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This summary is provided by the STA:
Janša: Slovenia in for at least a month of tough battle with coronavirus
LJUBLJANA - In an address to Slovenian citizens, PM Janez Janša said that the winter will be long and that "we are in for at least a month of a hard battle with the virus and then months of great caution". Nevertheless, he is convinced that Slovenia can successfully weather the health crisis. "If we are successful in the coming weeks, we will be able to spend Christmas and the New Year in a more normal way than the autumn holidays." The prime minister believes that as fast antigen tests become more accessible, it will be possible to contain individual outbreaks of the virus more easily.
A further 1,176 infections as Slovenia's Covid-19 death toll passes 400
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's death toll from Covid-19 has risen to 412 after 24 more patients with Covid-19 died on Monday. A further 1,176 infections were recorded as more than one out of four tests came back positive. The number of those requiring hospital treatment exceeded 900. Data released by the government show that 4,587 tests were performed on Monday, which means a positivity rate of 25.64%, slightly up from the day before.
Care homes said to be coping well as outbreak moves west
LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian public has been assured that care homes are coping well with coronavirus infections as those have started spreading through aged-care facilities in the western region of Primorska and the situation is stabilising in Gorenjska in the north west. Addressing a government coronavirus briefing, spokesman Jelko Kacin said that a further 112 infections had been confirmed among care home residents and 44 among staff while eight residents died on Monday.
Slovenian officials condemn Vienna terrorist attack, express solidarity with Austria
LJUBLJANA - Slovenian officials have condemned Monday's terrorist attack in Vienna and expressed solidarity with Austria. Prime Minister Janez Janša called for "zero tolerance against radical Islam" and President Boruto Pahor wrote a condolence letter to counterpart Alexander Van der Bellen, saying he was deeply shaken and hurt. Defence Minister Matej Tonin talked to Austrian counterpart Klaudia Tanner, expressing condolences and offering Slovenia's assistance. The Foreign Ministry said it was "appalled by the terrifying events in #Vienna", calling for unity in the fight against terror. Slovenia's Ambassador to Austria Ksenija Škrilec advised Slovenian citizens in Vienna to be more cautious and careful. So far, there have been no reports of any Slovenians being injured or in danger, she said.
Slovenian Islamic community strongly condemns Vienna attack
LJUBLJANA - The Islamic community in Slovenia strongly condemned Monday's terrorist attack in Vienna in which it says innocent people were killed and wounded. The community called for peace and trust to be established among people and nations from the entire world, and added that "no religion allows or justifies the killing, the shedding of blood of innocent people."
Defence experts believe Vienna attacked had not acted alone
LJUBLJANA - Defence experts Vladimir Prebilič and Iztok Prezelj believe that the perpetrator of the terrorist attack in Vienna has not acted alone, with Prezelj saying that the attack confirmed the links of Islamic radicals in Austria with the Western Balkans. He also believes that Slovenia has cause for concern, being in in the pathway of Islamist radical. Prebilič meanwhile believes that Slovenia, or Ljubljana, make for a far less attractive terrorist target than Vienna.
Tonin and Hungarian counterpart talk disaster relief, security, defence industry
BUDAPEST, Hungary - Defence Minister Matej Tonin and his Hungarian counterpart Tibor Benko met to discuss possibilities for closer cooperation in protection and disaster relief in defence and security. The pair dedicated a great deal of attention to the Covid-19 epidemic, while international missions and army modernisation were broached too. Tonin told the STA that he thanked his host for Hungary's assistance during the first wave of the epidemic when Hungary provided logistic support in the procurement of personal protective equipment. He also said Hungary expressed readiness to help with equipment in case things deteriorate and also with personnel should the situation get critical.
HSE gets new management board
LJUBLJANA/ŠOŠTANJ - Viktor Vračar, until now the director general of the TEŠ coal-fired power station, became the new director general of the HSE energy group for four years after the supervisors dismissed Stojan Nikolić. The change at the largest Slovenian producer of electricity comes after October's overhaul of the HSE supervisory board. The new supervisory board also appointed today Uroš Podobnik, until now assistant manager, to the management board as chief operating officer, replacing Mirko Marinčič. Supervisor Andrej Janša was meanwhile appointed as another chief operating officer, although only until a new, full-fledged one is appointed.
Court appoints three supervisors at Telekom Slovenije
LJUBLJANA - The Ljubljana District Court appointed three new supervisors at the majority state-owned telco Telekom Slovenije after three members resigned two weeks ago. Boštjan Koler, Dimitrij Marjanovič and Štefan Belingar will replace Aleš Šabeder, Barbara Cerovšek Zupančič and Bernarda Babič, the company said as the court decision became final.
Telekom Slovenije suspends sale of Kosovo subsidiary Ipko
LJUBLJANA - Telekom Slovenije has suspended the procedure to sell its Kosovo subsidiary Ipko Telecommunications. The procedure is concluding without a buyer being selected, and Ipko remains part of the Telekom Slovenije group, the Slovenian telecoms incumbent said in a press release. Ipko, which was founded in December 2007, is the leading provider of fixed communication services in Kosovo and holds a notable share in mobile telephony. It employs more than 500 people.
Acquitted former Church treasurer claims damages from state
LJUBLJANA - Mirko Krašovec, the former treasurer of the Maribor Archdiocese who was fully cleared in 2019 of the charge that he instigated EU funds misuse more than ten years ago, is reportedly seeking compensation from the state as he had spent more than three months in prison before being eventually acquitted. According to the newspapers Delo and Slovenske Novice, Krašovec is seeking compensation from the state in relation to the case in which he had been initially sentenced to two years in prison in December 2013 in relation to the renovation of the Church-owned Betnava mansion in Maribor.
Star chef urges positive discrimination as way out of lockdown
VIPAVA - Tomaž Kavčič, a chef running a Michelin-starred restaurant, has made an urgent appeal to prevent what he sees as an imminent collapse of the top-notch culinary industry, floating the idea of a positive discrimination as a way out of the coronavirus lockdown. In a letter addressed to the public and decision-makers, the chef writes that the top-class cuisine sector is on the brink of collapse. "If we let it collapse, it will take starting from scratch (...) Generations of chefs, waiters and sommeliers may disappear, become scattered at the far ends of the world or leave for other type of business," he wrote.
Slovenia ranks 11th in EU on Gender Equality Index
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia places 11th in the European Union in the latest Gender Equality Index, the same rank it had in 2019. With a score of 67.9 points out of 100, slightly lower than last year, it is just below the EU average. The index, compiled by the European Institute for Gender Equality, measures countries' performance across six core domains - work, money, knowledge, time, power and health. Slovenia's scores are highest in the domains of health (86.9 points) and money (83 points). Its highest ranking is in the domain of time, where it ranks 7th.
Online exhibition on bees launched
LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Ethnographic Museum (SEM) is opening an online exhibition on bees today in cooperation with its Croatian counterpart to mark their deep-rooted ties. The display is available in Slovenian, Croatian and English. The exhibition, entitled Where the Bees Are at Home, will be available on web portals of the Ljubljana as well as Zagreb ethnographic museums.
Polls show more optimism regarding epidemic
LJUBLJANA - Slovenians are more optimistic about the future course of the epidemic, with citizens' trust in the government on the rise, shows a recent Valicon poll. The second wave of coronavirus infections seems to arouse somewhat fewer worries compared to the first wave, an Aragon survey meanwhile indicates. In the past two weeks, the share of those trusting the government more on taking action to stem the spread of the virus increased from 19% to 25%, shows the Valicon survey.
Roglič's crucial stage win restores Vuelta leader's jersey
ALTO DE'L ANGLIRU, Spain - Slovenian cyclist Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) won the stage 13 time trial at the 2020 Vuelta de Espana, donning the leader's jersey again ahead of the remaining five stages. The defending champion now has a 39 seconds lead over Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers). The 33.7km individual time trial from Muros to Mirador de Ezaro kicked off the final week of the prestigious race that has been a very close affair this year. Apart from Roglič, three riders are now most likely still in the running for winning the race.
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