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STA, 31 March 2020 - The government has adopted a motion that, if passed in parliament, will activate a legislative provision that gives the military limited police powers in controlling the border. To be passed, the proposal needs the support of two-thirds of MPs. The National Assembly might discuss it as soon as on Thursday.
In two days, the National Assembly may discuss a mega-package of stimulus measures worth EUR 3 billion to help companies and individuals cope with the ongoing coronavirus epidemic.
The government wants to give police powers to the military so as to allow troops to take over some of the tasks from police officers patrolling Slovenia's border with Croatia, which is also the Schengen border.
Interior Minister Aleš Hojs told the Odmevi news show this evening that the proposal has not secured sufficient support in parliament. This comes nearly a week after he said that the government would not go forward with the motion before discussing it with deputy groups.
He said that some remarks by deputy groups had been taken into account, while some could not be. He also said that the remarks were more technical than anything else and believes that the opposition might provide the votes needed for the proposal to pass.
The proposal has raised a lot of dust in public, with many claiming this was a disproportionate measure and that the government was trying to use the coronavirus epidemic to send the military to the border.
Hojs also said last week that the army was not currently needed in Slovenian cities or on the country's roads, but it is "badly needed on Slovenia's southern border" so as to ease the burden on the police force.
The government said in a press release after adopting the proposal that it would brief the relevant parliamentary bodies about the troops' engagement on the border every two weeks and that the troops would have police powers for a period of three months.
Moreover, the troops would be working alongside police officers in line with a plan drafted by the police force and based on its guidelines, the government also said.
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This summary is provided by the STA:
Banka Slovenije expects 6-16% GDP contraction in 2020
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's central bank Banka Slovenije said that the the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the Slovenian economy will likely be higher than in the last global financial crisis. It expects GDP to contract by between 6% and 16%. Publishing a preliminary analysis that does not factor in emerging fiscal and monetary policy measures, Banka Slovenije outlined three possible scenarios. It stressed the impact would be very large in any case, while its gravity would depend on how long containment measures remained in place and on the speed of the recovery after they are lifted.
Four die as number of Covid-19 persons rises by 46 to 802
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's Covid-19 death toll rose to 15 as four people died on Monday and Tuesday, the latest government figures show. The number of new coronavirus cases increased by 46 to 802 after 1,125 persons were tested on Monday. As many as 119 Covid-19 patients were in hospital, of whom 28 were in intensive care on Monday. The number of persons who have so far been tested for the virus in Slovenia has risen to 22,474. Seven out of 27 Slovenian nationals who were evacuated from Austria on Sunday and placed in quarantine have tested positive for coronavirus, the National Institute of Public Health said.
Govt adopts motion to give police powers to military
LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a motion that, if passed in parliament, will activate a legislative provision that gives the military limited police powers in controlling the border. To be passed, the proposal needs the support of two-thirds of MPs. The National Assembly might discuss it as soon as on Thursday alongside the stimulus measures to help companies and individuals cope with the ongoing coronavirus epidemic. The government said that it would brief the relevant parliamentary bodies about the troops' engagement on the border every two weeks and that the troops would have police powers for a period of three months.
Public health chief thinks latest restrictions not necessary
LJUBLJANA - The latest government-imposed restrictions to curb the spread of coronavirus appear not to have been coordinated with the National Institute for Public Health (NIJZ). Acting NIJZ head Ivan Eržen told the weekly Mladina he saw no reason for the new measures. Eržen believes that the measures, including restricting people's movement to their home municipalities and disinfecting of multi-apartment buildings, are not necessary. Meanwhile, Slovenia decided to uphold the mandatory use of protective face masks in closed public spaces after the World Health Organisation said general use of masks was not recommended. Appearing at a government press conference, paediatrician Tina Bergant stressed that countries in which wearing face masks was more common had managed to contain coronavirus much faster than countries where face masks in public are uncommon.
Annual inflation rate drops to 0.5% in March
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's annual inflation rate dropped to 0.5% in March from 2% in February. The prices of food, which were up 4.9%, contributed 0.7 of a percentage point to the annual inflation in March, while higher prices of water supply and services related to the dwelling (+9.3%) and higher prices of miscellaneous goods and services (by 4.0%) contributed another 0.3 of a percentage point. On the monthly level, a deflation of 0.8% was recorded mainly due to lower electricity prices, the Statistics Office said.
Slovenia records general government surplus of 0.5% of GDP in 2019
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded a general government surplus of EUR 260 million or 0.5% of GDP in 2019 after already posting a EUR 330 million surplus in 2018. Expenditure growth, at 5.2%, was higher than revenue growth, at 4.8%. Consolidated debt decreased by EUR 479 million to EUR 31.7 billion or 66.1% of GDP. The Statistics Office said that compared to 2018, when revenue growth was 7.1%, the slowing of GDP growth in what were still favourable economic conditions affected revenue last year, while they also noted a significant decrease in revenue from profits in fully or partly state-owned companies.
Public health fund ends 2019 with over EUR 50m in surplus
LJUBLJANA - The sixth consecutive year of Slovenia's economic growth also reflected in higher revenue of the national public health fund, which had EUR 213 million more in its 2019 budget than the year before and finished the year with a surplus of EUR 50.6 million, according to its business report. But despite the surplus and EUR 16.8 million set aside for reserve, the Institute of Health Insurance (ZZZS) could not fully pay all the current services provided by medical organisations because the National Assembly limited its 2019 spending and the services could only be paid out in 2020.
Stimulus package in parliament no earlier than Thursday
LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Finance Committee started discussing the new stimulus package to mitigate the impact of coronavirus, suspending the debate and postponing the plenary planned for Wednesday by at least a day. Meanwhile, Equal Opportunities Ombudsman Miha Lobnik called on the government to give special attention to protecting and assisting vulnerable groups in its next legislative package, especially the disabled, Roma, homeless and single parents. The Slovenian Olympic Committee (OKS) welcomed the proposed fiscal stimulus package, but noted that sports organisations in Slovenia had so far recorded a drop in expected revenue of more than EUR 25 million. A survey has also shown that around 800 full-time jobs in the sport industry are at risk.
Two additional border crossings opening on Slovenian-Hungarian border
LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar and his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto agreed that two additional border crossings will open on the Slovenian-Hungarian border, Hodoš-Bajansenye and Čepinci-Verica (Ketvölgy), the Foreign Ministry said. Logar and Szijjarto agreed over the phone that they will respond to initiatives from both sides of the border and make life easier for the people. The Čepinci-Verica (Ketvölgy) border crossing in particular is very important for the Slovenian community in the Hungarian region of Porabje, being its only link to Slovenia now that all other road connections with the country are closed.
Hisense with major donation of medical equipment for Slovenia
LJUBLJANA - Slovenian civil defence received a donation of protective and medical equipment from Hisense, the Chinese owner of the Velenje-based household appliance maker Gorenje, which includes 200,000 protective masks and 2,000 hazmat suits. Also donated by Hisense are 500 respirators, protective goggles and a medical ventilator, while the company has also mediated in an agreement to supply 46 ventilators to Slovenia, Gorenje said.
Plečnik Stadium among most endangered heritage sites in Europe
LJUBLJANA - The pan-European Europa Nostra organisation released a list of seven most endangered European cultural heritage sites for 2020, with a stadium designed by acclaimed architect Jože Plečnik also making the list. One of Ljubljana's top landmarks has been in a dilapidated state for a decade. Being declared one of the most endangered sites in Europe might give fresh impetus to the cause though. Europa Nostra and EIB Institute representatives plan to visit the seven sites and meet key shareholders to discuss the respective situations.
Slovenian poem Zdravljica receives European Heritage Label
LJUBLJANA - Zdravljica, a poem written in the 1840s by Slovenia's France Prešeren to celebrates peace, freedom and fraternity, was awarded the European Heritage Label by the European Commission alongside nine other pieces of heritage which testify about European ideals, values, history and integration. The seventh stanza of Zdravljica, or A Toast in English, set to music by Stanko Premrl in 1905, was chosen to be Slovenia's national anthem in 1990.
Three Slovenian researchers win prestigious EU grants
LJUBLJANA - Three researchers from the Jožef Stefan Institute (IJS) and the National Institute of Chemistry have won over seven million euro in European Research Council (ERC) grants for their research projects in physics and biomedicine. The Slovenian projects winning the ERC Advanced Grant 2019 will be led by senior researchers Peter Križan and Igor Muševič, both from the ISJ, and Matej Praprotnik from the Chemistry Institute.
Motorway operator's net profit down almost 10% last year
LJUBLJANA - DARS, the state-owned operator of Slovenia's motorway network, generated EUR 480.75 million in revenue last year, or 3.3% more than in 2018, but its net profit was down by 9.5% to EUR 139.61 million, shows its unaudited annual report. The toll collected represented the bulk of the total revenue, standing at 466.61 million, or 3% more than in 2018, while write-offs represented the highest share in expenses, increasing by 17% to EUR 211 million. Expenses related to financial obligations were down by 6% to EUR 37.5 million, costs of goods, material and services were up by almost 6% to EUR 50.38 million, and labour costs were up by 11% to EUR 45.24 million.
Unior group revenue up, profit down last year
LJUBLJANA - Tool maker group Unior saw its revenue rise by 3% to EUR 256 million last year, continuing a multi-year trend. Net profit dropped by 14% to EUR 10.4 million. EBITDA rose by almost 6% to EUR 32 million, while EBIT was up from EUR 15 million to EUR 16 million. The group's operations were marked by unpredictable and changeable economic growth, which mostly affected the operations of its forging plants in Croatia and China, which failed to reach their targets and posted worse results than in 2018.
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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 Anja Korošec, with her contribution to Tam Tam's series on our current situation. You can see more of these posters here.
Four die as number of Covid-19 persons rises by 46 to 802
Quarantine to be extended for infected persons
Hospital head in spotlight after threatening to deny ventilator to critics of govt
Two weeks on the job, Health Ministry state secretary resigns
Stimulus package in parliament no earlier than Thursday
Hisense with major donation of medical equipment for Slovenia
Four die as number of Covid-19 persons rises by 46 to 802
STA, 31 March 2020- Slovenia's Covid-19 death toll has risen to 15 as four people died on Monday and Tuesday, the latest government figures released on Tuesday show. The number of new coronavirus cases increased by 46 to 802 after 1,125 persons were tested on Monday.
At least one of the four persons died at the University Clinic of Respiratory and Allergic Diseases at Golnik, according to coronavirus crisis spokesperson Jelko Kacin.
As many as 119 Covid-19 patients were in hospital, of whom 28 were in intensive care, on Monday, when six patients were released from hospital.
The number of persons who have been so far been tested for the virus in Slovenia has risen to 22,474.
Nursing homes continue to be hot spots as contagion spreads there at a fast pace, and persons accommodated there are the most vulnerable to coronavirus and the death rate the highest among them.
Addressing the press on the issue today, director of the Golnik clinic for pulmonary diseases Aleš Rozman said that nursing homes were a "battlefield" on which the future spreading of the epidemic would depend.
"We are afraid of small epidemics in nursing homes - there are around 115 of them in Slovenia - completely filling up our healthcare system and us facing unnecessary casualties," he added.
Task forces have thus been established, comprising experts from hospitals and primary care, with the priority task of preventing the spreading of the virus in nursing homes with confirmed Covid-19 cases.
They will also examine the transfer routes and try to prevent infections in nursing homes where there are no confirmed cases yet, Rozman added.
One of these hot spots is the nursing home in Ljutomer (NE), where the number of confirmed cases increased in one day by ten to 16 on Tuesday. Two of the infected persons are employees of the nursing home.
Quarantine to be extended for infected persons
STA, 31 March 2020 - Two persons with mild Covid-19 symptoms who returned from Spain on Friday with another 41 Slovenians and have been in quarantine at Paka Hotel in Velenje, will have their quarantine extended, the Velenje municipality said on Tuesday after meeting with representatives of the government and health authorities.
All 43 Slovenians returning home from Spain, one of the Covid-19 hotspots in Europe, were tested on Saturday, with the two testing positive for the virus.
Another nine persons from Paka Hotel with light symptoms were tested again today.
Also infected are another two persons from another 43-strong group of Slovenians quarantined at Epic Hotel in Postojna, who also returned from Spain a few days ago.
According to Civil Protection head for Notranjska region Sandi Curk, 40 tests were negative and one would have to be repeated today.
There was no need for any of the infected persons to be admitted to hospital, but all 43 will be tested again in two weeks, before the end of the 14-day quarantine, said Curk.
Hospital head in spotlight after threatening to deny ventilator to critics of govt
STA, 31 March 2020 - The director of the Slovenj Gradec hospital Janez Lavre, once handled as a potential health minister, has found himself in the limelight over a series of politically charged and unethical tweets, which included threats to withhold potentially needed coronavirus ventilator treatment to critics of the government.
"Great, you are not getting a ventilator," reads a response by Lavre to a tweet in which SocDems presidency member Uroš Jauševec expressed satisfaction over the SocDems deciding not to back a government proposal to give the army certain policing powers.
Lavre, who started running the Slovenj Gradec hospital in 2007 while he was also the head the UKC Maribor hospital in 2016-2017, also lashed out against journalist Blaž Zgaga over a tweet critical of the government. "You may be positive soon and then let's hear you squeak," his response reads.
The transgressions, which occurred during the last weekend, were first highlighted by the newspaper Večer, which wrote that these were not the only ethically questionable tweets coming from the doctor and director in the recent period.
Lavre, a member of New Slovenia - Christian Democrats (NSi) until last year, closed down all of his social media accounts on Monday and issued an apology today.
"Let me express my sincere regrets and deep apologies...I'm aware my statements were completely inappropriate, offensive and unethical...
"They were made during a period of great burdens and mental stress in the face of events related to my work during the weekend and the managing of the Covid-19 epidemic," reads part of the apology sent by Lavre to the hospital's council, whose head Simon Jevšinek demanded an explanation.
Lavre, who referred to critical journalists as vermin in at least two of his tweets, also apologised to those targeted and, according to Večer, to Health Minister Tomaž Gantar, who has not yet responded to the developments.
A call for Lavre to resign has meanwhile come from the opposition Marjana Šarec List (LMŠ), whose deputy group head Brane Golubović tweeted screenshots of several more inappropriate and politically charged tweets by Lavre.
The Medical Chamber said it had already launched due proceeding and that the matter would be discussed by its committee for legal and ethical issues along with another case of contentious social media behaviour by a member.
Explaining it had received a number of warnings about such behaviour recently, the camber condemned any inappropriate statements or actions and apologised to those affected. It urged all members to preserve a professional and ethical attitude amid these circumstances, including on social media.
Two weeks on the job, Health Ministry state secretary resigns
STA, 31 March 2020 - Andrej Možina has resigned as state secretary at the Health Ministry slightly more than two weeks after he was appointed when the Janez Janša government assumed power. "This was his personal decision," the ministry told the STA on Tuesday, as it confirmed the newspaper Delo's report on the resignation.
Možina, who headed the Slovenian Medical Chamber in 2012-2017, became the only state secretary at the ministry at the first session of the new government on 13 March.
Delo reported, citing its unofficial but well-placed sources, that the true reason for the resignation was "a clash of egos, crisis of leadership, work overload, and interference in the ministry's work by other departments".
Stimulus package in parliament no earlier than Thursday
STA, 31 March 2020 - The new stimulus package to mitigate the impact of coronavirus will not be discussed and voted on in the National Assembly on Wednesday, as initially planned, as it has turned out to be too extensive for the relevant parliamentary committee to go through it and the many submitted amendments by then.
Estimated at EUR 3 billion, the package includes bonuses for vital staff and a pay cut for public office holders, and support measures for companies like pay compensation for temporary lay-offs, and tax and loan payment deferrals.
It also includes loan guarantees and financing of social contributions, temporary basic income for the self-employed and allowances for pensioners, large families and students.
The package, presented by the government on Sunday, was expected to be discussed and prepared for the plenary session of the National Assembly today, but this has proven to be impossible as the MPs apparently did not have enough time to go through it.
The opposition Left, Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) and Social Democrats (SD) proposed today as the Finance Committee session started that the National Assembly plenary be postponed for a day.
The proposal failed to garner sufficient support and the session continued, but committee members did not even have all the announced amendments on the table. The coalition alone has proposed more than 100 amendments and the opposition has come with amendments of its own.
Some six hours into the session, committee chair Robert Polnar of the coalition Pensioner's Party (DeSUS) said that the discussion was over for today and that it would be continued on Wednesday.
The plenary session of the National Assembly, originally scheduled for Wednesday at 10am, is to be held on Thursday, "but only if the committee concludes its work on Wednesday," Polnar said.
The government's plan is that the measures apply for April and May, with the possibility of extension until the end of June.
In today's debate, support was expressed by committee members from all deputy groups, while many of them also pointed to the possibility of abuse and considerable burden on public finances, and also proposed other beneficiaries.
The opposition also warned against haste in the adoption of the legislation. "Financially-speaking, this is the most extensive law the National Assembly has ever discussed," said Luka Mesec of the Left, calling for thorough talks.
Andreja Zabret (LMŠ) also pointed to the high figure and wanted the finance minister to guarantee that the measures will be financed in a manner which will not bring "headache to citizens when everything is said and done."
Minister Andrej Šircelj said that there was enough money in the budget for now, and mentioned the possibility of additional borrowing, but would not go into details as this could trigger an increase in interest rates.
He did guarantee that the measures will not be financed by means of possible higher taxes. "The last thing I have in mind right now is raising taxes," he added.
Robert Pavšič (LMŠ) called for more time, adding that MPs had been constantly receiving calls from many associations and individuals who "are not able to find themselves in this law".
The Left demands that financial aid should be provided to all, regardless of the form of employment, including precarious workers and workers hired by temping agencies, as well as to persons who lease apartments and commercial premises.
Matjaž Han of the SD proposed that the measures be applied retroactively as of the date when the epidemic was declared in Slovenia - 13 March. "This is very important and many people would calm down if we do so."
Maša Kociper of the Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) called for clear criteria to be determined for who was eligible for financial aid and under what conditions, in order to prevent violations and abuse.
Since three billion euros will be distributed quickly, Kociper thinks that whether the criteria are being met should be supervised. "We need parliamentary supervision of some sorts," she added.
The committee will continue the session on Wednesday, going through the amendments filed.
Hisense with major donation of medical equipment for Slovenia
STA, 31 March 2020 - Slovenian civil defence has received a donation of protective and medical equipment from Hisense, the Chinese owner of the Velenje-based household appliance maker Gorenje, which includes 200,000 protective masks and 2,000 hazmat suits.
Also donated by Hisense are 500 respirators, protective goggles and a medical ventilator, while the company has also mediated in an agreement to supply 46 ventilators to Slovenia, Gorenje said on Monday.
Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek has tweeted that the ventilators had already arrived in Slovenia.
Hisense Europe Group president Alex Zhu added that the company was trying to help by donating equipment and sharing good practices for preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus and protecting employees' health.
The company has also made a warehouse in China's Qingdao, where Hisense is based, available for Slovenia to collect all donations of protective equipment from China, which is then transported to the local airport.
Počivalšek said earlier that the government was "thankful to all donors which already have and will in the future help by donating protective equipment. There are many of them and I'm happy that this is so."
with ur 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, photographers and designers. Today it’s Katja Petrin Dornik, and Matija Primc from the design agency Grey Ljubljana, with part of a series of posters on covid-19, and you see more of them here.
Four die as number of Covid-19 persons rises by 46 to 802
Slovenia sticking to use of masks in indoor public places
Public health chief thinks latest restrictions not necessary
Seven repatriated from Austria test positive for coronavirus
Two additional border crossings opening on Slovenian-Hungarian border
Four die as number of Covid-19 persons rises by 46 to 802
STA, 31 March 2020 - Slovenia's Covid-19 death toll has risen to 15 as four people died on Monday and Tuesday, the latest government figures released on Tuesday show. The number of new coronavirus cases increased by 46 to 802 after 1,125 persons were tested on Monday.
At least one of the four persons died at the University Clinic of Respiratory and Allergic Diseases at Golnik, according to coronavirus crisis spokesperson Jelko Kacin.
As many as 119 Covid-19 patients were in hospital, of whom 28 were in intensive care, on Monday, when six patients were released from hospital.
The number of persons who have been so far been tested for the virus in Slovenia has risen to 22,474.
Slovenia sticking to use of masks in indoor public places
STA, 31 March 2020 - Slovenia had made wearing face masks and gloves mandatory in indoor public places such as shops to contain the spread of coronavirus and although the move has been met with some opposition and the World Health Organisation (WHO) does not recommend it, the measure is likely to remain in place.
Face masks and gloves became mandatory in indoor public spaces under a decree that took effect on Monday as Slovenia followed the lead of countries such as the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Austria has announced a similar measure as well.
Given the lack of certified face masks, Slovenians have been told to use any other means they can, including home-made cloth masks or scarves.
The move has provoked some opposition, due to people's inability to buy masks in shops and due to the WHO's recent recommendation that people should not wear face masks unless they have been infected Covid-19 or are caring for someone who is sick.
Prime Minister Janez Janša criticised the guidance on Twitter on Monday saying that after the outbreak in China, the WHO had claimed it was unlikely coronavirus would spread to Europe and that the virus did "not cause significantly worse consequences than the flu. "This is why it declared a pandemic TOO LATE."
Appearing at a government press conference on Tuesday, paediatrician Tina Bergant stressed that countries in which wearing face masks is more common had managed to contain coronavirus much faster than countries where face masks in public are uncommon.
"We are doing everything to contain the epidemic and protect the most vulnerable population - the elderly and the chronically ill. These are measures that are not coloured by ideology, they are epidemiologically sound and have been known to medicine for decades, even centuries."
She said WHO guidance was unequivocal: those who are sick and have a runny nose should wear face masks in public, as should those taking care of persons who have been infected. And even for healthy people, use of masks is desired in a public place.
Public health chief thinks latest restrictions not necessary
STA, 31 March 2020 - The latest government-imposed restrictions to curb the spread of coronavirus appear not to have been coordinated with the National Institute for Public Health (NIJZ). Acting NIJZ head Ivan Eržen told the weekly Mladina he saw no reason for the new measures that stepped into force on Sunday and Monday.
Eržen believes that the measures, including restricting people's movement to their home municipalities and disinfecting of multi-apartment buildings, are not necessary.
"Most people honoured the previous measures in an exemplary fashion. And now because of few individuals who did not find this important the measures have been stepped up for everyone. I cannot provide any professional arguments to support this move," Eržen said in an interview with Mladina published on Tuesday.
Eržen, the epidemiologist who was appointed NIJZ acting head by the Janez Janša government on 20 March, said that the cabinet had not asked the NIJZ for an opinion before adopting the new measures.
"It was obviously concluded that people did not honour existing measures sufficiently. We were not a part of this. I am convinced that the previous measures were completely sufficient."
He also disagrees with the provisions requiring disinfection of multi-apartment buildings. "I find this extremely difficult to implement," he said. The problem is that the managers of multi-apartment buildings do not have enough disinfectant or people to conduct the disinfecting, Eržen explained.
Moreover, the disinfected surfaces are potentially contaminated again as soon as a person touches them. "I think it is much more appropriate to warn people not to touch with bare hands the surfaces that many people touch and to wash their hands frequently."
"I hope this measure will be eliminated after all the arguments have been considered," Eržen said.
Seven repatriated from Austria test positive for coronavirus
STA, 31 March 2020 - Seven out of 27 Slovenian nationals who were evacuated from Austria on Sunday and placed in quarantine have tested positive for coronavirus, the National Institute of Public Health said.
The group returned from Tyrol, the Austrian state hardest hit by the coronavirus epidemic, on Sunday evening and had already spent 14 days in quarantine there.
Most of them worked in Austria. They were transported to an inn in Dolga Vas in north-eastern Slovenia immediately after being tested for Covid-19. They are all residents of towns in north-eastern Slovenia.
Their repatriation was coordinated by the Slovenian embassy in Vienna in cooperation with the Austrian authorities and the Croatian embassy. Along with the 27 Slovenians, 13 Croatian citizens were evacuated as well and continued their journey home.
Two additional border crossings opening on Slovenian-Hungarian border
STA, 31 March 2020 - Foreign Minister Anže Logar and his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto agreed on Tuesday that two additional border crossings will open on the Slovenian-Hungarian border. The two crossings are Hodoš-Bajansenye and Čepinci-Verica (Ketvölgy), the Foreign Ministry said.
Logar and Szijjarto agreed over the phone today that they will respond to initiatives from both sides of the border and make life easier for the people.
The Čepinci-Verica (Ketvölgy) border crossing in particular is very important for the Slovenian community in the Hungarian region of Porabje, being its only link to Slovenia now that all other road connections with the country are closed.
The details on the regime at the two newly opened crossings are to be determined shortly, the ministry said.
Hungary closed its borders for passenger transport because of the coronavirus on 17 March. Only daily commuters and Hungarian citizens returning to their country are allowed to cross.
So far, three border crossings with Hungary have been open - Pince, the former Pince R1/232 border crossing, which is open for Slovenian and Hungarian citizens only, and Dolga Vas.
Logar and Szijjarto expressed their satisfaction today with cooperation between their countries in the repatriation of their respective nationals and agreed this cooperation will continue. They also exchanged information about measures to curb the spread of the epidemic and measures to help businesses.
Meanwhile, the Austrian security authorities notified Slovenia today that the Slovenian-Austrian border crossing Holmec will be closed from 2 April until further notice, the Celje police administration said.
This means a major detour for people driving to work to Austria from the Mežica Valley on the Slovenian side of the border.
Slovenia reintroduced border checks with Austria last week, setting up 13 checkpoints at the former border crossings Gornja Radgona, Kuzma, Holmec, Vič, Jurij, Karavanke, Ljubelj, Trate, Radlje, Gederovci, Šentilj - motorway, Šentilj - local road and Korensko Sedlo.
STA, 30 March 2020 - The Information Commissioner and the Human Rights Ombudsman have warned against giving police sweeping powers to control the movement of individuals as the government tries to contain the coronavirus epidemic. Both institutions say two articles from the new umbrella bill violate basic constitutional rights.
Articles 103 and 104 of the new bill designed to mitigate coronavirus epidemic ramifications for businesses and people allows the police to monitor the location of individuals who opt for self-isolation instead of mandatory quarantine, to which such individuals would have to explicitly consent.
The police would have access to face recognition, the power to erect roadblocks, enter apartments and temporarily apprehend the persons, all in order to contain the epidemic and enforce the implementation of special measures from the law on contagious diseases.
To do that, they would also get health data collected by the National Institute of Public Health, which would be stored for as long as measures to contain the epidemic remain in place and up to 30 days after the epidemic, whereupon it would be destroyed.
Issuing a response to the two articles, Commissioner Mojca Prelesnik said the articles would need to be rewritten to provide additional powers to police only for purposes deemed vitally necessary and effective by health experts.
PM Janez Janša said on Sunday the police already had some of the required powers while some were new since they had to be connected with the communicable diseases act.
"We understand the urgent need for measures in face of an extraordinary situation, but this should not serve as an excuse to suspend the constitution and basic rights guaranteed by it," Prelesnik wrote, arguing the legislators would also need to consult the Office of the Human Rights Ombudsman.
The commissioner has not seen presented any concrete arguments on the part of health experts and epidemiologists that would justify the expansion of all basic police powers for such broad purposes.
"The powers in Article 103 do not only pertain to securing the observing of special measures from the communicable diseases act, for instance quarantine or isolation, but also to the very broadly stated purpose of containing and controlling the epidemic and managing the measures adopted. Each and every citizen of Slovenia is subject to them," Prelesnik said.
She feels that this article means expanding police powers to an extent that potentially covers the country's entire population and in fact leads to Slovenia becoming a police state. As for Article 104, the commissioner said it constituted a serious breach of the basic constitutional right to communication privacy and personal data protection.
"Additionally worrying is the attempt of the government to justify such an intervention with the obtaining of consent. The content of such a consent alone - de facto excluding a chance to withdraw it and involving a number of obligations and prohibitions - shows that the legal notion of consent is being abused."
Prelesnik noted the Information Commissioner Office had seen a number of cases in the past where police obtained data illegally or kept them too long, while individual files keep being accessed without a legal basis on top of that.
"All of this reveals the enormous risks entailed in the proposed measures, even to a point where the principle of the division of powers would be eradicated and theoretically allow the executive branch to monitor everybody in Slovenia at all times," she wrote.
Echoing the view of several opposition parties, Prelesnik moreover believes it is inappropriate for additional police powers to be put in the same legislative package as economic measures meant to mitigate the coronavirus crisis.
"The appeal and urgency of the economic measures limits the time and capacity for a critical response and for reaching social consensus on interventions into the rights of the citizens and inhabitants of Slovenia," Prelesnik said.
A very similar response was later issued by the Human Rights Ombudsman, which highlighted it had not been involved in drafting the intervention bill, not even the segments related to human rights.
The Ombudsman, having urged approaching the epidemic by respecting human rights and freedoms on several occasions, said it was hard to justify some of the planned measures and expressed surprise at the "changes to the police's normative framework".
It therefore expects the government to provide sound arguments for the reasons necessitating "limiting the basic elements of a democracy". It is particularly worried by the police's power to enter a person's flat, where it is unclear whether this can be done without a court order, and by mobile phone surveilence, albeit with its owner's consent.
Another institution issuing strong criticism not only of the new police powers but also of two-thirds of the intervention bill is the National Assembly's legal service, which said the powers entailed by Articles 103 and 104 could not be treated as intervention measures and encroached on constitutionally guaranteed rights. The legal service also questioned the need for giving the police a "broad access to a wide range of personal data, among them some very sensitive ones".
Interior Minister Aleš Hojs, responding to the controversy about the new police powers, said they were "intended to merely prevent unauthorised and incomprehensible movements of infected persons who should be in quarantine but are freely walking around".
The police does not want any new powers to restrict the movement and freedoms of anyone or to in any way encroach upon one's human rights, he said at the government's news conference on the coronavirus situation this afternoon.
"The purpose of giving the police these powers is to prevent and contain the epidemic," said Gantar, adding Article 103 had been coordinated among the health and interior ministries and the government's legal service.
"If anyone thinks that experts in these fields do not know enough, they should let it know to MPs, who will be deciding on this bill. But this would drastically lower the police's powers in containing the epidemic," he added.
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This summary is provided by the STA:
Stricter measures to fight coronavirus in effect
LJUBLJANA - Strict new measures to contain the coronavirus epidemic entered into force with movement additionally restricted and shopping rules tightened to protect the most vulnerable groups. From today Slovenians are confined to their home municipality for most daily activities except to go to work, do farm work, provide assistance to persons in need of care, and access emergency services, pharmacies, diplomatic missions and judicial authorities. Face masks are now mandatory in closed public spaces.
Number of coronavirus cases up by 26, no new deaths
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's tally of confirmed coronavirus cases rose by 26 on Sunday to 756, but there have been no new deaths, so the death toll remains at 11. Health Minister Tomaž Gantar told reporters 115 Covid-19 patients were currently in hospital, 28 of them in intensive treatment units. As many as 108 of those who tested positive are heath workers, 24 of them at care homes. By Sunday midnight, 21,349 tests had been conducted. Gantar acknowledged the curve of infections had flattened, but said these were result of the strict measures imposed and should not lull anyone to sleep.
Staff reinforcements and protective equipment urged for nursing homes
LJUBLJANA - Two associations specialising in elderly care urged the government to provide sufficient staff and protective equipment in Slovenian nursing homes, some of which have become coronavirus hotspots. The Srebrna Nit association campaigning for dignified old age asked the government and the Human Rights Ombudsman to activate competent volunteers and notably all precious experts who have been relegated to their homes with the closure of spas, private health institutions etc.
Companies donating medical equipment to Slovenia
LJUBLJANA - The corporate sector is jumping in to help Slovenian authorities fight the coronavirus epidemic, with the United Group, the owner of the Slovenian telecommunications operator Telemach, donating seven artificial ventilation devices and 150,000 protective face masks worth half a million euro in medical equipment, and the company Acron providing in 60,000 face masks of the protective class FFP3.
New stimulus package in parliament on Wednesday
LJUBLJANA - Parliamentary Speaker Igor Zorčič announced that the new stimulus package, adopted by the government on Sunday to mitigate the impact of coronavirus, will be discussed and voted on in the National Assembly on Wednesday. The EUR 3 billion package supporting companies, self-employed, pensioners and other vulnerable groups will be fast tracked in parliament. The legal service of the National Assembly meanwhile highlighted a number of shortcomings in as many as two-thirds of the bill's 111 articles. The opposition parties mostly voiced support for the government-proposed new legislative package addressing the coronavirus crisis, the left-leaning ones have however expressed criticism of provisions giving police sweeping powers to control the movement of individuals.
Information watchdog, ombudsman say govt proposal entails Slovenia becoming police state
LJUBLJANA - The Information Commissioner and the Human Rights Ombudsman warned against giving police sweeping powers to control the movement of individuals as the government tries to contain the coronavirus epidemic. Both institutions say two articles from the new umbrella bill violate basic constitutional rights. Interior Minister Aleš Hojs said the changes were "intended to merely prevent unauthorised and incomprehensible movements of infected persons who should be in quarantine but are freely walking around".
Unions, businesses welcome mega stimulus bill, expect more from another
LJUBLJANA - Trade unions and businesses welcomed the EUR 3 billion bill to help the economy and society cope with the coronavirus crisis as a step in the right direction meant to avert massive layoffs. However, the unions say certain groups have been left out and criticise the government for ignoring social dialogue in adopting it. Some systemic measures are poorly worded and should be more concrete, ZSSS trade union confederation boss Lidija Jerkič said.
Slovenians in other EU countries asked to stay put if possible
LJUBLJANA - Indicating a gradual winding down of efforts to repatriate Slovenians located abroad amid the coronavirus crisis, Foreign Minister Anže Logar called on Slovenians living in other EU countries in manageable conditions to stay there. Slovenia has called on other countries to extend visa and work permits to Slovenians, while residence permits for foreigners in Slovenia are being extended. More than 360 Slovenian and 300 foreign nationals have been airlifted to Slovenia, and 120 more brought back by buses. Between 800 and 1,000 returned individually with the assistance of the diplomatic network.
Minister Vrtovec urges stepping up of infrastructure projects
LJUBLJANA - Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec argued for a stepping up of ongoing and planned infrastructure investments in Slovenia, pointing to the economic benefits and the fact the empty streets allowed work to be executed fast. "This is a great opportunity to speed up work and to work without traffic congestions," said Vrtovec, who agrees with the importance of containment measures but also sees a chance to boost ongoing infrastructure projects.
Sentences suspended for 68 prisoners, 15 released early
LJUBLJANA - Justice Minister Lilijana Kozlovič announced that prison sentences had been suspended for 68 persons and an additional 15 prisoners have been released early under the measures in administrative matters to contain the coronavirus epidemic. All of them have passed security checks. The law allowing a one-month suspension of a prison sentence and an early release of prisoners up to six months before the end of their sentence entered into force on Sunday.
Business sentiment, consumer confidence dive
LJUBLJANA - Business sentiment and consumer confidence in Slovenia plummeted in March amid the concerns fuelled by the coronavirus epidemic. Statistics Office data show the business sentiment index dropping to -3.7 percentage points, down 8.8 points from February and down 12.5 points year-on-year. The index had not been in the negative territory since August 2014. Consumer confidence sunk to the lowest since May 2016, having declined 3 points from February and 11 points since March 2019.
Housing prices up another 5.2% in 2019
LJUBLJANA - Housing prices rose by 5.2% in 2019, the fifth consecutive year of growth. Data released by the Statistics Office show the number of real estate transactions going up 4%, mostly on account of used flats, while the value of the deals amounted to EUR 1.3 billion, an increase of roughly 6% on 2018. The sale of new units had been modest for two years, but the sale of used units was going strong, with 3,458 transactions worth a record total EUR 340 million in the last quarter of 2019.
New Slovenian Philharmonic acting head appointed
LJUBLJANA - Culture Minister Vasko Simoniti appointed Matej Šarc as interim director of the Slovenian Philharmonic. Šarc will take over on 2 April and will preside over one of Slovenia's central cultural institutions until the appointment of the new full-fledged director or for a maximum period of a year.
If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here
All our stories on coronavirus are here, while those covering covid-19 and Croatia are here. We'll have an update at the end of the day, and if you want newsflashes then we'll post those on Facebook
We can’t have pictures of COVID-19 every day. So instead we’ll try and show the works of Slovenian artists and artists in Slovenia. Today it’s Natasha Villone. You can see more of their work here.
Stricter measures to fight coronavirus in effect
Slovenians put into quarantine after returning from Austria
New stimulus package in parliament on Wednesday
Unions, businesses welcome mega stimulus bill, expect more from another
Poll finds increasing anxiety about coronavirus
Staff reinforcements and protective equipment urged for nursing homes
Stricter measures to fight coronavirus in effect
STA, 30 March 2020 - Strict new measures to contain the coronavirus epidemic entered into force on Monday, as movement has been additionally restricted and shopping rules tightened to protect the most vulnerable groups.
Starting today Slovenians will be confined to their home municipality for most daily activities except to go to work, to do farm work, provide assistance to persons in need of care, and access emergency services, pharmacies, diplomatic missions and judicial authorities.
Police will control whether a person has justifiably left own municipality, so it advises people to have a note proving the necessity of going to another municipality, although no such note is explicitly mentioned in the decree. "This should make it easier for the police and shorten the procedure for the people," it said on Twitter.
Within their municipality people will still be allowed to go to shops and access services that are provided despite the sweeping lockdown, and if such services are not available in their municipality they will be allowed to go to the nearest place where they are available.
For most people public parks have been the only nature they have been able to enjoy during the lockdown and the new decree stipulates that people may only access parks within their own municipality. Mayors may introduce additional restrictions.
A number of mayors have told the STA that they are in favour of the new measures, deeming them necessary, most notably for tourist spots in the country.
Some are planning to ramp up the measures by restricting movement at the most popular destinations if people keep flocking to them.
Janez Fajfar, the mayor of lakeside resort Bled, said that the government had acknowledged warnings and calls for stepping up measures by municipalities that saw an influx of visitors over the weekend.
"The measure, as strict as it is, has come at the right time," he told the STA, adding that police officers, security officers as well as volunteers would ensure that the restriction was heeded at Bled.
For those who do venture to shops, face masks, even ones made at home, or equivalents such as scarves that cover the mouth and nose will be mandatory along with protective gloves; the decree stipulates that masks and gloves need to be worn in indoor public spaces.
The Murska Sobota civil protection service is to provide the protective gear for the locals in cooperation with shops, banks, post offices and other public institutions. The city in the north-east has ordered 10,000 face masks from a local producer to secure the supply.
Shops are also subject to new rules. In the first two hours after opening, from 8am to 10am, shops are reserved for pensioners, the disabled and pregnant women, groups that are seen as being at particular risk. What is more, pensioners will not be allowed into shops after 10am at all.
Another new rule, which took effect on Sunday, requires the managers of all multi-apartment buildings to disinfect at least twice a day frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs, light switches and elevator buttons.
Slovenians put into quarantine after returning from Austria
STA, 30 March 2020 - A group of Slovenians returned to Slovenia from Austria's Tyrol on Sunday evening, after having spent two weeks in quarantine in the neighbouring country due to the coronavirus outbreak. Upon their return to Slovenia, all 27 of them have been put into state-administrated quarantine in the north-east.
They are all feeling well and are being taken care of, Edith Žižek Sapač, the head of the Murska Sobota health centre has told the STA. The citizens have been tested for coronavirus infection, with the results expected presumably on Tuesday.
Most of the group is made up of persons who work in Austria. They were transported to an inn in Dolga Vas (NE) immediately after having their samples taken.
The Slovenians worked in some of the Austrian hotspots and they are all residents of towns in north-eastern Slovenia.
Lendava Mayor Janez Magyar has said that they are not patients but locals as well as taxpayers who have been on temporary work in Austria where they were already quarantined for two weeks.
Lendava stepped up so that they have been placed into 14-day quarantine close to home. One of the locals has offered his inn to serve as quarantine site, while the local civil protection service, Red Cross and the town itself helped out with providing protective gear and sustenance.
Their repatriation was coordinated by the Slovenian embassy in Vienna in cooperation with the Austrian authorities and the Croatian embassy. Along with the 27 Slovenians, 13 Croatian citizens were evacuated as well, and have continued their journey home.
Meanwhile, a group of 40 Slovenians who returned to Slovenia from Spain on Saturday and were then placed in mandatory 14-day quarantine in a hotel in Postojna were tested again today, Postojna Mayor Igor Marentič told the STA.
They are all feeling well and none had any signs of infection during the travel. They all tested negative for coronavirus while being quarantined in Spain. Right before the end of the two weeks in quarantine, their samples will be taken again.
New stimulus package in parliament on Wednesday
STA, 30 March 2020 - Parliamentary Speaker Igor Zorčič has announced that the new stimulus package, adopted by the government on Sunday to mitigate the impact of coronavirus, will be discussed and voted on in the National Assembly on Wednesday.
A day earlier, the legislation will be discussed by the Finance Committee, Zorčič said on Monday after the college of deputy group leaders meeting which determined the agenda of Wednesday's emergency session.
The measures supporting companies, self-employed, pensioners and other vulnerable groups will be fast tracked in parliament.
Estimated at EUR 3 billion, the package includes bonuses for vital staff and a pay cut for public office holders, and support measures for companies like pay compensation for temporary lay-offs, and tax and loan payment deferrals.
It also includes loan guarantees and financing of social contributions, temporary basic income for the self-employed and allowances for pensioners, large families and students.
Government secretary general Božo Predalič said ahead of today's meeting that the government was aware of the problems faced by citizens and businesses due to the epidemic, which he labelled "one of the hardest tests since WWII".
The government proposes that the package mitigating the epidemic and preventing its spreading is processed in the National Assembly in a fast-track procedure as the "measures need to be taken resolutely and immediately."
All deputy groups bar the opposition Left, which abstained, agreed that the package should be fast-tracked, while there was less consensus on when the session should be held.
The entire opposition except the National Party (SNS) said it would like to have more time to examine the legislation and file possible amendments, proposing that the session be held on Thursday.
A representative of the parliamentary legal service also said some additional time would be welcome, but added that an opinion would be nevertheless delivered in time.
Part of the opposition is of the opinion that the package should be divided into a part dealing with financial assistance to individuals and the economy and a part dealing with police powers, including regarding the enforcement of quarantine.
Zorčič said at the meeting that the package contained an article saying that it was not possible to call a referendum on it, based on the constitutional provisions which stated that referendum was not possible on certain laws.
"If the wording remains the same when the law is passed, I'm inclined to the idea of sending it immediately to the president of the republic to promulgate it," he added.
Also on the agenda of Wednesday's session will be the appointment of two replacement MPs as Jelka Godec and Franc Breznik of the senior coalition Democrats (SDS) have been given posts in the government.
Unions, businesses welcome mega stimulus bill, expect more from another
STA, 30 March 2020 - Trade unions and businesses have welcomed the EUR 3 billion bill to help the economy and society cope with the coronavirus crisis as a step in the right direction meant to avert massive layoffs. However, the unions say certain groups have been left out and criticise the government for ignoring social dialogue in adopting it.
The intervention package the government presented yesterday brings a number of measures to avert a looming wave of layoffs, but fails to cover all affected groups. Some systemic measures are poorly worded and should be more concrete, ZSSS trade union confederation boss Lidija Jerkič told the STA on Monday.
The bill does not cover all those who lost their jobs before the law, those who due to the Covid-19 situation agreed with the termination of their contract, and many other groups of workers on various forms on non-permanent contracts. Jerkič believes this is an area calling for additional reflection.
According to a statement by confederations represented on the Economic and Social Council (ESS), a compensation for the loss of pay should be given to all workers who have lost their job for business reasons, incapacity or disability, or because their temporary contract ran out after the epidemic was declared on 12 March.
She also pointed to students, who will get only a one-off payment of EUR 150. And while the Slovenian Student Organisation (ŠOS) is happy the government has not entirely forgotten about the students, it considers the amount by far too low, noting an average monthly cost of a student is around EUR 500.
The ŠOS said almost half of all students are forced to work to be able to afford studying, and now they faced months-long loss of income. It also criticised the bill for not covering students who do not have permanent residence in Slovenia, but welcomed the fact they will not have to pay dormitory rent.
Jerkič is happy with the government's coverage of pay for those who have been temporarily laid off and the state's payment of all pension contributions. She also welcomed the special crisis bonus for those who continue to work, but noted a big difference between the private and public sectors.
The head of the largest confederation of trade unions is meanwhile apprehensive about the labour inspection services' ability to control the implementation of the measures, given its understaffing even before the epidemic.
The trade unions understand the bill had to be adopted in a rush, but nevertheless pointed to its being adopted in the absence of social dialogue.
The KSJS confederation of public sector trade unions believes the rush does not warrant neglecting the fundamental democratic processes, and the ZSSS urged the government to appoint its members of the ESS as soon as possible.
The KSJS, although it supports the majority of the measures, believes some of them radically encroach upon workers' rights, including reassigning a public worker without their consent, ordering enormous overtime without securing adequate rest time, or hiring top office holders without calls for applications.
Worried the government might save on the backs of the public sector like during the financial crisis, the KSJS wants the government to publicly say how Slovenia will service its increased public debt resulting from the adopted measures, especially since a recession is expected to hit after the coronavirus crisis.
It moreover highlighted "an enormous burden and responsibility carried by public sector workers, with many exposed to infection on a daily basis", so it expects the government to bear this in mind in the future.
Another confederation of trade unions, KS 90, said the special bonus for those working in a crisis situation should be received by all public sector workers who are working, not just those in the most risky lines of business such as healthcare.
A different view on the monthly crisis bonus - EUR 200 for those who continue to work and whose last monthly pay was below three minimum wages - is held by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS), saying it should rather depend on the extent of risk and stress a worker is exposed to.
The GZS has welcomed the bill noting it primarily focussed on social issues and keeping the jobs, which is also important for businesses, but it should bring clearer criteria for aid.
In a video statement, GZS director general Sonja Šmuc said the GZS was happy the government would cover the costs of temporarily laid-off workers, sick leave and pension contributions of employees and employers.
The stakeholders will try to influence the final working of the bill before it is passed in parliament later this week.
The GZS moreover has great expectations from another intervention bill the government is about to draft and which should focus on liquidity matters.
Šmuc believes it should contain two key measures: a multi-billion euro fund to provide fresh loans for operating currents assets and for investment and a fund for the purchase of liabilities, to prevent payment default and the crisis being used to the detriment of companies.
The unions taking part in the ESS also highlighted the fact that the bill does not contain the announced cut in fees for members of supervisory boards and for non-executive directors of companies in direct or indirect state ownership.
Poll finds increasing anxiety about coronavirus
STA, 30 March 2020 - A poll commissioned by the newspapers Dnevnik and Večer suggests that Slovenians are getting increasingly anxious about the coronavirus pandemic with almost 60% worried they will catch the virus.
As many as 86.5% of those questioned in the Vox Populi poll said they were concerned about the spread of the coronavirus outbreak in the country, against 13.3% who were not worried.
The proportion of those concerned increased considerably compared with the situation two weeks ago when the same poll found nearly seven out of ten did not feel threatened by the novel virus.
Asked whether they were worried about getting infected, 56.8% of those questioned answered in the affirmative, against 35.3% who answered in the negative.
Still, a majority (50.5%) have not yet changed their holiday plans because of the pandemic, while 41.8% have, writes Dnevnik in its Monday edition.
Just over 70% deem the government measures aimed at curbing the epidemic proportionate and as many as 86.4% said they fully complied with the measures, with a further 13.2% partly complying.
Based on a cross-examination of data, the paper finds that protective measures are being observed to a smaller extent by male respondents up to the age of 30.
The poll also suggests a radical change in people's lifestyles; 67% reported going to a grocery shop occasionally, and 72% reported not visiting their friends or relatives, while a quarter said they did.
However, 43.4% said that they had taken a walk out in nature quite often in the past week and a further 42.8% did that occasionally.
Six out of ten respondents also reported following news programmes on TV or radio more than usual, and more than half (55.6%) browsing the net more often than they did before the pandemic.
The survey was conducted online among 1,300 people on 25 and 26 March by Ninamedia.
Staff reinforcements and protective equipment urged for nursing homes
STA, 30 March 2020 - Two associations specialising in elderly care urged the government on Monday to provide sufficient staff and protective equipment in Slovenian nursing homes, some of which have become coronavirus hotspots.
Official data puts the number of elderly persons diagnosed with Covid-19 in nursing homes so far at 109 and the number of staff affected at 24.
The total number of all confirmed coronavirus cases across Slovenia stood at 756 on Sunday.
The Srebrna Nit (Silver Lining) association campaigning for dignified old age asked the government and the Human Rights Ombudsman to activate competent volunteers and notably all precious experts who have been relegated to their homes with the closure of spas, private health institutions etc.
Along with the Association of Nursing Homes, Srebrna Nit has moreover warned about the lack of protective equipment and the need for the costs of equipment to be covered by the state.
The Association of Nursing Homes confirmed for the STA that reinforcements were needed in particular in nursery homes with confirmed coronavirus cases. The homes will start notifying regional coordinators of the shortage and have doctors and other health staff reallocated and coordinated.
Srebrna Nit sees the root of the problem in elderly homes being classified as social institutions even though the nature of their users would seem to render them closer to healthcare institutions that should be given priority considered their vulnerability.
On the other hand, Srebrna Nit also stressed nursing homes must not turn into hospitals. "We cannot accept a small number of employees to focus only on urgent services needed to preserve the health and lives of the users as recommended by the Labour Ministry," it wrote.
Sam Baldwin – founder of BREG Apparel reports from the snowy Hinterlands of Koroška, Slovenia, where he is spending isolation alone.
Read Part 1 here
It’s been 11 days since I arrived at Breg, and things are starting to feel strange. The initial euphoria of having made it – after some transportation problems and worries over border closures – has now worn off.
Like many others loaded with lockdown energy, I embarked on a raft of ‘when-I-get-round-to-it’ jobs in the first few days. I made a shelf from an old piece of plum tree felled in the garden, some years ago. I did a big clear out of some cupboards and rearranged all my tools, making them accessible. I plugged a few small air gaps in the walls and eves with some insulation. But now, almost two weeks into isolation, my productivity has slowed. It’s a strange irony that having more time to do things, seems to reduce the amount of things you do.
Days are now melting into each other; the significance of their prefix lost. A [Satur]day is no different from a [Mon]day. A [Wednes]day identical to a [Fri]day. They are all just days. Following a brief spell of warm, spring-like weather, winter has very much reappeared, dumping a decent cover of snow over the entire landscape. And while Breg in its winter attire is certainly a beautiful sight, life up here is cold.
By morning, the temperature inside Breg House has fallen to 10°C, so my first job of the day is to get the wood stove lit. I then brew a coffee and sit close to the fire, deciding what jobs to tackle that day. The snow has put a halt to my outdoor tasks for now so I focus on indoor duties.
Life has become quite surreal. When I wander the frozen forest as the snow falls, I feel like I’m in a dream. I guess this is the effect of spending so much time alone. I couldn’t bear to let all the beautiful, light, powdery snow go to waste, so I gave in to the urge to do a couple of laps on my snowboard, down a meadow slope next to the house. The ride is less than a minute long, and perhaps five to walk back up, but it felt good to be surfing the snow and breathing crisp air.
The local heroines of my situation are my two lovely Slovene neighbours Štefka and Ančka. They have been bringing a hot homecooked meal to my doorstep each day. I think they worry about the strange Englishman, alone up a mountain and want to ensure I’m kept well fed. The meal arrives in a basket, complete with a salad, some bread and a dessert. Hearty soup, pork chops, struklji - who needs Uber Eats, when you have neighbours this thoughtful?
In the evenings I dip into the Breg House DVD collection. Despite the ribbing I got from friends, all those hours spent trawling charity shops back in the UK, amassing a library of classic movies for 50 pence a disk, is now paying off.
I phone a friend each evening to ensure some amount of sanity is retained. As lockdown sets in around the world, I start to hear how others are affected. Fear for small business survival; fear of job losses. But some optimism too: perhaps some changes for the better.
I think the coming weeks will be the real test. The initial ‘excitement’ of the situation is fading. It’s only the start of what looks to be a long haul and it’s unnerving not knowing how this will all play out. The houses of the world have never been so thoroughly cleaned and tidied but how will we all feel in another three, four or five weeks of social isolation?
Sam Baldwin is the founder of BREG Apparel – Slovenia Inspired T-shirts. Sam is also the author of For Fukui’s Sake: Two years in rural Japan – available on kindle or paperback. The rest of this series can be found here. If you'd like to tell your lockdown story, or any other story, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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 Aleksander Sandi. You can see more of their work here.
STA, 30 March 2020 - Slovenia's tally of confirmed coronavirus cases rose by 26 on Sunday to 756, but there have been no new deaths, so the death toll remains at 11, Health Minister Tomaž Gantar told reporters on Monday.
"The data I'm getting make me partly optimistic," the minister said, as the curve of new cases slowed down. But he said the slow, which he attributed to stringent lockdown measures, should not lull anyone to sleep.
Out of 21,349 tests conducted by Sunday midnight, 756 had come back positive, 26 more than the day before after much higher increases in the previous days.
Gantar said that 115 Covid-19 patients were currently in hospital, 28 of them in intensive treatment units.
He said the health system was managing the situation for the time being. "All the measures taken are aimed at allowing the health system to provide care for those in need," he said.
More than 500 beds are currently available for Covid-19 patients, with about 50 intensive care beds, both of which Gantar said could be expanded in case of an escalation.
Extra equipment is also being made available, including ventilators and the situation is improving with respect to personal protective equipment, so that urgent needs are met, said the minister.
As many as 108 of those who tested positive are heath workers, 24 of them at care homes.
As lockdown measures were stepped up from today, Gantar said the government was aware those interfered in people's lives, but were "the only way if we want to manage the epidemic".
He said the measures to contain the epidemic would change with respect to the findings of the countries that had fought the new virus earlier.
The government has already proposed several additional measures in the extensive legislative package to be passed by parliament on Wednesday, including giving other institutions aside from the health inspectorate extra powers to enforce lockdown measures, and increasing fines for those who flout them.
Commenting on the coronavirus hotspot at the Šmarje nursing come, Gantar said this was from the time before the restrictions. He also projected that more residents might get infected.
As of Friday 83 residents of care homes across the country were infected, but the figures keep rising.
STA, 30 March 2020 - Housing prices increased by 5.2% in 2019 in what was the fifth consecutive year of growth, show data released by the Statistics Office on Monday. The number of real estate transactions was up 4%, mostly on account of sold used flats, while the value of the deals amounted to EUR 1.3 billion, an increase of roughly 6% on 2018.
The continuation of growth came after the housing market started recovering in 2015 with 0.1% growth to then see prices rise by 6.9% in 2016, by 10% in 2017 and by 9.1% in 2018, said the office.
The total number of real estate deals made last year was 13,682, which is a 4% increase on 2019 but 8% less than in the record year 2017.
The office pointed out that the sale of new units had been very modest for two years now, while the sale of used units was going strong, with 3,458 transactions recorded in the last quarter of 2019 alone for a record total amount of EUR 340 million.
Used flats accounted for 2,141 transactions in the last quarter of 2019, which compares to only 107 new housing units sold for a total of EUR 18 million. The latter was still an increase on 70 units sold in the third quarter.
The prices of new flats have seen fluctuations in the past four years, but a clear growth was recorded. In the last quarter of 2019 they were 26.9% higher on average than in 2015.
The prices of used housing units fell in the last quarter of 2019 for the first time after 15 consecutive quarters of growth. They were down by 0.2%, but merely on account of a 3.6% decrease in the prices of used houses as used flats were 1.7% dearer. In Ljubljana, used flats were 0.4% more expensive.
Year-on-year, the biggest increase in prices was seen in the last quarter for new houses (10.9%), followed by used flats in regions other than the capital (7.1%), new flats in general (6.3%), used houses (3.8%) and used flats in Ljubljana (3.2%).
With all the pressures the covid-19 lockdown is bringing – material, mental, social and physical – it’s important to have some distractions and creative outlets, to keep focused on the positive and not give in to despair, to end each day a little better than it started and work to give some joy and ease the burdens of those around you.
The HoloLens version of the game
One man who may be able to provide some much needed distraction to your day is Rok Bermež, a developer, self-taught mixed reality creator, gamer, and the talent behind Holosheep Studios, a hobby venture that gives him the freedom to do whatever he wants when not writing code or delivering courses on Microsoft technologies for a living. He’s just released CoronAR, an augmented reality (AR) game that you can download and play for free. The idea is simple: just point your device to wherever want to play and the viruses will fly around on-screen, turning your living room or the view outside a window into the background to the game. Your job is then to combat the viruses by tapping on the screen and throwing that lockdown essential, rolls of toilet paper, moving the device to aim your throws and keeping your temperature down to a safe level.
The version for Android devices
Related: Slovenian Designer Updates Logos for the Age of Social Distancing
The game was first developed for the HoloLens system, and is now available for all Android devices that support AR Core, a long list of which is here, the same tech that powered Pokemon Go. Note that it’s not available via Google Play due to corporate concerns about covid-19 related content, and so you’ll need to download the APK file from the Holosheep website. This is a simple, two-step process. If you’re reading this on an appropriate device just click here to get the file, go to your downloads, tap the file name and then “yes”.
You can see more of Rok Bermež’s side projects here, and also get in touch with him if you an idea for a project that he can work on in the days ahead.
