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This summary is provided by the STA:

Minister Počivalšek on track to surviving ouster motion

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 as a marathon debate protracted late into the evening. 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.

Janša hits back at Gentiloni

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša hit back at European Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni following his appeal for explanation over the dismissal of the Statistics Office's director. "@govSlovenia replaced a political appointee as Statistics Office head with an expert with 30 y of experience in this Office. Hope this is the last time you play a political game for Slovenian left," Janša said on Twitter. SocDems current leader and MEP Tanja Fajon said this damaged Slovenia's reputation.

PM checking whether Commission would drop ECB lawsuit against Slovenia

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 ECB documents, the newspaper Delo reported that PM Janez Janša had offered a "settlement" to Commissioner President Ursula von der Leyen. PM Janez Janša tweeted today that Slovenia wanted to see whether there was any chance that the Commission withdraw the lawsuit.

Military, minister under increasing pressure over Italy border incident

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) and Defence Minister Matej Tonin came under significant pressure a day after it transpired that soldiers likely had been involved in an incident on the border with Italy in which a civilian was stopped at gunpoint by two Slovenian soldiers. Responding to demands for clarification, SAF vowed to help investigate the case.

Gatherings of up to 500 people and intl. transport to be allowed

LJUBLJANA - The government decided that public gatherings of up to 500 people, including at sports events, will be allowed in Slovenia as of next Monday, while international public road and railway transport will resume. The last Covid-19 fatality in the country was recorded on 1 June and no no new coronavirus cases were recorded yesterday. Data from the tracker site covid-19.sledilnik.org show that only 15 out of the total of 1,488 Sars-Cov-2 cases so far confirmed in Slovenia remain active. Six patients remain in hospital.

Several EU foreign ministers for reinstating free movement

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian Foreign Minister Anže Logar took part in a videoconference on easing coronavirus border restrictions. Hosted by German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass, the representatives of a total of 13 EU member states shared a view that the common goal was to reinstate free movement among member states. Logar said that Slovenia's epidemiological situation remained favourable but that caution was nevertheless needed, so a balance should be found between preserving pubic health and keeping the economy up and running.

Slovenia agrees to accept four child asylum seekers from Greek islands

LJUBLJANA - The government decided Slovenia will accept four unaccompanied minors seeking asylum to help divide the asylum burden between Greece and EU members. The four, located in migrant reception centres on Greek islands, are younger than 10 and meet conditions for international protection.

Foreign Minister Logar to head 2021 EU presidency project

LJUBLJANA - The government dismissed Igor Mally as the head of the project of the EU Council presidency in the second half of 2021, and appointed Foreign Minister Anže Logar in his place. Members of the relevant tasks force were also replaced. The appointments follow the new organisational structure for the preparation and organisation of the presidency adopted by the new government, which features a core task force led by PM Janez Janša and a broader task force led by Logar.

Govt overhauls arbitration implementation task force

LJUBLJANA - The new government has overhauled the inter-ministerial task force for the implementation of the Slovenia-Croatia border arbitration decision, putting Vinko Gorenak, a state secretary at the prime minister's office, at its helm. The task force was established on 6 July 2017, a week after the border arbitration decision was announced, and its main tasks are coming up with proposals and guidelines for coordinated action of state bodies regarding the decision's implementation.

Soldiers' union and Defence Ministry bury the hatchet

LJUBLJANA - The Defence Ministry and the Trade Union of Soldiers (SVS) have reinstated cooperation after the previous agreement was cancelled under the former defence minister, in effect preventing the SVS from representing soldiers in relation with the employer. A new deal was signed today by State Secretary Uroš Lampret and SVS head Gvido Novak.

Maribor airport may become parking spot for idle aircraft

MARIBOR - Maribor airport, which has been laying almost idle even before the coronavirus pandemic, may become a parking spot for aircraft that have been grounded as passenger transport has been halted and is only being gradually relaunched, the aviation portal Sierra5 reported. DRI, the state-owned company which manages the airport, and the charter and aircraft maintenance company Aero4M have reportedly offered medium- and long-term parking in Maribor to international airlines.

State to buy Semenarna's plant genetic centre

LJUBLJANA - The government tasked Slovenian Sovereign Holding, the custodian of state assets, to buy the Ptuj Selection Centre on behalf of the state to keep seeds of Slovenian plants in Slovenian hands, arguing the centre is of strategic importance for the country. The government acted upon the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food's initiative after Slovenia's largest seed company, Semenarna Ljubljana, was sold to a Serbian company in March.

Debate on making sign language an official Slovenian language suspended again

LJUBLJANA - A year after endorsing in principle a proposal to enter the Slovenian sign language into the constitution, the parliamentary Constitutional Commission suspended the debate again to clarify a proposal by an expert group to also include the Hungarian and Italian sign languages. Minority MP Ferenc Horvath said he was aware this would be probably technically hard to implement, but insisted on such a solution and suggested the MPs should back it. All the other parties voiced second thoughts.

At-risk-of-poverty rate down to 12% in 2019

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's at-risk-of-poverty rate decreased to 12% in 2019, down by 1.3 percentage points from 2018, show figures released by the Statistics Office. This means that 243,000 Slovenians lived on an income lower than the at-risk-of-poverty threshold, among them 90,000 pensioners, 40,000 who had a job, 40,000 jobless and 41.000 children.

Extensive monograph on Partisans launched

LJUBLJANA - A comprehensive monograph on the Partisan movement during WWII was launched by publisher Cankarjeva Založba, offering an insight into its emergence and development in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. The book aims to "show the historical truth in all of its glory, as well as its delusions, tragedy and crimes", historian Jože Pirjevec said in the preface to his monograph.

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

Diverse terrain, well-maintained roads and light traffic make Slovenia superb for cycling. From picturesque country lanes, urban alleys and wide-open roads, to more demanding off-road mountain biking – there’s a bike tour out there for everyone.

Cycling in Ljubljana and its nearby marshland

Exploring the streets of Europe’s greenest capital by bike is a superb way of sightseeing. You get to see all the famous attractions, learn about the history and the people while getting a fair bit of exercise. Most of Ljubljana’s Old Town is a car-free zone and the city has wide network of bike lanes, which ensures easy cycling.

On the outskirts of Ljubljana there’s also a nature reserve and an anthropological wonder called the Ljubljana Marshes. The country’s largest marshland is home to incredible wildlife, a stunning gorge, and is packed with ancient history. In fact, it’s where Pillar-dwellers, the first known civilisation in these parts, used to live, and the oldest wheel dating back to 3,200 BC was found in the Ljubljana Marshes. Biking through the Ljubljana Marshes takes you into a tranquil haven you normally wouldn’t find on the doorstep of a capital city.

Sunlit vineyards and the Adriatic Sea  

Cycling through the gorgeous rustic villages, miles of orchards and vineyards presents cyclists with the Mediterranean side of Slovenia. The Karst’s unique landscape is incredible to venture across by bike. Goriška Brda, also known as Slovenia’s Tuscany, is a fantastic place to go on a ‘bike & wine’ tour. It involves combining this wonderful sport with tasting Slovenia’s most prized beverage.

Slightly further south, the Adriatic coast presents the chance to cycle down the old seaside route from Koper to Izola. The salty air and pleasant climate are juts what the doctor ordered. Cyclists can stop at the Sečovlje Saltworks and Slovenia’s cutest seaside town of Piran. Slovenia’s coastline is quite short, so the journey only lasts a few hours and consists of easy flat trails, making it perfect for a family day trip.  

A disappearing lake and glacial gems of the Alps   

Slovenia’s wilderness is a fascinating. The tour down the Lake Cerknica trail takes you to one of Europe’s largest intermittent lakes. This relaxing cycling adventure also includes exploring the unbelievably charming karst valley of Rakov Škocjan where you can marvel at natural bridges and the lake’s resurgence location.

From the Karst to the mountains. The Zelenci Bike Tour takes place in the land of hilly terrain and breath-taking views. Zelenci translates to “Greens”, a most accurate description of the place. The emerald Fusine Lakes are home to one of the most scenic trails in Slovenia. Situated in a beautiful forested area, Zelenci offer amazing panorama of the Julian Alps. Although there’s a slight ascent toward the end of trail, most parts of the tour are flat. If you’re looking for a scenic cycling experience in the wild outdoors, this tour should be placed high on your list.

Less famous trails near the most famous lake in Slovenia

Lake Bled is Slovenia’s world-renowned Alpine landmark. Although cycling through the town of Bled and around its idyllic lake is a lovely experience, adding a trip into the surrounding countryside is an absolute must for cycling enthusiasts. Heading off the beaten path will introduce you to jaw-dripping views, mysterious forest trails, and refreshing riverside paths that give you an up-close-and-personal experience of this incredible region.

Mountain bike tours are all the rage

For adrenaline junkies, a colourful assortment of off-road trails can be found all over Slovenia. The pristine karst plateau of Pokljuka, with its endless pastures in the heart of Triglav National Park, is an excellent MTB tour.

Another high mountain plateau suitable for all levels of MTB thrill-seekers is Velika Planina. Vast pastures are dotted with grazing livestock and authentic shepherd huts. Bikers can have a break at one of the traditional cheese-making factories while enjoying the surrounding panorama.

Next on the list is Kranjska Gora, Slovenia’s most famous alpine resort. The route takes ascends high onto the “three-border” area between Austria, Italy and Slovenia. Despite being a relatively demanding run, the trail passes the spring of the Sava River and the aforementioned emerald jewel of Zelenci, affording incredibly rewarding views of the mountains.

The super fun fact about mountain biking in Slovenia is you don’t even have to travel deep into the countryside to do it. Awesome MTB trails can be found in Ljubljana. Trails run straight from the town centre up into the forested hills within the city limits. These routes are excellent for advanced mountain bikers who want to escape the hustle and bustle of the streets below.

A new app, Giro, has been launched which allows car owners to rent out their otherwise unused vehicles to those who might need them on a daily basis. The car-sharing system works in a similar fashion as Airbnb.

Users can check for available cars on a map, which reveals that the app has taken off in Ljubljana but not yet also in other parts of Slovenia. Nevertheless, the range of available cars seems to be quite impressive, from a Porsche 911 (2018) available from €600 per day and to a Renault Twingo (2003) which you can get for just €10.

Cars also seem to be rented with a daily limit of kilometres driven. In the aforementioned cases, the Porsche comes with 100 kilometres included in the price, and every additional kilometre costs €2.5, while every kilometre over the 170 km allowance will cost you €0.2 in the Renault.

STA, 11 June 2020 - Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša has hit back at European Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni following his appeal for explanation over the dismissal of the Statistics Office's director by suggesting he was playing a political game for the Slovenian left.

 "I didn't receive your letter, but press did," Janša tweeted after the STA reported yesterday that Gentiloni sent a letter to Janša asking him to explain the replacement of the head of the Slovenia's Statistics Office.

Mr. @PaoloGentiloni, I didn’t receive your letter, but press did. @govSlovenia replaced a political appointee as Statistics Office head with an expert with 30 y of experience in this Office. Hope this is the last time you play a political game for Slovenian left. @vonderleyen https://t.co/qFzkzVgXks

— Janez Janša (@JJansaSDS) June 11, 2020

"@govSlovenia replaced a political appointee as Statistics Office head with an expert with 30 y of experience in this Office. Hope this is the last time you play a political game for Slovenian left," Janša added in his tweet, which he also tagged to Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president.

Asked by the STA for its response to Janša's tweet, the European Commission's press service said Gentiloni's letter was transmitted by email to Slovenia's Permanent Representation to the EU at 17:52 on Tuesday, 9 June, for onward transmission to the prime minister.

"Addressing the letter to Prime Minister Janša via the Permanent Representation is in line with standard practice," said a commission spokesperson.

The Commission said yesterday that Gentiloni addressed a letter to Janša on Tuesday to request "some clarifications concerning the recent replacement of the Director-General of the State Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia".

Asked about what prompted the letter, the Commission said it "is committed to ensuring that the principles of impartiality and professional independence of national statistical authorities as laid down in EU legislation are fully respected".

Janša's tweet invited response from several Slovenian MEPs, including Tanja Fajon, the acting leader of the opposition Social Democrats (SD), who tweeted: "Janša's response is indecent: when there's no arguments, attack and denigration. This government has damaged Slovenia's reputation."

Ni verodostojne informacije brez verodostojnih podatkov. Komisar Gentiloni zahteva pojasnila, ker je menjava na čelu SURS nov znak suspenza demokracije v Sloveniji. Janšev odgovor je nedostojen: ko ni argumentov, napad in blatenje. Ta vlada je uničila ugled Slovenije v EU. https://t.co/vcQHGxTx4k

— Tanja Fajon (@tfajon) June 11, 2020

Tagging a retweet of her earlier tweet about Gentilioni's letter, Janša had also taken aim at SD staff: "Slobbering in Brussels, biting at home (...) bowing to those above, pressing those under".

Romana Tomc, a MEP for Janša's Democratic Party (EPP/SDS), joined the back and forth on Twitter by supporting the prime minister in a tweet saying that Gentiloni's move was obviously politically-motivated, and ignited by political players.

Poteza @PaoloGentiloni je zelo očitno politično motivirana, podžigajo jo slovenski akterji. Skrajno čudno je tudi to, da komisar dopusti, da javnost za dopis izve prej kot naslovnik. @vladaRS nikakor ne sme pristati na tak način delovanja @EU_Commission

— RomanaTomc (@RomanaTomc) June 11, 2020

"It's utterly odd that the commissioner should have let the public learn about the letter sooner than the addressee. The government must in no way agree to such a mode of operation by the European Commission," Tomc tweeted.

MEP Irena Joveva (Renew/LMŠ) tweeted that Janša replaced the Statistics Office's director for the first time in Slovenia's history, adding that his accusing Gentiloni "sounds familiar".

Echoing the sentiment expressed by Fajon, Milan Brglez (S&D/SD) described Janša's tweet as indecent. "After a series of foreign policy 'mistakes' now indecent behaviour by Janez Janša. Following the principle 'what can they do about it anyway'. Quo vadis, Slovenia."

The government dismissed Bojan Nastav as director of the Statistics Office in late May, appointing Tomaž Smrekar as acting director for up to six months until a new director is named.

In response, the Statistics Council, an expert advisory body, has asked the Constitutional Court to review the dismissal after obtaining a legal opinion that found the government invoked a wrong piece of legislation for the dismissal.

Janša said in late May that Nastav's replacement was necessary "due to responsiveness". "This is about a body functioning in a professional fashion, being responsive, so that we can rely on getting data tomorrow if we need it."

The 2019 Real Estate Market Report, published by the Surveying and Mapping Authority of the Republic of Slovenia, shows that property prices continued to grow last year.

In 2019 the prices of apartments across the country broke the previous record set in 2008. In Ljubljana, however, the record was already broken in 2018.

The national average for a square metre of an apartment was €1,850 in 2019, 2% higher than the national average in 2008.

Since 2015, housing prices have risen steadily. The highest price growth was recorded in 2018, when the prices of second-hand flats were, on average, 9% higher than in the previous year, despite the decrease in the number of sales. In 2019 housing price growth continued at a slightly lower rate.  

Apartment price averages in euros per square meter:

The average price of a residential house with land belonging to it in Slovenia was EUR 128,000 in 2019, 3% higher than in the previous year and 19% higher than in 2015. Since 2015 the average area of homes sold has increased significantly, while their average age and the area of land they come with have not changed significantly. Taking into account the characteristics of the houses sold, it has been estimated that house prices at the national level have grown by 15 to 20% in real terms since 2015, while compared to 2018 they have remained virtually unchanged.

Average price for a house in EUR:

STA, 10 June 2020 - The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) says in its latest forecast for Slovenia that the country's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to shrink this year by 7.8% 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, the organisation says in the forecast published on Wednesday.

It says that the Covid-19 epidemic in Slovenia has manifested itself in a "historically large drop in consumer confidence and business sentiment, which only recently have begun to recover."

The OECD notes that the tourism sector is the worst affected, and also hard hit is road transport, although activity of the latter has started to recover.

For this and other related reasons, the OECD estimates that the output loss in the first half of 2020 will be at 13% year-on-year.

The unemployment rate is expected to reach 6.4% this year, or 6.9% in the adverse scenario, and next year to stand at 5.4% or 8.1%, respectively.

"To avoid higher long-term unemployment, it is important that active labour market policies focus on the hard-to-employ job-seekers by providing adequate job search support and skills upgrading," the report for Slovenia says.

Measured with the harmonised index of consumer prices, the inflation rate for this year is expected to stand at 1% under both scenarios, and at 2% or 1.7%, respectively, next year.

The OECD says that the Slovenian government has adopted a number of fiscal measures amounting to almost 4.5% of the country's GDP, but notes that additional measures should be taken to secure long-term sustainability of the economy.

In addition to the prevention of long-term unemployment, the measures include avoiding a "further increase in the already relatively high share of state-owned enterprises, which are present across all sectors."

As for a potential second wave, the OECD says that, a more selective approach to economic relief and support should be applied to allow more businesses to remain open and this should be combined with protection of vulnerable groups.

The report also touches on the Slovenian healthcare system, saying that while its efficiency compares favourably with peers, structural problems in the sector raise concerns about inefficiencies in cost, quality and safety.

The OECD notes "the low and uneven density of GPs" and "the relatively low ratio of intensive care beds to population", which may raise capacity concerns if the pandemic comes back in a more virulent form.

You can explore the OECD data here

STA, 10 June 2020 - European Commissioner for Economy Paolo Gentiloni has addressed a letter to Slovenia's Prime Minister Janez Janša, asking him to explain the changes at the helm of Slovenia's Statistics Office, the Commission's press service confirmed for the STA on Wednesday.

The letter was sent to Janša yesterday with the aim to provide complete compliance with the principles of impartiality and professional independence of national statistics offices, the press service said.

The move comes after the government dismissed in late May director general of the Statistics Office Bojan Nastav and appointed Tomaž Smrekar acting director general. The latter will serve until a full-fledged director is appointed but no longer than six months.

Related: Was the Director of Slovenia’s Statistical Office Dismissed for Following the Law?

Earlier this month, the Statistics Council, an expert advisory body, asked the Constitutional Court to review the dismissal of Nastav.

The council is not sure which law applies in this case - the one on public sector employees, which allows the government to dismiss a top public sector employee a year after the employee started their job, or the national statistics act.

Janša said in late May that the dismissal of Nastav was necessary "due to responsiveness". "This is about a body functioning in a professional fashion, being responsive, so that we can rely on getting data tomorrow if we need it."

SURS has a great website, in English, here

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:

OECD forecasts at least 7.8% GDP drop for Slovenia this year

LJUBLJANA - The OECD's latest forecast for Slovenia says the country's GDP is expected to shrink by 7.8% 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. The unemployment rate is expected to reach 6.4% this year, or 6.9% in the adverse scenario, and next year to stand at 5.4% or 8.1%, respectively. Measured with the harmonised index of consumer prices, the inflation rate for this year is expected to stand at 1% under both scenarios, and at 2% or 1.7%, respectively, next year.

EU Commissioner asks PM for clarifications on dismissal of Statistics Office head

BRUSSELS, Belgium - European Commissioner for Economy Paolo Gentiloni has addressed a letter to Slovenia's Prime Minister Janez Janša, asking him to clarify the changes at the helm of Slovenia's Statistics Office, the Commission's press service confirmed for the STA. The letter was sent to Janša on Tuesday with the aim to provide complete compliance with the principles of impartiality and professional independence of national statistics offices, the press service said. In late May the government dismissed director general of the Statistics Office Bojan Nastav and appointed Tomaž Smrekar acting director general.

Coalition decides demographic fund bill to be drafted within weeks

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Coalition partners underlined their unity in statements for the press after a coalition summit. A bill on the establishment of a demographic fund is to be drafted in the coming weeks, with the coalition agreeing that all state assets would be transferred onto the new fund. "One of the key starting points we agreed on is that all state assets will go into this fund. All other details will be coordinated as we go along," said Danijel Krivec of the senior coalition Democrats (SDS). He expects the bill to be discussed in parliament no later than September.

Slovenian soldiers involved in Italy border incident, POP TV reports

LJUBLJANA - The commercial broadcaster POP TV reported that two members of the Slovenian Armed Forces had likely been involved in an incident on the Slovenian-Italian border, when a man with dual citizenship was stopped at gunpoint in the woods along the border in early May. The man allegedly identified the two uniformed men in photos as part of the police investigation, which also fund that the incident happened a day earlier than previously thought. Because troops might have been in the area that day, the MOD's Intelligence and Security Service took over the investigation.

Austrian foreign minister to visit Slovenia on 22 June

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. He also noted Austria opened the border with Slovenia sooner than with Croatia, which he attributes to "our diplomatic efforts". Answering questions about a Greater Hungary map and a new WWII related municipal day in Trieste during the debate on relations with neighbours, Logar said the Foreign Ministry had not and would not react to various provocations.

Slovenia records two new coronavirus cases

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia has recorded two new coronavirus cases, out of 738 tests carried out on Tuesday, the government said. The latest cases bring the national tally confirmed so far to 1,488, with only 17 cases still active. Six Covid-19 patients remain hospitalised, none of them needing intensive treatment. There have been no fatalities for over a week now, leaving the death total at 109.

Minister expects regional players to be involved in Koper-Divača track

LJUBLJANA - Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec called for a greater involvement of regional construction companies in the EUR 1 billion-plus project to build a new rail track between the Koper port and Divača, as he argued for the need to respect EU public contracting guidelines when third-country contractors are involved. The minister's comments come after 2TDK, the state-run company managing the project, has 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.

Slovenia sees record monthly drop in industrial output in April

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded another monthly drop in industrial production and turnover in April. Both rates were the lowest since January 2000, the Statistics Office said. Industrial output was down by 14.7% in monthly and by 22.8% in annual comparison. Turnover was down by 21.1% compared to the month before. Output in manufacturing fell to a record low, dropping by 16.1% at the monthly level, and production also decreased in electricity, gas and steam supply (by 1.1%). The 22.8% annual drop in industrial output is the third biggest annual drop so far, after a 25.1% decrease in April 2009 and a 24% in June 2009.

Boris Novak to head bad bank management board

LJUBLJANA - Shortly after being appointed one of the four non-executive directors of the bad bank by the government Boris Novak has now been named chairman of the Bank Assets Management Company (BAMC) management board. The appointment was announced by BAMC in a regulatory filing on Wednesday following the decision taken on Tuesday by the board, which comprises four non-executive directors and three executive directors. Appointed as deputy chairmen of the board were non-executive directors Marko Tišma and Aleksander Lozej, who have been serving on the board since December 2018 and June 2019, respectively. Novak had previously served as director general of the state-owned postal operator Pošta Slovenije.

Parliamentary committees hear calls for improving conditions at care homes

LJUBLJANA - A debate on the treatment of care home residents during the coronavirus epidemic at the parliamentary health and labour committees on Tuesday heard calls for improving the conditions in care homes and setting new norms for the number of staff in the homes. The initiators of the session, MPs of the opposition Left, called for staffing, financial and infrastructural improvements at care homes, and for a plan for a possible second wave of the epidemic. Government officials asserted the elderly received proper treatment during the epidemic, and that the government was actively preparing for a potential new wave of infections, particularly at care homes.

Slovenians deem corruption result of politics and economy intermixing

LJUBLJANA - A vast majority of Slovenians think that corruption is widespread in Slovenia, but only roughly a third were affected by corruptive practices themselves, showed a recent Eurobarometer survey. Most believe that corruption in Slovenia is a result of the economy and politics being intermixed too tightly. A total of 87% say that corruption is widespread in Slovenia, whereas 10% think that it is rare. Not a single respondent believes that corruption is non-existent in the country.

Alojz Kovšca re-elected upper chamber president

LJUBLJANA - Alojz Kovšca was re-elected the president of the National Council in a 25:11 vote 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. Addressing members of the National Council, Kovšca assessed his work in the first half of the term as successful and announced he would continue to strive for fairness. He also assessed the upper chamber's work as successful, noting more than half of its vetoes not being overriden in the lower chamber of parliament.

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

STA, 10 June 2020 - A police officer committed suicide after robbing a bank in the north-east of the country on Tuesday and injuring a member of the public who tried to catch him in an incident that has shocked the Slovenian police force.

The details of the incident, which unfolded at the town of Cankova on the border with Austria on Tuesday afternoon, were presented to reporters on Wednesday by Damir Ivančić, director of the Murska Sobota Police Department.

Ivančić said that the officer, a member of the Murska Sobota Police Department, had been working in the force for more than 25 years.

Two years ago he was subject to disciplinary procedure due to "alleged deviant conduct resulting from his personal circumstances and indebtedness".

After undergoing treatment, the medical examination commission decided that he was fit to return to his duties as a police officer, his superior told reporters.

The officer entered the bank in Cankova at around 3pm Tuesday, demanding of the staff at gunpoint to hand over cash. After a bank employee handed him the money, he fled the scene.

While on the run he was intercepted by two members of the public. One of them was slightly injured in the altercation and was taken to hospital.

The officer, who had fired several shots in the ground during the pursuit, committed suicide with his officer gun, according to preliminary inquiries.

Police Commissioner Anton Travner today expressed his "genuine regret that one of our employees crossed the boundary of law and propriety in such a grave manner, which should never have happened".

While offering his condolences to the officer's family, Travner said the event "unfairly hurt the good name of all police officers who perform their duties honestly and with dedication".

A dedicated department of the Specialised State Prosecution service in charge of investigating crime allegedly committed by police officers has been involved in the investigation of the incident.

The commissioner has also ordered an oversight at the Murska Sobota Police Department.

The budget carrier easyJet, which was planning on starting a new service between London Luton and Ljubljana on March 30 2020, has announced that that flights will not begin until May 6 2021.

Four trips a week are still planned, on Mondays and Sundays (leaving Luton 07:15, leaving Ljubljana 11:05), Thursdays (leaving Luton 07:00, leaving Ljubljana 10:50) and Fridays (leaving Luton 12:55, leaving Ljubljana 18:15).