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Shops limiting opening hours, urging online shopping
Calls growing for measures supporting the self-employed
Govt proposes one-month suspension of prison sentences over virus
Slovenia's number of coronavirus cases at 253
STA, 16 March 2020 - Slovenia registered 253 confirmed coronavirus cases by 2pm Monday, an increase of 34 over the past 24 hours. A total of 6,712 tests have been taken, fresh data posted on the government website shows.
The fresh statistics come as public life in the country has ground to a halt with further measures in the pipeline to slow down the spread of new infections.
All education institutions and most shops have been closed, and public transportation suspended. A ban has been imposed on any form organised childcare.
As of midnight, all passenger flights are being banned as well.
The National Security Council is expected to meet to take potential further measures.
Shops limiting opening hours and urging online shopping
STA, 16 March 2020 - Slovenian retailers are adjusting to the recent measures implemented to contain the coronavirus epidemic in the country by reducing their opening hours or even restricting the number of customers allowed inside a store at the same time. Moreover, they are encouraging shopping online.
Retailers Hofer, Lidl, Spar and Tuš have announced that their opening hours will be cut short as of Tuesday. Some of them are also planning to limit the number of customers allowed to shop at the same time to protect the shoppers as well as employees. The latter measure will be imposed in line with the government's guidelines.
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Hofer stores will be open from 8.30am until 5pm Monday to Saturday and between 8.30am and noon on Sundays until further notice.
The retailer has said that its supply chain is operating without any major disruption, adding that Hofer has been working on restocking after sales have increased in the past few days amid coronavirus concerns.
Meanwhile, Lidl stores will be open from 8.30am until 6pm Monday to Saturday and between 8.30am and noon on Sundays as of tomorrow. Today, Lidl shops will close at 6pm as well.
As of Tuesday, consumers will be able to shop at Interspar centres from 10am until 6pm Monday to Saturday and between 9am and 3pm on Sundays. Spar shops will be mostly open during the same business hours, with those generally open on Sundays operating between 8am and noon.
Tuš will reduce its store hours as well - Monday to Saturday between 9am and 6pm, and from 8am until noon on Sundays.
On the other hand, retailers Mercator and Jagr have decided not to change their opening hours due to the epidemic for now.
All retailers have called on the customers to maintain a distance of at least 1.5 metre from people and follow all the related prevention steps, such as using hand sanitisers and protective gloves.
Shops are also urging their customers to shop online. However, cash payments are mostly not allowed, nor is in-store pick-up.
Most online retailers, such as Mimovrste and Moje-lece.si, are thus calling on their clients to pay online and get their purchase delivered to their home.
Postal services operator Pošta Slovenije will remain delivering packages and is calling on its customers to accept the items without any physical contact at pre-arranged spots.
GLS parcel service has also set up alternative ways of delivery, taking precautions such as outdoor delivery and keeping the 1.5 metre distance.
Calls mounting for measures supporting the self-employed
STA, 16 March 2020 - After moving quickly to provide a stimulus package for businesses the face of the coronavirus outbreak, the government is now facing increasing pressure to honour its announcement that help would also be extended to the self-employed and other precarious workers.
While a proposal is expected to be unveiled by the Economy Ministry later this week, key ideas being promulgated in different petitions include cancelling or deferring social security contributions for sole proprietors and providing aid to precarious workers making less than minimum wage.
The opposition Left proposed last Friday that the income threshold for cancellations of contributions for the self-employed be put at EUR 20,000 in 2020, a figure echoed today in a petition to the government signed by over 6,000 people.
The petition, which argues that 100,000 self-employed workers or 12% of the working population would be affected, proposes that the exemption become effective immediately and remain in place until the pandemic ends. Those exceeding the threshold at the end of the year would reimburse the budget.
One of the first to urge an expansion of the stimulus package to the self-employed was the Chamber of Craft and Small Business (OZS), which spoke of 68,000 self-employed persons last Wednesday and also proposed a lifting of social contribution payments.
Several NGOs specialising in labour rights raised their voice as well on the same day, highlighting the distress of culture and other workers mostly operating in atypical forms of employment.
The Mladi Plus youth trade union, which is part of the ZSSS confederation, pointed out today the government's proposal had "completely left out the public sector and everybody working in precarious labour arrangements.
Govt proposes one-month suspension of prison sentences over virus
STA, 16 March 2020 - The government has tabled a bill under which a one-month suspension of a prison sentence and an early release of prisoners up to six months before the end of their sentence would be possible as a means of containing the coronavirus outbreak.
The proposals are part of the bill on temporary coronavirus containment measures in judicial, administrative and other public legal matters, which the government wants to be fast-tracked in the National Assembly.
Under the bill filed on Monday, a prison director could, if this is required in order to prevent the epidemic from spreading and if there are no security concerns, suspend a prison sentence for one month. The suspension could be extended.
The bill also allows the prison director to release a prisoner up to six months before the end of their sentence for the same purpose, in line with the act governing prison sentences.
The article says that, based on expert opinion, the prison director may release early a prisoner who behaves appropriately, is diligent at work and actively participates in other useful activities, and who has served two-thirds of the sentence.
The government says that the main objective of the bill is to provide safer conditions to prisoners and prison staff.
It noted that, due to prisons being overcrowded, it was not possible to secure effective isolation of infected persons at all locations, which meant there was a high probability of a fast spread of the virus among prisoners and staff.
Under the bill, the government would also be able to impose other measures "needed to prevent the spread of the virus infection, protect the rights and legal benefits of persons, and ensure the undisturbed operation of administrative and other state bodies, local government bodies and holders of public powers who perform administrative tasks".
One such measure would be the freezing of deadlines in court matters and the possibility to interrogate a person via videoconference.
A judge could limit or temporarily, partially or fully prohibit the presence of the media and public in a trial. The public would be excluded from all procedures in administrative matters.
The justice minister would get the power to completely close all notary offices at the proposal of the Chamber of Notaries.
The measures would be in force until 1 July but could end earlier if needed.
