STA, 25 April 2020 - Embracing a dissenting opinion in a recent Constitutional Court ruling, which tasked the government with examining each week whether its lockdown restrictions remain justified, Prime Minister Janez Janša tweeted on Saturday that "Slovenia unfortunately has the most politically biased Constitutional Court so far".

Dvojna merila so smrt kredibilnosti vsake institucije, sodne še posebej. Vzpostavljajo t.i. selektivno pravico. Žal imamo v #Si najbolj spolitizirano #US doslej, večinsko oblikovano po željah leve in skrajno leve ideološke sfere, ki celo o isti stvari danes tako, jutri drugače. https://t.co/0dq8QhGnQv

— Janez Janša (@JJansaSDS) April 25, 2020

"Double standards mean the death of any institution, especially judicial. They are setting up so called selective justice," Janša wrote.

He added the current line-up of the Constitutional Court was in the "majority formed in line with the wishes of the left and far-left ideological sphere, and even changes its position on uniform matters depending on the day".

The prime minster wrote this as a comment of a dissenting opinion issued by Constitutional Court judge Klemen Jaklič, who had also been against the court admitting the challenge to the lockdown decree in the first place.

While the court is still deliberating on the challenge as a whole and only suspended a provision that stated the measures will be in place "until the cessation of the reasons", Jaklič argued that the petitioner had failed to prove legitimate legal interest and seek justice at lower instances first.

He added the feeling had been created that the court was selecting privileged petitioners in what violated the law and constitutional rules.

The current limit on public gatherings and general social distancing measures are preventing marches and rallies as forms of organised protest, but on Friday many still turned out in Ljubljana to show their disquiet at recent actions of the new government, getting around the restrictions by riding on bicycles, drawing attention by ringing the bells. Those in the streets where joined by others on balconies, making noise with pots and pans.

The protest, which is due to take place again at 7pm on 1 May – and perhaps every Friday in the weeks to come – aims to highlight what the participants claim are moves to exploit the covid-19 crisis to consolidate the power of the new Janez Janša led government, not least through attacks on the media and courts, as well as increases in police power and attempts to move troops to the southern border. Moreover, the protest gained a new focus on Thursday with the explosive claims of a whistleblower, supported with recordings and texts, that indicate high level corruption in recent deals to purchase personal protective equipment.

So don’t be surprised if you find yourself on the otherwise quiet streets of Ljubljana in the lockdown days ahead, on a Friday around 7pm, and come across a crowd of cyclists loudly heading towards Republike trg (the square in front of Parliament ), or hear pots and pans banging into the evening. Until things open up again, it may be the sound of the spring.

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 records 15 new Covid-19 cases, virus also among Slovenian KFOR soldiers

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 15 new Covid-19 cases on Friday, which brings the total number of infections to 1,388. One more person died for a total death toll of 81, according to government data released today. The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 declined by one to 77, of whom 23 were in intensive care, down by one. Slovenia has so far performed 48,179 coronavirus tests, 1,161 of which on Friday. Meanwhile, three Slovenian solders serving in the NATO-led mission in Kosovo (KFOR) have been diagnosed with Covid-19, the Slovenian Armed Forces confirmed. They are presently quarantined at a base in Prishtina, are feeling stable and will be brought home as soon as possible.

PM says restrictions here to stay, no inter-municipal movement during holidays

LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša commented on the state of the epidemic following Friday's evaluation meeting by saying many of the restrictions in place in Slovenia and the EU "will remain in place in the foreseeable future". Janša said the government's measures were also based on a very serious situation in the neighbourhood and the "very negative experience of countries that are battling repeated outbreaks". A tweet by the government meanwhile showed there are no plans to lift the movement and gatherings ban for the May holidays, meaning people will no be able to leave their municipality. "The epidemic is still simmering and data from comprehensive random population testing is not in yet," the explanation reads.

Milan Krek selected for new Public Health Institute director

LJUBLJANA - The overhauled council of the Public Health Institute (NIJZ) selected Milan Krek, the head of the NIJZ's Koper unit, as the institute's new director. Krek's appointment still requires a nod from the government, which however seems certain given that Krek has been appearing at its coronavirus briefings in recent weeks following the government's clash with the institute's current leadership. Krek, a doctor who became the head of the Koper NIJZ unit in 2006 after he had ran the government office for narcotics, is to replace acting director Ivan Eržen, who was appointed by the new government as Nina Pirnat was moved to the Health Ministry's Healthcare Directorate on 20 March.

PM says Constitutional Court the most politically biased to date

LJUBLJANA - Embracing a dissenting opinion in a recent Constitutional Court ruling, which tasked the government with examining each week whether its lockdown restrictions remain justified, Prime Minister Janez Janša tweeted that "Slovenia unfortunately has the most politically biased Constitutional Court so far". "Double standards mean the death of any institution, especially judical. They are setting up so called selective justice," Janša wrote. He added the current lineup of the Constitutional Court was in the "majority formed in line with the wishes of the left and far-left ideological sphere, and even changes its position on uniform matters depending on the day".

Foreign Ministry crisis repatriation taskforce ends operations

LJUBLJANA - A special consular taskforce at the Foreign Ministry that has helped repatriate several hundred Slovenians during the coronavirus crisis will end its operations on Sunday, the ministry announced, saying the number of Slovenians who wished to return home due to the Covid-19 pandemic had decreased substantially in recent weeks. The taskforce organised repatriation flights and rides that helped return 674 Slovenians home along with 136 foreign citizens. When factoring in those who made it back alone with some assistance from the taskforce, the total number of Slovenians to return home exceeds 2,000, the ministry said.

Mercator reports higher profit for 2019

LJUBLJANA - Retailer Mercator saw its sales revenue increase by 1.8% to EUR 2.14 billion in 2019 as net profit nearly tripled to EUR 4.7 million from EUR 1.6 million in 2018. Revenue from retail sales, Mercator's core business, increased by 2.2% to EUR 1.7 billion. Normalised gross operating profit (EBITDA) rose by more than 60% to EUR 172.5 million. The retail group, which is part of the insolvent Croatian holding Agrokor, reduced its debt by almost a quarter last year, mostly as a result of its real estate monetisation. Net financial debt by comparable standards amounted to EUR 587 million and the net debt-to-EBITDA ratio was reduced from 7.2 to 5.2.

Paraglider dies in crash with ultralight airplane near Ajdovščina

AJDOVŠČINA - A paraglider was killed today in a crash with an ultralight airplaine that occurred near the town of Ajdovščina (SE) at around 11am. The paraglider and the airplaine both crashed to the ground after the impact, but the pilot and passenger of the airplane survived, albeit with serious injuries, the first reports suggest. According to the police, the pilot activated the emergency parachute installed in ultralight aircraft and thereby saved his own and his passenger's life.

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. Today it’s Lucija Kobal, with one a series from Tam Tam, which you can see here.

Contents

Slovenia records 15 new Covid-19 cases, death toll up by one to 81

Janša says restrictions here to stay, no inter-municipal movement during holidays

Insurance agents and car washes back in business

Slovenia records 15 new Covid-19 cases, death toll up by one to 81

STA, 25 April 2020 - Slovenia recorded 15 new Covid-19 cases on Friday, which brings the total number of infections to 1,388. One more person died for a total death toll of 81, according to government data released on Saturday.

The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 declined by one to 77, of whom 23 were in intensive care, down by one.

Slovenia has so far performed 48,179 coronavirus tests, 1,161 of which on Friday.

Back to the contents

Janša says restrictions here to stay, no inter-municipal movement during holidays

STA, 25 April 2020 - Prime Minister Janez Janša commented on the state of the coronavirus epidemic on Saturday by saying many of the restrictions in place in Slovenia and the EU "will remain in place in the foreseeable future". The government indicated movement would stay limited to municipal borders also during the May holidays.

As part of a series of tweets, Janša said the government's measures were also based on a very serious situation in the neighbourhood and the "very negative experience of countries that are battling repeated outbreaks".

The government also issued a tweet today in the wake of an assessment meeting held on Friday, summarising the recommendation by it's chief medical adviser for the epidemic, Bojana Beović, to preserve the ban on movement between municipalities, since it has proven effective.

"Because a lot of movement can be expected during the May holidays and given that available data shows the epidemic is still simmering and that the data from comprehensive random population testing is not in yet, we have decided to recommend the extension of the existing measures," the government summed up Beović's explanation.

Janša meanwhile announced a number of activities would able to resume soon, but that it would be crucial to follow three key preventative measures: "Disinfecting of hands and meeting points, keeping a safe distance and using protective masks where this (distance) is not possible."

While noting available data put Slovenia among the most successful European countries in the fight against the Covid-19, Janša said experts in Slovenia and in the EU were busy adopting standards to launch different systems, including education, tourism and public transport, so they could function again at least in a limited scope despite the virus.

The government's taskforce that examined the situation on Friday in cooperation with experts from the Health Ministry, will meet again on 29 April to look at fresh data and adopt decisions based on the latests findings.

The Constitutional Court ordered the government on 17 April to immediately verify the justification for restrictions on the movement of persons put in place to contain the spread of coronavirus, and to keep examining each week if the decree imposing these restrictions is still justifiable.

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Insurance agents and car washes back in business

STA, 25 April 2020 - Car washes and insurance agents will be able to resume their business on Saturday, after the government added new exemptions to the ban on the sale of goods and services during the coronavirus epidemic.

The cabinet gave its go-ahead for the most recent easing of the lockdown rules last night, when it also extended the general temporary ban on the movement and gathering of people in public places and ban on movement outside municipality or residence.

This was as the decree imposing the ban was amended to include a provision that the justification of the measures would be checked once a week, as mandated by the Constitutional Court.

Several exemptions had already been enforced since the government imposed a temporary ban on most retail establishments in mid March to contain the coronavirus epidemic.

Only grocery stores, pharmacies, banks, post offices, petrol stations, news stands and stores selling agricultural products remained open until pet food shops were added to the exemptions from 21 March and florist shops and nurseries from 3 April, along with construction works not involving contacts with customers.

Several more stores and services were allowed to resume their operations last Monday, including DIY stores, car showrooms, stores selling bicycles, technical goods and furniture, dry cleaners and some repair shops such as tyre change and car repair and car painter's shops.

Since Monday services also resumed that are performed outdoors such as gardening services, roof and facade work, and takeaways involving minimum contact with customers.

Outdoor sports and recreational grounds such as tennis courts, golf courses and track and field areas also reopened for activities that do not involve close contact.

Yet more services will be available from 4 May, with the reopening of hair salons, beauty parlours, dog and cat grooming salons and shops of up to 400 m2 sales space, except for those in shopping centres.

Social distancing and safety measures such as the wearing of face masks in indoor places, hand sanitising and disinfection remain mandatory in all the establishments.

Back to the contents

The covers and editorials from leading weeklies of the Left and Right for the work-week ending Friday, 24 March 2020. All our stories about coronavirus and Slovenia are here

Mladina: Počivalšek in dire situation over mask purchases

STA, 24 April 2020 – The left-wing weekly Mladina says in its latest commentary that Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek is in a dire position over the blunders with purchases of protective equipment. Not only has he fallen out of favour with PM Janez Janša, he also faces the possibility of the MPs of the party he presides turning their backs on him.

Grega Repovž, the editor-in-chief of the left-leaning weekly, says that considering the developments, it is becoming obvious that the "story about the effective and self-sacrificing campaign to buy masks and other protective equipment will end really badly."

And the person for whom it is to end badly is not just anybody, it is Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek, the president of the coalition Modern Centre Party (SMC), who is obviously "not aware yet how large a snowball is descending upon him".

Repovž notes that the minister is not aware that the snowball is not being rolled only by the media, which are the least of a problem, or criminal police officers who investigate the purchases, or the opposition.

"The snowball is now being rolled by the coalition partner Janez Janša. And it is likely that Počivalšek's SMC party, which does not want to go down with him, will join Janša. This is what Počivalšek is actually facing."

The latest discoveries about the purchases have prompted criminal police officers to visit the Agency for Commodity Reserves, with Počivalšek reacting by quickly dismissing its director Anton Zakrajšek, a member of Janša's Democratic Party (SDS).

Zakrajšek, who was on sick leave, said the following day that he was keeping tabs on Počivalšek's dealings, that he knew everything, and that he would talk about this, Repovž adds in the commentary headlined Počivalšek in Dire Straits.

Počivalšek has only small chances of surviving this politically, as protective masks are too sensitive of a matter, and if he is to face a motion of no confidence, it will be really difficult to defend him, even for his own MPs.

"At a certain point, they will realise that they can't defend him. And why would they? Počivalšek himself let everybody know that this is now a party of pure pragmatism. If they have changed political colours and coalition, why would't they replace Počivalšek too?".

Demokracija: Deep left-right differences in response to pandemic

STA, 23 April 2020 – The right-wing Demokracija magazine argues in Thursday's commentary that the left and the right have reacted to the coronavirus crisis in fundamentally different ways, the left "showing yet again how two-faced they are".

When some governments adopted fairly strict measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19, leftists started demanding a free market economy with all the attendant liberties. Together with the mainstream media, they are indignant at people being unable to travel freely, at some shops being closed and suddenly they feel pity for private businesses, the paper says in Chronicles of the Primitive Mind.

"In fact, the virus misfortune has laid painfully bare the difference between the left and right perception of the world. While the left would control and restrict in peacetime and create (anarchistic) chaos in times of crisis, jeopardising human lives, the right resorts to restrictions of human rights and fundamental liberties exclusively in 'wartime' (which a pandemic is) while letting people freely act, work and live in normal circumstances."

What is worst for the left is that people tend to look up to the leaders of nation states in times such as the coronavirus era, rather than expecting salvation from supranational organisations, Demokracija says, noting that leftists see strong nation states, even if their strict measures prove effective, as "a step towards dictatorship".

"This can easily be called a globalist reflex, a primitive mind assuming that a greater number of infected and dead persons is preferable to the right gaining trust among the public. This is why efforts by the coalition need to be cancelled, measures boycotted. Whatever happens, Janša's centre-right government will be blamed anyway.

"This kind of thinking is more primitive than the thinking of an average crook. Whereas the crook allows for the possibility that he may be to blame in certain circumstances (because he did not abide by the rules), leftist crooks (regardless of the circumstances and actions) always claim that somebody else is to blame," the paper concludes.

All our posts in this series are here

STA, 24 April 2020 - A report by public broadcaster TV Slovenija on Thursday showed extensive political interference in the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE), with a senior employee of the Commodities and Reserves Agency pointing a finger at Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek, his aides and former executives. Počivalšek denies any wrongdoing.

Ivan Gale, who stood in for the agency's director Anton Zakrajšek after he contracted the coronavirus, told the Tarča current affairs show that Počivalšek had personally intervened in favour of a ventilator contract with the company Geneplanet worth EUR 8 million.

A recording of a phone call between Počivalšek and a representative of the agency was played in which Počivalšek provides guidance on how the contract should be handled.

Počivalšek also "sent his envoy Andreja Potočnik to the agency and she pressured us, the director, screamed at the head of finance to transfer the money to the company," Gale said.

The agency had also been pressured into signing a contract with Geneplanet for a million FFP2-type masks for frontline staff by Potočnik,a member of a government task force for the purchase of PPE, and another member of the task force, Mitja Terče, according to Gale.

Gale said he had talked to Počivalšek several times and had been told to "be cooperative, listen to Terče". The minister himself, however, "avoided being held to account". "You will not find any consent or signature by the minister or the secretary on any contract, the gentlemen decided to shift this to others."

Gale also believes that Zakrajšek, who has recently been replaced as agency director, was pressured into resigning.

Počivalšek responded today, saying that the story was an orchestrated "hunt on my head". He acknowledged things could have been done better, but he said the situation at the start of the epidemic had been unprecedented.

"Neither me nor my colleagues have lobbied or politically influenced decisions in any way," Počivalšek said, adding that the goal had been to speed up procedures and secure protective equipment for the frontline at a time when it was needed the most.

"If employees at the agency had worked at the same pace ... as they had been used to in peacetime, we would still not have emergency equipment to this day," Počivalšek said.

He sees no need to resign over the accusations. "I don't see a scandal in the equipment purchasing, I see work well done," he said.

Terče issued a written statement to TV Slovenija saying he had acted transparently and in the interest of the country. He denied pressuring anyone.

Gale mentioned several other current and former officials as exerting pressure, including former MEP and prime minister Lojze Peterle, who intervened with the agency for the supply of masks from Germany, offering a small company owned by his daughter as a go-between.

Damijan Jaklin, state secretary at the Defence Ministry, the head of an interdepartmental task force reviewing offers for the supply of equipment, pushed for a contract with Inovatio, a Maribor-based company. "For this provider in particular the pressure was unusual," Gale said.

Marjan Podobnik, the president of the non-parliamentary People's Party (SLS), pressured the agency's director to conclude a deal with Dobnik Trade, a small company from Slovenska Bistrica. Gale said he had threatened the director that he would lose his job.

Another company that the agency was pressured into signing a contract with is Acron, which has been in the spotlight in recent weeks because the mother of Defence Minister Matej Tonin is a senior employee there.

Acron has signed several contracts with the agency worth roughly EUR 30 million, with Gale saying that Acron had turned out to be a reliable supplier but had "always been a privileged supplier".

Tonin has repeatedly denied intervening on behalf of Acron and has asked the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption to look into the deals.

Yesterday, before the report aired, the opposition Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) said it would file a no-confidence motion against Počivalšek, however, the only other party to support this was the opposition Left.

This has meanwhile changed, as the opposition Social Democrats (SD) and the Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) have also backed the plan. The LMŠ said today that a constructive no-confidence vote against the entire government was also possible but would be hard to pull off.

The LMŠ called on Tonin to resign as well, while the defence minister said this morning that many of the issues raised in the report had been news to him.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Janša tweeted that the government had ordered reports from all bodies involved in PPE procurement, which will also show how much PPE Slovenia had when his government had taken over from the team led by Marjan Šarec just over a month ago.

Janša said the reports would be sent to the National Assembly, while Tonin, is a statement for commercial broadcaster Kanal A, said that the reports would also be sent to investigative authorities. Once it is established what had happened, accountability will be demanded, Tonin added.

Today, reports suggested that Gale had been assigned police protection but this has been denied by the police. It prompted, however, Transparency International Slovenija to call on the authorities not only to examine the contentious procedures, but also to protect whistleblowers.

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:

Whistleblower claims Commodities Reserves Agency victim of political pressure, minister denies wrongdoing

LJUBLJANA - A whistleblower from the Commodities Reserves Agency came forward with accusations of political pressure in the purchasing of protective personal equipment, telling a TV Slovenija show on Thursday evening that certain providers had been favoured and the agency sidelined by task forces set up at the economy and defence ministries. Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek, who has been accused of intervening personally, acknowledged this, but said this was to expedite procedures rather than to favour specific suppliers. He described the story as an orchestrated "hunt on my head" and said he would not resign. Prime Minister janez Janša and Defence Minister MAtej Tonin said the government had ordered reports from all bodies involved in PPE procurement, which would be sent to parliament and investigative authorities.

LMŠ says no-confidence vote in entire govt is in the cards

LJUBLJANA - The head of the deputy group of the opposition Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ), Brane Golubović, said that after latest revelations regarding the purchase of protective and other medical equipment to tackle the Covid-19 epidemic, a vote of no-confidence in the entire government was in the cards. Since Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek and Defence Minister Matej Tonin did not offer their resignation and PM Janez Janša did not propose their dismissal, it is possible that a vote of no-confidence in the entire government will be held, Golubović said a day after LMŠ head Marjan Šarec announced a motion to oust Počivalšek.

Pahor says no constitutional right should be suspended during crisis

LJUBLJANA - Even during the coronavirus epidemic no constitutional right is or must be denied to citizens, President Borut Pahor said as he commented on the announcement of a vote of no-confidence in Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek over his role in the purchases of protective personal equipment. Speaking for national radio on Thursday, Pahor said decisions in this respect must be proportionate so as not to hinder decision-makers in their efforts to tackle the crisis. All departures must be noticed and sanctioned but in a way that does not affect this focus on helping people, Pahor said. "People are smart and they will be able to assess who has proved in this period that they had made the right decisions and put the interests of the community interests first."

Gradual opening of borders for tourists might start in May

LJUBLJANA - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek expects that the restrictions affecting tourism, chiefly closed borders, could gradually be relaxed in May. The government is thus working on "a corona standard" to provide for the safety of tourists and tourism workers. He said the government was trying to define protocols for individual sectors of tourism in collaboration with businesses and the National Institute of Public Health. "We'll set a corona standard so that both guests and staff feel safe," he said. With over 70% of tourists coming to Slovenia from abroad, the focus is on convincing them that tourist services are provided in a safe manner.

SID Bank posted EUR 32 million net profit for 2019

LJUBLJANA - SID Bank, the state-run export and development bank, more than doubled net profit in 2019 to EUR 32 million. "SID Bank performed well and, taking into account certain one-off events, recorded a historically record year in terms of profit," the management stated in the annual report. The bank said its "strong capital position and robustness further strengthened" as its capital increased by 9.9% to EUR 464 million, while its capital adequacy stood at 34%. The surge in profit by EUR 17.7 million was the result of the sale of a subsidiary and the repayment of a portion of non-performing claims.

Pahor and Steinmeier call for EU-wide solidarity

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian President Borut Pahor and his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier noted the importance of solidarity and cooperation between EU countries during the coronavirus pandemic as they talked on the telephone, calling for faster and more efficient action on the part of EU institutions. According to Pahor's office, the two presidents spoke mostly about the situation and relationships within the EU. They noted the risk of countries shutting in on themselves in the current situation and of losing faith in the European project. They also exchanged information on the current developments in the coronavirus epidemic in their countries, finding that the situation allowed a gradual and cautious return to a normal life.

Tourism, retail severely affected by coronavirus

LJUBLJANA - The Covid-19 crisis severely affected March figures for tourism and retail business. Accommodation facilities recorded a 75% drop in arrivals and 67% fewer night stays over March 2019, while retail revenue fell by 15.1% year on year, the latest Statistics Office figures show. Although the lockdown in March was in place only slightly more than the last two weeks, it affected tourism figures for the entire first quarter. The January-to-March period recorded a 28% drop in tourist arrivals over the same period in 2019 and a 23% decrease in nights. Business sentiment meanwhile fell by an unprecedented 35.8 percentage points in April compared to March to a record low of -39.5 percentage points.

Minister hopes for solution to Gorenje layoffs

LJUBLJANA - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek said he would meet the management of home appliances maker Gorenje to try and find a solution after the company announced it would cut 1,000 jobs in Slovenia. He said Gorenje was seen as a good example of well organised production that was planned to be upgraded or restructured with a new television factory to avoid major layoffs. "We'll do everything for the new TV set factory to be built in the town of Velenje and for the planned redundancies to be resolved to the benefit of workers and consequently the state."

More than 32,000 self-employed get monthly allowance

LJUBLJANA - Just over 32,000 self-employed, farmers and religious workers who lost their income as a result of the coronavirus pandemic got their monthly basic income on Friday, a total of EUR 11.2 million for March. The EUR 350 allowance was transferred to claimants who submitted a statement via the Financial Administration's e-tax system by 18 April that the epidemic prevented them from doing business or severely affected its scope. The self-employed, farmers and religious workers are also temporarily exempted from social contribution payments.

MPs call for withdrawal of govt letter to CoE

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary foreign policy and culture committees called on the Foreign Ministry to withdraw the government's controversial letter to the Council of Europe (CoE) about the state of the media in Slovenia, which says that the majority of the media in Slovenia stem from the Communist regime. The committees proposed to the ministry to withdraw the letter and call on all public office holders to refrain from restricting journalist work and editors' independence, and the public's right to being informed, in any way. The letter, sent to the CoE at the beginning of April, was a response to an alert issued by the CoE after PM Janez Janša tweeted in late March that the public broadcaster RTV Slovenija was misleading the public.

Commissioner Jourova contacts Slovenian authorities over media freedom situation

BRUSSELS, Belgium - European Commission vice-president and Commissioner for Values and Transparency Vera Jourova announced she had contacted Slovenian authorities over the media freedom situation in the country. "No hate, no threats, no personal attacks," reads part of Jourova's message to the government. Jourova's reaction comes in response to an appeal by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and six other press freedom organisations for the Commission to put pressure on the Slovenian government and remind it of its responsibility to "protect the press, to ensure journalists are able to report independently."

Getting married made possible again from Tuesday

LJUBLJANA - Couples in Slovenia will be able to get married again from Tuesday under special terms after civil ceremonies were suspended in mid-March due to the coronavirus epidemic. Marriage ceremonies will be possible "in a somewhat scaled-down setup, with due consideration of the circumstances", Public Administration Minister Boštjan Koritnik announced. If the newly wed couple and the honour attendants need to cross municipal borders, they will be issued a special license by the administrative unit.

SSH finishes 2019 with loss, posts 6.8% return on equity

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH) posted a pre-tax profit of EUR 2.2 million and EUR 16.6 million in net loss last year, but estimates to have recorded a 6.8% return on equity. This is 0.6 percentage points above the 2019 target and just as much above the return on equity from 2018. The management largely attributed the loss to EUR 37 million in provisions for denationalisation and to deferred taxes. It said that the 6.2% target return on equity will be exceeded despite major changes in its portfolio, notably the sale of banks.

Football Association honoured with Golden Order of Merit

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor honoured the Slovenian Football Association with the Golden Order of Merit for helping establish football as a mass sport in the country and as a sport that is played at the highest level. Conferring the decoration on the centenary of organised football in Slovenia, Pahor said the association had helped produce a number of top players and coaches who are also excelling internationally, adding the association organises numerous events at national and regional level, as well as social responsibility projects that inspire the young.

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. Today it’s Igor Andjelić. You can see more of his work here.

Contents

Seven new coronavirus cases recorded, death toll up by one to 80

Tourism, retail severely affected by coronavirus

Gradual opening of borders for tourists might start in May

Getting married made possible again from Tuesday

More than 32,000 self-employed get monthly allowance

Seven new coronavirus cases recorded, death toll up by one to 80

STA, 24 April 2020 - Slovenia recorded seven new coronavirus cases on Thursday to bring the total number of infections to 1,373, as one more person died for a total death toll of 80, according to government data released on Friday.

The number of people in hospital with Covid-19 declined by two to 78, of whom 24 were in intensive care, up by one.

Slovenia has so far performed just over 47,000 coronavirus tests, with 1,315 performed on Thursday.

Back to the contents

Tourism, retail severely affected by coronavirus

STA, 24 April 2020 - The Covid-19 crisis has severely affected March figures for tourism and retail business. Accommodation facilities recorded a 75% drop in arrivals and 67% fewer night stays over March 2019, while retail revenue fell by 15.1% year on year, the latest Statistics Office figures released on Friday show.

The country switched to a lockdown mode on 16 March, when a temporary government ban on selling goods and services entered into force.

As a result, the number of domestic tourists decreased by 69% and the number of nights fell by 62%. The drop for tourists from abroad was even sharper, at 78% and 71%, respectively.

The number of tourists from Italy, one of Europe's major coronavirus hotspots, plummeted by as much as 85%.

Although the lockdown in March was in place only slightly more than the last two weeks, it affected tourism figures for the entire first quarter.

The January-to-March period recorded a 28% drop in tourist arrivals over the same period in 2019 and a 23% decrease in nights.

While 2019 was the sixth consecutive record year for Slovenia's tourism industry, the Slovenian Tourist Board expects a 60-70% slump this year in the best-case scenario, that is if restriction easing begins as early as June, and several years needed for full recovery.

With most of the shops except for groceries closing on 16 March, retail revenue was down 13.5% in real terms in March over February and 15.1% over March last year.

Contributing the most to the annual drop was a 22.5% drop in the revenue of non-food shops and a 25.65% drop in specialised shops selling fuels, that is petrol stations. Groceries meanwhile posted a rise of 4.8% in real terms.

Retail revenue was by 7% lower in the first three months than in the same period last year, with service stations seeing the biggest drop of 14.4%.

The service stations were affected the most in all three comparisons: revenue dropped by 35.5% over February, by 37.4% over March 2019 and by 14.3% in the first three months compared to the same period last year.

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Gradual opening of borders for tourists might start in May

STA, 24 April 2020 - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek, who is in charge of tourism, expects that the restrictions affecting tourism, chiefly closed borders, could gradually be relaxed in May. The government is thus working on "a corona standard" to provide for the safety of tourists and tourism workers.

He said the government was trying to define protocols for individual sectors of tourism in collaboration with businesses and the National Institute of Public Health.

"We'll set a corona standard so that both guests and staff feel safe," he said at the government's coronavirus briefing in Ljubljana on Friday.

With over 70% of tourists coming to Slovenia from abroad, the focus is on convincing them that tourist services are provided in a safe manner.

"This is a prerequisite for thinking about opening the borders. I gather the first steps in this respect would be taken in May."

EU ministers in charge of tourism will discuss the matter on Monday, to be followed by a meeting of ministers of Central European countries which can be reached by car.

On Wednesday or Thursday, Počivalšek will meet his counterpart from neighbouring Croatia and a meeting with the Austrian side is also planned.

The Covid-19 crisis severely affected March figures for tourism, with accommodation facilities recording a 75% drop in arrivals and 67% fewer night stays over March 2019, the latest Statistics Office figures show.

The number of tourists from Italy, one of Europe's major coronavirus hotspots, plummeted by 85%, followed by Austrians (-71%) and Croatians (-64%).

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Getting married made possible again from Tuesday

STA, 24 April - Couples in Slovenia will be able to get married again from Tuesday under special terms after civil ceremonies were suspended in mid-March due to the coronavirus epidemic. But weddings are still off.

Marriage ceremonies will be possible "in a somewhat scaled-down setup, with due consideration of the circumstances", Public Administration Minister Boštjan Koritnik announced at a briefing on Friday.

If the newly wed couple and the honour attendants need to cross municipal borders, they will be issued a special license by the administrative unit.

The Public Administration Ministry ordered all administrative units in mid-March to suspend all but the most urgent business and services, including issuing marriage licences.

As the number of new coronavirus cases has been reduced to a trickle, the authorities have been easing some of the restrictions.

From Tuesday, couples will be able to get married in official offices or outdoors. Apart from the newly-weds, the official clerk can be present. If the ceremony is outdoors, the best man and maid of honour can be present too, the minister said.

A decision on whether to allow the best man and maid of honour to be present at an indoor ceremony will be taken by the leadership of the administrative unit in charge.

However, in such a case the room or hall needs to be large enough to allow sufficient distance between everyone attending.

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More than 32,000 self-employed get monthly allowance

STA, 24 April 2020 - Just over 32,000 self-employed, farmers and religious workers who lost their income as a result of the coronavirus pandemic got their monthly basic income on Friday, a total of EUR 11.2 million for March.

The EUR 350 allowance was transferred to claimants who submitted a statement via the Financial Administration's e-tax system by 18 April that the epidemic prevented them from doing business or severely affected its scope.

Based on the applications, the Financial Administration today transferred a total of EUR 11.2 million to 32,015 beneficiaries, publishing their names on its web site.

Apart from the basic monthly income, the first stimulus package, in effect since 11 April, also exempts the self-employed, farmers and religious workers of social contribution payments.

They are eligible for aid from 13 March when Slovenia declared the epidemic to the end of May. For April and May they will get monthly allowances of EUR 700.

Those who filed their applications by 18 April were transferred money today, while the rest can do so by 31 May, with the money to be added to one of the next transfers planned for 10 May and 10 June.

Eligible for the allowance are those who suffered a loss of income of at least 25% in March compared to February, or a 50% drop in April or May compared to February. The claimants need to have all their tax liabilities settled when due.

Under amendments to be discussed by the parliament next week, the government proposes extending eligibility to the self-employed whose revenue this year will be down more than 10% on 2019. If they did not do business throughout 2019 or 2020, monthly income will be taken into account.

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In 1572 one of the most important advanced peasant revolts occurred in the lands of today’s Slovenia and Croatia. Most probably it began on today’s date, April 24.

Peasant rebellions, which spanned over a period of 250 years in Slovenia, had five notable events, starting with the Rebellion of Carinthia in 1478 and concluding with the 1713 Rebellion of Tolmin.

Among the main causes of peasant revolts were the reintroduction of duty in kind, increase in feudal tax and serjeanty, violence against serfs by feudal lords, Turkish incursions and wars, on top of agricultural disease and weather-related disasters.

For these reasons serfs began organizing themselves into farmers’ associations, or “punti” as they were called in Slovenian. Between the 15th and 17th centuries “punti” were targeting feudal lords, while at the beginning of the 18^th century they were directed against the state institutions and Emperor.

The biggest rebellion in Slovenia occurred in 1515 with about 80,000 participants, most probably depicted by Albrecht Dürer in his 1515 sketch for the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I.

However, one of the most important peasant revolts occurred in 1572 adn 1573 across today’s Slovenia and Croatia, and was particularly advanced in terms of organization and political program of the peasants.

The rebels’ political agenda was to replace the nobility with peasant officials who were directly responsible to the Emperor, and to eliminate all feudal possessions of and obligations to the Roman Catholic Church. The peasant government was composed of the main leader Matija Gubec, (Cro: Gubac), and Ivan Pasanec and Ivan Mogaić as its main members. Their plans also included the removal of provincial borders, the opening of freeways for trade and self-management by farmers.

Although historians mainly agree that the main cause behind the Slovene-Croatian rebellion was economic in nature, the rebellion is often associated with Baron Ferenc Tahy and his cruel treatment of the serfs. In 1567 the Imperial commission agreed to investigate Tahy’s competence in run the estates by hearing 508 testimonies against him. Unfortunately, no measures other than the writing of the minutes of the hearings were taken – although these ran for at least six metres – which is why Tahy and his misrule remain the main reason for the rebellion in popular belief.

The rebellion started in 1572 and was initially limited to three Tahy estates. Eventually the revolt spilt over across Croatian Zagorje, lower Styria and parts of Lower and Upper Carniola, with an estimated 12,000 rebels, some 4,000 of whom were killed in clashes with feudal armies.

The rebellion concluded on February 9^th, 1573 with the capitulation of the serf army and the following punishments of the leaders: Matija Gubec was crowned with a red-hot heated iron crown and quartered, while the other leaders were decapitated.

A feature film directed by Vatroslav Mimica was made about the events in 1975. The movie is spoken in the dialect of Zagorje, which sounds like a mixture of Slovenian and Croatian or perhaps the proto-language of the two. The film is also available on YouTube:

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

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

FRIDAY, 17 April
        LJUBLJANA - The Constitutional Court ordered the government to immediately verify the justification for restrictions on the movement of persons put in place to contain coronavirus, whereupon it must examine the justification every week. The court suspended a provision that says the measures will be in place "until the cessation of the reasons". The suspension remains until the judges reach a substantive decision.
        LJUBLJANA - The government's chief medical adviser for the coronavirus epidemic, Bojana Beović, announced the epidemic was believed to be under control allowing public life to gradually re-start. "The curve has now turned downwards and we can therefore start talking about a gradual relaxation of measures," she said. Between 17 and 22 April Slovenia recorded only 49 new confirmed cases of Covid-19, which means the total count rose to 1,366. The death toll was up by 9 to 79.
        LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor started reaching out to European countries in a series of video addresses in the recipients' languages, expressing Slovenia's solidarity in the fight against the novel coronavirus.
        LJUBLJANA - The European Broadcasting Union called on the Slovenian authorities to refrain from exerting political pressure on public broadcaster RTV Slovenija in the challenging times of the epidemic. On 21 April Reporters Without Borders and six other press freedom organisations urged the European Commission to put pressure on the Slovenian government and remind it of its responsibility to "protect the press". The country meanwhile advanced two spots in the latest Press Freedom Index to 32nd place.
        LJUBLJANA - As schools are closed due to the coronavirus epidemic, the Education Ministry cancelled nation-wide primary school exams for the first time since they were introduced for sixth and ninth grade students 20 years ago.
        KOPER - Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec approved a 50% reduction in port fees for Luka Koper, the operator of Slovenia's only sea port, to make it more competitive. Vrtovec said the "discount" would remain in place until September and would be extended if necessary.
        MARIBOR - Five suspects charged with running illegal call centres operated by trafficked Taiwanese were found guilty of human trafficking by the Maribor District Court. The Slovenian ringleader Allen Cvek was sentenced to four years in prison and the rest to two months less.

SATURDAY, 18 April
        LJUBLJANA - As Slovenia managed to flatten the curve of coronavirus infections, restrictions to movement were eased a little. Accessing private land outside of one's municipality of residence for purposes such as maintenance and seasonal works was added to exceptions such as going to work, basic shopping, accessing emergency services, doing farm work and caring for family members.

SUNDAY, 19 April
        LJUBLJANA - The Paka Hotel in Velenje stopped serving as one of two hotels used for quarantine for Slovenians returning home from Covid-19 hotspots around the globe as the last two persons quarantined there left for home. The hotels were turned into quarantine centres as the government engaged in extensive repatriation efforts. It said it had repatriated 800 citizens between mid-February and mid-April, while a further 1,500 got home alone with some assistance.
        LJUBLJANA - The leaders of the opposition SocDem and Marjan Šarec List directed harsh criticism at the centre-right government, accusing it of manipulation and abuse of power under the pretext of the combat against coronavirus. SD leader Dejan Židan said he trusted the Slovenian police and army but did not trust the government. Former PM Šarec lambasted the government for attacks on the public broadcaster and contentious purchases of protective equipment.
        LJUBLJANA - A survey conducted by Valicon showed public trust in the institutions vitally important during the epidemic has increased, including in the health system, public broadcaster and the police. The government enjoys a negative level of trust at -40%, which is still better by 15 percentage points than in November 2019 and the best score for the government since the Slovenia Mirror survey was first conducted.

MONDAY, 20 April
        LJUBLJANA - Lockdown restrictions were further loosened, including with a reintroduction of public transport organised by businesses or local communities in order to get people to work. A string of retail and services establishments reopened, such as telecommunication operators, DIY stores, car showrooms, stores selling bicycles, technical goods and furniture, dry cleaners and some repair shops. Outdoor services such as gardening, roof and facade work, and food takeaways involving minimum contact, as well as sports such as tennis and golf received the green light too.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia launched comprehensive random population testing for coronavirus after invitations to take part were sent to 3,000 people picked in a representative sample. The survey is meant to give the authorities a reliable estimate of the extent of the epidemic and help plan the way out of the lockdown. Those agreeing to testing are visited by technicians, are swabbed and give blood samples for a serological test for antibodies.
        LJUBLJANA - Brigadier Robert Glavaš pledged to work to secure the Slovenian Armed Forces staffing and material resources as he formally took over as the chief of the general staff by accepting the SAF battle standard from his predecessor. Glavaš said he was aware financial sources would be limited during the coronavirus epidemic and potential economic slowdown coming in its wake.
        LJUBLJANA - The four left-leaning opposition parties announced they would seek a constitutional review of two articles from the first coronavirus emergency package, including one expanding police powers, as well as of the decree limiting movement to municipal borders.
        LJUBLJANA - The Employment Service said it had received more than 32,000 applications for more than 262,000 employees until Sunday under the legislation providing state subsidies for wages and social security contributions for workers temporary laid-off or quarantined due to the coronavirus epidemic. The final figure is expected to be up to 10% lower because of some employers filing multiple applications.
        LJUBLJANA - Interim data by the Employment Service showed that the coronavirus crisis continues to strongly affect the employment situation, albeit not as severely as in the first weeks. While the registered unemployment total rose by 7,955 between 1 and 17 April to 85,810, the figure for the final week of this period was 2,029.
        LJUBLJANA - The Health Inspectorate said it had launched more than 2,900 procedures and issued fines worth more than EUR 32,000 to people violating lockdown restrictions. The cases processed have been mostly referred to the inspectorate by the police and involved individuals.
        LJUBLJANA/MARIBOR - The Democrats (SDS) of PM Janez Janša, at 22.5%, persisted at the top of the ratings in the latest Vox Populi poll, while the former ruling Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) fell to 9.8%, which compares to more than 19% in January and 15% in March. The government's performance was rated successful by 65%.
        LJUBLJANA - Revoz, the Slovenian subsidiary of the French car maker Renault, continues to top the Delo list of Slovenia's largest exporters, followed by pharmaceutical companies Lek and Krka, and the household appliances maker Gorenje, the only four companies whose exports exceeded a billion euro in 2019.

TUESDAY, 21 April
        BRDO PRI KRANJU - The government adopted a second coronavirus stimulus package, proposing the state provide quick liquidity aid to companies to the tune of EUR 2 billion. Loans to micro companies and SMEs will be guaranteed for up to 80% of the principal, and up to 70% for large companies. The package will be debated by parliament next week, along with corrections to the EUR 3 billion-worth first package, including relaxed conditions for companies to apply for wage subsidies, and expansion in the number of people eligible for benefits.
        LJUBLJANA - Amid mounting pressure over faults in dodgy procurement of PPE, the government replaced Agency for Commodity Reserves director Anton Zakrajšek, who had asked to be relieved of his duties while on sick leave due to Covid-19. While Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek said transparency needed to be restored and indicated Zakrajšek had been pulling strings, Zakrajšek protested vehemently, suggesting the Economy Ministry had been calling all the shots in procurement. Zakrajšek was succeeded by ex-Kobilarna Lipica stud farm boss Toni Rumpf.
        LJUBLJANA - The coronavirus situation in the four nursing homes that have accounted for over three quarters of all Covid-19 deaths in Slovenia escalated further and new solutions began to be sought after two hospitals told by the Health Ministry to accept nursing home users with mild or asymptomatic Covid-19 offered resistance.
        LJUBLJANA - The plan to repatriate Slovenians from Venezuela has been put on hold due to the coronavirus epidemic, with the authorities announcing that repatriation will resume as soon as possible. Twenty-one Slovenians had been repatriated from the South American country before the pandemic broke out.

WEDNESDAY, 22 April
        LJUBLJANA - The government decreed that the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) share with the police information about individuals who have been ordered to go into self-isolation, quarantine or undergo treatment for Covid-19. The Health Ministry said about 2,900 quarantine orders had been issued to date. Some 1,500 are currently in effect.
        VELENJE - News broke that the Chinese-owned group Hisense Europe was planning to close 2,200 jobs by the end of the year as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, including 1,000 in Slovenia where it owns hosuehold appliance maker Gorenje. The latter confirmed the reports, saying the step was the result of Hisense Europe incurring a loss in the first quarter of the year, which is to further deepen in the second quarter. Hisense Europe employs almost 5,600 workers in Slovenia.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - Participating in an EU ministerial on the bloc's approach to its neighbours to the east, Foreign Minister Anže Logar expressed support for the reform processes under way in Ukraine. He said measures to fight the pandemic should not be abused for geopolitical pressure, spread of misinformation or failure to implement agreements.
        LJUBLJANA - The police said they were investigating a suspected theft of protective equipment in the UKC Ljubljana hospital. It said that a 31-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman, both from Ljubljana, seem to have made 40,000 euro by selling the stolen equipment online. Unofficially, the suspects were UKC Ljubljana employees.
        LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Armed Forces received five new military ambulances donated by the US. Defence Minister Matej Tonin and US Ambassador to Slovenia Lynda Blanchard were present as the shipment arrived in Koper.
        LJUBLJANA - The government dismissed Monika Pintar Mesarič as the acting director of the Infrastructure Agency, appointing Liljana Herga in her place for up to six months. Herga has so far headed the agency's road maintenance and traffic safety department. A possible change hinted at last week by Planet TV when reporting about an allegedly contentious tender to set up a SCADA system for the railway infrastructure.
        
THURSDAY, 23 April
        LJUBLJANA - The opposition Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) said it would initiate a vote of no-confidence in Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek over his role in the purchases of protective personal equipment. Počivalšek responded with a tweet saying he saw the upcoming debate in parliament as an opportunity to "lay out all the evidence", including about how the Šarec government had handled the crisis.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia plans to intensify the construction of fencing on the border with Croatia and expand the use of other technical means to control the border and prevent illegal migrations, Interior Minister Aleš Hojs announced. The government is also pushing to give the army certain police powers on the border. While it has failed to get the opposition on board for this, pressure increased earlier in the week with a petition signed by mayors of 23 border municipalities, who argued the novel coronavirus would spread massively among migrants.
        LJUBLJANA - Former President Milan Kučan said in an interview that the government's measures to fight the epidemic were adequate, but he is worried some of them could affect democracy.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenian banks received just over 5,000 requests for deferral of loan payments from companies struggling with the consequences of the coronavirus epidemic by 10 April, data from the central bank show. Nearly 7,000 such requests have been made by individuals. Banks said they had adopted proactive approaches to addressing clients' problems and that solutions were being sought on a case-by-case basis.
        LJUBLJANA - Environment and Spatial Planning Minister Andrej Vizjak announced a deregulation of construction legislation that he argues will substantially speed up construction in this crucial period. A key segment of the proposed changes envisages the integration of several construction permit procedures while ridding potential investors of the obligation to first obtain claims over the land slated for construction. Moreover, only NGOs with more than 50 members will be able to appeal permit decrees.

All our posts in this series are here