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Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Saturday, 19 December 2020
19 Dec 2020, 04:20 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Saturday, 19 December 2020

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: 

Health Minister Gantar resigns

LJUBLJANA - Health Minister Tomaž Gantar resigned after his Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) decided to leave the coalition. After the National Assembly took note of his resignation, Prime Minister Janez Janša stepped in as interim health minister. Meanwhile, DeSUS leader Karl Erjavec is forging ahead with the decision to leave the coalition and vie for the role of the prime minister. He said he was happy with the talks with the party's five MPs, but they would not make any statements.

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Looking for a last-minute gift? Broken Bones Gin, the award-winning gin made in Ljubljana - named Best in Europe and available here

FM says Croatian, Italian EEZs not to affect Slovenian fishermen, port

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar argued that the declaration of exclusive economic zones (EEZ) planned by Croatia and Italy would not affect Slovenian fishermen or Luka Koper, the country's only port. He confirmed that Slovenia and its two neighbours were coordinating a three-partite statement about EEZs. The signing is scheduled for tomorrow in Trieste. The document is to be signed by him and his Croatian and Italian counterparts Gordan Grlić Radman and Luigi di Maio.

Slovenian troops in Kosovo infected with coronavirus

PRISHTINA, Kosovo - TV Slovenija reported that at least 11 members of the Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) serving in Kosovo were infected with coronavirus and a further 36 were quarantining. The rotation began its mission in Kosovo just ten days ago. The report said one of the soldiers had tested positive twice before being deployed, however, since it had taken quite a while since his infection the belief was that was no longer contagious.

Coronavirus figures gradually improving

LJUBLJANA - The epidemiological situation in Slovenia appears to be gradually improving. A total of 1,512 new cases were confirmed on Thursday, some 300 fewer than a week ago, in what was the sixth day running that week-on-week cases declined. A total of 41 Covid-19 patients died, bringing the overall death toll to 2,233. Hospitalisations declined to 1,212 ,according to the latest government data.

Coronavirus mass testing starting in Ljubljana Monday

LJUBLJANA - Trial mass voluntary raid testing for the novel coronavirus will go ahead in Ljubljana on Monday, the Health Ministry confirmed for the STA after Tomaž Gantar, who since resigned as minister, first announced the plan earlier this week. Testing will take place in Congress Square daily until Thursday. This was after the Majbert Pharm group was picked as the tests supplier in a renewed public tender. The company is to provide some 500,000 antigen tests at just under 2 euro apiece.

Youngest pupils could return to school after Christmas break

LJUBLJANA - Education Minister Simona Kustec announced that classroom learning would be reintroduced for pupils from grade one to three of primary school from 4 January provided everything goes as planned. Children with special needs would also return to school and kindergartens would reopen for all kids. Other pupils would follow as soon as the situation is deemed safe enough. Meanwhile, it was decided secondary-school leaving exam or the matura will be adjusted this year.

NATO points to Slovenia's difficulties in achieving defence capability goals

LJUBLJANA - The Defence Ministry revealed that NATO's review of Slovenia's defence capability highlighted unacceptable constant delays in achieving some of the goals, chiefly in defence spending. The document called NATO Defence Planning - Capability Review 2019/2020 for Slovenia points to deep cuts in defence funds after 2010, finding that other allies have had to assume a share of Slovenia's burden for common defence for several years now.

Slovenian EU presidency priorities will be resilience, economic recovery

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Slovenia's presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of 2021 will be a challenging task, not only due to Covid-19. The country's priorities will be boosting the EU's resilience, its economic recovery after the pandemic, promoting values based on the rule of law and a safe EU, Foreign Ministry State Secretary Gašper Dovžan said. During the spell, Slovenia will host a number of high-level events, including an informal summit followed by an EU-Western Balkans summit.

Second attempt at electoral reform fails

LJUBLJANA - A second attempt at abolishing electoral districts and introducing a voluntary preference vote failed to garner the needed two-thirds majority of 60 votes. The bill was proposed by four left-leaning opposition parties and opposed by the coalition SDS and DeSUS as well as two opposition SD MPs. 55 MPs voted in favour and 26 against. Now, a re-districting bill is expected to be filed. It was drafted by the Public Administration Ministry in collaboration with the coalition.

SD proposes international conference on Adriatic Sea

LJUBLJANA - The opposition SocDems urged Foreign Minister Anže Logar to push for an international conference on the Adriatic Sea to enhance cooperation among Adriatic countries. He should propose it as he meets his Italian and Croatian counterparts tomorrow to discuss the two neighbours' plans to declare exclusive economic zones in the Adriatic.

Top court annuls several public finance act provisions

LJUBLJANA - The Constitutional Court has annulled several provisions in the law on public finances in relation to budgetary funds for the upper chamber of parliament, the Constitutional Court, the Human Rights Ombudsman and the Court of Audit. It argues the volume of funds they receive must not be dependent on the government. The court passed the ruling on 10 December and presented it to the press in a release today. It gave the authorities a year to change the existing regime.

Petrol expects EUR 104m in profit next year

LJUBLJANA - Energy group Petrol expects EUR 3.5 billion in sales revenue and EUR 104.4 million in net profit next year. Attaining those goals will depend on the post-pandemic recovery, the underlying assumption being that the pandemic will be contained in the first half of 2021, the company said. Gross profit is to reach EUR 490 million, EBITDA is planned at EUR 213.5 million, shows the company's business plan.

Call published for 5G frequency auction

LJUBLJANA - The national Agency for Communication Networks and Services (AKOS) published a call for a public auction of 5G frequencies. Those interested have until 1 February to submit their bids, while the auction is expected to take place in March or April. The call comes after the government approved starting prices for the frequency bands earlier this week. If all frequencies are auctioned off at starting prices, the total price would amount to EUR 70 million.

BAMC executive team made complete

LJUBLJANA - Dimitrij Piciga, the former CEO of gaming company hit, was appointed to join the management board of the Bank Assets Management Company (BAMC) as an executive director to complete the executive team. Piciga will be joining chief executive director Matej Pirc and executive director Andraž Grum starting on 23 December, BAMC said. The BAMC management board also comprises four non-executive directors, one of whom, Boris Novak, serves as the board chairman.

Biosistemika receives EU innovation incentive

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Slovenian company Biosistemika is one of the EU's 38 start-up, small and medium-sized companies to benefit from EUR 176 million available to encourage cutting-edge innovation. Biosistemika specialises in digital solutions for laboratories and will receive the funds for DNA data storage. The companies will get from EUR 1 million to 17 million for developing and upgrading cutting-edge innovations.

Nova Gorica to be 2025 European Capital of Culture

NOVA GORICA - The European Capitals of Culture Expert panel recommended the Slovenian border city of Nova Gorica to be the European Capital of Culture 2025 along with Germany's Chemnitz. Nova Gorica mounted its bid together with Gorizia on the Italian side of the border with the slogan Go! Borderless. Outbidding Ljubljana, Ptuj and Piran, Nova Gorica said the bid had grown out of long-running lively cooperation between the two cities and within the cross-border region.

National Gallery puts Baroque painter, Slovenian illustration pioneer in focus

LJUBLJANA - The National Gallery will put on major exhibitions in 2021 of works by Baroque painter Fortunat Bergant and pioneer of Slovenian illustration Hinko Smrekar, two Slovenian artists who left an indelible mark on the art scene in the 18th and the first half of the 20th centuries, respectively. The museum also extended the exhibition of the Prague Castle Picture Gallery masterpieces, which opened at the end of September, until the end of February.

Ski jumper Nika Križnar second in Ramsau

RAMSAU, Austria - Ski jumper Nika Križnar placed second in the opening World Cup event for women in Austria's Ramsau in what is her career best. Another Slovenian, Urša Bogataj, finished fourth. With jumps of 91.5 and 94 metres and 245.1 points, Križnar, 20, was only outperformed by Austria's Marita Kramer (94 and 96 metres and 253.6 points).

If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here

 

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Friday, 18 December 2020
18 Dec 2020, 04:23 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Friday, 18 December 2020

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: 

DeSUS leaves the coalition

LJUBLJANA - The council of the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) voted in favour of a proposal that the party leave the coalition and backed leader Karl Erjavec as a candidate for prime minister-designate. Erjavec explained that DeSUS was exiting the coalition not because of the epidemic or work of individual ministers, but because of the policies pursued by Prime Minister Janez Janša. "We don't want an 'Orbanisation' of Slovenia." At least one of the five MPs, Robert Polnar, is expected to remain with the coalition and will be excluded from the deputy group, the decision of the other four is expected on Friday. The decision on the fate of the government ministers who are members of DeSUS is on Janša. The exit is seen as a major step towards the formation of a centre-left government, but the left parties are well short of the majority and are counting on defections from the Modern Centre Party (SMC), whose deputy group is expected to meet on Friday.

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Looking for a last-minute gift? Broken Bones Gin, the award-winning gin made in Ljubljana - named Best in Europe and available here

EU court rules Slovenia breached inviolability of ECB archives

LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Fully upholding the European Commission's position, the European Court of Justice ruled that Slovenia breached the inviolability of ECB archives in a 2016 police search of archives at the country's central bank that was part of an investigation into the 2013 bank bailout. The court's Grand Chamber also found Slovenia in breach of the obligation of sincere cooperation with the EU. The Commission said it had taken note of the court's decision and expected Slovenia to implement it. The ECB said the ruling confirmed its initial concern that the seizure of Eurosystem documents did not respect the principle of the inviolability of the ECB's archives.

State of epidemic extended by a month, more services open

LJUBLJANA - The government formally extended the state of coronavirus epidemic by 30 days beginning on 18 December. However, more shops, including those selling technical goods, tree and plant nurseries as well as shops with goods for installation, maintenance and repair services will reopen for five days, from 19 to 23 December. Book shops, shops selling stationary and gifts, shops offering photocopying services and those with baby and children's products will only open in the four regions with a better epidemiological situation - Central Slovenia, Goriška, Obalno-Kraška and Gorenjska. In these regions museums, galleries and libraries will be allowed to open as well. Religious ceremonies may be held from Saturday.

1,642 infections recorded on Wednesday, 43 patients die

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 1,642 coronavirus infections from 6,350 tests on Wednesday. Compared with the day before, the positivity rate declined from 32% to 25.8%. 43 Covid-19 patients died, bringing the death toll to 2,233, the latest government data showed. The hospitalisation figures decreased slightly - the number of persons in hospital dropped by 22 to 1,229 and the total of those requiring intensive care by three to 208. The daily rise in new infections was down on the same day a week before for the fifth straight day.

Slovenia marks 30th anniversary of its armed forces

KOČEVSKA REKA - The 30th anniversary of the first public formation of MORiS, a special-forces unit of what was then Territorial Defence was celebrated to mark an event that is seen as the beginning of the Slovenian Armed Forces. The prime minister at the time, Lojze Peterle, said that was "the day when it started smelling of Slovenian armed forces". President Borut Pahor said the formation was important because it happened only a week before the independence referendum to let the citizens know that "we will fight and win".

Chief of general staff promoted to rank of major general

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor, the supreme commander of the Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF), promoted Chief of the General Staff Robert Glavaš to the rank of major general. The promotion is according to Pahor a result of Glavaš's excellent military career and his results at all SAF levels as well as of the experiences he gained in missions abroad and in NATO structures. Glavaš thus joined another two active generals in the Slovenian army, both ex-chiefs of the general staff.

Slovenian, Kosovo FMs discuss bilateral, regional issues

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar and Kosovo Foreign Minister Meliza Haradinaj-Stublla discussed bilateral relations, highlighting economic cooperation, the situation in SE Europe and Kosovo's Euro-Atlantic prospects. Measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic were also in the focus. Logar expressed support for Kosovo's EU prospects, and called for a continued reform drive and a completion of the implementation of visa liberalisation with the EU.

Bill on National Demographic Fund passes first reading

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly assessed that the bill on the National Demographic Fund is fit for further debate in a 48:36 vote. The discussion on Tuesday showed that while all MPs agree that a solution is needed to ensure decent pensions, the opposition does not agree that a new overarching state fund is the right solution.

Bill passed to amend criminal procedure act

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed in a 43:36 vote a bill amending the criminal procedure act. Based on the freedom of information act, the changes make it possible for anyone to access prosecution or court records in criminal procedures if there are no reservations for such access. Moreover, the amendments set down that the state prosecutor is required to make a decision on whether to bring the indictment or not in 90 days at the latest.

Legislation cutting motor vehicles tax passed

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly endorsed a reform bill on motor vehicles tax as a result of which most car and motorbike buyers will pay less tax, especially buyers of more powerful vehicles. The levy will depend on emissions. The legislation has been criticised by the Consumer Association, which said the new system would make it more difficult to entice consumers to buy more environmentally friendly cars or improve the use of public transportation.

MPs back special tax treatment of shipping companies

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed changes to the tonnage tax act extending by another ten years a special regulation under which shipping companies pay an alternative form of corporate income tax. The current corporate income tax act has allowed shippers since 2007 the option of paying a lump sum relative to the net tonnage and the number of days the ship is in operation.

EUR 5.67 billion in borrowing planned for next year

LJUBLJANA - The budget financing programme for 2021, adopted by the government on Wednesday, shows that EUR 5.67 billion in borrowing is needed next year. In that case, the central government budget debt would increase to EUR 36.62 billion or around 75% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), the Finance Ministry said.

PM says Slovenia preserved development potential during crisis

LJUBLJANA - The measures Slovenia has adopted put it in a good position to continue fighting the consequences of the epidemic and to successfully transition to the fourth industrial revolution, Prime Minister Janez Janša told the Business Summit. He said that Slovenia had secured EUR 10.5 billion in the EU's multiannual budget and rescue package, funds that provide the resources for research and development, innovation, digitalisation, education, and training for professions of the future.

Telekom secures EIB loan to expand fibre optic network

LJUBLJANA - Telekom Slovenije signed a loan agreement with the European Investment Bank (EIB) worth up to EUR 100 million for the expansion of its fibre optic network through 2023. The EIB funds will allow the company to finance the continued expansion and upgrade of its network with gigabit speeds, both in urban centres and rural areas, including so-called white spots, where there is no market interest in building networks.

DRI's management of Maribor Airport extended

LJUBLJANA - The government confirmed at its Wednesday session a report on Maribor airport and decided that the state-owned consulting and engineering company DRI would continue to temporarily manage the airport until the end of next year. This was proposed by the Infrastructure Ministry as a temporary solution until a long-term one is found.

Ljubljana airport operator hoping for revival in spring

LJUBLJANA - Although regular passenger transport at Ljubljana airport has been slashed because of the epidemiological situation, airport operator Fraport Slovenija director Zmago Skobir remains optimistic. The damage because of coronavirus has been estimated at almost EUR 17 million, however Skobir told the STA in an interview he is confident the airport will come to life again in the spring.

Pensions to go up by 2.5% next year

LJUBLJANA - Pensions will be raised by 2.5% from 1 January to be adjusted to the growth in wages and costs of living in the past year with the higher pensions to be paid out in February. This comes on top of a 2% rise this month. The decision on the regular adjustment was formally endorsed by the Pension and Disability Institute (ZPIZ) after it had already been determined in the budget documents passed by parliament in November.

Katja Šaponjić wins French Institute translation prize for comics

LJUBLJANA - The French Institute in Slovenia presented its Charles Nodier Award to Katja Šaponjić for her translations of graphic novels and comic strips from French. The award, recognising best translation of a French book into Slovenian, was first presented in 2018. This time it celebrates the year of comics. The judging panel recognised Šaponjić's entire body of work in translating comics between 2015 and 2020.

If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here

 

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Thursday, 17 December 2020
17 Dec 2020, 03:52 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Thursday, 17 December 2020

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: 

Slovenia's case vs Croatia over LB bank ruled inadmissible

STRASBOURG, France - The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights ruled that it does not have jurisdiction to hear a case brought by Slovenia against Croatia over debt owed to Ljubljanska Banka (LB) by Croatian companies, because LB lacks non-governmental status. The court held that LB was not a non-governmental organisation and thus did not have standing to lodge an individual application, referring to its previous decision in a case brought individually by LB. Accordingly, the court cannot examine an inter-state application in respect of this legal entity.

Slovenia's coronavirus total case count passes 100,000

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia confirmed 2,107 coronavirus cases on Tuesday as 32% the tests came back positive, bringing the case count since the start of the pandemic to over 100,000. The death toll rose to 2,190 after another 39 patients with Covid-19 died. Hospitalisations dropped by 33 to 1,251 with ICU cases rising by seven to 211. The seven-day average of new cases as of Monday is 1,477, according to government data. The Covid-19 tracker site shows there are now 20,785 active cases.

Broken Bones Gin Ljubljana Slovenia (5).jpg

Looking for a last-minute gift? Broken Bones Gin, the award-winning gin made in Ljubljana - named Best in Europe and available here

Logar meets Dutch counterpart

THE HAGUE, Netherlands - Foreign Minister Anže Logar met his counterpart Stefan Blok as part of his working visit to the Netherlands on Tuesday to discuss cooperation, Slovenia's EU presidency, and topical issues. Logar expressed interest in strengthening economic cooperation between Slovenia and the Netherlands, especially in digitalisation and green technology. Logar also held talks at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and International Criminal Court in The Hague.

Pandemic, W Balkans in focus of CEDC ministerial

POSTOJNA - The experiences of individual armies in helping to fight the Covid-19 epidemic and the strengthening of cooperation with Western Balkan countries were in the focus of a two-day meeting of the Central European Defence Cooperation (CEDC). Slovenian Defence Minister Matej Tonin and his Hungarian counterpart Tibor Benko expressed support for the long-term stability of the region as they addressed the press after the meeting. Tonin said this could be achieved with membership of these countries in the EU and NATO.

EU Commission inquiring more about Slovenia's views this year, says Stančič

LJUBLJANA - The European Commission follows the developments in Slovenia and it is no secret that in the past years Brussels has addressed more requests to the country asking it to explain its standpoints, Zoran Stančič, the head of the European Commission Representation in Slovenia, told the STA as the end of his term nears. After five years of heading the EU representation office, Stančič is to take over on 1 January 2021 a post of a special digital transformation advisor at the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology.

Janša says Počivalšek made "superhuman efforts" to save lives

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša said Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek had made "superhuman efforts to save the health and lives of people" as he commented on news that the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption had launched an investigation into the purchases of personal protective equipment during the first wave of the epidemic. In a Twitter post yesterday he said the media campaign against him and colleagues "is utterly unjust from a human perspective".

Railways operator signs strategic partnership with Czech holding

LJUBLJANA - Railways operator Slovenske Železnice signed a strategic logistics and cargo partnership with EP Holding. The Czech holding will become the owner of a 49% stake of Slovenske Železnice's cargo division SŽ-Tovorni Promet. The partnership is pending regulatory approval, with all suspensive conditions expected to be met by June next year. The new company is to receive a capital increase, however no figures have been released. Unofficially, it is to stand at between EUR 60 million and EUR 100 million.

Telekom Slovenije planning EUR 30.8 million in profit in 2021

LJUBLJANA - The Telekom Slovenije group plans to generate EUR 653 million in operating income and EUR 30.8 million in net earnings, the company announced on the website of the Ljubljana Stock Exchange. The telecoms incumbent would like to see EUR 210.6 million in EBITDA in 2021 and EUR 203.7 million in next year's investments. The group expects this year's results to be below expectations. In early November they estimated net sales income would be lower than projections by some 3% at EUR 609.3 million.

Four companies win FDI Awards as best foreign investors

LJUBLJANA - Atlantic Droga Kolinska, Belinka Perkemija, TKK and iSystem Labs were honoured as best foreign investors for their excellent business performance and contribution to the development of the Slovenian economy. The awards are given out annually by the SPIRIT investment promotion agency and the economy ministry. With its proactive and dynamic approach, Slovenia increased the inflow of FDI in 2019 to over EUR 16 billion, which currently represents 33% of its GDP and 65.5% of all foreign direct investments in the country, Economic Development and Technology Minister Zdravko Počivalšek stressed in his keynote during the online awards ceremony.

Chief Covid-19 adviser elected Medical Chamber head

LJUBLJANA - Bojana Beović, the infectious disease specialist who heads the group advising the government on Covid-19, was elected head of the Medical Chamber. Out of the 5,895 ballots cast by members in Tuesday's runoff, Beović won 3,154 and Tanja Petkovič, the head of the chamber's section of care home doctors, 2,706. 51% of the membership cast ballots. Beović expects that by the time she takes over from incumbent Zdenka Čebašek-Travnik her services as Covid-19 would no longer be needed.

Judge candidate Brkan confident she could win MPs, pass Committee 255 hearing

LJUBLJANA - EU law expert Maja Brkan showed confidence she can pass Committee 225's vetting to become a new Slovenian judge on the General Court of the European Union, if her candidacy is endorsed by Slovenian parliament. She believes, based on her expertise and experience, she could become one of Slovenia's two judges on this court.

Lampič, Roglič and handball team declared best in sports in 2020

LJUBLJANA - Cross-country skier Anamarija Lampič, cyclist Primož Roglič and the men's handball team are this year's crème de la crème of Slovenian sports as selected by the Association of Sports Journalists. Both the athletes and the team received the top sports awards at the 2020 Athlete of the Year ceremony.

If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here

 

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Wednesday, 16 December 2020
16 Dec 2020, 04:14 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Wednesday, 16 December 2020

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: 

DeSUS leadership to discuss whether or not to leave coalition

LJUBLJANA - The top bodies of the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) will meet on Thursday to discuss whether or not the party should leave the coalition, party leader Karl Erjavec said, noting that there was pressure from the rank-and-file, dissatisfied with the government's work. Erjavec made the statement after meeting the leaders of the four centre-left parties that make up the Constitutional Arch Coalition (KUL). Zdravko Počivalšek, the head of the Modern Centre Party (SMC), which is also being wooed by KUL as it needs more votes in addition to those from DeSUS, again rejected the possibility of leaving the coalition.

Banka Slovenije expects GDP to contract by 7.6% this year, expand by 3.1% in 2021

LJUBLJANA - Banka Slovenije, Slovenia's central bank, expects the economy to contract by 7.6% this year before growing at a rate of 3.1% in 2021. The forecast hinges on the successful rollout of coronavirus vaccines. The figures mark a sharp downgrade from its forecast in June, when it projected that the economy would contract by 6.5% this year and expand by 4.9% in 2021. The forecast for 2022 has, however, been upgraded by almost a full percentage point.

Anti-graft commission launches probe against eight over PPE purchases

LJUBLJANA, - The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption launched multiple probes into purchases of personal protective equipment in spring. Eight persons are under investigation, including Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek and Ivan Gale, the former Commodity Reserves Agency employee who first made allegations of irregularities. The suspicions relate to eight contracts the agency has signed with multiple providers, including contracts with Public Digital Infrastructure, Hmezad - TMT, Gorenje and Geneplanet. Počivalšek said he would cooperate fairly with the commission as he wanted to clear his name.

Trial mass testing to begin in Ljubljana next week

LJUBLJANA - Health Minister Tomaž Gantar announced that voluntary mass testing for coronavirus could start in Ljubljana as early as next week prior to Christmas holidays, with testing to be made available more widely after New Year's. "We'll start performing testing as a trial next week in the Ljubljana area; testing will be voluntary, with only health insurance card being required," Gantar said.

Another 1,524 test positive for coronavirus, 44 die

LJUBLJANA - Another 1,524 people tested positive for coronavirus in Slovenia on Monday and a further 44 Covid-19 patients lost their lives as the number of hospitalised patients dropped somewhat, government data show. Of the 5,634 tests performed yesterday, 27.05% returned positive results, meaning the positivity rate was slightly up again after dropping to 25.67% from over 31% the day before. The number of patients hospitalised with Covid-19 dropped by 36 to 1,284 after 127 were discharged home, and the number of those requiring intensive care fell by four to 204.

PM meets ambassadors of EU members in Slovenia

BRDO PRI KRANJU - PM Janez Janša met ambassadors of EU member states to Slovenia, an event organised by the German EU presidency. The PM answered questions from ambassadors concerning the most recent EU summit, the main challenges for next year and Slovenia's preparations for its EU presidency in the second half of 2021. The PM's office said Janša had pointed to the successful response by the EU to the economic consequences of the pandemic, as the bloc agreed on the recovery fund alongside the next multi-year budget. Janša believes that the key challenge for the EU next year will be the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic in the coming months, which he believes could be even more demanding than so far.

Logar meets OPCW director and ICC president in The Hague

THE HAGUE/Netherlands - FM Anže Logar visited the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to meet OPCW Director General Fernando Arias. He also met International Criminal Court (ICC) president Chile Eboe-Osuji, and a meeting with Dutch counterpart Stef Blok is also scheduled. Logar and Arias reviewed Slovenia's cooperation with the organisation, especially in the light of the country's EU presidency in the second half of 2021, while the meeting with ICC president Eboe-Osuji stressed the importance of constructive cooperation in fighting impunity and the role of independent judiciary.

Memorandum signed to build Ljubljana passenger terminal

LJUBLJANA - Public and private investors, including the government, signed a memorandum to cooperate in the construction of a EUR 387 million passenger terminal in Slovenia's capital, also known as Emonika. Welcoming the step, Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec said Ljubljana and Slovenia deserved to have a modern coach and bus station they could be proud of, noting Ljubljana had been waiting for the project for 18 years. The project comprises a new railway station, along with appertaining track infrastructure and platforms, a coach station with a multi-storey car park and a commercial hub.

Tonin meets Croatian, Austrian counterparts ahead of CEDC meeting

POSTOJNA - Ahead of a two-day ministerial of the Central European Defence Cooperation (CEDC) in Postojna, Defence Minister Matej Tonin his Croatian counterpart Mario Banožić and Austria's Klaudia Tanner. The talks focused on bilateral cooperation in the fields of military and defence and cooperation within the EU. Tonin and Banožić also discussed regional cooperation, joint training, participation in international operations and missions and cooperation within NATO. Slovenia's EU presidency was a topic as Tonin met Tanner, with the ministers agreeing that the Western Balkans needed to stay on the agenda of the EU.

Foreign Ministry: EEZs not to bring major changes for Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - With Croatia and Italy declaring exclusive economic zones (EEZ) in the Adriatic as planned not much would change for Slovenia, its fishermen or access to the Koper port, Aleksander Geržina, the Foreign Minister's spokesman, told the STA, adding that the move would also not affect the border arbitration award. "Things are not changing substantially for us," Geržina said about the consequences of EEZs for Slovenia, adding that this also held true for fishermen, whose representative today underscored the need for them to continue to be able to fish in international waters although few do now.

Swiss-made train brings first passengers to Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - As public passenger transportation resumed on Tuesday as part of the first major easing of coronavirus restrictions in Slovenia, a new modern Swiss Stadler train brought first passengers from Kamnik to Ljubljana Central Station. Joining the passengers for part of the journey, Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec noted the significance of modernisation of the railway infrastructure. The train is one of the first five diesel trains that the Slovenian railway operator formally took over from Stadler in late November. They will link Ljubljana with Novo Mesto and Kamnik, and with Kočevje, once the service there opens.

Ljubljana adopts new strategy for post-Covid tourism

LJUBLJANA - The Ljubljana City Council adopted a new strategy for the development of tourism in 2021-2027 on Monday. The main goals include increasing off-peak season visits and average spending, and extending the average stay. The strategy acknowledges the post-coronavirus tourism recovery will take time. The Slovenian capital seeks to increase the number of tourist nights by 14%, with the average spending per tourist to rise from EUR 101 to EUR 140 and average duration of stay to increase from 2.5 to 3 nights.

Some Covid-19 restrictions temporarily eased

LJUBLJANA - Certain business restrictions related to the Covid-19 epidemic are being eased today until 23 December. Some services resumed nationwide today, such as public transportation, as well as hair salons, flower shops, car washes and dry cleaners. Others will be limited to the four regions with the best epidemiological situation. Public transportation restarted in limited fashion, which means up to half capacity, while gondolas will be limited to one person or one family.

Average gross wage up by 1.2% in October

LJUBLJANA - The average gross pay in Slovenia in October stood at EUR 1,821, up by 1.2% nominally on September and by 0.9% in real terms. The average net pay totalled EUR 1,181, a 1% increase in nominal terms at the monthly level and a 0.7% rise in real terms, show data by the Statistics Office.

book cover cook eat slovenia.jpg

Looking for a gift this Christmas that says “Slovenia” and will keep you and your loved ones happy and well fed for years to come? Then check out the beautifully produced book Cook Eat Slovenia, with 100 easy to follow recipes for all seasons. The book has won three awards at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2020, for best translated, best self-published, and best food tourism cookbook for Slovenia, and for the second best in the world for food tourism, and third best  for self-published. Our review is here, and you can order a copy from anywhere in the world here.

If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here

 

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Tuesday, 15 December 2020
15 Dec 2020, 04:16 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Tuesday, 15 December 2020

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 says it was Croatia and Italy's good will to invite Slovenia for talks

LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša told parliament that it had been Italy and Croatia's "good will" to invite Slovenia for talks on their plans to declare their exclusive economic zones in the Adriatic Sea. The two countries have the right to declare the zones and it is solely because of "our reputation" and their good will that they had invited Slovenia for talks on the matter, he said during questions time in parliament.

Jurist says Croatia should implement arbitration award before economic zone

KOPER - Croatia should first come to an agreement with Slovenia on the implementation of the June 2017 border arbitration award in line with international law and only then expand its rights at sea, maritime law professor Marko Pavliha told the STA. "Croatia's exclusive economic zone - and Italy's as well - will strip Slovenian fishermen of the possibility to fish in the open seas, because there will be no open seas any more," he said. Slovenia should protest via diplomatic channels or restore talks on the implementation of the arbitration award.

431 new coronavirus cases confirmed on Sunday as 44 die

LJUBLJANA - Just over a quarter of tests came back positive on Sunday as Slovenia confirmed 431 new coronavirus cases. A total of 44 persons died, government data show. The latest figures take the total number of infections confirmed so far to 96,745. The death toll stands at 2,107. There were 1,320 Covid-19 patients in hospital yesterday, up five from the day before, and the number of persons in intensive care rose by seven to 208.

Gantar: Slovenia expects first 5,000 doses of vaccine by end-2020

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia has been promised to get some 5,000 doses of anti-coronavirus vaccine by the end of the year, Health Minister Tomaž Gantar told MPs in questions time. The vaccine was developed by Pfizer and BioNTech and is expected to be green-lighted by the European Medicines Agency on 29 December. He is worried that given the strong anti-vaccination movement, Slovenia would in the long-run not achieve a 60% vaccination rate, which scientists deem necessary to guarantee herd immunity. Once the entire first batch has arrived, it is expected to suffice for 50,000-60,000 people. The first to be vaccinated will be healthcare staff and staff at care homes.

Janša predicts demanding fight with last third of epidemic

LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša told the MPs in parliament Slovenia was in for a "very demanding fight with the last third of the Covid-19 epidemic", after which time would come to eliminate the consequences. He said the EU's recent agreement on the EUR 1.8 trillion recovery package "makes the light at the end of the tunnel brighter". He said Slovenia would earmark part of the funds it is entitled to for healthcare. As for the economy, measures would be focused on improving the investment environment as well as on debureaucratisation and taxes. Solutions regarding the latter should be in parliament before the spring so that they could enter into force in 2022.

Hojs: EU members still apart on solidarity in new migration pact

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The positions of EU member states on solidarity in the new migration pact remain rather different, Slovenia's Interior Minister Aleš Hojs said after taking part in an online EU ministerial. Slovenia remains against obligatory relocation, similar to nine other members state, he said. Hojs labelled the report by the presidency on headway made as regards the pact as too optimistic. He believes matters relating to solidarity and obligatory relocations are "the key dilemma of this pact".

Logar supports EU-Latin America partnership

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar reiterated Slovenia's support for giving cooperation between the EU and Latin American and the Caribbean a fresh impetus as he took part in Monday's online informal meeting between the two regions hosted by the EU's German presidency as part of the bloc's European External Action Service. He said the Covid-19 pandemic showed the importance of close cooperation, strong resilience and good preparedness for potential catastrophes. The meeting focussed on strengthening dialogue and cooperation in green, sustainable and inclusive post-coronavirus recovery, including with the help of digitalisation.

Businesses, economy minister welcome easing of measures, health minister worried

LJUBLJANA - A temporary relaxation of some anti-coronavirus restrictions kicking in on 15 December until 23 December is a major step towards relaunching the economy, Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek said, noting that rules and guidelines by medical experts should be heeded consistently. Business representatives welcomed the step and urged compliance with the rules. Health Minister Tomaž Gantar meanwhile said he was worried about limited healthcare capacity, so he advocates stepping up restrictions during the coming holidays. The government is to review the latest epidemiological developments on Thursday. Unofficial reports suggest a full lockdown could be introduced for 24 December-4 January, meaning only health institutions, pharmacies and grocers would be open.

Outdoor face mask use slightly relaxed for all regions as of Wednesday

LJUBLJANA - The government relaxed the rule under which face masks are mandatory in all outdoor public areas in regions where the two-week average number of new infections exceeds 140 per 100,000 residents. From 16 December, face masks will be mandatory in outdoor public areas only if it is not possible to keep at least a 2-metre distance. The government adopted the relaxed measure which applies to all statistical regions today, and it will be in place for seven days.

Conditional movement restriction exemption faces criticism

LJUBLJANA - The government's plan to allow movement across municipalities within regions with the best epidemiological situation only to those who have installed the Covid-19 contact tracing app on their mobile devices is raising dust, as many legal experts claim the condition is unconstitutional. Interior Minister Aleš Hojs told the press residents will be obligated to show their apps to police officers when crossing municipal borders. If they fail to do so, they will have to turn back or be fined.

Prime minister does not agree social dialogue non-existent

LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša said the government did not neglect social dialogue during the epidemic. There have been many proposals and they frequently contradict each other. The government not taking into account all of them does not mean there is no social dialogue, he added. Janša was responding to a question by opposition MP Jani Prednik, who alleged the government was not conducting an adequate social dialogue and instead engaged in activities that had nothing to do with battling the epidemic.

Anti-graft watchdog hands Vizjak case to ATVP

LJUBLJANA - The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption closed its investigation into the case of Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak's purchase of Petrol shares ahead of the full liberalisation of fuel prices after concluding that this is not within its purview. It handed the case over to the Securities Market Agency (ATVP). Vizjak had been reported to the commission after buying over 400 shares of energy group Petrol in the spring, before the government decided to fully liberalise fuel prices as of October, which significantly raised the shares' value.

Conflict about STA financing also goes to court

LJUBLJANA - The suspension of STA financing has led to criminal charges being filed by both sides. The STA's in-house trade union reported Government Communication Office (UKOM) head Uroš Urbanija to the prosecution on Friday over abuse of office, overstepping of powers and causing damage to the STA's public service. Urbanija filed charges against STA director Bojan Veselinovič, former UKOM head Kristina Plavšak Krajnc and four STA supervisors. Plavšak Kranjc was reported over suspicion of abuse of office and Veselinovič over suspicion of abuse of public funds.

Janša says government not interfering with STA

LJUBLJANA - Independent media are very important for democracy in any country, said PM Janez Janša in parliament while responding to an MP question, saying the government was not interfering with the STA. The contract it wants to be honoured was signed between the Government Communication Office (UKOM) and the STA last year during the previous government's term, he said. Just as the government is obligated to honour that contract, so is the STA. He announced the next contract to be signed with the STA will be clear in what is required by law.

RTV Slovenija approves production programme for next year

LJUBLJANA - The programming council of public broadcaster RTV Slovenija approved the programme and production plan for 2021 as the document was put to a vote for the second time. The plan is a slight upgrade of the document rejected by the programming council on 30 November. RTV Slovenija director general Igor Kadunc said it entailed the barest minimum that allows the broadcaster to still meet its legal obligations. The council did not, however, show approval for the broadcaster's financial plan, the approval of which lies in the hands of the supervisory board.

Delo poll: SDS slips but still in lead, govt gets lowest mark

LJUBLJANA - The ruling Democrats (SDS) lost almost three points in the latest public opinion poll commissioned by the newspaper Delo, but are still in lead with 16.9%. There are some changes on the centre-left, as the SocDems slid from the second to the fourth place, behind the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) and the Left. The government received the lowest average mark in the Mediana poll of 2.44 on a one-to-five scale (down from 2.78 in November).

Remote schooling to continue at least until year's end

LJUBLJANA - School will continue remotely at least until the end of the year given the demanding epidemiological situation in a bid to protect the health of teachers and children, Education Minister Simona Kustec said. When the situation improves, the priority will be to open schools, first for children in the first three forms of primary school and for special-needs children. The president of the Slovenian Headmasters' Association, Gregor Pečan, said the decision was expected but expressed concern that industries with strong lobbying power might disrupt the course of restriction easing as recently laid out by the government in its five-tier strategy.

Eco Fund reduces subsidies for electric vehicles

LJUBLJANA - The Eco Fund has reduced subsidies for electric vehicles in its latest tender published in the Official Gazette. The fund decided on the move because the overall volume of subsidies had been rising in recent years as the number of subsidised vehicles almost doubled each year while the price of vehicles has been dropping. In the two public calls for application, for individuals and companies, which were published on Friday, the rules stipulate that subsidies cannot exceed 20% of the vehicle's value and thus range from EUR 300 to EUR 4,500.

Rogaška Slatina voters confirm observation tower plan

ROGAŠKA SLATINA - Voters in the municipality of Rogaška Slatina have confirmed plans by the local government to erect the tallest observation tower in Slovenia. At a cost of over two million euro, the 106-metre tower is designed to become one of the landmarks in a community best known for spa tourism. Some 56% of voters endorsed the plan on a turnout of over 40% at a referendum on Sunday, called by the opponents of the plan, who objected to the cost as well as the placement of the tower at the bottom of the valley and the perceived cost-to-benefit ratio.

Top philosopher dies

LJUBLJANA - One of Slovenia's top philosophers, Cvetka Hedžet Toth, has died, aged 72, the news portal MMC reported. Hedžet Toth was a dedicated and very popular full professor at the Ljubljana Faculty of Arts who has written seven books and a number of scientific articles. Her focus was on ontology, metaphysics, utopianism, ethics and axiology. Her work was proof that she had a highly developed sense of community, the Faculty of Arts said when her last book was published in 2018.

book cover cook eat slovenia.jpg

Looking for a gift this Christmas that says “Slovenia” and will keep you and your loved ones happy and well fed for years to come? Then check out the beautifully produced book Cook Eat Slovenia, with 100 easy to follow recipes for all seasons. The book has won three awards at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2020, for best translated, best self-published, and best food tourism cookbook for Slovenia, and for the second best in the world for food tourism, and third best  for self-published. Our review is here, and you can order a copy from anywhere in the world here.

If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here

 

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Monday 14, December 2020
14 Dec 2020, 04:20 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Monday 14, December 2020

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: 

Temporary easing of restrictions as of Tuesday

LJUBLJANA - The government decided to temporarily ease some restrictions starting on Tuesday. Nationwide, public transportation will restart. Hair salons, flower shops, car washes and dry cleaners will reopen. In four regions with the best epidemiological situation - Central Slovenia, Goriška, Obalno-Kraška and Gorenjska - footwear, apparel and sports equipment shops as well as car dealerships will open. In these four regions individuals using the national exposure notification app #OstaniZdrav will be able to move between municipalities, PM Janez Janša announced on Twitter.

Coronavirus test positivity rate remains high

LJUBLJANA - A total of 830 people tested positive for coronavirus in Slovenia on Saturday as 31.3% of the tests came back positive. Government data also show Covid-19 hospitalisations rising above 1,300 and 22 more patients losing their lives, raising the death toll from Covid-19 to 2,063. A total of 1,315 Covid-19 patients were treated in hospitals yesterday, 39 more than the day before, despite 52 being discharged home. The number of patients in intensive care units rose by eight to 201.

Italian, Croatian ministers to discuss EEZs Saturday

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša announced that the foreign ministers of Slovenia, Italy and Croatia would meet in Venice on Saturday to discuss plans by Italy and Croatia to declare exclusive economic zones (EEZ) in the Adriatic Sea. In a Twitter post on Saturday evening, Janša said he had received a call from his Italian counterpart Giuseppe Conte, who "in the light of neighbourly relations" informed him of Italy's reasons to declare an exclusive economic zone. Janša also talked to Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.

Pahor urges Bosnia leaders to engage in joint efforts

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina - President Borut Pahor called on the leaders of Bosnia-Herzegovina to focus on the country's economic and social challenges together, as he addressed by video link a ceremony in Sarajevo on Saturday marking the 25th anniversary of the Dayton agreement, which ended the war in the country. Pahor said the political leadership in the country should establish trust aspire for reconciliation and focus on what truly mattered to the citizens.

Hydrogen-powered Hy4 aircraft makes successful virgin flight

AJDOVŠČINA - Pipistrel Vertical Solutions, a company of the Slovenian ultralight aircraft maker Pipistrel, announced that the Hy4 hydrogen fuel cell driven hybrid-electric four-seater aircraft had made a successful virgin flight in a "landmark for the MAHEPA project and for the future of clean aviation". The Hy4 made the flight from Maribor airport, in the north-east of Slovenia, in November, despite the Covid-19 repercussions and with all safety precautions in place.

SDS with 12-point lead in Nova24TV poll

LJUBLJANA - The Democratic Party (SDS) of Prime Minister Janez Janša polled at 26.6% in the latest poll commissioned by the commercial broadcaster Nova24TV, 12 percentage points ahead of the runner-up. The opposition Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) polled at 14.5% and the Social Democrats (SD) at 10.5%, where the percentages are from answers of respondents who would definitely cast their vote. The junior coalition New Slovenia (NSi) got 8.5% and the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) 7.3%.

Prof Edward Gobetz dies

CLEVELAND, US - The Slovenian Consulate General in Cleveland announced that Edward Gobetz, an esteemed Slovenian American philosopher, sociologist and anthropologist, a professor emeritus at Kent State University, had died, aged 94, of Covid-19 complications. In August, Gobetz was honoured with the Order of Merit for his contribution to the recognition of Slovenia and enrichment of knowledge about the achievements of Slovenians in the US and the world.

Michelin star chef to launch Zemono+ brand

VIPAVA - Tomaž Kavčič, one of Slovenia's top chefs, who runs Michelin-starred restaurant Pri Lojzetu in Zemono Mansion near Vipava, has unveiled plans to launch his own brand Zemono+. Foodies will be able to purchase Zemono+ products via an online shop starting in January. The Zemono+ shop is expected to come to life in mid-January. "Online sale is inevitable," Kavčič said this week during an online presentation of the brand.

Martin Čater sensational winner of World Cup downhill opener

VAL D'ISERE, France - Martin Čater won the first World Cup downhill of the season in France's Val d'Isere in what is the first podium finish for the 27-year-old, who entered the race with the start number 41. Čater is only the third Slovenian male World Cup downhill winner since independence after Andrej Jerman, who has two wins, and Boštjan Kline, who secured the most recent one in 2017.

Norway win team event at Planica, Slovenia 4th

PLANICA - Norway won the team event at the Ski Flying World Championships at Slovenia's Planica, overtaking Germany in the last round as Halvor Egner Granerud performed better than Karl Geiger, who beat the Norwegian yesterday in the individual event. Slovenia bounced back from the turmoil in their ranks by finishing fourth. The Norwegian team thus defended their gold medal from the previous Ski Flying World Championships to earn the fifth medal for the nation in team events.

book cover cook eat slovenia.jpg

Looking for a gift this Christmas that says “Slovenia” and will keep you and your loved ones happy and well fed for years to come? Then check out the beautifully produced book Cook Eat Slovenia, with 100 easy to follow recipes for all seasons. The book has won three awards at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2020, for best translated, best self-published, and best food tourism cookbook for Slovenia, and for the second best in the world for food tourism, and third best  for self-published. Our review is here, and you can order a copy from anywhere in the world here.

If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here

 

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Sunday, 13 December 2020
13 Dec 2020, 04:38 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Sunday, 13 December 2020

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: 

1,744 new coronavirus cases recorded on Friday, 43 patients die

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 1,744 new coronavirus infections in 6,127 tests on Friday. The positivity rate was roughly on par with Thursday's figure at 28.5%, fresh government data showed. 43 Covid-19 patients died, taking the overall death toll to 2,041. The number of persons in hospital was up by eight to 1,276, of whom 193 required intensive care, three down on Thursday. 121 were discharged home. A study by the Institute of Microbiology and Immunology shows that in mid-November at least some 4.2% of the population had a detectable amount of Covid-19 antibodies in their blood, meaning they had recovered from the disease.

S&P affirms Slovenia's AA- rating

LJUBLJANA - Rating agency Standard & Poor's affirmed on Friday Slovenia's AA- rating with a stable outlook. The step acknowledges that Slovenia "remains a stable country in the long run despite the difficult situation due to Covid-19", the Finance Ministry said, adding that Slovenia remained a trust-worthy country in the eyes of foreign investors. The agency said that the government anti-coronavirus measures would prevent long-term economic ramifications, according to the ministry.

Pahor's climate advisors call for climate coalition

LJUBLJANA - Marking the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement, President Borut Pahor's permanent advisory committee on climate policy urged the formation of a climate coalition and an alternative energy sources strategy. The committee called on the government to put efforts to tackle the climate crisis high on the agenda of Slovenia's priorities during the country's EU Council presidency next year.

Germany's Geiger wins Ski Flying World Championship at Planica

PLANICA - Germany's Karl Geiger won the individual event of the Planica Ski Flying World Championship with a total of 877.2 points after a nail-biting finish in which the second-placed Halvor Egner Granerud of Norway fell behind by only half of a point after four rounds of jumping. The best Slovenian in the first three rounds, Anže Lanišek, further improved in the last round to finish 12th with 777.2 points.

book cover cook eat slovenia.jpg

Looking for a gift this Christmas that says “Slovenia” and will keep you and your loved ones happy and well fed for years to come? Then check out the beautifully produced book Cook Eat Slovenia, with 100 easy to follow recipes for all seasons. The book has won three awards at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2020, for best translated, best self-published, and best food tourism cookbook for Slovenia, and for the second best in the world for food tourism, and third best  for self-published. Our review is here, and you can order a copy from anywhere in the world here.

If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here

 

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Saturday, 12 December 2020
12 Dec 2020, 03:57 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Saturday, 12 December 2020

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: 

PM hails EU recovery plan compromise as win-win situation

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Prime Minister Janez Janša labelled the compromise reached by EU leaders over the recovery package a typical European solution, a win-win situation with no absolute winners or losers. The winner is the EU since an opportunity for actually implementing the package as of 1 January 2021 was unlocked, he said, describing the 24-hour summit as very successful. The compromise was also hailed by Slovenia's eight MEPs with Romana Tomc (EPP/SDS) stressing the role played by Janša in the search for the compromise.

Janša says Slovenia will not shut down industry

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Prime Minister Janez Janša said Slovenia would not shut down its industry. "I can predict with great certainty that Slovenia will not shut down industry, as some had proposed," he told reporters after the EU summit. If there is any easing in the coming days, it will be limited to regions with fewer cases and falling trends, coupled with stricter oversight of measures at businesses that have recorded more infections or where there are dangerous trends. The government is due to meet hospital and business officials on Saturday to determine the course of action.

Slovenian Christmas tree lit as delegation visits the Vatican

VATICAN CITY, Vatican - A Slovenian delegation was received by Pope Francis and Foreign Minister Anže Logar held talks with Bishop Paul Richard Gallagher, secretary for relations with states within the Holy See's Secretariat of State, before a 30-metre spruce tree from Slovenia came aglow with Christmas lights in St Peter's Square. Logar said the tree was Slovenia's thank-you to the Holy See for its support before and after Slovenia declared independence nearly 30 years ago. Logar and Gallagher discussed challenges related to the Covid-19 pandemic, the global and regional humanitarian situation, the future of the EU and Slovenia's EU presidency in the second half of 2021.

Pahor attends online forum on W Balkans' EU future

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor reiterated his stance that EU prospects for the Western Balkans are the main geopolitical issue bearing on European stability, as he addressed the To Be Secure forum. His wish is for the entire region to join the EU. Although the EU has a number of challenges, such as the health crisis, the emerging economic crisis, and Brexit, to deal with, it would be a grave mistake to underestimate the role of EU enlargement, he said.

1,813 new coronavirus cases confirmed on Thursday, 49 die

LJUBLJANA - A total of 6,453 coronavirus tests were conducted on Thursday and 28% or 1,813 came back positive. The number of patients in hospitals rose by ten to 1,268, and the number of those requiring intensive care was up by seven to 196. 49 patients died. The number of active case in the country rose by 1% to 21,003 out of a total of 93,734 since the start of the pandemic. The seven-day rolling average per 100,000 residents rose by 0.3% from the day before to 1,510.9.

Chief Covid-19 adviser considered quitting but decided against

LJUBLJANA - Epidemiologist Bojana Beović told Mladina she had considered resigning as the head of the Health Ministry's Covid-19 advisory group when the situation escalated. She has however decided against it, convinced it would not help calm the situation, it would only further destabilise it. She said she had never threatened to quit, but would have done so had she been asked to argue in favour of something she could not as an expert. Beović also stressed she was "not interfering in politics".

Govt, NGOs welcome bolder EU greenhouse gas emissions goal

LJUBLJANA - The government and environmental NGO welcomed the EU summit's decision to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 by at least 55%. The Environment Ministry believes the goal is realistic, whereas the NGOs would like it even more ambitious. "The goal is feasible if we make maximum efforts in all sectors. We expect to have the biggest challenges in transport," Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak said. Meanwhile, climatologist Luča Kajfež Bogataj said that for a true global impact, the EU should get China and the US on board.

Four DeSUS deputies to go independent unless "things calm down"

LJUBLJANA - Robert Polnar, a deputy of the coalition Pensioners' Party (DeSUS), said four of the five DeSUS MPs were willing to quit the deputy group and become independent "if things do not calm down". The MP said he was against "experiments" such as the KUL coalition and would remain a supporter of the government. Three fellow DeSUS deputies share a similar sentiment.

UKOM repeats arguments in letter to CoE commissioner

LJUBLJANA - The Government Communication Office (UKOM) responded to a letter by Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović concerning the funding of the STA. UKOM head Uroš Urbanija repeated the argument that the STA was obligated to provide UKOM with all the requested documents. He said the government was obliged to ensure appropriate financing of the STA and that this area had been regulated from the very beginning by the UKOM on behalf of the government.

Employers urge political unity to tackle coronavirus crisis

LJUBLJANA - The Employers' Association appealed to all political representatives to engage in responsible and unanimous conduct to resolve the coronavirus crisis and its fallout, underscoring the importance of political stability. "Efforts by individual stakeholders are not enough in the search for joint solutions where doubts and pressure sow distrust in the measures taken; to successfully overcome the crisis unity and support of all stakeholders is essential," said the association.

Retailers reiterate call for reopening of shops

LJUBLJANA - The Chamber of Commerce (TZS) called on the government to reopen non-essential stores. Non-grocery stores have been closed for four months and the chamber estimates the loss of revenue at over EUR 2 billion. The organisation said that stores were not a source of infections or a factor aggravating the epidemiological status. It warned that retailers were facing huge problems, including seasonal goods piling up in their warehouses.

Koper port operator expects 60% slump in profit

KOPER - Port operator Luka Koper will post an estimated EUR 25.1 million in group net profit this year on 207.9 million in sales revenue, which compares to EUR 40 million and EUR 229 million, respectively, in 2019. For 2021, revenue is projected to the tune of EUR 219.8 million and net profit at EUR 24.4 million. Estimates and projections published by the company show the estimated sales would be 13% below the planned figure and the estimated net revenue 21% below that projected.

Police investigate new threats to Covid-19 experts

LJUBLJANA/NOVO MESTO - Ljubljana and Novo Mesto police are investigating posters and graffiti which have appeared in both cities and labelled some medical experts exposed during the coronavirus epidemic "murderers of the Slovenian nation". Posters with an image of NIJZ director Milan Krek appeared overnight in Novo Mesto, south-east, labelling him a murderer of the Slovenian nation. Similar stickers and graffiti also appeared in the Slovenian capital.

Some resorts start skiing season

KRANJSKA GORA/MARIBOR - Despite the restrictions related to the Covid-19 epidemic, skiing season is starting in Kranjska Gora, Pohorje above Maribor and at Krvavec, but only for locals. The accompanying activities are prohibited, though, so the question is whether ski lifts will operate for long if restrictions are not lifted. The first ski lift in Kranjska Gora was launched on Thursday, although only locals may visit the resort due to the ban on travel between municipalities. Pohorje and Krvavec will launch open-air lifts on Saturday.

book cover cook eat slovenia.jpg

Looking for a gift this Christmas that says “Slovenia” and will keep you and your loved ones happy and well fed for years to come? Then check out the beautifully produced book Cook Eat Slovenia, with 100 easy to follow recipes for all seasons. The book has won three awards at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2020, for best translated, best self-published, and best food tourism cookbook for Slovenia, and for the second best in the world for food tourism, and third best  for self-published. Our review is here, and you can order a copy from anywhere in the world here.

If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here

 

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Friday, 11 December 2020
11 Dec 2020, 04:19 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Friday, 11 December 2020

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 says EU rule of law compromise "very good"

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Prime Minister Janez Janša welcomed the rule of law compromise put to EU leaders as "very good". If it gets the green light, it will provide adequate rule of law protection of all EU financial mechanisms as well as the recovery funds, he said on arrival at the EU summit. "I'm very glad we have a compromise proposal on the table regarding an instrument via which rule of law protects European funds, the common European budget and the recovery and resilience fund," he said. The compromise was endorsed by the EU leaders, with Janša saying on Twitter that it was "urgently needed" for fast recovery after the pandemic.

Logar and Di Maio for trilateral meeting on exclusive economic zone

ROME, Italy - The Slovenian and Italian foreign ministers, Anže Logar and Luigi di Maio, discussed plans by Italy and Croatia to declare exclusive economic zones in the Adriatic Sea. They agreed that they would hold a trilateral meeting on the topic with Croatian counterpart Goran Grlić Radman as soon as possible. Logar noted that the area had a specific coastal configuration, and that Slovenia, Italy and Slovenia were connected there so it was in the interest of all three to seek joint solution in an European spirit.

Coronavirus restrictions extended for now

BRDO PRI KRANJU - The bulk of coronavirus restrictions remain in force following the government session on Wednesday but the government may opt for easing should the situation allow on Saturday following consultations with hospital directors and business officials. The only substantive change is that from Saturday only surgical or washable face masks will have to be warn in indoor and outdoor public spaces, as lose fitting coverings such as scarves or bandannas will no longer suffice.

Govt endorses seventh draft stimulus package

BRDO PRI KRANJU - The government endorsed on Wednesday a draft of the seventh stimulus package mitigating the ramifications of the second Covid-19 wave. The draft will be finalised at one of the coming government sessions. It aims to mitigate or tackle the fallout from Covid-19 including in the economy, labour market, social security and healthcare. It includes a proposal to set up a EUR 200 million loan fund to boost new investments in tourism.

Germany added to Slovenia's quarantine list

BRDO PRI KRANJU - The government added Germany to Slovenia's red list of Covid-19 unsafe countries and regions, as well as the whole of the UK and Estonia starting from Saturday, 12 December. Meeting for a weekly session on Thursday, the government also moved Ireland and Iceland from the red to the orange list. Arrivals from countries on the red list face a mandatory ten-day quarantine except if they produce a negative coronavirus test, or if they fall under one of several exceptions. Arrivals from countries on the orange list can enter the country without restrictions.

Over 1,800 new coronavirus infections, 49 deaths

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia registered 1,849 new coronavirus infections on a test positivity rate of 28.8% on Wednesday, as 49 more Covid-19 patients died, taking the death toll from Covid-19 to 1,949. The number of patients hospitalised with Covid-19 decreased to 1,258 and the number of those in intensive care units to 189 even though more patients were admitted than discharged. Slovenia has confirmed 91,922 coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic, of which 20,803 are active infections.

ECHR to issue ruling on admissibility of LB case vs Croatia next week

STRASBOURG, France - The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) will release a ruling on admissibility of a case brought by Slovenia against Croatia over the defunct bank Ljubljanska Banka (LB) on 16 December. The decision, taken on 18 November, will be published in a written form, the court and Slovenia's state attorney said. The inter-state application was lodged by Slovenia in September 2016, with the country arguing that Croatian courts had been systematically preventing LB to recover debts incurred by Croatian banks in the 1990s.

Govt amends international protection act

BRDO PRI KRANJU - The government adopted changes to the international protection act on Wednesday to promote fast and effective procedures. The proposed solutions are also aimed at preventing abuses of the system of international protection, the Interior Ministry, which had drawn up the changes, said. Proposed are sanctions for obstructing the procedure, for not fulfilling the duties of asylum seeker, for violating the rules of accommodation centres, the public law and order, and for criminal offences, and allow for more efficient restricting of people's movement due to absconding risk.

Govt gives go-ahead for promotion of chief of general staff

LJUBLJANA - The government gave its go-ahead to the Defence Ministry's proposal to promote Brigadier General Robert Glavaš, the chief of the general staff, to the rank of major general. Glavaš meets skills-based conditions for the promotion, while he will fully meet the formal requirements on 17 December when two years will have passed since his last promotion in rank. SAF generals and admirals are promoted by the head of state as the commander in chief.

DeSUS remains in coalition, will examine cooperation with SMC MPs

LJUBLJANA - The Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) remains in the government coalition, but will examine the possibility of closer cooperation with the coalition Modern Centre Party's (SMC) deputy group, DeSUS deputy group leader Franc Jurša said after a meeting between the deputy group and new party leader Karl Erjavec. Jurša said a task force was to be set up with the SMC to study the potential for cooperation between the two deputy groups.

Slovenian, Croatian home ministers seek to tackle illegal migration

LJUBLJANA - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs spoke with his Croatian counterpart Davor Božinović via videoconference about preparations for the introduction of the Entry/Exit System (EES) on the Slovenian-Croatian border. He informed Božinović that Slovenia would continue introducing the system on its southern border. They also agreed to look for solutions for preventing illegal crossings of the border by migrants and the implementation of the agreement on the handover of persons who enter the country or reside in the country illegally.

Defence ministers of Germany, Portugal, Slovenia discuss EU presidency

LJUBLJANA - The defence ministers of Germany, Portugal and Slovenia held an online meeting at the initiative of Germany's Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer to exchange views on the German six-month stint at the helm of the European Council and discuss the priorities for next year, when Portugal and Slovenia will take over successively. Kramp-Karrenbauer along with Joao Gomes Cravinho from Portugal and Slovenia's Matej Tonin discussed strategic decisions, cooperation between the EU and NATO, and the importance of transatlantic cooperation.

Foreign Ministry backs declaration on journalists' safety

THE HAGUE, the Netherlands - The Foreign Ministry backed a declaration on the safety of journalists that was adopted on the sidelines of a two-day global media freedom conference hosted by the Netherlands and UNESCO on Wednesday. Addressing the online ministerial, Foreign Ministry State Secretary Stanislav Raščan said journalists had a key role in presenting unbiased information on the current situation, which was why journalists must be ensured safety and proper working environment.

Maja Brkan slated for nomination for EU's General Court

LJUBLJANA - Following consultations with parliamentary deputy groups, President Borut Pahor announced that he would nominate Maja Brkan for Slovenian judge on the General Court of the European Union. Extra consultations are however needed on candidates for the EU Court of Justice. Brkan, an associate professor of EU law at the Maastricht University's Faculty of Law, enjoys more than sufficient support in parliament, the president's office said.

Public interest prevails over nature conservation in Mokrice project

LJUBLJANA - The government decided that the public interest of producing energy from renewable sources prevails over the public interest of nature conservation in the case of the planned Mokrice hydro plant on the Sava river. It has also determined compensatory measures that need to be carried out by the investor. The decision follows what was the first-of-a-kind procedure to allow other public interests to prevail over nature conservation.

Contract signed for new communications system for police

LJUBLJANA - A EUR 15 million contract to build a new Tetra secure communications system for the police and other government agencies was signed in a bid to replace the 17-year old communications system. The contractors - two Slovenian and one Finnish company - have 400 days to set the system up. The new communications system will give the police force the best equipment currently on the market, the Interior Ministry said in a press release.

Slovenia receives EUR 8.8m from rescEU mechanism

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Slovenia has successfully applied to a call published by the European Commission to help countries tackle the coronavirus epidemic. The country will receive EUR 8.8 million from the rescEU mechanism, while another EUR 1.8 million will have to be secured from the budget as part of the project, the government said after getting acquainted with the information Wednesday. The mechanism aims to secure strategic supplies of medical and personal protective equipment.

Govt proposes legal basis for platforms like Uber

BRDO PRI KRANJU - The government on Wednesday approved a proposal to amend the road transport act which introduces legal basis for digital labour platforms, such as Uber. The proposal sets down that drivers via these gig economy companies would need to get a licence. The amendments would also abolish mandatory use of taximeters for taxi drivers, and put taxi services and private car and driver rentals on an equal footing by standardising conditions for using such apps.

Renault launches special series for Slovenian market

NOVO MESTO - French car maker Renault will launch the Renault Clio, Twingo and Twingo Electric, models manufactured at its Novo Mesto assembly plant Revoz, in a special I Feel Slovenia series available only in Slovenia. The fifth generation Clio, city car Twingo and its electric version will be now launched in a version bearing the slogan I Feel Slovenia. The Twingo Electric is the first all-electric Renault made in Slovenia. The model has been manufactured in Novo Mesto since September.

Exports up 2.1% in October year-on-year

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's exports totalled EUR 3.2 billion in October, up by 2.1% on the same month in 2019. Imports meanwhile fell by 8.5% to EUR 2.9 billion, creating a surplus of EUR 0.2 billion. Data from the Statistics Office also show that Slovenia recorded a drop in trade with EU member states, mainly on the back of a drop in trade with main partners. Exports in the first ten months dropped by 3.2% on the same period in 2019 and imports decreased by 8.9%.

Industrial output up 3.1% in a month

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's industrial output expanded by 3.1% in October from the month before, but dropped 1.1% on the same month a year ago. In the ten months to the end of October, industrial output was 7.3% below the level a year ago, the Statistics Office reported. Industrial revenue increased for the sixth month running in October, by 3.3% from September, but dropped by 3.1% year-on-year.

Retrial ordered in Tušmobil spectrum bribery case

LJUBLJANA - The Ljubljana Higher Court repealed the acquittal of Tomaž Simonič, the former director of the Agency for Communication Networks and Services, in a case involving wireless spectrum bribery. It ordered a retrial, Delo reported. The court reached the decision after an appeal by the prosecution, which alleged infringement of essential procedural requirements.

Pixxelpoint moves online

NOVA GORICA - This year's Pixxelpoint, an international festival of contemporary new media art, brings a review of Slovenian festivals dedicated to contemporary art practices at the crossroads of art, science and technology. It will be held in Nova Gorica for the 21st year between 10 and 17 December, and due to Covid-19, entirely online. It will feature the International Festival of Computer Art, KIBLIX, the Trbovlje-based Speculum Artium, SONICA, which brings electronic music and transitory art, Lighting Guerilla, and IZIS.

book cover cook eat slovenia.jpg

Looking for a gift this Christmas that says “Slovenia” and will keep you and your loved ones happy and well fed for years to come? Then check out the beautifully produced book Cook Eat Slovenia, with 100 easy to follow recipes for all seasons. The book has won three awards at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2020, for best translated, best self-published, and best food tourism cookbook for Slovenia, and for the second best in the world for food tourism, and third best  for self-published. Our review is here, and you can order a copy from anywhere in the world here.

If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here

 

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Thursday, 10 December 2020
10 Dec 2020, 04:32 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Thursday, 10 December 2020

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: 

Slovenia's Covid-19 death toll hits 1,900 as case count tops 90,000

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia logged 2,139 new coronavirus cases for Tuesday, 12% fewer than a week ago on what is typically the day of the week when infections peak, as test positivity remained above 30%. A further 38 Covid-19 patients died, taking the death toll to 1,900. The figures, released by the government, bring the country's case count from the start of the pandemic to 90,075 of which 20,738 are active infections. Hospitalisations dropped to 1,282 with the number of ICU patients up to 198.

Pahor suggests political uncertainty should be resolved with vote of confidence

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor believes politicians in Slovenia should end political uncertainly as soon as possible and enhance trust. It should be made clear whether the government still has a majority support in parliament and then all energy should focus on the fight against the epidemic, he told public broadcaster Radio Slovenija. Pahor is convinced that cooperation in the name of responsibility towards people would be a major shift in facing the epidemic. As he held talks with deputy group leaders today, he urged coalition and opposition parties to sit down and try to find solutions before Christmas holidays.

Pahor, Svetina highlight importance of human rights during epidemic

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor received Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina ahead of World Human Rights Day, with the pair stressing the importance of respect for human rights during the epidemic and after. If humanity is to build a more resilient, just and sustainable world after this pandemic, tolerance, compassion and humaneness must come first, the pair agreed. At Svetina's initiative Pahor joined a UN-sponsored campaign raising awareness of human rights, Pahor's office said.

Catholic bishops urge govt to restore religious freedom

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian Catholic bishops have addressed a letter to PM Janez Janša saying they expect the government to lift the ban on religious services amid the Covid-19 epidemic. They also expect the government not to disproportionately limit religious freedom, which enjoys the highest level of protection in the Slovenian constitution.

Nurses, care workers threaten with strike

LJUBLJANA - As the coronavirus epidemic takes its toll among nurses and care workers, with many being exhausted, their trade union has started raising stakes, threatening with a strike. "If nothing else works, we will stop working," the Trade Union of Health and Social Care Workers said after a session of its executive committee. A mjor issue seems to be the fact that the majority of employers in health care and social care have not yet paid out the bonuses for working in an emergency and for additional workload.

Logar to meet self-isolating Di Maio virtually

LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar will meet his Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio virtually, rather than in-person as originally scheduled, as Di Maio is self-isolating after being in contact with Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese, who tested positive for coronavirus. The ministers were due to meet in Rome on Thursday, but they will talk online as Di Maio. The Foreign Ministry said Logar would nevertheless travel to the Vatican to meet Holy See officials on Friday.

Brdo-Brijuni summit postponed again

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor has informed leaders of the Brdo-Brijuni Process that the summit marking the 10th anniversary of this initiative for the Western Balkans, which was to be held next Monday in Slovenia, has been cancelled due to the current epidemiological situation. This is the second postponing of the summit that was originally to be held on 29 June but had to be postponed because of the coronavirus situation in Balkan countries.

Govt legal office says STA independent also from government

LJUBLJANA - The Government Office for Legislation has issued an opinion on the suspension of financing of the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) by the Government Communication Office, saying this could only be the ultimate penalty, as a stoppage of public service would be unlawful. It also says the law secures the STA independence, also from the government.

CoE commissioner calls on Janša to reintroduce STA funding

STRASBOURG, France - Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović wrote a letter to Prime Minister Janez Janša on Monday, urging him to immediately reintroduce funding to the Slovenian Press Agency (STA). She expressed concern that the suspension of public funding could jeopardise the agency's future. Mijatović noted in the letter obtained by public broadcaster RTV Slovenija, commercial broadcaster POP TV and the STA that she was paying particular attention to the promotion and respect of media freedom in all Council of Europe (CoE) member states.

Ministry proposes zero VAT for Covid-19-related services, products

LJUBLJANA - The Health Ministry said on its web site it had proposed that the seventh stimulus package include a provision on remission of value added tax (VAT) for Covid-19 vaccine, tests, testing and vaccination kits, and all related medical services. If the proposal is accepted, all vaccination points, hospitals, community health centres, concessionaires, mobile units, and all those conducting tests will be able to buy Covid-19-related substances and products without paying VAT. According to the ministry, the proposal follows an agreement adopted at the EU level.

Committee backs Koper rail project talks with Hungary

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee gave the Infrastructure Ministry the green light to launch negotiations with Hungary on the neighbouring country's participation in the Koper-Divača rail investment, the committee's chair Monika Gregorčič told the press after a closed-door session.

MPs commend work of courts in 2019, point to reduced efficiency

LJUBLJANA - The Justice Committee discussed a report on the performance of courts in 2019, with the MPs assessing that courts operated relatively well and successfully last year, and also warning that the efficiency has continued to drop. Several systemic issues related to the judiciary were also raised during the debate, including judges' pay.

Almost 27% more deaths in October than a year ago

LJUBLJANA - The Statistics Office registered 17,575 deaths in Slovenia in the first ten months of 2020, up by 2.7% on the same period in 2019. The number of deaths in October alone was up by 26.8% year-on-year to 2,073. Interim data, released on Monday, also show the number of births in the period between January and October fell by 4.8% compared to the same period in 2019 to 15,540. Excess mortality in the period was 4.5% compared to the average in the same period between 2015 and 2019.

Calls to strengthen integrity on International Anti-Corruption Day

LJUBLJANA - On International Anti-Corruption Day, the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption launched an integrity project aimed at strengthening integrity through all levels of the education system and society. Endorsing the project, President Borut Pahor said raising awareness and education about fighting corruption was key to boosting trust in society. Justice Minister Lilijana Kozlovič said sensibility of society to integrity had died out recently. NGO Transparency International (TI) Slovenia called for continued efforts to overhaul anti-corruption legislation in Slovenia, for a comprehensive system of protection of whistle blowers and oversight over the use of public funds.

Floods hit coastal region, heavy snow the west

KOPER/BOVEC - Persistent heavy rains and a high tide have flooded parts of the coastal region, causing landslides and blocking roads, including part of the main road leading to the Dragonja border crossing with Croatia. Emergency services have been dealing with disruption caused by landslides, flooded homes and cars, and sunk vessels. The region was already flooded on Sunday. Meanwhile, large amounts of wet snow caused power cuts in the north of the Primorska region.

book cover cook eat slovenia.jpg

Looking for a gift this Christmas that says “Slovenia” and will keep you and your loved ones happy and well fed for years to come? Then check out the beautifully produced book Cook Eat Slovenia, with 100 easy to follow recipes for all seasons. The book has won three awards at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2020, for best translated, best self-published, and best food tourism cookbook for Slovenia, and for the second best in the world for food tourism, and third best  for self-published. Our review is here, and you can order a copy from anywhere in the world here.

If you're learning Slovenian then you can find all our dual texts here

 

Page 61 of 122

Editorial

Gourmet

Photo of the Month

Photo galleries and videos

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How Viktor the Human Fish Grew a New Leg
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Magnifico - Charlatan Magnifique
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Likof at Nebotičnik, 1931
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The Birth of Skateboarding in Slovenia
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Maks Fabiani, Architect of Secessionist Ljubljana (English Documentary)
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Slovenia on Film, 1952
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Ljubljana’s Green Deal With Waste
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Ljubljana 1900-1970
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Turning on the Lights in Ljubljana
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Henry Cole’s Slovenian Motorcycle Ride
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A Disappearing World
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Primož Trubar in 251 Seconds
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The Battle of Kobarid
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Enjoy Triglav National Park in the Autumn
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Sampling Slovenia
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Ptuj from the Air
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Scuba Diving in Piran
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Scuba Diving in Lake Bled
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BBC Documentary on Laibach in N. Korea
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Bread, Slovenia & the EU: An Extended Metaphor
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Koper in the 1970s
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Bollywood in Slovenia
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Learn Slovene with Hackers
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Learn Slovenian on the Farm
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Ljubljana by Drone: The Raw & The Cooked
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Ana Makovec in Tasmania (Slovene, with English Subs)
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Learn Slovene with Bowie
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Winter in Slovenia by Drone
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Planet Ljubljana
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Listening to the People of Slovenia, in English with French Subtitles
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Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Education in Slovenia
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I love Maribor because….
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Toy Town Slovenia
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Lazytown: Songs and Subs in Slovene
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Slovenia’s Vegetable Gardens
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My Name Is Janez Janša
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Immigrants to Slovenia Tell Their Stories
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The Birth of Slovenia (BBC Documentary)
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Slovenia on Film: Welcome to Fužine / Čefurji Raus! (English Subtitles)
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Slovenia on Film: Vesna - Ljubljana in 1953 (Full Video)
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10 Best Places to Visit in Slovenia
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Top 10 AMAZING Facts About SLOVENIA
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The Best of Slovenia
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America first... Slovenia second

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