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This summary is provided by the STA:
Six injured, five feared dead in industrial explosion in Kočevje
KOČEVJE - Six people were injured and five are feared dead after an explosion and a fire at the chemical factory Melamin in Kočevje in southern Slovenia, the deadliest industrial fire in modern Slovenian history. The bodies of the missing persons have not been recovered yet. Two of the injured sustained severe injuries and one of them is still fighting for their life at the UKC Ljubljana hospital. According to Civil Protection and Disaster Relief Administration, the fire has been put out and hazardous substances contained.
OCCAR signs deal with Boxer supplier on behalf of Slovenia
LJUBLJANA - The Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) has already signed a contract with Artec, the German supplier of Boxer carriers, on behalf of Slovenia. The first prototype Boxer vehicle will be in Slovenia at the end of 2023, with an additional 44 to be made following the country's clearance, Korošec, director general of the Defence Ministry Logistics Directorate, said. The incoming coalition parties strongly oppose the purchase. Matej T. Vatovec, the head of the Left deputy group, announced a review of all decisions taken by the defence minister in connection with the deal.
Govt declares 17 May memorial day for victims of communism
LJUBLJANA - At its last regular session before being relegated to caretaker role, the government declared 17 May the National Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Communist Violence. The government says that it acted based on two things - on "the civilisational norm that the perpetrators of violence and evil acts be measured by the same criteria" and "in an effort to prevent the most tragic events in our history from being repeated". Between the summer of 1941 and January 1956, communist violence in present-day Slovenia claimed tens of thousands of violent deaths of civilians and prisoners of war
Freedom Movement endorses coalition agreement
LJUBLJANA - The Freedom Movement's top brass unanimously endorsed the coalition agreement and the list of ministerial candidates. Party opresident Robert Golob, Golob, the presumptive new prime minister, said the Freedom Movement will initial the coalition agreement together with the SocDems and Left on Saturday. Afterwards, the agreement, said to number upwards of 80 pages, will be presented to the public. The agreement is based on his party's election platform, which was aligned in some points with the remaining two coalition parties during their negotiations. Golob said the focus was on healthcare, green and digital transformation, intergenerational dialogue, housing policy and media freedom.
Consolidation of liberal bloc proceeding apace
LJUBLJANA - The consolidation of liberal parties led by the Freedom Movement appears to be going forward. The party confirmed plans to merge with the Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ) and Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB), parties that did not make it to parliament, the latter having green-lit the proposal as well. "The procedure will unfold at an accelerated pace," said Freedom Movement leader Robert Golob, the presumptive new prime minister.
Pahor, Xi exchange congratulations on 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties
LJUBLJANA/BEIJING, China - Slovenian president Borut Pahor and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping exchanged congratulatory messages on the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. In his letter to Xi, Pahor said Slovenia and China had reason to be proud at what they have achieved in bilateral ties, noting that Slovenia was in favour of "constructive European-Chinese relations". Xi pointed out that since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties, China and Slovenia had treated each other with respect and as equals.
Hungarian MP's term in spotlight at maiden session
LJUBLJANA - As the new National Assembly convenes its maiden session on Friday, one of the issues will be whether the Hungarian minority deputy Ferenc Horvath can re-assume office over alleged breach of the incompatibility of dual-office rules. One of his rival candidates has asked for the Privileges and Credentials Commission to check whether Horvath can serve as MP without giving up his post as president of a minority organisation after courts upheld the anti-graft watchdog's decision that he cannot.
Crime suspected in maintenance of SAF vehicles
LJUBLJANA - The news portal Necenzurirano reported that a Defence Ministry audit had ascertained reasons to suspect criminal offences in the maintenance of Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) vehicles and procurement of spare parts. The ministry confirmed for the portal that the audit "will be added as a document to the criminal complaint which is being drawn up by the criminal police at the Ljubljana Police Department". It said the damage was suspected at EUR 1.2 million.
Telekom Slovenije reports 23% higher Q1 profit
LJUBLJANA - Telekom Slovenije, the state-owned telecommunications provider, generated EUR 151.2 million in net sales revenue in the first quarter of the year, a decrease of 4% from the same period a year ago, the main reason for which is the company quitting electricity retail business on 1 January. The group's net profit rose 23% to EUR 12 million. The management's proposal for the shareholders meeting on 16 June is to pay out EUR 22.7 million in dividends at EUR 3.5 gross per share, one euro less than last year.
BAMC reportedly preparing to sell tourism companies
LJUBLJANA - Media reported that the Bank Assets Management Company (BAMC) is gearing up to sell Istrabenz Turizem and Thermana, the companies that own hotels and spas in Portorož and Laško, including by what unofficial information says are changes to the articles of association of the tourism companies regarding the status of supervisors. POP TV reported on Wednesday, citing unofficial information, that Franci Matoz, BAMC chairman, wanted Istrabenz Turizem to sell hotels to Hungarian buyers. Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek said the sale would be a "dumb solo action" in violation of the current tourism strategy.
Govt incepts another research hub in Pomurje
LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a decision to incept another research hub in the north-eastern region Pomurje to support scientific development and innovation there, in the entire Eastern Slovenia, one of the country's two cohesion regions, and in Slovenia as a whole. The new hub will build on the work of other research organisations in Pomurje, in particular the Murska Sobota General Hospital.
Mitja Lainščak appointed research agency boss for full term
LJUBLJANA - The government on Wednesday appointed Mitja Lainščak director of the Public Research Agency (ARRS) for a five-year term, starting on Friday, thus ending a saga over the director's appointment and the appointment and dismissal of the founder's members on the agency's management board just before it becomes a caretaker government. Lainščak, cardiology department head at the Murska Sobota General Hospital, took over in January as acting director to succeed Robert Repnik, who stepped down.
Acting director appointed at competition watchdog
LJUBLJANA - The government appointed Zlatko Ratej acting director of the Competition Protection Agency. He will take over for a six-month stint on 1 July, when the term of the incumbent director, Andrej Matvoz, ends. The move is designed to make sure that the agency can continue working normally since the current agency is barely quorate with a director and two members, and in the event a recusal is required from the director, it cannot take valid decisions, the Economy Ministry said.
Passenger traffic at Ljubljana airport continues to recover
BRNIK - Passenger traffic at the Ljubljana airport continues to pick up as the airport handled a total of 198,079 passengers in the first four months of the year, seven times more than in the same period last year. The volume of cargo traffic was up by 16% to 10,493 tonnes. "The significant recovery in traffic has been driven by the relaxation of entry restrictions in European countries and around the world and the ensuing higher demand for flights," airport operator Fraport Slovenija said.
Additional funding approved for health services, investments
LJUBLJANA - The government approved almost EUR 54 million in additional funding for health services. Under an addendum to the framework financing agreement for healthcare, EUR 35.7 million has been earmarked for additional services that hospitals will perform this year and EUR 18 million was set aside for new services such as screening programmes. It also confirmed the co-financing of investments at the primary level of healthcare in the total amount of nearly EUR 6 million.
First Chinese shipment of Teslas in weeks to arrive through Koper
KOPER - The first shipment of Tesla vehicles manufactured in Shanghai after the revival of production that had ground to a halt in March due to Covid-19 restrictions is reportedly set to reach the European market via the port of Koper. Data from Shanghai customs shows a ship carrying 4,767 Tesla electric vehicles left China on Wednesday and sailed for Slovenia, the portal English News reported.
Record number of vacancies on job market in Q1
LJUBLJANA - Slovenian employers reported a record 24,600 job vacancies for the first quarter of the year, up 6% from the fourth quarter last year and almost 50% more than in the same quarter in 2021. "The number of vacancies thus reached the highest level since this survey was launched in 2008. Vacancies grew from one quarter to another throughout 2021, continuing into the start of this year," the Statistics Office said on releasing the figures.
Govt chips in EUR 1.5m for suspension footbridge in Celje
LJUBLJANA - The government will chip in up to EUR 1.5 million for the project to construct a 505-metre long suspension bridge for pedestrians across the Savinja river in Celje, which has been estimated at EUR 4.6 million. The decision was taken by the government on Wednesday. The Celje municipality plans to build the steel footbridge between the Celje Castle hill and the hill on the other bank of the Savinja, which, at 505 metres long, will be one of the longest Tibetan-style hanging bridges in the world.
Covid-19 keeps retreating
LJUBLJANA - A total of 604 people tested positive for coronavirus in Slovenia on Wednesday, nearly 40% fewer than the same day a week ago. Only six patients continue to be treated for Covid-19 in intensive care units and another patient died on Wednesday, Health Ministry data shows. A total of 72 patients remain hospitalised for Covid-19 as their main condition. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 of the population has gone up by 15 to 490. The 7-day average of cases fell by 56 from the previous day to 607.
Record amount of cocaine bound for Slovenia seized in Malta
VALLETTA, Malta - Maltese customs officers have seized a record 1.5 tonnes of cocaine hidden in a container carrying bananas from Colombia to Slovenia, the Maltese newspaper Malta Today reported on Wednesday. The contraband, seized at Malta Freeport, is estimated to be worth EUR 300 million. Fifty bags containing 1,494 one-kilo wraps of cocaine were seized aboard a ship bound for Koper, Slovenia.
