STA, 22 May 2020 - The Slovenian and Croatian foreign ministers, Anže Logar and Gordan Grlić Radman, met Friday to discuss the opening of the countries' shared border which has been closed, with some exceptions, as the countries are battling the coronavirus pandemic. They could however not yet provide an answer to when the border would reopen for everybody.

This was the ministers' first meeting in person. They met at the Dragonja border crossing police station today after having talked several times over the phone and videoconferencing.

They expressed satisfaction that the epidemiological situation in the two countries is very similar. "This will undoubtedly contribute to an agreement on easier crossing of the border," Grlić Radman told the press in a joint statement.

He also said that talks would contribute to make it easier for Croatians to cross the border into Slovenia, noting that the country was an important neighbour and partner.

He did not, however, say how this would happen. "The public will learn very fast when it is time."

Logar said that Slovenia was "playing with an open hand" in talks about border opening. However, the health of Slovenians must be protected and unnecessary risks avoided, he said.

Zunanji minister ??@AnzeLog z zunanjim ministrom ??@grlicradman o čezmejnem sodelovanju in skupnih ukrepih za odpravljanje posledic epidemije #COVIDー19 ? https://t.co/La9lYX5I1H pic.twitter.com/1fjAg7zNEh

— SLOVENIAN MFA (@MZZRS) May 22, 2020

At the moment, Croatia is the only country from where passengers can enter Slovenia without restrictions. Meanwhile, Slovenians can enter Croatia if they have property in the country, a holiday reservation, business or important personal obligations in the country.

The ministers also welcomed the EU's recommendations on the easing of restrictions as regards border permeability.

Logar also commented on the opening of Slovenia's borders with Austria and Italy saying that epidemiological situations in the two countries would have to be taken into account and that Slovenia was doing everything in its power for this to happen as soon as possible.

He also underlined that this would be done in bilateral agreements, adding that Slovenian diplomacy was proactively seeking such agreements.

The ministers also talked about open issues between the two countries. Logar said that they focused above all on issues they themselves could tackle and issues in which the countries have fund a high level of agreement.

Logar also said that Croatia was in a unique position at the moment: presiding the EU Council and getting ready for a parliamentary election simultaneously. "It is a specific time that imposes relatively strong restrictions on talks," Logar said.

Grlić Radman expressed the willingness to discuss all open issues, but also added that these should not come to dominate the countries' relations.

The countries' main open issue is the implementation of the 2017 border arbitration decision which Croatia refuses to accept as binding.

STA, 22 May 2020 - Speaking to the BBC on Thursday, Prime Minister Janez Janša pointed out that tourism was the mainstay of Slovenia's economy and announced that the season would kick off on 1 June. He assured that holidaying in Slovenia would be safe in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, adding the country strived for lifting border restrictions.

The BBC News show highlighted that Slovenia was the first country in Europe to declare the end of the coronavirus epidemic.

Slovenija je varna država in naredili bomo vse, da bodo tudi počitnice v Sloveniji popolnoma varne.@BBCWorld pic.twitter.com/l4FUyku79H

— Janez Janša (@JJansaSDS) May 22, 2020

Janša told the show that Slovenia was striving to ensure all the tourism facilities would be safe. He pointed out that all the guests would be treated in line with public health guidelines.

To make sure that the country is a safe holiday destination, the coronavirus will have to be eradicated, he said, highlighting that in the past two weeks Slovenia recorded only one or zero cases of infection with coronavirus on a daily basis. The confirmed cases can be isolated, he added.

"The epidemic in Slovenia is now under total control," Janša said in a conversation which he shared on his Twitter on Friday.

"Slovenia will do everything that holidays in Slovenia will be totally safe," he highlighted, adding that safety measures will have to be heeded.

Almost 90% of tourism facilities which are available during normal times will be welcoming guests during the so-called new normality as well, he said, pointing out that nightclubs were still off-limits.

The prime minister confirmed that Slovenia was discussing with its neighbouring countries to lift the border restrictions on its internal EU borders in mid-June after deciding to lift almost all restrictions on the border with Croatia.

Slovenia is also closely monitoring the epidemiological status in the neighbouring countries; Italy could represent a risk, however the situation in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, the Italian region closest to the border with Slovenia, has been promising, according to Janša.

"I think that our region will be the first to lift the border restrictions which will especially help the touristic season to be safe as much as possible," he said and invited people to visit Slovenia. "Welcome to Slovenia, it's a safe country."

Slovenia has declared the covid-19 epidemic over, and the country is re-opening for business, but it will be some time before things get back to normal, and certain parts of the economy, culture and society may never return.

While the focus of many has been on tourism, the most high profile industry in the country, along with the restaurants, cafés and bars that provide venues for much of Slovenia’s social life, less attention has been paid to culture – one of the reasons why people enjoy visiting the country, and the expression of those who live here – and how this will continue to be impacted by the crisis. Although some venues, such as Kinodvor, are planning to reopen 1 June, social distancing is likely to continue to make things difficult for the foreseeable future, leading to a fall in ticket sales, loss of revenue, and thus fall in income for those who work in the sector. Not just performers, writers and artists, but all those whose work supports their endeavours.

Moreover, the continued support that’s being offered to some sectors, such as tourism, is being withheld from culture.

It’s in this context that representatives of the industry recently sent an the following open letter to Dr Vasko Simoniti, the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia (somewhat freely translated, with the original here):

We invite you to make clear to the Slovenian cultural public the key things to which you are obliged to explain due to your the ministerial position.

State the arguments or reasons why at the government session on 19 May 2020, during the adoption of the "third stimulus package" for resolving the (post-) corona crisis you did not protect the sector for which you are responsible and about which we have regularly informed you of the problems and sent you in-depth appeals for help.

Please reveal your plan for how you plan to take care of the sector, which is entering a "dead season" and will be much more malnourished by the autumn than it was during the epidemic, when you allocated at least some funds to it – albeit with restrictions.

If you continue to remain silent, we will interpret this as meaning do not intend to deal with the majority of the cultural sector, especially the weakest and most endangered parts, and you will narrow the culture to a system of public institutions and heritage.  

Once again, we suggest that the Ministry take more account of the workers for which it is responsible and, in order to plan further assistance to the self-employed after the end of the epidemic, form a special working group in which they can participate.

The letter was sent out on Wednesday, 20 May, under the name of the Group for Assistance to the Self-Employed in Culture during Kovid 19 (Skupine za Pomoč samozaposlenim v kulturi v času Kovid 19), with the signatories being Miha Zadnikar, Urška Jurman, Andrej Srakar, Petja Grafenauer and Beti Žerovc.

The next day the Minister responded to inquiries by Dnevnik, once again freely translated:

They got everything they asked for. In preparing the second stimulus package the Ministry listened to all the comments of the self-employed in culture. The first package was accused of forgetting the majority of the self-employed, noting that they were not guaranteed regular pay for their work and that the criterion for proving loss of income in relation to that earned in February 2020 [was inappropriate for this group]. We found a solution to this problem, which was also adopted by the government. In the second package the loss of income could be proven based on the average monthly income last year, thus providing more support for such workers.

Moreover, cultural NGOs were able send their workers on furlough, with the state covering the payment of salaries and welfare contributions, while the Slovenian Film Center (Slovenski filmski center) and the Public Book Agency (Javna agencija za knjigo) were able to pay salaries and bills without interruption.

It would thus be extremely dishonest to say that the Ministry is unresponsive to the initiatives of the cultural sector, especially the self-employed, who got everything they asked for in the second package.

However, Dnevnik went on to ask about the future, and whether any further assistance would be provided to cultural sector in the coming months, but no response was given.

As the weather improves and people start going out again, albeit without any foreign tourists on the streets and in seats, the question of how Slovenian culture will continue to thrive at the grass roots level remains an open one, as do the long-term effects of the coronavirus crisis – round 1 – on so many parts of life that make the country such an appealing one to live in, and to visit.

The photo at the top of this story is by Igor Andjelić. You can see more of his work here

STA, 21 May - The third emergency law designed to mitigate the consequences of the Covid-19 epidemic is worth approximately EUR 1 billion and the government would like it to take effect on 1 June. Most of the funds will subsidise short-time work and roughly a third of the money is for tourist vouchers. Below is a short review of the measures it brings.

SHORT-WORK SUBSIDIES SCHEME

If an employee's work week (the standard is 40 hours) is shortened, the government will provide funds to pay them a wage compensation for the partial idling, but only from five to 20 hours per week.

Firms set up before 13 March 2020 (first day of epidemic) that will are unable to provide at least 90% of the workload for at least 10% of their workers are eligible.

Firms which receive more than 50% of funds directly or indirectly from the state or municipal budgets cannot apply.

The employer taking part in the scheme is obliged not to lay off the workers partly idled or a lager number of other workers while taking part in the scheme and also a month after it.

The measure will be in place from 1 June to 31 December.

PARTIAL WAGE COMPENSATION FOR IDLED WORKERS

For idled workers, companies will get funds for 80% of the unemployment benefit they would be entitled to if jobless, but not more than the highest possible unemployment benefit.

The measure will apply only to employers whose main line of business is tourism or hospitality and to farms which are also engaged in activities beyond pure farming, for example tourism farms.

The measure also covers venues for cultural events, gaming, as well as inter-city and other road transport.

To be eligible, a company's revenue in 2020 must be by more than 10% lower due to the epidemic than it was in 2019.

The measure will be in place until the end of June.

TOURIST VOUCHERS

Those who had permanent residence in Slovenia on 13 March 2020 will get a tourist voucher to spend on accommodation in Slovenia.

Those born in 2002 at the latest will receive a EUR 200 voucher, minors will get EUR 50 vouchers.

Companies providing accommodation such as hotels and other holiday facilities, including camping sites, will be eligible to accept the vouchers, which will be valid until the end of 2020.

FINANCIAL INCENTIVES

Financial incentives in the form of grants and loans to co-finance the loss of income in tourism and hospitality, provide support for manufacturing in the affected border areas, encourage digitalisation of companies and to invest in development projects.

Micro, small and medium-sized companies which are entitled to state aid, and large companies affected by the pandemic will be eligible.

RELAXED CONDITIONS FOR INVESTMENT INCENTIVES

In line with the law on the promotion of investments, the value of the investment for which a state incentive can be granted remains EUR 1 million for manufacturing and EUR 500,000 for services and R&D, but the number of jobs the investment has to bring three years after completion will be lowered.

Investors investing in Slovenia will be eligible.

The measure will be in place until 30 June 2021.

VARIOUS OTHER MEASURES

1. Financial engineering measures to finance companies in the road transport industry for which the state will allocate EUR 10 million in 2020 and the state-owned SID Bank EUR 25 million.
2. Financial aid for managers of ski lifts, ranging from EUR 1,000 to EUR 12,200 per lift.
3. Valid contracts and agreements on coach transport that could not be partially or fully provided during the epidemic can be extended until September 2021 without a public tender.
4. The Farmland and Forest Fund may write off or reduce the compensation for building title, and reduce the prices of farmland it has leased out, until the end of 2020. The fund can gratuitously lease out farmland at risk of spontaneous afforestation for 10 years.
5. Relaxation of requirements for building greenhouses on lower-value farmland, priority treatment of requests for the exploitation of geothermal energy in greenhouses.
6. Permits for seasonal work in agriculture may be extended to 150 days.
7. A wage compensation for disabled workers will rise by 10% of the minimum wage.
8. Organisers of sport events will receive a voucher corresponding to the price of a ticket for an event they could not carry out due to the pandemic.
9. Members of Civil Protection and others helping in the anti-coronavirus efforts will get a EUR 30 daily allowance for working in hazardous conditions.

STA, 20 May 2020 - The government adopted on Wednesday a new economic stimulus package, featuring subsidies for shortened working time, vouchers for citizens to be spent in tourism facilities around the country, and favourable liquidity loans. The package is worth around one billion euros.

Subsidies will be available to employers who cannot secure at least 90% of the usual workload for at least 10% of their employees and that the state would subsidise up to 20 hours weekly.

For workers on 20-hour weeks, the subsidy will amount to EUR 449, for 15 hours EUR 336, for ten EUR 224 and for five EUR 112.

Workers on the minimum wage will not receive the full minimum wage if they do not work full time, Kralj said, arguing a distinction needed to be preserved among those working full- and short-time.

The measure will be in place until 31 December and will be financed from the European Social Fund and the European Commission's SURE mechanism.

The stimulus package also includes an estimated EUR 345 million worth of vouchers to be spent in Slovenian tourism facilities. All Slovenian citizens will be eligible for vouchers, which will be available as of 1 June.

Related: Slovenia to Spend €345m on Tourism Vouchers for All

Minors will get EUR 50 vouchers and adults EUR 200 vouchers in electronic form, which may be used to pay for accommodation and breakfast in hotels, apartment complexes, camps, agritourism farms and other similar facilities.

The measure, valid until 31 December, will cost the state EUR 345 million, but visitors who cash in their vouchers are expected to spend an additional EUR 172 million for services they will not be able to cover with vouchers.

Also adopted is an extension of subsidies for temporary lay-offs only for certain industries. Companies in the tourism and hospitality industries whose estimated drop in revenue is more than 10% compared to 2019 will be eligible.

The new package also serves as legal basis for notification of state aid under the EU rules, based on which the Economy Ministry will draft a financial incentive programme intended for tourism and border problem areas.

In order to boost liquidity of companies, state-owned funds will provide EUR 40 million-worth of favourable liquidity loans for around 900 micro and small companies.

STA, 20 May 2020 - The National Institute of Chemistry has started testing a potential coronavirus vaccine in a mouse study after receiving a green light for the animal trial on Tuesday. The nanoparticle-based vaccine contains viral antigens and could be more effective than a protein-based vaccine, Roman Jerala of the institute told the STA.

The first results of the study are expected in July when it will be clear whether the mice have responded to the vaccine by creating neutralising antibodies that prevent the coronavirus infection.

Jerala, a biochemist and synthetic biologist, is the head of the synthetic biology and immunology department at the institute where a new vaccine platform is currently tested. The project will enable a swifter, easier and cheaper way of preparing the vaccine.

The Food Safety, Veterinary Sector and Plant Protection Administration gave a go-ahead for the trial on Tuesday, almost two months after the institute submitted a request for the mouse study.

The testing commenced in a laboratory environment designed for in-vivo studies immediately after the green light was given.

Multiple constructs of protein nanoparticles and virus-like particles have been prepared to be analysed using cryo-electron microscopes.

"Given that findings about the virus and the [Covid-19] disease are developing extremely quickly, the institute prepared a somewhat amended type of vaccine during these two months, hoping to get a better cell immunity and more long-lasting protection," said Jerala.

He also announced that the institute would submit another request this week to complete trials on animals.

In each group the scientists will use six mice, constantly monitoring and testing various combinations. Altogether, the study will thus require tens of mice.

"The procedure will include the initial immunisation with booster doses in a few weeks and the analysis of serum and cell response," Jerala said.

The institute has recently developed a test for determining the prevention of the fusion of the virus and human cells, a way to test the vaccine efficacy as well as antibodies in persons who have recovered from Covid-19 or will have been vaccinated, according to Jerala.

The researchers will also focus on assessing whether the nanoparticle-based vaccine is more effective than a protein-based solution that is used as a basis for most coronavirus vaccine trials at the moment.

The project could deliver an innovative strategy to fight Covid-19 or potential types of diseases that might stem from similar viruses in the future.

If the animal studies prove effective, the institute will have to find partners who could conduct clinical trials.

The project is worth some EUR 500,000 with most researchers at Jerala's department working on it.

STA, 20 May 2020 - Slovenia's coronavirus case count has increased to 1,468 after one new infection was confirmed on Tuesday out of 981 tests. No new fatalities have been reported, leaving the death toll at 104.

Only 23 patients were still in hospital with Covid-19 yesterday, after one was discharged. Only four remained in intensive care, according to the latest government data.

Since the start of the epidemic, 276 Covid-19 patients have been discharged from hospital.

Assessments from the national Covid-19 tracker, available at https://covid-19.sledilnik.org, show that the number of active coronavirus cases had dropped to 24 by Tuesday.

The tracker's estimates show the number of active cases peaked at 609 on 3 April and has been dropping since.

It dropped below a hundred, to 95 on 5 May and, and below 50 on 12 May, when it stood at 45.

The estimate is made by counting confirmed cases older than 14 days as recovered, while also allowing for fatalities, which the tracker said was a methodology used in line with the recommendations of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

An additional safeguard included is that the number of recuperated patients is limited by the number of hospitalised patients to prevent the number of active cases falling below those hospitalised.

Meanwhile, the National Institute of Public Health, which started publishing the number of active cases only a few days ago, estimated the number of active cases as of Tuesday at 20.

The number of new daily coronavirus cases has been below two for a week now.

A total of 71,951 tests for Sars-CoV-2 have been carried out so far.

Testing has been available widely free of charge to anyone showing symptoms, only they needed to get a referral through their GP. Such testing continues to be available.

However, with the reopening of borders there has been huge interest in self-pay coronavirus testing, and with sufficient number of test kits now available, the Health Ministry has given the go-ahead for such testing as well.

Self-pay PCR method testing is available from today at the Maribor Health Community Centre, and from tomorrow at the UKC Ljubljana Department of Infectious Diseases and the Ljubljana Health Centre.

It has been or will be made available shortly also in other hospitals around the country.

To get tested, it is necessary to register online or by phone. Test results will be available within 24 hours. The test and the corresponding certificate will be available at the price of EUR 93.

Drive-through testing will be available at the Ljubljana health Community Centre's unit in Metelkova Street at the cost of EUR 100.

Tatjana Lejko Zupanc, the head of the UKC Ljubljana Department of Infectious Diseases, said that for now only self-pay swab tests for active presence of the virus were available, but not yet antibody tests.

All our stories on coronavirus and Slovenia are here

STA, 20 May 2020 - The government will include in the upcoming stimulus package for the economy an estimated EUR 345 million worth of vouchers to be spent in Slovenian tourism facilities, for which all Slovenian citizens will be eligible to spend expectedly as of 1 June.

 Announcing the vouchers, Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek said the measure was aimed at helping the Slovenian tourism sector recover from the coronavirus epidemic.

Minors will get EUR 50 vouchers and adults EUR 200 vouchers in electronic form, which may be used to pay for accommodation and breakfast in hotels, apartment complexes, camps, agritourism farms and other similar facilities.

Slovenian citizens will be able to use them by producing their tax numbers when visiting the selected provider, Počivalšek told the press.

The Financial Administration (FURS) will reimburse the provider's costs in eight days, and vouchers will have to be spent in their entire sum at once, and not later than on 31 December.

If the National Assembly manages to pass the third anti-coronavirus legislative package in time, it will be possible to use the vouchers as of 1 June.

The measure will cost the state EUR 345 million, said Počivalšek, who expects that visitors who cash in their vouchers will spend an additional EUR 172 million for services they will not be able to cover with vouchers.

The minister stressed that the tourism sector would feel the consequences of the epidemic for a long time and that it could not be compared with automotive or any other industry in this respect.

"Tourism has practically ground to a halt during the epidemic, while other industries, including manufacturing, carried on without disruptions," Počivalšek said.

Government spokesman Jelko Kacin added that the third stimulus package, which the government was expected to confirm as early as today, would also include aid to companies from other industries.

Among them, Počivalšek mentioned extension of subsidies for temporary lay-offs only for certain industries, and subsidies for shortened working time for all industries.

Eligible for the former will be companies in the tourism and hospitality industries whose estimated drop in revenue is more than 10% compared to 2019.

Počivalšek said that the eligible entities included hotels, lodges, camps, restaurants, travel agencies, organisers of exhibitions and fairs, operators of buildings for cultural events, gaming resorts and tour operators.

The new package will also serve as legal basis for notification of state aid under the EU rules, based on which the Economy Ministry will draft a financial incentive programme intended for tourism and border problem areas.

Počivalšek moreover pointed to efforts enabling EUR 40 million-worth of favourable liquidity loans for around 900 micro and small companies. He also mentioned a temporary relaxing of conditions for incentives related to investment and a mechanism for monitoring direct foreign investment in Slovenia.

Slovenian tourism was doing well until the coronavirus outbreak. The sector recorded last year a sixth record year in a row, with the number of tourists reaching 6.23 million and overnight stays 15.79 million.

The number of all tourists was up by 5% and the number of overnight stays by 0.6%, show preliminary statistical data for last year.

Foreign tourists, whose number reached 4.7 million, last year represented 75% in the total number of tourists. The share of overnight stays they generated (11.4 million) was somewhat smaller, at 72%.

The Slovenian Tourist Board (STO) has estimated that the decline in demand in tourism will be 60-70% this year, under the assumption that restrictive measures in the region will be relaxed in June.

The Economy Ministry meanwhile expects a 40% decline provided that all measures aimed at stimulating consumption are implemented.

STA, 19 May 2020 - The Financial Administration (FURS) collected EUR 1.2 billion in April, which is 25% less than in the same month last year, the drop being attributed to the slowdown of business due to the coronavirus epidemic. A 4% drop in collected taxes and other levies was already recorded in March, half of which was affected by the anti-epidemic measures.

FURS collected EUR 573 million in taxes last month, which is over two-fifths less than in April 2019. The amount of income tax collected was down by 55%, which includes an almost 80% drop in corporate income tax collected.

The drop in the collected value added tax (VAT) in the month in which a majority of shops were closed was somewhat smaller, with EUR 228.1 million in VAT being poured in the national budget, or 35.5% less than in the same month last year.

While the amount of the collected VAT was growing in the first two months of the year, it dropped by almost 30% in March compared to February to EUR 187 million. It increased again in April but did not reach the February level.

As more shops were being gradually opened, with those with the surface of up to 400 sq metres being opened on May and all shops being opened as of Monday, a growth in the collected VAT on the monthly level is expected in May.

FURS also collected EUR 390 million in social security contributions in April, which is more than a third less than in March and in February, reflecting the situation on the labour market.

By last week, the number of the unemployed person increased to more than 90,000, and the steepest growth was recorded in the first half of April.

In the first four months of the year, FURS collected a total of EUR 5.5 billion, which is EUR 298.8 million or 5.2% less than in the same period in 2019. Tax revenue was down by 12.7% to EUR 2.8 billion, and social security contributions by 3.5% to EUR 2.2 billion.

An updated version of this story, confirming the details, is here

The government is expected to release more details later today of the third stimulus package to help businesses and households recover from the coronavirus crisis and lockdown. Among the measures, which were discussed late into the night on Tuesday, are tourism vouchers that would be given to all citizens, including children. Under the proposal, each adult would receive a €200 voucher to spend on domestic tourism, while children would receive €50. As yet, however, it remains unclear whether the scheme will also include foreign residents.

A tweet from the Prime Minister announcing the proposal yesterday suggested that the vouchers will be approved today.

Pomoč in vzpodbuda ljudem, industriji, turizmu in razvoju. #PKP3 pod streho. Turistični boni 200€ za vse polnoletne, za mlajše 50€. Po predstavitvi poslancem #K4 v potrditev na @vladaRS in v #DržavniZbor Odpravljanje in blaženje posledic epidemije #koronavirus. pic.twitter.com/ejuUeRylVY

— Janez Janša (@JJansaSDS) May 19, 2020