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This summary is provided by the STA:
Stevanović cleared of suspicion of incitement to resistance
KRANJ - The prosecution dismissed on 24 December a criminal complaint police filed against Zoran Stevanović, the leader of the non-parliamentary party Resni.ca (Truth), over suspicion of incitement to resistance for having urged people to go to protests against anti-coronavirus measures, the party said in a release. Stevanović was detained during the 5 October protest in Ljubljana, which turned violent, and then the police searched his home and the party's premises in Kranj. The party holds that the prosecution's decision proves Stevanović's detention and house searches were unlawful, so he intends to press charges.
Almost 830 new Covid cases on Saturday as upward trend continues
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 829 new cases of Covid on Saturday as the upward trend from last week continues following several weeks of decline. The number of new cases was up 20% on the week before and the positivity rate of PCR tests by 11 points to 42%. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 people was up 3 to 847 in a day, while the number of active cases is estimated at almost 17,960. Six Covid patients died, whil 533 patients are beibng treated in hospital, one fewer than yesterday.
Air passenger transport slowly recovering amid uncertainty
BRNIK - The aviation industry is on the path to recovery after being severely hit by the pandemic. At Ljubljana airport, where a new passenger terminal opened in 2021, the number of flights and passengers is increasing, but there is still much uncertainty, including concerns related to the spread of the omicron variant of coronavirus. The operator of Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport is optimistic though: "Airlines are coming back, regular routes are being established again, and we are still looking to add more frequent flights and some destinations that we already had before," Zmago Skobir, an adviser to the management at Fraport Slovenija, told the STA.
Minimum wage directive progress one of EU presidency successes
LJUBLJANA - The government considers the harmonisation of the Council's position on the minimum wage directive to be among the successes of Slovenia's EU presidency. The Labour Ministry has not commented on the details, but said this directive could lead to an increase in minimum wages in many EU countries and have a positive impact on more than 25 million workers. "This was a remarkable success for Slovenia ... as an agreement between member states was considered unlikely at the start of the presidency," the ministry has said. The progress and efforts were also commended by Slovenia's trade unions and other organisations.
Slovenian motorways to celebrate 50 years
LJUBLJANA - National motorways company DARS will mark 50 years in 2022 since the first motorway section opened to traffic in Slovenia, as well as the former Yugoslavia. It was in December 1972 that first cars drove on the section between Vrhnika and Postojna on what is now the Primorska section of the A1 motorway. DARS's major project this year will be the full introduction of electronic toll stickers after it was launched at the end of 2021. The company meanwhile plans to spend EUR 74 million on new roads and another EUR 75 million on renovation this year.
Ljubno's new ski-jumping tournament to expand to Austria
LJUBNO OB SAVINJI - Slovenia's Ljubno ob Savinji is to be joined by Austria's Villach to organise the New Year's series for women ski jumpers in the 2022/23 season, after the Slovenian venue hosted the newly-formed New Year's series for women modelled on a similar one for men on 31 December and 1 January. On the occasion, a delegation from Villach visited the organisers to tell them "the Austrian Ski Association has endorsed cooperation with Ljubno in organising next New Year's tournament", Rajko Pintar, head of the Ljubno organising committee, told the STA.
