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This summary is provided by the STA: 

Record 59 Covid-19 patients died in Slovenia on Monday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia saw a record 59 fatalities among patients with Covid-19 on Monday, which takes the death toll from the disease to 1,156. Another 1,302 coronavirus cases were confirmed, while 1,299 patients are still being treated in hospitals, including 204 in intensive care. Fresh data from the government show that 5,596 coronavirus tests were performed on Monday, which means 23.27% of the tests came back positive, down from almost 27% the day before and almost 30% on Saturday. Bojana Beović, the head of the government's coronavirus task force, announced that the group will propose the extension of existing restrictions this week since the situation does not yet warrant a relaxation of the measures.

Stimulus package No. 6 amended and okayed for plenary

LJUBLJANA - The sixth stimulus package, which extends or reactivates aid measures and introduces several new instruments, was cleared for the plenary after the Finance Committee added significant amendments. The latest package, valued at around EUR 1 billion, is meant to alleviate the impact of the coronacrisis on businesses and residents, extending once more the furlough scheme, measures to help liquidity and introducing, as a key novelty, help with fixed expenses. Part time work subsidies will also be continued, but it was said that this would be secured through a government decree and not with the new package.

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.

Govt preparing new stimulus package, businesses call for rapid tests as way to reopen economy

LJUBLJANA - While the sixth anti-coronavirus legislative package is being debated in parliament, the government is already planning a next package which looks to address issues brought by the new lockdown. Particular attention is to be paid to the sectors which have suffered the biggest losses in turnover this year and to vulnerable social groups. The Slovenian Business Club called for a widespread testing by means of rapid tests and prompt preparation of testing protocols in order to detect as many coronavirus infections as possible, contain their spread, and allow the economy to reopen.

Logar talks EU presidency challenges, rule of law at Berlin Forum

BERLIN, Germany - Foreign Minister Anže Logar addressed participants of the Berlin Foreign Policy Forum to highlight the priorities of Slovenia's EU presidency in the second half of next year and stress the importance of solidarity among EU member states. Logar said that solidarity among EU members also meant the search for a comprise acceptable for everybody. He argued that traditional democracies had a different view of the rule of law compared to countries that emerged from under repressive regimes 30 years ago, that the different perception angles needed to be accepted and that the goals were shared.

Complaint filed against Left MP over confidential information

LJUBLJANA - The chair of the Home Affairs Committee, Branko Grims of the ruling Democrats (SDS), filed a criminal complaint against opposition Left MP Miha Kordiš over his statements regarding the 5 November riots in Ljubljana after a session of the parliamentary body held behind closed doors due to sensitive classified information. Kordiš, the only MP to give a press statement on 13 November, responded by saying that Grims was using "fairy tales" to divert attention from problems faced by the country.

Opposition objects to Hungary's involvement in rail project

LJUBLJANA - The four left-leaning opposition parties jointly urged against government plans to involve Hungary in the construction of the new rail track to the port of Koper. Saying they want to "stop this madness", they argued the government was dismantling a completed financial plan, delaying the project, and making it more expensive. "The financial plan for the second rail was already closed in the budget adopted by the previous government and it remained closed in the budget the new coalition adopted last week," SAB's Alenka Bratušek, the former infrastructure minister, said.

MPs endorse police response to violent Ljubljana protest

LJUBLJANA - After four sessions dedicated to the matter, the coalition majority on the Home Affairs Committee established that the police acted suitably, professionally and efficiently in response to the 5 November protest in Ljubljana which turned into a riot. The opposition raised protest, with Jani Möderndorfer of the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) saying such a conclusion could only be made by experts, not MPs. There were also calls for an inquiry into the use of coercive measures, but a police official said the threshold for triggering an inquiry had not been reached.

Five bids for Constitutional Court judge in Pahor's new call

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor has received five bids in what is a third call for applications for one vacancy on the Constitutional Court. The applicants include Andraž Teršek, candidate who failed to get appointed in the National Assembly in June after the first call, as well as Rok Svetlič, the head of the Law Institute at the Koper Science and Research Centre, and Marko Starman of the Nova Gorica-based European Faculty of Law, both of whom had applied previously but were not nominated by Pahor. Pahor will consult parliamentary factions on the nominees in the second week of December.

Condemnation as public health chief harassed by prominent anti-masker

LJUBLJANA - The director of the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) Milan Krek was harassed by the rapper Zlatko, a prominent anti-masker, on the street on Monday, drawing sharp condemnation. The event "constitutes an attack on an independent, professional public health institution, which is unprecedented," the NIJZ said. "It is outrageous that something like this happens in a democratic country such as Slovenia," Krek said in a separate statement. The incident also drew criticism from the Medical Chamber, which said it rejected "any intolerant communication and actions against health workers".

Top court admits case of late collaborationist general Rupnik

LJUBLJANA - The Constitutional Court has admitted what is one of three challenges of the Supreme Court's January quashing of the 1946 death sentence for collaborationist general Leon Rupnik. The court suspended the renewed criminal proceedings against Rupnik, arguing their potential termination would absolve Rupnik of his guilt.

Business sentiment deteriorates further in November

LJUBLJANA - Business sentiment in Slovenia deteriorated further in November as additional Covid-19 lockdown measures kicked in, with the relevant indicator dropping to -13.8 percentage points, or 6.8 points lower than in October and 16 points lower year-on-year. All sub-indicators were down on the monthly basis in November, in particular those measuring confidence in the services sector (-4 points) and confidence among consumers (-1.1 points).

Project to revitalise habitats along Mura gets financial boost

LJUBLJANA - The ongoing project to revitalise wetland habitats along the Mura river is to get EUR 2.3 million in EU cohesion funds, with the co-financing contract signed by Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak seen as a contribution in preserving natural resources and biodiversity in Slovenia. The Natura Mura project, which started in August, aims at improving the state of three habitat types and 12 qualified species along the river running through north-eastern Slovenia.

Avian flu confirmed in swan found in Piran

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia has confirmed a case of avian influenza in a dead swan found in the coastal municipality of Piran. The Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary Sector and Plant Protection said the strain of the virus confirmed was not dangerous to humans. The administration was notified of the case of the highly pathogenic H5N8 strain of bird flu in the sample from the swan by the National Veterinary Institute on Monday.

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

Already in the winter, before the start of this year's fly-fishing season in Slovenia, I made a plan for myself, which was based on visiting and thoroughly researching some fishing districts where I have not yet fished, or I have only fished a few times. The largest and longest sinking river in Slovenia - the river réka - was also on my list of much-desired fly-fishing districts in 2020.

The thought of karst beauty and my plan to dedicate myself this year to researching and fly-fishing of the indigenous fish species - marble trout and brown trout – was then ruined somewhat by the situation we found ourselves in with the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis in March 2020.

Green Karst Slovenia

That is why I was all the more pleased with the invitation of RRA Zeleni Kras (Regional Development Agency Green Karst), which invited me on a study trip through the green karst. The invitation included fly-fishing on the Réka River, pike fishing on the Mola Reservoir, fly-fishing on the Queen of Slovenian Waters, the Unica River, exploring the underground world by visiting Planins cave, cycling on electric bikes and enjoying local cuisine at the surrounding tourist attractions.

Photo: Fly-fishing in Slovenia with Flyfishingodec | Green Karst Slovenia

The River Réka, best known for creating the beautiful and world-famous Škocjan Caves over the millennia, along with the Mola Reservoir, are managed by the Bistrica Fishing Family based in Ilirska Bistrica. The Réka River belongs to the Adriatic basin and is a typical karst river with torrential impact caused by its many tributaries, which the Bistrica Fishing Family uses for its breeding streams and for the maintenance of its breeding flock of native marble trout.

Photo: Fly-fishing in Slovenia with Flyfishingodec | Green Karst Slovenia

Fly-fishing on the river Réka

At the time of my visit, the conditions for fly-fishing were perfect and the water level did not exceed 6 m3 / s, despite the previous heavy rain, which filled the riverbeds of most Slovenian watercourses. As such, the rain changed the course of our trip to such an extent that we had to give up fly-fishing on the Slovenian queen of rivers, the Unica. However, if you want to learn more about that river then just read my blog about fly-fishing there.

Photo: Fly-fishing in Slovenia with Flyfishingodec | Green Karst Slovenia | River Unica

Just the elevated water level and turbidity, unspoiled nature, interesting hunting passages between long pools and rapids, peace and tranquility aroused a number of familiar and beautiful feelings in me. I have to say I felt wonderful. And this wonderful feeling, happiness and contentment are the reasons I love fly-fishing so much. It inspires me and gives me the strength I need in these unpredictable times. As a guide and teacher of fly-fishing, my travel study trip also gave me a new insight into my work as a guide, which I have been doing as a professional for five years now. I have never been in a situation where I was led on any Slovenian river by someone who is not my friend or acquaintance. In the role of a guide to the Bistrica fishing district, the locals, Mr. Emil and Mr. Biščak, showed me and Boštjan, who manages the well-known fishing site fishing permits for all Slovenian fishing areas, some interesting hunting places that are easily accessible to everyone. Despite the fact that the River Réka is heavily overgrown with lush vegetation, we drove to all the hunting places. The overgrown parts of the Réka give the indigenous marble trout, brown trout and other fish species excellent shade and an effective hiding place from predators. But with its distinct green summer color palette, it conjured up a moment that I will never forget.

Photo: Fly-fishing in Slovenia with Flyfishingodec | Green Karst Slovenia | River Réka

The fish in the Réki river are extremely careful, which was also evident in the total number of fish caught in two hours. I was lucky enough to catch only a small chub, which I tricked with a classic rabbit ear tie in size #14, and Boštjan was delighted to catch the indigenous marble trout, which we later found out may have been a "crossbreed" and not a real marble trout. We could have caught more fish, but our time for fly fishing was running out and we were forced to put away our fly rods, as the organizer Dejan was pushing us a bit because we had to follow a schedule.

Something more

After an excellent lunch at the restaurant Pri Zotlarju, right next to the main road that leads through Vremska Britof towards Ilirska Bistrica, Boštjan, Dejan and I went for a short ride on electric bicycles, which we borrowed from TIC Ilirska Bistrica for this occasion by prior arrangement.. Given the limited time, we shortened the planned circular route, which started at Črne Njive, but I must say that I was very impressed by what I saw and experienced. Cycling along the paths of the pine forest (by the way, I should explain that the pine forest was planted according to a plan from the 1950s), which offers excellent protection to the fertile soil of the Dinaric-Karst region and all small ruminant farmers, although these are in short supply.

Photo: Fly-fishing in Slovenia with Flyfishingodec | Green Karst Slovenia | E-bikes cycling

After a short cycle and interesting adventure, the three of us drove together towards the accumulation lake MOLA, where the Bistrica Fishing Family has a beautifully landscaped fishing lodge. The lodge was not empty, as Boštjan and I were very well received by prominent representatives of the Bistrica Fishing Family, and it was not long before a "debate" on current fishing topics quickly broke out. Considering that the summer sun was slowly disappearing behind a nearby hill, we took advantage of an available boat with an electric motor and quickly made a circle around the Mola reservoir. Of course, we also used our ride to hunt for pike, but didn't catch anything. Still, on the boat, we enjoyed nature and greeted fellow anglers on the shore, eagerly awaiting their catches.

Photo: Fly-fishing in Slovenia with Flyfishingodec | Green Karst Slovenia | Spinning lake Mola

A short feast followed, during which there was no shortage of fishing stories that made us laugh from the heart. After a great barbecue dinner, Boštjan and I headed home late at night. Full of impressions and wonderful experiences, I decided to return to this beautiful and somewhat forgotten part of Slovenia soon. What about you?

Thank you

On this occasion, I would like to thank Dejan again for the invitation and excellent organization. Thanks also to the Peternelj Tourist Farm, which hosted Boštjan and me and offered us accommodation. Thank you to the Bistrica Fishing Family for the accompaniment and friendly reception, especially to Emil and Iztok. Thank you all!

More from Matej Godec: Get Closer to Nature & Go Fly-Fishing in Slovenia, Fly Fishing on Unica - the Queen of Slovenian Rivers! And you can learn more about Matej’s work, and book a tour, at his website, and see more pictures on Instagram. If your planning a fishing trip and not everyone in your party is an angler, then check out some of the other ways you can enjoy the River Soča and its surroundings - the ideal location for an active vacation.

STA, 24 November 2020 - Bojana Beović, the head of the government's coronavirus task force, has announced that the group will propose the extension of existing restrictions this week. It is not possible to talk about potential changes until the most recent measures show effects, which is expected at the end of this week, Beović told the STA.

Beović said that the novel coronavirus continues to circulate among the population to a great degree, even though some measures, such as the closure of kindergartens, schools etc., have been in place for a month already.

Arguing that it does not help to prescribe measures if these are not observed, Beović said that some countries, for instance Austria, saw the situation calming after a few weeks of restrictions.

This was not the case in Slovenia, which she attributes to a different perception of these measures in our society. Beovič argued this perception was also the result of what she described as an absence of support or the polemics about the measures in the central media.

Beović, an infectious diseases specialist, noted it was obvious the virus was spreading in work environments, since kindergartens, schools and bars are closed. Thus it will also not be possible to advise relaxing measures affecting businesses. For this to happen, companies will need to do their part and prevent the virus from spreading among workers.

She moreover commented on Prime Minister Janez Janša's announced of mass voluntary testing. She said the task force was leaning towards targeted mass testing, meaning tests for high-risk groups. Weekly testing for healthcare workers has already begun, while systematic testing is also planned in care homes.

STA, 23 November 2020 - As many as 48% of respondents in a Valicon survey support the introduction of universal basic income (UBI) in Slovenia, as opposed to 14% who oppose it. The rest are either undecided (21%) or think they are not informed well enough (20%). The idea is most popular among voters of the opposition Left.

Taking into consideration the respondents' political preferences, 65% of those who would vote for the opposition Left if the elections were held on Sunday are in favour of the proposal.

Those supporting the opposition Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) are in second place with 63%, followed by the supporters of the coalition Modern Centre Party (SMC) with , 59% and the non-parliamentary Pirate Party (57%).

The proposal is also quite popular among those who would vote for the opposition Marjan Šarec Party (LMŠ), as 50% of them are in favour of UBI.

A total of 49% of the supporters of the non-parliamentary Good State would welcome the proposal as well as 47% of those who would vote for the opposition SocDems.

The supporters of the remaining coalition parties are less enthusiastic though.

As many as 38% of voters of the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) and of the Democrats (SDS) support the idea, while it the support of 37% of New Slovenia (NSi) supporters.

The lowest recorded support was among the voters of the opposition National Party (SNS), 21%.

Meanwhile, UBI is least popular among the non-parliamentary People's Party (SLS) voters, 25% of them oppose it outright, followed by SDS and SNS supporters (19% and 18%, respectively).

Parties whose voters support the introduction of UBI above the average support recorded in the survey have a 10% share or less of those who are against it, with the exception being the LMŠ (12%).

SNS voters have the greatest share of those that are undecided or not sufficiently informed (61%), followed by DeSUS supporters (47%), NSi and Greens (both 46%), Good State (44%), SDS and SD (both 43%) and LMŠ (38%).

The share of those undecided or not sufficiently informed is the lowest among voters of parties who support UBI the most.

The online survey was conducted in mid-October among 2,460 respondents aged between 18 and 75.

STA, 24 November 2020 - Slovenia saw a record 59 fatalities among patients with Covid-19 on Monday, which takes the death toll from the disease to 1,156. Another 1,302 coronavirus cases were confirmed, while 1,299 patients are still being treated in hospitals, including 204 in intensive care.

Fresh data from the government show that 5,596 coronavirus tests were performed on Monday, which means 23.27% of the tests came back positive, down from almost 27% the day before and almost 30% on Saturday.

Hospitalisations rose by seven to 1,299, after more than 120 new admissions yesterday and 78 patients being discharged. The number of patients in intensive care rose by three to 204.

Slovenia has so far confirmed 67,080 coronavirus cases. The number of active infections has increased by 214 to 20,337. The rolling 14-day average per 100,000 residents is 970, according to tracker site covid-19.sledilnik.org.

Presenting the latest statistics at a press briefing on Tuesday, government Covid-19 spokesman Jelko Kacin said the infections were spread throughout the country, with numerous hotspots.

Outbreaks at care homes continue to be the major problem with 174 new infections confirmed among the elderly residents on Monday, for a total of 2,618 active infections among that most vulnerable population.

The number of actively infected staff at care homes rose by 52 in the past day to 935, Kacin said. There are about 12,300 staff caring for about 19,000 elderly in some 100 care homes in the country.

In the five special social care homes, the number of infected residents remains the same as the day before at 165, as the number of infections among the staff there rose by three to 98.

The most new cases were confirmed in a care home in Kamnik, as many as 32 of the 37 infections in that municipality to the north of Ljubljana, and the Bokalce unit of the Vič care home in Ljubljana, which accounted for 19 of the 182 infections in the capital.

Of the 59 fatalities yesterday, 41 were patients in Covid-19 hospitals, three in nursing hospitals and 15 died in care homes.

The main reason for the outbreaks in care homes is deemed to be transmissions by asymptomatic staff and patients returning from hospitals to the homes, said Gabrijela Valenčič, the head of the Koper regional civil protection team for care homes.

All our stories on Slovenia and coronavirus

STA, 23 November 2020 - Slovenian sports climber Jernej Kruder became the new European bouldering champion in Moscow on Monday, claiming the first ever European title for Slovenian men's climbing.

Kruder, who will turn 30 on 5 December, so far had a silver medal from the 2014 World Championship and the overall Bouldering World Cup win in 2018 to show for himself.

He won the World Cup event in Moscow last year and sealed the title on Monday before even attempting the final boulder problem.

"This was a lot of fun... I'm very happy, I really wanted this victory," Kruder said after the event.

This is already the 24th medal for Slovenia at European Championships, with Slovenian climbers grabbing at least one medal at ten consecutive championships ever since 2002. Kruder has however become the first Slovenian male climber with a European title.

The UK Government has written to 365,000 UK Nationals living in Europe with advice on the actions they need to take to prepare for the end of the UK transition period on 31 December. This includes 315 letters issued to UK Nationals in Slovenia.

UK Nationals resident before 31 December can continue living and working in Europe but may need to register or apply for residency.

UK State Pensioners will continue to receive their pensions as they do now.

The letters, sent to UK State Pensioners and benefit recipients, give advice on how to register for residency and healthcare, exchange driving licences and check new passport validity rules online. It is one of the largest-ever mail outs by the UK Government to UK nationals living in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

Ambassador Sadler in Ljubljana

British Ambassador to Slovenia Tiffany Sadler said:

“In the crucial months ahead I look forward to continuing our Embassy’s efforts since 2017, to hear from Brits in Slovenia and help them get the information they need.  We will keep communicating – including through our outreach events, Facebook pages, the Living in Slovenia Guide, and our newsletter – to help and support all British nationals living in Slovenia through the new processes.”

 The UK Government has been running a public information campaign featuring online, radio and newspaper adverts across 30 countries informing UK Nationals of the actions they need to take. This is in addition to the hundreds of town hall meetings, street surgeries and online Q&As run by the UK’s Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates across Europe.

UK Nationals living in Slovenia can find the most up to date information on actions they may need to take in the ‘Living in Guide’ at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-slovenia. They can also follow the British Embassy on Facebook, to get updates on any events or changes: https://www.facebook.com/ukinslovenia

 NOTES

1. Citizens’ rights: UK Nationals’ rights to continue living in EU member states are protected by the Withdrawal Agreement (and Separation Agreement with EFTA countries), provided they are permanently resident and exercising their treaty/free movement rights by 31 December 2020. This is not affected by the UK’s ongoing trade negotiation with the EU.

 Actions UK Nationals may need to take include:

• ·         Applying or registering for residency
• ·         Checking or registering for healthcare
• ·         Exchanging UK driving licence
• ·         Checking passport validity

2. Contacting UK Nationals: There is no requirement for UK Nationals to register with their local British Embassy and the UK Government does not keep a database of UK Nationals living overseas, however a large number of UK Nationals are Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) customers which enables the UK Government to contact them with information that’s relevant to their circumstances. This mail out to DWP customers, which may include a small number of non-UK Nationals, is intended to supplement a public information campaign operating in all EU and EFTA countries (except Ireland, where these changes do not apply)

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 45 more Covid-19 deaths, 470 new cases

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's death toll among patients with Covid-19 rose to 1,097 after 45 more deaths were reported for Sunday, as 470 new coronavirus cases were recorded on a test positivity rate of 27%. Covid-19 hospitalisations rose by 48 from the day before to 1,292 and the number ICU patients increased by three to 201 after 29 patients were discharged. Commenting on the trends, government spokesman for coronavirus Jelko Kacin said the Sunday figures were atypical but the country was "swinging at a peak". Much like in the first wave of the epidemic, nursing homes have emerged as major hotspots, with roughly one in five new daily cases being residents or staff at nursing homes. The national Covid-19 tracker site shows there are currently 20,123 active infections in the country.

Hospitals using rapid antigen tests among staff

LJUBLJANA - As mandatory testing of health staff came into force, hospitals across the country reported having started or intensified rapid antigen testing for Covid-19 to screen staff as a way to prepare for regular weekly testing. The country's central medical centre, UKC Ljubljana, was conducting a round of tests at its gynaecology department first, checking for antibodies as well. It plans to perform some 10,000 a week as additional support for PCR tests. The new measure is being phased in to give health institutions enough time to buy tests and adopt testing protocols.

Almost 55% disapprove of govt job in POP TV poll

LJUBLJANA - More than 60% of those questioned in a poll commissioned by the commercial broadcaster POP TV supported government coronavirus measures, however nearly 55% said they did not support the government's work. The proportion of those disapproving rose by a further 1.3 percentage points from October to 54.7% as the share of supporters also rose by 3.2 points to 36.3%. The ruling Democrats (SDS) remained in the lead at 16.5%, while the junior coalition Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) made the biggest gain, adding 2.2 points to 3.9%, as it prepares for a change of leadership.

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.

Watchdog to open preliminary procedure into Hojs's land purchase

LJUBLJANA - The corruption watchdog will open a preliminary procedure to establish whether there could be any corruption risks or breaches of the integrity law when Interior Minister Aleš Hojs bought a piece of land on the Slovenian coast in July. The newspaper Delo reported there is suspicion the price was not a result of the market situation but of Hojs's having certain political acquaintances. Based on the findings of the preliminary procedure, the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption will decide whether to introduce or not a further procedure. In September, the weekly Mladina reported that a few years ago the Koper municipality had decided to sell a large building plot before servicing it with a road and a sewage system, for which reason it was sold at a much lower price.

Both candidates for DeSUS head say party must overcome divisions

LJUBLJANA - Karl Erjavec, who headed the coalition Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) for 15 years before losing to Aleksandra Pivec in an election congress in January, presented his vision for the party in a written address to congress delegates. Both he and his only rival, Srečko Felix Krope, called for unity and revival of the party. Erjavec, who withdrew from politics after losing to Pivec, admitted he had made some mistakes during his term at the helm of the party but said he was confident DeSUS could be consolidated again.

Damijan says KUL still seven votes short of parliamentary majority

LJUBLJANA - Ending speculations that votes for a change in power have already been secured, the leader of KUL, Jože P. Damijan, told a media event organised by KUL that the newly formed coalition of four left-leaning opposition parties was waiting to secure seven more votes in parliament before filing a motion of no-confidence in the government. Damijan, an economist who has offered himself as a PM candidate, said the blame would lie with those not willing to change sides if the effort failed. He indicated he hoped for a change of momentum after the coalition Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) gets a new president on 5 December.

Hospitals allowed to use Bellavista ventilators

LJUBLJANA - The Agency for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices has approved the use of 46 Swiss-made Bellavista ventilators for Covid-19 patients, which were purchased during the first wave of the epidemic in spring but could not be used due to missing certificates. The ventilators were bought by the Agency for Commodity Reserves but since they had been originally intended for the Chinese market, they did not have all the certificates, including the mandatory CE certification. The requisite certificates have now been secured and the agency have cleared them for use in hospitals with a decision dated 18 November.

Consumer Association opposes motor vehicle tax cut

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Consumer Association voiced opposition to government plans to cut motor vehicle tax, arguing that this would make it more difficult to entice consumers to buy more environmentally friendly cars or improve the use of public transportation. Under government plans, proceeds from the motor vehicle tax would decline by 65%, which money the association says should be used to boost the badly underdeveloped public transportation, not to promote the buying of new cars.

Universal basic income enjoys almost 50% support

LJUBLJANA - As many as 48% of respondents in a Valicon survey support the introduction of universal basic income (UBI) in Slovenia, as opposed to 14% who oppose it. The rest are either undecided (21%) or think they are not informed well enough (20%). Taking into consideration the respondents' political preferences, supporters of left-leaning parties are generally more in favour of UBI than of other parties. The Left's supporters lead with way with 65%. The online survey was conducted in mid-October among 2,460 respondents aged between 18 and 75.

More Slovenians on antidepressants in first half of 2020

LJUBLJANA - In the first half of 2020, the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) recorded a rise in the number of antidepressant prescriptions issued and the number of persons who received at least one prescription for antidepressant between March and May. While it says on its website that the epidemic likely had an impact on mental health of individuals, it adds that the rise in antidepressants is open to more than one interpretation.

Slovenia remembers WWI general

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia observed Rudolf Maister Day, a public holiday in memory of the general who established the first Slovenian army in modern history and secured what would became Slovenia's northern border. The holiday marks the day in 1918 when Maister (1874-1934) took control of Maribor, Slovenia's second largest city, a move that Lučka Lazarev Šerbec, the chair of the union bringing together associations dedicated to nurturing historical memory of the general, said showed he had "a clear vision in a fateful moment". President Borut Pahor added national holidays celebrate national identity, and appealed on the people to nurture standpoints which unite the nation, not those that are divisive.

Slovenian Book Fair moves online

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Book Fair opened today, for the first time as an online event. The week-long celebration of books features a virtual fair showcasing 97 publishers and more than 100 online events. Spain is the guest of honour and Novo Mesto is the city in the spotlight. The the country's main book event, held for the 36th year, opened with a literary event whose keynote was delivered by Niko Grafenauer, a poet celebrating his 80th birthday.

Climbing: Jernej Kruder claims European bouldering title

MOSCOW, Russia - Slovenian sports climber Jernej Kruder became the new European bouldering champion in Moscow, claiming the first ever European title for Slovenian men's climbing. Kruder, who will turn 30 on 5 December, so far had a silver medal from the 2014 World Championship and the overall Bouldering World Cup win in 2018 to show for himself. He won the World Cup event in Moscow last year and sealed the title today before even attempting the final boulder problem. This is already the 24th medal for Slovenia at European Championships, with Slovenian climbers grabbing at least one medal at ten consecutive championships ever since 2002.

Drug smuggler gets five years behind bars

KRANJ - The Kranj District Court sentenced to five years in prison a member of a ring that is believed to have smuggled around 50 kilos of heroin and undetermined amounts of cocaine and cannabis from Ljubljana to Austria's Klagenfurt a few years ago. While two members of the ring, Saša Gavrić and Saša Stojnić, confessed to the crime in Slovenia in 2016 and got four and three years in prison, respectively, 33-year-old Dalibor Pejić had been on the run for a few years until last December's arrest. The drug trafficking ring was busted in 2015, when nine suspects were processed in Slovenia and around 40 in Austria. Two were sentenced to prison in Austria.

Man lived with corpse for years, collected pension

LJUBLJANA - A 67-year-old man from Ljubljana has been charged with multiple counts of crime after police discovered he had been hiding the corpse of a relative for several years and collected her pension. While the police would not specify, several media reports suggest the man lived with the corpse of his mother, who would have been 97 now, and prevented other relatives from having any contact with the argument that she did not wish to see them.

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STA, 23 November 2020 - Slovenia's death toll among patients with Covid-19 has increased to 1,097 after 45 more deaths were reported for Sunday, as confirmed infections fell to 470 on a test positivity rate of 27% according to government data.

The number of reported cases fell to a two-week low, but due to changes in testing scope and protocols the figures are not really comparable.

Government data show only 1,742 tests were carried out on Sunday, which compares to 1,792 a week ago when 501 infections were confirmed, and 2,063 tests on the Sunday two weeks ago when 464 cases were confirmed.

The number of patients hospitalised with Covid-19 rose by 48 from the day before to 1,292 as the number of those requiring intensive treatment increased by three to 201. 29 patients were discharged.

Commenting for TV Slovenija morning show, infectologist Mateja Logar of the Ljubljana UKC's department of infectious diseases, said "we're still at a high level, there's been no substantial decline in the number of infections".

She said flattening the curve was much harder now than in spring because of the great number of infected persons in the population.

According to tracker site covid-19.sledilnik.org, the country has currently 20,123 active infections, out of the total of 65,778 so far confirmed. The rolling 14-day average per 100,000 residents remains at 960.

Hospitals using rapid antigen tests among staff

STA, 23 November 2020 - Hospitals across Slovenia have started or stepped up using rapid antigen testing for Covid-19 to screen staff members as a way to prepare for a weekly systemic testing. The country's central medical centre, UKC Ljubljana, plans to carry out a round of tests at its gynaecology department first, checking for antibodies as well.

Mandatory systemic testing of healthcare staff came into force today, however the implementation of the new measure will be gradual to give hospitals and other health institutions enough time to purchase tests and come up with a testing protocol.

UKC Ljubljana is testing some 620 staff members at the gynaecology department today, with those working at the emergency department being next in line. The hospital plans to perform some 10,000 tests per week.

UKC Ljubljana director general Janez Poklukar told Radio Slovenija that the hospital will also check for antibodies in all the staff members. Those whose blood results will show that they have already had Covid-19 will not be tested in the next three months.

The rapid antigen testing will merely serve as an additional support since the hospital has otherwise opted for PCR molecular-based tests and is still waiting for the decision to be cleared by the Health Ministry.

Meanwhile, UKC Maribor medical centre launched additional rapid testing of staff today, but said it was not yet testing all its staff, which counted 3,589 at the end of September.

Periodic tests at key departments worst hit by absences due to infections have been performed once a week for a while with about 500 staff a week tested in exposed units such as Covid-19 and intensive care units.

Data presented on Friday show 275 staff at UKC Maribor were absent, including 46 doctors and 132 care staff, of whom 116 because of child care.

The Nova Gorica hospital has begun conducting tests in all the departments where there is a risk of exposure to the infected. The hospital will thus screen up to 600 staff out of a total of some 1,000, Dunja Savnik Winkler, the hospital's medical director told the STA.

The hospital has been using rapid tests since the start of November to check for the presence of the coronavirus in critical patients and health workers who have been in contact with the infected. The hospital already bought 500 rapid antigen tests and plans to boost the supplies.

The Novo Mesto hospital has been screening its staff members with Covid-19 symptoms using molecular-based tests, however, in line with a decree on the systemic testing of healthcare staff with rapid tests, the hospital will commence rapid antigen testing this week.

The additional testing protocol will be introduced gradually, first among staff working at the department of infectious diseases. Until 7 December, the deadline set down in the decree, the hospital will be able to screen all of its staff, the hospital told the STA.

From 7 December, healthcare providers will be required to test their staff every week, with the exception being those who have already recovered from Covid-19.

Franc Vindišar, medical director of the Celje hospital, told Radio Slovenija that the hospital plans to carry out some 1,000 rapid tests per week.

Such tests have been already providing support at the hospital's emergency department and in the case of critical patients. The hospital has also been testing staff members showing Covid-19 symptoms, those who have been in close contact with the infected and those working at a department where many infections had been confirmed.

The ministry will reimburse the cost of rapid as well as molecular tests to a certain extent - when it comes to PCR tests, the hospitals will be refunded EUR 6 per swab and EUR 55 per lab analysis, and in the case of antigen tests, they will get EUR 3 per swab and up to EUR 9 for tests.

The earmarked funds are meant to go for testing conducted between 24 October and the end of 2021. The ministry has cleared a total of 31 antigen tests of various suppliers.

The price tags of rapid tests in Slovenia raised some dust last week as RTV Slovenija reported that certain hospitals had been paying up to five times more than others at home and abroad.

UKC Ljubljana and UKC Maribor are among those hospitals that have been purchasing antigen tests at much higher prices than others, some EUR 24 per piece.

The Jesenice hospital paid even more, EUR 32, whereas the Slovenj Gradec hospital purchased tests at roughly EUR 5 apiece.

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STA, 23 November 2020 - The Ljubljana police were tipped off this weekend about an illegal party in one of the bars in the capital. Despite lockdown and a ban on socialising, several people were partying without masks and even hid in the bar's warehouse when police came. The bar's owner and 13 people will be fined, including for violating the public order.

According to the Ljubljana police station, officers found 13 people in the bar's warehouse who had been partying and drinking in the four-square-metre bar despite a ban on the bar's operations and a ban on socialising.

The owner, who claimed the bar was not open, will be fined for violating the temporary ban on offering goods and services to consumers, and the health inspectorate will be notified of a violation of the communicable disease act.

All 13 people, aged between 24 and 69, including a 17-year-old, will also be fined. One of the persons also faces charges for crime against public order because of indecent behaviour towards police officers.

Police again called on everyone to adhere to the government measures to curb the spread of coronavirus and not to put their own health or the health of others at risk with irresponsible behaviour.