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This summary is provided by the STA:
Defence spending planned to increase to EUR 983m by 2026
LJUBLJANA - The government adopted on Wednesday the medium-term defence programme for 2022-2026 under which defence spending will be increasing by an average of EUR 72 million on an annual basis to reach EUR 983 million by 2026. The programme plans progress in the development and modernisation of priority capabilities and restructuring of the Slovenian Armed Forces and the defence system.
Govt sets aside extra EUR 22m for Ukrainian refugee support
LJUBLJANA - With the activation of temporary protection for displaced persons in early March, the Government Office for the Support and Integration of Migrants has taken on a new remit. The government thus provided the office with the additional funding of more than EUR 22 million for this year under a decision adopted at Wednesday's correspondence session.
Those who get Covid after 20 April unable to vote
LJUBLJANA - The National Electoral Commission confirmed that under current rules, voters who catch coronavirus after 20 April would not be able to vote in the 24 April general election. It did however reverse an earlier decision not to allow voting from Moscow on security grounds. An authorised representative of the Foreign Ministry will take the ballots and electoral rolls to the Russian capital and bring them back to Slovenia after the vote.
Golob reveals his income from 2020
LJUBLJANA - Robert Golob, the leader of the Freedom Movement, revealed his income earned in 2020 and part of his employment contract as GEN-I chairman, after he was recently urged to do so by the interior minister in an election debate. The statement of the 2020 income issued by the Financial Administration (FURS) shows that Golob had just over EUR 433,000 in taxable income that year.
Opposition accuses govt of covering up fiscal hole
LJUBLJANA - Two centre-left opposition parties, the SD and SAB, accused the government of failing to come up with general government documents for the coming period because it does not want to talk about a "huge hole" in public finances ahead of the election. They pointed to a EUR 750 million shortfall that she said resulted from a EUR 250 million deficit in the pension fund and a EUR 500 million budget shortfall as a result of new laws.
Twenty Ukrainian orphans to be relocated to Slovenia
LJUBLJANA - The government approved a plan under which twenty orphans from Ukraine will be relocated to Slovenia to shelter them from the danger of war. The orphans are from an orphanage in Luhansk, eastern Ukraine, and will be accompanied to Slovenia by staff from the orphanage and children of the staff. They are expected to remain in Slovenia until the state of war in Ukraine ends.
Huda Jama post-WWII mass grave declared monument of national importance
LJUBLJANA - The government declared Barbara Rov, a coal mine where the remains of over 1,400 victims of post-WWII summary killings were discovered in March 2009, a monument of national importance. The victims were largely members of the military of the Independent State of Croatia, a Croatian Nazi-puppet state, of the Slovenian Domobranci militia, and civilians.
Consensus among parties on EU enlargement, not on NATO's
LJUBLJANA - Parties standing for seats in parliament in the 24 April election largely support the EU's enlargement to the Western Balkans, but are more reserved when it comes to NATO expansion. They all declare support for the rule of law in the EU and part of them favour deepening the bloc's integration but disagree whether Slovenia is part of the core EU. The parties also have very different ideas as to the areas the EU should deepen its integration.
Köleš Kiss elected to Hungarian parliament for third time
BUDAPEST, Hungary - Erika Köleš Kiss was elected as the Slovenian minority advocate in the Hungarian parliament for the third time in the recent parliamentary election in Hungary. Köleš Kiss represents Slovenians from the south-western region of Porabje. She hopes that the plans for the preservation and development of the Slovenian identity in Porabje region will be realised in the new term, with the economic development programme being in the forefront.
Overcrowded prisons still an issue in Slovenia
LJUBLJANA - The Prison Administration said that overcrowdedness was still an issue in Slovenian prisons as it responded to a recent Council of Europe (CoE) report which said that Slovenia has successfully addressed the issue. Slovenia's prisons are currently 104.7% full, whereas the CoE report said that in 2021 only 86% of prison capacities were full because the CoE data referred to 31 January 2021, when prisons were indeed less full due to Covid measures.
Transavia France launches Paris-Ljubljana flights
LJUBLJANA - The low-cost carrier Transavia France, a member of Air France KLM group, launched twice-weekly flights between Paris Orly and Ljubljana, joining Air France, which operates daily flights between Ljubljana and Charles de Gaulle. Transavia France will fly Tuesdays and Thursdays with a Boeing 737-800. The first flight was almost fully booked.
Businesses expect strategic R&D from new government
LJUBLJANA - Slovenian businesses expect that the new government will draw up a strategic development plan for a green transition in cooperation with experts and a clear and long-term development policy, Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) director Aleš Cantarutti said. He said R&D spending would have to more than double to 2.5% of GDP by 2030 if the green and digital transition is to be successful.
Covid figures keep improving
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's coronavirus case count as well as hospitalisations keep falling with 1,532 new cases reported for Wednesday, roughly a fourth fewer than the same day a week ago. However, seven patients with Covid-19 died, Health Ministry data shows. The National Institute of Public Health estimates 25,299 people are still actively infected, which compares to 32,703 a week ago.
New police helicopter enters service
BRNIK - A new police helicopter, an AgustaWestland AW169, entered service with the airborne police. It will be mainly deployed for search and rescue missions, and for medical transports. Worth almost EUR 14 million, the ten-seat helicopter, based out of Brnik airport, can reach a maximum altitude of 4,500 metres and a top speed of 300 km/h. Its maximum range is 800 kilometres.
Maribor flood protection project cancelled as locals disagree
MARIBOR - A portion of an EU-funded project involving the construction of flood protection in a flood-prone area along the Drava river just downstream from Maribor has been cancelled. The reason is locals disagreeing with the proposed solution by the end-February deadline. The project was to be concluded by the end of 2023 at the latest.
Visual artist Duba Sambolec wins Jakopič Prize
LJUBLJANA - Visual artist Duba Sambolec, 72, has been honoured with this year's Jakopič Prize, the top annual national award for lifetime achievement in fine arts and visual art. She will receive the prize at the awards ceremony held at the Museum of Modern Art tonight. She has created multimedia installations, art video and video performances, drawings, photographies and digital photocollage, while also researching sound.
NGO appeals for solidarity with regime-opposing Russian artists
LJUBLJANA - Asociacija, an association of freelance artists and NGOs, raised the issue of Russian artists, collectives and cultural organisations who are exposed to repression in their country for opposing the war in Ukraine, urging decision-makers to keep them in mind when taking measures and sanctions. While condemning the actions by Russian authorities against Ukraine and its own people, the association also condemned "demonisation of Russian culture".
Slovenia and Poland replace Russia as volley worlds hosts
LJUBLJANA - Slovenia and Poland will host the Volleyball Men's World Championship in late summer instead of Russia, the two countries' governments announced on Twitter. FIVB, the sport's governing body confirmed the news. Poland will be the main host, hosting two of the best-of-16 matches, two quarter-finals matches, both semi-finals, the finals and the match for bronze. Slovenia will host two preliminary groups.
Slovenia advance to elite group of Billie Jean King Cup
ANTALYA, Turkey - The Slovenian women's tennis team defeated Bulgaria 2:1 in the Europe/Africa Zone of the 2022 Billie Jean King Cup to secure advancement to the elite, twelve-team Finals group, as part of which Slovenia will play the first matches this November. Slovenia achieved the goal that it came for in Turkey in the first four out of the five scheduled matches, defeating Georgia, Austria, Croatia and Bulgaria.
