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President Pahor plans to call general election for 24 April

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor announced plans to call the general election for 24 April, the earliest possible date for a scheduled election. The presidential decree to that effect will be signed in February. Speaker Igor Zorčič welcomed the news but said that given the situation in the country, a snap election would be better. Similarly, the centre-left opposition parties would want the election to be held early, but the ruling coalition parties are happy with the date picked by Pahor.

Legal provision that formed basis for closure of businesses during lockdown struck down

LJUBLJANA - The Constitutional Court struck down a provision of the infectious diseases act that formed the legal basis for the closure of businesses during lockdowns. It gave the National Assembly two months to amend the act in line with its decision. In the intervening time, a different provision of the act can be invoked. The court held that the challenged provision of article 39 of the act of gave the government too much leeway in deciding on when and how long to keep businesses closed, arguing that such decisions should be adopted on the basis of laws, not implementing regulations.

Parts of Judicial Council act declared unconstitutional

LJUBLJANA - The Constitutional Court ruled in a procedure initiated at the request of the Supreme Court that parts of the Judicial Council act are unconstitutional. The court held that the regulations on disciplinary procedure, when it is initiated by the Judicial Council, do not meet the standards of objective impartiality because members of the Judicial Council can act as members of the disciplinary court.

Pahor calls for EU unity in address to diplomats

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor addressed a meeting of foreign diplomats accredited to Slovenia, calling for strengthening the EU's unity and stability. Pahor also repeated his appeal for the EU's enlargement to the Western Balkan countries as soon as possible. The reception for the diplomatic corps was hosted by its doyen Jean-Marie Speich, the apostolic nuncio to Slovenia, to mark the 30th anniversary of Slovenia's independence and its second presidency of the EU.

Janša receives European church dignitaries

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša met with representatives of the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the EU and the Conference of European Churches. They discussed the global role of the EU, religious freedom and the ongoing pandemic. They exchanged views on the priorities of the Slovenian EU presidency, recovery from the pandemic, resilience in the light of possible future crises, values and religious freedom in the EU and beyond.

Over 3,770 new coronavirus infections confirmed on Thursday

LJUBLJANA - A total of 3,771 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Slovenia on Thursday for a positivity rate of almost 38%. This pushed the 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents up by 85 to 1,603. Government data shows the number of patients hospitalised with Covid-19 increased to 761, with 177 of them now being treated in intensive care. Thirteen patients with Covid-19 died. To prepare for an influx of new patients, the Health Ministry and hospital directors agreed to increase the number of Covid beds to 1,200 regular and 300 ICU beds.

Long queues at Covid jab centres

NOVA GORICA/MARIBOR/BREŽICE - Long queues have been forming outside vaccination centres since the government gave the go-ahead to those who have been fully vaccinated using vector-based vaccines to get a booster dose at least two months after their latest jab. Some places have been faced with temporary vaccine shortages. The Ajdovščina Health Centre run out of the Pfizer vaccine, while the Nova Gorica Community Health Centre reported "enormous" demand for vaccination. UKC Maribor, the second largest medical centre in the country, also recorded growing demand for Covid-19 vaccines this week.

Party peer says up to Vizjak to clarify his statements

LJUBLJANA - Danijel Krivec, the head of the deputy group of the ruling Democratic Party (SDS), declined to comment on the statements made by his party colleague Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak, in a leaked 2007 conversation with businessman Bojan Petan. He said everyone should answer for their own statements. He expected Vizjak will "clarify things" appropriately. Meanwhile, the Judicial Council condemned Vizjak's comment on the tape about the government "squeezing a judge's balls" as "utterly inappropriate and abject".

Police officials deny allegations of political interference

LJUBLJANA - Former police commissioners Andrej Jurič in Anton Travner, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) director Petra Grah Lazar and her predecessor Andrej Lamberger denied allegations of political interference in the work and staffing in the force as they were heard by a parliamentary inquiry dealing with the issue. The hearing focused on appointments and reassignments of NBI investigators and of dismissed senior police officials to newly-established task forces located at the Police Academy.

GAS endorses merger with SMC, decentralisation main goal

GROSUPLJE - The non-parliamentary Economically Active Party (GAS), led by National Council President Alojz Kovšca, endorsed a merger with the junior coalition Modern Centre Party (SMC), which okayed the merger in September. Kovšca said the main fields of interest were decentralisation, lean state and debureaucratisation. The GAS proposes that the merged party be named Free Choice, as a "symbolic message to voters that you don't necessarily have to be on the left or the right, that you have the possibility of choice."

Debate agrees Slovenia will need nuclear energy

LJUBLJANA - A debate on Slovenia's energy future hosted by President Borut Pahor showed the general view among experts was that the country would need to resort to all carbon-free sources of energy, including nuclear, to meet its energy needs. The participants also favour holding a referendum on nuclear energy. Robert Golob, CEO of electricity trader GEN-I, proposed for such a referendum to be called during the first year of a new government after the election.

Online retailer Mimovrste acquired by Allegro of Poland

LJUBLJANA - Mimovrste, Slovenia's largest online retailer, has been acquired by Polish shopping platform Allegro. The latter bought Mall Group, which owns Mimovrste and WE/DO, from PPF, EC Investments and Rockaway Capitaly. Mimovrste said the planned merger of Allegro, Mall Group and WE|DO would strengthen its status of a leading online market place and a platform for buyers and retailers in Central and Eastern Europe.

NLB proposes additional dividend of EUR 3.37 per share

LJUBLJANA - NLB, Slovenia's largest listed bank, proposed an additional dividend of EUR 3.37 gross per share to be paid in December after the expiry in September of the central bank's restrictions on the payout of bank profits. Shareholders will vote on the proposal at a general meeting scheduled for 16 December. The ex-dividend date would be 22 December. The payout would total EUR 67.4 million.

Utility companies welcome new environmental protection bill

LJUBLJANA - The environmental protection bill endorsed by the government yesterday will enable the urgently needed regulation on waste management and address the important matter of extended producer responsibility, the public utilities section of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) said. The bill is seen as the first step towards ending the dysfunctional producer responsibility system in Slovenia, which has resulted in piles of uncollected waste that should have been tackled by waste management companies.

Janković pleads not guilty in tax evasion case

LJUBLJANA - Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković entered a not guilty plea at an arraignment hearing at the Ljubljana District Court in a case of tax evasion concerning the sale of retailer Mercator shares in 2006. His two sons also pleaded not guilty but they did not attend the hearing. Janković is charged with tax evasion in the sale of Mercator shares to the company Electa Inženiring, owned by his sons. The trial is scheduled to start on 7 December.

Bažato Gallery launched in Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - A new gallery called the Bažato Gallery was launched in Ljubljana on Thursday evening with an exhibition by the artist Ivo Prančič. The gallery's programme will consist of a series of solo, group and thematic exhibitions by artists of different generations, and productions of different artistic approaches. Curator Nina Jeza said the gallery would seek "to become a hub for contemporary artistic practices and to present diverse, informative and inspiring art".

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Logar and Qatari counterpart pledge stronger cooperation

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar hosted his Qatari counterpart Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, who paid his first official visit to Slovenia. The ministers expressed the desire to strengthen cooperation and increase trade between the countries, and also discussed the situation in the Middle East and Afghanistan. Logar and Al Thani highlighted the potential of cooperation in logistics, energy sector, tourism and information and communication technology, and in particular in the transfer of know-how in high technology from renewable sources. Al Thani also met PM Janez Janša, among others, to discuss opportunities to strengthen economic cooperation and energy price hikes.

After new leaked tape, Vizjak says he defended state interests

LJUBLJANA - Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak stepped up his defence of a 2007 conversation with the businessman Bojan Petan after new recordings were published by POP TV. He told the press his goal was to protect the interests of the state in a takeover of the spa company Terme Čatež and he had a clear conscience. In the latest recording, which Vizjak acknowledged was authentic, the then economy minister is heard proposing to Petan a "gentleman's agreement" on how to move forward with the privatisation of Terme Čatež. He is also heard talking how the government would "squeeze a judge's nuts", which Vizjak regretted making. In response, the centre-left opposition said Vizjak should resign or be replaced, while the junior coalition partners plan to talk the matter through before taking any steps. The police and the prosecution said they were looking into the matter, and the Slovenian Judges' Association condemned Vizjak's statement about pressuring judges. The head of the Directors' Association, Gorazd Podbevšek, rejected Vizjak's claim that the deal making had been in line with the rules and the laws of the time.

Over 4,500 new Covid cases in new daily record

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's coronavirus case count hit 4,511 on Wednesday, up by more than a thousand on the record tally recorded the day before as the epidemic appears to be slipping out of control. Government data shows the number of patients hospitalised with Covid-19 increased to 735, with 169 of them now being treated in intensive care. Nine more patients died. The test positivity rate remains high at over 44% as the estimated number of active cases passed 32,000, according to National Institute of Public Health.

Government to discuss new epidemic measures at Friday meeting

LJUBLJANA - The coordinator for Covid-19 vaccination Jelko Kacin said that the government would hold a special meeting at Brdo pri Kranju on Friday to assess the current situation, discuss the expectations for the next few days and the new measures, which were "to be implemented as soon as possible". Health Minister Janez Poklukar meanwhile warned that healthcare was at capacity. Measures restricting socialising will be a must in the coming days, he said. Robert Carotta, the coordinator for Covid hospital beds at the Health Ministry, confirmed that Slovenia was considering the possibility to start sending Covid-19 patients to hospitals abroad.

Minister dismisses renewed bids for delegated prosecutors

LJUBLJANA - The newspaper Dnevnik reported that Justice Minister Marjan Dikaučič had dismissed renewed applications by Tanja Frank Eler and Matej Oštir in a repeat call for Slovenia's two European delegated prosecutors after the first one in which they were picked was annulled by the government. The minister's argument now is that a new call cannot be carried out as the first appointment procedure is still open until the Administrative Court's ruling becomes final. The court revoked the annulment of the first pick.

Candidate for US ambassador to work on strengthening bilateral ties

WASHINGTON, US - Jamie Linder Harpootlian, the candidate for US ambassador to Slovenia, spoke approvingly of Slovenia as she appeared before the Foreign Relations Committee of the US Senate in advance of a vote on her nomination, pledging to strengthen bilateral ties and work to ensure Slovenia's commitment to stability and security remains steadfast. Quizzed about media freedom, she said Slovenia had a multi-party system with built-in checks and balances, which made it difficult to believe a single party could take control.

Slovenian climate negotiator confirms commitment to positive outcome of COP26 conference

GLASGOW, UK - Representatives of the EU's climate negotiating team, including Slovenia's chief negotiator Tina Kobilšek, reaffirmed their commitment to a successful outcome of COP26 at a press conference in Glasgow. But it will be equally important to step up the ambitions in the years to come, they said. Kobilšek said that the EU and its member states had come to Glasgow with an ambitious mandate, backed by a European commitment to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 55% by 2030. The Slovenian NGO platform Sloga meanwhile called on the Slovenian government, the European Commission and the European Parliament to advocate more ambitious actions and policies at the COP26 climate summit.

EBRD raises outlook for Slovenia's economic growth

LONDON, UK - The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) improved its outlook for the Slovenian economy. It projects the country's GDP will grow by 6% this year, up a full point from its June forecast, while the forecast for 2022 was raised by half a point to 4.5%. The EBRD said that expansionary fiscal policy would continue supporting the economy. For next year the bank says the below EU-average vaccination rate could limit the recovery of consumption and affect business confidence.

PM Janša meets European Muslim and Jewish religious leaders

LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša met in Ljubljana the representatives of the European Muslim and Jewish Leadership Council. They discussed the key priorities of the Slovenian EU presidency, the rights of religious minorities and the dignity of people of all faiths in European society, Janša's office said. The meeting was an important contribution to dialogue among various religious communities and Slovenia, which is currently at the helm of the Council of the EU, the press release says, adding Janša highlighted the role of religious freedom and dialogue among the believers of different faiths in promoting increased tolerance, respect and mutual understanding.

Tonin and counterparts from SE Europe agree to boost cooperation

SKOPJE, North Macedonia - Defence Minister Matej Tonin took part in a South Eastern Europe Defence Ministerial (SEDM) meeting, where ministers from fifteen countries talked about progress of the initiative and joint security challenges. They signed a special statement to commit to further strengthening of cooperation. Tonin said the initiative was an important forum for debate on security challenges in the wider SE Europe. He expressed support to the countries from the region in the processes of European and Euro-Atlantic integration, noting this was key for long-term peace and stability in the region.

Andrijanič presents digitalisation plans to Montenegrin counterpart

LJUBLJANA - Minister for Digital Transformation Mark Boris Andrijanič received his Montenegrin counterpart Tamara Srzentić. He presented to her plans and initial solutions produced by Slovenia's Strategic Council for Digitalisation to promote digitalisation in the public administration to make life easier for citizens. The ministers called for continuation of cooperation in seeking best practices and measures for the next digital decade, noting the brain drain regarding IT experts, a press release by Andrijanič's office adds.

FURS acting head to get full term in mid-November

LJUBLJANA - The government appointed Ivan Simič, the acting director of the Financial Administration (FURS), for a full term, effective on 18 November. His term will expire in November 2026 with the possibility of reappointment, the Government Communication Office (UKOM) said. Simič is a tax expert and the head of the Strategic Council for Debureaucratisation, which is tasked with checking the country's laws to cut red tape. He took over as FURS acting head in June.

Govt endorses environmental protection bill

LJUBLJANA - The government endorsed an environmental protection bill. The systemic bill on environment protection is needed due to problems with waste management and for Slovenia to transpose an EU directive, the cabinet said. The bill deals with all elements of the environment and introduces instrumental approaches to environment protection from planning and assessments of environmental impact to permits, the Government Communication Office (UKOM) said. Responding to the bill, NGOs Greenpeace Slovenija, Umanotera and Focus were critical of some parts of it they find problematic.

Govt supplying millions of masks and other equipment

LJUBLJANA - In the wake of soaring Covid cases, the government decided to supply almost 4.5 million FFP2 face masks, 13,000 latex hand gloves, 1,500 one-litre bottles of hand sanitiser, nearly 5,000 one-litre bottles of surface disinfectants and more than 4 million masks for general use, the Government Communication Office (UKOM) said. The masks and other equipment will be supplied to the municipalities, kindergartens, schools, Civil Protection, the military and police, healthcare and social-care institutions and other critical infrastructure.

Unemployment down annually despite slight monthly rise

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's joblessness saw a slight monthly increase in October, as a total of 66,654 people were registered as unemployed at the end of the month. The total number was up 0.8% compared to September and down 20.3% year-on-year. The Employment Service said the uptick was typical for this time of year as first-time job seekers get registered after completing their studies. Last month, 6,892 people were newly registered as unemployed, of whom 2,578 were looking for their first job.

Gorenjska Banka to acquire Slovenian Sberbank branch

KRANJ - Gorenjska Banka, the Slovenian bank owned by the Serbian AIK Banka, signed a deal to acquire the Slovenian subsidiary of the Russian Sberbank on Wednesday. Pending approval by regulators, the merger will create the third largest banking group in the country. It is part of a larger deal signed between Sberbank Europe and AIK Banka, Gorenjska Banka and AGRI Europe Cyprus Group to acquire Sberbank subsidiaries in Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and Hungary, whose total assets amount to EUR 7.33 billion.

Telekom Slovenije reports 31% higher Jan-Sep profit

LJUBLJANA - Telecoms group Telekom Slovenije reported EUR 486.8 million in net sales revenue for the first three quarters of the year, up by 1% on the same period a year ago. Net profit was up by 31% to EUR 35.9 million, although the company said the figure would have been 36% higher when taking into account one-off events in 2020. The group, which employs 3,381 people, posted higher revenue from international voice services and sales of mobile merchandise.

Indictment filed against 24 Slovenian members of Kavač Clan

LJUBLJANA - Half a year after a police sting that busted the Slovenian cell of the notorious Montenegrin crime syndicate known as the Kavač Clan, the prosecution has filed an indictment against 24 out of 64 suspects. The newspaper Večer reported that the indictment filed by the Specialised State Prosecutor's Office on Friday did not include two repentants, who have greatly contributed to the arrests of the suspects by providing useful information. One of them will appear as the crown witness.

Platform for Change to promote cooperation

LJUBLJANA - Public Administration Minister Boštjan Koritnik launched the eighth round of Partnership for Change, a national platform for cooperation between employees of the private and public sectors initiated by AmCham Slovenija and the Public Administration Ministry. Three projects have been picked to be tackled next year through cooperation. The Partnership for Change remains a project intended for organisations that want to exchange know-how, lead an open dialogue and create a better living and working environment in Slovenia, the ministry said.

Slovenian mountaineers open new climbing route in Nepal

KATHMANDU, Nepal - The Slovenian Mountaineering Association (PZS) reported that a pair of Slovenian mountaineers succeeded in making the first ascent on a new 1700m route on the north-west face of Mount Chobutse (6680 m) in Nepal, which they named Slovenian Direct. Luka Stražar and Nejc Marčič completed their feat between 28 and 30 October. The route is a combination of technical difficulty and high altitude climbing, while the wind and cold made the experience truly Himalayan, said PZS.

Exhibition on Covid times opening at City Museum

LJUBLJANA - The Ljubljana City Museum opened an exhibition featuring photos, videos, objects, journals and personal thoughts documenting the period marked by the Covid-19 epidemic. More than 80 people of all generations contributed to the Coronaexhibition, which will be on display until 16 January 2022. The exhibition was created based on a call made by the museum in March 2020 for people to send their contributions. More than 1,500 exhibits were thus collected.

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Daily count of coronavirus cases reaches new high

LJUBLJANA - The daily number of new coronavirus cases recorded on Tuesday was the highest since the start of the epidemic, as 3,456 of 7,722 PCR tests came back positive - almost 45%. Eighteen more deaths were reported, according to the government, which is the highest number since February. Hospitalisations rose by 36 to 670, with 159 patients in intensive care, one more than the day before. The seven-day average of new daily cases increased by 46 on the day before to 2,223 as the 14-day incidence per 100,000 people rose by 62 to 1,391.

Challenges facing Slovenian energy sector discussed at top-level meeting

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Government ministers and energy sector representatives discussed key frameworks and guidelines on climate change, the decarbonisation of society and the importance of energy in different sectors at a working meeting on energy convened by Prime Minister Janez Janša. "Slovenia's energy independence must be strengthened through renewable energy sources, including the second unit of the Krško Nuclear Power Plant, and new technologies as well," Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec said after the talks.

Logar discusses stronger and resilient EU with Greek counterpart

ATHENS, Greece - Foreign Minister Anže Logar held talks with counterpart Nikos Dendias. The ministers exchanged views on bilateral, regional, European and other topical global issues, focusing on the achievements of the Slovenian EU presidency. Integration of the Mediterranean countries, a coordinated response to the consequences of the pandemic and related economic recovery, the situation in the Western Balkans, EU enlargement, the Conference on the Future of Europe and other European topics were also discussed.

Digital transformation in focus as Montenegrin public administration minister visits

LJUBLJANA - Public Administration Minister Boštjan Koritnik met his Montenegrin counterpart Tamara Srzentić. The pair shared the view that the pandemic had exposed the urgency for the public sector to digitalise, in which context they highlighted the citizens' trust in new solutions as a key condition. Koritnik and the Montenegrin minister of public administration, digitalisation and media discussed public administration reforms, digital transformation, development of e-services, and local government, the Slovenian Ministry of Public Administration said in a press release.

Members of SAZU Human Rights Commission call on MPs to stand up to autocratic rule

LJUBLJANA - Several members of the Human Rights Commission of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SAZU) have expressed concern that Slovenia is moving towards a totalitarian form of government, urging MPs to stand up against what it sees as demolition of the constitutional order in the country. In an open letter similar to the one issued by the commission a year ago that the SAZU distanced itself from, the group says the government's way of running the country and controlling civil society is taking Slovenia to a "totalitarian form of government".

Court annuls govt decision in Mokrice power station case over nature protection

LJUBLJANA - The Administrative Court has annulled a government decision which said that the public interest of renewables prevails over the interest to protect nature as part of a procedure to obtain a building permit for the Mokrice power station on the river Sava. The court held that the entire environmental impact assessment procedure must be carried out before starting the public-interest procedure. The company HESS, the Mokrice investor, hopes "a renewed procedure determining dominance of public interest is carried out as soon as possible" to promptly obtain a building permit.

Major rail upgrade project completed in eastern Slovenia

CELJE - The upgrade of a 26-kilometre railway section between Zidani Most and Celje in eastern Slovenia was declared completed at a ceremony which heard the project cost EUR 230 million, which is about EUR 50 million less that the initial cost estimate. The upgrade has increased throughput and shortened travel times. The capacity has thus increased from 328 to 354 trains per day.

Summit Leasing Slovenija entering Croatian market

LJUBLJANA - Summit Leasing Slovenija, a leasing firm owned by NKBM bank, announced it would enter the Croatian market after signing an agreement to acquire Mercedes-Benz Leasing Hrvatska. The details of the deal have not been disclosed. They plan to continue providing high-quality financial services for all stakeholders. "We'll achieve that by focusing on service excellence through digitalisation, integration of financial services in sales, and continued investment in the development of employee competences," Summit Leasing director Mitja Otorepec said.

Number of Ljubljana-Belgrade flights increasing to nine a week

LJUBLJANA - The increasing demand for flights between Ljubljana and Belgrade has prompted Air Serbia to expand the number of flights by two to nine a week as of 14 November, the Ex-Yu Aviation portal announced. Fraport Slovenija, the operator of the Ljubljana airport, said that 13 airlines offered 14 direct air links to 12 countries around the world in the winter season, which started last weekend and will last until 26 March 2022.

Luna Jurančič Šribar wins Mira award

LJUBLJANA - The women's section of Slovenian PEN has conferred this year's Mira Prize for outstanding women authors on younger-generation writer Luna Jurančič Šribar, who, the jury says, focuses on women characters, rebellious and strong heroines who have their destiny in their hands despite hardships and life on the margin of society. The tenth Mira recipient started her writing career with short stories, followed by a novel in 2018 and another collection of short stories in 2020.

Festival of Slovenian drama opens with awards ceremony

KRANJ - The 51st Week of Slovenian Drama, the main festival featuring productions of Slovenian plays, opened with an awards ceremony. Tjaša Mislej received the 2020 Slavko Grum Prize for Naše Skladišče (Our Warehouse) and Varja Hrvatin received the award for up-and-coming playwright for Vse Se Je Začelo z Golažem iz Zajčkov (Everything Started with a Rabbit Goulash). The festival will bring around a dozen productions, many accompanying events and three new awards.

House of the Carniolan Honey Bee opens in Višnja Gora

VIŠNJA GORA - The House of the Carniolan Honey Bee was launched in the town of Višnja Gora. Housed in a converted school, it will be dedicated to presenting the heritage of the Carniolan bee and innovative beekeeping solutions. The House of the Carniolan Honey Bee, which includes the Apilab centre of innovative beekeeping technologies, was a challenging and important project that will combine tradition and the future, Prime Minister Janez Janša said in his keynote.

Slovenia's Expo pavilion draws 120,000 visitors in a month

DUBAI, UAE - The Slovenian pavilion at the Expo show in Dubai attracted more than 120,000 visitors in the first month since the opening, which SPIRIT Slovenija, the agency in charge of the country's Expo showcase, sees as a very successful start of the project. In a press release, SPIRIT said that overall impressions were positive, with the visitors rating Slovenia's leafy pavilion with an average score of 8.2.

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Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

This summary is provided by the STA: 

Janša urges realistic approach to implementing climate goals

GLASGOW, UK - PM Janez Janša highlighted the need to create a realistic path to implement the goals from the Paris climate agreement as he addressed the World Leaders Summit, a high-level political event held in Glasgow as part of the ongoing COP26 climate conference. Moving away from coal and oil is a key element in reaching the set goals, and nuclear energy could replace fossil fuels as a transition source of energy, Janša said, as quoted by his office. He said it was urgent to act to limit climate warning, urging all countries to contribute their share. "It is high time to create a realistic path to the 1.5 degrees Celsius goal," he said.

Covid infections keep rising, positivity rate hits nearly 50%

LJUBLJANA - A total of 1,257 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Slovenia on Sunday, up from 707 the previous Sunday, with the positivity rate reaching a record of almost 48%, show the latest figures released by the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ). Eleven Covid patients died. There are now 603 Covid patients in hospitals, up 31 from Sunday, which is the first time since 2 May that the number of hospitalisations surpassed 600. 142 are in intensive care, up 4 from yesterday.

Regular testing starts in hospitals, social care institutions

LJUBLJANA - As the epidemiological situation is deteriorating further, regular coronavirus testing was introduced in all hospitals and social care institutions today while employees in all sectors who are not vaccinated or reconvalescent will need to be tested more frequently, every 48 hours. Voluntary self-testing for primary and secondary school pupils and university students is intensified from once to twice a week. It is now recommended for all school children, including those in the first six years of primary schools, who have so far been exempt from the rule.

Fundraising campaign for STA relaunched

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Journalist Association (DNS) relaunched a fundraising campaign to secure funds for the STA, which has not received any budget fundinf for its public service since the start of the year. As part of the "Za obSTAnek" campaign (For STAsurvival), EUR 5 can be donated via SMS donations, while larger donations can be transferred onto a special DNS bank account. The DNS first launched such a campaign on 3 May, World Press Freedom Day, raising EUR 275,000 in a month.

Cigarettes more expensive

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian tobacco prices rose under the changes to excise taxes the government confirmed in September. A pack of 20 cigarettes is now 10 cents, or around 2.5%, more expensive. The second round of tobacco excise duty rises will follow in April next year. Once both rises are implemented, the retail price of cigarettes will be by an average 4.6% more expensive, bringing EUR 15.6 million annually to the national budget.

Dead commemorated around the country

LJUBLJANA - Slovenians marked the Day of Remembrance of the Death, or All Saints' Day, by visiting graves to pay respects to the dead. Officials meanwhile laid wreaths at memorials to the victims of wars and war-related violence. President Borut Pahor and a delegation of senior state officials laid a wreath at the memorial to all victims of war and war-related violence at the main state commemoration in Congress Square in Ljubljana. Speaker Igor Zorčič then laid wreaths at several memorials at Žale cemetery in Ljubljana.

Minister Jaklitsch visits Slovenians in Udine area

CIVIDALE, Italy - Minister for Slovenians Abroad Helena Jaklitsch visited the Slovenian ethnic minority in the area of Udine (Videm) in Italy's region Friuli-Venezia Giulia on Sunday, ahead of the Day of Remembrance of the Dead, or All Saints' Day. On behalf of Slovenia, she laid wreaths at two memorials, and visited the grave of Slovenian patriot and culture worker Viljem Černo (1937-2017), while also meeting Resia Mayor Anna Micelli.

Trucks banned from overtaking on all Slovenian motorways

LJUBLJANA - Heavy trucks are banned from overtaking on the Slovenian motorways as of today after the ban kicked in on the A1 motorway, that is between Šentilj (NE) and Koper (SW), on 15 January. A violation carries a fine of 300 euro. The ban for trucks heavier than 7.5 tonnes on the Šentilj-Koper motorway has produced good results, improving traffic flow, Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec said on Twitter as he announced the new measure.

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 Slovenia celebrates Reformation Day

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Positivity rate nears 40% as almost 3,000 new cases recorded

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 2,985 new coronavirus cases on Friday, the second highest daily figure in the current wave, as more than 39% of all PCR tests came back positive. Hospital numbers remained flat as 561 patients were hospitalised this morning, up by three, and the number of intensive care cases declined by two to 132. Nine patients with Covid-19 died. The latest figures bring the 14-day case notification rate per 100,000 population to 1,263, up by 73 from the day before.

Fmr president accuses govt of being undemocratic

SEVNICA - Milan Kučan, Slovenia's former president, has accused the current government of being undemocratic as he told a ceremony that the next election will "decide about the return of democracy". He said Slovenians had to send the clear message that "we are not willing to submit to the way the current government is governing, which is alien to Slovenia." Kučan said the government was undermining the Constitution and the rule of law, and indeed abandoning the rule of law altogether.

Language and culture in focus as minister visits minority in Austria

KLAGENFURT, Austria - Minister for Slovenians Abroad Helena Jaklitsch paid a visit Friday to the Slovenian minority in Gailtal/Zilja, a valley in Carinthia. The preservation of Slovenian language and culture as well as bilingual education were in the focus. Instruction at bilingual primaries is not at the expected level, and what parents miss the most is the live presence of Slovenian language in everyday speech, the Office for Slovenians Abroad said.

Mobile banking outpacing online banking

LJUBLJANA - Mobile banking apps are being used by more and more Slovenians, the number of mobile bank users among natural persons having already surpassed the number of online banking users by the middle of this year. In the second quarter, a total of 1,041,918 natural persons and sole proprietors used mobile banks in Slovenia, while 1,011,274 used online banking, according to data by Slovenia's central bank Banka Slovenije. The gap widened even further in the third quarter.

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New coronavirus case count up 25% week-on-week on Thursday

LJUBLJANA - The new coronavirus case count in Slovenia was up 25% week-on-week to 2,510 on Thursday, with positivity rate at almost 37%, the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) said. A total of 558 Covid-19 patients were in hospital this morning, 11 more than on the day before, with the number of ICU patients increasing by three to 134. Seven Covid-19 patients died. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 people rose by 65 to 1,190. The number of newly-admitted patients in the past week was up by 64% on the previous week, Health Ministry State Secretary Franc Vindišar said, noting increasing pressure on hospitals.

DuluxGroup confirms Jub acquisition plan

LJUBLJANA - DuluxGroup, an Australian paints group, confirmed entering into a binding agreement to acquire Jub, a Slovenian paints company, for EUR 194.5 million. It plans to turn Jub into a hub for Central and Eastern Europe, preserve its existing brands, and make it part of Nippon Paint's R&D community. "Under the auspices of DuluxGroup, Jub will enjoy autonomy and independent growth, while at the same time leveraging the advantages of access to a global market, technologies, capabilities and abundant capital resources of Nippon Paint Group," the company said.

Slovenia's inflation at 3% on higher fuel prices

LJUBLJANA - Higher fuel prices have pushed Slovenia's annual inflation rate to 3% in October from 2.4% in September, as the monthly increase in consumer prices hit 0.9%, the Statistics Office said. Oil derivatives were the single highest contributor to the headline rate, as various types of fuel were 30-40% more expensive than in the same period last year, contributing 1.6 percentage points to the overall rate. The harmonised index of consumer prices, an EU benchmark, hit 3.5% compared to 2.7% in the previous month.

National budget records EUR 2.5bn deficit in first nine months

LJUBLJANA - The national budget recorded EUR 7.97 billion in revenue in the first nine months of the year, or 19.6% more than in the same period last year, while expenditure increased by 15.3% to EUR 10.42 billion. The deficit thus amounted to EUR 2.45 billion and was slightly higher than at the same point last year. The Finance Ministry noted that the higher deficit was a consequence of growth of expenditure, in particular for wages, transfers to individuals and households, other current domestic transfers and investment spending.

Agreement signed between 2025 European Capitals of Culture

NOVA GORICA - The Nova Gorica municipality alongside Italy's Gorizia signed a cooperation agreement with another 2025 European Capital of Culture, Germany's Chemnitz. The agreement aims to facilitate the cities' development of the arts programme and implementation of the cultural strategy, said a press release by the municipality. The agreement was signed by Nova Gorica Mayor Klemen Miklavič, Gorizia Mayor Rodolfo Ziberna and Chemnitz Mayor Sven Schulze.

Health committee debates doctors' afternoon work

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Health Committee continued its debate on the matter of doctors working in private clinics while also being employed within the public health system. The opposition Left proposed several resolutions for limiting such practices, but the committee did not endorse them. The debate dealing with this topic first started in September, but had to be cut short due to a regular parliamentary session. Once again, committee members expressed different views on the issue.

Friday protesters announce new mass anti-govt protest for 12 November

LJUBLJANA - Bicycle protesters, who have been protesting against the government every Friday for 80 weeks, gathered for another rally, this time to address the issues of green infrastructure, green mobility, public transport and housing. The protest's organisers announced that on 12 November there will be another "mass, pan-Slovenian protest". The protesters sent letters to PM Janez Janša and Defence Minister Matej Tonin, calling for their resignation and a snap election.

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Over 2,600 coronavirus cases, ten deaths reported for Wednesday

LJUBLJANA - Another 2,631 people tested positive for coronavirus in Slovenia on Wednesday, an increase of more than 40% from the week before, as hospitalisations increased rose further, to 547, and ten more Covid patients died. The test positivity rate remained high with 36% of the PCR tests returning positive. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 people rose by 74 to 1,125.

Janša meets Renyders for talks on EU presidency

BRUSSELS, Belgium - PM Janez Janša held talks with European Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders, with the government not revealing details beyond that the discussion revolved around the key dossiers of Slovenia's EU presidency. A Commission official meanwhile said the discussion touched on Slovenia's failure to appoint its members of the European Public Prosecutors' Office (EPPO). "Reynders stated that ... solutions must be found quickly to ensure the full functioning of the EPPO," the source added.

Judicial branch protests after Janša accuses court of bias

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Association of Judges has expressed protest after Prime Minister Janez Janša accused the court that ordered him to pay damages in a defamation suit brought by the opposition Social Democrats (SD) of political bias. The association finds Janša's comment about the court "unacceptably scornful toward the court's judges and the court as the basic institution of the rule of law". The Supreme Court called for more decent communication between the branches of government.

Simoniti's response to Jourova: STA funding should be transparent

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Replying to EU Commission Vice President Vera Jourova's letter about the STA situation, Culture Minister Vasko Simoniti said the fact that the state is required to finance the STA under the law was not controversial. The government agrees with this, but the funding must be transparent and public service done in accordance with the law. "But mainly it should be free of charge as defined by the law," he said.

Slovenia drops one spot to 12th in gender equality in EU

VILNIUS, Lithuania - Slovenia has ranked 12th in this year's EU gender equality index ranking released by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE). The country scored 67.6 points out of 100, practically level with the EU average, as it dropped by one spot compared to the 2020 ranking. "Since 2010, Slovenia's score has increased by 4.9 points but its ranking has dropped by three places. Since 2018, Slovenia's score has remained the same, but its ranking dropped by two places," the EIGE noted.

Govt nominates Petrovič for European Court of Auditors again

LJUBLJANA - Jorg Kristijan Petrovič, first deputy president of the Slovenian Court of Audit, has been put forward as Slovenia's candidate for European Court of Auditors once again, after the parliamentary EU Affairs Committee turned down his nomination without debate in mid-October. The government said yesterday it had to notify the National Assembly of the proposal but was "not bound by the opinion of the National Assembly's working body".

Speaker Zorčič says alternative is needed

LJUBLJANA - The parliament is operational for now, parliamentary Speaker Igor Zorčič said in an interview with the N1 news portal. However, he believes that the government is not doing its job well and that elections are needed. He also revealed he was involved in talks on potentially forming a new party, along with the other unaffiliated MPs. Zorčič defended his decision not to join the opposition's walkout during Tuesday's sitting of the parliament, saying that they had been notified the MPs about his intentions beforehand.

Report: Paint maker Jub taken over by Australian company Dulux

LJUBLJANA - Unofficial media reports said Slovenia's oldest paint manufacturer Jub is to be taken over by Dulux Australia in a deal worth around EUR 191 million. The deal is to be completed today, with the new owners pledging to keep Jub's headquarters and production in Slovenia, the newspaper Finance said. DuluxGroup, an Australian company owned by Japanese Nippon Paint which manufactures and sells paint of the Dulux brand, has reportedly offered EUR 5,500 per share to complete the takeover of Jub.

Two more villages in Austria get German-Slovenian town signs

FREISTRIZ IM ROSENTAL, Austria - The number of towns and villages in the Austrian province that have German-Slovenian town names has increased to 171 after Mače (Matschach) and Sveče (Suetschach) have been added to the list, according to a report on the Slovenian programme of ORF, the Austrian public broadcaster. Bilingual town signs in the two villages in the Bistrica ob Rožu (Feistriz im Rosental) municipality were erected on Wednesday in line with a decision taken by the municipal council in June.

United Group's sports TV channel concentration approved

LJUBLJANA - The Competition Protection Agency (AVK) approved United Group's acquisition of the Sport Klub TV channels. After long and painstaking procedures, it has now found the concentration compatible with the rules of competition, as the market situation changed significantly with the entry of Arena Sport as new competitor with a broad portfolio of rights to broadcast sporting events of interest to viewers.

Lonely Planet names Slovenia among top 10 countries for 2022

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia placed fifth on Lonely Planet's list of top 10 countries to visit in 2022 as the travel brand highlights the country's diverse gastronomy and numerous possibilities of active experiences. Slovenia is described as a green destination as its sustainable policy and natural riches are put front and centre. "Slovenia is a world leader in being literally and figuratively 'green' with responsible travel being part of the Slovenia way of life for decades," says Lonely Planet.

First part of Slovenian translation of entire Arabian Nights launched

LJUBLJANA - The first part of the Slovenian translation of the complete Arabian Nights or One Thousand and One Nights from Arabic has been released, and two more parts are to follow. The most extensive version of the canonical work has been so far translated only into a handful of languages. The publisher Maks Viktor unveiled the first part on Thursday with the second and third expected in 2022 and 2023. The translation of the first book took roughly two years.

Cherry trees planted as homage to Slovenian-Japanese relations

GROSUPLJE - A line of Japanese cherry trees was planted in memory of the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo and to mark the upcoming 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Japan and Slovenia. The trees were planted by Grosuplje Mayor Peter Verlič, Japanese Ambassador Hiromichi Matsushima, Toyota Adria boss Kensuke Tsuchiya and legendary Slovenian Olympian Miroslav Cerar, with Slovenian Olympic Committee president Bogdan Gabrovec attending.

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Five opposition factions seek to oust environment minister

LJUBLJANA - The five centre-left deputy groups in parliament tabled a motion of no confidence in Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak in the wake of release of a leaked recording in which he is heard trading favours with the boss of a spa company in his previous capacity as economy minister. The parties also accuse the minister of being responsible for the harmful waters act which was overwhelmingly rejected in the July referendum, arguing he puts interests of profit before public interests. Vizjak denied the charges, but said he was looking forward to the opportunity to put the record straight over what he repeated was a montaged recording. He described the motion as a construct and continuation of the opposition's political fight against his work.

Over 3,000 coronavirus cases logged for Tuesday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported another 3,166 coronavirus cases on Tuesday, the highest daily figure since 5 January, as 38% of the PCR tests came back positive. Nine more Covid-19 patients died as hospitalisations rose to 526 and intensive care cases to 133, government figures show. The National Institute of Public Health estimates there are now over 22,000 active cases in the country. as calculations by the Jožef Stefan Institute put the reproduction number at about 1.4.

Partial lockdown warning as Slovenia's Covid situation worsens

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's epidemiological status is poor as the country's heads towards the worst situation since the start of the epidemic, said Health Minister Janez Poklukar, adding that if the trend is not reversed, he would propose at least a partial lockdown. This means that the number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care rises to 160-180, the minister said, announcing that some Covid restrictions were being stepped up. Regular coronavirus testing in all hospitals and social care institutions will be put in place, and employees who have not been vaccinated or have not recovered from Covid-19 will have to get tested every 48 hours, whereas students will be tested twice a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Janša meeting Michel over EU presidency dossiers

BRUSSELS, Belgium - PM Janez Janša is meeting European Council President Charles Michel in Brussels over working dinner this evening to discuss key dossiers of the Slovenian presidency of the Council of the EU, as well as energy prices, migration, the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership. The PM's office said Janša and Michel will talk about the developments in the presidency's priority areas and goals and about potential progress on individual dossiers until the end of Slovenia's presidency.

Pahor calls for trusting science in UN debate

NEW YORK, US - President Borut Pahor took part in a UN high-level remote debate on climate change on Tuesday, ahead of the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow. In his address, Pahor stressed the importance of trust in science and the need to increase funding for climate change mitigation. "We need to trust science more than ever," Pahor said in describing the latest IPCC report as a wake-up call. "We can meet the temperature target, but we need to act faster," he said.

Janša ordered to pay damages to SocDems over party HQ claim

VELENJE/LJUBLJANA - The opposition Social Democrats (SD) announced that the Velenje Local Court had upheld their EUR 10,000 damages claim against Prime Minister Janez Janša for claiming the party was headquartered in a "stolen Jewish villa". In a default judgement issued because Janša failed to pick up court mail and respond to the lawsuit, the court also ordered to Janša to apologise for the claim on Twitter within 15 days. Janša can appeal against the judgement within 30 days.

Hojs hosts first trialogue on Europol mandate's review

BRUSSELS, Belgium As chair of the EU's Home Affairs Council, Interior Minister Aleš Hojs hosted the first session as part of the inter-institutional negotiations on Europol mandate's review. The trialogue that also features the European Parliament was held in a constructive atmosphere, the Slovenian EU presidency said. As part of the trialogue, the Council of the EU and European Parliament will coordinate the wording of proposals for changes to the relevant regulations that enables the powers of Europol to be expanded in terms of research and innovation, handling of big data and cooperation with third countries.

Prosecution rejects implied blame for threats to politicians

LJUBLJANA - The Supreme State Prosecutor's Office responded to statements suggesting that the prosecution is indirectly to blame for the death threats received in recent days by senior politicians in Slovenia. "We have been and we will always respond to such acts in line with the law and within our powers and competences," it said. This comes after death threats were sent by mail to PM Janez Janša and Defence Minister Matej Tonin last week, and suspicious mail was also detected by National Assembly staff.

Slovenia discusses digital voucher and chips act, calls for reduction of digital gap

BRUSSELS, Belgium - As part of a working visit to Brussels, Minister for Digital Transformation Mark Boris Andrijanič presented to the European Commission Slovenia's digitalisation plans, particularly the digital voucher project, and proposals regarding the new EU chips act. He also called for regional centres of excellence in semiconductor research. State Secretars Peter Geršak meanwhile attended a session of the D9+ group of the most digitally advanced EU countries in Luxembourg, noting the importance of reducing a digital gap between EU member states, as the growing digitalisation directly affects the quality of life of citizens.

Upper chamber vetoes amendments to pharmacy act

LJUBLJANA - The upper chamber of parliament vetoed by 14 votes for and 10 against a bill amending the pharmacy practice act that would lift the ban on vertical integration of pharmacies and drug wholesalers in cases when the wholesaler is incorporated by a public pharmacy or municipality. The National Assembly endorsed the bill amending the pharmacy act last Wednesday, but a veto of the bill was proposed by the group representing employers in the National Council. The lower chamber will have to take a re-vote on the bill, with an absolute majority of 46 votes required for the passage.

CoE calls for state funding for STA, UKOM wants to meet new boss immediately

STRASBOURG, France/LJUBLJANA -Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović called on the Slovenian government to reinstate public funding for the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) in line with national laws. The STA delivers an important public service, contributing to plurality of media and info sources in Slovenia. Preserving it is essential for media freedom in the country," she said on Twitter. The head of the Government Communication Office (UKOM) Uroš Urbanija meanwhile invited Igor Kadunc, the new STA acting director, to a working meeting, proposed to place next Tuesday, on Kadunc's first working day.

Anti-Covid restriction protests held in several Slovenian cities

LJUBLJANA/MARIBOR... - Protesters against the Covid pass mandate gathered for another rally, this time in several Slovenian cities, including in Ljubljana where the protest was the largest, totalling a few hundred people. The rallies were peaceful. In the capital, the protesters gathered in Republic Square, their usual starting point, before marching through the streets. Rallies in Maribor, Celje and Koper meanwhile saw fewer than hundred people. The participants were again critical of anti-coronavirus restrictions and the government, reiterating their call for an early election.

Committee okays motion to give Krško status of urban municipality

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Interior Committee okayed an initiative by opposition National Party (SNS) deputy Dušan Šiško for Krško to get the status of an urban municipality. Šiško said it was a local initiative that realised the wishes of the residents and representatives of local authorities, and Krško Mayor Miran Stanko added that the municipality would soon incorporate around 10,000 residents to add to the municipality's 26,000 residents. Additional amendments to the act on the establishment of municipality for the same status to be granted to the municipalities of Brežice and Jesenice were meanwhile rejected.

Slovenian households with record savings last year

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian households made record savings last year, but their debt did not change significantly compared to 2019, the Statistics Office reported ahead of World Savings Day on 31 October. The household savings rate in Slovenia - defined as the share of gross savings in gross disposable income - hit a record high of 22.6% last year, which places the country the third among EU countries. The value of household net financial assets was at an all-time high of EUR 48.2 billion (102.8% of GDP).

Almost 17% more deaths in Slovenia last year compared to 2019

LJUBLJANA - A total of 24,016 people died in Slovenia in 2020, which is 3,428 (16.7%) more than in 2019, with the average age of the deceased being up by one year. The high mortality rate, especially in November and December 2020, resulted in the highest negative natural increase since 1945, the Statistics Office said. Natural population increase has remained in the negative since 2017.

President awards Golden Order of Merit to National Museum

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor awarded the Golden Order of Merit to the National Museum of Slovenia upon its 200th anniversary celebrations, for the museum's outstanding contribution to the formation and preservation of Slovenian cultural, scientific and national identity. It was two hundred years ago when the participants of the Congress of Laibach proposed the establishment of a Homeland Museum, which would collect "objects related to the history of the country, national creativity and literature, and the priceless treasures of nature". The museum was founded in 1821 and named the Carniolan Regional Museum.

This year's Jenko Prize goes to Nina Dragičević

KRANJ - This year's Jenko Prize, Slovenia's accolade for the best poetry collection in the past two years, was awarded to Nina Dragičević for To Telo, Pokončno (This Body, Upright), which has been praised as a book that is definitely needed at this moment in time. This comes after Dragičević was nominated for the prize two years ago for her collection Ljubav Reče Greva (Love Says Let's Go). Her latest work, published by independent publisher ŠKUC in 2021, is in many ways a sequel that focuses on the body and its multifaceted nature, including experiences, future possibilities and other factors that define it, said the jury.

China to host first retrospective of Slovenian film

BEIJING, China - A retrospective of Slovenian films made between 1956 and 2020 will be screened in China for the first time between 28 October and 4 November. All six feature films will have Chinese and English subtitles. The retrospective will open at the China Film Archive in Beijing with the digitalised and restored version of the 1956 film Valley of Peace by France Štiglic. The films will be screened in major Chinese cities afterwards.

Picasso: Writing into Drawing opening being moved to +MSUM

LJUBLJANA - An exhibition of Pablo Picasso's illustrations termed Picasso: Writing into Drawing, marking the 140th anniversary of the birth of the great artist, is being moved from the flood-damaged Moderna Galerija to the Museum of Contemporary Art Metelkova (+MSUM). It will open there on 18 November and be on display until 20 February 2022. The exhibition brings almost 260 illustrations Picasso made in mid-20th century, all of them coming to Ljubljana from a private collection in Italy.