At the British International School of Ljubljana staff, parents and pupils have started the transition to online learning, following the new government measures in effect from Monday 19^th October.  This transition for students to follow a full timetable of lessons online each day is just one of the stages that have been implemented by the school since the academic year started at the end of August 2020.

As with many schools, a thorough and detailed five-stage strategic plan had been created to enable the students to continue receiving a high-quality provision of education should there be an increase in Coronavirus cases. 

This plan included working closely with parents, staff and students to gather feedback, further enhancing onsite and online safety procedures, providing exciting online courses, developing the staff with a range of training opportunities, and then planning a seamless transition for students from the physical classroom to an online environment.  The school has also set up regular communication routines to celebrate student achievement, support individuals with their work, and to keep parents up to date with any advice or changes to guidance.

The online lessons include not just the academic classroom-based subjects such as English and Mathematics, but a full schedule of Performing and Visual Arts, Physical Education and Languages for the students to attend and enjoy.

A typical day might include English, Mathematics, and Slovene lessons before break, then Geography, Art and a Physical Education class with theory followed by a keep-fit session with all students actively involved before lunch, finishing the online school day with Music and Form time where students can reflect on their day with the support of their Form Tutor.  During this time, both physical and mental wellbeing are very important as students seek a balance between schoolwork and healthy living.  The students start the day with a brief video meeting with their Form Tutor for any urgent announcements, helpful organisation tips and group activities to complete before the online lessons begin.  This is an effective use of time to bring the students together, support with any concerns, and set a positive tone for the during this challenging time.

The students have thus far been incredibly mature, upbeat and receptive during the transition to online learning, and with a familiar timetable in place, the students can attend all classes online, revisit activities to consolidate learning or challenge themselves further to stretch ahead and learn more.  The lessons observed so far have had a real ‘buzz’, interest and excitement as many of the students are helping each other and continuing to develop their own technological expertise.  For parents, all curriculum plans are readily accessible, allowing them to see a complete overview of the units that the students will cover for the entire academic year, for every year group and every subject.

The Principal, Mr Paul Walton, commented, “We are very proud of the strategic plan we put in place from May 2020 when we returned to the school premises, we are now seeing the significant impact of all of the effort by our dedicated and passionate teachers.  Although initially this can be seen as extra work to improve policies, attend training sessions, and develop innovative online content, we can now see first-hand how the students are benefiting from this forward-thinking approach. It has also been a pleasure to support and share best practice with other schools here in Slovenia, as we are all working towards the same goal, I have been delighted to be able to contribute to this.”

In school, all events are held online, including a recent virtual coffee morning with the Principal, and useful workshops for parents to equip them with the tools to support their child’s learning at home further. Recordings of online events are then sent out to parents with further information.  They continue to follow the highest standards of hygiene and health and safety guidelines for the students and staff who continue to work in the building.

Positive feedback from our families at school reacting to the online learning transition and our communication.

In relation to this, during Thursday 15^th October, the school had its Ministry of Education visit as part of the nationwide checks on schools.  It received a 100% compliance result, including no further targets or areas to improve.  It included an interview with the Principal, a comprehensive check on policies, procedures and security, a tour of the site, visits to classrooms, checks of safety measures, signage/instructions for students to follow and other important preventative measures that schools are following during this time.  With the small class sizes at the British International School of Ljubljana, impressive quality of teaching and personalised learning methodology, they are able to create a very positive and safe environment for students to learn in.

The school has already received a large number of positive comments and encouraging feedback from parents on how the online provision has been set up, communicated swiftly and the ease of which the transition was handled.

The bridge connecting the two buildings is already visible and this new project will be a wonderful showcase entrance to the school building.   

Along with the developments in online learning, the school continues to grow with its new additional building progressing extremely well.  The new building will include a range of outstanding facilities to enhance the pedagogical opportunities offered for its students, such as a performing arts theatre with six sound proofed adjoining practice rooms, a robotics lab, computer suite, new library and large specialist classrooms.  The bridge connecting the two buildings is already visible and this new project will be a wonderful showcase entrance to the school building.   

The British International School of Ljubljana benefits from being part of the Orbital Education Group,  where there is a continued focus on offering a provision of high-quality education across all the schools. Find out more about the British International School of Ljubljana here.

Finally, the British International School of Ljubljana is hosting a Virtual Open Day for prospective families at 10am on Tuesday November 17 - find out more here if you are interested in joining the event. 

STA, 21 October 2020 - A record 1,503 Sars-CoV-2 infections were confirmed in Slovenia on Tuesday, up considerably from the previous daily high of 898, recorded on Friday, as the test positivity rate exceeded 25%, show the latest official data. In the deadliest day yet, eight Covid-19 patients died, raising the death toll to 200.

Covid-19 hospitalisations rose by 20 to 333 despite 32 patients being discharged yesterday. The number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care decreased by one to 55, but the number of those being mechanically ventilated increased by three to 41.

Presenting the latest figures at a press briefing that moved fully online, government spokesman Jelko Kacin said that 5,891 tests had been performed on Tuesday, which means the positivity rate hit 25.5%.

He said that new local virus hotspots were appearing across the country, in particular in the north-western region of Gorenjska, which has the highest incidence rate at the moment.

Data from the tracker site covid-19.sledilnik.org show that the latest cases bring the number of currently active cases to 8,860 and the total case count to 15,982. The rolling 14-day average per 100,000 residents has increased to 423.

The new surge comes after a series of new restrictions have come into effect, including a 9pm-6am curfew last night. Kacin said that while a great majority understood and abided by the measures, some individuals would not and would not help.

This was after a group of protesters gathered in Maribor late last night to demonstrate their opposition to the curfew. PM Janez Janša responded with a tweet in which he revealed that the number of new cases had already surpassed 1,100 and urged the protesters to "get serious".

Kacin, as well as Tatjana Lejko Zupanc, the head of the Infectious Disease Department of the Ljubljana UKC hospital, Slovenia's main Covid-19 facility, appealed on everyone to say at home as much as possible, and urged employers to enable their employees to work from home whenever possible.

However, Lejko Zupanc did not answer in the affirmative when asked whether she thought public life should be brought to a halt completely, noting that it had stopped in a way and that a shutdown of kindergartens, for example, would affect health staff, which was badly needed.

Asked whether Slovenia was reaching a point seen in Italy in spring when doctors would have to chose whom to treat as a priority, Lejko Zupanc said: "We're far from being there, and we'll prevent that if we can (...) I hope and believe we won't reach that point."

The official said the UKC Ljubljana medical centre was working on securing extra beds to cope with the expected influx in Covid-19 patients requiring hospital treatment. With the expansions, UKC Ljubljana will have 40 to 50 intensive care beds and 170 regular hospital beds, which should do to weather the crisis.

She said the medical centre had capacities for further expansion if needed, but a bigger problem was staff. Final year medical students, volunteers and retired health staff have been asked to help alleviate the burden on overworked staff, and staff reassignments between departments are planned.

Lejko Zupanc revealed that five children with Covid-19 were being treated at UKC Ljubljana and 92 adults. Twenty one are receiving intensive care, and most of them are on ventilators.

According to the Jožef Stefan Institute (IJS), Slovenia's reproduction number, showing how many people one infected person will pass the virus on to, has climbed to 2.18, while the epidemic has been spreading with a doubling time of 6.2 days.

The institute estimates that 1.5% of the population is currently infected or one in 70 people, and the share is rising fast.

In the first wave, about 1% of the people got infected. At the peak of the first wave 0.35% of the population was infected or one in 300 people.

In the second wave, 2.5% of the people have been infected so far or one in 40 people. In total, 3.5% of Slovenians have caught the virus so far or one in 30 people.

The IJS expects the measures introduced at the end of last week to start having an impact at the end of the week, while the measures that the government adopted on Tuesday should show next week.

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STA, 20 October 2020 - Jurist Andraž Teršek and lawyer Damijan Pavlin have filed a request for a constitutional review of the ban on movement among regions and the 9pm-6am curfew, claiming such measures are only possible if a state of emergency is declared.

"If a state of emergency is not declared and movement in an around the country is banned, this is unconstitutional," the pair argue.

Teršek, who recently ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Constitutional Court, told the STA that Article 32 of the Constitution secured everybody the right to move freely, choose their residence, leave the country and return at any time.

This right can be limited with an act, including with the aim of containing the spread of a communicable disease, if this is substantiated in a convincing fashion, if the measure is urgent and proportionate, but this still does not give the state the right to ban movement, Teršek and Pavlin argue.

This is only allowed in a state of emergency, with Article 16 saying a temporary lifting or limiting of human rights and basic freedoms is possible in a state of war and a state of emergency, albeit only to the extent required by the situation.

Thus, the communicable diseases act, which is used by the government as the basis for the ban, imparts on the state powers that are not permitted by the Constitution - it introduces a movement ban across the country without a state of emergency being declared, Teršek and Pavlin argue.

They believe that the legitimate goal of preventing and limiting the spread of the virus can be achieved with milder measures.

"The prohibition to drive from point A to point B and back is in itself not vital for preventing the spread of a communicable disease. It is not reasonable, appropriate or proportionate. The same applies for a walk, a bicycle ride, a walk in the woods, visiting a loved one or family member - all of whom are healthy. At the same time, everybody is living in 'the red zone' now," the pair moreover wrote.

"Vital reasons [for a ban] are still not being put forward - because they do not exist," Teršek and Pavlin say.

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STA, 20 October 2020 - Slovenian cyclist Primož Roglič (Team Jumbo-Visma) won the first stage of the Vuelta a Espana on Tuesday to establish himself as one of the favourites in the race around Spain as he is defending his overall winner title in the same race from last year.

In the 173-kilometre stage from Irun to Eibar, the 30-year-old defeated the closest followers Richard Carapaz of Ecuador and Dan Martin of Ireland to put on the overall leader's red jersey already after the first day.

"It is great to win. I'm very happy. The team has again showed that it is very strong. It has done an excellent job during the entire stage, and I returned the favour with the win. It is a nice way to start the Vuelta," Roglič said.

?❤️ @rogla, el primer líder de #LaVuelta20

?❤️ First leader of #LaVuelta20!

? Charly López | @CarrefourES pic.twitter.com/jErHYiiAdl

— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) October 21, 2020

"It has been a strange season, so I will enjoy the overall leader's jersey from tomorrow on, and the fact that we are able to race here," the Slovenian added after taking over the red jersey for the 12th time in his career.

Slovenia is celebrating a double win today as Jan Tratnik won the 16th stage of the Giro d'Italia between Udine and San Daniele del Friuli to become only the fifth Slovenian ever to win a stage at the prestigious road race around Italy.

This made Slovenia the third country ever with stage wins at the Grand Tour races on the same day. The Giro and the Vuelta used to overlap, and the last time a nation managed the feat before today was in 1978 (Belgium).

This is meanwhile the third stage win ever for Roglič at the Vuelta a Espana, the race he won last year, when he also finished 3rd overall at Giro d'Italia.

Roglič's best achievement this year by far is the 2nd overall place at the Tour de France, the race won by his younger compatriot Tadej Pogačar of UAE Team Emirates.

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This summary is provided by the STA: 

794 coronavirus infections confirmed for Monday, two deaths

LJUBLJANA - The number of new coronavirus infections continues to rise in Slovenia, reaching 794 on Monday, when 4,326 tests were conducted. Government data show 313 Covid-19 patients are in hospital, including 56 in intensive care. Two more people died, brining the death toll to 192. A total of 38 patients are mechanically ventilated and 27 patients were discharged from hospital, while 53 new patients were admitted, according to data by the tracker Covid-19.Sledilnik.

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Curfew takes effect, gathering becomes more restricted

LJUBLJANA - A temporary 9pm-6am curfew entered into force across Slovenia to limit the spread of coronavirus. The cap for gatherings has been lowered from ten to six people and a ban on movement between statistical regions has been put in place. There are, however, a number of exceptions, such as those related to work, emergency situations and services, family assistance and farm work. Public transport will not be shut down, libraries, museums and galleries also remain open.

Minister says food supply not at risk in second Covid-19 wave

LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Attending an EU ministerial in Luxembourg, Agriculture Minister Jože Podgoršek said that little less problems in the Slovenian agriculture sector were expected than during the first Covid-19 wave in the spring, reiterating that food supply would not be disrupted or threatened. The ministry added in a press release that food supply in the second wave would be adequate and called on consumers not to stockpile food and other supplies, as it might happen that retailers would not be able to refill their shelves on time.

Govt seeks to allay budget spending concerns

LJUBLJANA - The government defended its budget plans for the coming two years in response to the Fiscal Council's concerns about excessive expenditure, underscoring the importance of investment for recovery and noting that investment expenditure is to be boosted mainly at the expense of EU funds. In a response to the advisory body's assessment, the government notes that continued recovery will depend on what is a very uncertain situation with respect to coronavirus. In such a situation, fast action to protect people's health and the economy is essential, it says.

Opposition blame govt for "fatefully low" trust in Covid measures

LJUBLJANA - The centre-left opposition parties called on the government to mend its ways, which they argue are the reason for what they see as a "fatefully low level" of public trust in measures and recommendations aimed to contain the rapid spread of coronavirus in the country. In a press release, the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ), Social Democrats (SD), Left and the Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) argue the measures are ill thought through and badly communicated, which they say is made worse by the government's "degrading of the experts, attacks on the media and judiciary, and attempt to subjugate social subsystems".

Poll: Public supports ban on gatherings, critical of masks outdoors

LJUBLJANA - The latest Valicon survey, released on Monday, shows the public is divided when it comes to the assessment of individual protective measures meant to tackle coronavirus. Standing out as a clearly supported measure is the ceiling on the number of people gathering in the public, with 77% approving of the measure, while there is less support for the compulsory wearing of masks outdoors (just over 40%).

Trade union calls for extra funds for education to manage Covid-19

LJUBLJANA - Trade unions have asked the government to secure additional EUR 90 million in the 2021 and 2022 budgets each for managing the Covid-19 epidemic in the educational process. The additional funds would be spent on personal protective equipment and sanitisers, technical adjustments and additional temporary jobs. The main committee of the SVIZ trade union of teachers and culture workers also urged the relecant ministry to do something to neutralise what the trade union believes are the growing differences among pupils brought by remote teaching, as not all of them have the same conditions.

Slovenian cyclists dominate at Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a Espana

UDINE, Italy/BILBAO/Spain - Slovenian cyclist Jan Tratnik (Team Bahrain McLaren) won the 16th stage of the Giro d'Italia between Udine and San Daniele del Friuli to become only the fifth Slovenian ever to win a stage at the prestigious road race around Italy, while his more celebrated compatriot Primož Roglič (Team Jumbo-Visma) won the first stage of the Vuelta a Espana to establish himself as one of the favourites in the race around Spain as he is defending his overall winner title.

Commission representative welcomes budget increase for Equal Opportunities Ombudsman

LJUBLJANA - Zoran Stančič, the head of the European Commission Representation in Slovenia, welcomed in talks with Equal Opportunities Ombudsman Miha Lobnik on Monday the government's decision to allocate more funds for the office. Stančič said thus the cabinet had constructively responded to some criticism voiced by the Commission in its rule of law report. In the report published at the end of last month, the Commission warned that Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman was understaffed.

Group of RTVS councillors propose dismissal of director

LJUBLJANA - A group of 13 programme councillors at RTV Slovenija have proposed the dismissal of the public broadcaster's director Igor Kadunc. He stands accused of responsibility for RTVS operating in the red between 2017 and 2019 and of failure to draw up a number of documents. Kadunc rejected the claims, suggesting the motive was changing editorial policy.

Next Round investment conference for startups under way

LJUBLJANA - A two-day investment conference got under way named Next Round that will see 80 investors from Central and Eastern Europe meet the best startups from Slovenia and 25 more countries. The online event, co-organised by the Slovenian Enterprise Fund, will also be addressed by Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek.

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

STA, 20 October 2020 - Agriculture Minister Jože Podgoršek, who is attending an EU ministerial in Luxembourg on Tuesday, said that little less problems in the Slovenian agriculture sector were expected than during the first Covid-19 wave in the spring, reiterating that food supply would not be disrupted or threatened.

The ministry said in a press release today that food supply in the second wave would be adequate and called on consumers not to stockpile food and other supplies, as it might happen that retailers would not be able to refill their shelves on time.

It added that excessive shopping created disturbances in the commerce systems, while adding that the declaration of epidemic and subsequent closure of certain segments related with food and purchase from local suppliers could create surpluses.

The sales of certain agricultural and food products in Slovenia could drop, so the ministry called on citizens to "buy local products as much as possible, like in the first wave of the epidemic."

According to the ministry, consumption of locally-produced fresh food ensures long-term independence of the sector, stability of Slovenia's countryside, jobs in agriculture and fisheries and better quality of life of each individual.

Minister Podgoršek meanwhile held a virtual press conference on the sidelines of the ministerial, saying that he and his EU counterparts had not discussed the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic on agriculture yet.

The minister noted that the situation in the Slovenian agriculture sector was being closely monitored and that little less problems were expected than in the spring.

According to him, a "dead season" in agriculture is starting, and there will be less problems in terms of purchase of material and the need for workforce, as well as cultivation of land in border areas.

EU agriculture ministers are meanwhile trying to reach an agreement on the common agricultural policy for 2021-2027, with unofficial sources saying that the key open issues relate to defining eco schemes and exceptions for small framers.

Podgoršek said that the negotiations were expected to extend late into the night.

The ministers also discussed draft strategy for the transformation of the food supply system, with the Slovenian minister saying that Slovenia argued that the different starting points of countries should be taken into account with regard to reducing the use of pesticides, fertilisers and antibiotics.

Slovenia belongs to the EU member states which already apply the highest standards when it comes to animal welfare, and is among the countries which use the least antibiotics, so it would be very difficult to halve what is already a minimal quantity of antibiotics.

Podgoršek argued this already in June in the capacity of state secretary at the ministry, adding that the same was true for pesticides and fertilisers, and that Slovenia was already limited in this regards due to the small size of its market.

All our stories on COVID and Slovenia

STA, 20 October 2020 - Slovenia has more than 6,000 towns and villages, many of them named after animals or plants, like Mačji Dol or Kostanj, translating to Cat Vale and Chestnut. Some 4,800 places have unique names, while other names are quite common, such as Šolska Ulica (School Street), the Statistics Office has said, adding that Slovenia has both Eden and Hell.

The latter refers to the villages of Paradiž, located in the remote and placid hills of Haloze in the east, and Pekel, a hilly village just north of Maribor, strewn with vineyards and nearly encircled by two Maribor motorways.

While most names occur only once, some are very common. Šolska Ulica, for example is the most common of 10,000 street names, as 52 towns have their own School Street. Prešernova Ulica, named after the Romantic poet France Prešeren, the author of the national anthem, is the second most common street name, used 45 times.

Many names reflect a connection with the animal world: Konj (Horse), Ježevec (Porcupine), Lisjaki (Foxes), Srnjak (Stag), Petelinje (Rooster's), Zajčji Vrh (Hare Peak), Žabja Vas (Frog Village), Medvedjek (Bear's), Jelendol (Deer Dale) and Kačji Dol (Snake Vale), among many others.

Interestingly, there is no Mačja Ulica (Cat Street) in Mačji Dol (Cat Vale), the Statistics Office said.

Many place names suggest a relation with plants, including Breza (Birch), Jablana (Apple Tree) and Šipek (Rosehip).

But not all have necessarily been named after plants or fruits. According to the Etymology Dictionary of Slovenian Geographical Names, Borovnica (Blueberry) and Maline (Raspberries) were not named after the respective berries, the Statistics Office says.

Many places carry personal names, often those of saints, including Lucija, Florjan, Marjeta, Štefan, Primož and Benedikt.

Others, especially villages, have names that are unusual even to Slovenians, either because they are tongue twisters such as Kokolajnščak, Bolehnečici or Podpulfrca, or because of unusual semantics, such is the case with Bruhanja Vas (Vomit Village) and Ritoznoj (Butt Sweat).

STA, 19 October 2020 - Slovenian writer Goran Vojnović has received the Angelus Central European Literary Prize, conferred to works by Central European writers translated into the Polish, for his 2013 novel Yugoslavia, My Fatherland (Jugoslavija, moja dežela).

The annual award is conferred by the Polish city of Wroclaw to writers who take up the most important topics for the present day. It comes with a cheque for 150,000 Polish zloty (roughly EUR 33,000). The translator, Joanna Pomorska, received a 20,000 zloty (EUR 4,400) cheque.

According to the portal Polish News, the jury short-listed seven titles out of 105 entries for the final stage of the award.

The chairman of the jury, Mykola Riabczuk, emphasised that the books that made it to the final selection were "very Central European".

He said each of them had a history that continues. The jury ended up deciding between two books that were both about war and voted four to three for Yugoslavia, My Fatherland.

Vojnović, who attended Saturday's ceremony via video call, said Angelus was "undoubtedly the most important recognition I have ever received."

He noted that past laureates and this year's nominees were among authors whose avid reader he is. "Just being in their company has been an exceptional honour."

The novel talks about a young man searching for his father, who turns out to be a war criminal.

It received the Kresnik Prize for best Slovenian novel in 2013.

Interview with Goran Vojnović: Writer & Filmmaker, Gateway to Contemporary Slovenian Culture

STA, 20 October 2020 - The number of new coronavirus infections continues to rise in Slovenia, reaching 794 on Monday, when 4,326 tests were conducted. Currently, 313 Covid-19 patients are in hospital, including 56 in intensive care, the government said on Tuesday. Two more people died, bringing the death toll to 192.

A total of 38 patients are mechanically ventilated and 27 patients were discharged from hospital, while 53 new patients were admitted, according to data by the tracker Covid-19.Sledilnik.

So far, 14,472 infections have been confirmed in Slovenia in 293,769 test, with 7,708 currently active cases. The country saw 368 new cases per 100,000 people in the last 14 days.

As the number of admissions rises, hospitals around the country are expanding capacity.

UKC Ljubljana, Slovenia's largest hospital, announced yesterday it had launched a third location for Covid-19 patients. They are now treated at the department for infectious diseases, a nursing hospital and the orthopaedic department.

Director Janez Poklukar said there was currently sufficient capacity, but the number of beds would be increased as needed.

UKC Maribor yesterday announced it was temporarily shutting down most elective procedures to free up rooms and staff for Covid-19 patients. It said it could have over 100 beds for these patients if necessary.

Given that shortage of staff is currently a bigger problem for hospitals than the number of beds, both hospitals have also urged private practitioners to help since they are unable to perform all the services they typically do.

Covid-19 task force head worried about fast increase in daily cases

STA, 19 October 2020 - About 1% of Slovenia's population is infected with Sars-CoV-2 based on the test positivity rate, the head of the government task force Bojana Beović said Monday evening. Under the optimistic scenario, between 480 and 680 people will be in hospital in the second half of November.

She said the daily increase in cases was very high at the moment and Slovenia was slowly nearing the EU countries that have borne the brunt of Covid-19. While the situation is under control at the moment, this will unlikely be the case in a month's time, she indicated.

Bojana Beović. YouTube

Giving a statement for the press in a government briefing, she said that if the restrictions put in place will be effective, 480-680 people will still require hospital care in the second half of October, of them between 80 and 190 will require intensive care.

Currently, some 300 Covid-19 patients are in hospital in Slovenia, 60 requiring intensive treatment. Data collected by epidemiologists suggest that the main culprit for the contagion in the country are social events, she said. Foreign studies meanwhile suggest that the virus spreads most efficiently in bars, restaurants and in sports facilities.

Beović also commented as to why Slovenia faced a lack of intensive care unit (ICU) staff. The doctors and nurses working there require special skills and know-how, she said. At the same time, patients who are not infected with Sars-CoV-2 are also in ICUs and have to be cared for by the same teams as Covid-19 patients.

Touching on the most recent government measures, Beović underlined that the new restrictions had been based on expert criteria and were similar to those in other countries.

"In an ideal situation, we would have hoped that simple measures would suffice. But that has not worked, maybe also because we did not believe they would and did not stick to them."

The latest statistics on coronavirus and Slovenia, and the latest police news on red, green and yellow list countries. All our stories on coronavirus and Slovenia. Can I transit Slovenia? Find out from the police... All our stories on Slovenia and coronavirus

STA, 19 October 2020- Ljubljana's city councillors adopted on Monday a statement condemning any activities or gatherings of paramilitary or nationalist groups in the capital. The opposition Democrats (SDS) and New Slovenia (NSi) protested, unsuccessfully proposing that the item be removed from the City Council's agenda.

The statement, proposed by the councillors of the Left, caused a clash of opinions, with SDS and NSi councillors arguing the Left was out to provoke a harsh politics-fuelled debate.

While they argued that the statement was unnecessary because the field was already regulated in detail by the protection of public order act, the head of the Left's group of councillors Milan Jakopovič said this act did not prevent activities by paramilitary and nationalist groups on private property and gatherings, which is why hospitality needed to be denied to them in no uncertain terms.

The Left's argument that a symbolic gesture is necessary was echoed by Maša Kociper of the Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB), who spoke of a "group of individuals who think they can execute powers that are reserved for the army and police in any normal and democratic country".

Martina Vuk of the SocDems agreed, arguing the City Council is the body that can say on behalf of the city that such groups have no place in Ljubljana.

Zvone Čadež of the SDS protested, saying that an honest list of this sort would also need to include members of antifa groups "who sliced car tires around Ljubljana on the eve of Statehood Day".

"Add to the list the people yelling that PM Janez Janša needs to be killed, which was documented, add the artists exposing their asses in the middle of Prešeren Square, add the people pulling cameras from TV cameramen's hands, add people with a poor command of Slovenian who are yelling at police officers that they should return to their villages," Čadež said.

Mayor Zoran Janković tried to calm down the debate and urged the councillors to adopt the statement together with the message that everybody in Ljubljana lives together and respects differences.

He welcomed the recent legislative changes adopted by parliament in a bid to limit the activities of self-styled militias. "But the fact that they went to the presidential palace and that they tried to get into parliament is an offence against both institutions," Janković added.

While the two NSi councillors decided for obstruction, the statement was adopted without official debate in a 31:0 vote.