STA, 29 October 2021 - Dnevnik says in Friday's commentary says in Friday's commentary that the government, which should have taken measures against the new wave of the epidemic long ago, is procrastinating and running out of sensible solutions. It does not even want to think about mandatory vaccination and instead allows the epidemic to progress.

Yesterday, there were 131 Covid-19 patients in intensive care units in Slovenia, and Health Minister Janez Poklukar said he would propose at least a partial lockdown when more than 160 ICU beds are occupied, the newspaper notes.

"His announcement is cynical and mocks the experts, as we will exceed this number even if all of us stay at home as of tomorrow. Statistical calculations say that in the group that was confirmed to be infected in the last seven days alone, 160 people will require intensive care."

Dnevnik adds that the government should have taken measures long ago, and that with the new and unconstitutional lockdown, which is expected to be introduced in mid-November, it would trigger an uncontrollable rage of the masses that it has been instigating in recent months.

The government does not even want to think about mandatory vaccination and only instigates the epidemic, and the human and financial damage of this "negligent approach will be immense and far-reaching."

While many people do not want to get vaccinated, they have been left without the option of free testing, and in such circumstances the recovered-vaccinated-tested (PCT) rule has no effect, as the virus nevertheless spreads fast.

"The PCT condition would make sense if it motivated people to get vaccinated en masse. This measure has also failed miserably."

The government lacks the voice of reason and trust of public, and all representatives of the health authorities should resign, as they only incite revolt in the public with their lack of consistency, concludes the commentary Incapable Government and Capable Virus (Ujetniki nesposobne vlade in sposobnega virusa).

STA, 28 October 2021 - Slovenia has ranked 12th in this year's EU gender equality index ranking released by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) on Thursday. The country scored 67.6 points out of 100, practically level with the EU average, as it dropped by one spot compared to the 2020 ranking.

The EU average is 68 points, a tiny improvement on 2020, but given the institute's estimates, the consequences of the pandemic could bring all this progress to nothing in the future, said the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities.

The list is topped by Sweden with 83.9 points, which had the best score last year as well, whereas Greece has come last with 52.5 points. Slovenia is meanwhile tucked in between Austria (68 points) and Malta (65 points).

"Since 2010, Slovenia's score has increased by 4.9 points but its ranking has dropped by three places. Since 2018, Slovenia's score has remained the same (-0.1 points), but its ranking dropped by two places," the EIGE noted.

The ranking is determined based on six main categories: work, money, knowledge, time, power and health, and a cross-sectional issue of violence.

When it comes to work, Slovenia scored 73 points, down by 0.1 point on 2020 due to increased gender segregation in employment. Since 2010, Slovenia's ranking in this category has dropped from the 10th to the 15th place.

In the money category, which includes average net income and at-risk-of-poverty rate, the country got 83.7 points, up by 0.7 point. This score and ranking are among the highest for the country as it placed 12th among all member states.

The same improvement was recorded in knowledge, where Slovenia bagged 56.6 points. However, Slovenia's gender inequalities remain most pronounced in this category as the country ranked 18th in the knowledge domain, its lowest ranking.

When it comes to the time category or allocation of time spent doing care and domestic work and social activities, the country got 72.9 points, same as last year.

In the power category, where gender representation in government and parliament is taken into account, Slovenia received the least points, 53, down by two points on last year as a result of a lower number of female ministers in the current government.

Since 2010, the share of women on the boards of the largest listed companies has increased from 10% to 24%, while the share of women on the central bank board has remained at 20%.

Taking into account the last decade, Slovenia's score has improved the most in the domain of power as it increased by 11.9 points. However, since other countries have seen faster progress, Slovenia's ranking has still decreased by four spots, taking the 13th place.

Health-wise, Slovenia has fared the best, having scored 87.8 points, up by 0.9 of a point. Female participants in the survey were more likely to consider their health worse than men's even though their life expectancy is higher by six years in general.

Healthy life expectancy after the age of 65 is the same for both women and men in the country, and the level of fitness is much above EU average for both men and women.

On the other hand, one of the largest gender gaps in the EU is Slovenia's situation when it comes to paying for unexpected costs of primary healthcare services, as some 47% of women in the country have difficulties with this, while the same problem is encountered by 40% of men.

This is also one of the largest gender divides across the bloc compared to EU average, which stands at 19% and 17%, respectively.

The violence sub-index did not provide an assessment of progress for 2021 due to the lack of comparable data for all EU countries. Eurostat is currently coordinating a survey on gender-based violence in the EU, the results of which will be included in the 2024 index, the ministry said.

Read the full report here

STA, 28 October 2021 - Slovenia has placed fifth on Lonely Planet's list of top 10 countries to visit in 2022 as the travel brand highlights the country's diverse gastronomy and numerous possibilities of active experiences.

Apart from Norway, Slovenia is the only European country to have made it to the annual round-up of must-visit countries worldwide, which is topped by the Cook Islands.

1. Cook Islands
2. Norway
3. Mauritius
4. Belize
5. Slovenia
6. Anguilla
7. Oman
8. Nepal
9. Malawi
10. Egypt

The 17th edition of the Best in Travel collection, which recommends top ten countries, cities and regions, has placed a special focus on sustainability. Its cover boasts a photo of the Slovenian coastal town Piran.

Slovenia is described as a green destination as its sustainable policy and natural riches are put front and centre.

"Slovenia is a world leader in being literally and figuratively 'green' with responsible travel being part of the Slovenia way of life for decades," says Lonely Planet, noting the country gives priority to quality before quantity and local communities before consumerism.

Slovenia also remains innovative, having provided a number of new culinary treats and cycling experiences in the past year. Its never-ending efforts to come up with sustainable tourism strategies have placed Slovenia so high on this year's list of hottest destinations and put the country on the cover of the latest Best in Travel, the travel guidebook publisher adds.

STA, 28 October 2021 - The Slovenian Association of Judges has expressed protest after Prime Minister Janez Janša accused the court that ordered him to pay damages in a defamation suit brought by the opposition Social Democrats (SD) of political bias. The Supreme Court called for more decent communication between the branches of government.

"This is the practice of the Velenje court, which is packed with a cronyist assortment of members or supporters of the Social Democrats and which hands out judgements without hearings and without affording the option of defence," Janša stated yesterday.

This was after the Velenje Local Court upheld the party's EUR 10,000 damages claim against him for claiming the party was headquartered in a "stolen Jewish villa". In a default judgement issued because Janša failed to pick up court mail and respond to the lawsuit, the court also ordered Janša to apologise for the claim on Twitter within 15 days.

The Association of Judges finds Janša's comment about the court "unacceptably scornful toward the court's judges and the court as the basic institution of the rule of law".

They say that each party in procedure is guaranteed equal protection of their rights under the constitution and laws, including through legal remedies in civilian procedures.

The rule of law must be based on mutual cooperation, respect and trust in institutions, the release reads, adding that the highest state officials should set an example and refrain from attempts to discredit courts as a cornerstone of the rule of law.

The Supreme Court also noted in a press release that "judges and courts in Slovenia are obliged to administer justice in accordance with the constitution and applicable law, and all parties in court proceedings have equal legal means to enforce their rights."

"The inappropriate attitude of some representatives of the executive towards the judiciary, which is often manifested in public labelling, belittling or even insulting of judges, is unacceptable, undignified and increasingly tiresome," it added.

In the court's view, the constant inappropriate comments come from those who are "incapable of understanding the meaning of the judicial branch of power, even though the principle of separation of powers is one of the key principles in any democratic state".

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: 

Over 2,600 coronavirus cases, ten deaths reported for Wednesday

LJUBLJANA - Another 2,631 people tested positive for coronavirus in Slovenia on Wednesday, an increase of more than 40% from the week before, as hospitalisations increased rose further, to 547, and ten more Covid patients died. The test positivity rate remained high with 36% of the PCR tests returning positive. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 people rose by 74 to 1,125.

Janša meets Renyders for talks on EU presidency

BRUSSELS, Belgium - PM Janez Janša held talks with European Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders, with the government not revealing details beyond that the discussion revolved around the key dossiers of Slovenia's EU presidency. A Commission official meanwhile said the discussion touched on Slovenia's failure to appoint its members of the European Public Prosecutors' Office (EPPO). "Reynders stated that ... solutions must be found quickly to ensure the full functioning of the EPPO," the source added.

Judicial branch protests after Janša accuses court of bias

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Association of Judges has expressed protest after Prime Minister Janez Janša accused the court that ordered him to pay damages in a defamation suit brought by the opposition Social Democrats (SD) of political bias. The association finds Janša's comment about the court "unacceptably scornful toward the court's judges and the court as the basic institution of the rule of law". The Supreme Court called for more decent communication between the branches of government.

Simoniti's response to Jourova: STA funding should be transparent

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Replying to EU Commission Vice President Vera Jourova's letter about the STA situation, Culture Minister Vasko Simoniti said the fact that the state is required to finance the STA under the law was not controversial. The government agrees with this, but the funding must be transparent and public service done in accordance with the law. "But mainly it should be free of charge as defined by the law," he said.

Slovenia drops one spot to 12th in gender equality in EU

VILNIUS, Lithuania - Slovenia has ranked 12th in this year's EU gender equality index ranking released by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE). The country scored 67.6 points out of 100, practically level with the EU average, as it dropped by one spot compared to the 2020 ranking. "Since 2010, Slovenia's score has increased by 4.9 points but its ranking has dropped by three places. Since 2018, Slovenia's score has remained the same, but its ranking dropped by two places," the EIGE noted.

Govt nominates Petrovič for European Court of Auditors again

LJUBLJANA - Jorg Kristijan Petrovič, first deputy president of the Slovenian Court of Audit, has been put forward as Slovenia's candidate for European Court of Auditors once again, after the parliamentary EU Affairs Committee turned down his nomination without debate in mid-October. The government said yesterday it had to notify the National Assembly of the proposal but was "not bound by the opinion of the National Assembly's working body".

Speaker Zorčič says alternative is needed

LJUBLJANA - The parliament is operational for now, parliamentary Speaker Igor Zorčič said in an interview with the N1 news portal. However, he believes that the government is not doing its job well and that elections are needed. He also revealed he was involved in talks on potentially forming a new party, along with the other unaffiliated MPs. Zorčič defended his decision not to join the opposition's walkout during Tuesday's sitting of the parliament, saying that they had been notified the MPs about his intentions beforehand.

Report: Paint maker Jub taken over by Australian company Dulux

LJUBLJANA - Unofficial media reports said Slovenia's oldest paint manufacturer Jub is to be taken over by Dulux Australia in a deal worth around EUR 191 million. The deal is to be completed today, with the new owners pledging to keep Jub's headquarters and production in Slovenia, the newspaper Finance said. DuluxGroup, an Australian company owned by Japanese Nippon Paint which manufactures and sells paint of the Dulux brand, has reportedly offered EUR 5,500 per share to complete the takeover of Jub.

Two more villages in Austria get German-Slovenian town signs

FREISTRIZ IM ROSENTAL, Austria - The number of towns and villages in the Austrian province that have German-Slovenian town names has increased to 171 after Mače (Matschach) and Sveče (Suetschach) have been added to the list, according to a report on the Slovenian programme of ORF, the Austrian public broadcaster. Bilingual town signs in the two villages in the Bistrica ob Rožu (Feistriz im Rosental) municipality were erected on Wednesday in line with a decision taken by the municipal council in June.

United Group's sports TV channel concentration approved

LJUBLJANA - The Competition Protection Agency (AVK) approved United Group's acquisition of the Sport Klub TV channels. After long and painstaking procedures, it has now found the concentration compatible with the rules of competition, as the market situation changed significantly with the entry of Arena Sport as new competitor with a broad portfolio of rights to broadcast sporting events of interest to viewers.

Lonely Planet names Slovenia among top 10 countries for 2022

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia placed fifth on Lonely Planet's list of top 10 countries to visit in 2022 as the travel brand highlights the country's diverse gastronomy and numerous possibilities of active experiences. Slovenia is described as a green destination as its sustainable policy and natural riches are put front and centre. "Slovenia is a world leader in being literally and figuratively 'green' with responsible travel being part of the Slovenia way of life for decades," says Lonely Planet.

First part of Slovenian translation of entire Arabian Nights launched

LJUBLJANA - The first part of the Slovenian translation of the complete Arabian Nights or One Thousand and One Nights from Arabic has been released, and two more parts are to follow. The most extensive version of the canonical work has been so far translated only into a handful of languages. The publisher Maks Viktor unveiled the first part on Thursday with the second and third expected in 2022 and 2023. The translation of the first book took roughly two years.

Cherry trees planted as homage to Slovenian-Japanese relations

GROSUPLJE - A line of Japanese cherry trees was planted in memory of the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Tokyo and to mark the upcoming 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Japan and Slovenia. The trees were planted by Grosuplje Mayor Peter Verlič, Japanese Ambassador Hiromichi Matsushima, Toyota Adria boss Kensuke Tsuchiya and legendary Slovenian Olympian Miroslav Cerar, with Slovenian Olympic Committee president Bogdan Gabrovec attending.

STA, 28 October 2021 - After a two-year break due to Covid, the Vipava Valley Ultra-Trail race will be back in Slovenia's picturesque wine growing region this weekend to feature a record number of runners. A total of 1,300 participants from 36 countries have registered for the event, including from as far as Singapore, Peru, Canada and Australia.

Taking place from Friday to Sunday, the event will offer a choice of five trails in distances of between 13 and 160 kilometres.

Seventy-five runners have registered to take part in the longest run where they will have to negotiate 7,000 metres of climbing and as much of descents, organisers told reporters earlier this week.

Both the runners and visitors will be required to meet the recovered-vaccinated-tested mandate. Those who do, will get a bracelet which will allow them to move freely in the venues.

A team of 300 organisers and volunteers will be on hand at 16 refreshment points to make sure the runners are safe.

This year the event is being expanded with a non-competitive hike through the vineyards, which the local tourism official Barbara Repovš said is intended for families. It will conclude with wine tasting.

The trail has been marked so hikers can enjoy it throughout the year.

Another similar event will be held next weekend in the hills above the seaside towns of Koper and Izola. The Coastal Ultra-Trail (5-7 November) will feature four routes of between 11 and 87 kilometres.

Learn more here, and register for the next race in May 2022, with the trailer for May 2020 shown below

STA, 27 October - The Velenje Local Court has ordered Prime Minister Janez Janša to pay EUR 10,000 in damages and apologise to the opposition Social Democrats (SD) for claiming the party operated from a "stolen Jewish villa". The default judgement, in which the court fully upheld the party's damages claim, is not yet final.

The decision, which was announced by the party on Wednesday, comes in response to a lawsuit filed in early July by the SD, which argued Janša "deliberately propagated a malicious lie" about the ownership of the Ljubljana villa housing the party's headquarters although it "can be proven he knew the ownership was not disputable".

According to the SD, the court has now issued a default judgement saying Janša should post within 15 days an apology on Twitter for his "untruthful Twitter posts about the SD operating from a stolen Jewish villa in Levstikova 15, Ljubljana".

Apart from paying the damages, Janša was also ordered to cover the litigation costs of just over EUR 800.

"The villa has not been stolen and the SD acquired the ownership of it in a lawful way," the party said in a press release.

They say the court issued a default judgement because Janša failed to pick up mail from the court and consequently failed to respond to the lawsuit within 30 days. Janša still has 30 days to appeal against the judgement.

The court held that while political parties need to show a higher degree of tolerance of criticism, Janša crossed the line of respect for the rights of others by knowingly and deliberately writing down untruthful insulting claims.

Janša commented on the judgement for the STA by suggesting the court was biased. "This is the practice of the Velenje court, which is packed with a cronyist line of members or supporters of the Social Democrats and hands out judgements without hearings and without affording the option of defence," he wrote.

"To make the farce complete, the court in this concrete case judged a lawsuit brought by the Social Democrats. This is something that even courts martial in the former Yugoslavia did not do," he added.

SD leader and secretary general Dejan Levanič noted the significance of the judgement for holding Janša accountable for his untruthful claims.

"The court has ascertained that Janša knew about the deceitful content of his claims, but still would he maliciously post them. By failing to pick up writs from court, Janša demonstrates his contempt for the state and the rule of law," Levanič wrote, which was later echoed by Fajon.

He announced that the party would donate the whole amount received in damages to charity.

The claims made by Janša had a strong effect as the European Jewish Association subsequently called on the party to right a historic injustice and return the villa to the Slovenian Jewish community. It alleged the property had been sold "under questionable conditions, nationalized, and then used by high-level communist party organizations during the Yugoslav era."

However, the SD said at the time the villa had been owned by the state before the party took ownership in exchange for another building that the party had owned before.

The villa used to be owned by Jewish merchant Felix Moskovic, who was killed in a German extermination camp. A woman who bought it from a heir of the family sold it to the state in 1961.

STA, 27 October - Protesters against the Covid pass mandate gathered on Wednesday for another rally, this time in several Slovenian cities, including in Ljubljana where the protest was the largest, totalling a few hundred people. The rallies were peaceful.

In the capital, the protesters gathered in Republic Square, their usual starting point, before marching through the streets.

Rallies in Maribor, Celje and Koper meanwhile saw fewer than hundred people.

The participants were again critical of anti-coronavirus restrictions and the government, reiterating their call for an early election.

They believe Slovenian society faces an information censorship, highlighting the importance of freedom of expression. They also disagree with health experts and the government's appeals to get vaccinated.

Calls to take part in the latest Wednesday protests, which were once more unregistered, were again disseminated on Facebook by Maske Dol (Down with Masks), one of the most prominent anti-mask and anti-vax groups on the social media, and the Resni.ca (Truth) party headed by Zoran Ste

STA, 27 October 2021 - This year's Jenko Prize, Slovenia's top accolade for the best poetry collection in the past two years, was awarded to Nina Dragičević for her latest poetry collection To Telo, Pokončno (This Body, Upright), which has been praised as a book that is definitely needed at this moment in time.

This comes after Dragičević was nominated for the prize two years ago for her collection Ljubav Reče Greva (Love Says Let's Go).

Her latest work, which was published by independent publisher ŠKUC in 2021, is in many ways a sequel to Love Says Let's Go that focuses on the body and its multifaceted nature, including experiences, future possibilities and other factors that define it, said the jury.

"The subject opens up through the body in the poem and lets all these multitudes speak until the brink of exhaustion."

Dragičević's style is extremely personal and special due to a mix of various registers and helps convey a number of transformations, such as euphoria, silence in between, pain, joy and impulsiveness.

This Body, Upright is "a sort of poetic composition of our time and place that hides nothing, it throws everything in your face and convinces you with joyful rage".

Dragičević, born in 1984, is a poet, author, composer and sound artist. She holds a PhD in sociology.

The prize, which is handed out by the Slovenian Writers' Association, was presented to her in Kranj on Wednesday evening. Last year's winner Brane Mozetič also received his prize tonight as the ceremony was cancelled in 2020 due to Covid-19.

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: 

Five opposition factions seek to oust environment minister

LJUBLJANA - The five centre-left deputy groups in parliament tabled a motion of no confidence in Environment Minister Andrej Vizjak in the wake of release of a leaked recording in which he is heard trading favours with the boss of a spa company in his previous capacity as economy minister. The parties also accuse the minister of being responsible for the harmful waters act which was overwhelmingly rejected in the July referendum, arguing he puts interests of profit before public interests. Vizjak denied the charges, but said he was looking forward to the opportunity to put the record straight over what he repeated was a montaged recording. He described the motion as a construct and continuation of the opposition's political fight against his work.

Over 3,000 coronavirus cases logged for Tuesday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported another 3,166 coronavirus cases on Tuesday, the highest daily figure since 5 January, as 38% of the PCR tests came back positive. Nine more Covid-19 patients died as hospitalisations rose to 526 and intensive care cases to 133, government figures show. The National Institute of Public Health estimates there are now over 22,000 active cases in the country. as calculations by the Jožef Stefan Institute put the reproduction number at about 1.4.

Partial lockdown warning as Slovenia's Covid situation worsens

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's epidemiological status is poor as the country's heads towards the worst situation since the start of the epidemic, said Health Minister Janez Poklukar, adding that if the trend is not reversed, he would propose at least a partial lockdown. This means that the number of Covid-19 patients in intensive care rises to 160-180, the minister said, announcing that some Covid restrictions were being stepped up. Regular coronavirus testing in all hospitals and social care institutions will be put in place, and employees who have not been vaccinated or have not recovered from Covid-19 will have to get tested every 48 hours, whereas students will be tested twice a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Janša meeting Michel over EU presidency dossiers

BRUSSELS, Belgium - PM Janez Janša is meeting European Council President Charles Michel in Brussels over working dinner this evening to discuss key dossiers of the Slovenian presidency of the Council of the EU, as well as energy prices, migration, the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership. The PM's office said Janša and Michel will talk about the developments in the presidency's priority areas and goals and about potential progress on individual dossiers until the end of Slovenia's presidency.

Pahor calls for trusting science in UN debate

NEW YORK, US - President Borut Pahor took part in a UN high-level remote debate on climate change on Tuesday, ahead of the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow. In his address, Pahor stressed the importance of trust in science and the need to increase funding for climate change mitigation. "We need to trust science more than ever," Pahor said in describing the latest IPCC report as a wake-up call. "We can meet the temperature target, but we need to act faster," he said.

Janša ordered to pay damages to SocDems over party HQ claim

VELENJE/LJUBLJANA - The opposition Social Democrats (SD) announced that the Velenje Local Court had upheld their EUR 10,000 damages claim against Prime Minister Janez Janša for claiming the party was headquartered in a "stolen Jewish villa". In a default judgement issued because Janša failed to pick up court mail and respond to the lawsuit, the court also ordered to Janša to apologise for the claim on Twitter within 15 days. Janša can appeal against the judgement within 30 days.

Hojs hosts first trialogue on Europol mandate's review

BRUSSELS, Belgium As chair of the EU's Home Affairs Council, Interior Minister Aleš Hojs hosted the first session as part of the inter-institutional negotiations on Europol mandate's review. The trialogue that also features the European Parliament was held in a constructive atmosphere, the Slovenian EU presidency said. As part of the trialogue, the Council of the EU and European Parliament will coordinate the wording of proposals for changes to the relevant regulations that enables the powers of Europol to be expanded in terms of research and innovation, handling of big data and cooperation with third countries.

Prosecution rejects implied blame for threats to politicians

LJUBLJANA - The Supreme State Prosecutor's Office responded to statements suggesting that the prosecution is indirectly to blame for the death threats received in recent days by senior politicians in Slovenia. "We have been and we will always respond to such acts in line with the law and within our powers and competences," it said. This comes after death threats were sent by mail to PM Janez Janša and Defence Minister Matej Tonin last week, and suspicious mail was also detected by National Assembly staff.

Slovenia discusses digital voucher and chips act, calls for reduction of digital gap

BRUSSELS, Belgium - As part of a working visit to Brussels, Minister for Digital Transformation Mark Boris Andrijanič presented to the European Commission Slovenia's digitalisation plans, particularly the digital voucher project, and proposals regarding the new EU chips act. He also called for regional centres of excellence in semiconductor research. State Secretars Peter Geršak meanwhile attended a session of the D9+ group of the most digitally advanced EU countries in Luxembourg, noting the importance of reducing a digital gap between EU member states, as the growing digitalisation directly affects the quality of life of citizens.

Upper chamber vetoes amendments to pharmacy act

LJUBLJANA - The upper chamber of parliament vetoed by 14 votes for and 10 against a bill amending the pharmacy practice act that would lift the ban on vertical integration of pharmacies and drug wholesalers in cases when the wholesaler is incorporated by a public pharmacy or municipality. The National Assembly endorsed the bill amending the pharmacy act last Wednesday, but a veto of the bill was proposed by the group representing employers in the National Council. The lower chamber will have to take a re-vote on the bill, with an absolute majority of 46 votes required for the passage.

CoE calls for state funding for STA, UKOM wants to meet new boss immediately

STRASBOURG, France/LJUBLJANA -Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović called on the Slovenian government to reinstate public funding for the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) in line with national laws. The STA delivers an important public service, contributing to plurality of media and info sources in Slovenia. Preserving it is essential for media freedom in the country," she said on Twitter. The head of the Government Communication Office (UKOM) Uroš Urbanija meanwhile invited Igor Kadunc, the new STA acting director, to a working meeting, proposed to place next Tuesday, on Kadunc's first working day.

Anti-Covid restriction protests held in several Slovenian cities

LJUBLJANA/MARIBOR... - Protesters against the Covid pass mandate gathered for another rally, this time in several Slovenian cities, including in Ljubljana where the protest was the largest, totalling a few hundred people. The rallies were peaceful. In the capital, the protesters gathered in Republic Square, their usual starting point, before marching through the streets. Rallies in Maribor, Celje and Koper meanwhile saw fewer than hundred people. The participants were again critical of anti-coronavirus restrictions and the government, reiterating their call for an early election.

Committee okays motion to give Krško status of urban municipality

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Interior Committee okayed an initiative by opposition National Party (SNS) deputy Dušan Šiško for Krško to get the status of an urban municipality. Šiško said it was a local initiative that realised the wishes of the residents and representatives of local authorities, and Krško Mayor Miran Stanko added that the municipality would soon incorporate around 10,000 residents to add to the municipality's 26,000 residents. Additional amendments to the act on the establishment of municipality for the same status to be granted to the municipalities of Brežice and Jesenice were meanwhile rejected.

Slovenian households with record savings last year

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian households made record savings last year, but their debt did not change significantly compared to 2019, the Statistics Office reported ahead of World Savings Day on 31 October. The household savings rate in Slovenia - defined as the share of gross savings in gross disposable income - hit a record high of 22.6% last year, which places the country the third among EU countries. The value of household net financial assets was at an all-time high of EUR 48.2 billion (102.8% of GDP).

Almost 17% more deaths in Slovenia last year compared to 2019

LJUBLJANA - A total of 24,016 people died in Slovenia in 2020, which is 3,428 (16.7%) more than in 2019, with the average age of the deceased being up by one year. The high mortality rate, especially in November and December 2020, resulted in the highest negative natural increase since 1945, the Statistics Office said. Natural population increase has remained in the negative since 2017.

President awards Golden Order of Merit to National Museum

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor awarded the Golden Order of Merit to the National Museum of Slovenia upon its 200th anniversary celebrations, for the museum's outstanding contribution to the formation and preservation of Slovenian cultural, scientific and national identity. It was two hundred years ago when the participants of the Congress of Laibach proposed the establishment of a Homeland Museum, which would collect "objects related to the history of the country, national creativity and literature, and the priceless treasures of nature". The museum was founded in 1821 and named the Carniolan Regional Museum.

This year's Jenko Prize goes to Nina Dragičević

KRANJ - This year's Jenko Prize, Slovenia's accolade for the best poetry collection in the past two years, was awarded to Nina Dragičević for To Telo, Pokončno (This Body, Upright), which has been praised as a book that is definitely needed at this moment in time. This comes after Dragičević was nominated for the prize two years ago for her collection Ljubav Reče Greva (Love Says Let's Go). Her latest work, published by independent publisher ŠKUC in 2021, is in many ways a sequel that focuses on the body and its multifaceted nature, including experiences, future possibilities and other factors that define it, said the jury.

China to host first retrospective of Slovenian film

BEIJING, China - A retrospective of Slovenian films made between 1956 and 2020 will be screened in China for the first time between 28 October and 4 November. All six feature films will have Chinese and English subtitles. The retrospective will open at the China Film Archive in Beijing with the digitalised and restored version of the 1956 film Valley of Peace by France Štiglic. The films will be screened in major Chinese cities afterwards.

Picasso: Writing into Drawing opening being moved to +MSUM

LJUBLJANA - An exhibition of Pablo Picasso's illustrations termed Picasso: Writing into Drawing, marking the 140th anniversary of the birth of the great artist, is being moved from the flood-damaged Moderna Galerija to the Museum of Contemporary Art Metelkova (+MSUM). It will open there on 18 November and be on display until 20 February 2022. The exhibition brings almost 260 illustrations Picasso made in mid-20th century, all of them coming to Ljubljana from a private collection in Italy.