10 Jun 2020, 11:13 AM

Exports, Imports Collapsed in April, Q3 Employment Outlook Worst Since 2013

STA, 9 June 2020 - Slovenia's exports dropped by 28.8% to EUR 2.01 billion in April compared to April 2019, the sharpest contraction since 2008, while imports plummeted by 41.2% to EUR 1.86 billion, the Statistics Office said on Tuesday. The trend was driven by a decline in car trade, which shrank by about three-quarters compared to last April.

Road vehicles are the third most traded group of products, preceded only by medical and pharmaceutical products, and electric machines and devices.

The surplus in external trade in goods reached EUR 149.3 million, which is the highest surplus in the last ten years, and the export/import ratio was at 108%.

Exports to EU countries amounted to EUR 1.24 billion, which is down 41.4% over April 2019, and imports to the EU topped EUR 1.18 billion, which is a 45.4% drop compared to last April.

Trade with all main foreign trade partners from the EU decreased, most notably with Italy and Germany. But the latter remains Slovenia's most important trade partner.

Exports to non-EU countries were up 9.3% to EUR 766.5 million, while imports from them were down 32.1% to EUR 680.4 million.

The year-on-year growth of exports to this group of countries was the result of higher exports to Switzerland, which thus became Slovenia's second most important trade partner.

In the first four months of 2020, exports decreased by 2.6% year on year to EUR 10.79 billion and imports by 9.4% to EUR 10.21 billion. External trade surplus in the January-April period topped EUR 585.8 million and the export/import ratio was 105.7%.

Employment outlook for Q3 worst since 2013

STA, 9 June 2020 - Employment company Manpower Group has presented a grim employment outlook for the third quarter of the year. In the wake of the coronavirus epidemic in Slovenia, the outlook presented on Tuesday is the worst since 2013. The share of employers planning layoffs surpasses those planning to hire by seven percentage points.

The survey showed that 18% of employers plan to lay off people between July and the end September, while 11% intend to expand their teams.

Seasonably adjusted, the gap between those planning to fire and those intending to hire amounts one percentage point.

Meanwhile, 64% do not plan to make changes to their workforce, Manpower data suggest.

The net hiring outlook for the next quarter is 5 percentage points lower than for this quarter, and 23 percentage points lower than for the same period last year.

A drop in hiring is expected by employers in five out of the seven sectors included in the survey, with the prospects being the worst in hospitality. Here, the hiring gap is as high as 13 percentage points.

The only two segments with positive hiring prospects are the sector of financial and business services and what is classified by Manpower as other production sectors.

In terms of company size, prospects are poorest among medium-sized companies, where net employment outlook is at -14%.

Employment outlook has deteriorated for all regions, with central Slovenia and the southeast faring worst. In central Slovenia the hiring gap reached 5 percentage points, while in the southeast it dropped to 1 percentage point.

The global survey included 388 Slovenian companies among a total of 34,600 companies in 44 countries.

10 Jun 2020, 04:16 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Wednesday, 10 June 2020

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

This summary is provided by the STA:

Exports, imports plummet in April

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's exports dropped by 28.8% to EUR 2.01 billion in April compared to April 2019, the sharpest contraction since 2008, while imports plummeted by 41.2% to EUR 1.86 billion, the Statistics Office said. The trend was driven by a decline in car trade, which shrank by about three-quarters compared to last April. Road vehicles are the third most traded group of products, preceded only by medical and pharmaceutical products, and electric machines and devices. The surplus in external trade in goods reached EUR 149.3 million, the highest surplus in a decade.

Pandemic to mark EU presidency trio priorities

LJUBLJANA - State secretaries from Slovenia, Portugal and Germany discussed the priorities of the countries' successive stints at the presidency of the Council of the EU in a videoconference, agreeing those would be strongly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, ans noting the importance of development cooperation. Similarly, in an address to a meeting of ambassadors of EU countries, Western Balkans and Turkey in Ljubljana, hosted by the EU House as part of Croatia's EU presidency, PM Janez Janša said the coronavirus epidemic had changed the government priorities as well as the priorities of Slovenia's upcoming EU presidency. He suggested the need to tackle dependence on Asian markets for critical equipment, urging a joint EU action plan for potential new wave of Covid-19.

Slovenia to host Brdo-Brijuni summit on 29 June

LJUBLJANA - The next summit of the Brdo-Brijuni Process of cooperation in the Western Balkans will take place on 29 June at Brdo and will mark the 10th anniversary of the initiative. The office of President Borut Pahor said that all leaders of the participating countries - Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo - had been invited and chances were good they would all attend, provided the epidemiological situation allowed.

Chinese ambassador says 17+1 summit new opportunity for cooperation

LJUBLJANA - While China and Slovenia have had good relations, Chinese Ambassador to Slovenia Wang Shunqing told the STA a new opportunity to deepen the relations will be the 17+1 initiative summit in Beijing. Wang expects that the good bilateral relations between China and Slovenia, 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. "I hope that it will take a pragmatic approach and that it will not succumb to the US influence," he said.

Opposition file ouster motion against interior minister

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. The move comes after the ministry overrode a ban on a concert by Croatian singer Marko Perković Thompson, who is accused of glorifying the Ustasha regime. But the parties included several additional points. The four parties are seven votes short of the needed majority for the motion to pass. Meanwhile, a Thompson concert will not be held for the time being.

Šircelj says EUR 5bn in EU funds for Slovenia "adequate estimate"

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Finance Minister Andrej Šircelj believes the estimate of funds Slovenia is to receive as part of the EU's anti-coronavirus measures - around EUR 5 billion - is "adequate". He hopes the European Commission sticks to these estimates when it sets conditions for receiving the funds in more detail. This was as EU finance ministers discussed for the first time the EUR 750 billion in funds to be available to member states to revive the EU economy after the pandemic.

Zobec withdraws Constitutional Court bid

LJUBLJANA - Barbara Zobec has withdrawn her bid for Constitutional Court judge. In a statement sent to the National Assembly on Monday, she said she had decided to run for the post because of the expertise, experience and reputation she gained in her 35-year career on the bench. But she realised that in the "overheated and split Slovenian political and ideological reality" alliances take precedence over one's dedication to the constitutional order, human rights and equality. Zobec enjoyed the support of the ruling SDS, while most other parties tentatively endorsed the only other candidate, Andraž Teršek.

Slovenian, German ministers discuss EU Green Deal

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian and German environment ministers, Andrej Vizjak and Svenja Schulze, discussed the priorities of the EU presidency which Germany is assuming on 1 July, focussing on the Green Deal, an economic growth plan aiming to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. The pair shared a view that Europe must put the Green Deal at the forefront of its plans to revive the economy after the coronavirus.

One new coronavirus case on Monday

LJUBLJANA - Out of 814 coronavirus tests conducted, one came back positive, raising the total number of coronavirus infections in Slovenia so far to 1,486. The case is a patient at Jesenice hospital who had been in contact with a nurse who tested positive last week. There are now a total of seven cases from that cluster. Government data show six Covid-19 patients are hospitalised, none needs intensive treatment.

Doctors reject criticism of improper treatment of elderly

LJUBLJANA - Amid a debate on the treatment of care home residents during the coronavirus epidemic, a statement was issued by several medical organisations and representatives of medical staff saying that the elderly received proper care during the epidemic. Doctors' organisations said all decisions on the treatment of elderly patients and their potential hospitalisation during the epidemic were made in the best interest of the patients. "We find statements that care home residents were neglected compared to other citizens false and ill-conceived."

Court annuls anti-trust decision against United Media

LJUBLJANA - The Administrative Court has annulled the Competition Protection Agency (AVK) order that United Media, the media division of United Group, sell its Sport Klub TV channels due to anti-trust rules. The court said it had established "substantial procedural violations" and tasked the anti-trust watchdog with deciding on the matter again. Cas Media, a subsidiary of United Group, said the court had found the AVK had failed to consider all relevant circumstances and denied United Media the right to present certain relevant facts.

High fines for tourist voucher fraud

LJUBLJANA - As more details emerged on the holiday vouchers handed out to all residents to help Slovenian tourism survive the Covid-19 crisis, officials told reporters that cheating involving the vouchers will entail fines of EUR 1,200 to 40,000 for legal entities and EUR 200 to 600 for individuals. The Financial Administration (FURS) and market inspectors will conduct random checks. FURS will pay the providers for the service within 30 days. Payments will not be possible via platforms such as Booking or Airbnb.

Fish Society reports Environment Minister Vizjak to corruption watchdog

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Native Fish Society reported Environment and Spatial Planning Minister Andrej Vizjak to the Corruption Prevention Commission over an alleged conflict of interest and ethics breaches in connection to the recent deregulation of environmental permit procedures. It said Vizjak had been personally in charge of the pending Mokrice hydro power plant project before he became minister in March, whereupon he oversaw legislative changes that deregulate permit procedures for major projects and exclude a large part of NGOs.

NGO wants cross-border study for Venice-Trieste rail upgrade

LJUBLJANA - Alpe Adria Green requested a cross-border environmental impact assessment for Italy's project to upgrade the railway line between Venice and Trieste, as it includes construction of tunnels in the sensitive karst terrain and threatens sources of drinking water in the proximity of Slovenia. It said the construction of the Venice-Trieste railway would include "work which would have a significant environmental impact in the underground of the Trieste karst close to the border with Slovenia."

Head of consular service to be decorated for repatriation efforts

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor announced he will decorate Andrej Šter, the head of the Foreign Ministry's consular service, with the Order of Merit for helping Slovenian citizens around the world, most notably for his emergency repatriation efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic. Šter played a key role in the ministry's efforts to help stranded Slovenians return back home after air travel restrictions were imposed due to the coronavirus outbreaks worldwide.

Employment outlook for Q3 worst since 2013

LJUBLJANA - Manpower Group presented a grim employment outlook for the third quarter of the year. The share of employers planning layoffs surpasses those planing to hire by seven percentage points. The net hiring outlook for the next quarter is 5 percentage points lower than for this quarter, and 23 percentage points lower than for the same period last year. This marks the worst jobs outlook since 2013.

Fortenova hopeful to take over Mercator soon

LJUBLJANA - Mercator shareholders gave the management and supervisory boards discharge of liability for 2019. Since the controlling company of the Mercator group made no profit last year, none was distributed and the loss remains uncovered. At a separate event, Mercator chairman Tomislav Čizmić argued for prompt transfer of Mercator from Croatia's indebted Agrokor to its successor Fortenova, now blocked by the Slovenian regulator over a fine, which Fortenova chairman Fabris Peruško indicated could be settled.

Alamut to be published in China

LJUBLJANA - Alamut, a critically acclaimed novel about an 11th century Persian religious leader by Slovenian author Vladimir Bartol (1903-1967), will be published in China in autumn, said the Slovenian publisher Sanje, which holds international copyright for the novel. Sanje announced it signed a contract with the publisher Beijing Book Search Cultural Communication, which will translate the book and publish it. It will be printed in simplified Chinese.

Oscar nominee Honeyland opening 22nd Documentary Film Festival

LJUBLJANA - North Macedonia's Honeyland, an Oscar nominee, opened the 22nd Documentary Film Festival, to be followed by around two dozen films. Five documentaries will compete for the Human Rights Award conferred by Amnesty International Slovenia: Exemplary Behaviour by Audrius Mickevičius and Nerijus Milerius; For Sama by Waad Al Kateab Waad and Edward Watts; Advocate by Rachel Leah Jones and Philippe Bellaiche; Collective by Alexander Nanau; and Overseas by Yoon Sung-a.

Creators lie down in front of ministry in protest

LJUBLJANA - Culture workers held a third weekly protest in front of the Culture Ministry to point to what they believe is the ministry's inactivity in protecting the vulnerable sector during the coronavirus epidemic. An estimated hundred of them laid to the ground and stayed motionless there for a few minutes in what was labelled the Last Act for Culture. "We have gathered once more because the Ministry of Culture insufficiently cares for art and culture," the organisers said.

Volleyball team gets Order of Merit

LJUBLJANA - The men's volleyball team, the 2019 European Championship silver medallists, were decorated with the Order of Merit by President Borut Pahor for their inspiring athletic achievements and for promoting Slovenia on the international stage. President Pahor said they "proved with unpretentiousness and kindness that friendship still exists in top sports". Tine Urnaut, who captained Slovenia during the feat, thanked everyone for the "fairy tale we will always carry in our hearts".

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09 Jun 2020, 18:26 PM

High Fines & Other Measures to Stop Tourist Voucher Fraud

STA, 9 June 2020 - Cheating with tourist vouchers (turistični boni) will not pay off as fines are relatively high, from EUR 1,200 to 40,000 for legal entities and from EUR 200 to 600 for individuals, heard a news conference at which some details about the vouchers - a state aid measure to help Slovenian tourism survive the Covid-19 crisis - were presented on Tuesday.

The Economy Ministry held the news conference a day after the government specified the use of tourist vouchers, deciding they could be used in several instalments, not necessarily all at once, as initially planned.

The Financial Administration (FURS) will be in charge of paying tourism companies at which a tourist will want to pay with a voucher. The deadline for payment will be 30 days.

Peter Grum, FURS deputy director general, said this demanding project for FURS will have two goals - to provide a simple, fast and effective manner of payment and to prevent fraud.

There are some 2.05 million people with permanent residence in Slovenia eligible for vouchers, of whom around 1.7 million adults and 350,000 minors (under 18).

The former will receive a EUR 200 voucher and the latter EUR 50 to spend on bed and breakfast or only on bed at Slovenian tourism facilities until the end of 2020.

Grum said the goal of a simple, fast and efficient voucher payment is important so that the state aid comes to those who need it fast - the tourism sector.

He said there were several oversight mechanisms in place to prevent abuse, with random checks to be carried out by FURS and market inspectors.

For instance, vouchers could only be used at tourism companies incorporated no later than 13 March, the start of the epidemic.

Another safeguard is that vouchers will be available only electronically, as a credit in FURS's IT system.

Tourism companies will also have access to their guests' voucher credit in order to avoid a tourist using their voucher at some other accommodation provider.

Where there is no internet, at mountain huts, for instance, a tourist could pay for the accommodation with their own money and then claim a refund from FURS.

However a tourist voucher could not be used for accommodation payment on platforms such as Booking or Airbnb, explained Grum, adding that it could be used if booking was made through such platforms but the payment itself was made at the provider of accommodation.

Tourism companies will have a discretion to accept vouchers.

However, Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek does not expect them to reject vouchers, arguing a voucher is comparable to a credit card and the payment period will be generally even shorter.

He again defended the government decision to offer vouchers only for bed or for bed and breakfast, saying this was a conscious decision.

Making vouchers available for all inclusive services, "would lead to an even greater concentration at large tourism companies, which would worsen multiplicativity".

"Deciding between giving a hotelier a fish or a fishing rod, we decided to give them a fishing rod. And I believe many smaller companies will make an awfully big effort to be competitive with those who might be just waiting [for tourists] because they are located at well-known destinations or are better known already."

Tourist vouchers will be available between 19 June and 31 December, and FURS will have until the end of January 2021 to pay all the voucher-based bills.

They are one of the main measures from the third coronavirus stimulus package, passed at the end of May, and are estimated to cost the state EUR 345 million.

09 Jun 2020, 14:24 PM

May 9 in Slovenian History: Liberation of Ljubljana

In 1945 Partisan units marched into the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana. This was the end of several days of fierce fighting between the Nazi occupation forces and the 7th Corps and 29th Herzegovinian Strike Division of the Yugoslav Army.

The Province of Ljubljana was the central-southern area of Slovenia, created on May 3, 1941. In 1943 the province was occupied by Nazi Germany as part of the Operation Zone of the Adriatic Littoral, territories previously administered by Fascist Italy.

Under Italian control the Province of Ljubljana was subjected to brutal repression after the emergence of resistance and the occupying fascist forces erected a barbed wire fence around the city in order to prevent communication between the underground Liberation Front activists in Ljubljana and the Slovene Partisans in the surrounding countryside.

In memory of May 9, 1945 and the interwar wire ring around Ljubljana a sports and recreational event was proposed by the Ljubljana District Committee of the Association of National Liberation Army Combatants during the first Slovene Festival of Physical Culture in 1957. The event has since become traditional, and The Path of Remembrance and Comradeship (Pot spominov in tovarištva, also known as Path along the Wire Fence of Occupied Ljubljana) is now protected as a historical monument with a Town Act specifying that a memorial walk takes place along the wire fence of occupied Ljubljana each year on May 9th.

09 Jun 2020, 13:26 PM

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

On May 21 2020 the Slovenian Government dismissed the director of the Statistical Office (SURS) Bojan Nastav, who was appointed for a five-year term in August last year. The decision took effect the next day and the acting director for a period of six months became Tomaž Smrekar. The media now reports the reason for replacement of the head of SURS was his refusal to submit confidential information to a non-authorised body of external government advisors in an unorthodox way.

Following his dismissal, Bojan Nastav told RTV Slovenia he had learnt about the decision from the government website’s session’s minutes, and that he was not familiar with the reasons for his firing.

The new acting director, Tomaž Smrekar, who began working immediately after Bojan Nastav was dismissed, explaining to RTV Slovenia that it was impossible for the around 300 SURS employees to properly analyze all the data, and that help will be needed from the government’s advisory group, headed by Matej Lahkovnik.

The Statistical Council of SURS demanded the government to present the reasons for the replacement of the head of the agency, and the government replied citing Article 83 of the Public Employees Act, which allows public officials to be dismissed within the first year of their office.

The Statistical Council then asked for another opinion from the attorney Rajko Pirnat, who claims that the head of SURS is not covered by this law, but rather under the jurisdiction of the National Statistics Act. For this reason, the Statistical Council has issued a request that the Constitutional Court decide which of the two laws applies in this case.

According news portal Necenzurirano.si, Nastav was dismissed on a request of Lahovnik’s advisory group, which approached SURS with a request for raw economic data. SURS then replied that the data can be accessed under certain circumstances prescribed by the relevant legislation. Access to the SURS database for research purposes is only allowed with prior approval, in a safe room and only after employees have anonymized the data - covering up names and other identifying data of specific companies, since SURS is obliged to protect statistical confidentiality.

Furthermore, reports necenzurirano.si, the Lahovnik’s advisory group is functioning as an informal association, which works pro bono and without any legal grounds for its activities. Its members are not responsible to anyone and therefore also not obliged to protect the data that they obtain from state bodies. Its members work for private companies and boards, which could use such data for their personal gain.

Because Nastav didn’t seem to respond to the group’s request, concludes Necenzurirano.si, Lahovnik called Prime Minister Janez Janša and Nastav was immediately replaced.

Since its inception the current Janša government has replaced most of the heads of the state security apparatus, including heads of the police and the army, National Bureau of Investigation, Criminal Police, and Office of the Republic of Slovenia for the Prevention of Money Laundering. The head of the Slovenian Intelligence and Security Agency (SOVA), however stepped down on his own after Janša’s government excluded SOVA from the National Security Council.

According to Mladina, several of these heads were removed in order to stop investigations into the financing of Janez Janša’s SDS party.

09 Jun 2020, 12:03 PM

China’s Ambassador to Slovenia: 17+1 Summit a Chance for Greater Cooperation (Interview)

STA, 9 June 2020 - China and Slovenia have had good relations in all fields. As Chinese Ambassador to Slovenia Wang Shunqing told the STA, a new opportunity to deepen the relations will be the 17+1 initiative summit in Beijing, which has been moved to the second half of the year due to the pandemic. Wang hopes Slovenia will be pragmatic in picking 5G technology.

In an interview conducted last weekend, Wang said that the exact date of the 17+1 summit was not known yet. When the date is known, the ambassador expects information about Slovenia's participation.

Slovenia's participation had already been announced by former Prime Minister Marjan Šarec, but Wang has not had the opportunity to speak about this with representatives of the current government due to the coronavirus epidemic. The ambassador has only met with Economic Development and Technology Minister Zdravko Počivalšek.

Wang expects that the good bilateral relations between China and Slovenia, which were confirmed by the visit by Foreign Minister Wang Yi last December, will continue also with the government of Janez Janša taking over.

China is the most important trade partner to Slovenia in Asia, and Slovenia is the most important partner to China in the Western Balkan region, he said. "It is true that Slovenia records a trade deficit with China, but the countries are striving to balance the trade," Wang added.

According to the ambassador, China uses various platforms to promote Slovenian products. One of them is the China International Import Expo fair in Shanghai, where Slovenian companies get invited every year.

The Chinese state and local authorities provide all necessary support for Slovenian investments in China, among which Wang singled out the investments by the ultralight aircraft maker Pipistrel.

As for Chinese investments in Slovenia, the ambassador noted the takeover of the household appliance maker Gorenje by Hisense two years ago. "The Hisense investment is currently the most important Chinese investment in Slovenia," he said, adding that China supported Hisense in its further expansion and investments in Slovenia.

Wang is concerned about the announced lay-offs in Gorenje. "Lay-offs in companies, although they are part of the business, are always very sensitive, but it is not unusual that something like this takes place during the pandemic," he said.

The ambassador has been in constant touch with the management of Hisense Gorenje lately. It was explained to him that the lay-offs are a consequence of the new coronavirus pandemic, which has reduced orders considerably, and of a low efficiency in comparison to competitors in the industry, an issue Gorenje has been facing for quite a while.

"Measures should be made to make the company competitive. This needs to be our common goal," he said. In talks with the management of Hisense Gorenje, Wang said that lay-offs should be carried out carefully and gradually, and in accordance with the Slovenian legislation.

Wang is convinced that the management will make a lot of effort to this end as, after all, it has reduced the planned number of lay-offs, which it will try to carry out using soft methods as much as possible.

Wang stressed that - the company donated protective medical equipment to Slovenia at the end of March - has a long-term interest in Slovenia. "Cooperation with Hisense and Gorenje is strategic," he said, noting that Hisense had picked Slovenia for its seat of European operations. In this light, he also mentioned Hisense's plans to build a new television plant this year and to invest in a development centre in Velenje.

Wang would like to see Chinese companies in general participate in projects in Slovenia. With four Chinese companies currently in play for the main construction work on the planned new railway line between the port of Koper and Divača, Wang would like to see one of them succeed in the tender.

"Chinese companies have a lot of experience in rail construction, as they have built them all around the world, they have well-developed technology and a lot of experience in construction of tunnels and in constructions in unpredictable terrain, such as karst."

The ambassador hopes that the selection procedure for the main contractor for the railway line will be "just and fair", but he is worried about the EU guidelines which allow for the exclusion of bidders from third countries from public procurement contracts. "I hope that Chinese companies will be able to participate," he stressed.

Wang also touched on the implementation of the fifth generation mobile network (5G) and the technology of the Chinese company Huawei, which is a thorn in the US's side, and the US is calling on its allies to reject Huawei's 5G technology for security reasons.

"But let's look at the facts. In the last 30 years, Huawei operated in more than 170 countries, and none of them reported about security issues. The US is talking about espionage, but there is no proof for this whatsoever. It is a question of technology which has been completely politicised by the US. We strongly object to this," Wang said.

The Chinese ambassador hopes that Slovenia will take a decision on 5G based on its own interest and needs, while taking into account the costs and quality of the selected technology. "I hope that it will take a pragmatic approach and that it will not succumb to the US influence," he said. As for security, Wang said that security risks could be avoided by setting common standards.

Wang admits that the coronavirus pandemic has eroded the relations between the EU and China, but he believes that problems can be bridged with cooperation. He sees potential for cooperation in the economic recovery measures presented by the EU. Wang stressed that the EU and China share similar ideas, especially when it comes to measures for combating climate change and protecting the environment. "Efforts have been made on both sides for cooperation to be facilitated."

China encourages European business executives to visit China, to re-start their businesses which had to be suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic. "We also support European companies to relaunch their operations in China," he said, adding that China was offering a special visa regime to Slovenian business executives.

Besides the 17+1 initiative summit, no high-level political or business visits or events between the countries are planned for this year. The plan was different but, as Wang put it, they were blown away by the coronavirus pandemic.

"I hope that we will also make agreements about this after the situation normalises," said Wang, who also announced China's support to Slovenia's presidency of the EU Council in the second half of next year. He also pointed to the links in culture and education among the important elements of the countries' cooperation.

"I don't dare to be an optimist," Wang said when asked how he imagines the new reality after the pandemic. The disease is far from being defeated, he warned, adding that if China developed a vaccine for Covid-19, it will be made a global public good, as announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Opening of the 73rd World Health Assembly.

Countries must defeat the new coronavirus together and in solidarity, he said to conclude the interview for the STA.

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09 Jun 2020, 08:53 AM

More Details on Slovenia’s Tourism Vouchers…

STA, 8 June 2020 - The government has specified the use of tourist vouchers (turistični boni), with which it wants to help the tourism industry survive the coronavirus crisis, deciding that a voucher could be used in several instalments, not necessarily all at once, as initially planned.

The decree on the use of tourist vouchers was adopted at a correspondence session on Monday, and will be presented to the press in more detail on Tuesday, the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology said in a press release.

Tourist vouchers are one of the main measures from the third coronavirus stimulus package, passed at the end of May. They are estimated to cost the state EUR 345 million.

Every permanent resident of Slovenia will receive EUR 200 to spend on bed and breakfast or only on bed in Slovenia until the end of 2020, with minors getting only EUR 50.

The vouchers will be entered as a credit of a permanent resident into the Financial Administration's (FURS) IT system and every resident eligible for it will receive an e-mail about it.

Under the decree adopted today, a tourist would tell a tourist facility upon registration that they would pay with the voucher.

The tourism company would then enter their data into FURS's IT system eDavki and the receive the payment of the service from FURS.

Voucher holders will however not be able to get cash for the voucher.

09 Jun 2020, 03:52 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Tuesday, 9 June 2020

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

This summary is provided by the STA:

Central bank forecasts 6.5% GDP drop for 2020, 4.9% growth for 2021

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's central bank forecast for Slovenia's economy to contract by 6.5% this year before it bounces back to 4.9% growth in 2021 and 3.6% in 2022. This is the baseline forecast, there are also two alternative scenarios that factor in the gravity of the coronavirus crisis. Under the positive scenario, the economy would contract by just 4% this year and expand by over 7% in the next two years; under the negative scenario the economy would contract by 10% this year, followed by stagnation in 2021 and a slow recovery in 2022.

Slovenia fully opens borders to nationals of 14 more countries

LJUBLJANA - Citizens of 17 EU and non-EU countries may enter Slovenia without restrictions from today under new border crossing rules adopted by the government on Sunday evening. Citizens of neighbouring Austria, Croatia and Hungary had already been allowed to cross without any health restrictions under bilateral agreements. Now, the list has been expanded with 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.

Opposition announce to ouster motion against interior minister

LJUBLJANA - The opposition Social Democrats (SD) are drafting 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, while their comments and the draft of the motion suggest other grievances against the minister will be included. Hojs described the move as an ideological smear campaign, saying he was not responsible for the ban reversal decision, which the ministry took based on the Administrative Court's ruling. Similarly, junior coalition parties, while opposing the concert, do not hold Hojs responsible.

No new Covid-19 cases recorded on Sunday

LJUBLJANA - None of 211 coronavirus tests conducted in Slovenia on Sunday came back positive, show data published by the government. No new deaths were recorded either. Five Covid-19 patients remain in hospital, but none of them needs intensive care. So far, 1,485 coronavirus infections have been confirmed in the country, and 109 patients have died. A total of 293 Covid-19 patients have been discharged from hospital.

Coalition seek stricter vaccination rules

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. Health workers and care home staff would also have to get flu shots every year. Vaccinations against measles, mumps, rubella, pertussis and hepatitis B are mandatory in Slovenia.

Logar holds virtual meeting with N Macedonian colleague

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. Logar and Dimitrov also called for the intensive political dialogue between Slovenia and North Macedonia to continue and assessed bilateral relations as excellent.

Slovenian and Italian defence ministers praise bilateral cooperation

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. Tonin and Guerini discussed close cooperation within NATO and shared a view the two countries cooperated successfully in international missions and operations, with Italy being Slovenia's key operative partner. Guerini invited Tonin to pay an official visit to Italy.

Slovenia welcomes rise in EU rural development funds

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Agriculture Ministry State Secretary Jože Podgoršek "greatly welcomed" a rise in rural development funds as part of the EU's post-coronavirus measures. Although it is too early to speak about concrete figures, compared to the EU's 2021-2027 budget as envisaged in the 2018 proposal, the shortfall seems to be much smaller, he told Slovenian Brussels-based reporters after a video call of EU agriculture ministers. He also argued for country specifics to be taken into account when setting goals in the EU's new strategies on food transformation and on biodiversity.

Delo poll: SDS support up, govt rating down

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. All coalition parties except the SDS polled lower compared to May. The voter approval rating for the government slipped for the second consecutive month, with some 31% rating its job as positive or very positive.

Germany sending married ambassador couple to Slovenia

BERLIN, Germany - In a unique decision, Germany will send a married couple of ambassadors to Slovenia in August. Termed a family-friendly job sharing experiment by the German Tagesschau news programme, it will allow Natalie Kauther and Adrian Pollmann to take turns as ambassador every eight months for the next four years. Tagesschau says that this is the first such decision by the German Foreign Ministry in an effort to give its employees more flexibility. The couple had previously both held, at the same time, the title of deputy-ambassador to Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Minister says diaspora ties enhanced during pandemic

LJUBLJANA - Helena Jaklitsch, the minister for Slovenians Abroad, believes the Covid-19 pandemic has done much to enhance ties between Slovenia and Slovenians living around the globe, and has offered an opportunity to younger generations. Commenting on the situation in neighbouring countries in an interview with the STA, she noted the issue of the minority's representation in the Italian parliament, and the issue of insufficient financing of Slovenian schools and kindergartens in Italy and Austria. In Hungary the biggest problem is strong assimilation. In Croatia, the legislation protecting the minorities is also not being implemented properly, the minister said.

Top court rejects prosecutors' appeal over temporary pay cut

LJUBLJANA - The Constitutional Court has rejected the request by the Association of State Prosecutors for a review of the part of the legislation mitigating the impact of the coronavirus epidemic which temporarily cut prosecutor salaries by 30%. It argues that prosecutors have not fully exhausted other legal means, including a labour dispute. The prosecutors argued the pay cut undermined the fundamental constitutional values and the functioning of the criminal justice system. The 30% cut applied until the end of May and affected public office holders, except judges.

Govt adopts decree on holiday vouchers

LJUBLJANA - The government specified the use of holiday vouches with which it wants to help the tourism industry survive the coronavirus crisis, deciding that a voucher could be used in several instalments, not necessarily all at once, as initially planned. The vouchers are one of the main measures in the third coronavirus stimulus package, passed at the end of May. They will be distributed to permanent residents at an estimated cost of EUR 345 million to the state.

Fewer Slovenian bathing sites get top mark in 2019

BRUSSELS, Belgium - A report from the European Environment Agency shows 38 out of 47 natural bathing sites inspected in Slovenia received the highest mark for water quality last year, three fewer than in 2018. The European bathing water quality assessment report for 2019 analyses 21 coastal and 26 inland bathing sites in Slovenia, of which 80.9% received the excellent mark. Slovenia remains close to the top in Europe when it comes to the overall quality.

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

08 Jun 2020, 18:04 PM

Slovenia’s Tourism Vouchers: Five Luxury Getaways for Families, Groups in Gorenjska

Sometime in the next week or so every adult and foreigner with permanent residency in Slovenia will be eligible for a €200 tourism voucher (turistični boni), and every child one worth €50, as a way to kickstart the summer season, when the industry will be relying on domestic tourists more heavily than usual. The “vouchers” can be used to pay for accommodation, and will be claimed by giving your Slovenian tax number to the provider (at least for the adults – it’s unclear, as yet, how the children will get theirs).

The money can be used at any businesses registered under the following categories:

- 55.100 - Hotels and other similar accommodation

- 55.201 - Holiday homes and resorts

- 55,202 - Tourist farms with rooms

- 55.203 - Renting private rooms to guests

- 55.204 - Mountain lodges and youth hostels

- 55,209 - Other short-term accommodation

- 55.300 - Camping activities

It’s in this context we’re presenting the following five properties in Soča, Bled, Bohinj and Kranjska gora - the home of holiday homes in Slovenia - all of which are on the books of Slovenia Estates and available for short-term rental as part of the scheme, and all of which come with an additional 10% discount for all weekly reservations made by end of June for all stays in June, July and August.

So take a look at the five properties below, two photos for each, click through to see more of the stylish interiors, learn more about the location, and start planning your next vacation.

Gorgeous, luxury renovated house, Bohinj: Four bedrooms, sleeps up to 7

Bohinj Area - Gorgeous, luxury renovated house 01.jpg