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...
News
18 Sep 2020, 18:03 PM
STA, 18 September 2020 - The number of new coronavirus infections reached a new all-time high in Slovenia on Thursday, as 137 out of 3,557 tests came back positive, the government said on Twitter on Friday. The number of active cases is also at a record high of 1,116. Sixty-seven Covid-19 patients are meanwhile in hospital, eleven in intensive care.
Three people were discharged from hospital, while four people infected with coronavirus died, putting the national death toll at 140, the government said.
According to the tracker site covid-19.sledilnik.org, the number of total confirmed cases now stands at 4,195 and 194,970 tests have been performed since early March.
Government spokesman Jelko Kacin told the press later in the day that only two Thursday cases had been imported, and that the number of cases of local origin was double the number of cases of unknown origin.
Two persons who died yesterday are related to a care home in the northern region of Koroška, one of whom died at the UKC Ljubljana hospital. The identity of the other two deceased persons has not been revealed.
The coronavirus spokesman also announced two government decrees, to be adopted at today's correspondence session, including the one tightening rules for wearing face masks in outdoor places frequented by many people and at schools.
Asked by a journalist whether people should also wear masks while walking in crowded streets, like Čopova Street in Ljubljana, he said: "I will be walking along Čopova with a mask."
Kacin added that employers should also start purchasing devices for taking temperatures of employees, and that bars and restaurants would have to cancel some events as working hours would be limited to between 6am and 10pm.
He said that some other measures were also on the table, including further limiting the number of people for public gatherings from the current ten to six, but this will certainly not happen in the next two or three days.
Meanwhile, the Educations Ministry also published the numbers for infections at schools and kindergartens.
On Thursday, there were nine confirmed cases among employees in kindergartens, 46 among employees in primary schools and seven among staff in secondary schools.
One kindergarten child was infected as well, as were 55 primary school children and 23 secondary school students.
Also quarantined were 31 kindergarten staff along with 31 children, 133 employees at primary schools along with 208 children, and 16 employees at secondary schools where 82 pupils had to stay at home just like their infected classmates.
The ministry said that data after the third week of school did not suggest a shift was needed from the current model, which has children attending lesson in class, albeit with protective measures.
Schools, kindergartens shocked by new mask rules
STA, 18 September 2020 - Schools and kindergartens are upset by the new rules making face masks obligatory in classroom for teachers and children from 7th class, and for kindergarten teachers. The SVIZ trade union of teachers criticised the new measures as absolutely unacceptable and impossible to implement.
SVIZ head Branimir Štrukelj told the STA on Friday their phones had been ringing off the hook today, with teachers and other school and kindergarten staff warning that talking with a face mask for six hours was impossible. The new rule is particularly unacceptable for kindergartens, he said.
The Association of Slovenian Kindergartens said it was extremely surprised by the government's decision. According to its head Janja Bogataj, the government has made the decision without consulting kindergartens and without any kind of consideration about the consequences. "We don't know how we will be able to conduct the pedagogic process," she told the STA.
"I cannot imagine a kindergarten teacher signing songs, staging a play, dancing, exercising and at the same time comforting a child and offering them emotional support if the child will only see their eyes but no other facial expressions," she added.
Štrukelj believes the government's decision is merely transferring responsibility to schools and kindergartens. "This will have to stop, because we are close to the boiling point and we will present demands regarding additional staff in a few days."
Additional support staff will also be needed, as cooks and cleaners wearing masks are starting to suffer from burnout, he said.
If the authorities do not heed the demands, other measures will follow, Štrukelj announced.
Headteachers at schools and kindergartens have received no specific instructions yet regarding the regime that is to be introduced on Monday.
The principal of the Celje Center secondary chool, Gregor Deleja, told the STA that they only had information from the media.
"We would particularly like definitions of exceptions, as students and employees with asthma and other health problems would allegedly not need to wear masks," he said.
Education Minister Simona Kustec said today the ministry would send a set of instructions about the new measures to schools and kindergartens today.
She believes the new rules are not much different from the ones in place now, saying they were "nothing dramatic". "We all wear masks, we all know what distances we need to keep".
The minister said these were soft measures aimed at providing additional security so that schools and kindergartens did not become hotspots and that schools cloud remain open.
Asked who proposed the new rules, Kustec said the decision had been made by the government, which had been making decisions in cooperation with its advisory task force of epidemiologists.
Another issue is sufficient supply of masks for the staff and students.
Mojce Mihelič, the headteacher of the Ljubljana Danila Kumer primary school, is concerned how temperature screenings will be conducted in the morning when thousands of students and employees are entering school.
Lea Vidmar from the Šturje primary school in Ajdovščina finds the measures unacceptable for both teachers and students. "It is bad enough that students must be in the same classroom for so many hours, and now we will impose additions restrictions on them with masks."
The headteacher said the school had been cooperating with the municipality well, so it would provide them with masks and thermometers.
The parents' association said no detailed research had been conducted about parents' views on the new mask rules. But parents are wondering how 13- and 14-year-olds will be able to learn in classrom in a quality way while wearing masks, the association said.
18 Sep 2020, 15:39 PM
Police Report 10,220 Illegal Border Crossings Jan-Aug 2020, Most from Pakistan, Morocco, Afghanistan
STA, 18 September 2020 - The police processed some 10,220 illegal crossings of Slovenia's borders until the end of August, up 3.3% compared to the same period in 2019. In summer, the figure was on the rise, in August alone the police handled more than 2,600 cases of illegal migrations, mostly involving citizens from Pakistan, Morocco and Afghanistan.
In the first two months of 2020, the number of illegal crossings of the border was up on the same period in 2019, followed by a lull in illegal migrations caused by anti-corona restrictions. In May, the figure increased to roughly 900 and in summer months it shot up, police data show.
In June, police processed some 1,800 foreigners who had crossed the border illegally, some 2,430 in July and 2,670 in August, and the upward trend is expected to continue in the coming months.
A total of 2,920 asylum seekers were recorded in Slovenia in the first eight months of 2020, most of them were from Morocco. The figure dropped by 13% compared to the same period last year. The police believes the decrease is mostly a result of a drop in the number of Algerian citizens stemming from new migration routes.
The asylum seekers mostly continue on their way heading towards their final destinations after being accommodated at reception facilities in Slovenia, said the police.
According to the Interior Ministry data, 500 requests for international protection were filed in August, mostly by citizens of Morocco and Pakistan. A total of 475 requests were processed, ten were granted protection and 430 cases were stayed.
The latest relevant data show that in the first seven moths of this year, 72 persons were given the asylum status and 85 in the entire 2019. Processed cases totalled 1,548 until the end of July and 3,838 in 2019.
The STA is releasing charts showing relevant statistics regarding the numbers of illegal crossings and asylum seekers or those already granted international protection.
Number of illegal crossings of the border in the first eight months of 2020 and 2019 according to citizenship
Nationality Number of crossings
2020 2019
----------------------------------------
Pakistan 2813 2360
Morocco 2205 774
Afghanistan 1821 1071
Bangladesh 776 685
Algeria 577 1440
Croatia 403 217
Iraq 332 562
Egypt 200 161
Syria 171 469
Iran 163 504
other 762 1653
----------------------------------------
total 10,223 9896
Number of persons handed over to Slovenia's police and handed over by Slovenian authorities in the first eight months of 2020 and 2019
Handed over to Handed over to
Slovenian police foreign authorities
country 2019 2020 2019 2020
----------------------------------------------------------------
Italy 207 682 58 19
Austria 62 98 9 6
Croatia 19 18 6457 6781
Hungary 3 6 0 8
airport 177 86 20 9
----------------------------------------------------------------
total 468 890 6544 6823
Source: Police, Interior Ministry, Office for the Support and Integration of Migrants
18 Sep 2020, 11:53 AM
STA, 17 September 2020 - The government has prepared the draft of a new anti-corona stimulus package. Unofficial information suggests the furlough scheme will be extended for some industries, universal basic income brought back for sole traders and the health system shored up.
Information obtained by the STA shows that the furlough scheme, whose last possible extension under current law expires at the end of September, will be extended until the end of the year.
Employers in tourism, events industries and coach transportation who have seen their revenue decline by over 30% over last year would be eligible.
The government also appears ready to head appeals by freelancers, many of whom have complained for months that they have not received sufficient aid since the three-month income support scheme expires in June.
The latest proposal involves a universal basic income for the self-employed who cannot perform their activities or whose business has declined by over 40% on last year.
From October through December they would be eligible for a EUR 700 universal basic income plus a waiver of social security contributions.
When a self-employed person would be ordered to quarantine, they would receive an income support of EUR 350.
The parents of children up to grade 5 who are ordered to quarantine would be entitled to a compensation equalling 80% of pay.
Several measures reportedly target the health system, most notably a provision under which additional funding would be secured for a special tender for specific health services where waiting times are currently the longest.
The national budget would finance one-month reserve of personal protective equipment for all public health institutions.
Health and social workers who work directly with Covid-19 patients would get a special 50% hourly bonus, according to the proposal.
The blueprint represent what would be the fifth omnibus legislative package designed to help the economy recover from coronavirus.
According to plans, social partners will be briefed about the plan at a session of the Economic and Social Council on Friday.
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...
18 Sep 2020, 11:44 AM
STA, 17 September 2020 - Primož Roglič and Tadej Pogačar, the first- and second-placed riders in this year's Tour de France, braved what was the final tough stage in the Alps on Thursday without major difficulties, reaffirming the likelihood of a historic double Slovenian victory in the general classification.
Finishing fourth in today's 168km stage from Meribel to La Roche-sur-Forontoday in a group arriving just under two minutes behind stage winner Michal Kwiatkowski of Poland, Roglič retained the yellow jersey and his 57 seconds lead on Pogačar.
Pogačar, the best young rider at the Tour, was fifth today. He lost his polka dot jersey of the best climber to Ecuadorian rider Richard Carapaz, who finished second today.
With a relatively easy stage scheduled for Friday and the final stage to Paris on Sunday, the winner of this year's Tour is likely to be determined in Saturday's 36-kilometre time trail with a summit finish at Planche des Belles Filles.
Roglič and Pogačar are both considered strong time trial riders, stronger than Colombia's Miguel Angel Lopez, who is placed third, one minute and 27 seconds behind Roglič.
18 Sep 2020, 08:49 AM
Yesterday the UK released the following message for Britons travelling in Slovenia, and Slovenes heading to the UK - any updates will be found on the official site.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against all non-essential travel to Slovenia, based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks in the country.
The FCDO is not advising those already travelling in Slovenia to leave at this time. Travellers should follow the advice of the local authorities on how best to protect themselves and others, including any measures that they bring in to control the virus.
If you are returning to the UK from Slovenia on or after 4am on 19 September, you will need to self-isolate on your return (unless you are exempt). Check the latest guidance for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
The FCDO is not advising you to cut short your visit. You should contact your tour operator or airline if you have any questions about your return journey.
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...
18 Sep 2020, 04:25 AM
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:
Govt announces stricter mask rules, temperature screenings, bar curfew
LJUBLJANA - Responding to a spike in new Covid-19 cases in Slovenia, the government has announced tightened rules for wearing face masks outdoors and at schools, compulsory temperature screenings in the workplace and limited opening hours for bars and restaurants. Also in the pipeline are changes governing entry to Slovenia should the coronavirus situation escalate in neighbouring and other countries.
104 coronavirus cases confirmed Wednesday, one Covid-19 death
LJUBLJANA - A total of 3,070 tests for the novel coronavirus were performed in Slovenia on Wednesday, resulting in 104 confirmed positive cases, the fourth-highest daily figure so far. One fatality was recorded, bringing the overall death toll to 136. A total of 62 persons were in hospital yesterday for Covid-19, 11 of them requiring intensive care, the latest government figures show. The number of active cases has exceeded 1,000 for the first time.
New stimulus package reportedly brings back UBI, extends furlough
LJUBLJANA - The government has prepared the draft of a new anti-corona stimulus package. Unofficial information suggests the furlough scheme will be extended for some industries, universal basic income brought back for sole traders and the health system shored up. Information obtained by the STA shows that the furlough scheme, whose last possible extension under current law expires at the end of September, will be extended until the end of the year.
LMŠ announces motion to oust agriculture minister
LJUBLJANA - The Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) said it planned to table on Monday a motion of no confidence in Agriculture Minister Aleksandra Pivec, a move that comes right after she stepped down as president of the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) due to suspected ethics breaches. The motion will allege that Pivec violated laws concerning the prevention of corruption, abused her office, failed to abide by ethical standards and concealed facts that are in the public interest. All five DeSUS deputies have disavowed her and deputy group leader Franc Jurša said it was possible they will vote in favour of her dismissal as minister.
DeSUS to elect leader at congress on 28 November
LJUBLJANA - The leadership of the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) proposed to the executive committee and to the council to hold a congress at which a party leader will be elected on 28 November, deputy group head Franc Jurša said. The congress was first meant to be held on 14 November, but the new date was proposed because of the availability of the venue - Gospodarsko Razstavišče fairgrounds in Ljubljana. The party's executive committee and the council are expected to set the date on Wednesday.
Hojs, Kangler report unknown perpetrator for false reporting of crime
LJUBLJANA - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs and State Secretary Franc Kangler have filed their separate criminal complaints with the prosecution against an unknown perpetrator accusing them of false reporting of crime. Breaking the news, the siol.net portal also published both criminal complaints, dated 16 September. The development comes after an anonymous criminal complaint was filed against Hojs over abuse of office for ordering a review of five closed cases investigated by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). The parliamentary Commission for Oversight of Security and Intelligence Services meanwhile announced it will reveal Hojs's guidelines and instructions to the public.
Rival police union urges de-escalation, dialogue
LJUBLJANA - After the PSS trade union has formed a strike committee alleging being blackmailed and intimidated by Interior Minister Aleš Hojs, the other police union, the SPS, said it saw no reason to step up its activities considering dialogue with the ministry was ongoing. In a written response to the PSS union's move, the head of the rival SPS union Kristjan Mlekuš said the SPS had had a strike committee formed since April 2019 to implement demands from the agreement to end a strike in the past that had not been met, rather than to "settle scores with politics in public".
Slovenian troops to continue participating in Mali mission
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia will continue participating in the EU Training Mission in Mali with up to ten soldiers, the government decided. There are currently three Slovenian soldiers in Mali. The government also announced a strengthening of cyber capabilities with US funds and said Slovenia is to participate in November in the NATO cyber defence exercise Cyber Coalition.
Urbanija gets full five-year term as UKOM director
LJUBLJANA - Acting director of the Government Communication Office (UKOM) Uroš Urbanija was appointed for a full, five-year term, starting on 21 September, with the possibility of reappointment. The former home desk editor at the STA was appointed the acting director of UKOM as the Janez Janša government took over in mid-March.
Former FM Rupel candidate for OSCE media rep
LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian government has nominated Dimitrij Rupel, a former foreign minister, for the post of representative on freedom of the media at the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The Government Communications Office said Rupel was a major Slovenian intellectual who has "significantly affected the creation of a free, democratic and pluralistic media space".
Rožanc Prize for essay collection goes to Esad Babačić
LJUBLJANA - Esad Babačić, a 55-year-old poet, writer and journalist, has won the 2020 Rožanc Prize for the best collection of essays for Veš, mašina, svoj dolg (Machine, You Know Your Debt). Publisher Cankarjeva založba has described Babačić's first collection of essays as unpredictable and diverse and as "at times dealing with the key issues of contemporary society". The jury said Babačić's lively, engaged style and tenderness coming from a big a heart is introducing Montaigne-type writing into Slovenia's essay landscape.
Roglič and Pogačar clear likely last hurdle to double Tour victory
GRENOBLE, France - Primož Roglič and Tadej Pogačar, the first- and second-placed riders in this year's Tour de France, braved what was the final tough stage in the Alps without major difficulties, reaffirming the likelihood of a historic double Slovenian victory in the general classification. Finishing fourth in today's 168km stage from Meribel to La Roche-sur-Forontoday, Roglič retained the yellow jersey and his 57 seconds lead on Pogačar. The winner of this year's Tour is likely to be determined in Saturday's 36-kilometre time trail with a summit finish at Planche des Belles Filles.
Dončić makes the all-NBA first team
ORLANDO, US - The 21-year old Slovenian basketball wonderkid Luka Dončić (Dallas Mavericks) was selected for the 2019/2020 season's all-NBA first team, becoming only the sixth European player in the history of the NBA to achieve this honourable feat. This season, Dončić was also selected to his first NBA All-Star Game as a starter, making him the youngest European player to start in an All-Star game.
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17 Sep 2020, 17:33 PM
STA, 17 September 2020 - A total of 12,230 Slovenian residents died in the first seven months of the year, which is 0.8% less than in the same period last year, the Statistics Office has reported. The number of deceased persons on the monthly basis was higher only in April and June.
More than 4,000 coronavirus infections have been confirmed in Slovenia so far, and 136 persons have died of Covid-19, but the epidemic has apparently not resulted in higher death figures in the first seven months year-on-year.
In the period, January was the month when most Slovenian residents died (1,971), and July was the month with the lowest number of deaths (1,566).
On the other hand, 10,617 children were born in Slovenia in the first seven months, which is 5.3% more than in the same period in 2019, preliminary data from the Statistics Office show.
Last year, a total of 2,.588 Slovenian residents died, which was 0.5% more than in 2018. Men died at the average age of 73.2, and women at the average age of 82.1.
A boy born in 2020 may meanwhile expect to live to the age of 78.5, while the life expectancy for girls is 84.2.
17 Sep 2020, 15:59 PM
STA, 17 September 2020 - A total of 3,070 tests for the novel coronavirus were performed in Slovenia on Wednesday, resulting in 104 confirmed positive cases, the fourth-highest daily figure so far. One fatality was recorded, bringing the overall death toll to 136, the latest government figures show. The number of active cases has exceeded 1,000 for the first time.
A total of 62 persons were in Slovenian hospitals yesterday for Covid-19, 11 of them requiring intensive care. One person was discharged from hospital, the government said on Twitter.
Among the newly confirmed infected persons, three are employees in care homes and eight are healthcare workers, while no new infections were confirmed among residents of care homes.
According to the tracker site covid-19.sledilnik.org, the number of total confirmed cases has exceeded 4,000, and the number of active cases has exceeded 1,000, standing at 1,026.
This is the first time that the number of active cases has cracked 1,000, while the peak number during the first wave was 609, recorded on 3 April. In the second wave, this number was exceeded on 9 September, the tracker site shows.
The municipality of Ljubljana accounts for the most of yesterday's cases (29), and there are currently 205 active cases in the capital.
Age-wise, most new infections (26) were recorded in the 35-44 age group, followed by the 45-54 age group (21), and the 25-34 age group (15).
A total of 191,413 tests for the novel coronavirus have been performed so far in Slovenia, the nation of two million people.
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...
Govt announces stricter mask rules, temperature screenings, bar curfew
STA, 17 September 2020 - Responding to a sharp rise in new Covid-19 cases, the government has tightened rules for wearing face masks outdoors and at schools, introduced temperature screenings at the workplace and limited opening hours or bars and restaurants, conavirus spokesperson Jelko Kacin told the press after Thursday's government session.
Wearing masks in the open-air will apply as of Saturday at places frequented by many people such as marketplaces and city centres.
The compulsory face mask wearing in the classroom will apply to primary school children from 7th class on, who now wear them only in shared school areas.
The rule will also apply to secondary school pupils and students, as well as to teachers in all classes, including at kindergartens.
"The assessment of the epidemiological situation shows this measure could significantly contribute to schools continuing to function without any special disturbances."
As of next week, changes to working hours of bars and restaurants will enter into force, expectedly to be limited to between 6am and 10pm, Kacin also said.
The OZS chamber of small business expressed opposition to this measure yesterday, arguing such curbs would further aggravate the situation in this line of business.
The OZS believes that closing bars and restaurants at 10pm will result in more uncontrolled socialising as people find alternative meeting places where they will not necessarily observe the recommended precautionary measures.
The government also decided today that upon entering their workplace, workers as well as visitors will have to have their body temperature taken, but it is not yet known when the measure will kick in.
The government also plans to change legislation to allow workers being on a sick leave for up to three days without having to visit the doctor.
Also in the pipeline are changes governing entry to Slovenia should the coronavirus situation escalate in neighbouring and other countries.
The government is also working on measures that would be put in place after the EU reaches a deal on the movement of people within the union, said Kacin.
The agreement could entail switching from quarantine to testing to be able to travel within the EU and could be reached in the middle of next week.
The government moreover prepared several measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus that would be implemented if the number of new cases continues to rise.
They concern public transport services, shops, pharmacies, post offices, banks and healthcare establishments in a bid to protect vulnerable groups, said Kacin.
The Infrastructure Ministry is for instance working on a regulation to allow certain vulnerable groups to use public transport in dedicated hours.
The measure would be introduced when the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) assessed public transport was no longer safe, the spokesperson explained.
The number of people allowed to assemble could also be further limited, from the current ten to expectedly six, as some countries have already done, said Kacin.
It has not yet been decided when the measure would be implemented.
The government also issued a number of recommendations, ranging from distance work and organising public events without catering to doing shopping only when really needed and postponing parties or celebrations of various anniversaries.
17 Sep 2020, 12:24 PM
STA, 16 September 2020 - Sweeping tax cuts and simplification of administrative procedures are at the core of a deregulation plan proposed by the strategic council for debureaucratization, a government advisory body. Ivan Simič, the chair of the council, says lower taxes would lead to higher budget revenue.
"We've made sure the revenue shortfall is as low as possible, but with some adjustments we would in fact secure higher revenue," Simič told the press on Wednesday.
There are almost thirty proposals concerning taxes, including an annual cap on social security contributions for those with a monthly salary of EUR 6,000 or more, which Simič said garnered the most interest when it was presented to coalition partners on Tuesday.
The group also proposes lower capital gains and rental income tax (25% instead of 27.5%), an increase in the general tax credit to EUR 4,000 from EUR 3,500, and the abolition of a tax on luxury vehicles.
A new 10% tax rate has been proposed for income in excess of EUR 1 million. Simič said the new tax bracket would be an attractive proposition for Slovenian professional athletes and foreign athletes who may thus pick Slovenia as their tax domicile.
Similarly, the group proposes a "golden visa" for foreigners who would invest a certain amount of money in Slovenia; the current proposal is an investment in excess of EUR 1 million.
On the other end of the ledger, some sole proprietors would pay higher contributions and taxes, and all interest would be taxed as capital gains; at present only interest in excess of EUR 1,000 is subject to capital gains tax.
It has also been proposed that all employees be entitled to commuting costs at a rate of 10 cents per kilometre. At present the cost of the cheapest public transportation option is recognised.
According to the group, the vast majority of employees would thus get higher commuting costs, except those who live in major cities.
In what is potentially a major boon for sports clubs and charities, the group proposes that companies be allowed to donate up to 20% of their income, up from 0.5% at the present.
There are many other proposals concerning the simplification of reporting and registration procedures for companies and individuals, in particular when it comes to using data that state institutions can access but currently demand that individuals or companies provide themselves.
"We produce the company registration number and all documents are in one place. We also wish to ensure the management of data on all corporate entities in one registry," Simič said.
Another major set of measures concerns simplifications in the issuing of building and environmental permits.
The opposition Left said that the proposals leaned towards "new tax breaks for the rich", and that instead, the government should secure new tax revenue which would not burden the weakest ones, but property of rich people and corporate income.
The party said in a press release that the government of Janez Janša was apparently taking a direction which would "additionally exhaust the state budget and weaken the public welfare and development infrastructure in the long run."
Instead of taking care for the 90,000 unemployed, the council is worried about owners of luxury cars and a handful of millionaires. "The taxation rate for the rich would be significantly lower than those for the poorest ones."
The proposed increase in the general tax credit to EUR 4,000 would be mostly beneficial to taxpayers with the highest income, and not beneficial at all to the poorest taxpayers, the party added.
"Instead of providing the young and other socially disadvantaged persons with decent and affordable apartments, they will again take care of property owners who make money by leasing their property."
The Left is also critical of the proposed annual cap on social security contributions, as a way to make "concessions to the rich at the expense of the public health and pension purses, at the time when revenue losses are drastic."
One of the rare proposals that go in the right direction, according to the Left, is 20% taxation of income gained with trading in cryptocurrencies.
17 Sep 2020, 12:12 PM
STA, 13 September 2020 - The Covid-19 epidemic has greatly affected small businesses. The biggest changes, according to respondents in a survey by Mastercard, were in orders. Many also face liquidity problems, payment delays, difficulties in supplying materials, and changing customer expectations regarding prices.
As many as seven out of ten small businesses said that they face liquidity problems as a result of the Covid-19 epidemic at least occasionally, and 36% of them were already looking for credit options to overcome their problems.
When asked about how they plan to overcome liquidity problems, the opinions were divided - 23% would opt for a loan, 27% for a credit card limit, and half of the respondents are still undecided.
When asked about changes and adjustments to their operations, two-thirds of respondents said they had bought masks, disinfectants and other protective equipment, and just under a third had obtained financial assistance from the state.
Many also sought the advice of their peers and others in the industry, and almost a fifth attended online seminars and trainings, according to a survey of 459 members of the Chamber of Trade Craft and Small Business of Slovenia, conducted by Mediana in August.
Thirteen percent of the respondents decided to establish new or supplement existing sales channels, and only 7% said they had added new payment options.
The study has shown that more and more customers demand the option to pay by card. As many as one-fifth of the respondents said that customers had called in advance and enquired about the possibility of paying by card, and three out of ten customers actually refused the service because it was not possible.
17 Sep 2020, 12:06 PM
STA, 15 September 2020 - Foreign Minister Anže Logar told the press on Tuesday that the government had unanimously and without debate endorsed a response to the EU Commission's draft opinion on the rule of law situation in Slovenia, after it came under renewed criticism in the press for its stance on the rule of law in the country.
Logar's statement comes after the newspaper Delo reported that the Commission's draft report on the rule of law in Slovenia is relatively favourable. However, the paper says the government paints the situation in a considerably more negative light in the document sent to Brussels.
The response was drawn up at the Foreign Ministry, according to unofficial information, and endorsed by the government at a correspondence session on Friday.
The government points out that Eurostat data do not back the Commission's arguments about greater efficiency of Slovenia's state attorneys, according to Delo. Moreover, the government is critical of the draft urging additional financial and human resources for the judiciary.
The government also criticises the media, in particular what it sees as "activists of the political struggle" who are not investigative journalists, and points to an above-average number of those who are employed as artists and journalists in Slovenia.
The Commission's draft report meanwhile says that there are no appropriate measures regulating a conflict of interest in media in the country, for example between political parties and media owners, which appears to be a reference to media controlled by the ruling Democrats (SDS).
Meanwhile, the government believes the Commission has overlooked the issue of ethical pluralism in post-transitional societies.
The response to the draft opinion also mentions suspected abuse of the anti-graft watchdog for political purposes, says Delo.
Violations of the rights to defence have occurred during the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (KPK) procedures, claims the government, adding that such seemingly minor shortcomings led to serious political consequences in the past, such as the toppling of a government.
The KPK responded by dismissing the allegations, highlighting that the watchdog was an independent body that was not and would not be influenced by individual political interests. It moreover said that the government had not acquainted it with the response.
Logar, speaking at a press conference after hosting his counterparts from the informal Central 5 (C5) initiative, said that there was still room for improvement in tackling corruption in Slovenia. The government will do all it can to speed up procedures against major acts of corruption, he said.
Justice Minister Lilijana Kozlovič said that the Commission's draft opinion was an opportunity for dialogue on the actual state of judiciary within Slovenia.
The minister said that she had endorsed the report, which she sees as a stepping stone to dialogue between Slovenia and the Commission as well as a set of guidelines for the country to improve its judicial system.
She said the government's response was produced by the Foreign Ministry in line with set methodology and agreements at the EU level.
A task force reviewing and presenting the situation in judiciary is in the works at the Justice Ministry, she said. It will feature representatives of the Supreme Court, Foreign Ministry and Justice Ministry "as well as perhaps external experts".
Kozlovič said that the contents of the report and of the government's response were not yet publicly revealed. The EU draft opinion indicated that the report would be "positive to a certain extent", but "it is not favourable at all".
In May, when Logar's comments attached to a report filed by Slovenia for the Commission's first annual rule of law report sparked strong reactions, Kozlovič said that Logar's letter was not the government's position and that her stance on the situation was positive.
In the wake of the government's latest response to the Commission's report, opposition parties said today that they had not been acquainted with the response since it was an internal document.
The Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) warned that this was not Logar's first letter to besmirch the reputation of Slovenia's judiciary abroad.
The Left expects the latest report to resemble the May letter as part of distraction tactics of the current government.
The Marjan Šarec Party (LMŠ) said that Slovenia respected the rule of law, though this did not mean the situation could not be improved.
Slovenia received the Commission's draft report on the rule of law in the country in late August. Unofficially, a report for all member states will be released on 30 September.
The EU General Affairs Council is expected to debate the situation this autumn, with the report striving to strengthen dialogue between member states and EU institutions, and shared understanding of the rule of law, including with respect to the candidates for EU membership.
