STA, 24 August 2022 - More than 50 scientists have made an appeal to the government to annul the decision by its predecessor that the public interest of producing renewable energy overrides the public interest of nature conservation in the Mokrice hydropower station project.

"We ask for a professionally and legally consistent reconsideration of the (un)reasonableness of encroaching on nature at the confluence of the Sava, Krka and Sotla rivers," reads the appeal, signed by representatives of natural sciences, including biochemist Tamara Lah Turnšek and researchers Darja Stanič and Al Vrezec.

They believe the government, in prioritising the interest of energy, "failed to take into consideration the legal provision stipulating that natural resources, especially water resources, may not be degraded or destroyed if there are other less harmful options".

Such an approach "is not in the interests of Slovenian citizens and is distinctly contrary to the interests of the future generations". They say that short-term political or capital interests should not prevail in decisions that have a damaging or destructive impact on nature.

The signatories believe the deliberation of which public interest prevails in this case or the assessment of better solutions at the national level have not been conducted, as the procedures concerned have not been carried out in the actual process of adopting the Renewable Energy Action Plan or in the context of the comprehensive National Energy and Climate Plan. The latter does not foresee the construction of large hydropower plants until 2030.

They refer to a decision by the EU Court, which they say has set forth that the absence of better solutions for nature had to be proven, which they said the government failed to do satisfactorily at the national level in the case of the Mokrice plant.

Instead, the signatories support accelerating the construction of unit 2 of the Krško nuclear power plant. "Once the unit is operational, expectedly around 2035, there will be enough electricity in Slovenia and strategic projections show the country will have become a net electricity exporter," the appeal reads, adding that nuclear power plants have a very small carbon or biodiversity prints and that with the second reactor in place hydropower stations will no longer be needed.

As the second key energy potential they see solar power plants of all sizes.

The Administrative Court has recently decreed that the planned Mokrice hydropower station on the river Sava cannot get a building permit until it has ruled on legal action brought against the project by the Slovenian Native Fish Society.

STA, 24 August 2022 - Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon is not in favour of the initiative that the EU should stop issuing tourist visas to Russian citizens, telling the Alpbach Forum in Austria on Wednesday that the measure would also hurt those who oppose President Vladimir Putin's policies and would like to leave the country.

"I'm not in favour of limiting tourist visas. Any visa restrictions would also prevent people who oppose Putin's policies and want to leave Russia from leaving the country. I believe that abolishing visas would be a risky move which could boomerang back on us," Fajon was quoted as saying in a press release from her ministry.

The minister took part in a panel debate on the EU's political awakening, which discussed Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the threat of energy and food crisis in Europe.

Fajon again condemned Russia's aggression and appealed for the war to end as soon as possible.

"We need wisdom and long-term political strategy. The current crisis has shown us and the world that the European Union is strong when united. This should be the guiding principle for the continuation of our geopolitical awakening," she was quoted as saying.

The speakers agreed that the EU demonstrated its unity in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the political momentum should be used for long-term geopolitical action.

Slovenia is yet to adopt its position on the proposal to stop issuing tourist visas to Russian citizens. Earlier this month the Foreign Ministry said the country would continue to "look for solutions together with EU member states".

Earlier this week PM Robert Golob said consultations on the matter were under way. "We're still far from a decision, we'll have discussion in the government and on the Foreign Policy Committee, only then will we take a decision," he told a televised interview.

EU foreign ministers are expected to discuss a potential ban on tourist visas for Russians at the informal meeting at end of the month.

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This summary is provided by the STA: 

STA, 23 August 2022 - The Housing Fund, which has received EUR 108.25 million in grants from the Environment Ministry and a loan from the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB), plans to build 1,244 public rental apartments across the country by 2026, the fund's head, Črtomir Remec, told the press on Tuesday.

Given the current stokck of 7,000 apartments and about 2,500 apartments under construction and planned, the fund expects to have 10,000 apartments available for rent in 2025, Remec said about the closing of the 2015-2024 national housing programme.

Another boost will be the EUR 38.25 million in grants that the fund won in a public tender published by the Ministry for Environment and Spatial Planning as part of the recovery and resilience plan.

The money will be spent on the construction of 714 public rental units at 11 locations in five statistical regions by the end of 2024, including 136 apartments (or 20%) intended for elderly people who need assistance.

All the projects include 10% of units for people with disabilities.

"This means that in total we have 30% of apartments for the disabled and the elderly, which is what has been our goal all along - to provide for all those with special needs, both young and old, regardless of the current demographic trends," Remec said.

He added, thought, that not all contracts for the projects had been signed yet.

Remec noted that a week ago a contract had been signed with the CEB on a EUR 70 million loan, which "we had to work hard for".

These funds will be used to build 912 public apartments by 2026 that will be available for rent in seven statistical regions, including 58 apartments for elderly people who need assistance and 10% of apartments for people with disabilities.

In certain projects, both the money from the recovery and resilience plan and the CEB funds will be used.

"If we combine the money from the recovery fund and the development bank, we have EUR 108.25 million in total and 1,244 public apartments for rent at 18 locations in nine statistical regions, of which 164 will be apartments for elderly who need assistance," he said.

Remec expects most of the apartments to be built by 2025.

Meanwhile, the Housing Fund will also finance municipal projects with a total of 421 new housing units at six locations (Celje, Ljubljana, Koper, Zreče, Slovenske Konjice, Novo Mesto).

Touching on the new national housing programme for 2025-2035, Remec said in the future municipalities and city funds should take on more tasks, "as the national fund cannot solve all the housing problems in the country".

STA, 23 August 2022 - Slovenian cycling star Primož Roglič has taken the lead in La Vuelta after winning the 152-kilometre stage four on Tuesday on the last climb.

Having led the peloton in the last twenty kilometres, the Jumbo Visma rider secured the win with a dash up the Laguardia that left his closest competitors in the dust.

The 32-year-old also won the earlier climb up the Puerto de Herrero to win a three-second bonus.

Roglič now has a 13-second lead on the American Sepp Kuss in the overall rankings, with the Brit Ethan Hayter in third 26 seconds adrift.

STA, 23 August 2022 - The National Assembly unanimously passed on Tuesday changes to the VAT act reducing VAT on electricity, gas, biomass and remote heating from 22% to 9.5% between 1 September 2022 and 31 May 2023.

The changes come as part of efforts to mitigate the cost of living crisis with Finance Ministry State Secretary Tilen Božič telling MPs that the VAT cut will only fulfil its purpose if prices are regulated as well.

Initially, this was not incorporated in the changes, and the senior coalition Freedom Movement filed an amendment to that effect with the support of the coalition Left.

Under the amendment, prices will be regulated for the duration of the VAT reduction for products which will be regulated on 1 September 2022.

At the moment, this entails electricity and gas for households, small companies and users classified as protected, including schools and care homes.

Božič said the Infrastructure Ministry was conducting a study to see what additional measures, including price regulation, would further contribute to reducing heating bills. The study is to be completed by the end of the month.

The changes have been fast-tracked through parliament and enjoy the support of all parliamentary parties, even though some expressed regret that VAT could not be lowered below 9.5% and that it does not apply to food.

The opposition Democrats (SDS) filed an amendment under which VAT would be reduced to 5%, including for heating oil, although EU law renders this impossible.

Nevertheless, the SDS believes that Slovenia should declare a state of emergency in energy and reduce heating oil VAT.

"You're worried that this would not be in line with the EU directive. But of course it is in line if we act for the good of the citizens," said SDS MP Janez Magyar.

Božič said the government did not want to propose a solution that would not be in line with EU law. "At first, it would feel nice in our pockets, until we would have to pay it all back with interest. No such lunch is free."

The revenue shortfall from the reduction to 9.5% is estimated at EUR 130 million, while a reduction to 5% would mean an additional EUR 50 million less in budget revenue, Božič said.

On Monday, Prime Minister Robert Golob said that the government does not believe the reduction to 5% to be necessary because the cut to 9.5% will be accompanied by the freezing of prices for electricity and gas. He said the government would rather use budget funds to cut VAT on food, if necessary.

The opposition New Slovenia (NSi) also said it would support the changes. However, the party wants a more comprehensive approach by the government, for example reduced VAT for basic necessities, above all food, MP Jernej Vrtovec said.

The NSi wanted to file an amendment under which the VAT reduction would also apply to food and beverages. But because the changes address VAT reduction for energy products, the amendment was not discussed.

All three coalition parties expressed support for the changes, but junior coalition parties expressed some misgivings.

The Social Democrats (SD) said a reduction to 5% would be a maximum expense for the public finance and would prevent any later additional actions.

SD MP Soniboj Knežak regretted that a solution had not been found for heating oil. "I don't know if that was a bureaucratic lapse," he said about the EU directive and expressed the expectation that a solution will be found at the EU level by the start of the heating season.

Meanwhile, Miha Kordiš of the Left underlined the need to regulate prices if the VAT cut is to have the desired effect. He also said the Left wanted to see regulation of food and heating oil prices, as well as a fair tax reform by the end of the year.

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STA, 23 August 2022 - Free kits for Covid-19 self-testing for primary and secondary school students in the new school year will be available in Slovenian pharmacies from Monday. Testing will be voluntary and will take place at home, with funds for the campaign being secured from the national budget.

As Health Ministry State Secretary Tadej Ostrc announced at a press conference on Tuesday, the voluntary self-testing is aimed at finding individuals with signs of coronavirus infection, and not at finding asymptomatic cases.

He added that the anti-epidemic measures in the autumn would be aimed mainly at protecting vulnerable groups - older people and people whose immune system has been compromised.

Ten free-of-charge kits for self-testing will be available for every primary and secondary school student on a monthly basis.

The ministry's decision follows the recommendation from the relevant task force at the National Institute of Public Health that home self-testing be conducted for students with coronavirus symptoms and those who have been in close contact with infected persons.

For the second phase, which would be triggered under a worsened epidemiological situation, mandatory weekly self-testing has been proposed for primary and secondary school, and for university students and participants in adult education programmes.

Ostrc said the ministry would send today relevant instructions to head teachers of schools and to social care institutions, and that it was also in close contact with the Chamber of Pharmacy.

STA, 23 August 2022 - Slovenia marks European Day of Remembrance for the Victims of All Totalitarian and Authoritarian Regimes on Tuesday. Several commemorative ceremonies will be held in Ljubljana, with President Borut Pahor laying a wreath at the monument in Congress Square.

A number of ceremonies will be held in Slovenia this afternoon in memory of the victims of totalitarian regimes, organised by the Study Centre for National Reconciliation (SCNR), the Military Vicariate of the Slovenian Armed Forces and the parish of St Nicholas in Ljubljana.

One of the ceremonies will take place at the Monument to the Victims of All Wars in Congress Square in the capital, where Pahor will lay a wreath and deliver an address, the president's office said.

At the invitation of Pahor, the ceremony will be attended by high-level representatives of the five largest religious communities in Slovenia: the Catholic, Protestant, Islamic, Jewish and Orthodox communities. Prior to the ceremony, the president is expected to receive the representatives at the Presidential Palace.

The victims of totalitarian regimes will also be commemorated with Mass at the Ljubljana Cathedral that will be celebrated by Ljubljana Archbishop Stanislav Zore.

The government commission for concealed mass graves meanwhile called on the government on the eve of the remembrance day to take initiative as soon as possible to determine the location of a tomb at Ljubljana's main cemetery where the remains of victims from a mass grave in the chasm in Macesnova Gorica in Kočevski Rog, a vast forest area in the south-east of Slovenia, would be buried.

Archaeologists have so far uncovered the remains of more than 2,000 victims of post-WWII executions and items found in the Macesnova Gorica chasm, where excavation started in 2017, which suggest that Slovenian war prisoners were killed there, the commission said.

In line with agreements reached, the commission expects research in the chasm to conclude this year so a funeral could be held in 2023.

The commission also expects Slovenia to continue to strive for the implementation of the right to funeral of all victims of war and post-war violence.

Before the remembrance day, the EU expressed solidarity with all victims of persecution around the world. EU High Representative Josep Borrell said that everyone should have the right to have or not to have, to choose or to change their religion or belief, and not to be subjected to discrimination or coercion as a result.

23 August was declared European Day of Remembrance for the Victims of All Totalitarian and Authoritarian Regimes by the European Parliament in 2009, and has been officially commemorated in Slovenia since 2012.