MEPs from Slovenia, Milan Brglez, Franc Bogovič, Tanja Fajon and Ljudmila Novak, expressed their concern over the psychosocial situation and the general social atmosphere in Slovenia in a letter addressed to President Borut Pahor. They urged him to use his authority to calm down "the passions and create a social atmosphere of dialogue, respectful expressing of disagreement and criticism". They fear a further deterioration could hamper the functioning of the state.

Changes redefining sexual violence adopted on committee

LJUBLJANA - The Justice Committee unanimously adopted amendments to the penal code redefining sexual violence. Judges, prosecutors and lawyers had opposed the changes, saying there is nothing wrong with the existing legislation. But MPs sided with the organisations which work with victims of sex crimes. Under the changes, rape will no longer have to involve force, as the changes incriminate interference in sexual integrity without consent.

Experts propose reimbursement scheme over bail-in

LJUBLJANA - A group of experts commissioned by the Slovenian central bank to draw up solutions for junior bond- and share-holders wiped out in the 2013 bank bailout sees a reimbursement scheme as the most suitable solution where the state would take on the financial burden. Banka Slovenije Governor Boštjan Vasle said the solution had already been presented to deputy factions. The MDS association of small shareholders welcomed the solution, which would involve an out-of court settlement.

Over 900 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia confirmed 929 new cases of coronavirus from 4,750 PCR tests on Tuesday. Six patients with Covid-19 died, show the latest government data. The situation in hospitals continued to improve as the overall number of patients declined by 24 to 560, of whom 141 were in intensive care, down by two. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 population was at 452, down slightly on the day before.

EUR 2bn investment in healthcare planned by 2031

LJUBLJANA - The Health Ministry is proposing almost EUR 2 billion worth of investments in healthcare over the next ten years, according to a draft bill designed to make the Slovenian health system resilient and prepared for future challenges and additional pressures on the health system in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and in view of the population's ageing and to make it prepared for potential new outbreaks of communicable diseases.

Jaklitsch meets Hungarian minority official

LJUBLJANA - Minister for Slovenians Abroad Helena Jaklitsch met Ministerial Commissioner for Hungary's Neighbourhood Policy Ferenc Kalmar to discuss challenges and open issues regarding the Slovenian and Hungarian ethnic minorities in Hungary and Slovenia, respectively, including bilinguality and economic development. The pair also talked about activities to prepare the next meeting of the Slovenian-Hungarian commission which monitors implementation of minority rights.

Work on largest solar power plant in Slovenia to start soon

LJUBLJANA - The power utility HSE will launch in July construction of what will be the largest solar power plant in the country. The 3.04 MW installation will be built atop a landfill near Hrastnik, after HSE. "Prapretno is the first megawatt-plus solar power plant in Slovenia. It will cover the annual demand for electricity of around 800 average Slovenian households," the company said.

Govt joins forces with Google to help small business

LJUBLJANA - The Economy Ministry joined forces with US tech giant Google to help some 5,000 small businesses and individuals in Slovenia recover from the coronavirus pandemic and promote the digital transformation. Called Grow Slovenia with Google, the initiative involves Google and local partners providing free workshops on digital skills, digital marketing, artificial intelligence and how to penetrate foreign markets, the company said.

Steel group exec appointed new GZS chairman

LJUBLJANA - Tibor Šimonka, a senior vice-president of the steel group SIJ, was elected new chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) for the next two years to succeed Boštjan Gorjup, CEO of BSH Hišni Aparati, whose term ends on 27 May. As his main priorities, Šimonka identified green transition, support for digitalisation, innovation, research and development, helping GZS members to make use of financial funds, internationalisation and employee career development.

Krško back online after scheduled maintenance

KRŠKO - The Krško Nuclear Power Station has been brought back online after a month-long scheduled maintenance. The maintenance work comprised some 40,000 activities, including the replacement of 56 of the 121 fuel rods, verification of the integrity of key components such as the reactor vessel and steam generator, and maintenance of electrical installations and instruments.

Salonit ups revenue by 3% to EUR 78.5 million

ANHOVO - The cement producer Salonit increased its revenue by 3% to EUR 78.5 million last year. The company said it had managed to achieve most of the growth on the Slovenian market, where it holds a 50% market share, as sales there were up by almost 7% to EUR 42.5 million. Salonit posted almost EUR
11 million in net profit, which is less than the record high EUR 15 million posted in 2019.

Marina Portorož gets a new owner

PORTOROŽ - The spa operator Terme Čatež announced the sale of Marina Portorož had been finalised on 4 May, but failed to disclose the buyer. Meanwhile, the consultancy PricewaterhouseCoopers, which conducted the procedure, named the buyer as Luka Lucija, a Ljubljana-based holding company that is owned by the Slovenian investment fund Cirus 1. The value of the deal remains confidential, but the public broadcaster TV Slovenija reported on Tuesday that the owner of Cirus 1 had paid EUR 15-20 million for the marina.

Slovenian-curated show on ex-Yugoslav art opens at MAXXI

ROME, Italy - A major exhibition put together by Slovenian curator Zdenka Badovinac and showcasing contemporary art from the region of the former Yugoslavia has been put on display at the MAXXI museum in Rome. Entitled Bigger than Myself. Voices of Heroes from Ex-Yugoslavia, the show involves more than 50 artists from countries of the former Yugoslavia, including more than ten directly linked with Slovenia.

05 May 2021, 17:41 PM

New Slovenian Owner for Marina Portorož

STA, 5 May 2021 - Marina Portorož finally has a new owner, as the spa operator Terme Čatež announced on Wednesday the sale had been finalised, while not disclosing the buyer. The consultancy firm participating in the procedure meanwhile said it is Luka Lucija, a company owned by the Slovenian investment fund Cirus 1.

Terme Čatež said in a press release that "all contractual suspensive conditions in the procedure of sale of the outright stake in the company Marina Portorož have been fulfilled and the transfer of shares on the buyer was made on 4 May."

While the seller did not disclose the buyer, the consultancy PricewaterhouseCoopers, which participated in the sale, said it was Luka Lucija, a holding company based in Ljubljana.

It has taken over the entire business of the operator of the Portorož marina which includes the operation of around 1,000 berths, infrastructure for maintenance of vessels, as well as accommodation, hospitality, sport and commercial facilities.

"The new owner plans to overhaul and modernise Marina Portorož, revive its business and place it again among the most important and most renowned marinas in the region," PricewaterhouseCoopers said in a press release.

Meanwhile, Marina Portorož announced "ambitious plans" for the marina: "By the end of 2022 we have a commitment of a million euro investment in infrastructure".

The release, announcing that Luka Prebil had been appointed director of what is the largest marina in Slovenia, said the goal was to make Marina Portorož an attractive nautical destination year-round.

"The marina's long-term development plan aims mainly to upgrade the existing infrastructure, improve customer satisfaction and expand the offerings in the marina, and the coastal towns and the hinterland."

In the first stage, plans involve urgent renovation work, the greening of the surroundings and a comprehensive digital transformation of the marina. Also planned are culinary offerings.

"Apart from investments in basic infrastructure, a programme is afoot to improve client satisfaction that is closely linked to employee training," reads the release.

The blue flag concept will also be pursued with the long-term goal being to create a sustainable, environmentally-friendly business environment.

While the value of the deal remains confidential, the public broadcaster TV Slovenija reported on Tuesday that JoanthanMars (sic), the alternative investment fund management firm that owns Cirus 1, had paid EUR 15-20 million for the marina.

JonathanMars is owned by the company UR Invest, whose owner is Uroš Raspet, a co-owner and a senior official at the Vzajemci group.

The sale had been announced earlier this year by the head of Terme Čatež and its owner, the publisher DZS, Bojan Petan, who said the move was coordinated with the York fund, the DZS's main creditor, according to the newspaper Primorske Novice.

The sale of Marina Portorož was a part of the DZS's agreement with creditors on financial restructuring. York had purchased claims to the company from the Gorenjska Banka bank and the state-owned bad bank BAMC.

Terme Čatež had been selling the marina operator for a while, and a fresh sale procedure started last August and bids were accepted until the second half of September.

A while ago the marina was to be sold to Adventura Holding and the company Glen, but the deal went sour over disagreements on the price.

05 May 2021, 14:35 PM

Work on Slovenia’s Largest Solar Plant to Start Soon Near Hrastnik

STA, 5 May 2021 - The state-owner power utility Holding Slovenske Elektrarne (HSE) will soon launch construction of what will be the largest solar power plant in the country. The 3.04 MW plant will be built atop a landfill near Hrastnik.

The project was announced on Wednesday as the HSE said it had obtained the building permit. The foundation stone will be laid on 3 July.

"Prapretno is the first megawatt-plus solar power plant in Slovenia. It will cover the annual demand for electricity of around 800 average Slovenian households," the company said in a press release.

The location has a symbolic meaning for the HSE and local community. "In the past, this area was heavily burdened by the electricity production in the Trbovlje thermal power plant and extraction of coal in the nearby mines."

Nenad Trkulja, the head of the project, added that the HSE would revive electricity production in the area, although in a environmentally-friendly way, without greenhouse gas emissions.

The press release adds that the company plans to expand the location for additional power production, as existing infrastructure enabled this.

"In a few months, when Prapretno starts sending electricity to the grid, we will become the largest producer of electricity from that renewable source," the HSE added.

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