News

22 Nov 2021, 04:27 AM

Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

This summary is provided by the STA

New Covid-19 cases down slightly week-on-week, 19 deaths

LJUBLJANA- A total of 2,245 new cases of coronavirus were recorded on Saturday, a slight decrease week-on-week, with the positivity rate standing at 47.4%. The situation in hospitals is still critical, as the government reported that 1,126 people were being treated in hospitals for Covid-19 this morning, 26 more than yesterday, of which 269 required intensive care, up by three. Another 19 patients died.

Supreme Court says average duration of court proceedings shortened

LJUBLJANA - The average duration of court proceedings decreased in the first half of this year compared to the first half of pre-pandemic 2019, the Supreme Court said, while adding that durations have increased for certain types of cases, such as inheritance proceedings. Last year, courts received 11% fewer total cases than the year before, resolved 13% fewer total cases and held 22% fewer hearings than in 2019.

21 Nov 2021, 04:52 AM

Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

This summary is provided by the STA

Education minister remains in office

LJUBLJANA - Simona Kustec remains the minister of education after 42 MPs voted in favour of a motion of no confidence and 39 coalition MPs voted against. The vote capped more than 14 hours of debate during which the opposition alleged that the minister's management of the portfolio has been disastrous, especially when it comes to dealing with Covid-19 at school. Kustec framed the vote as an attempt to silence women in politics as she dismissed all accusations arguing that the measures that have been introduced are urgently needed and are being implemented all over the world.

Slovenian, Croatian prime ministers meeting on Monday

LJUBLJANA - The prime ministers of Slovenia and Croatia, Janez Janša and Andrej Plenković, will meet in Otočec in south Slovenia on Monday to unveil a memorial celebrating cooperation between both governments during the time the countries were gaining independence. Unveiled in a year when both countries celebrated the 30th anniversary of their independence, the memorial will recognise bilateral meetings and cooperation between two friendly countries, Janša's office said.

Caseload down on weekly basis as 3,232 new infections confirmed

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia confirmed 3,232 new cases of coronavirus on Friday, down more than a tenth over the week before as the epidemic plateaus at a high level. The positivity rate remained high at almost 40%, level on the week before, and 22 patients with Covid-19 died. The situation in intensive care units remains critical as the number of patients reached yet another record of this morning 266, up by 13 in a single day and very close to maximum capacity.

Iranian film Hit the Road wins main prize at Ljubljana film fest

LJUBLJANA - Hit the Road, a family road trip movie by Iranian director Panah Panahi, is the winner of the Kingfisher Award, the main award handed out at the Ljubljana International Film Festival. Panahi's debut feature is a multi-layered portrait of an Iranian family and Iranian society at large set in a road trip through north-western Iran. The jury lauded the film for its subtle yet penetrating treatment of humanity's woes and for depicting migrations "beyond all cliches".

20 Nov 2021, 14:29 PM

The covers and editorials from leading weeklies of the Left and Right for the work-week ending Friday, 19 November 2021.

Mladina: Signs of optimism upon Janša's looming defeat

STA, 19 November 2021 - Mladina says in its latest editorial that with the announcement of the election date, a countdown has started in Slovenia and in the EU as well, an "increasingly optimistic countdown to the end of a painful period of authoritarian rule".

Under the headline 155, Mladina says that the majority of politically active people are counting down the 155 days left until the election, and compares Slovenia's situation to the final period of President Trump's rule in the US.

Turning to Prime Minister Janez Janša, the commentary suggests that his recent behaviour reflects "a man whose plans have all fallen through and who has experienced rejection everywhere".

"Janša is defeated, and he knows it. We have never seen anything like this in the history of the rotating EU presidency: other EU leaders and representatives making it so clear to the PM of the country holding the presidency that they despise him."

"But his defeat at home is even greater. He has failed to break the media and the judiciary, he has failed to establish a cult of personality, he has failed to overturn the mood of a society so clearly opposed to the Slovenia he would like to create."

"Janša is now counting only on the government's alleged economic success, that is the only thing he talks about in an attempt to cover up the completely misguided fight against the epidemic, which is taking on frightening proportions."

Mladina adds that despite all the government's interference in various state institutions, certain forms of optimism, strength and rebellion are spreading through Slovenia's society, a certain "mockery at the autocratic ruler and his followers".

"As we are in the midst of an epidemic, it is hard to laugh - but the sentiment is there. Laughter is a sign of freedom, and the beginning of laughter signals the end of fear," concludes the commentary.

Demokracija: Fight against heirs of Communism

STA, 18 November 2021 - Demokracija magazine argues in Thursday's commentary that it is time to fight against the heirs of Communist ideology, which it says stages "media pogroms and show trials" whenever a government is not led by "red monsters disguised as social or liberal democrats".

These people perceive themselves as democratic advocates of liberty, and yet they designate everyone who disagrees with them as authoritarian enemies of democracy. "In their mental processes, shaped through decades, the (bourgeois) right is bent on racism and fascism, whereas the middle class, the pillar of the free market system and the engine of development, remains their biggest enemy."

According to the commentator, the time has come to determine whose country Slovenia is. "Do the 'proud heirs of the League of Communists' really have the exclusive right to bypass all the rules ... and terrorise others in the streets? Who will stop these guerrilla actions by leftists, concealed behind nice-sounding names of NGOs?"

History shows that red revolutions have always been deadly for good, God fearing people, that they have only brought devastation and sadness, Demokracija says.

"Nowadays a coordinated and systemic attack is carried out differently than it was a hundred years ago, but the consequences are the same. Our future demands that we fight, and that we remember the legendary times of this generations for actually liberating [the country], not only making it independent."

All our posts in this series are here

20 Nov 2021, 08:32 AM

What follows is a weekly review of events involving Slovenia, as prepared by the STA.

If you’d like to keep up on the daily headlines then follow those here, or get all our stories in your feed on Facebook.

FRIDAY, 12 November
        NOVO MESTO - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek warned that a potential new lockdown would cause the state to go bankrupt as the government paid a visit to south-east Slovenia. He said the Covid crisis was not over yet, so everyone should join forces to find solutions as "there will be no more state aid".
        LJUBLJANA - The government decided that primary and secondary school students will start self-testing on school premises on 17 November, as it delayed the start of this by two days. Testing will be carried out three times a week.
        KOPER - The supervisory board of the state-owned port operator Luka Koper appointed only one new member of the management board for a five-year term, unanimously confirming Robert Rožac, who currently serves as state secretary at the Environment Ministry, while failing to appoint one additional member of the board and its chairman.
        MARIBOR - The supervisory board of electricity distributor Elektro Maribor dismissed chairman Boris Sovič, in what is the third major staffing decision in state-owned energy firms in two weeks. Sovič, an ex-Social Democrat (SD) mayor of Maribor who had served as the company's chairman since 2012, rejected all the arguments for his dismissal.
        LJUBLJANA - Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec rejected claims he was involved in the ousting of several directors of state-owned energy firms. He said staffing was in the exclusive domain of supervisory boards and Slovenian Sovereign Holding (SSH), while corporate governance rules precluded direct political influence on staffing.
        BRDO PRI KRANJU - The EU home affairs ministers hosted by Slovenia's Aleš Hojs at a virtual conference expressed in a joint statement their political support for finding appropriate tools for uncovering and investigating sexual abuse of children.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission decided to open infringement proceedings against Slovenia to ensure correct transposition of EU rules on combating terrorism. The country has now two months to respond to the formal notice from Brussels, or else faces receiving a reasoned opinion.
        LJUBLJANA - The chair of the parliamentary commission investigating suspicion of political interference in police, Rudi Medved from the opposition Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ), said the commission would send an intermediary report to the National Assembly confirming the suspicion of political pressure on police.
        PARIS, France - President Borut Pahor attended a high-level meeting marking the 75th anniversary of UNESCO and held talks with the organisation's director general Audrey Azoulay. He said in his address that UNESCO had a pioneering role in searching for solutions to the world's most pressing problems and challenges.
        MUNICH, Germany - Slovenian biologist and environmental activist Andreja Slameršek received this year's Wolfgang Staab Prize for Nature Conservation, which is given out by the German Schweisfurth Foundation. She was honoured for helping to stop several planned power stations that would destroy unique ecosystems along the rivers Mura and Sava.
        LJUBLJANA - A network of civil society and non-governmental organisations that is forming the Voice of the People initiative started its election campaign at the anti-government protest, presenting ten out of its hundred demands with which it plans to confront political parties ahead of the general election.
        
SATURDAY, 13 November
        PARIS, France - President Borut Pahor bestowed the Golden Order of Merit, one of the highest Slovenian state decorations, on Czech-French writer Milan Kundera. Kundera was honoured for having raised his voice for Slovenia's independence and for his outstanding contribution to understanding turbulent times in Europe.
        LJUBLJANA - With hospitals under tremendous pressure from increasing numbers of Covid patients, the Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) and Red Cross Slovenia announced they would help out with volunteer work and equipment.

SUNDAY, 14 November
        LJUBLJANA - The Environment Ministry said that significant progress had been made at the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, while further efforts would be needed to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Climatologist Lučka Kajfež Bogataj meanwhile said the deal reached at the summit was just another disappointment in terms of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, while noting the progress in providing financial assistance to the most vulnerable countries and halting deforestation.
        LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - President Borut Pahor met Jean-Claude Juncker, former president of the European Commission and long-serving prime minister of Luxembourg, and current Prime Minister Xavier Bettel as he paid a visit to Luxembourg.
        LJUBLJANA - On Slovenian Sign Language Day, calls were made for a more inclusive society and accessibility of all areas of life for the deaf and hard of hearing, as well as for systemic development of the sign language. The human rights ombudsman called on the authorities to draft regulations to put the rights of such persons in practice.
        KRANJ - Škofja Loka Passion Play, staged by the Prešeren Theatre Kranj and directed by Jernej Lorenci, received the Šeligo Prize for the best production at the 51st Week of Slovenian Drama, while also receiving the audience's choice award and the awards for actors.
        LECH, Austria - Andreja Slokar won the Alpine Ski World Cup parallel giant slalom event to take the overall lead in the competition. This is the first career win for Slokar and also the first win ever for Slovenia in parallel giant slalom.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia beat Cyprus 2:1 to wrap up the qualifying campaign for the 2022 World Cup in the fourth spot in Group H. Slovenia finished the qualifiers at 14 points from ten matches, the same as the third-placed Slovakia.
        
MONDAY, 15 November
        LJUBLJANA - Asked in parliament about corruption and allegations that mafia is running the country, PM Janez Janša told the MPs that Slovenia's main problems today stemmed from "UDBA-mafia or, as is the newly-established term, parallel mechanisms managing large parts of systems and sub-systems without elections and without legitimacy."
        LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša assured MPs that the government was not supporting tax avoidance as he commented on controversial statements made by a minister of one of his previous governments in a conversation with a powerful business executive 14 years ago. He said taxes were not at the heart of the matter, and noted that he did not support calls for tax avoidance.
        LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - As part of his visit to Luxembourg, President Borut Pahor met President of the Chamber of Deputies Fernand Etgen and Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn. Confirming the excellent relations between the two countries, the officials shared similar views on the EU's core values, including the rule of law and media freedom.
        LJUBLJANA - The centre-left opposition filed for an emergency session of the parliamentary Public Finance Oversight Commission over what they described as unprecedented political staffing in the energy industry. Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec responded by saying that corporate management rules in Slovenia prevented politics from such interference.
        GENEVA, Switzerland - Attending a virtual WHO summit on evidence-based policy making in health, Health Minister Janez Poklukar presented Slovenia's experience in implementing "effective and innovative evidence-based" measures in different phases of the Covid-19 epidemic.
        LJUBLJANA - The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption said it would launch an inquiry after receiving a report that Neffat Law Firm was contracted to draft amendments to the construction act. The report also said that the firm represented Branko Simonovič, a DeSUS MP who would be able to use these amendments to legalise a house he has illegally built on the coast. Simonovič denied the allegations.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - EU agriculture ministers adopted decisions on a new EU strategy for forests until 2030, stressing the importance of forests in combating climate change and biodiversity loss. Slovenia's Jože Podgoršek described the decisions as a great achievement of the Slovenian EU presidency.
        LJUBLJANA - The steel group SIJ said it had increased its sales revenue by 34.2% to EUR 714.6 million in the first nine months of the year, while EBITDA reached EUR 73.5 million. Almost EUR 41.5 million was channelled into investment in the January-September period.
        LJUBLJANA - The latest Vox Populi survey gave the ruling Democrats (SDS) 17% of respondent support, followed by the opposition Social Democrats (SD) at 13.9% and the Left at 8.1%. The share of undecided voters increased to almost a third.
        LJUBLJANA - The Ljubljana city council endorsed a revised budget for this year, under which the municipality will end 2021 with a EUR 5.3 million deficit instead of a EUR 1.2 million surplus. Revenue was set at EUR 390 million and expenditure at EUR 395 million.
        LJUBLJANA - The police said that a 17-year search for a 61-year-old fugitive sentenced for fraud was over as the woman was recently found and arrested in Ghana in cooperation with foreign security authorities. The Slovenian was extradited from the African country to Slovenia on 13 November and taken to the Ig prison.

TUESDAY, 16 November
        LJUBLJANA - Health Minister Boštjan Poklukar announced that hospitals had secured the full planned intensive care capacity for Covid-19 patients, meaning 288 beds, adding that state of extreme emergency would be declared in healthcare if the number of ICU patients exceeded this figure.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - Defence Minister Matej Tonin said Slovenia "must be pleased" with the EU's Strategic Compass, a shared vision for EU security and defence, after EU defence ministers debated the draft document. The first responses to the document, prepared by the presiding trio involving Slovenia, are good and confirm that the direction is right, but some details are yet to be hashed out, he said.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - A delegation of the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) that visited Slovenia on a fact-finding mission in mid-October expresses deep concern over the climate of hostility and deep polarisation in Slovenia in a draft report.
        LJUBLJANA - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs called for stronger cooperation between the police forces of EU member states and Western Balkan countries as he addressed a meeting of the board of the EU border agency Frontex. "The Western Balkans is undoubtedly a priority partner, but ... cooperation must be mutual and each partner must contribute their fair share."
        LJUBLJANA - A group of Slovenian NGOs called on the government in its capacity as the EU presiding country to launch in-depth discussion on the situation on the Polish-Belarusian border. It pointed to violations of human rights along the EU's eastern border and expressed deep concern over migrants being prevented from accessing asylum and international protection.
        LJUBLJANA - Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec said Slovenia was counting on nuclear in its energy transition since renewable sources alone would not suffice to cover the production shortfall once coal was phased out given that the country had missed many opportunities already.
        BRDO PRI KRANJU - EU ministers in charge of tourism agreed at a virtual informal meeting that the green and digital transition must form the core of the tourism sector's post-pandemic recovery if the sector is to be put on a sustainable footing. Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek noted the ministers had the same general positions on recovery.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - The Slovenian EU presidency said it had achieved progress in some of the key dossiers in negotiations with the European Parliament on legislation in areas such as health and digitalisation. It hopes for further progress by the end of the year, including on the minimum wage.
        LJUBLJANA - Petra Grah Lazar, the acting director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), has been named full-fledged director on a temporary basis. The appointment is based on recent changes to the act on the organisation of police, which critics say would emaciate the police unit specialised in white-collar crime.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's top officials received booster shots of coronavirus vaccines nearly nine months after they received their first shots in the early stages of the vaccination campaign. A total of 176,740 people in Slovenia have so far received booster shots, just over 8% of the entire population and roughly a third of those aged 70 or more.
        NOVA GORICA - Danijel Bešič Loredan, the head of the Nova Gorica general hospital's orthopaedic ward, saw his contract terminated due to his opposition to moving patients from his ward to expand the hospital's capacities for Covid-19 patients.
        LJUBLJANA - The government relieved Tomi Rumpf of his duties as the director of the Commodity Reserves Agency, as Rumpf recently tendered his resignation, and appointed Andrej Kužner as the acting director. Rumpf had tendered his resignation on 11 November.
        MIRNA - Atlantic Grupa, a Croatian multinational that owns Slovenian food producer Droga Kolinska, sold its production facility in the Slovenian town of Mirna to Austrian baby food company Gittis Naturprodukte as it continues divesting its non-core businesses.
        LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian police force got its first hybrid patrol vehicles which officials said would reduce noise pollution in settled areas and contribute to cleaner environment. A total of 56 new vehicles were formally handed over to the police at a ceremony at the Tacen Police Academy compound.
        LJUBLJANA - The Ljubljana city council extended by five years the contract for the Bežigrad Sport Park project, which includes renovation of the dilapidated landmark stadium designed by Jože Plečnik. The contractors have welcomed the decision, while a civil initiative opposing the project said private interest had outweighed public interest.

WEDNESDAY, 17 November
        ROME, Italy - Defence Minister Matej Tonin signed an agreement on the purchase of a Spartan C-27J transport aircraft with his Italian counterpart Lorenzo Guerini. The Defence Ministry said the value of the agreement was roughly EUR 72 million, where the basic price of the aircraft was EUR 48 million and the additional modules were valued at EUR 11 million. The aircraft is expected to arrive in Slovenia in about a year and a half.
        LJUBLJANA - Mandatory self-testing of students in primary and secondary schools got off to a largely problem-free start. Reports from schools suggested the vast majority of parents consented to testing and only a small percentage of parents decided to switch to remote schooling in protest.
        LJUBLJANA - Police Commissioner Anton Olaj dismissed allegations of political staffing in the force after a trade union complained that recently adopted legislation had resulted in a "purge" in the top echelons of the police force. Olaj confirmed though that the terms of more than a hundred staff in total had ended in line with the new law.
        LJUBLJANA - Maja Pak, the long-serving director of the Slovenian Tourist Board, stepped down citing differences in views with Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek over the management of the organisation. Počivalšek thanked Pak for her effort but did not specify what the divergence of opinions was.
        LJUBLJANA - The Environment Ministry denied media reports that it had commissioned a law firm to draft amendments to the construction act and that they were tailored to allow an MP from the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) to legalise his house on the coast. The Chamber of Architecture and Spatial Planning meanwhile denied the ministry's claim it had initiated the changes.
        BRDO PRI KRANJU - Speakers at the European Tourism Forum agreed that while there were reasons for the European tourism sector to be optimistic after a good summer season, there was still a long way until full recovery, noting that the sector must become more resilient, sustainable and digitalised.
        LJUBLJANA - Triglav Group, Slovenia's largest insurer, said its net profit in the first three quarters of the year increased by 48% on the same period a year ago to EUR 75.2 million as consolidated gross written premium rose by 10% to EUR 1.06 billion. The group expects to trump the initially planned annual profit target, with the figure to amount to EUR 115-125 million.
        LJUBLJANA - The latest semi-annual report by the Surveying and Mapping Authority (GURS) shows the prices of apartments and houses rising rapidly since the real estate market started recovering in March. In the first half of the year, they rose by around 8% year-on-year, the highest six-month growth since the 2008 real estate crisis.
        LJUBLJANA/MURSKA SOBOTA - The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption said it was looking into the purchase of two biogas plants in eastern Slovenia in the aftermath of media reports suggesting the board chairman of the bad bank may have been in a conflict of interest. The Bank Assets Management Company then denied the allegations, saying that the relevant decision was taken before the chairman's time at the bad bank.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's largest trade union association, ZSSS, announced it had filed a complaint against the state with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) alleging violation of a relevant convention over absence of regulation that would allow notification of most occupational diseases.
        LJUBLJANA - On International Students' Day, the Slovenian Student Organisation pointed to what it sees as an unenviable position of the current generation of students due to the Covid-19 epidemic and consequences of the measures to stem it. Statistics Office data show that 48.6% of Slovenians aged 19 to 24 study, which makes Slovenia an EU leader.
        KOPER - After 26 years of service, Slovenia's oldest police boat made its final sail off the Koper coast before it is consigned to a museum. Built in Italy in 1994, the P-111 boat will be moved to the Park of Military History in Pivka.

THURSDAY, 18 November
        LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed investment-oriented budget documents for the next two years under which the deficit is to be reduced from EUR 4 billion this year to EUR 2.47 billion or 4.6% of GDP in 2022 and EUR 1.52 billion or 2.6% of GDP in 2023. Centre-left opposition MPs and the Fiscal Council have expressed doubt this is realistic.
        LJUBLJANA - The government decided to put forward Tanja Frank Eler and Matej Oštir for Slovenia's two European delegated prosecutors. However, according to the government's decree, their appointment is temporary, in force until the national appointment procedure is concluded. Boštjan Valenčič, the head of the Association of State Prosecutors, meanwhile told TV Slovenija that the procedure had been wrapped up, adding that "the state prosecution act does not recognise the concept of the interim".
        LJUBLJANA - The breakdown of the talks on the EU-Switzerland cooperation agreement and other possible options for strengthening cooperation topped the agenda in a meeting between FM Anže Logar and his Swiss counterpart Ignazio Cassis. Cassis said the cooperation agreement was too big a step forward for Switzerland, which wanted to focus on smaller steps for the time being. Logar said the Slovenian presidency would do everything in its power to "restore trust".
        LJUBLJANA - The latest official data showed that more than 3,660 people tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday, slightly up on a weekly basis, as nearly 40% of the PCR tests came back positive. The 7-day average of new cases rose from the day before by 44 to 3,269, while the 14-day cumulative incidence per 100,000 people fell by 40 to 2,153. The number of hospitalised Covid-19 patients increased slightly to 1,104, including 253 in intensive care units. 24 people died of Covid-19, the largest number since late January.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Parliament will discuss at its plenary session next Wednesday the rule of law in Slovenia, and the delay in the appointment of European delegated prosecutors. A resolution is planned that the Parliament will vote on in December, according to the agenda of the session. The situation in Slovenia will also be discussed by the Parliament's LIBE committee based on a fact-finding mission report. The latter session was supposed to take place on 18 November but was then pushed back to 29 November.
        LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed the bill changing the penal code to introduce prosecution of suspects who have threatened the country's senior officials or their relatives ex officio, without the injured party initiating proceedings.
        LJUBLJANA - The Italian Army plans to help Slovenia with up to 30 doctors and nurses as the country battles an increasing number of Covid-19 patients. The Italian Army healthcare workers will be joining the medical teams of the Slovenian Armed Forces, who started helping hospitals at the beginning of the week, the Defence Ministry said.
        LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor attended a session of the Judicial Council, focussing on the passing of the 2022 budget bill, which cuts funding to some independent state institutions. Pahor said the way in which budget funding had been reduced could be seen as efforts to weaken these institutions. He said he would strive to raise the issue with those in charge and call for a solution, the president's office said.
        NOVO MESTO - The drug maker Krka reported a group net profit of EUR 240.1 million for the first nine months of 2021, a year-on-year increase of 14% and the highest nine-month profit in the company's history, on the back of revenue that increased by 1% to EUR 1.18 billion.
        LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Press Agency (STA) confirmed receiving EUR 676,000 from the Government Communication Office (UKOM) for public services performed between January and April, as part of a broader deal on the restoration of public funding for this year. The amount had been disputed by UKOM for months and the STA sought recourse in court.
        LJUBLJANA - After a brutal attack on judge Daniela Ružič in front of her home near Maribor in June 2019, her partner at the time is now facing charges of attempted murder, according to media reports. Ružič and the man were in the process of splitting up at the time. It had been originally speculated that the judge might have been attacked in relation to her work.

20 Nov 2021, 08:29 AM

STA, 19 November - A 27-year-old Bosnian citizen and 41-year-old Slovenian have been arrested on suspicion of torturing a woman in the Nova Gorica area last Friday. They are alleged to have inflicted severe physical pain and suffering to intimidate the victim, who was later admitted to the local hospital, where she remains for treatment.

Nova Gorica criminal investigators have found that the 27-year-old had physically abused the victim last Friday evening, causing serious head trauma, in the presence of four other persons, including the other suspect, the Nova Gorica Police Department said on Friday.

The younger man hit the victim on the head with the blunt end of a cleaver. Even though the victim pleaded with him to stop, he continued torturing her for more than an hour. The 41-year-old also physically abused the woman.

Even after leaving the crime scene, the Bosnian citizen threatened the victim with revenge. Moreover, he took some of the victim's clothes and her mobile phone.

The 27-year-old was arrested on Sunday. During a house search the police seized evidence that would serve as proof of torture.

The suspect was then brought before an investigating judge and put in detention. The older man was put under arrest on Wednesday and has been remanded in custody.

The offence of torture carries a punishment of one to ten years of imprisonment.

The woman was admitted to the Nova Gorica hospital on Saturday due to her serious injuries, where she remains.

The regional Primorke Novice paper reported today that the incident was linked to drug deals

20 Nov 2021, 04:56 AM

Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

This summary is provided by the STA

Govt proposes fresh stimulus for business, transfers for the most vulnerable

LJUBLJANA - The government endorsed a bill on additional measures for curbing the consequences of epidemic, envisaging special pay for the most vulnerable such as pensioners and fresh stimulus measures for business. The self-employed and farmers are to be partly compensated for income lost due to quarantine and force majeure and companies would get refunds for coronavirus tests for their employees. Extension of tourist vouchers until then end-June 2022 has also been proposed. Associations of small businesses and tourism companies welcomed the fresh stimulus, but said they expected more aid in the event Slovenia enters a new lockdown.

Compensation scheme proposed for adverse effects of vaccination

LJUBLJANA - The government proposed a compensation scheme for those who have suffered serious health damage as a result of a Covid-19 vaccine, a step Health Minister Janez Poklukar said was key to maintaining confidence in the vaccines and ensuring the effective implementation of the national vaccination programme. Compensation of EUR 60,000 would be paid to those who suffer a serious and permanent reduction in their vital functions after vaccination. The parents of a child or the spouse or civil partner of a person who died after vaccination would receive EUR 10,000, while underage children of a person who died after vaccination would receive EUR 20,000.

New issues on horizon in wake of govt EDP decision

LJUBLJANA - The State Prosecution Council welcomed the government's decision to refer the council's pick of the pair of candidates for delegated prosecutors to the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO). Both the council and experts say such an act cannot be temporary because the legislation does not provide for temporary appointment nor does it empower the government to replace or interfere in the council's proposal for the EDPs nomination. However, the government says it invoked a clause in the relevant regulation that says if a EDP's services are no longer necessary, the member state informs the European Chief Prosecutor thereof and nominates another prosecutor to be appointed as the new EDP.

EU Commission keeping eye on appointment of delegated prosecutors until completion of procedure

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The appointment of Slovenia's two delegated prosecutors to the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) is a step in the right direction and the EU Commission will continue to follow the developments, Commission spokesman Christian Wigand said. He noted that the Commission had been in ongoing contact with Slovenia at all levels and had repeatedly called on Slovenia to appoint the delegated prosecutors without any further delay. As for the temporary nature of the appointment of Tanja Frank Eler and Matej Oštir on a temporary basis, he said this was now up to the college of the EPPO.

Centre-left opposition stands by accusations against Kustec

LJUBLJANA - The centre-left opposition argued in the National Assembly that Education Minister Simona Kustec must go due to mismanagement of the coronavirus crisis in the educational sector as a motion of no confidence in the minister was debated all day. Kustec, staunchly defended by the coalition, framed the criticism of her work as based on "mechanisms for silencing women," as she listed the many ways in which she has been trying to make schools a safe learning environment during the pandemic. The vote was scheduled to take place after midnight.

Number of coronavirus cases up weekly, 20 deaths

LJUBLJANA - Another 3,517 people tested positive for coronavirus in Slovenia on Thursday, slightly up from the same day a week ago. The positivity rate was up week-on-week by almost three percentage points to 42.5%. 20 Covid-19 patients died yesterday. The rolling 7-day average of new cases increased from the day before by 13 to 3,282 whereas the 14-day cumulative incidence per 100,000 people fell by 12 to 2,141. Hospitalisations totalled 1,127 this morning, up by 23 on the previous day, including 253 patients who required intensive care, up by three.

Govt green-lights capital-intensive investment bill

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted on Thursday a bill to boost capital-intensive investment aimed at supporting the green transition. The proposal enables drawing investment incentives out of the EU recovery and resilience fund. The amendments to the investment promotion act would upgrade the state incentive regime from efforts to create new jobs to the promotion of capital-intensive investment for the green transition. The proposal is one of the first and key measures from the national recovery and resilience plan, as EUR 2.5 billion is set aside for Slovenia in the EU recovery and resilience instrument.

Slovenia hails adoption of water diplomacy conclusions

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The EU's General Affairs Council endorsed conclusions highlighting the strategic importance of water, a move hailed by Slovenia as a landmark in water diplomacy and a major achievement of the Slovenian EU presidency. The conclusions are a milestone in the EU's water diplomacy and in the achievement of progress in the framework of the EU's Agenda 2030, State Secretary Stanislav Raščan said. "I'm glad we've adopted the conclusions during Slovenia's EU presidency. Slovenia has made an important contribution in the preparation thereof and made efforts for their adoption," he was quoted as saying by the Foreign Ministry.

Minority MPs propose higher Italian language standard for teachers

LJUBLJANA - The MPs representing the Italian and Hungarian minority tabled legislation that would raise the language requirement for teachers and other staff working in bilingual schools and kindergartens. Teachers who teach Slovenian or other foreign languages would have to pass an Italian exam equivalent to the C1 level in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. The existing law exempts teachers of Slovenian from having to be proficient in Italian. The required level of Italian would also be raised for other staff at bilingual schools, including administrative and technical staff.

Petrol group's nine-month profit more than doubles to EUR 91m

LJUBLJANA - The energy group Petrol saw its revenue in the first nine months of the year increase by 34% to EUR 3.1 billion, while net profit more than doubled, increasing by 125% to EUR 91.2 million. The group's gross operating profit was up by 54% to EUR 175.7 million, with sales of petroleum products representing a 55.9% share, and sales of merchandise 18.3%. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) were up by 54% to EUR 175.7 million.

Sava insurance group ups nine-month profit by 20% to EUR 57.2m

LJUBLJANA - In the first nine months of the year, the Sava insurance group generated EUR 548.8 million in operating revenue, up 11.1% year-on-year, and a net profit of EUR 57.2 million, or 20.3% more compared to the same period last year, showed the unaudited results. Operating revenue and net profit represent 80% and 108% of the full-year target for 2021, respectively. In the period, the group collected EUR 578.1 million in gross premiums, up 9.1% year-on-year, with the growth being largely driven by life insurance business in Slovenia (+55.4%).

State secretary deletes contentious post about judge after settlement

LJUBLJANA - Vinko Gorenak, a state secretary in the prime minister's office, has deleted a post from his blog sharing content critical of Prime Minister Janez Janša that was published by a former Ljubljana judge in a private Facebook group, Dnevnik reported. This comes after the pair reached a court settlement. Gorenak shared the content in which Janša is labelled a "great dictator" on his blog last December, labelling the judge a leftist activist. He pleaded not guilty at the pre-trial hearing, but then agreed in a court settlement to delete the screenshot of the content as well as his related statement.

Illegal migration gang members caught in Slovenia

MARIBOR - The Maribor criminal police have tracked down an international criminal gang involved in illegal migration in what was a lengthy international investigation. A number of suspects were arrested and detained in Slovenia, whereas the gang's leader was caught in Poland. The investigation, which included police forces from Slovenia, Austria, Poland and Hungary and which was coordinated by Slovenian investigators, uncovered an illegal migration route running from Croatia or Hungary to Austria or Italy with Slovenia being a nexus point.

Number of casualties on Slovenian roads up in 2021

LJUBLJANA - Road accidents have killed 105 people in Slovenia this year, already surpassing the numbers recorded in previous years. There were fewer accidents in 2020 due to the closures during the epidemic, but this year's death toll exceeds even those of the previous three years, and there is still a month and a half left in 2021. The police have recorded 14,248 road accidents up until mid-November this year, which is 633 more than the same period last year.

Kozjansko Regional Park receives UNESCO prize

PODSREDA - The Kozjansko Regional Park, a protected natural and cultural heritage area stretching along Slovenia's eastern border, is the recipient of this year's UNESCO Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes. The Kozjansko Regional Park is an extraordinary and diverse natural site, said the award jury. Representatives of the park will receive the US$30,000 prize next Monday in Paris.

Berlin artist Raether wing Grand Prix at Ljubljana Biennial

LJUBLJANA - Johannes Paul Raether, an artist from Berlin, has won the Grand Prix at the 34th Biennial of Graphic Arts in Ljubljana for an installation that explores the relationship between the human body and screens. Entitled Protekto.x.x 5.5.5.1 Precipitation, the installation deals with materiality, the production process, and with the production settings of modern information technologies, the organisers said.

Diaspora writer Zorko Simčič celebrates 100th birthday

LJUBLJANA - Writer, playwright and essayist Zorko Simčič, a recipient of the Prešeren Prize for Lifetime Achievement in literature, is celebrating his 100th birthday today. Simčič emigrated in 1945 and became one of the most prominent Slovenian diaspora authors, before returning to Slovenia in 1994. Born in Maribor, Simčič first established himself as a writer shortly before the Second World War. In May 1945, he retreated to Carinthia, later went to Italy, and then emigrated to Argentina. He returned to Slovenia in 1994.

19 Nov 2021, 16:40 PM

STA, 19 November 2021 - The government has proposed a compensation scheme for those who have suffered serious health damage as a result of a Covid-19 vaccine. "The introduction of liability for damages is key to maintaining confidence in the vaccines and ensuring the effective implementation of the national vaccination programme," Health Minister Poklukar said on Friday.

As is the case with all medicines, vaccines can cause serious side effects in very rare cases, but the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks of serious consequences.

The government is therefore proposing compensation for people who have suffered damage to their health as a result of using provisionally authorised medicinal products against Covid-19.

However, damage resulting from professional inaccuracy in vaccination or from inadequate vaccine quality will not be covered, Health Minister Poklukar explained at Friday's press conference.

Compensation would apply in cases where vaccination or treatment results in permanent and serious health consequences. A special commission would assess eligibility.

In accordance with the infectious diseases act, compensation of EUR 60,000 would be paid to those who suffer a serious and permanent reduction in their vital functions after vaccination.

The parents of a child or the spouse or civil partner of a person who died after vaccination would receive EUR 10,000, while underage children of a person who died after vaccination would receive EUR 20,000.

The proposal for the compensation scheme was included in the draft act on additional measures against the Covid-19 epidemic and its consequences, which was confirmed by the government today.

The legislation stipulates that the Health Ministry should be able to order institutions within the public health network to prioritise treatment according to needs.

The financing of remote medical treatment and the option of using sick leave without a certificate of authorised absence will be extended, until 28 February 2022.

The government also proposes a more detailed regulation of the recovered-vaccinated-tested protocol (PCT), rules on wearing masks and other measures to control the epidemic.

Poklukar said that the proposed act would enable government by decree in situations like the present, when there is a serious risk of a rapid spread of an infectious disease and some issues are not covered by existing legislation.

19 Nov 2021, 14:55 PM

STA, 19 November 2021 - The Maribor criminal police have tracked down an international criminal gang involved in illegal migration in what was a lengthy international investigation. A number of suspects were arrested and detained in Slovenia, whereas the gang's leader was caught in Poland.

The investigation, which included criminal police forces from Slovenia, Austria, Poland and Hungary and was coordinated by Slovenian investigators, uncovered an illegal migration route running from Croatia or Hungary to Austria or Italy with Slovenia being a nexus point.

The investigation was launched when the police started investigating last year's arrival of a Tunisian citizen in Slovenia. The individual resided in the Maribor area without a residence permit, said the Maribor Police Department on Friday.

The Tunisian organised a small-scale migrant smuggling operation already in 2019. The police then established reasonable grounds to suspect that the foreigner returned to Slovenia to continue with this unlawful activity, so covert investigative measures were launched against him.

The investigation established that the Tunisian contracted a number of drivers, citizens of Poland, Ukraine, Pakistan and Tunisia, to help him smuggle migrants.

He was the leader of the gang, which carried out at least ten smuggling operations during the investigation. A minimum of 58 foreigners from Iraq, Pakistan and China were brought to Slovenia by the gang members.

The foreigners were required to pay some EUR 5,500 per person to get to the EU, meaning the criminal organisation obtained at least EUR 319,000 in unlawful financial gain from migrant smuggling.

The five gang members that were caught in Slovenia have been brought before investigating judges. All of them are remanded in custody.

The gang leader meanwhile fled Slovenia and was caught in Poland under a European arrest warrant. Another two gang members, Syrian citizens who have been residing in Slovenia, were arrested in the Maribor area on Thursday.

Following house searches and other activities carried out in line with the criminal procedure act, criminal charges will be brought against them, the police said.

The offence of illegally transporting foreigners in a criminal organisation is punishable by three to 15 years in prison and a fine.

19 Nov 2021, 10:48 AM

STA, 19 November 2021 - The life expectancy of men in Slovenia dropped by 0.9 years last year compared to the year before, the Statistics Office said ahead of International Men's Day, 19 November. But men still assess their health more positively than women.

In Slovenia, 1,058,000 out of the 2,107,000 inhabitants are men, with Slovenia being one of four EU countries, next to Sweden, Luxembourg and Malta, where men outnumber women.

In 2020, there were on average 99.4 women per 100 men, while the EU average is 104.7 women per 100 men.

In the first six months of the year, the average age of men in Slovenia was 42 and the most frequent name for a male was Franc. Luka was the most popular name for a newborn baby boy for the 21st year in a row.

As many as 92% of men aged between 20 and 24 have finished at least secondary school, while the EU average is 82%.

In most EU countries, female students are dominant in tertiary education. In Slovenia, the share of male students was at 42% in 2020, while it was at 46% in the EU.

Still, there were 36% of men in the 25-34 age group in Slovenia who have finished at least tertiary education, while the share in the EU is 35%.

In Slovenia, men particularly dominate in ITC professions, where 90% of employees are male. In the EU the share is 83%.

Last year, 81% of men were active on the labour market, which is one percentage point above the EU average.

The average age of men who died in 2020 was 75.3 years and data show that men have lower life expectancy than women. The life expectancy of men born in 2020 was 77.8, while for those born in 2019 it was 78.7.

Nevertheless, men assess their health more positively than women. About 70% of males aged at least 16 assessed their health as very good or good, which is five percentage points more than women. In the EU the share was at 71%.

More on this data

19 Nov 2021, 04:47 AM

Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the "morning headlines" stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

This summary is provided by the STA

Parliament endorses investment-boosting budget documents for 2022-23

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed investment-oriented budget documents for the next two years under which the deficit is to be reduced from EUR 4 billion this year to EUR 2.47 billion or 4.6% of GDP in 2022 and EUR 1.52 billion or 2.6% of GDP in 2023. Centre-left opposition MPs and the Fiscal Council have expressed doubt this is realistic. The overall expenditure for 2022 is budgeted at EUR 13.94 billion, which is to be reduced to EUR 13.36 billion in 2023. This compares to just under EUR 15 billion estimated by the Finance Ministry for this year. Growth is planned on the revenue side, with EUR 11.47 billion in receipts planned in 2022 and EUR 11.84 billion the year later. Over EUR 2.2 billion is earmarked for investments over the next two years, compared to a little over EUR 900 million in each of 2019 and 2020.

Govt appoints Tanja Frank Eler and Matej Oštir as interim European delegated prosecutors

LJUBLJANA - The government decided to put forward Tanja Frank Eler and Matej Oštir, the two candidates who have applied, for Slovenia's two European delegated prosecutors. However, according to the government's decree, their appointment is temporary, in force until the national appointment procedure is concluded. The decision was made as Slovenia is late in putting forward candidates for delegated prosecutors to the European Public Prosecutor's Office, a situation which could cause substantial damage to the country, the government said.

Swiss and Slovenian FMs meet, calling for enhancement of trust between the EU and Switzerland

LJUBLJANA - The breakdown of the talks on the EU-Switzerland cooperation agreement and other possible options for strengthening cooperation topped the agenda in a meeting between Foreign Minister Anže Logar and his Swiss counterpart Ignazio Cassis. Cassis said that the cooperation agreement was too big a step forward for Switzerland, which wanted to focus on smaller steps forward for the time being. Logar said the Slovenian presidency would do everything in its power to "restore trust".

Slight weekly increase in new coronavirus cases, 24 deaths

LJUBLJANA - Another 3,662 people tested positive for coronavirus in Slovenia on Wednesday, slightly up from the same day a week ago. Nearly 40% of the PCR tests came back positive. The rolling 7-day average of new cases thus rose from the day before by 44 to 3,269 whereas the 14-day cumulative incidence per 100,000 people fell by 40 to 2,153. The number of hospitalised Covid-19 patients increased slightly to 1,104, including 253 in intensive care units, according to government data. Another 24 people died of Covid-19, the largest number since late January.

Penal code changes on threats to senior officials passed

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed the bill changing the penal code to introduce prosecution of suspects who have threatened the country's senior officials or their relatives ex officio, without the injured party initiating proceedings. The bill, adopted by the government in early September, comes after such a solution was proposed in February as the justice and home affairs committees discussed mounting hostility in society.

EU Parliament to discuss rule of law in Slovenia next week

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Parliament will discuss at its plenary session next Wednesday the rule of law in Slovenia, and the delay in the appointment of European delegated prosecutors. A resolution is planned that the Parliament will vote on in December, according to the agenda of the session. The situation in Slovenia will also be discussed by the Parliament's LIBE committee based on a fact-finding mission report. The latter session was supposed to take place today but was then pushed back to 29 November.

Italy to help Slovenia tackle Covid with army medical teams

LJUBLJANA - The Italian Army plans to help Slovenia with up to 30 doctors and nurses as the country battles an increasing number of Covid-19 patients. The Italian Army healthcare workers will be joining the medical teams of the Slovenian Armed Forces, who started helping hospitals at the beginning of the week, after Slovenian Defence Minister Matej Tonin asked his Italian counterpart Lorenzo Guerini for assistance with medical staff. According to the ministry, Guerini said he understood the situation in Slovenia, as Italy had had a similar experience. Tonin later told the press that he was hopeful the Italian health workers would arrive in Slovenia soon. The aid agreement covers the period until the end of the year, he added.

MPs pass bill on erasing of legal persons

LJUBLJANA - MPs passed in a 52:30 vote a bill to remedy the injustice caused by erasing legal persons from the court register in 1999-2008. The bill was drawn up by the National Council, the upper chamber of parliament, but heavily amended by the parliamentary Economy Committee. National Council member Mitja Gorenšček said at the committee session that both the initial proposal and the amended version allowed for remedy of the injustice caused to shareholders.

Parliament secures money for source of clean water for Anhovo

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed amendments to the budget bills for the next two years to ringfence funds for a source of clean water for Anhovo, a community in the Soča Valley that relies on supply from a water treatment plant operated by a cement factory. The cost of a new water distribution system is estimated at EUR 1.2 million in a project that the proponents say can be completed in two years. The MPs secured a further EUR 1.6 million for water supply in the Kanal ob Soči municipality, which also includes Anhovo.

Parliament passes scientific research and innovation activities act

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed in an 80:0 vote the scientific research and innovation activities act. The government-sponsored legislation is to promote the development of quality and globally comparable scientific research. It is also intended to facilitate better integration into the European and global research area. The law is to set up stable funding of public research organisations, create opportunities for rewarding excellent researchers and enable open access to scientific publications.

MPs endorse changes to pharmacy legislation

LJUBLJANA - The parliament green-lit the amendments to the pharmacy act that would lift the ban on vertical integration of pharmacies and drug wholesalers under a certain condition, as 55 MPs voted in favour of the changes. Since the bill was vetoed by the upper chamber of parliament, the proposal needed at least 46 votes of support to get the go-ahead. The bill had been proposed by the coalition Modern Centre Party (SMC), but was then considerably amended.

Pahor warns against cutting funding to some institutions

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor attended a session of the Judicial Council, focussing on the passing of the 2022 budget bill, which cuts funding to some independent state institutions. Pahor said the way in which budget funding had been reduced could be seen as efforts to weaken these institutions. He said he would strive to raise the issue with those in charge and call for a solution, the president's office said.

Spartan C-27J to arrive in Slovenia in a year and a half

LJUBLJANA - The Spartan C-27J tactical transport aircraft that Slovenia will buy from Italy under an agreement signed by the two defence ministers on Wednesday is expected to arrive in Slovenia in about a year and a half, Defence Ministry officials told reporters. The aircraft, which will cost the country roughly EUR 72 million, will be used both for military and civilian purposes.

EU ministers stress importance of cohesion policy in recovery

BRUSSELS, Belgium - EU cohesion ministers highlighted the role of cohesion policy in the post-pandemic recovery and realisation of the bloc's key strategic goals. The ministers agreed that cohesion policy instruments and recovery mechanisms should be used together to achieve a green, digital and more resilient EU, highlighting that such efforts should also strive to reduce or eliminate development gaps. Slovenian Minister of Development and European Cohesion Policy Zvonko Černač noted the importance of region-specific use of cohesion instruments.

Hojs advocates unity in migration response in Sarajevo

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs took part in a regional ministerial conference in Sarajevo, advocating the strengthening of cooperation and partnership in the Western Balkans region regarding migration management and maintaining security, said the Interior Ministry. As migration is a global phenomenon, Hojs believes that migration management should be seen as a collective responsibility.

Govt adopts supervision of space activities bill

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted at a correspondence session the supervision of space activities bill, which is to regulate space activities in the country and set up a register of space objects. According to the Government Communication Office (UKOM), this is the first piece of legislation to deal with space activities in Slovenia. In line with international rules, all objects launched into space must be entered into a space objects registry. Since Slovenia has no such registry, the bill sets it up and defines which objects should be entered into it.

Slovenia's first children's house gets acting head

LJUBLJANA - The government appointed psychoanalytic therapist Igor Okorn acting head of Slovenia's first Barnahus for children involved in criminal proceedings as victims, witnesses or perpetrators. As of Friday Okorn will lead the new public institute until it gets a full-fledged head but not longer than a year. The government also appointed four representatives of the founder on the institute's council for a four-year term with the possibility of reappointment.

Slovenia donates EUR 10,000 to Strasbourg Court

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia will give another donation to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) under a decision made at the government's session. The Justice Ministry will donate EUR 10,000 to the court in what will be Slovenia's fourth such donation to date, the Government Communication Office (UKOM) said. In the light of efforts to speed up the court's work and support the court in general, it is sensible for Slovenia to keep up the financial support, reads a press release by UKOM.

Drug maker Krka's nine-month profit up 14% to EUR 240 million

NOVO MESTO - Drug maker Krka reported a group net profit of EUR 240.1 million for the first nine months of 2021, a year-on-year increase of 14% and the highest nine-month profit in the company's history, on the back of revenue that increased by 1% to EUR 1.18 billion. Chief executive Jože Colarič said the company's priorities remained to ensure sales growth and place itself among the leading branded generic pharmaceutical companies on individual markets and in selected therapeutic classes.

STA gets overdue funds for public service for 2021

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Press Agency (STA) confirmed receiving EUR 676,000 from the Government Communication Office (UKOM) for public services performed between January and April, as part of a broader deal on the restoration of public funding for this year. The amount had been disputed by UKOM for months and the STA sought recourse in court. Just before a court decision was expected, the new STA director Igor Kadunc and UKOM director Uroš Urbanija hammered out a far-reaching agreement on financing for 2021.

Bad bank denies allegations of impropriety in biogas plant sale

LJUBLJANA - The Bank Assets Management Company (BAMC) has denied allegations that its current board chairman Franci Matoz has been involved in a conflict of interest in the sale of a biogas plant in eastern Slovenia to a Hungarian company. They said that the decision to sell was taken before his time at the bad bank and that a profit was made in the process, unlike what was suggested in media reports by the news portal Necenzurirano and a local paper.

Indictment filed against suspected attacker on Maribor judge

LJUBLJANA - After a brutal attack on judge Daniela Ružič in front of her home near Maribor in June 2019, her partner at the time is now facing charges of attempted murder, according to media reports. Ružič and the man were in the process of splitting up at the time, and although it was speculated that the judge might have been attacked in relation to her work, the police also looked for the perpetrator in Ružič's private circle. A week after the attack, the judge's former partner was put in custody, and after an extensive investigation, the prosecution filed an indictment against the man last week.

La Doctora and Eco triennial win ICOM Slovenia awards

LJUBLJANA - An exhibition on a Slovenian anthropologist in Paraguay by the Ljubljana-based Ethnographic Museum (SEM) and an environmentally-oriented international arts triennial held by the Maribor Art Gallery won the Slovenian Ethnographic Museum and the Maribor Art Gallery accolades from the International Council of Museums (ICOM) Slovenia.

Photo galleries and videos

This websie uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies.