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This summary is provided by the STA:
Slovenia sending its diplomats back to Kyiv this week
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia plans to sent its diplomatic representatives back to Kyiv this week. "We are working to make the EU do the same. Ukraine needs diplomatic support," Prime Minister Janez Janša announced on Twitter on Sunday evening, noting that the diplomats would return to Kyiv on a voluntary basis. The Foreign Ministry later told the STA that the delegation of diplomats that is to return to Ukraine had not yet been finalised. The chargé d'affaires is expected to head the diplomatic representation office there, and it should become clear in the coming days how many people will make up the delegation and when they will leave.
Logar: New legislation empowers govt to better implement sanctions
BRUSSELS, Belgium - The Slovenian government will be able to better implement the EU sanctions against Russia, more specifically the freezing of assets of certain Russian citizens, now that new legislation has empowered it to do so, whereas the old legislation was somewhat "flawed", Foreign Minister Anže Logar said in Brussels. The EU has so far adopted four packages of sanctions against Russia over the invasion of Ukraine, including freezing assets of 685 individuals and 14 legal persons.
4,400 Ukrainians have requested protection in Slovenia
BRDO PRI KRANJU - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs presented Slovenia's activities and government measures related to the Ukraine crisis as he met foreign ambassadors in the country in Brdo pri Kranju on Monday. He said that since 10 March, 4,400 persons from Ukraine had requested temporary protection, the Interior Ministry said.
Advisory group proposes offering vaccines to refugee children
LJUBLJANA - The advisory group on immunization at the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) proposes that refugee children be offered vaccination in line with Slovenia's national vaccination programme, including against tuberculosis and Covid-19, and small children also against flu. Members of the advisory group proposed that the age limit is set for vaccination against tuberculosis, shows a report from the group's meeting held last Wednesday.
1,076 coronavirus cases confirmed in 19% week-on-week increase
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia confirmed 1,076 new cases of coronavirus on Sunday, an increase of nearly 19% on the week before, as infections have been steadily rising for over two weeks. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 population now stands at 1,571 and the rolling seven-day average of new daily cases at 2,697, both up by almost a percent on yesterday, show figures by the National Institute of Public Health. The number of patients hospitalised due to Covid-19 remained flat at 181, of which 46 were in intensive care this morning, down by two from yesterday. Seven patients with Covid-19 died, according to Health Ministry data.
Watchdog investigating suspected fixing of wheat purchase prices
LJUBLJANA - The Competition Protection Office announced it is investigating Mlin Korošec, Mlinopek, Mlinotest, Panvita and Žito, saying there are grounds to suspect the food companies had engaged in the fixing of wheat purchase prices. The anti-trust watchdog, which launched the proceedings at the end of February, wrote that the five were suspected of violating the ban on cartel agreements and of acting in concert to exchange information on the purchase prices of wheat and to fix the prices.
President Pahor to visit Qatar on Wednesday
DOHA, Qatar - President Borut Pahor will pay an official visit to Qatar on Wednesday and Thursday at the invitation of the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, with whom Pahor will discuss ways to strengthen bilateral relations in variouss fields, the president's office said. Pahor will be accompanied by Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec and Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak. Vrtovec announced last week that the visit will include talks on the possible supply of energy products to Slovenia.
UN endorses Slovenia's resolution on drug abuse prevention
LJUBLJANA/VIENNA, Austria - The UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) has endorsed a resolution on early drug abuse prevention last week in Vienna, which was put forward by Slovenia. The resolution calls on the international community to step up efforts to prevent illicit drug use, especially among children and youth, the Health Ministry said. After intense negotiations in difficult circumstances, also connected to the war in Ukraine, the Slovenian delegation managed to obtain the full support of all member states that were present, which then approved the resolution by consensus.
Slovenian agriculture to get EUR 1.7m from EU reserves, minister says
BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission will release around EUR 500 million in reserves to help the most affected farmers, with Slovenia entitled to EUR 1.7 million, Agriculture Minister Jože Podgoršek said in Brussels, where EU agriculture ministers are discussing measures to stabilise the EU food sector amid the war in Ukraine. The funds have to be paid out by 30 September, explained the minister.
Salus profit up 28% to EUR 13m
LJUBLJANA - Salus, a distributor of medicines, reported revenue rising by 14% to EUR 458.3 million in 2021. Net profit was up by 28% to EUR 13 million in what the management described as a record year. Operating profit rose by nearly a quarter to EUR 15.3 million, with EBITDA up by almost 22% to EUR 19.7 million, show consolidated results. Salus's figures show the Slovenian medicines and food supplements market grew by almost 6% last year in value terms, as the share of more expensive drugs increases.
Slovenian Genome aims to enhance personalised medicine in Slovenia
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia has launched Slovenian Genome, a project of Slovenian population's genetic variability data that could simplify genetic diagnostics and thus help people with rare diseases, which affect one in 2,000 Slovenians. To have fast genomic diagnostics, normal variations of the human genome in Slovenia need to be defined, so all healthy Slovenian residents who have no rare disease have been urged to donate their genomic information.
Runaway driver who caused fatal migrant accident caught in Koper
LJUBLJANA - The police have caught a 24-year-old North Macedonian national in Koper on Friday. The man is suspected to have caused a fatal accident on the Štajerska leg of the A1 motorway on 12 March, involving a van carrying illegal migrants. One person was killed and eleven were injured, while the suspect fled the scene on foot.
Wildfire in Ajdovščina area contained
AJDOVŠČINA - A bushfire has swept through a grassy area on the slopes of the Gora mountain near Ajdovščina in western Slovenia. Firefighters have managed to contain the fire, but it will not be completely extinguished until the first rainfall. It is believed that the fire was caused by ashes that were thrown out by a senior citizen while still containing glowing embers.
Olm guardians from Postojna shortlisted for Natura 2000 Award
POSTOJNA - Baby dragon guardians at the Postojna Cave have been shortlisted for this year's Natura 2000 Award as the only representatives from Slovenia in what the company operating the world-famous Karst cave sees as a great compliment to the olm, a cave-dwelling amphibian, to the Postojna Cave and the entire country.
Francophone Film Festival opens tonight
LJUBLJANA - The Francophone Film Festival, taking place between 21 and 26 March in two Ljubljana cinemas to mark International Francophonie Day, opened in the evening with France, a 2021 drama by Bruno Dumont. The 10th edition of the festival will see screenings of seven feature-length films in Kinodvor and the Slovenian Cinematheque, along with 13 shorts by Alice Guy, the first female feature film director in the history of cinema.
