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: 

Lockdown restrictions extended

LJUBLJANA - The government extended by a week all of the main lockdown measures, including the ban on gatherings, in-class schooling, movement between municipalities and the 9pm-6am curfew. Public transport will remain suspended for two more weeks and the current mask wearing regime, which includes masks outdoors, was extended by a fortnight as well. Shops selling non-essential goods, cultural institutions, and bars and restaurants remain closed as well.

1,767 new coronavirus infections confirmed, 46 people die

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 1,767 new coronavirus infections from 7,391 tests on Wednesday as 46 people died while the number of hospitalised patients rose by five to 1,302 and that of patients in intensive care by 13 to 215. The share of positive tests stood at 23.9%, compared to 27.6% on Tuesday. This share has been relatively flat for roughly a month and so has the curve of daily new cases, albeit with occasional fluctuations. The total death toll so far is 1,245.

h

PETA approved cork bags, wallets and purses at CORK.SI

School marking cut as hope for return to school in December

LJUBLJANA - As schooling continues remotely, Education Minister Simona Kustec decreed merging what are now two school assessment periods into one, as a result of which pupils will get fewer marks. Moreover, primary schools are advised t wait with assessments until pupils return to school. In its circuclar to schools, the Education Ministry said that "if everyone makes the effort and we improve the epidemiologic situation in Slovenia" return of the youngest pupils could start from 7 December.

Coalition partners review government projects

BRDO PRI KRANJU - The four ruling coalition parties reviewed the implementation of the coalition agreement and discussed further steps as they met at Brdu pri Kranju. Details were sketchy but statements after the meeting suggest there are no major differences between the partners, while they agreed some projects needed to be stepped up. Health Minister Tomaž Gantar briefed them on the coronavirus situation, explaining why measures to contain the epidemic could not be lifted just yet.

Another attempt to give soldiers police powers fails

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Defence Committee failed to muster the needed two-thirds majority to endorse a government proposal to give soldiers police powers to help secure the border against illegal migration. This is the second attempt of the Janez Janša government to activate Article 37.a of the defence law after the first one was also rejected at committee level in April. This was MPs from the four left-leaning opposition parties voted against the proposal.

Over 28,000 support defence investment referendum

LJUBLJANA - The opposition Left and Social Democrats (SD) filed more than 28,000 signatures to the National Assembly in support of a referendum on EUR 780 million in additional defence spending planned for 2021-2026, which is more than enough to start a referendum procedure. Now they will seek to collect 40,000 verified signatures to call a referendum. The Defence Ministry said referenda on on defence acts were not admissible under the constitution. If the National Assembly endorses this view, the Left plans to take the law to the Constitutional Court.

Slovenia supports Southern Neighbourhood reform based on dialogue

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Ministry State Secretary Stanislav Raščan took part in a virtual meeting of EU foreign ministers and the Southern Neighbourhood, which focussed on the future of this partnership. He backed the planned reform which would be based on dialogue with southern partners and result in concrete goals in EU-Southern Neighbours relations. These are securing stability and security in the region, sustainable development and economic growth, efficient migration management and the fight against terrorism, as well as the rule of law and human rights.

Govt to sign memorandum on Ljubljana Passenger Terminal

LJUBLJANA - The government decided to sign a memorandum of understanding with all key stakeholders of the Ljubljana Passenger Terminal, a public-private project that will include Mendota Invest, a company affiliated with Hungarian bank OTP. Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec said construction was to begin in 2022 with the entire investment valued at about EUR 350 million. Apart from an upgrade of the Ljubljana central train and coach stations it will also involve a multi-purpose commercial complex.

Local communities to get EUR 6.5m to partly offset epidemic cost

LJUBLJANA - The government allocated EUR 6.5 million to municipalities to partly cover the costs caused by the epidemic. A municipality will receive EUR 30,000 on average. The funds, meant to reimburse some of the costs prompted by protection, rescue and aid efforts, will be secured via a special budget provision set aside for Covid-related purposes. Supporting local communities is key to ensuring an effective response to the epidemic, said Defence Minister Matej Tonin.

Tonin re-elected NSi leader

LJUBLJANA - Matej Tonin was re-elected leader of New Slovenia (NSi) for two more years as the multi-day party congress came to a close. He won nearly 96% of the vote cast by mail. Tonin, the only candidate for the post, thanked the membership for their trust, saying he was proud of the NSi, a mature party that knew how to close ranks in critical moments. Tonin took over in January 2018 from Ljudmila Novak, who resigned after serving as party leader for a decade.

Mercator reports EUR 69m loss for Jan-Sep

LJUBLJANA - The retail group Mercator posted a net loss of EUR 69m in the first nine months as sales revenue rose by 2.1% year-on-year to EUR 1.6 billion. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation remained flat at EUR 126.3 million. The retailer saw a net profit of EUR 6.2 million in the same period last year, the loss this year being a result of a revaluation of the group's real estate carried out at the end of June, the core company said in a report.

Gorenje expanding workforce

VELENJE - Gorenje, the Chinese-owned household appliances maker, has hired around 800 extra staff since mid-August to meet an increase in orders, and is planning to open 300 more jobs by the end of the year. The company said part of the expansion was to replace existing staff who are being moved to a facility manufacturing TV sets, to be launched in January. The company said the newly employed are not agency workers. Hisense Europe companies in Slovenia currently employ 5,800 workers.

YSK posts record-breaking results in Slovenia

AARHUS, Denmark - JYSK, the Danish home goods retail chain, reported record-breaking results in Slovenia in the financial year that ended in August despite the Covid-19 pandemic. Sales revenue was up by 6.6% to EUR 38.6 million, and operating profit rose by more than 20%. The groups's earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) in Slovenia increased by 22% to top EUR 5.9m, despite shopping moving online during the spring epidemic.

Air quality poorer this autumn

LJUBLJANA - The Environment Agency has detected more PM10 particulates and more nitrogen oxides in the air in October and November than in the same period last year. The situation is the worst in valleys and basins, where fog lingers for the most part of the day and the concentration of emissions has not been reduced by wind or rain. Last year, October and November were very rainy, so the level of air pollution was lower and there had been few temperature inversions.

Average Slovenian threw away almost 70 kilos of food last year

LJUBLJANA - A Slovenian resident discarded some 1.3 kilos of food on average per week in 2019 or 67 kilos in the entire year, the Statistics Office data show. Almost 40% of food waste or some 26 kilos was edible. Households threw away most food in 2019, half of the entire amount or almost 69,900 tonnes. Almost a third of last year's food waste was generated by pubs and restaurants and other venues where food is served, such as schools, kindergartens, hospitals and care homes.

National Museum gets new director

LJUBLJANA - Pavel Car was appointed new director of the National Museum of Slovenia, succeeding Barbara Ravnik, who had the support of the museum for another term. Car was selected among seven applicants in an open call by Culture Minister Vasko Simoniti. The ministry told the STA Car turned out to be the most qualified candidate in terms of expertise, experience and other professional references. Car, who holds a PhD in history, has been so far mostly active in the IT field.

Looking for a gift this Christmas that says “Slovenia” and will keep you and your loved ones happy and well fed for years to come? Then check out the beautifully produced book Cook Eat Slovenia, with 100 easy to follow recipes for all seasons. The book has won three awards at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2020, for best translated, best self-published, and best food tourism cookbook for Slovenia, and for the second best in the world for food tourism, and third best  for self-published. Our review is here, and you can order a copy from anywhere in the world here.

If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here

STA, 26 November 2020 - Slovenia recorded 1,767 new coronavirus infections in 7,391 tests on Wednesday, which is a drop of 459 cases compared to a spike seen on Tuesday, when 8,063 tests were conducted. 46 people died, three more than on Tuesday while the number of hospitalised patients rose by five to 1,302 and that of patients in intensive care by 13 to 215.

The share of positive tests stood at 23.9% on Wednesday, compared to 27.6% on Tuesday. This share has been relatively flat for roughly a month and so has the curve of daily new cases, albeit with occasional fluctuations.

Slovenia has so far conformed 71,073 coronavirus cases, 20,174 of which are active, according to tracker site covid-19.sledilnik.org. The rolling 14-day average per 100,000 residents is 963.

The total death toll so far is 1,245. After peaking at 59 on Tuesday, the number of deaths was slightly lower in the past two days.

Lockdown extended for another week, public transport on hold for two more

STASTA, 26 November 2020 - The government decided on Thursday to extend by a week all of the main lockdown measures, including the ban on gatherings, in-class schooling, movement among municipalities and the 9pm-6am curfew. Public transport will remain closed and the current mask wearing regime, which includes masks outdoors, will stay in place for at least two more weeks.

Also remaining closed for at least one more week are kindergartens, shops selling non-essential goods, cultural institutions, and bars and restaurants, while there are also no changes to the regime at borders. Existing restrictions concerning sport activities will remain in place for at least two more weeks.

Government spokesperson Jelko Kacin told the press the government would adopt a plan on a relaxation of the measures next week, on Thursday at the latest.

Asked about the possibility of partly reopening schools soon, Kacin said the government would examine this next week, taking the epidemiological situation in consideration.

However, he said that reopening of schools would also require reopening public transport, the closure of which has just been extended for a fortnight.

Kacin mentioned the likelihood of facilities that offer individuals services, for instance hair and beauty salons, being among the first to reopen. He argued it was better to "provide these services in salons specially equipped for this and meeting all standards than on the ground - in garages, flats".

The press conference moreover featured the acting head of the Healthcare Directorate at the Health Ministry Marija Magajne, who said the situation in the country and in hospitals did not allow a relaxing of measures yet.

"We are all exhausted...But let's try to hold out for a few more days. We all believe that it will be possible to lift some measures in 10 or 14 days," Magajne said.

All our stories on Slovenia and covid-19

STA, 25 November 2020 - The government has not yet taken a position regarding Italy's appeal to close ski centres around Europe during the December holidays, the Economy Ministry told the STA on Wednesday. The ministry expects the European Commission to send recommendations for the skiing season to member states.

"The government has not discussed this issue or taken a position. We also assume that the European Commission will give recommendations based on the epidemiological situation and recommendations by medical experts, which will be forwarded to all EU members," the ministry said.

According to Italian media reports this week, the Italian government is proposing closing all ski centres in Europe during the Christmas holidays because of the coronavirus pandemic. Reportedly, Italy is striving to achieve this in cooperation with other countries, particularly its neighbours.

The Italian government proposes ski centres open at the end of January, when the second wave of coronavirus abates and a Covid-19 vaccine should be available.

If no restrictions are introduced, especially during the Christmas and New Year holidays, a third wave of the pandemic will follow in January, the Italian government has said.

Bavarian Premier Markus Söder said on Tuesday that the German state planned to have its ski centres closed during the winter holidays, and called on other European countries to do the same.

Austria, which has been saying for months it plans to have its ski centres open while adhering to safety measures, opposes Italy's proposal. Switzerland also plans to carry out the season.

Major ski centres in Slovenia are preparing for the season as well. Some, including Krvavec and Mariborsko Pohorje, have already started making artificial snow and selling tickets.

At a business forum organised by the business paper Finance, ski resort operators said they were worried because it was not possible to get ski resorts up and running overnight and they do not have a date when they might open.

"We're completely helpless at this point, waiting for the state to decide," said Manuela Božič Badalič, the chair of the Association of Slovenian Ski Lift Operators.

She was hopeful they may open on 15 December at the latest since it would be hard to make up for the revenue lost during peak ski season. And even if they open in December, "we would not be talking about profits, its about mere survival."

If ski resorts are required to remain closed, she expects compensation from the state. "We're not in the same position as industry, which can work anyway, we're subject to a complete ban, without revenue and with high fixed costs."

Janez Janša, the director of the company operating the Krvavec ski resort, lamented the lack of a clear Slovenian position regarding the Italian initiative and said he wished there was dialogue with the authorities so that solutions could be found.

STA, 26 November 2020 - The retail group Mercator saw its sales revenue rise by 2.1% to EUR 1.6 billion in the first nine months compared to the same period last year, but the group operated with a net loss, which climbed to EUR 69m, shows a report released on Thursday.

It says that revaluation of the group's real estate on the one hand resulted in an increase of equity, while on the other it had a negative effect on operating profit.

Group revenue in the core activity of retail increased by 3.9% to reach EUR 1.3 billion, while earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) remained flat at EUR 126.3 million.

The ratio between net financial debt and EBITDA, which was at 6 in the first nine months of 2019, has improved to 5.3.

While posting a net profit of EUR 6.2 million in the same period last year, Mercator recorded a net loss of EUR 69 million in the January-September period this year as a result of the revaluation of the group's real estate carried out at the end of June.

In the January-September period, the revaluation of Mercator group's real estate on the one hand caused an increase of equity due to a property value increase of EUR 23.3 million, while on the other it had a negative effect on operating profit.

The net effect of revaluation was a real estate value decrease of EUR 45.7 million, which accounts for 4.6% of total value of land, buildings, and investment property. After the revaluation, their total value amounted to EUR 1 billion on June 30.

CEO Tomislav Čizmić said that "with responsible and timely preparation for the corona crisis ... Mercator Group succeeded in ensuring revenue growth and thus consolidate the foundations for further development".

Slovenia remains Mercator's largest market, where the core company Poslovni Sistem Mercator recorded a growth in sales revenue of 2.9% and a 5.2% increase in retail revenue. Net profit was down by over 30% to EUR 10.85 million.

The biggest rise in revenue was recorded in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia (+3.7% each), while Montenegro and Croatia saw a 14% and 4.8% drop, respectively, due to a drop in tourist activity. In Croatia, Mercator is active only in real estate, which however was also affected by the Covid-19 epidemic.

Despite the crisis, the Mercator group continues with the construction of a new logistics and distribution centre in Ljubljana, the report adds.

In the first nine months, the group invested EUR 22.9 million in fixed assets and divested EUR 5.6 million in real estate, devices and equipment.

The group obtained 16 new retail units in all its markets or more than 7,000 square metres of gross new surfaces, along with a 4,000-square-metre logistics centre and warehouse in Novi Banovci, Serbia.

At the end of September, the group employed 20,381 people or 2.8% more than in the same period last year, which means Mercator remains the largest employer in Slovenia and one of the largest in the region.

In September, the European Commission approved the transfer of the Slovenian retailer from insolvent Croatian Agrokor to its successor Fortenova. Now, only the Serbian anti-trust watchdog's approval is still pending.

Meractor expects the transfer to be carried out by the end of the year.

I write this column on Thanksgiving, the best of all American holidays. Family, food and thankfulness (and possibly a nap)—nothing objectionable, all good. But this year I celebrate without my extended family and without a turkey. So I’ll focus on the thankfulness.

We live in surreal times. If you’d read about the state of the world in 2020 this time last year, you’d think you’d stumbled on a science fiction novel. I want to spend this column in thanks of the solidarity and assistance we all have received during this difficult time. My friend, architect Tomaz Schlegl, is sending out a thank-you card of his own to people he feels are deserving of thanks but rarely receive it. Nurses, doctors, volunteers. It’s a lovely idea for a Christmas gift—how often do people receive a heartfelt “thank you” for their efforts, and from a stranger? I would like to return the favor and thank Tomaz. Though you might not know it, he has been a crusader for elevating Kamnik’s profile, tourism and status as a cultural center. He is the Slovenian architect with the most ingenious and beautiful unbuilt projects. Because he focuses on urban planning, his wonderful projects are rarely built because they take outside thinking and courage on the part of bureaucratic administrations—which are often scared to do something bold and noteworthy. And so he creates, designs, pours his soul into projects that are rarely completed. He is the sort of behind-the-scenes good spirit who loves our region (his designs have almost been built in all the areas covered by Modre Novice, most recently a complete plan to remake the center of Menges and various plans for Kamnik) and who deserves an award for well-meaning service. If you only knew the ingenious designs he has come up with, only for administrations to get “cold feet” and decide not to implement them, you would roll your eyes and think to yourself, “Oh, what a shame, that would have been amazing.” And it would have. We are wasting one of Slovenia’s most talented creators. He was the inspiration for this column.

For me to thank, in general, nurses and doctors, feels too general but also just right. While we complain about not being able to have picnic parties with our friends, our brilliant healthcare system is working at its usual world-class level, with medical workers risking their own health and even lives to help others. Their heroism makes any complaints about changes in our daily routine and social lives seem very silly and petty.

I am thankful for these changes. Provided no one close to us gets severely ill, we will likely look back at the 2020 time in isolation as one with a silver lining. I have never spent more time with my children. Though it can be complicated moment to moment, imagine fast-forwarding to this time next year, when the vaccine should be out and Covid-19 peripheral. I will look back at this year as a beautiful time of nesting with my immediate family. Time is the most precious thing we have and it tumbles past us so quickly. Time has slowed down this year. We feel that days “stuck at home” are so long. I’m glad they feel “so long.” Instead of life passing us by, we’ve all been shifted to slow motion. Why not savor this, instead of pushing against it to no avail?

Globally, as an American, I’m thankful for the outcome of the recent election, though I remain dismayed and ashamed about what my country has become. This is a step in the right direction, but the mess that is America makes me very glad that I live in Slovenia.

Locally, I’ve become grateful to the people who are just doing their normal work, but the very act of which becomes heroic if there is risk of infection everywhere. Postmen, cooks, pharmacists—they continue to go to work and provide the services we need, even though each interaction carries an invisible risk.

I’m thankful also for those who deliver. I haven’t stepped inside a grocery store since March because of the free delivery offered by many companies, large and small. I can get delivery from Zlata Pticka (www.zlatapticka.si), coffee from Crno Zrno (www.crnozrno.com), products from local farmers who now deliver what was once available only at farmer’s markets. I have even found more exotic fare that I order regularly, such as Asian groceries from Asia Supermarket (www.asia-supermarket.si), and Russian specialties from Ruska Trgovina (www. ruskatrgovina.si)—you have yet to live if you have not tried their smoked sable (prekajena maslenka).

A special thanks goes to Ramadan Ahmetaj of Kamnik’s Tropika, where I like to get my fruit and vegetables. He stayed open and made sure that we could find food even when supermarkets were closing. He is a quiet type of hero. He’s just doing his job, but he’s doing it at a time when “just doing your job” counts as heroic.

Doing all of your jobs these days counts as heroic. I’m thankful to you for being as safe and hygienic as possible in a time when that does not only protect you but protects all of us. And for all of you parents out there, you deserve particular thanks. This has the potential to be a golden time for families being together. We may be “stuck” together, which might not always feel easy, but time with family is the most precious thing we have. And it is the inadvertent “gift” of the pandemic that we have more of it.

Now, if only I could get a giant turkey…

Check out Noah's latest book, Superpower Your Kids: A Professor's Guide To Teaching Children Everything in Just 15 Minutes a Day, or consider treating yourself to a copy of Slovenology, his guide to life in Slovenia.

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: 

Slovenia sees new spike in coronavirus cases, more fatalities

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's daily coronavirus case count rose to 2,226 on Tuesday on a day of the week that typically sees the highest number of new cases. This was as 43 more Covid-19 patients died, bringing the overall death toll to 1,199. Data released by the government show the latest cases were from 8,063 coronavirus tests, the highest number yet, which puts the test positivity rate at 27.61%. The daily increase in confirmed cases is the third highest on record, equalling that registered on the Tuesday two weeks ago but the positivity rate at the time was 30%. Hospitalisations at Covid-19 units dropped by two to 1,297, after 113 patients were discharged yesterday, as the number of patients in intensive care also dropped by two to 202.

Rapid testing of care home staff to be decreed shortly

LJUBLJANA - The Health Ministry will decree rapid antigen testing of everyone working at care homes as soon as possible, announced Mateja Ribič, a state secretary at the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities. She said all key details of such testing in care homes had been agreed at Tuesday's meeting between the two ministries. The idea was to screen staff as well as volunteers, retired staff and students helping out at aged care facilities. However, the details will be determined in the decree to be issued by the Health Ministry.

PETA approved cork bags, wallets and purses at CORK.SI

EU Parliament discusses claims of Hungary's interference in Slovenian media

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Parliament debated allegations that Hungary has been interfering in media in Slovenia and North Macedonia. Four Slovenian MEPs presented their views on the matter, with S&D and Renew members claiming that Hungarian media with close links to the government influencing Slovenian media was dangerous, and EPP MEPs dismissing the claims. Tanja Fajon (S&D/SD) expressed concern that Hungary's political leadership is interfering in the Slovenian media and democratic processes. Romana Tomc (EPP/SDS) said that "the issue has been raised solely to interfere in internal affairs and discredit the Slovenian government".

Eight carriers get subsidies to fly to Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - Eight airlines - Turkish Airlines, Swiss Air, Air Serbia, Montenegro Airlines, Lufthansa, Air France, Wizzair and LOT - will receive state subsidies to operate flights to Slovenia. The first instalment of the incentive is worth EUR 985,320, the Economy Ministry said. Lufthansa will be the biggest beneficiary with EUR 371,040, followed by Air France (EUR 176,160) and Turkish Airlines (EUR 148,530). The remaining five will get under EUR 100,000 each, with Swiss Air eligible for the lowest amount, EUR 22,050.

Slovenia highlights efforts to end violence against women

LJUBLJANA - On International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, Slovenia called for ending violence against women, with Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina saying that raising awareness about such efforts is key, noting that Covid-19 has led to a rise in domestic violence. President Borut Pahor also issued a statement on the occasion, saying violence against women was unfortunately still widely present and affected children as indirect or direct victims as well. The ZSSS trade union warned that workplace violence was also an issue of concern during the epidemic.

New agreement signed on army-police cooperation in border protection

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Armed Forces and the police signed on Wednesday a document on cooperation between the army and police in protecting the border. The operative-tactical plan signed by the Chief of the General Staff, Brigadier General Robert Glavaš and acting Police Commissioner Andrej Jurič, outlines the tasks of police officers and soldiers in protecting the border and preventing illegal migration. A similar plan was adopted in 2015, allowing the two institutions to cooperate in protecting the border.

Pahor reportedly thinking of granting clemency to sickly old prisoners

LJUBLJANA - The newspaper Dnevnik reported that President Borut Pahor is thinking of granting clemency to sickly old prisoners on the occasion of the upcoming 30th anniversary of Slovenia's independence. Pahor has already contacted Justice Minister Lilijana Kozlovič about this, as it is the justice minister who initiates the clemency procedure. While the president feels the upcoming anniversary is an excellent opportunity for this, Kozlovič, who does not oppose the proposal in principle, warns that several of the sickly old prisoners are serving long sentences for violent crimes.

NGOs, civil society launch campaign against hydro plants on the Sava

LJUBLJANA - Nine NGOs, movements and civil initiatives have formed a group called Za Savo (For the Sava) to fight the planned construction of between nine and 12 hydro power hydro power plants on the central part of the Slovenian section of the Sava river. "We will not accept the starting point that the hydro power plants will be built. Our staring point is - no to the hydro power plants," Uroš Marcel from NGo Eko Krog said. The Environment and Spatial Planning Ministry responded by saying that replacing fossil fuel with renewable energy sources was the goal pursued not only by Slovenia but also Europe and the world.

Employment Service to pay out EUR 323m in coronacrisis aid by December

LJUBLJANA - The Employment Service will have paid out a total of EUR 323.2 million in support by the end of November. The bulk of the payments, accounting EUR 303.5 million, are state subsidies for furloughed workers, followed by subsidies for short time work, which have amounted to EUR 18.2 million, the Employment Service said. By 24 November, the service received over 130,000 requests by employers for roughly 600,000 employees, with employers sometimes filing several request, including for the same employees.

Slovenia expects EU guidelines on ski season

LJUBLJANA - The government has not yet taken a position regarding Italy's appeal to close ski centres around Europe during the December holidays, the Economy Ministry said. "The government has not discussed this issue or taken a position. We also assume that the European Commission will give recommendations based on the epidemiological situation and recommendations by medical experts, which will be forwarded to all EU members."

Tissue maker Paloma getting new director

SLADKI VRH - Tissue maker Paloma is to get a new CEO in Lukaš Keyzlar with the start of 2021 after Jaroslav Fic stepped down for personal reasons at the start of November. Paloma also has two more new management board members in Robert Kasanicky and Jernej Tovšak. The Sladki Vrh-based company, which was sold to the Slovakian and Czech financial fund Eco Investment in 2016 and has been part of the Slovakian paper group SHP, said Keyzlar had years of experience with the production of cellulose and paper. The only management member persisting since the arrival of the new owners is Stevan Lomić, an entrepreneur from Vienna, who executed a major investment into a new production line.

Tourism in Slovenia suffers huge blow in October

LJUBLJANA - Tourism facilities in Slovenia recorded slightly more than 173,000 tourist arrivals in October, down 63% year-on-year, which is mostly attributed to the coronavirus epidemic and more specifically, the government locking down tourism facilities as of 24 October. While the number of Slovenian guests increased by 2% to almost 134,000, the number of foreign tourists plunged by 88% to around 40,000, the Statistics Office said.

Bird flu confirmed in second swan found in Piran

LJUBLJANA - A second swan found dead in the Piran municipality on the Slovenian coast was found to have been infected with the highly pathogenic H5N8 strain of bird flu, the Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary Sector and Plant Protection said. The carcass was found close to where the first dead swan was picked up on Monday.

Looking for a gift this Christmas that says “Slovenia” and will keep you and your loved ones happy and well fed for years to come? Then check out the beautifully produced book Cook Eat Slovenia, with 100 easy to follow recipes for all seasons. The book has won three awards at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2020, for best translated, best self-published, and best food tourism cookbook for Slovenia, and for the second best in the world for food tourism, and third best  for self-published. Our review is here, and you can order a copy from anywhere in the world here.

If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here

STA, 25 November 2020 - Eight airlines - Turkish Airlines, Swiss Air, Air Serbia, Montenegro Airlines, Lufthansa, Air France, Wizzair and LOT - will receive state subsidies to operate flights to Slovenia. The first instalment of the incentive is worth EUR 985,320, the Economy Ministry said on Wednesday.

Nine carriers had submitted applications, all of which have previously operated flights to Ljubljana. EasyJet is the only applicant to be left out.

Lufthansa will be the biggest beneficiary with EUR 371,040, followed by Air France (EUR 176,160) and Turkish Airlines (EUR 148,530). The remaining five will get under EUR 100,000 each, with Swiss Air eligible for the lowest amount, EUR 22,050.

The ministry said additional clarifications were needed from Swiss Air and Wizzair. They expect the issues will be resolved shortly, but if they are not, the two carriers will not be eligible.

Under the terms of the scheme, the recipients of the subsidies will have to operate scheduled flights to at least one airport in Slovenia twice a week in the 2021 summer season, between 28 March and 30 October.

This is the first of three calls for applications, designed to improve Slovenia's air links in the aftermath of the coronavirus epidemic. Applications for the next two calls will be opened on June and October 2021. A total of EUR 5 million is available for the whole scheme.

The subsidies are capped at EUR 30 per passenger.

STA, 25 November 2020 - Slovenia's daily coronavirus case count rose to 2,226 on Tuesday on a day of the week that typically sees the highest number of new cases. This was as 43 more Covid-19 patients died, bringing the overall death toll to 1,199.

Data released by the government show the latest cases were from 8,063 coronavirus tests, the highest number yet, which puts the test positivity rate at 27.61%, up from 23.27% on Monday and almost 27% on Sunday, but down from nearly 30% on Saturday.

The daily increase in confirmed cases is the third highest on record, equalling that registered on the Tuesday two weeks ago but the positivity rate at the time was 30%.

Hospitalisations at Covid-19 units dropped by two to 1,297, after 113 patients were discharged yesterday, as the number of patients in intensive care also dropped by two to 202.

Addressing the morning government press briefing, Covid-19 spokesman Jelko Kacin said the epidemiological situation "is not yet inspiring hope" but he said the government was determined to set out an exit strategy whereby differences in the infection status of regions are to be taken into account.

Infections are increasing in all regions except for Central Slovenia and the north-western Gorenjska region with Koroška as one of the regions standing out in terms of infections.

The situation has been particularly difficult in the north-east of the country where there has been a surge in Covid-19 patients.

UKC Maribor, Slovenia's second largest hospital, had a record number of admissions at the weekend. From Sunday to Monday 218 patients required hospital treatment, 47 of them intensive care.

"I don't know what exactly to attribute the increase to when it already seemed we are out of the woods, the logical explanation would be St Martin's 10 days ago," said Gregor Prosen, the head of the UKC Maribor emergency department, referring to the celebration of new wine in what is one of Slovenia's main wine growing regions.

Nuška Čakš Jager from the National Institute of Public Health presented the results of a survey among the infected which show the most (25%) reporting getting infected at work, followed by almost as many who do not know where they got infected.

Over 20% got infected from family or household members, and 15% at social and aged care homes, followed by those who reported private socialising as the cause of infection.

According to Kacin, 176 more elderly in care homes tested positive yesterday, bringing the number of actively infected to 2,660, and as many as 114 new infections were confirmed among care home staff for 992 actively infected.

Labour Ministry State Secretary Mateja Ribič said that 24 aged care home residents died yesterday, half of them in hospitals. A total of 580 have died in the second wave.

Slovenia has so far conformed 69,306 coronavirus cases, 20,337 of which are active, according to tracker site covid-19.sledilnik.org.

All our stories on Slovenia and coronavirus

STA, 25 November 2020 - Ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, observed on Wednesday, Slovenia called for ending violence against women. Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina said that raising awareness about such efforts is key, noting that Covid-19 has led to a rise in domestic violence.

Between 16 March and 31 May, there was an 11% increase in domestic violence cases, police data show, with NGOs reporting a rise in the number of helpline calls during the spring lockdown.

The ombudsman believes that support services for victims of violence should be a priority, including access to safe houses and crisis centres.

Svetina's office has found that such facilities have remained open and accessible to victims, however they were under-staffed and had insufficient room capacities to enable self-isolation or quarantine if needed.

The ombudsman has thus urged the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities to provide such support facilities with everything they require.

Women and girls should be empowered and men and boys educated in order to stem violence against women and girls, he said.

What is also key is supporting victims in relevant procedures, staff training and giving a clear signal that violence is unacceptable, Svetina said.

He warned that the definition of rape in the penal code should be updated, based on lack of consent, and the redefining should indicate that sexual acts are not allowed if they are not consensual for all the participants.

President Borut Pahor also issued a statement on the occasion, saying violence against women was unfortunately still widely present and affected children as indirect or direct victims as well.

Noting that the lockdown had definitely further deteriorated the situation, Pahor urged people to speak out about the violence. Silence about violence is not golden, the president argued.

He urged zero tolerance against any forms of violence, "including verbal and psychological violence, as such violence is used by perpetrators to subjugate those who are weaker and trap them into a circle that is hard to escape, especially in times of crisis".

The ZSSS trade union meanwhile warned that workplace violence was also a burgeoning issue of concern during the epidemic, particularly among essential workers, such as health workers, care home staff, cleaners and those working in shops - occupations where women account for the majority of staff.

The organisation thus urges the ministry and the government to immediately launch a procedure to ratify the 2019 Violence and Harassment Convention by the International Labour Organisation, a document which aims to eliminate workplace violence.

The union of medical associations of nurses, midwives and medical technicians notes that the epidemic has rolled back the decades-long fight against domestic violence and workplace violence.

The organisation has called on relevant authorities to step up their efforts to protect the rights of children, the elderly, women and other vulnerable groups.

A nationwide study has shown that one in two women has experienced at least one type of violence since turning 15, the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) has pointed out.

Domestic violence is present in one in five families. One in seven women has been raped and only 5% of women who have experienced violence against them seek any kind of help, the NIJZ quoted findings by NGOs.

Organisations providing support meanwhile highlight that help is available during the epidemic as well, urging Slovenians to report any kind of violence.

STA, 25 November 2020 - Tourism facilities in Slovenia recorded slightly more than 173,000 tourist arrivals in October, which is 63% less than in the same month last year, which is mostly attributed to the coronavirus epidemic and more specifically, the government locking down tourism facilities as of 24 October.

While the number of Slovenian guests increased by 2% to almost 134,000 in October, the number of foreign tourists dwindled by 88% to around 40,000 year-on-year, the Statistics Office said on Wednesday.

Overall, they accounted for more than 543,000 overnight stays, which is 49% less than in October 2019. Domestic tourists generated 25% more stays (412,000), while the number of stays generated by foreigners was down by 82% to 131,000.

Germans accounted for the largest number of overnight stays by foreign tourists (16% or 20,000), followed by citizens of Austria and Italy (13% each), Serbia (10%), Bosnia-Herzegovina (8%) and Croatia (6%).

An increase in overnight stays was recorded only in agritourism farms (up 24% or around 16,000), with 88% of total overnight stays accounted for by Slovenian guests.

Between January and October, slightly more than three million tourist arrivals were recorded in Slovenia, which is 46% less than in the same period last year. The number of overnight stays dropped by 37% to slightly more than nine million.

What is probably a result of free tourism vouchers granted by the government and partial border closure, the number of Slovenian tourists increased by 39% and the number of overnight stays they generated was up by 49% year-on-year.

On the other hand, the number of arrivals of foreign tourists dropped by 72% and the number of their overnight stays was down by 68% compared to the January-October period in 2019.

More details on this data