Police, mountain rescuers and firefights are continuing to search for a missing 23-year old Polish student who fell into the Soča River, with the search centred in the area of ​​Velika Korita.

According to reports, the young man was walking with four other students along the Soča Trail towards Lepena on Saturday afternoon when he slipped and fell into a river canyon. His companions saw him swim for a short time and then he disappeared from view, at which point they telephoned for help. The rescue teams searched for the man until 10pm Saturday, and the search will continue today.

STA, 9 May 2020 - Prime Minister Janez Janša has joined the leaders of the other 26 EU member countries and representatives of the bloc's three key institutions for a joint video message on Europe Day, noting that Slovenia has chosen the EU in the hope of peace, freedom and prosperity.

In a video message posted on Twitter, the EU leaders underscored the significance of a united Europe and solidarity, in particular in the combat against the coronavirus crisis.

"The European Union is our conscious choice. A choice in the hope of peace, freedom and prosperity," said Janša, speaking in Slovene.

Each of the leaders delivered a brief message in their own language.

The first to appear on the clip, European Council President Charles Michel said: "Europe means freedom, tolerance, openness, diversity, respect, innovation, creativity, dynamism. Europe is also about solidarity and unity."

Janša appeared fifth in the clip after Michel, Croatian PM Andrej Plenković, whose country currently holds the EU presidency, and the leaders of the next two presiding countries ahead of Slovenia, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Portuguese PM Antonio Costa.

Slovenia is scheduled to hold the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of 2021 after it held the stint for the first time between January and June 2008.

Europe Day commemorates the Schuman Declaration, presented 70 years ago to the day, to call for political cooperation for a lasting peace among European nations.

STA, 9 May 2020 - Russian Ambassador Timur Rafailovic Eyvazov laid a wreath at the site of a former Nazi prison camp in Maribor on Saturday in memory of several thousand Russian prisoners of war who died there. He said keeping the memory alive was important to prevent history repeating again.

The building of the former Stalag XVIII D camp is being turned into a museum after the Maribor municipality has bought the plot from a private owner, while Russia is to provide the funding to create a museum.

Additional exhibition material was put on show on the occasion of Victory Day to bear witness to the developments there during Second World War.

The exhibition is expected to open to broader public in the autumn, which would make it a real museum after it has so far been open only on special occasions and mostly only to professionals.

#VictoryDay #ДеньПобеды
Veleposlanik Rusije Timur Ejvazov, župan mestne občine Murska Sobota, vodstvo ZZB NOB in društva Slovenija-Rusija so položili vence pred spomenikom sovjetskemu vojaku in jugoslovanskemu partizanu v Murski Soboti. Slovesnosti so potekali tudi v Mariboru pic.twitter.com/Mn5d3oSsUs

— Russian Emb/Slovenia (@AmbrusSlo) May 9, 2020

Ambassador Eyvazov, who took office in Slovenia in January, reiterated his country's commitment to the project. "We still don't know how many people died here, but the figure must have been very high. The facility is exceptional because it has remained untouched," he told reporters.

"The project is exceptionally important in particular for the younger generations to learn the truth about the horrendous crimes that were being committed here 75 years ago. It's important to make sure such horrific history will not be repeated again." said the ambassador.

During WWII, the complex of a defunct customs warehouse in the Maribor Melje borough was part of a German Nazi prison camp. Between September 1941 and March 1942, it held several thousand Russian POWs in extremely inhumane conditions and most of them died there from exhaustion, starvation or disease.

The search through various European archives has so far yielded close to 3,000 names of Soviets who died in the camp. "We want to press on to find all 5,000 names of the Soviet POWs killed," said Janez Ujčič, director of the International Centre for WWII Research in Maribor, which manages the museum.

The plan for the museum was unveiled in 2014 during a visit by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov but it has so far hosted only dedicated conferences. A one-storey hall, the complex does not have basic infrastructure such as electricity or toilets, but this should be tackled by autumn.

"Today's Victory Day ceremony represents the first step to museum activity in this former camp. With the present exhibition we've launched a lasting renovation of this complex," said Ujčič, adding that the museum had sparked a lot of interest in the international expert community as well as in Russian media.

The three-part exhibition chronicles Maribor's resistance in 1941, the city's German occupation, the tragedy of the Russian POWs in the camp and the joint struggle of the Rad Army and Partisan resistance movement in the former Yugoslavia.

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:

Janša and Pahor pay tribute to EU on Europe Day

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša joined the leaders of other EU countries and the bloc's three key institutions for a joint video message posted on Twitter on Europe Day, describing the EU as "our conscious choice. A choice in the hope of peace, freedom and prosperity". Meanwhile, President Borut Pahor joined Europe Day celebrations by posting a video message on his Twitter account in which he called for more Europe and more solidarity, expressing the belief that the Europe should emerge more integrated, efficient and united from the present crisis.

Logar indicates positive turn in relations with Croatia

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar commented on Slovenian-Croatian relations in an interview with the newspaper Delo, airing the view that too much had been said but too little done about the relations. He indicated the coronavirus epidemic reset bilateral relations. "Considering the terrible problems at the start of the outbreak, the neighbouring countries cooperated well and successfully. And this is a good starting position to resume talks. Announcing a lawsuit, for example, is not a good starting point for talks," he said. He suggested talks could resume after Croatia's elections.

Logar urges int. cooperation in UN Security Council address

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar underscored the importance of international cooperation and partnership as he addressed via videolink an informal session of the UN Security Council on Friday marking the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. In a press release, the Foreign Ministry said it was "the right moment for countries to push for an efficient multilateralism centred around the UN, as only cooperation, solidarity and mutual trust can guarantee peace and prosperity for all".

Russian ambassador honours victims of Nazi camp in Maribor

MARIBOR - Russian Ambassador Timur Rafailovic Eyvazov laid a wreath at the site of a former Nazi prison camp in Maribor in memory of several thousand Russian prisoners of war who died there. He said keeping the memory alive was important to prevent history repeating again. The building of the former Stalag XVIII D camp is being turned into a museum after the Maribor municipality has bought the plot from a private owner, while Russia is to provide the funding to create a museum.

Slovenia's Covid-19 death toll surpasses 100

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's Covid-19 death toll increased to 101 after another patient died on Friday as four more tested positive for the novel coronavirus, bringing the national case count so far to 1,454, data released by the government show. More than 1,176 tests for Sars-CoV-2 were conducted yesterday. Three more patients were discharged from hospitals, leaving only 43 patients with Covid-19 hospitalised. Ten are in intensive care, after two more were moved to regular wards.

Sunbathing on the beach remains off-limits

KOPER - Gathering on Slovenia's beaches and at other public places on the coast remains banned, with the exception of individual sports activities. The warning issued by coastal town mayors and Koper Police Department on Friday appears to have been heeded as the civil protection authorities did not register violations against physical distancing measures. Bathing and swimming is allowed, but any time spent on the beach prior or after these activities must be kept short.

Majority in Delo poll believe economy minister should resign

LJUBLJANA - Almost 60% of those questioned in a poll commissioned by the newspaper Delo believe that Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek should resign over contentious procurement of personal protective equipment. Just over 60% of respondents also believe the government has not conducted the purchases of masks and other equipment appropriately, against nearly 30% who believe the deals had been conducted in a suitable way.

Labour market to depend on economy re-launch

LJUBLJANA - Almost 89,000 Slovenians were unemployed in April, compared to the expected 71,000 under normal circumstances, but the number would have been even higher without the government measures. The future of the labour market is uncertain, and much will depend on how the economy will be relaunched, Mitja Bobnar, director general of the Employment Service, told the STA in an interview. The hospitality and tourism have been hammered hardest and the impact for the sector will linger.

Oil maker Gea going strong

SLOVENSKA BISTRICA - Gea, Slovenia's leading vegetable oil manufacturer, saw its sales revenue rise by 20% to EUR 30.5 million last year while net profit almost quadrupled to EUR 800,000. The Slovenska Bistrica-based company, part of the Plasta group owned by Franc Frelih since 2018, increased production 38% to almost 35,500 tonnes of products. Gea generated EUR 17 million of its sales revenue in Slovenia. Italy remained the biggest export market, accounting for 60% of all exports.

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

STA, 9 May 2020 - Slovenia's Covid-19 death toll has increased to 101 after another patient died on Friday as four more tested positive for the novel coronavirus, bringing the national case count so far to 1,454, data released by the government today show.

More than 1,176 tests for Sars-CoV-2 were conducted yesterday, putting the overall number of tests so far carried out to 63,571.

Three more patients were discharged from hospitals yesterday, leaving only 43 patients with Covid-19 in Slovenian hospitals. Ten are in intensive care, after two more were moved to regular wards.

We recently came across a new augmented reality (AR) travel app for Slovenia, TaleUp, and so got in touch with Žiga Novak, of Travel-Slovenia to learn more about it, as well as some of his other projects

How did you come to work for Travel-Slovenia?

Well, Travel-Slovenia is my own project, which I’ve run from the very beginning, from the first idea until today. I always liked to travel around Slovenia, and to discover new places, not just those known to everyone, as I was more into hidden locations, small local offers and so on.

While discovering this places I decided to start writing about them. But at the beginning it was just a blog, for which I didn’t have much time. But sometime later, I saw a different way of doing this, and that’s how Travel-Slovenia was born. It’s changed a lot over time, as at first I didn’t really know what I wanted. But since then things fell into place it started growing from there, and I started working with other people, groups and companies.

What kind of groups?

One example is Society Farjovca, with their hike to Trstelj, for which I also made the logotype. I also created the graphics for their Sage hike, which was unfortunately cancelled, due to the corona crisis.

Another nice example of a something smaller, that not everyone knows about, is the Society Baška grapa heritage, for whom we made a presentation movie about their traditional hike along a themed path related to the classic Slovenian movie On Our Own Land (details). We also work with larger institutions, like museums. For example, we cooperate with the Technical Museum of Slovenia, and through our page visitors can get free tickets for a visit.

What does Travel Slovenia offer visitors?

Travel-Slovenia aims to be the ultimate web tourist portal, which tries to present various locations around Slovenia and bring them closer to foreign and domestic visitors. Slovenia is a small sub-Alpine country, which offers unique experience and unforgettable moments. Travel-Slovenia, as an online tourist guide, tries to provide as much information about Slovenia as needed, so the visitors will leave it with beautiful impressions.

The portal includes various categories, from facts about Slovenia, history, Slovenian things (like animals, wines, food, movies, etc.) Slovenian words and texts (poems, our anthem, and so on), hiking, historical and other attractions, walking and cycling locations, castles and mansions, presentations of the cities and what to do there, monuments and much more.

In 2019 we started with project Mobility Slovenia, and the goal is to connect various locations in the country and make it easier for tourists to travel around and see more than the usual sites. For this we started to work with Nomago, a company that runs buses, airport shuttles, and other transport services.

To provide more personal insights into Slovenia, and promote the country to people who looking for new experiences in a clean, green environment, we started the Trail blog. Here people can read about our trips around Slovenia, gets to know interesting sights and things to do.

At the moment, during the lockdown, we’re also working to increase the number of locations on Travel-Slovenia, with presentations in words, photos and videos, and even more, and if there’s a location or writer that would like to be part of this then they can send an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

I should also say that if someone is planning their next trip while stuck at home then we can also answer any questions you have about travel in Slovenia. We can even make a full package for a custom tour, all we need to know is what you’d like to do here. What you’d like to see, what kind of activities, your budget and so on We can even provide a tourist guide, if wanted.

Slovenia has a lot to offer, more than many people know, and we want to create stories, and memories, for everyone.

As you said earlier, you also work in the field of Augmented and Virtual Reality. Can you tell us about the TaleUp app?

Of course. While looking for new partners I came across the agency Dragon Lines, with their lead tourist guide Dragan Bekčič. We hit it off, and soon started to talk about working together. The idea came, and I was able to make it with VRsolution lab. Finally, after 5 months of hard work and development, the app saw the light of the day, on March 1^st. 2020. We released it for Android phones (on the Google Play Store, here, and on the Huawei GalleyApp).

In future more locations will be added, more stories created. And we are also looking for new partners to join the app, and be presented in interactive way, with augmentation of their location or products with virtual content. If anyone wants to learn more about that, then they can visit our page.

What does AR bring to the experience of travelling?

The app is made so that the user can see historical places or objects that do not exist anymore, or can only be seen in the museum. With the app one can see them on the original spot, at the real location and on their mobile device, in the real size. In that way people can experience history, something from the future, or an imagined past, like a tram in the air for Ljubljana.

Another option is the augmentation of certain products. For example, we work with the chocolate shop Cukrček, where the AR content can be found at their locations around Ljubljana – next to Town Hall and the Robba Fountain, Trubarjeva cesta and Miklošičeva, behind Prešeren square.

App users can also get a discount for purchases, all they need to do is show the coupons that can be found under locations with the % sign.

How has coronavirus hit the project?

It was bad timing, just as we launched, so it couldn’t be used. But now the things are getting back to normal we’re looking ahead with new cultural heritage locations, new content augmentation, and new partners. If anyone would like to join TaleUp app, then they can get in touch at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. They can join as store, location, provider, promoter or something else, and we can create the content that they want. A good place to keep up with new developments is on our Facebook page.

Are you working on any other projects now?

Yes, I’m working on a lot of new projects, and also took this time to learn new things. Just recently I made some new AR content that lets you step into a new dimension and to see a virtual with animals, which you can then walk around using your mobile device. I’ve also been working on an AR still life project.

As another interest I also organize events with electronic music - hardcore, hard techno, techno and hardstyle – under the name Factory of Sound. For that I created the FoS AR app, to augment our posters, leaflets and other graphics with virtual interactive content. Like TaleUp, it’s available for Android devices (Google Play Store or and Huawei GalleryApp).

You can follow Žiga and his various projects online: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TripAdvisor, Camooni, Tumblr, YouTube, Sports Tracker

The covers and editorials from leading weeklies of the Left and Right for the work-week ending Friday, 08 May 2020. All our stories about coronavirus and Slovenia are here

Mladina: Uprising is coming

STA, 8 May 2020 - The left-wing weekly Mladina says in Friday's editorial that there is mounting evidence a strong resistance movement against the current government is taking shape in Slovenia.

This is why Prime Minister Janez Janša is in a hurry - he would like to intervene in all structures of this country that he finds disturbing before the situation returns to normal, at least partly, says editor-in-chief Grega Repovž.

He knows that although a majority of Slovenians are horrified by the moves of his government they are handicapped now and unable to respond the way a mature, democratic society would.

"What we are witnessing is not normal assumption of power, which includes staffing changes, but bullying of society and the state administration."

But those in power cannot deny that last Friday, despite fears about coronavirus, thousands of cyclists took to the streets of Slovenian towns. In Ljubljana alone police counted 3,500 of them.

A Facebook group expressing support to whistleblower Ivan Gale has 70,000 followers. "People who were passive not long ago have started showing active interest in the media, which is shown in the ratings of political shows and a rise in the visits of websites that the public perceives as independent.

"That a network of resistance is being formed in Slovenia can be felt at every step," Repovž says.

Cyclists merely presage what is yet to come. Trade unions too are on the verge of rebellion, including because the government has completely frozen social dialogue.

In serious European countries (and companies) the opposite is happening: whoever wants the economy to recover knows this is the time to make a pact with trade unions.

And when it becomes clear that some government measures that are to help companies will have no real effect, the business elite will also turn against the government.

"The situation is going to get very serious soon. Since we are at the beginning of a crisis, this is very bad. Now we would need a government that would know how to create a sense of stability and security," Repovž says under the headline Outlines of Rebellion.

Demokracija: RTV Slovenija & Soros

STA, 7 May 2020 - The right-wing weekly Demokracija argues in its latest commentary that mainstream media criticism and protests against the government in Slovenia reflect a confrontation between conservative liberalism and the George Soros-sponsored liberal democracy, which is on its way out.

Jože Biščak, the editor-in-chief, notes how conservative parties in the Visegrad Group countries, including Viktor Orban's Fidezs, have turned away from liberalism as championed by Soros through his sponsorship of NGOs that supported liberal democracy parties in Eastern Europe in the 1990s.

He says that as a result of their eschewing progressivism/cultural Marxism, the parties, including the ruling Democrats (SDS) in Slovenia, are being targeted by liberal democrats today because they are mostly against accepting migrants, LGBT agenda, feminism, gender theory and life deniers.

"The enforcement of mixing and creation of chaos without a clearly defined future had been met with revolt among the healthy core of Europe's indigenous population (...) by the time of the great migration wave of 2015.

"It appears Covid-19 will accelerate its demise as in isolation people are again searching for their roots, identifying themselves with national culture and their nation, are looking for the lost faith in God. Hence panic everywhere.

"A textbook example is RTV Slovenija, which is no longer hiding its political and ideological bias, and its journalists Mojca Pašek Šetinc, Jelena Aščić and Eugenija Carl are typical representatives of the 'new order', stirring fear of the alleged dictatorship of 'not-our' government they cannot influence any longer.

"The government is good as long as it is headed by people with 'right', their ideas. Once it is not, the 'civil' sphere, educated in the spirit of Soros's tradition, gets activated, relying on the leftist logic of scaremongering. Violent street protests follow that seek to topple a legitimate government."

However, in conclusion of the piece whose headline carries the same message Biščak says that liberal democracy has already been put on a ventilator, "the one that has recently been making the far-fetched story of the media mainstream".

All our posts in this series are here

STA, 9 May 2020 - Gathering on Slovenia's beaches and at other public places on the coast remains banned, with the exception of individual sports activities, said Slovenian seaside mayors on Friday, ahead of what is likely to be a sunny weekend, coming a few days after the government extended the ban on gatherings.

Apart from the mayors of Slovenia's Istra region, the Koper Police Department and Health Inspectorate have joined the calls for complying with the ban, saying that any sun-bathing, socialising or loitering on the beaches is not allowed.

Citizens may bathe or swim though, but any time spent on the beach prior or after these activities must be kept short. Physical distancing should be maintained as well.

Patrol officers and representatives of the coastal civil protection unit will be on the lookout this weekend for any violators who might be tempted to hang out outside and enjoy the beach life.

Warmer temperatures and sunny skies are expected to attract more visitors to the seaside, with the police urging tolerant and responsible behaviour.

In the past few days, the government has lifted quite a few lockdown restrictions, including giving a go-ahead for reopening restaurants and certain shops, however preventive measures still apply there. Moreover, gatherings in public spaces are still off-limits.

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

This summary is provided by the STA:

Slovenia's Covid-19 death toll hits hundred

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's Covid-19 death toll rose to a hundred after one more patient died on Thursday. The total number of coronavirus cases so far confirmed hit 1,450 after one more infection was reported. This is the second day in a row that only one new infection was detected out of more than a thousand tests conducted daily. Number of Covid-19 patients in hospitals decreased to 47. However, the head of advisors to the Health Ministry, Bojana Beović, warned there were probably "hidden pockets" of persons infected with coronavirus, so social distancing restrictions could not yet be lifted.

Govt redistributing EUR 280m in EU funds

LJUBLJANA - Zvonko Černač, the minister responsible for cohesion policy, announced that EUR 280 million in EU funds would be redistributed to address pressing needs in healthcare, the economy, the labour market, development and education. Černač told the press that the legal foundations for the redistribution had been secured on the basis on EU measures for the mitigation of the coronavirus epidemic impact. Funds will be channelled into medical equipment, coronavirus research, job retention schemes, among other things.

Šarec denies accusations over PPE, lashes back

LJUBLJANA - In his first reaction to the serious accusations levelled against him in the government report on the procurement of personal protective equipment, the former Prime Minister Marjan Šarec denied the charge that he did nothing to replenish virtually empty stocks and failed to act to prevent an imminent health crisis. In a televised interview with TV Slovenija on Thursday, Šarec argued that PPE procurement had been in the purview of health institutions, and that Slovenia joint an EU bulk-buy of masks, which fell through though. He also argued the Janez Janša government should be forced out.

All medical, dental services resuming, yet under some restrictions

LJUBLJANA - At a correspondence session, the government issued a decree relaunching all medical and dental service yet under special conditions, which are set in another decree on temporary measures in healthcare to contain the Covid-19 epidemic. Both decrees will enter into force on Saturday. As the epidemic was declared in mid-March, all non-urgent medical services were suspended and dental surgeries closed, expect for a few emergency units around Slovenia. The government partly relaxed some non-urgent treatments and services already last month.

Anti-govt protest with face masks, on bicycles staged in several cities

LJUBLJANA/MARIBOR/KOPER - Several thousand protesters riding their bicycles in the centre of Ljubljana protested against the measures the government has imposed during the coronavirus epidemic, while the ban on public assembly is still in place. Police say that 5,500 people were at the rally. The police were at the site of the protest, also monitoring the area from a helicopter. Run under the slogan You Won't Take Us Our Freedom, the protest was a collaboration of various initiatives, which have however called on protesters to respect all the measures to protect public health. Cycling protests were also staged in Maribor, Celje, Koper and Nova Gorica, among others.

Exports up 1.1% in March y/y, imports fall by 3.3%

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia exported EUR 2.92 billion-worth of goods in March, a year-on-year increase of 1.1%, while imports were down 3.3% to EUR 2.77 billion, the Statistics Office said. In the first quarter of the year, exports rose by 6.5% and imports by 2.7%. This means an export/import ratio of 105.4, with the EUR 149.2 million surplus in external trade in goods being the highest in the last ten years. The biggest drop in trade was recorded with Italy.

Officials express Slovenia's commitment to EU on eve of Europe Day

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian officials came out strongly in favour of the EU despite some of its shortcomings as they sent out their messages on the eve of Europe Day. Foreign Minister Anže Logar stressed Slovenia's commitment to a united EU and enlargement, while President Borut Pahor said that in these times of crisis, the EU is not a problem but a solution. Speaker Igor Zorčič highlighted a number of challenges, from Brexit and migrations to the Covid-19 pandemic, and urged common solutions to further EU integration. EU Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčič highlighted that Slovenia, Europe and the world had never been so connected and expressed the belief that the EU would tackle the coronavirus crisis in the spirit of unity and solidarity.

Slovenia marks Victory Day

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor recalled that without the allied victory over Nazism and Fascism, the values shaped by European humanitarian thought would have been eradicated, turning Europe into a continent of devastation and hatred, as he hosted a special ceremony featuring the ambassadors of four WWII allies - the US, the UK, France and Russia. The Slovenian WWII Veterans' Association marked the 75th anniversary of the end of Second World War by laying wreaths at the monuments in Topolšica and Poljana.

FM discusses EU presidency, coronavirus with Spanish counterpart

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar held a video conference with his Spanish counterpart Arancha Gonzalez Laya. The ministers confirmed mutual interest in further strengthening the friendly ties, also in the light of Slovenia's upcoming EU presidency and the coronavirus pandemic. The Foreign Ministry said in a press release that Logar and Gonzales Laya had agreed to closely cooperate in Slovenia's preparations for its presidency of the EU Council in the second half of 2021. They also talked about the Covid-19 pandemic, underlining the importance of cooperation and solidarity among countries and the coordination of measures aimed at boosting the economy.

EU Commission to send 30,000 medical masks to Slovenia

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The EU Commission said it would deliver 30,000 medical face masks to Slovenia in the coming days as part of a first shipment of such protective gear to help protect healthcare workers fighting Covid-19 on the front lines. The first package is to be sent to 17 member states, including 1.5 million medical masks out of a total of 10 million purchased using the emergency aid instrument, said the Commission's spokesman Stefan de Keersmaecker. The purchase will bolster the supplies of several hundred thousands protective masks, which were sent by the European emergency medical equipment reserve in the past weeks, as well as the EU Civil protection Mechanism support.

Basic income extended to 37,500 self-employed

LJUBLJANA - The Financial Administration paid a second monthly basic allowance to self-employed, farmers and religious workers who lost their income as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, transferring at total of EUR 27.5 million to more than 37,500 claimants. The allowance amounts to EUR 350 for March and EUR 700 for April. From the time the epidemic was declared on 13 March and by the end of March, the state also paid over EUR 90 million in social contributions instead of companies.

Fifteen builders interested in constructing Koper-Divača track

LJUBLJANA - A total of 15 construction companies and consortiums, mostly from China, are interested in building the new railway between the port of Koper and Divača. 2TDK, the state company managing the project, has assessed 10 of them as suitable, and is now to enter negotiation on the price. 2TDK published two calls for applications for the EUR 1bn-plus project on 11 November 2019 - one for the construction of the track between Divača and Črni Kal, and the other between Črni Kal and Koper. The project was split in two, because of geological structure of the terrain and the lower price expected as a result.

Slovenian Press Agency increases revenue by 4% in 2019

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Press Agency posted EUR 4.23 million in revenue in 2019, a 4% increase on the year before, and generated a net profit of EUR 10,650, up from about EUR 9,000 in 2018, shows the agency's annual report which was confirmed by the supervisory board this week. Slightly less than half of the revenue came from state budget support for the agency's public service, this compensation however continues to fall short of covering the expenses of this service.

World premiere of Carmina Slovenica's latest piece next week

MARIBOR - The latest production of the acclaimed women's choir Carmina Slovenica, entitled "Threnos (for the Throat)", will premiere internationally on 14 May on the web platform of the international festival Operadagen in Rotterdam. The broadcast, to start at noon, will feature the video of the performance delivered by Carmina Slovenica in the Maribor Minoriti church on 9 March, just before the coronavirus epidemic was declared Slovenia.

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

STA, 8 May 2020 - Thousands of protesters on bicycles took to the streets of Ljubljana, Marbor, Celje, Koper and elsewhere to peacefully protest against the government limiting civil liberties during the coronavirus epidemic, while the ban on public assembly is still in place. The Ljubljana rally was by far the biggest, bringing together some 5,500 by police count. 

Run under the slogan You Won't Take Our Freedom, the protests were a joint effort of various civil initiatives, which had however called on protesters to respect all the measures to protect public health.

The protesters gathered opposite the National Assembly in Ljubljana's Republic Square, which was cordoned off so that the protesters - some media reports put the figure at 10,000 - could not approach the Parliament House.

They later took a ride past several state institutions in the city, and were cheered by locals clapping their hands from nearby windows.

The police said the Parliament House was cordoned off for safety. The police used megaphones to warn the protesters to respect the rules and that video surveillance was used. They also monitored the area from a helicopter.

Some protesters carried banners critical of the government and of President Borut Pahor, most their bicycle bells and some used cow bells.

Support was also expressed for Agency for Commodity Reserves employee Ivan Gale, who has recently publicly spoken about the pressure on the agency during the purchase of personal protective equipment.

Ploskali pred @ukclj in @RTV_Slovenija. Več kot nas bo, prej bomo na cilju. pic.twitter.com/esOry0RryQ

— Jedrt Jež Furlan (@JedrtJF) May 8, 2020

Zvonenje, ploskanje in občasno usklajeno vzklikanje vzdolž Slovenske ceste. Na skirojih in kolesih, pod budnim helikoptrskim nadzorom / @vecer pic.twitter.com/L3F9KlRYV0

— Žana Vertačnik (@ZanaVertacnik) May 8, 2020

Trg SVOBODE pic.twitter.com/Dn2nRRfSD5

— marko brumen (@multikultivator) May 8, 2020

Lepo je to videt. @policija_si ???? pic.twitter.com/rhAnrfwS9Y

— Matej Špehar (@MatejSpehar) May 8, 2020

ene par folka pa je. https://t.co/8GypwxodVD

— jaKa Močnik (@jkmcnk) May 8, 2020

The protesters mostly wore face masks, and shouts "criminals" could be heard. T-shirts with a Wake Up slogan were being sold in nearby Slovenska Street.

The protesters' anti-government sentiment seemed quite clear. "I came here to celebrate Victory Day and I hope we'll also celebrate another victory ... when we topple the government," one protester told the STA's reporter.

Another one said he was sick of the situation in Slovenia, where he believes "a silent coup d'etat is taking place".

Some were more positive, with one saying he wanted to show support for a more positive approach to the situation. "I'm not against, but for better politics, for better conditions, life."

Another protester said he protested against corruption and the leading media outlets, which he accused of bias and questioned the gap between a low Covid-19 death rate and the fact that everything is in lockdown.

Some politicians could also be seen there, including opposition Left head Luka Mesec, whose party was the only one to explicitly support the protest.

Other opposition parties had said the place for politicians to resolve problems was parliament. Trade unionist Branimir Štrukelj was also at the protest.

Much fewer people gathered in Maribor, Koper, Celje, as well as other, smaller towns across the country. Several hundred protesters gathered in Maribor for a protest very similar to the one in Ljubljana.

In Koper, several dozen carried banners saying Government Should Resign, and Criminals to Prison, Freedom to the Nation. The informal anthem of the Primorska region, a WWII anti-Fascist song, could also be heard.

Already last Friday, some 3,500 protesters took to the streets of Ljubljana in a similar protest. The 1 May protest came after a protest series started with protests at home and on balconies.

Meanwhile over 100 signatories of the Forum for Democracy, among them many established university teachers and researchers, also support the protests.

In a public letter they said that "if the people's rule is at stake, the people should claim it back".

The letter noted that their fears from a similar February letter that the Democrat (SDS)-led coalition would take Slovenia toward authoritarianism were coming true.