STA, 11 May 2022 - Tone Škarja, a professional climber considered one of the pillars of Slovenian mountaineering, has died. The 83-year-old, famous for numerous challenging expeditions, was also a mountain guide, author and photographer.

His death was confirmed on Monday by Matjaž Šerkezi of the Slovenian Alpine Association (PZS).

Škarja, who had been a member of the organisation since 1951, started pursuing mountaineering professionally in 1956. He completed more than 1,000 alpine ascents, including participating in more than 30 trailblazing expeditions.

The 83-year-old was also part of the Yugoslavian Mount Everest expedition in 1979. The mostly Slovenian team scaled the world's highest peak by climbing the western ridge, still unexplored by then.

Later that year, Škarja received the Bloudek Award, Slovenia's most prestigious sports accolade, for the achievement. Together with another legendary climber, Aleš Kunaver, who passed away in the 1980s, he led the successful expedition, the PZS organisation said.

Škarja was also the head of the Kamnik mountain rescue team as well as the chairman of the PZS commission of foreign expeditions. Moreover, he was vice-president of the association between 1998 and 2011.

The Slovenian segment of the Nepal International Mountain Museum was set up and managed by Škarja.

Viki Grošelj, a climber who has scaled the most eight-thousanders among the Slovenian mountaineering elite and the first Slovenian to have climbed the highest summits of all the continents, has responded to today's sad news by highlighting the important role Škarja played in promoting Slovenia's mountaineering and raising it to the highest level.

"I was deeply hurt and shaken by the news of his death, but not completely unprepared since Škarja had been ill for quite some time," Grošelj said, adding that the departed was a mentor and a role model to numerous generations of climbers.

All our stories on mountaineering in Slovenia are here

STA, 11 May 2020 - Foreign Minister Anže Logar has highlighted long procedures, failure to implement Constitutional Court rulings and biased judges in a letter supplementing an inter-ministerial report on rule of law that the government has sent to the European Commission, the daily Delo reports on Monday.

The report, requested by the new European Commission from all EU member states in keeping with its commitment to promote the rule of law, deals with the independence, quality and effectiveness of the judiciary, while it also answers questions about media pluralism, press freedom, the system of checks and balances for individual branches of power and the situation of NGOs.

Slovenia has sent a 40-page report to Brussels along with a letter addressed to Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynder in which Logar speaks of cases in Slovenia too often becoming statute barred after taking unreasonably long to be processed.

According to Delo, the foreign minister also notes Slovenia has lost a number of cases at the European Court of Human Rights.

Moreover, the prosecution of bank crime is ineffective and the appearance of impartiality is not honoured in the judiciary, Logar argues, while also speaking of some judges using totalitarian symbols but not specifying any examples, according to Delo.

In what seems to be a reference to the current prime minister, Janez Janša, Logar also says that the judiciary condemned some opposition politicians in the past to then see the procedure annulled by the Constitutional Court.

Another case highlighted by Logar is an alleged Iranian money laundering scheme at NLB bank a decade ago. He wrote that a parliamentary inquiry commission led by him had handed plenty of evidence to prosecution authorities but that nothing had come of the case so far.

The Foreign Ministry explained for the STA that the report had been compiled together with the ministries of justice and culture and some other institutions from the fields which would be dealt with by the relevant Commission's report.

This annual report will be drafted also on the basis of visits by Commission representatives to member states, and its content will be discussed by the General Affairs Council in the autumn.

The ministry added that Logar had told the Commission that "when it comes to issues related to the rule of law, Slovenia has missed a voice of the European Commission and other relevant European institutions."

The dialogue on improving the rule of law is in common interest and must be based on actual situations, which are different in individual member states, so "we expect that member states will be treated fairly and based on the same criteria."

The ministry also expects that the assessments will take into account various specific factors, "including democratic culture and heritage", and that "open and objective debate" will be held at the EU level on the issues to be covered by the report.

The opposition Left reacted to Logar's letter by announcing a request for a session of the parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee, with MP Matej T. Vatovec saying that the government had become a "branch office of the Democrats (SDS)".

He also said on Twitter that the Foreign Ministry "is silent when the 'friend' Orban provokes with territorial pretensions, while at the same time 'snitching' on its own country in the international environment."

The coalition parties have not commented on the letter, with Jožef Horvat, the head of the New Slovenia (NSi) deputy group, only saying that the party had not been acquainted with it.

Justice Minister Lilijana Kozlović told Delo that the report was mostly drawn up by the Justice Ministry, however she added that Logar had his own opinion on the judiciary situation in Slovenia and highlighted that his letter did not represent the government's standpoint.

She said that her stance on the situation was positive, adding that commenting on the report was not necessary.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court, taken aback by the letter, said that it had not been made aware of it, according to the media. Upon receiving it, the court will take a stance and inform the justice commissioner about it if necessary.

Moreover, the court does not know what was the basis for the letter. Slovenia's judiciary has been improving its performance for years and enjoys greater support in the public than the other two branches of powers, it added.

The Commission told the STA today that it had received Slovenia's input for the first annual rule of law report, saying that it would "continue its dialogue with all member states in the run-up to the finalisation of the report".

It did not comment on the content of the letter, however asked about Logar's criticism targeted at the institution, the Commission responded by saying that "as is normal practice, we do not comment on exchanges between the Commission and our member states".

The Logar dispatch comes after much dust was raised in Slovenia in April by another letter, which was sent through the Foreign Ministry to the Council of Europe after the latter's warnings about PM Janša's attacks on the media.

The main premise of the letter, whose authorship has been claimed by the Government Communication Office, was that the majority of the main media in Slovenia stem from the Communist regime and remain ideologically biased.

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:

Government lifts ban on passenger air transport

LJUBLJANA - The government allowed resumption of passenger flights from EU and third countries to Slovenia's international airports from Tuesday. The ban on flights from abroad to local airports remains in place until 12 June. Restrictions on international passenger air transport were initially introduced on 17 March to help contain the coronavirus epidemic. Ljubljana airport has prepared safety measures to accept passengers, but said most carriers had suspended flights until the end of May.

Public transport resumes

LJUBLJANA - Public transport started running again after nearly two months. The relaunch will be gradual and restrictive measure have been put in place to ensure social distancing is observed. Passengers have to disinfect their hands upon entry, wear a face mask and keep a safety distance of at least 1.5 metres to each other, with signs indicating which seats must remain vacant. Buses are outfitted with special barriers for drivers. There were few passengers at launch, but their numbers are expected to gradually increase as more businesses reopen.

Parliament raises 2020 budget spending cap by EUR 2 billion

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed changes to a document capping general government spending, so as to allow the government to draft a supplementary budget for this year to accommodate measures to help the nation overcome the ongoing coronavirus epidemic. The government plans to have the supplementary budget ready before summer. Total general government spending is to increase from EUR 21.48 billion to EUR 23.63 billion with state budget expenditure now capped at EUR 12.525 billion.

In letter to EU, FM highlights long proceedings, biased judges

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar highlighted long procedures, failure to implement Constitutional Court rulings and biased judges in a letter supplementing an interministerial report on the rule of law the government sent to the European Commission. He also noted Slovenia had lost a number of cases at the European Court of Human Rights and argued the prosecution of bank crime was ineffective and the appearance of impartiality was not honoured in the judiciary. Justice Minister Lilijana Kozlović said she did not deem Logar's comment necessary and the Supreme Court was taken aback by it, while the opposition Left wants it debated by the parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee.

Three new Covid-19 cases confirmed for total of 1,460, no new deaths

LJUBLJANA - Three new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Slovenia on Sunday as 537 people were tested, which takes the total number so far to 1,460. No deaths were recorded, meaning the death toll remains at 102, shows data released by the government. The number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals increased by one to 42, ten of whom are in intensive care.

FM promotes bolstering cooperation with Poland

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar and his Polish counterpart Jacek Czaputowicz agreed in a videoconference that bilateral as well as regional and panregional cooperation between the two countries should be further strengthened. Poland and Slovenia are EU partners and NATO allies and share numerous views and standpoints on key international issues, said the Foreign Ministry. In terms of regional cooperation, the ministers noted the Three Seas initiative and the Visegrad Group efforts.

Coalition preparing new stimulus measures, backs Počivalšek

BRDO PRI KRANJU - The four coalition parties met at Brdo estate to discuss topical issues, announcing that a third package of measures to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus crisis would start to be drafted next week. The measures would be aimed at the most affected sectors, such as tourism, and tackle red tape. The coalition also agreed to stand firmly behind Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek, who is facing a opposition-sponsored motion of no confidence.

Employers happy with government support so far

LJUBLJANA - Five employer associations and chambers expressed support for the government efforts to mitigate the economic fallout from the coronavirus epidemic. They think the measures introduced so far have been timely and appropriate, and they are ready to cooperate in working out the third stimulus package. The statement was signed by the heads of the Employers' Association, Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chamber of Trade Crafts and Small Business, Chamber of Commerce, and the Association of Employers in Craft and Small Business of Slovenia.

Govt rating drops significantly in Delo poll

LJUBLJANA - The latest poll conducted by Mediana for the newspaper Delo shows that, following a high mark for the Janez Janša in the first full month in office in April, the share of those who support it dropped in May. Support for the Democrats (SDS) is also down, but the ruling party is still ahead of the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ). The poll sees slightly more than 31% of the respondents assessing the government's work as positive or very positive, which is 13 percentage points less than in April.

Deferral requested for 3% of all loans

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian borrowers have made 22,230 requests for the deferral of loan payments in a month, or 3.3% of all bank loans, show central bank data. The vast majority of the requests, almost 16,000, were from households. Micro, small and medium-sized companies made almost 6,500 requests, while large enterprises put in 154. Creditors are able to request loan deferral under an emergency law that entered into effect in late March to help people and companies weather the coronavirus crisis.

Industrial output in March lowest in almost three years

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's industrial output in March, half of which was affected by measures to contain the coronavirus epidemic, was lowest since July 2017. Compared to February, industrial output in Slovenia was down by 10.7%, the largest monthly drop since November 2008, as output in manufacturing decreased by 12.2%. Sales revenue in industry was was down by 14.2% to hit the lowest level since April 2017.

AmCham survey: companies in Slovenia expect 15% revenue drop

LJUBLJANA - Companies operating in Slovenia can expect a 15% drop in revenue this year, a 6% cut in labour force and a 13% drop in investment, a survey conducted by AmCham Slovenija suggests. The hardest hit are the automotive and transport sectors, manufacturing, services, media and education. The survey among AmCham members also revealed that companies in chemistry and health sectors were seeing positive trends. Almost 30% of the companies surveyed expect cash flow problems over the next three months.

Overseas Security Advisory Council office opens in Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - AmCham Slovenija and the US Embassy in Ljubljana opened an office of the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), a public-private global security partnership, in Ljubljana. Slovenia has thus joined more than 140 countries around the world with an OSAC office. The OSAC was created in 1985 to promote security cooperation between American private-sector interests worldwide and the US Department of State. US Ambassador Lynda Blanchard was quoted in an AmCham release as saying that the partnership will ensure effective security collaboration between local businesses and the US Embassy.

Top football league may resumed in early June

LJUBLJANA - There is still hope for football lovers in Slovenia that the season at the top level may be resumed. Depending on the situation related to the coronavirus epidemic and provided the government's go-ahead for competitions at the top level, the premier league will continue at the beginning of June, the executive committee of the Slovenian Football Association (NZS) said. It also decided that the second league for men and the first league for women have ended.

Mountaineering legend Tone Škarja dies

LJUBLJANA - Tone Škarja, a professional climber considered one of the pillars of Slovenian mountaineering, died. The 83-year-old, famous for numerous challenging expeditions, was also a mountain guide, author and photographer. Škarja, who had been a member of the organisation since 1951, completed more than 1,000 alpine ascents, including participating in more than 30 trailblazing expeditions. He was part of the Yugoslavian Mount Everest expedition in 1979.

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

All our stories on coronavirus are here, while those covering covid-19 and Croatia are here. We'll have an update at the end of the day, and if you want newsflashes then we'll post those on Facebook

We can’t have pictures of COVID-19 every day. So instead we’ll try and show the works of Slovenian artists and artists who live in Slovenia. Today it’s Paloma Lavor.

Contents

Three new Covid-19 cases confirmed for total of 1,460, no new deaths

Government lifts ban on passenger air transport

Campsites staying closed for now

Top football league may be resumed at beginning of June

Three new Covid-19 cases confirmed for total of 1,460, no new deaths

STA, 11 May 2020 - Three new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Slovenia on Sunday as 537 people were tested, which takes the total number so far to 1,460. No deaths were recorded, meaning the death toll remains at 102, shows data released by the government on Monday.

The number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals increased by one to 42, ten of whom are in intensive care.

The situation following the lifting of a number of lockdown measures, in particular last week, thus remains stable, but government representatives have noted that a clearer picture will emerge with a delay of 11 to 13 days.

Back to the contents

Government lifts ban on passenger air transport

STA, 11 May - The government has allowed resumption of passenger flights from EU and third countries to Slovenia's international airports from Tuesday. The ban on flights from abroad to local airports remains in place until 12 June.

The government decided on Monday not to extend restrictions on international passenger air transport that were initially introduced on 17 March to help contain the spread of coronavirus.

In a press release issued after the correspondence session, the Government Communication Office said the ban no longer made sense or was necessary because air carriers were not providing flights anyway.

The release noted the many safety measures imposed by public health authorities in individual countries on air carriers and airport managers, as well as on citizens returning home or foreigners arriving in the country, such as mandatory quarantine.

"Since the measures affect international passenger flights as such and air carriers have not yet opted to provide those due to a lack of demand on the part of passengers owning to the epidemic, the ban on international flights from the EU and third countries to international public airports in Slovenia is no longer necessary or sensible," reads the release.

Slovenia's international airports are in Ljubljana, Maribor and Portorož.

Fraport Slovenija, which manages Ljubljana airport, hailed the decision, which it said would help airlines plan flights, but also noted that most of them had cancelled flights until the end of May.

In anticipation of today's decision, the airport has already put in place all the necessary measures and equipment to be able to welcome first passengers and resume operations safely.

Passengers will be required to keep a 1.5 metre distance from each other in all parts of the passenger terminal with markings on floors and seats and bands helping them stick to the rule.

Passengers and staff will also be required to sanitise their hands every time on entering the terminal. Sanitisers will also be available elsewhere across the terminal.

Passengers will have to wear masks or other mouth and nose covering inside the terminal.

Passenger numbers inside the terminal and buses will be reduced to about half the capacity with bands and signs directing passenger movements.

Only passengers and staff will be allowed inside the passenger terminal.

Temperature screenings will probably be mandatory for at least part of the passengers but the measures and protocols are still being coordinated with the National Institute of Public Health.

Airing, cleaning and disinfection of premises will be stepped up, especially careful and frequent will be disinfection of the most exposed equipment such as doorhandles, taps, switches and railings.

Measures are also being taken to protect the staff. All working stations in the check-in area and exits to aircraft have been fitted with protective glass panels.

The staff attending and assisting passengers will be required to wear disposable face masks and gloves.

Security staff checking passengers and other staff will in addition need to wear protective glasses, and firefighters helping passengers will also need to wear protective suits aside from masks, gloves and goggles.

Masks will also be obligatory for staff cleaning the aircraft cabin, loading or unloading aircraft or performing any other chores inside the aircraft.

The ban on flights from other countries to local airports remains in place until 12 June "due to the risk to the protection of public health and property as the requirements sent by the relevant public health authority are not established".

Back to the contents

Campsites and hotels staying closed for now

STA, 11 May 2020 - Even though there have been speculations that campsites and small accommodation facilities in Slovenia will reopen shortly, as soon as on 12 May, the authorities said on Monday that the step would not be green-lit before the end of the week. Relaunching tourism will take place between 15 May and 1 June.

"It all depends on the epidemiologic situation in Slovenia and the government's decision on revising a decree on containing the novel coronavirus," the Economy Ministry told the STA today, responding to the speculation.

Accommodation facilities had to close in line with the decree on 16 March, with many going the route of prevention even before that day due to a severe drop in visitors.

The newly-established tourism expert group is currently drawing up standards and guidelines for reopening in cooperation with health experts.

Meanwhile, outdoor areas of bars and restaurants reopened on 4 May. The ministry's State Secretary Simon Zajc said at the time that giving a go-ahead to reopen accommodation facilities would follow in May, first to providers with up to 30 beds.

Provided that the epidemiologic circumstances stay promising, hotels, spas and other providers would be next in line to resume business in June, he added.

Hotels are looking at roughly a 70% drop in income at the annual level if they are able to greet their first visitors after the corona crisis on 1 June and if the border restrictions with those countries that are handling the crisis similarly as Slovenia are lifted in the same month. Campsites expect a similar slump in annual income figures.

Tourism has been one of the industries hit the most by the crisis, with the government pledging additional boost to revive the sector. Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek has recently listed co-funding reduced working time, extending current stimulus measures and extra support to keep the industry afloat as part of the tourism aid package.

Back to the contents

Top football league may be resumed at beginning of June

STA, 11 May 2020 - There is still hope for football lovers in Slovenia that the season at the top level may be resumed, as depending on the situation related to the coronavirus epidemic, the premier league may be continued at the beginning of June.

Also decided by the executive committee of the Slovenian Football Association (NZS) at Monday's correspondence session is that the second league for men and the first league for women have ended.

To be promoted from the second league are the clubs which held the first place in the standings when football competitions were suspended due to the epidemic, which is the football club Koper.

The second placed team in the second league, Gorica, will play in the play-offs with the club which finishes ninth in the premier league.

The NZS said in a press release that, if the state authorities allowed competitions at the highest level to resume, the premier league would continue at the beginning of June.

The national championship was halted in mid-March, after 25 out of the 36 scheduled matches played. Olimpija Ljubljana leads the standings with 50 points, ahead of Celje and Aluminij (45 each). The defending champions Maribor are fourth at 43 points.

If the premier league resumes, so will the national cup competition, but under a changed format, with only one semi-final and only one final match played. The matches would be played at a neutral location without spectators.

"The proposed decision follows the guideline of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) that competitions at the highest level be concluded on the pitch, if possible," the NZS said.

The women's premier league has meanwhile ended without the official champion declared. Decision on which club will represent Slovenia in European competitions in the next season will be based on past results.

Back to the contents

Yesterday it was announced that Slovenians who own property in Croatia, as some 100,000 do, will be able to enter the country without a 14-day quarantine period. But what does that mean for you?

Joe Orovic, of Total Croatia News, dug into the facts and found out the following.

First up, rather than “Slovenians” alone this applies to all EU residents, although “foreigners hoping to enter Croatia must provide proof they either: own real estate or a vessel in Croatia; are attending a funeral; or have been invited to the country by some business entity to conduct economic activity.”

But what if you book a room in a hotel and the hotel invites you stay for some economic activity? Well, that remains unclear, although the Croatian Interior Minister, Davor Božinović, did say that the Border Administration has created a special email address where non-Croats can ask if they meet the conditions for entry into the country: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

There’s further confusion as to what you can actually do in Croatia, with Božinović saying that people should stay in their accommodation as much as possible.

What’s more, at present those entering Slovenia are supposed to self-isolate for seven days, although there are claims Slovenia is considering dropping this requirement for those who leave the country for no more than 72 hours.

In short, if you must go to Croatia then send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and state your case, but otherwise we recommend using any vacation or wanderlust you have to explore Slovenia, revisit old favourites, and spend some money in local restaurants and bars.

STA, 11 May 2020 - A week before kindergartens and schools are set to open again after more than two months of the Covid-19 epidemic in Slovenia, a number of questions about logistics, the well-being of children and staff remain open.

On Friday, the Education Ministry issued guidelines encouraging parents to keep kindergarten children at home, if possible. Most students will stay home in any case as schools reopen on Monday.

The final decision is yet to be made. The government is to give the final go-ahead or stop the process in the second half of this week.

The Education Ministry and the National Institute for Public Health (NIJZ) held a press conference on Monday to provide some of the answers.

State secretary Damir Orehovec said the changes will demand a lot of knowledge and organisational skills. "But I am certain that they will do everything in their power for the benefit of children and youths."

However, the Association of Kindergartens and the teachers' trade union SVIZ have reservations about whether this is the right course of action or even feasible in the first place.

Janja Bogataj, the head of the Association of Kindergartens, is worried about how kindergartens will be able to follow NIJZ instructions, which, among other things, stipulate that groups, now numbered between 16 and 20, will be limited to only 8 or 10 children depending on age.

One of the main questions - whether parents who keep their children home will still receive a kindergarten bill - was clarified today when Orehovec said that there will be no bills until the end of May for those who keep their kids home.

Bogataj told the STA over the weekend that not having to pay would encourage parents to keep children home and make it easier for kindergartens to organise.

Branimir Štrukelj of the teachers' trade union told the STA over the weekend that initial feedback from parents in Ljubljana indicated that about 60% of children would return to kindergarten.

Another issue is space, as many kindergartens in Slovenia are overcrowded as it is. In many cases, nearby schools will help by providing room in empty classrooms, even though this is not seen as an optimal solution.

One more key problem is that kindergarten head teachers do not yet know how many members of their staff will be able to return to work, as teachers and other staff with chronic illness are advised against coming to work.

It will be up to occupational medicine experts to deem staff able or unable to work. Štrukelj doubts it is feasible for all the at-risk staff to be examined in a week's time.

Moreover, he says that work in kindergartens, as set out by NIJZ and the government, is not feasible "with the existing staff".

Bogataj and Štrukelj share the view that the return to kindergarten will be very stressful for children. Not only have they not been to kindergarten for two months, they will have to say goodbye to their parents at the door, where they will be received by a member of the staff wearing a mask.

Štrukelj believes that the rule about the same teacher staying with the same group at all times will inevitably have to be broken because abiding by it would mean 11-hour work days for teachers in some kindergartens.

Bogataj echoed the position that rules are too strict on kindergarten kids. "I believe that we will not be waiting for kids in front of kindergartens at 5am and I believe that in case of stress, parents will be able to enter the building and say goodbye so as to avoid worsening the stress the kids are under."

Polonca Truden Dobrin of NIJZ said that children within an individual group and their teacher will be able to "communicate just like at home", meaning they will not have to wear a mask and observe social distancing rules, as children's need for physical comfort and the feeling of safety must not be neglected.

In schools as well the number of students in a classroom will be limited to between 10 and 15. Moreover, only a portion of students will return, others will continue with home schooling.

In primary school, only students of first, second and third grades, and students of the final grade, will return to classrooms. In secondary school, only final-year students will return.

In music schools, only individual sessions will be taught in person, while group sessions will remain online.

The fact that most teachers will be teaching in school, as well as online, and the additional workload this creates, is one of the main concerns of SVIZ, with Štrukelj expressing doubt that this is even possible. Teachers wonder whether they will be fairly compensated.

Štrukelj has said that teachers teaching individual subjects are not adequately trained to teach other subjects. Just like in kindergartens, it is unclear as yet how many teachers will return to work.

Štrukelj reiterated that the trade union was reserved about reopening of schools and kindergartens at this stage, and expects the NIJZ and the Education Ministry to take full responsibility for the process. "We will do everything that is in our power, but we are no miracle workers.

Another problem was highlighted by Srečko Šestan, the head of the Civil Protection Authority, which has been handing out masks to schools and kindergartens. Šestan said that Slovenia might run out of protective equipment unless it continues to replenish its stock.

Face masks will be mandatory for teachers and all other kindergarten and school staff. They will also be mandatory for secondary schools students at all times, while ninth-graders will have to wear them outside the classroom. The students of the first three grades will not have to wear them.

All our stories on coronavirus and Slovenia are here

STA, 11 May 2020 - Public transport started running in Slovenia again after nearly two months on Monday. The relaunch will be gradual and restrictive measure have been put in place to ensure social distancing is observed.

Passengers have to disinfect their hands upon entry, wear a face mask and keep a safety distance of at least 1.5 metres to each other.

Buses are outfitted with special barriers for drivers and unless these are in place, passengers are not able to enter through the front door.

In Ljubljana, they are entering through the second door, where they are provided with a hand sanitiser dispenser. Tickets are validated at the validation port near the second door, and only by those with single-ride cards.

Bus passengers are not able to buy tickets on the bus. Ticket purchase are possible at bigger stops and stations, online and at ticket machines. The same is also advised by railways operator Slovenske Železnice.

The enforcement of the rules could prove a challenge, with Slovenske Železnice saying their staff will only be able to warn passengers that they need to wear masks, while only police have the power to take action.

The director of Ljubljana's public bus transport provider LPP Peter Horvat announced a more radical approach, saying drivers were instructed not to continue driving if they notice a passenger entering without a mask.

"The driver will notify the police or health inspectorate, let the other passengers off the bus and take the vehicle to the garage for disinfection, while we will sent a replacement bus," Horvat told the daily paper Dnevnik.

About every other seat on train is off limits, so as to ensure social distancing, Slovenske Železnice said on Friday, while a similar arrangement has been secured for buses.

At their last stop, the buses and trains will have to be aired out and disinfected.

Most public transport operators are planning a gradual restart, with Slovenske Železnice planning to dispatch only 30% of their coaches today.

International passenger transport remains suspended. Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec has previously mentioned 1 June as a possible date of relaunch.

Vrtovec told the TV Slovenija news show Dnevnik last night that passenger air transport may also be relaunched this week.

The minister symbolically reopened public transport today by taking the Domžale-Ljubljana train in the company of Slovenske Železnice director general Dušan Mes.

Mes said everything was running smoothly and that passenger numbers were modest so far in line with expectations. He said supplementary bus transport was planned if the number of passengers rises too quickly.

"Public transport is the backbone of our transport system, which is why I'm happy to see this day finally arriving. I want to thank the passengers for eight weeks of patience," Vrtovec told the press.

Very modest numbers are also reported by LPP, with Horvat citing for TV Slovenija a driver as telling him the atmosphere in the morning had been like at 4am on New Year's Day.

Horvat, who said he was in a way happy people remained careful, announced the number of active buses would be stepped up according to needs. A special challenge will be the gradual return of school children, who account for around 60% of LPP passengers.

All our stories on coronavirus and Slovenia are here

Slovenia is slowly easing the coronavirus lockdown, with bar, café and restaurant terraces already back in business, along with smaller stores, public transport and Ljubljana Castle. More specifically, the building that’s watched over the city for centuries – and competes with Postojna Caves as the most visited attraction in the country – is now open every day from 10:00 to 18.00, including the exhibitions and Viewing Tower, plus the terrace of the Castle Café and Castle Wine Bar & Shop – although the latter are closed when it’s raining, as it is this morning in the capital.

Related: 25 Things to Know about Ljubljana Castle

There are also some restrictions to note under the current conditions at what. For one, the funicular isn’t yet working, so you’ll need to walk or drive up. For another, you’ll need a mask when entering enclosed spaces, such as the exhibitions, Viewing Tower or bathrooms. Finally, there are hand sanitizers everywhere that visitors are encouraged to use, plus further instructions and safety protocols at every checkpoint.

More details on the situation as it evolves in the days and weeks ahead can be found on the Castle’s website.

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:

Three new Covid-19 cases confirmed on Saturday, one death

LJUBLJANA - Three persons tested positive for Covid-19 in Slovenia on Saturday, when a total of 625 people were tested. One Covid-19 patient died. This brings the total number of confirmed infections in Slovenia to 1,457 and the total number of fatalities to 102. Government data show that 41 Covid-19 patients were in hospital care, one less than on Friday, with ten in intensive care.

Protester's selfie with police officer causes controversy after Friday rally

LJUBLJANA - In the wake of an anti-government rallies that saw several thousand people take to the streets across the country on their bicycles on Friday, a photo of a protestor taking a photo with a police officer has raised a lot of dust. The officer became a target of online criticism by Cohesion Minister Zvonko Černač, prompting police trade unions to issue letters of support for the officer. One of the trade unions said that police officers would not be discredited, while the other said that politicians should focus on politics and leave public order and security to the police.

Slovenians with property in Croatia may enter country without quarantine

LJUBLJANA, ZAGREB, Croatia - Slovenians with real estate or boats in Croatia are able to enter the country again without having to go into quarantine for two weeks after about two months of restrictions imposed in order limit the spread of coronavirus. Upon return to Slovenia, they are, however, still required to go into quarantine for seven days. Croatia said on Saturday that EU citizens would be allowed to enter the country for business and urgent personal matters. Some 110,000 Slovenians have property in Croatia, mostly holiday homes and boats.

Rescue teams looking for Polish exchange student after fall into Soča River

BOVEC - A search and rescue mission was launched late in the afternoon on Saturday after a Polish exchange student fell into a treacherous gorge of the Soča River. More than 30 members of the Mountain Rescue Service, firefighters, the mountain police unit, uniformed police officers and police special forces are taking part in the effort to find the 23-year-old man. The search mission was suspended at 10 pm last night due to the dark and resumed at 7 am today, the Nova Gorica Police Administration said in a press release. This afternoon the mission was temporarily suspended again and will continue tomorrow.

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STA, 10 May 2020 - Slovenians with real estate or boats in Croatia are able to enter the country again without having to go into quarantine for two weeks after about two months of restrictions imposed in order limit the spread of coronavirus. Upon return to Slovenia, they are, however, still required to go into quarantine for seven days.

Croatia said on Saturday that EU citizens would be allowed to enter the country for business and urgent personal matters. Some 110,000 Slovenians have property in Croatia, mostly holiday homes and boats.

To cross into Croatia freely, EU citizens must show a property deed at the border, tell the border police where they will be staying and how long, as well as provide a telephone number.

They are no longer obligated to go into 14-day quarantine but they do have to limit their contact with other to a minimum for two weeks and observe social distancing rules.

They will also have to take their temperature every day and report to the nearest epidemiologist if the temperature exceeds 37.2C or if they show Covid-19 symptoms.

However, Slovenia's rules for entry remain unchanged, even though Slovenia's and Croatia's ministers in charge tourism have agreed on reciprocal measures.

The Slovenian police told the STA on Sunday that the rules remained unchanged in Slovenia and that those entering must undergo a 7-day quarantine. It added that the Health Ministry was responsible for changing the rules.

There are exceptions to this rule, under which normal crossing of the border is allowed for daily commuters, farmers in fields on the other side of Slovenia's national borders, cargo traffic and transit traffic.