STA, 13 June 2020 - Baby olms which were hatched at Postojna Cave in 2016 in a rare successful breeding will go on public display for the first time on Saturday. Only thirty visitors per day will be allowed to visit the subterranean aquarium to see what are popularly referred to as baby dragons.

The three olms on public display - named Boris, Počasné and Viktor - are from a brood of 21 offspring that hatched in 2016 when an olm laid 60 eggs in an observation tank, taking scientists by surprise.

Related: 12 Things to Know about the Olm, Proteus, Human Fish & Baby Dragon

While olm are endemic to the Dinaric karst, living deep in underground caves where little food is available, and have been known to science for centuries, little had been known about their reproduction until then.

When the eggs were hatched, the entire process was therefore closely watched by scientists, but the public has so far not had the chance to see them up-close.

Related: Olm's Genome Decoded, Healthcare Potential to be Explored

Olms (Proteus anguinus), the predators of the underground world, are unusual in many respects.

Snake-like and almost translucent, they can grow up to 30 centimetres in length with small short legs with three digits on their forelimbs and two on their hind feet.

They breathe with external gills and rudimentary lungs. Although adult olms have no eyes, they sense their way around the cave with skin receptors.

They can go without food for up to twelve years and have a lifespan of up to 100 years.

STA, 13 June 20202 - A 24-year old man is suspected of having butchered three older relatives in Domžale area, east of Slovenia, on Saturday morning. The suspect has been detained, Ljubljana police said.

Police information indicates the man used an as yet unidentified sharp object to inflict injuries in his relatives, aged 81, 74 and 51.

All three died on the spot. The suspect was arrested at the crime scene and has been detained and brought in front of an investigative magistrate.

While police refuse to disclose additional detail, Domžalec, a local news portal, reports that the crime took place in a house in the village of Škocjan.

The 24-year-old is believed to have killed his grandparents and his uncle.

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:

International public transport relaunched after three months

LJUBLJANA - Restrictions on international public road and railway transport, imposed on 16 March due to the coronavirus epidemic, were lifted. Scheduled, transit, special and occasional public passenger road transport as well as international public railway passenger transport are now allowed again, but operators must follow public-health recommendations.

Government mulling special fund for infrastructural projects

LJUBLJANA - As the government is gearing up to invest around a billion euro in infrastructure projects, the Infrastructure Ministry has come up with the idea to establish a special fund which would finance projects independent from the budget and be listed on the stock market. The idea comes after Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec recently announced major investments for the coming years and decades. He said that the infrastructure fund could also be financed by issuing bonds.

Ljubelj camp liberation remembered

LJUBELJ - A ceremonymarked the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the only concentration camp on Slovenian soil, the labour camp below Ljubelj Pass. Speakers highlighted the need to preserve the memory of the atrocities and drew parallels with the present. Prior to the event, a wreath laying ceremony was held at the monument "J'accuse - Obtožujem" on the site of the camp. Delegations of several European countries laid wreaths, as did President Borut Pahor.

Pahor considering reconciliation gesture with Italian counterpart

LJUBELJ - President Borut Pahor indicated he is considering a symbolic gesture of reconciliation with his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella when they attend a ceremony on 13 July marking the centenary of the arson of the Slovenian National Hall in Trieste. He said they might visit two sites in Basovizza near Trieste that have strong symbolic importance for Italy and the Slovenian community there.

Hit reopens casinos on border with Italy

NOVA GORICA - Gaming company Hit reopened its casinos on the border with Italy after Slovenia decided to open its border, first for the residents of Friuli Venezia-Giulia region on Saturday and then for all Italian nationals on Monday. Lockdown restrictions on establishments such as casinos were lifted at the end of May, but it made little sense for Hit to reopen in Goriška region since Italians represent the vast majority of its guests.

Seven apprehended at Friday's protest

LJUBLJANA - Police arrested seven participants of Friday's anti-government rally in Ljubljana after a group attempted to tear down a fence that established a security perimeter around Parliament House and after some jumped the fence. They have been fined for violations of public law and order. Police estimates indicate 5,000 people showed up for the protests.

Baby dragons on display at Postojna Cave

POSTOJNA - Baby olms which were hatched at Postojna Cave in 2016 in a rare successful breeding went on public display for the first time. Only thirty visitors per day will be allowed to visit the subterranean aquarium to see what are popularly referred to as baby dragons. The three olms - named Boris, Počasné and Viktor - are from a brood of 21 offspring that hatched in 2016 when an olm lay 60 eggs in an observation tank, taking scientists by surprise.

Man suspected of butchering three relatives

DOMŽALE - A 24-year old man is suspected of having butchered three older relatives in Domžale area, east of Slovenia. The suspect has been detained, Ljubljana police said. The 24-year-old is believed to have killed his grandparents and an uncle.

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

The covers and editorials from leading weeklies of the Left and Right for the work-week ending Friday, 12 June 2020. All our stories about coronavirus and Slovenia are here

Mladina: Army unlawfully patrolling border

STA, 12 June 2020 - The left-wing magazine Mladina asserts in its latest editorial that there is little surprise that suspicions have been confirmed that troops are patrolling the border in contravention of the law and the constitution, and that PM Janez Janša has got the better of Defence Minister Matej Tonin's ambition.

Under the headline Army on the Border, Grega Repovž writes that people from border areas have been reporting sightings of military patrols since April, even though the government denied that.

The government and Defence Minister Tonin also denied the army's involvement after a Trieste-based Slovenian newspaper reported about an Italian-Slovenian dual citizen being held at gunpoint by a soldier close to the border with Italy.

Repovž says the ministry had obviously known at that point already it was a Slovenian soldier who aimed his rifle at the hiker. A report by POP TV then revealed that the police learnt about the presence of the military patrol from security cameras.

Considering they showed the Italian-Slovenian citizen and his girlfriend "photographs of soldiers they could have only got from the army, it is clear the ministry has known for weeks what happened. Still, they have been misleading the public and lying to the Italian authorities".

Repovž goes on to say that Tonin must have counted on it the whole thing would not be made public, that "Interior Minister Aleš Hojs and the police commissioner appointed by the SDS would have taken care of it" had it not been for whistleblowers within the police force.

Unlike the Defence Ministry, Repovž says that the military has admitted unofficially its members are patrolling the south and western border, quoting an army officer as saying that they usually are part of mixed patrols but that it may happen a police officer has two or three patrol parties, each in its own section, but they always report back to the police officer.

"These are grave violations, but not unexpected (...) We knew this will happen when Janša named the ambitious Tonin as defence minister. We knew he will lead him into his 'wars'. Bypassing the law. The same way he 'enticed' Počivalšek to give him the list of companies that should supply protective equipment.

"We do not doubt Janša will protect Tonin. The same way he has Počivalšek - dirtied with his 'deals', he can only sit obediently now and nod in agreement. They knew what they are getting themselves into. Janša got the better of their ambition and he can do whatever he likes with them."

Demokracija: Protests in Slovenia and US as misguided

STA, 11 June 2020 - Looking at Black Lives Matter protests in the US, the right-wing weekly Demokracija argues in Thursday's commentary that the violent protest movement is unwarranted and the media depiction thereof biased. In that, the rallies are similar to Slovenian bicycle protests.

While rioters in the US looted and torched cars and buildings, "the media mainstream was not indignant at the mob, it reported that this was a logical reaction to 'systemic racism' of white cops and whites in general against blacks," Demokracija's editor-in-chief Jože Biščak says.

"And even though politically and ideologically motivated savages wrought destruction, we were seeing scenes that make normal people puke: white cops, Democratic politicians and stars were taking a knee before blacks asking for forgiveness.

"And what for? History? It's been a long time since whites were slave owners and blacks slaves. Because of white violence against blacks? The numbers tell a different story," Biščak says about police statistics showing there are more white victims of crime by blacks that black victims of crime by whites.

"Every victim, regardless of whether they are black or white, is a tragedy. But there is an important difference in society today. Every crime by a white against a black is designated as horrendous and the ensuing destruction as legitimate, while crimes by blacks against whites are overlooked and any peaceful protests designated as racist rallies."

Turning to the protests in Slovenia, Biščak says: "You be the judge is the situation is any different in Slovenia; the difference is that such widespread destruction has not occurred yet, but this does not mean it will not given that 'Death to Janšism' signs by Friday cyclists presage violence, they are an appeal to lynching."

"The method is the same - assertion of the law of the street. Elections are too tough, it is easier to bicycle and demand that the Janša government falls, just as it is more difficult to build and create than it is to destroy and pillage.

"Even though this has nothing to do with the rule of law and liberty, the media mainstream describes violent street methods as something good. This is scary," concludes the commentary What About Tessa Majors?

All our posts in this series are here

What follows is a weekly review of events involving Slovenia, as prepared by the STA.

If you’d like to keep up on the daily headlines then follow those here, or get all our stories in your feed on Facebook.

FRIDAY, 5 June
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - Seven EU members, the Visegrad four - Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and Estonia, Latvia and Slovenia, addressed a letter to the European Commission expressing their resolute opposition to compulsory relocation of migrants among EU countries. Slovenia joining the group is seen as a significant shift in policy.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs argued at a videoconference of the EU's Justice and Home Affairs Council that the epidemiological situation of third countries and reciprocity must be taken into account to the largest possible extent when opening the EU's borders. Slovenia is keen to open borders to citizens from the Western Balkans.
        LJUBLJANA - A Jesenice primary school year-two class was placed under quarantine for two weeks after one of the pupils tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The pupil's mum, a nurse at the Jesenice general hospital, tested positive the day before. A small cluster of cases subsequently developed there, with at least one hospital patient contracting coronavirus.
        LJUBLJANA - Commenting on current mass protests and widespread unrest in the US, US Ambassador to Slovenia Lynda C. Blanchard said that those responsible for the death of George Floyd would be held accountable. "None are above the law, and those responsible for this tragedy will face justice," Blanchard was quoted as saying in a press release.
        LJUBLJANA - The Health Ministry ordered "extraordinary systemic oversight" at eleven care homes around the country to establish whether the elderly received adequate medical treatment during the Covid-19 epidemic. The oversight will be carried out by the Medical Chamber and the Chamber of Nurses and Midwives.
        LJUBLJANA - While the government has estimated that the third stimulus package to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus fallout will cost the budget around one billion euro, the Fiscal Council said its first estimate was only EUR 561 million or 1.2% of Slovenia's GDP. The central bank later estimated the stimulus effect of three legislative packages at 5% of GDP.

SATURDAY, 6 June
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia will open its border with Italy very soon, Foreign Minister Anže Logar said as he hosted his Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio for the first meeting in person after several video calls during the epidemic. Though not naming a date, Logar repeated several times that he looked forward to 15 June with optimism.
        KOČEVSKI ROG - Victims of summary executions conducted after WWII were remembered with a ceremony in Kočevski Rog, an area in south Slovenia where multiple mass graves have been discovered. Prime Minister Janez Janša and President Borut Pahor delivered keynote addresses.

SUNDAY, 7 June
        LJUBLJANA - A poll commissioned by the private broadcaster Nova24TV showed the ruling Democratic Party (SDS) topping the party ratings with a nine-percentage-point lead. The SDS polled at 23.6% and the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) at 15%, followed by the fellow opposition Social Democrats (SD), at 9.2%.
        CELJE - The magazine Demokracija reported that the headquarters of the local committee of the ruling SDS in Celje had been defaced by insulting graffiti, reading 'Orban d.o.o.' (Orban Ltd), and 'We don't want Hungarian dictatorship'. The word 'Fascists' was written with chalk on the pavement in front of the building.

MONDAY, 8 June
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's central bank forecast that Slovenia's economy is to contract by 6.5% this year before it bounces back to 4.9% growth in 2021 and 3.6% in 2022. In line with the two alternative scenarios that factor in the gravity of the coronavirus crisis, the economy would contract by just 4% this year and expand by over 7% in the next two years; or contract by 10% this year, followed by stagnation in 2021 and a slow recovery in 2022.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia fully opened its borders to nationals of 14 more countries. Apart from neighbouring Austria, Croatia and Hungary, the list now also includes Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Norway, Slovakia and Switzerland. Citizens of other EU and Schengen zone countries are still subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine on arrival unless they fall under one of what are now 16 exemptions.
        LJUBLJANA - The opposition Social Democrats (SD) announced a motion of no confidence in Interior Minister Aleš Hojs after the ministry overturned a ban of a concert by Marko Perković Thompson, a Croatian singer glorifying the fascist Ustasha regime. The other three left-leaning opposition parties declared support for the ouster. The concert organiser decided against holding the concert in the near future, quoting the ban on gatherings of more than 200 people.
        LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar held a virtual meeting with his North Macedonian counterpart Nikola Dimitrov to call for further enhancement of bilateral relations and discuss the current situation and efforts of both countries related to fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.
        LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian and Italian defence ministers, Matej Tonin and Lorenzo Guerini, praised bilateral cooperation in defence and explored the potential for its further strengthening in a video call. They also discussed close cooperation within NATO and shared a view the two countries cooperated successfully in international missions and operations.
        LJUBLJANA - Support for the ruling Democrats (SDS) grew by two percentage points and a half to 18.8% in the past month, whereas the opposition Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) lost two percentage points to 11.8% in the latest Mediana poll for the newspaper Delo.
        LJUBLJANA - Three coalition parties filed legislative changes under which children who skipped mandatory vaccinations could not be enrolled in publicly-funded kindergartens and schools, and those without all mandatory shots could not work in healthcare or at care homes or study and train for these professions. The changes would allow exceptions for those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons.
        
TUESDAY, 9 June
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's exports dropped by 28.8% in April on the year before, the sharpest contraction since 2008, while imports plummeted by 41.2%, the Statistics Office said. The trend was driven by a decline in car trade, which shrank by about three-quarters compared to last April.
        LJUBLJANA - State secretaries from Slovenia, Portugal and Germany discussed the priorities of the countries' successive stints chairing the EU Council in a videoconference, agreeing those would be strongly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. PM Janez Janša also indicated this in his an address to a meeting of ambassadors of EU countries, Western Balkans and Turkey, held as part of Croatia's EU presidency.
        LJUBLJANA - The next summit of the Brdo-Brijuni Process of cooperation in the Western Balkans, marking the 10th anniversary of the initiative, will take place on 29 June at Brdo, the office of President Borut Pahor said, noting that chances were good that the leaders of all the participating countries - Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo - would attend.
        LJUBLJANA - Chinese Ambassador to Slovenia Wang Shunqing told the STA a new opportunity to deepen the relations between Slovenia and China will be the 17+1 initiative summit in Beijing. Wang expects that the good bilateral relations, which were confirmed by the visit by Foreign Minister Wang Yi last December, will continue under the Janez Janša government. The ambassador also hopes Slovenia will be pragmatic in picking 5G technology.
        LJUBLJANA - The four left-leaning opposition parties filed an ouster motion against Interior Minister Aleš Hojs, their second against a minister since the Janez Janša government was sworn in in mid-March, over the ministry's decision to override a ban on a concert by controversial Croatian singer Marko Perković Thompson.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - Finance Minister Andrej Šircelj assessed the estimate of funds Slovenia is to receive as part of the EU's anti-coronavirus measures - around EUR 5 billion - as "adequate" and expressed hope the European Commission will stick to these estimates.

WEDNESDAY, 10 June
        LJUBLJANA - The OECD presented its latest forecast for Slovenia, expecting a 7.8% drop in GDP this year, or as much as 9.1% in the event of a second wave of coronavirus infections. For 2021, the OECD expects that Slovenia's economy will grow by 4.5%, or by 1.5% in the event of another Covid-19 outbreak.
        BRDO PRI KRANJU - Coalition partners agreed that a bill on the establishment of a demographic fund is to be drafted in the coming weeks, and discussed in parliament no later than September. All state assets would be transferred onto the new fund.
        LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar announced his Austrian counterpart Alexander Schallenberg would visit Slovenia on 22 June. Logar also told the Foreign Policy Committee that he believes there are no sound reasons for Austria to continue with border checks it introduced five years ago.
        LJUBLJANA - Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec called for a greater involvement of regional construction companies in the EUR 1 billion-plus project of the new Koper-Divača rail track after the state-run company managing the project, 2TDK, decided to enter negotiations with ten of the 15 bidders that responded to an international call to tender for the main construction work, including several Chinese and Turkish companies, aside from builders from Slovenia, Italy, Austria and Switzerland.
        LJUBLJANA - Alojz Kovšca was re-elected the president of the National Council, as members of the upper chamber of parliament met half way into their five-year term to elect its leadership. Kovšca, serving since December 2017, was the only candidate for the top job at the upper chamber.
        
THURSDAY, 11 June
        LJUBLJANA - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek looked on track to surviving the ouster motion filed against him by four opposition parties over opaque ventilator and PPE purchases at a marathon debate. The coalition backed him, speaking of an unjustified political attack on a minister who did well in chaotic conditions, while the opposition spoke of war profiteering.
        LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša responded to an appeal by European Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni for explanation over the dismissal of the Statistics Office's director, by tweeting that the government had replaced a "political appointee as Statistics Office head with an expert with 30 years of experience in this Office" and that he hoped this was the last time the commissioner played a political game for Slovenian left. SocDems' leader and MEP Tanja Fajon said this damaged Slovenia's reputation.
        LJUBLJANA - Nearly two weeks before the first oral hearing is scheduled at the European Court of Justice in a lawsuit the European Commission has brought against Slovenia over a 2016 seizure of European Central Bank documents, PM Janez Janša moved to have the Commission withdraw the lawsuit. While media reported of his proposal for a settlement, Janša said he checked whether the Commission would drop the suit.
        LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Armed Forces and Defence Minister Matej Tonin came under significant pressure over an incident that reportedly happened on the border with Italy in May in which a civilian was stopped at gunpoint by two Slovenian soldiers, who patrolled the area looking for illegal migrants. The army vowed to help investigate the case.
        LJUBLJANA - After a week and a half of no new Covid-19 fatality and only six patients still in hospital the government decided to further ease coronavirus restrictions, so public gatherings of up to 500 people, including at sports events, will be allowed as of 15 June, and international public road and railway transport will also resume soon.
        LJUBLJANA - The government decided Slovenia will accept four unaccompanied minors, under 10 years, seeking asylum to help divide the asylum burden between Greece and EU members.

All our posts in this series are here

STA, 12 June 2020 - Protesters who have been voicing their displeasure with the government conduct Fridays for the past two months left their bicycles today and protested on foot, first filling up Prešeren Square and then continuing in front of parliament. They shouted and displayed slogans against fascism, militarisation and repression.

While protests were also held in other Slovenian cities, including Maribor, the biggest number gathered in the capital.

In addition to slogans aimed directly at the government, including "No to the Policy of Janšism" and direct calls for resignations, they also shouted in defence of worker rights, culture and the environment.

Before the protest, which started at 7pm, around a dozen protesters gathered in front of the US Embassy building in Ljubljana to express their opposition to police violence against African Americans.

When the rally moved in front of Parliament House around 8pm, a small group of protesters, some clad in all black, had an altercation with police when they tried to move the protective fence erected to keep them away from the parliament building.

Do 100 ljudi se je pa zbralo ? pic.twitter.com/2GU3EFBY8W

— Blaž (@Blaz_88) June 12, 2020

Lep večer v Ljubljani. pic.twitter.com/K0wwxChHYw

— andrej karoli (@andrejkaroli) June 12, 2020

Nasilje vedno rodi nasilje. Smrt @JJansaSDS je žal stalni slogan petkovih protestov. V demokraciji se zmaguje z argumenti, ne z likvidacijo. Dialog je prihodnost, nasilje preteklost. Živela sprava, mir vsem! ✌??? pic.twitter.com/Z0xRvRVrhL

— Matej Tonin (@MatejTonin) June 12, 2020

Trg republike.. pic.twitter.com/UtfJ3sGoKd

— Robert Balen (@robert_balen) June 12, 2020

There is no official information as yet about any arrests or injuries, but social media videos indicate the tensions quickly subsided.

The Friday demonstrations started as protests held on balconies during the coronavirus lockdown, and continued on bicycles in April as the government eased some of the measures. They are organised and coordinated by several on-line initiatives.

The protesters are also critical of the government due to the alleged irregularities in the purchase of personal protective equipment, staffing changes, increased police powers, plans to send additional soldiers to the border, attacks on journalists and limiting of the work of environmental NGOs.

One of the calls for today's protest reads that "being attacked are the hard-fought and significantly eroded worker rights, access to public health, nature and the environment and fundamental freedoms, including the right to protest."

The youth trade union Mladi Plus issued an open letter supporting the protest, pointing to "autocratic aspirations", which are incompatible with trade union work, corruption which puts workers in a precarious position and the "spreading of untruthful propaganda."

Last week some 4,000 people turned out for the protests, according to police estimates.

Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

This summary is provided by the STA:

Slovenia opening border with Italy on 15 June

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia will open its border with Italy on 15 June, the government decided as it put Italy on a list of countries whose citizens are free to cross into Slovenia without having to quarantine. Montenegro has also made it to the list. On the other hand, the government confirmed a list of 32 countries whose epidemiological situation is so bad travellers coming from there must undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine regardless of nationality or residence status effective on 13 June. Notable countries on this list include Sweden, the UK and North Macedonia, as well as the United States and Russia.

PM alleges border incident orchestrated by prosecution, police and media

LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša tweeted that the incident on the border with Italy, when two alleged soldiers stopped a civilian at gunpoint, had been orchestrated by representatives of "the deep state" in the prosecution, police force and mainstream media, to discredit the Armed Forces. Janša retweeted an article by news portal nova24tv.si allegedly revealing the identity of the civilian, a Slovenian-Italian citizen, involved in the incident that took place in early May near the village of Mihele. The article labels the civilian a "radical titoist and Antifa proponent". Interior Minister Aleš Hojs said that the incident was "artificially created".

Motion to oust economy minister defeated

LJUBLJANA - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek was endorsed for the way he handled procurement of vital equipment during the Covid-19 epidemic as a motion of no confidence in him, sponsored by four centre-left opposition parties, was defeated by 51 votes to 37 in parliament just before midnight last night. Počivalšek commented that MPs were obviously persuaded by his arguments, while he would now be able to focus on the many challenges faced by the economy. The lead sponsor of the motion, LMŠ MP Robert Pavšič said the opposition had proved the government had been misleading the public.

Slovenia said to be looking at 5G agreement with US

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia is unofficially looking at a draft joint statement with the US on the security of next-generation networks which highlights the importance of high security standards for 5G providers. The statement could limit Huawei's participation in 5G deployment in Slovenia, although the government is said to have no official position on the company. The draft statement was circulated to Slovenian media and lists a number of security conditions that Slovenia and the US see as vital for setting up a safe 5G network.

Anton Travner gets full five-year term as police commissioner

LJUBLJANA - Anton Travner, who has served as acting police commissioner since the new government took over in mid-March, has been appointed for a full five-year term, the Government Communication Office announced. Travner, a security expert with a master's degree in civil and business law, has been in the police ranks since 1985.

Slovenia mulling sharing Italian contact tracing app

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia currently does not need a coronavirus contact tracing app. However, it is examining the possibility to share an app developed by Italy in the event a second wave of the epidemic hits, Health Ministry State Secretary Tina Bregant announced after a videoconference of the EU health ministers. She said it makes sense to wait until privacy concerns raised by these apps are addressed, and that it would be cheaper to use an application that has already been partially developed.

Anti-govt protesters leave bicycles and continue on foot

LJUBLJANA - Protesters who have been voicing their displeasure with the government conduct Fridays for the past two months left their bicycles today and protested on foot, first filling up Prešeren Square and then continuing in front of parliament. They shouted and displayed slogans against fascism, militarisation and repression. While protests were also held in other Slovenian cities, including Maribor, the biggest number gathered in the capital.

Ethics code for MPs adopted

LJUBLJANA - The college of deputy group leaders passed a code of ethics for MPs, which lists five ethical principles deputies need to adhere to or risk being admonished on the National Assembly's website or at its session. Only the opposition National Party (SNS) voted against the code, and the Left abstained. Speaker Igor Zorčič noted that parliament had been trying to pass such a code since 1993. The aim is to strengthen the legislature's reputation, integrity and public trust. The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption hailed the code as a step the right direction.

Two new coronavirus cases, both in Sežana

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded two new coronavirus cases, both in Sežana, out of 702 tests carried out on Thursday. The latest figures bring Slovenia's tally of coronavirus cases confirmed since early March to 1,490, but only 17 remain active. According to government data, six patients remain in hospital with Covid-19. A total of 109 patients with Covid-19 have died in Slovenia, the last one on 1 June.

Mayors from south-east complain to PM about Roma crime

LJUBLJANA - Mayors of eleven local communities in the south-eastern regions of Dolenjska and Bela Krajina have written to Prime Minister Janez Janša to complain about the problems with Roma violence and crime. They see the situation as a result of years of inaction and tolerating of behaviour of problematic groups of the Roma and the authorities' inability to exclude those with a criminal record from the community. Janša's office will organise a meeting with the mayors to discuss possible solutions.

State attorney's office says settlement still possible in ECB case

LJUBLJANA - The State Attorney's Office, which represents Slovenia in a lawsuit the European Commission has brought against Slovenia over a 2016 seizure of ECB documents, said a settlement in the case was possible until a ruling is delivered. The statement comes after it transpired that PM Janez Janša inquired about a potential settlement. The office said that the attempt at reaching a settlement was nothing unusual, as some media have suggested.

More homes built last year

LJUBLJANA - More than 9,200 buildings were built in Slovenia last year, which is 16% more than the year before. The number of newly built residential units was up by 12% to 3,415, the Statistics Office reported. A total of 13,200 buildings remained unfinished. The number of finished residential buildings was 1% lower than in 2018, while the number of non-residential buildings was 24% higher. The floor area of completed residential buildings increased by 10% last year.

Air link with Podgorica restored

LJUBLJANA - Montenegro Airlines restored its flights between Podgorica and Ljubljana on Friday, becoming the second airline after Air Serbia to revive its operations at Ljubljana airport. A Montenegro Airlines plane brought 27 passengers from Podgorica today and took 41 from Ljubljana to the Montenegrin capital. The low-cost carrier Easyjet meanwhile decided to delay the launch of Ljubljana - London (Luton) route planned for March 2020 for more than a year, with the first flight planned on 6 May 2021.

Hunters permitted to cull 115 brown bears this year

LJUBLJANA - The Agency for the Environment issued a permit for the culling of 115 brown bears until September this year. Culling has long been the main way in which the Slovenian brown bear population has been kept in check and the Environment Agency said on Friday there was "no other satisfactory possibility" and that the cull "does not harm the preservation of the favourable state of the population".

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

STA, 12 June - The coronavirus epidemic and the vouchers that permanent residents will receive to spend on accommodation seem to prompt Slovenians to largely spend their summer holidays in Slovenia this year. A survey by the Slovenian Tourist Board shows that 52% of all respondents intend to spend their summer holidays in the country.

Only 32% of the respondents will go abroad, which compares to almost two thirds of all private trips by Slovenians in 2019 being made abroad, mostly in neighbouring Croatia.

The Tourist Board wanted to identify the trends of Slovenian tourists for this year's summer season, as tourism has suffered a major blow due the Covid-19 pandemic.

Over 40% of those who intend to holiday in Slovenia will make several shorter trips around the country, a quarter will afford one such trip and a fifth a mix of both.

Almost a half of them (49%) will go to the seaside, followed by spas (37%) and mountains (36%).

Of the 52% who intend to go on their holidays in Slovenia, as many as 94% plan to use the holiday vouchers to pay for accommodation, a state aid measure to kick-start tourism.

Every adult with permanent residence will receive a EUR 200 voucher to spend until the end of 2020 on bed and breakfast or just bed, with minors receiving EUR 50.

As many as 42% have decided to spend their summer holidays in Slovenia because they will receive the vouchers.

The majority will opt for accommodation at private rooms, self-catering units or cottages, 15% at hotels and 12% at camping sites.

The Tourist Board said vouchers seem to have a major impact on deciding whether to holiday in Slovenia or abroad, as 33% said they were the main reason for staying in Slovenia.

The survey also shows that Slovenians are not terrified of catching Covid-19, with a half not afraid of contracting it at all.

As many as 16% of the respondents meanwhile do not intend to go on holidays this summer, with the majority (34%) citing financial reasons, 23% concern for safety and health and around 10% closed borders.

STA, 11 June 2020 - Public gatherings of up to 500 people, including at sports events, will be allowed in Slovenia as of next Monday, while the government has also decided to lift restrictions on international public road and railway transport, the government's spokesperson for the coronavirus crisis Jelko Kacin said on Thursday.

Announcing the decision, Kacin told the press that the protective recommendations of the National Institute for public health would continue to apply.

Two new coronavirus cases confirmed out of 702 tests conducted in Slovenia yesterday

The government's press release speaks of a return of visitors to sports events and of public gatherings of up to 500 people, up from the current threshold of 200.

Kacin said that this number also included athletes, organisers, media representatives, support personnel etc., meaning the number of visitors allowed at sports events would be well below 500.

While this decision will become effective on 15 June, the government also announced a lifting of the ban on international public road and railway transport, effective a day after publication in the Official Gazette.

"This means we can expect bus transport, tourism transport starting, tourist groups can come," Kacin said. He added things would first need to be coordinated with other countries so that safety regimes are uniform.

STA, 12 June 2020 - The Golovec tunnel, located on the south-eastern section of the Ljubljana ring road, was partially closed down today for renovation that is expected to take two months.

National motorway company DARS, which entrusted the tunnel's renovation to Slovenian builder Kolektor CGP for EUR 8.56 million VAT excluded, first closed down the western tube of the tunnel.

All traffic will be redirected to the eastern tube, which is scheduled for renovation next year, but the tunnel will be off limit to vehicles heavier than 3.5 tonnes. Traffic will be organised in a 1+2 fashion, with the number of south- or north-bound lanes adjusting to the needs.

DARS representatives have described the project as very important and demanding, since this is one of the most heavily used sections of the Ljubljana ring road.

Details of the work, in Slovenian, can be found here