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This summary is provided by the STA:
Rok Svetlič elected Constitutional Court judge
LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly appointed Rok Svetlič a judge on the Constitutional Court. Svetlič received 46 votes with only 46 MPs picking up their ballots because the centre-left opposition boycotted the vote. The coalition was joined by the SNS, DeSUS and minority MPs in endorsing the candidate. This was the fourth attempt to appoint a replacement for Dunja Jadek Pensa, whose term expired in July 2020 but who has stayed on until her successor was appointed. Svetlič stressed he will do all in his power for every singe person to believe that they have a reliable parter in Slovenian law.
Some 35,000 health and social care staff to get higher pay
LJUBLJANA - Some 35,000 health and social care employees will benefit from a pay rise under an agreement initialled by two trade unions representing the staff and the government. Hospital nurses can expect the highest rise. Valued at nearly EUR 123 million, the deal brings higher wages to more than 80% of the employees in healthcare, 80% of employees in social care and 40% of support employees in those two activities. Health Minister Janez Poklukar said the deal was but the beginning of normalisation of staffing situation in health and social care that would hopefully prevent the outflow of staff.
Over 4,480 new coronavirus infections detected
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 4,481 new coronavirus infections on Tuesday in what is the second highest daily number since the start of the epidemic. The test positivity rate stood at 42.4%. Hospitalisations continued to rise and another 20 Covid-19 patients died, according to government figures. The highest number of daily infections was recorded last Wednesday, 4,515. The number of deaths was the second highest since 2 February.
Report: Prosecution employee arrested over info leak to Kavač Clan
MARIBOR - An employee of the Specialised State Prosecutor's Office has been arrested under suspicion of having leaked confidential information to important members of the Slovenian cell of the Kavač Clan, a notorious Montenegrin crime syndicate. The arrest of the woman, reportedly a secretary, who had access to confidential information about orders for house searches and covert surveillance measures comes as criminal police officers conducted searches at the Specialised State Prosecutor's Office on Tuesday.
Slovenia donating 300,000 shots of Moderna vaccine to Covax
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia will donate 300,000 shots of the Covid-19 vaccine produced by Moderna to Covax, the global initiative aimed at equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines. Africa was designated as the priority region. The vaccines are part of the common EU contract and slated for delivery this year. The government said the donation will have a positive impact in the recipient countries in Africa, and on Slovenia's contribution to global health.
Slovenian Jewish community gets synagogue in Ljubljana
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's Jewish community has finally got a place of worship as the Ljubljana Synagogue opened in a residential building in Trubarjeva Street on Tuesday in a joint effort by the Austrian Jewish community from Graz and the Slovenian Jewish community. Yesterday's opening was attended by Ariel Haddad, the rabbi for Slovenia, members of other religious communities in Slovenia, diplomats, including Austrian Ambassador to Slovenia Elisabeth Ellision-Kramer, and Slovenian President Borut Pahor.
Fmr STA director off the hook over contract with Dnevnik
LJUBLJANA - The prosecution has dismissed a report against former STA director Bojan Veselinovič over alleged abuse of office related to a compensation contract with the newspaper publisher Dnevnik, filed by STA supervisory board member Radovan Cerjak. The Specialised State Prosecutor's Office said that suspicion of a criminal act had not been sufficiently argued, and that Veselinovič could not be accused of business disloyalty to the STA either. Veselinovič said he had expected such a decision.
Journalists' Association condemns attempt to criminalise media
LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Association of Journalists (DNS) has come out in defence of fellow journalists with the news portal Necenzurirano.si who are facing increasing pressure from a tax advisor. Rok Snežič has brought 39 defamation suits against three journalists of the outlet over their articles about his business dealings and his role in a loan taken out by the Prime Minister Janez Janša's Democratic Party (SDS) in Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2017. However, Snežič, who Necenzurirano claims has close ties with Janša, has now stepped up his pressure, reporting the journalists to the National Bureau of Investigation and the Financial Administration.
Upper chamber proposes overturning ban on mayors serving as MPs
LJUBLJANA - Ten years after the adoption of legislative amendments that banned mayors from serving as MPs, the issue has returned to the political agenda after the National Council, the upper chamber of parliament, decided to propose reversing the ban with the argument that the incompatibility of MP and mayoral offices do not have a basis in legislation or the Constitution. The motion will now be put to the National Assembly. The majority of the deputy groups said they opposed reversing the ban.
SDS deputy Ljubo Žnidar resigns
LJUBLJANA - Ljubo Žnidar, an MP for the coalition Democrats (SDS), resigned. The party said he stepped down for personal reasons and decided to continue his professional career in the corporate sector. Žnidar started his term in April last year as a replacement MP. He will be succeeded by Karmen Kozmus Ferjan, a public relations officer at the Finance Ministry.
Krško becomes Slovenia's 12th urban municipality
LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly changed the law on the establishment of municipalities to grant Krško the status of urban municipality. The proposal for the status change was filed in September by opposition National Party (SNS) MP Dušan Šiško, who today stressed Krško was the geographic, economic, transport, administrative and cultural centre of Posavje region.
Space and secure connectivity to be a priority for Brussels in 2022
LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian presidency of the Council of the EU co-hosted a virtual conference discussing the secure connectivity initiative, the third pillar of the EU space programme. European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton described space and the initiative as one of the European Commission's priorities in 2022. Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek called for a harmonised approach to secure connectivity between EU member states where the European Space Agency is seen as an important partner.
Five innovative digital solutions awarded
LJUBLJANA - Five of the almost 100 companies taking part in the Festival of Solutions were declared the most innovative companies and won a ticket to the Expo Dubai. Optifarm was rewarded for developing an IT system to manage short local food chains, iHELP for an app allowing injured persons to contact those in their vicinity, Qlector for a solution to help manufacturers, VitalIT for a solution to encourage organisations engaged in top IT practices to keep their processes simple and EpiCoro for a solution for easier and better user experiences.
Lumar enters into partnership with solid wood wall producer
MARIBOR/MENGEŠ - The Maribor-based manufacturer of low-energy prefabricated buildings Lumar has entered into a strategic alliance with iQwood, a producer of innovative solid wood walls. Lumar director and co-owner Marko Lukić values the tie-up at EUR 1.5 million, the bulk of which is an equity investment in iQwood. Lukić said the goal was to increase production at the Mengeš-based company and to bring its product to foreign markets. "At the same time, the goal is for Lumar to include the added value of solid wood in its portfolio," he said.
Industrial output up slightly in September
LJUBLJANA - Industrial output in Slovenia in September was up by 0.2% compared to August, although it only increased in manufacturing, while other segments recorded a drop. At the annual level, industrial output in September was up by 7.8%, the Statistics Office said. Industrial output in manufacturing was up by 0.2% at the monthly level, while in electricity, gas and steam supply and in mining and quarrying it was down by 4.2% and 4.1%, respectively.
Two Italians acquitted of bank robbery charges
NOVA GORICA - The Nova Gorica Court acquitted two men from Sicily who had been charged with robbing two banks in Slovenia in August and October 2020 after some of the evidence was thrown out. Giacomo Pappalardi and Mario Piacente were released from detention where they had been since October 2020. The prosecution will appeal. Judge Darinka Kogoj said that Pappalardi, 44, and Piacente, 27, had been proven to have engaged in preparation for the robberies, which is however not a crime.
Gajser third overall in Motocross World Championship
MANTUA, Italy - Slovenian racer Tim Gajser finished the FIM Motocross World Championship season in the elite MXGP class in third place after taking 2nd place in the finale in Italy's Mantua. The defending champion had merely a theoretical chance to win the title today.
