19 Nov 2020, 12:34 PM

Net Profit Rises 22% at Krka

STA, 19 November 2020 - The group around the drug maker Krka generated EUR 1.16 billion in sales revenue in the first nine months of the year, which is 6% more than in the same period last year. Net profit was up by 22% to EUR 210.14 million. Sales were up the most in east Europe, where the most revenue was generated.

Operating profit jumped by 57% to EUR 300.75 million and profit before tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 40% to EUR 384.6 million, the group said on the web site of the Ljubljana Stock Exchange.

According to CEO Jože Colarič, the group was successful in the first nine months, posting record results. "We have adjusted some business processes and started using e-communication tools more. Our good financial situation, broad range of quality pharmaceutical products, undisturbed production and supply, and innovative approaches in all areas of our work have allowed us to achieve our strategic goals," he said.

In the first quarter, a notable rise in demand and sales was recorded along with an increase in supply of the products in the distribution chains because of the epidemic. Subsequently, demand was somewhat lower in the second quarter. In the third quarter the impact of the pandemic on sales decreased, so sales returned to the level that had been planned.

In the absence of autumn and winter colds, a significant drop was recorded in the sale of antibiotics and seasonal over-the-counter drugs this year compared to previous years. However, more prescription drugs for chronic therapies were sold on some markets and more veterinary products for disinfection.

In terms of quantity, sales were up by 8% in the January-September period, and the group exported 96% of its products. The biggest absolute and relative growth was recorded in eastern Europe, where most of the sales, 32.6%, were generated.

"Sales were up compared to the same period last year in all regional markets, except Turkmenistan, but the crucial growth was that in Russia, a leading market for the region and Krka's largest individual market, where we have achieved the biggest absolute sales growth in the region.

"In Russia, we sold products worth EUR 240.3 million, thus exceeding last year's figure by 10%," Krka said in its business report.

The group allocated EUR 53.8 million for investment in this period, EUR 39.9 million of which went to the controlling company. Because of the pandemic, investments in construction were lower than planned.

The core company saw an 11% increase in sales revenue to EUR 1.12 billion in the first nine months, while net profit was up by 13% to EUR 197.26 million.

At the group level, the sale of products and services for the entire 2020 is expected to reach EUR 1.52 billion, which is 2% more than in 2019.

Prescription drugs remain the most important group of products, accounting for 85% of total sales. "We expect that because of the value and quantity of the products sold profit will exceed plans and stand at some EUR 260 million," Krka said.

But the final results could be affected by coronavirus restrictions that are also affecting the stock market, and Russia's ruble.

Next year, the group expects sales to reach EUR 1.53 billion and profit to stand at EUR 265 million. The group also plans to increase its workforce in Slovenia and other countries by just over 1% in total.

19 Nov 2020, 04:03 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Thursday, 19 November 2020

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:

Janša causes furore with rule of law letter to EU leaders

LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša draw widespread criticism from the ranks of coalition and opposition after addressing a letter to EU leaders on Tuesday in which he called for a return to the July EU summit agreement on the next financial budget, which is, he said, now undermined by a recent deal between the EU Council and Parliament tying the rule of law to the EU funds eligibility. He argued that "numerous media and some political groups in the European Parliament are openly threatening to use the instrument wrongly called 'the rule of law' in order to discipline individual EU Member States through a majority vote." All three junior partners in the government coalition distanced themselves from the letter and Justice Minister Lilijana Kozlovič emphasizing her ministry was not involved in the writing of the letter nor had the letter been discussed by the government. The European Commission would not comment on the letter.

Pahor supports rule of law mechanism, refutes Janša's claims

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor responded to PM Janez Janša's letter to EU leaders by stressing the need to respect the agreement between the European Parliament and the EU Council that makes EU funding conditional on adherence to the rule law. He also rejected Janša's assertion that the 2014 general election had been stolen "through a drastic abuse of state institutions". The president said the 2014 general election had been lawful and legitimate as all elections since the first multi-party election in April 1990.

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New confirmed cases above 2,000 again, 43 with Covid-19 die

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 2,013 new coronavirus cases from 6,813 tests on Tuesday, for a positivity rate of 29.5%. A total of 43 persons with Covid-19 died, bringing the death toll to 919, show official data. Hospitalisations rose to 1,280 and number of intensive care patients to 209. Government's Covid-19 spokesman Jelko Kacin noted that nursing homes were once again becoming major hotspots: one in five of the infections confirmed yesterday were from there.

Janša meets Australian candidate for OECD sec-gen

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša received in Ljubljana Mathias Cormann, who until recently served as Australia's finance minister and is bidding to be the next secretary general of the OECD. They discussed the organisation's role and mission in the global situation and exchanged experience in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. They both agreed on the OECD's role as a advocate and defender of democracy and the principles of market economy.

Logar argues for stronger EU at Prague European Summit

PRAGUE, Czechia - Foreign Minister Anže Logar called for a rethink on how to make the EU better, stronger and more resilient, as he took part in the Prague European Summit. He argued the EU should assume a more decisive role in the global political arena while facing challenges such as changed international economic relations and the changing global security environment. Logar also met separately foreign ministers of Czechia and Slovakia, Tomaš Petriček and Ivan Korčok.

Covid-19 task force head leads race for Medical Chamber boss

LJUBLJANA - Head of the government's coronavirus task force Bojana Beović made it to the second round of election for the head of Slovenia's Medical Chamber, while incumbent Zdenka Čebašek Travnik is out. Beović, a clear front-runner in the first round of voting, will face Tanja Petkovič in the run-off. Ballots were sent in by mail, with data on the chamber's website showing that 5,893 votes had been cast, a 50.7% turnover. Beović received 2,895 and Petkovič 1,510 votes.

Criticism of state asset manager proposal stepped up

LJUBLJANA - The government-sponsored bill to bring the bulk of state assets onto a new national demographic fund is inappropriate, heard a conference held by the Slovenian Directors' Association. There were calls for scrapping the bill. Trade unions said the proposal was beyond repair, urging its withdrawal as well. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the proposal mirrored a strong government influence and was likely to fail to bolster the pension system in the long run.

British-Slovenian Chamber of Commerce event underlines need for green financing

LJUBLJANA - The importance of green financing in post-Covid-19 recovery was underlined by all participants, ranging from banks, state and private companies, of an event organised by the UK Embassy and the British-Slovenian Chamber of Commerce. The Chair of the Green Finance Institute Roger Gifford noted that green financing, like any other financing, involves risks and benefits. Finance Minister Andrej Šircelj said Slovenia had drawn up a framework for green bonds and was is aware of the challenges related to climate change and its impact on the financial sector.

Maribor airport to be turned into smart hub

LJUBLJANA/HOČE - Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec presented in parliament this week a new vision for the Maribor airport that has not been operating for a while. He told MPs this week that he had been working with local mayors on plans to turn the airport into a smart hub by the end of the year. Vrtovec said the idea for a modern multimodal cargo logistic centre had come from the current operator of the airport, the state-owned consulting and engineering company DRI.

Court approves Tuš financial restructuring

LJUBLJANA - The Celje District Court approved an agreement on financial restructuring for the heavily indebted retail group Tuš. Thus the Alfi fund, which owns more than 80% of all claims to the group, is gradually taking over the managing of the Celje-based group. The group includes the parent company Tuš Holding, the real estate arm Tuš Nepremičnine and retailer Engrotuš. The company has 100 stores with more than 3,100 employees.

Slovenia marks day of protection of children against abuse

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia observed the European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, with experts warning that child victims of abuse find it harder to seek help amid the epidemic. One in five Slovenians has experienced at least one type of sexual abuse in childhood, whereas one in seven has experienced two or more, according to a survey commissioned by the Justice Ministry as part of efforts for a Children's House. Merely 6% pressed criminal charges, half of those went to court. One in four such cases saw trial without conviction.

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18 Nov 2020, 19:04 PM

Coalition Partners Reject Janša's Rule of Law Letter

STA, 18 November 2020 - Junior partners in the government coalition have distanced themselves from a letter Prime Minister Janez Janša addressed to EU leaders concerning the rule of law debate in the bloc.

New Slovenia (NSi) president Matej Tonin, writing on Twitter, said the letter was the opinion of the prime minister since the government "did not decide on its content".

Slovenija se po julijskem dogovoru v procesu usklajevanja in potrjevanja prihodnjega evropskega finančnega okvirja ni nikoli pridružila blokadam Madžarske in Poljske, zato upravičeno trdim, da pismo predstavlja mnenje PV ne pa @vladaRS
— Matej Tonin (@MatejTonin) November 18, 2020

EU se sooča z največjo zdravstveno in ekonomsko krizo po 2. sv. vojni, enotnost držav članic je bistvenega pomena. Pismo PV evropskim voditeljem zagotovo ne koristi interesom Slovenije, postavlja nas med problematične države, kamor nikoli nismo sodili. To terja resno razpravo.
— Tomaž Gantar (@tomazgantar) November 18, 2020

The letter "definitely doesn't benefit Slovenia's interests, it places us among problematic countries, where we've never belonged. This demands a serious debate," Tomaž Gantar, the interim leader of the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS), said on Twitter.

The Modern Centre Party (SMC) wrote on its official Twitter account that it "rejected" the content of the letter, adding that "for SMC, the rule of law is a basic tenet of the European Union and we support all efforts by EU member states and European institutions to implement this principle in all EU members states and beyond."

The party's position was also endorsed by National Assembly Speaker Igor Zorčič, an SMC member.

[ODZIV #SMC]

(1/3) V SMC zavračamo vsebino pisma, ki ga je predsednik vlade poslal predsedniku Evropskega sveta Charlesu Michelu.
— Stranka SMC (@StrankaSMC) November 18, 2020

Justice Minister Lilijana Kozlovič, another SMC member, also distanced herself from the letter, emphasizing her ministry was not involved in the writing of the letter nor had the letter been on the government's agenda.

"There is but one rule of law and it must be complied with. I therefore support every effort and mechanism contributing to it," Kozlovič said as quoted by the Justice Ministry.

"Considering that we have been acquainted with the letter only from summaries in the media, we can only emphasize that the rule of law is not an empty word that can be understood and judged sometimes in one way and sometimes in another," she said.

She noted that the rule of law is defined in the judgements of the EU Court and the European Court of Human Rights. "It is a value- and substance-wise wholesome principle that entails clearly defined fundamental democratic principles and postulates such as the principles of legality, transparency, legal security, judiciary independence, division of power and obviously respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms," added the minister.

In a letter to EU leaders leaked on Tuesday evening, Janša wrote that "Slovenia supports respecting the rule of law in all cases [...] unconditionally, and without double standards."

Slovenija bo dosledno zagovarjala vladavino prava in enaka merila za vse in povsod, tako doma kot v EU. Spoštovanje vladavine prava v #EU pomeni, da Lizbonska pogodba in ostali pravni temelji EU veljajo tako na Poljskem kot v Belgiji, Sloveniji, Španiji, na Madžarskem etc. 1/9 pic.twitter.com/J4qRYiJaqQ
— Janez Janša (@JJansaSDS) November 18, 2020

But he argued that "numerous media and some political groups in the European Parliament are openly threatening to use the instrument wrongly called 'the rule of law' in order to discipline individual EU Member States through a majority vote."

The letter came ahead of a virtual meeting of EU leaders dedicated to the EU's response to the epidemic and after Poland and Hungary's blocked the bloc's multi-year budget and recovery facility over the inclusion of rule of law provisions. The letter is seen by foreign media as an endorsement of Poland and Hungary's position.

Janša also claimed that in 2014 Slovenia "witnessed stolen elections effected through a drastic abuse of state institutions - including part of the judiciary", adding that "none of the EU institutions reacted with a single warning at the time".

The SMC, which won the 2014 election, dismissed the claim. "The SMC won the election fairly, based on the will of the people expressed in free and democratic elections."

18 Nov 2020, 14:39 PM

Slovenia & Coronavirus, Tue 18/11: 2,013 New Cases, 29.5% Positivity, Hospitals Remain at Capacity

STA, 18 November 2020 - Slovenia recorded 2,013 new coronavirus cases from 6,813 tests on Tuesday, for a positivity rate of 29.5%. A total of 43 persons with Covid-19 died, show official government data.

There are currently 1,280 coronavirus patients in hospital, up five from the day before, of which 209 require intensive care, one more than yesterday.

Slovenia has recorded 58,950 positive cases since the start of the epidemic, while the death toll has now risen to 919, according to data tracker Covid-19 Sledilnik.

The last time there were more than 2,000 daily cases was on 10 November. The daily number of deaths is the second highest since the start of the epidemic after a record 45 cases yesterday.

Jelko Kacin, the government's Covid-19 spokesman, noted that nursing homes were once again becoming major hotspots: one in five of the infections confirmed yesterday were among nursing home residents or staff.

He said there were now over 2,100 infections among the roughly 19,000 residents after 312 tested positive yesterday, and 845 infections among the roughly 12,300 members of the staff, up 59 in a day.

Kacin also stressed that hospitals remain at the limit of their capacity. "The virus exists, it is spreading quickly and it's time we all behave as if we're infected," he said.

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18 Nov 2020, 12:39 PM

Church Updates Guidelines on Rape, Orders Staff to Report Suspected Abuse to State Authorities

STA, 17 November 2020 - The Slovenian Catholic Church has updated its guidelines for the protection of minors and vulnerable individuals against sexual abuse, explicitly ordering all who work for the Church to report any suspicion of sexual abuse to the authorities. The Church's own investigation cannot be launched before a report to state authorities.

Compared to guidelines used until now, the new document says, for the first time, that "a religious worker is obligated to report to the Social Services, the police or the State Prosecution any suspicion, allegation or information of sexual abuse (irrespective of the time of the event)... at the earliest possible time".

The Church had previously held that sexual abuse allegations do not have to be reported in every case, especially when this goes against the wishes of the victim. Neither did previous guidelines include explicit instructions on reporting to state authorities.

"No form of autonomous and legal Church proceedings of investigation and resolution of sexual abuse may begin before it is reported to state authorities," the new guidelines say.

The document states that "religious workers", which involves the clergy as well as volunteers working for the Church, must cooperate proactively with state authorities in investigations and other proceedings related to the reported sexual abuse.

Adopted by the Slovenian Bishops' Conference on 5 October, the document is an overhaul of the 2014 guidelines, which were an update of the first guidelines adopted in 2006.

Compared to the 2014 document, the guidelines also lay down in more detail the Church legal proceedings in such cases, and provide more detailed instructions on reporting within the Church.

Among other things, the new guidelines mark the launch of a fund established in January to finance psychological aid to alleged victims of sexual abuse perpetrated by priests and other religious workers.

In accepting this sort of help, the alleged victims sign a statement that the use of these funds does not prejudice any Church law, criminal law or damages proceedings.

18 Nov 2020, 12:34 PM

EU Releases €200m to Help Slovenia Fight Unemployment During Covid Crisis

STA, 17 November 2020 - The European Commission disbursed EUR 200 million to Slovenia in the form of loans under favourable terms as part of the SURE instrument on Tuesday out of the total of EUR 1.1 billion in support approved to the country to mitigate unemployment risks in an emergency.

The Commission today disbursed EUR 14 billion to nine EU countries in what is the second instalment of financial support to member states under the SURE instrument.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had already announced the first funds would be available to the country from Tuesday in an interview with the public broadcaster RTV Slovenija aired last night. She said the EU wished to help Slovenian employees and companies.

"Companies have a hard time keeping their staff. We are sending them the message not to lay off staff even though there is not enough of work. The SURE instrument will help them pay out wages so that know-how will stay in the companies," she stressed.

Loans will be very favourable but talks on the terms are still under way with member states, she said, adding that cooperation with social partners would be crucial to determine which companies should be backed by loans to help them keep their staff and resume work once the crisis is over.

Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek said in a separate interview with RTV Slovenija that the government was eagerly awaiting EU funds. Labour Minister Janez Cigler Kralj has a programme of spending ready - the money is to be used to finance existing measures and those that will follow to preserve jobs, he said.

The seventh stimulus package, which is also being drawn up, addresses the issues of entrepreneurs across industries that have not been addressed yet, Počivalšek said.

In its application for the financial support under the SURE instrument Slovenia listed measures such as the furlough and short-time work schemes, the basic income and exempting the self-employed from the payment of social contributions, among other things.

Von der Leyen also presented efforts to purchase Covid-19 vaccines, noting the Commission would close the fifth contract on the purchase of the vaccines on Tuesday, this time with the company Cerevac.

Počivalšek meanwhile pointed to potential logistic problems in the transporting of Pfeizer's vaccine, which must be stored at -80 degrees Celsius, noting the government had already discussed the matter and would prepare solutions as soon as possible. "But I wish we act responsibly as a state and solve the Covid-19 issue with or without a vaccine," the minister said.

18 Nov 2020, 12:28 PM

Janša Calls on EU to Decouple Rule of Law and Funding

STA, 18 November 2020 - Prime Minister Janez Janša addressed a letter to EU leaders on Tuesday, calling for a return to the July EU summit agreement on the next financial budget, which is, he said, now undermined by a recent deal between the EU Council and Parliament tying the rule of law to the EU funds eligibility.

In the letter, addressed to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel, among others, Janša writes that the rule of law should be respected across the EU, however he also says that "discretionary mechanisms that are not based on independent judgement but on politically motivated criteria cannot be called 'the rule of law'".

He also highlighted that "Slovenia supports respecting the rule of law in all cases [...] unconditionally, and without double standards".

"Today, numerous media and some political groups in the European Parliament are openly threatening to use the instrument wrongly called 'the rule of law' in order to discipline individual EU Member States through a majority vote," the prime minister writes in the letter, also addressed to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is currently at the helm of the EU Council, and Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, who will take over from Merkel at the start of 2021.

He goes on to say that "those of us who spent part of our lives under a totalitarian regime know that deviation from reality begins when processes or institutions are given a name that reflects the exact opposite of their essence".

In an almost-four-page-long letter Janša argues that in 2014 Slovenia "witnessed stolen elections effected through a drastic abuse of state institutions - including part of the judiciary", adding that "none of the EU institutions reacted with a single warning at the time".

The 2014 elections were won by Miro Cerar, the then leader of what was then his eponymous party, which was later renamed the Modern Centre Party (SMC). Janša's Democrats (SDS) trailed in the second place.

Janša argues in the letter that the European Parliament refused to discuss the matter due to a lack of majority needed to put the issue on the agenda. "At the same time, there was and still is much debate on the state of democracy in Hungary and in Poland.

"Even a procedure under Article 7 of the Treaty was initiated, despite the fact that neither country had any known cases of abuse of the judiciary for political reckoning or a single political prisoner during their EU membership - let alone a case of electoral theft as was the case in Slovenia."

Janša notes that the rule of law or its violations are decided by an independent court and not by a political majority.

He also points out that the Treaty on the European Union "does not allow any discriminatory action against any Member State upon the political request of any other Member State or any EU institution".

Janša says there are many challenges ahead of the EU, warning that "following wrong course, unfortunately, a good future of Europe, whole and free, is slipping out of our hands".

"The sea is already rough enough without the problems we are causing ourselves," he says, listing the strong impact of China, divisions in the US in the wake of the elections, Russia's foreign policy and terror attacks in the EU as major challenges.

"That is why now more than ever we need unity in terms of where we are headed [...] We need EU institutions that will not be involved in Member States' internal political conflicts," he says, adding that we need to realise the foundation of the EU is not money but values, and the latter cannot be forced using money.

"The dilemma before us is very simple. Respecting the July EUCO agreement is a responsible approach for the good future of the EU. Disrespecting it is the opposite."

He thinks the following days will be critical for finalising a fair and balanced deal based on the July agreement.

"Only by swiftly concluding what we set in motion in July will we be able to meet these high expectations and pave the way towards a stronger Europe in the post-pandemic era," he says, adding that additional efforts to get everybody on board would prevent further delays in reaching a solid deal.

On his Facebook profile later, Janša said Slovenia had not submitted or announced a veto at Monday's session of Committee of Permanent Representatives. "We suggested taking extra time before a final decision should be taken in the proposed direction which would inevitably lead to a blockade of EU funds for all in order to seek out a compromise based on the July agreement."

"My letter is an attempt at a call to reason. We share the responsibility for the future of the EU. We have an obligation to think with our own heads too," Janša said.

Citing the EU treaty, he noted that every member state can lawfully and legitimately submit a veto everywhere where joint decisions are taken by consensus.

"Is it so hard to understand that in this case it means at least a delay in post-pandemic recovery? And that on major matters you will never be able to force any sovereign EU country to do something that goes against its interests? And that it is in Slovenia's interest it should not come to the delay or something more serious even?" Janša wrote in his Facebook post in Slovenian.

On Tuesday, Janša rejected in parliament reports that a blockade by Poland and Hungary had occurred in regard to the new EU budget and Covid recovery fund, adding that the situation was not what the media were portraying it to be.

The European Commission would not comment on Janša's letter beyond confirming von der Leyen had received it and would respond to it.

18 Nov 2020, 04:34 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Wednesday, 18 November 2020

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:

Record 45 Covid-19 patients died in Slovenia on Monday

LJUBLJANA - A record number of Covid-19 patients died in Slovenia on Monday, 45, bringing the death toll to 876. A total of 1,388 new infections were confirmed in 5,326 tests and 1,275 people needed hospitalisation, up 11 from the day before. 208 patients needed intensive care, up one from the day before. The share of positive tests dropped to 26%. Coronavirus infections have been detected in 85% of Slovenia's nursing homes, government spokesman Jelko Kacin said. There are currently 1,962 active infections among a total of 19,000 residents, and 797 active cases among nearly 12,300 members of staff.

PM says some measures likely to last until Christmas, may not be as strict

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša indicated that some of the restrictive measures may remain in place until Christmas, but he was hopeful they will not have to be as strict. "It is already certain that notwithstanding the speed of production of vaccines, immunisation will not make enough of a difference by the end of the year to allow us to relax all measures. Some of the measures will definitely be in place then. We hope they will not be as strict," he said in an interview for Planet TV.

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Janša says no blockade of EU budget-and-recovery package occurred yet

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša rejected during a budget debate in parliament reports that a blockade by Poland and Hungary had occurred with respect to the new EU budget and Covid recovery fund. The situation is not what the media are portraying it to be. While Hungary and Poland blocked two key segments of the EUR 1.82 trillion budget-and-recovery package during a meeting of EU ambassadors on Monday due to a clause tying funding with adherence to the rule of law, Janša argued no decision on a blockade had yet been taken by the European Parliament, EU Council or any national parliament.

Slovenia not currently part of US force realignment

LJUBLJANA - The US Embassy said Slovenia was not currently a part of the US's "force posture realignment", after Prime Minister Janez Janša indicated in parliament that Slovenia was open to hosting a US rotation unit. "Discussions with host nations on force posture changes announced in July are ongoing and are expected to continue for many months. US Forces welcome every opportunity to train in Slovenia with their counterparts from the Slovenian Armed Forces, but the country is not part of the current force posture realignment at this time," the embassy said.

Slovenian EU presidency expected to continue rule of law dialogue

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The German EU presidency and the European Commission expressed the expectation that the dialogue on the rule of law in the bloc would be continued under future presidencies, including Slovenia's. This comes after Germany hosted a second debate on the rule of law on Tuesday. Gašper Dovžan, state secretary at the Foreign Ministry, underlined today the importance of an objective and non-discriminatory approach based on independent data, and equal treatment of all member states.

FM Logar says EU-US free-trade agreement needed

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar said a free-trade agreement between the EU and US should be concluded as soon as possible as he discussed on Tuesday the future of transatlantic relations with his Swedish and Lithuanian counterparts in an online ministerial panel. Logar noted that there had not been an EU-US summit since 2014, adding that in 2021 it was a matter of urgency to organise such an event. He said that the US turning away from Europe in recent years had freed up space for other global players "who do not necessarily share the same democratic values with us".

Govt hails record high investment, opposition worried by budget deficits

LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša and Finance Minister Andrej Šircelj highlighted the record investment spending as parliament began its debate on the 2021 and 2022 budgets. Šircelj said the budgets had been drawn up in uncertain conditions caused by the pandemic. Janša stressed that it was nonetheless easier to plan revenue and expenditure more realistically now than in the spring when the first wave of the epidemic began. Opposition parties claimed the budgets had no clear strategy and came without a plan on how to stabilise public finances.

Next stimulus package to continue focusing on job preservation

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša indicated the next stimulus package would continue to focus on job preservation. "We think it is cheaper to preserve employment that to have an affected economy," he told Planet TV. The measures will be targeted at those who have not benefited from previous rounds of stimulus, including sports, hotels and retail.

Supreme Court orders retrial of SDS's Patria damages suit

LJUBLJANA - The Supreme Court has annulled a ruling upholding the dismissal of a damages claim by the now ruling Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) against the state over the Patria defence corruption trial, returning the case to the Maribor Higher Court for a retrial, Nova24TV reported. The party claimed EUR 886,000 in pecuniary damages because its leader Janez Janša was sentenced to prison ahead of the 2014 general election over a 2006 defence procurement deal. His and co-defendants' convictions were overturned by the Constitutional Court in 2015.

Court reportedly says Muženič still NBI head, appointment of successor halted

LJUBLJANA - In the latest development following the May dismissal of Darko Muženič as the head of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Labour Court reportedly altered its original ruling to assert that Muženič remains the NBI head and that the appointment procedure for his successor must be halted, several media reported. The Higher Court argued that following the Administrative Court's annulment of the dismissal decree "the matter is returned to the state prior to its issuing".

New Church guidelines strengthen cooperation with state in sexual abuse cases

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Catholic Church updated its guidelines for the protection of minors and vulnerable individuals against sexual abuse, explicitly ordering all who work for the Church, clergy and lay volunteers, to report any suspicion of sexual abuse to the authorities. The new document says, for the first time, that "a religious worker is obligated to report to the Social Services, the police or the State Prosecution any suspicion, allegation or information of sexual abuse ... at the earliest possible time". The Church's own investigation cannot be launched before a report to state authorities.

Tonin only candidate for NSi president

LJUBLJANA - Matej Tonin, the incumbent leader of the coalition New Slovenia (NSi), is the only candidate for the position ahead of the party's election congress on Saturday. The congress will take place online and delegates will vote by mail. Members of the executive committee, the supervisory board and the party tribunal will also be elected. Ballots are already being sent, with the results expected next week.

EUR 200m available to Slovenia from Tuesday

LJUBLJANA - The European Commission disbursed EUR 200 million to Slovenia in the form of loans under favourable terms as part of the SURE instrument out of the total of EUR 1.1 billion in support approved to the country to mitigate unemployment risks in an emergency. The Commission disbursed EUR 14 billion to nine EU countries in what is the second instalment of financial support to member states under the SURE instrument. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced this in an interview with the public broadcaster RTV Slovenija last night.

EU funds secured for modernisation of Karavanke tunnel

LJUBLJANA - The Government Office for Development and European Cohesion Policy has approved co-funding of the security and technical upgrading of the the Karavanke railway tunnel from EU cohesion funds. The EU should contribute EUR 49.2 million to the EUR 79.3 million project from its 2014-2020 operative programme. The project includes upgrading 6.1 kilometre of the railway tunnel and track on the main railway connecting Ljubljana to the Austrian border through Jesenice between Jesenice and the border.

EU Commission clears Slovenian aviation subsidy scheme

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The EU Commission has cleared Slovenia's subsidy scheme for airlines operating flights to the country. The aid is not to exceed EUR 800,000 per company and will be available until 30 June 2021, according to the Commission, which said this was "necessary, appropriate and proportionate to remedy a serious disturbance in the economy."

Škrlec elected Eurojust vice-president

LJUBLJANA - Boštjan Škrlec, the national member for Slovenia at the EU Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation or (Eurojust), was elected Eurojust vice-president. Škrlec, who has served as Eurojust national member for Slovenia since August 2017, thanked his colleagues for the trust expressed and added that he took "this honour humbly and with a sense of huge responsibility".

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17 Nov 2020, 20:20 PM

Janša: Some Covid Measures May Last Until Christmas

STA, 17 November 2020 - Prime Minister Janez Janša indicated in an interview Tuesday that some of the restrictive measures may remain in place until Christmas, but he was hopeful they will not have to be as strict.

"It is already certain that notwithstanding the speed of production of vaccines, immunisation will not make enough of a difference by the end of the year to allow us to relax all measures.

"Some of the measures will definitely be in place then. We hope they will not be as strict," he said in an interview for Planet TV when asked what kind of Christmas celebration people may expect.

The statement comes a day after Slovenia tightened existing measures, including by closing all non-essential stores and suspending public transportation. The government also decided to extend the formal declaration of the epidemic by a month, until mid-December.

Janša made a renewed appeal to all Slovenians to heed restrictions which he said saved lives. "You cannot stop the virus with a law or a measure, we can only stop it with reason and solidarity."

He was hopeful that with the latest number of fatalities, the people will "sober up", while noting that there is no European country in which the second wave of the epidemic would be milder than the first.

Health Minister Tomaž Gantar said today that the measures will not necessarily depend on there being a formal epidemic declared. He thinks that some measures might be cautiously relaxed in two weeks allowing certain services to reopen.

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17 Nov 2020, 19:50 PM

Basketball: Unbelievable Buzzer Beater as Olimpija Overcome Borac (Video)

In a clip going viral on social media, Slovenian basketball player Dan Duščak scored an incredible three-pointer from under his own basket as Cedevita Olimpija overcame Borac Čačak in their ABA League encounter on Sunday evening.

Played inside an empty Stožice Hall, Olimpija faced off against Borac looking to bounce back from their first loss in the competition this season in the previous round, where they finished 86-77 losers to Serbia’s Partizan NIS.

Their Serbian rivals on this occasion once again looked up to the challenge, with nothing to split the two sides after the first quarter as the scoreboard remained locked at 25-25.

The home side would shift gear in the second quarter however, pulling ten points ahead at half-time, before increasing their lead to 73-57 by the end of the third quarter.

The final three points in that tally is what had everyone talking however: receiving the ball under the Borac hoop with seconds left to the buzzer, 18-year-old Dan Duščak attempted an audacious shot across the entire length of court which landed perfectly for what will certainly be one of the most memorable three-pointers in the point guard’s career.

Olimpija stepped off the gas in the closing quarter as Borac reduced the gap, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit as the Slovenian side registered their fourth win of the competition, taking the game 97-88 with Jaka Blažič the star performer, contributing 23 points including eight rebounds and four assists.

The two other Slovenian teams involved in the weekend’s ABA League action both registered defeats as Koper Primorska went down 87-66 to Montenegro outfit Mornar, while Krka suffered a narrow 71-70 loss to Serbian side Mega Soccerbet.

The three Slovenian sides form part of the 14 teams making up this season’s ABA League, which includes clubs from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia, that kicked off last month.

After playing each other home and away, the top four teams in the standings will progress to a three-match semi-final play-off, with the winners facing off in a five-match play-off final.

Just over a month into this season’s competition, the league standings are as follows:

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Krka will be in ABA League action again on Thursday, November 19 as they face off against Borac, while Koper are at home to Mega Soccerbet on Saturday. Olimpija will take to the court once again on Sunday when they line up against Bosnia and Herzegovina’s sole representation in the tournament, Igokea.

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