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

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FRIDAY, 8 October
        LJUBLJANA - The coalition New Slovenia (NSi) said it was willing to talk an early election with its coalition partners under the condition that the government completes the EU presidency and adopts the national budgets for 2022-2023. NSi leader Matej Tonin said an early election would be a reasonable price to pay to calm the passions in the country.
        LJUBLJANA - Three environmental NGOs filed a suit against the infrastructure and environment ministries over an energy permit issued for the second unit of the Krško Nuclear Power Plant (NEK). The organisations consider the energy permit issued in July to the state-owned investor Gen Energija illegal.
        LJUBLJANA - The Supreme State Prosecution expressed concern over the government's decision not to honour the ruling by the Administrative Court on the appointment procedure of Slovenia's delegated prosecutors and instead issue a new call for applications. It said the government was clearly in violation of the articles the Constitution which deal with the rule of law and the right to judicial protection.
        TUHELJ, Croatia - The prime ministers of Slovenia and Croatia, Janez Janša and Andrej Plenković, agreed bilateral relations are good as they took part in an international conference on tourism. Janša pointed to opportunities for cooperation in joint investments, and welcomed Croatia's imminent entry into the eurozone.
        LJUBLJANA - The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) called on the government to take urgent action in the face of the sharp rise in energy prices. It asked for short-term measures such as reduction of certain levies on electricity and gas, and long-term measures, including immediate implementation of planned and ongoing projects.
        LJUBLJANA - The Supreme Court announced its decision that issuing penalties for the failure to wear a face mask in enclosed public spaces during the Covid-19 epidemic as a minor offence has no legal basis.

SATURDAY, 9 October
        LJUBLJANA - The opposition Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) adopted a new programme at a party congress. The 15-point platform revolves around the welfare state supported by a strong economy, democracy and respect for the rule of law.
        ZAGREB, Croatia - The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) expressed solidarity with journalists working at the STA and public broadcaster RTV Slovenija as it urged the government to stop contributing to an environment in which verbal and physical harassment of journalists has become par for the course.
        BERGAMO, Italy - Slovenian star cyclist Tadej Pogačar wrapped up the season in style by winning the last big race, Il Lombardia. The UAE Team Emirates rider claimed victory after winning his second straight Tour de France and the Liege-Bastogne-Liege this season.

SUNDAY, 10 October
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia called on the countries that still have the death penality to fully abolish it on World Day Against the Death Penalty. The death penalty, which Slovenia firmly opposes is inhumane, cruel, demining and final form of punishment, the Foreign Ministry said.
        LJUBLJANA - Ljubo Bavcon, professor emeritus of penal law at the Ljubljana Faculty of Law, died aged 97. Bavcon is considered one of the most prominent legal experts of the second half of the 20th century.

MONDAY, 11 October
        LJUBLJANA - Health Minister Janez Poklukar announced the government would follow the recommendation of the national advisory committee on immunisation to use the Pfizer vaccine for under 30-year-olds. In general, the use of mRNA vaccines are recommended over viral vector vaccines.
        LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Culture Committee debated media ownership and concentration in Slovenia, urging the Financial Administration to examine deals in the media conglomerate controlled by businessman Martin Odlazek from the past five years. It urged the Culture Ministry to draft legislation to prevent media concentration.
        LJUBLJANA - Holding Slovenske Elektrarne (HSE), the country's largest electricity producer, announced it would enter the retail electricity market by signing after it signed an agreement to acquire a 51% stake in ECE, a company created in a merger of Elektro Celje and Elektro Gorenjska.

TUESDAY, 12 October
        LJUBLJANA - Foreign Minister Anže Logar assured his Bosnian counterpart Bisera Turković of Slovenia's support for Bosnia-Herzegovina's EU accession process, including when it comes to reforms the country needs to adopt to join the bloc. Turković said her country was ready for EU candidate status.
        BRDO PRI KRANJU - The informal meeting of the EU health ministers called for as unified as possible criteria for the implementation of the recovered-vaccinated-tested rule. European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides endorsed the call.
        LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg -EU agriculture ministers chaired by Slovenia's Jože Podgoršek reached a political agreement on the total allowable catch in the Baltic Sea next year, which would cut the catch for some fish stocks. Podgoršek said the agreement was balancing the interests and socio-economic needs of the Baltic fishing communities with the long-term sustainability of fish stocks in the region.
        LJUBLJANA - Centre-left opposition parties announced a motion to oust Interior Minister Aleš Hojs over violent crackdown on protests, and politicisation of the police force. Hojs said he had not been acquainted with the content so he would not comment at this stage.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - Ten EU countries, Slovenia included, asked the EU Commission to recognise nuclear power as a low-carbon energy source that should be part of the Union's transition towards climate neutrality. PM Janez Janša said increasing production at nuclear power plants in Europe was essential to securing sufficient supply and achieving carbon-free society by 2050.
        LJUBLJANA - The council of the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) adopted a document in which it it denies any further support to the government. The party's MPs, which have been at loggerheads with the government for nearly a year, said they would continue to vote as they wish.
        IDRIJA - The government expressed support for an initiative by ten automotive suppliers to form a partnership with the government and scientists in the field of green mobility whose ultimate goal is to increase total annual sales of the automotive industry in Slovenia from EUR 3 billion today to EUR 5 billion by 2030.
        LJUBLJANA - Petrol, Slovenia's largest energy company, announced it would significantly increase the prices of electricity and natural gas on 1 December due to higher energy prices in international markets. Power is to go up by 30% and of natural gas by 12%.

WEDNESDAY, 13 October
        LJUBLJANA - A fact-finding mission of the European Parliament started its visit to Slovenia with the head of the delegation, Dutch MEP Sophie in 't Veld (Renew), saying their goal was to gather facts not bring down the government. The mission's focus is the rule of law and media freedom.
        LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary inquiry into alleged political interference in the police force conducted first interviews, hearing from the former leadership of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) about pressures during supervisions over the work of the NBI, as well as abut dismissals and reassignments under the current government.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - Prime Minister Janez Janša outlined the priorities of Slovenia's EU presidency to the European Committee of the Regions, highlighting post-Covid recovery, green transition and the EU's strategic autonomy, while also touching on subsidiarity. He argued for a greater degree of inclusion of local and regional communities.
        LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor indicated that one of the four candidates for Constitutional Court judge may have a chance to be appointed by the National Assembly. "There are indications of sufficient support," he said of Rok Svetlič, an professor on philosophy of law.
        NOVO MESTO - Revoz, the Slovenian subsidiary of Renault, announced it would scale down production over the uncertain situation in the car industry, switching from two to one and a half shifts in mid-November. As a result around 350 of the company's more than 2,400 workers will lose their jobs.
        LJUBLJANA - Tensions ran high as opponents of Covid-19 restrictions took to the stress for the fifth consecutive week, disrupting traffic for several hours. A water cannon was at the ready as the police sought to disperse the crowd but was not used. Unlike the week before the protest passed off peacefully.

THURSDAY, 14 October
        LJUBLJANA/BRUSSELS, Belgium - Prime Minister Janez Janša faced criticism after publishing a tweet implying that many members of the EU Parliament were "Soros puppets". European Parliament President David Sassoli called on Janša to cease the provocations. Janša tweeted, and then deleted, an image with the heading "13 of the 226 known Soros puppets in the EU parliament". Several MEPs accused him of anti-Semitism.
        LJUBLJANA - The government got acquainted with the current price trends in energy markets and decided not to take any action for now. Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec said Slovenia was on the safe side for now and action would be taken if necessary.
        LJUBLJANA - The Prosecution Council again rejected the government's stance that the first procedure for the appointment of European delegated prosecutors was not lawful and cannot be revisited. It said it did not intend to come up with new candidates for Slovenia's two posts in the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), which means it is effectively blocking a new call.
        LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian and Slovakian presidents, Borut Pahor and Zuzana Čaputova, praised bilateral relations as excellent as Čaputova paid an official visit. They stressed the role of cooperation at bilateral and EU levels to address social, political and economic challenges, and welcomed the EU-Western Balkans summit.
        LJUBLJANA - Srebrna Nit, an association campaigning for dignified old age, presented a bill to legalise assisted death in Slovenia. The NGO said their proposal would only permit assisted suicide, while euthanasia would only be possible as an exception. They plan to start collecting voter signatures after a period of public consultation.

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This summary is provided by the STA: 

EP mission concerned about tone of public debate in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - A delegation of the European Parliament's committee on civil liberties, justice and home affairs (LIBE) visiting Slovenia on a fact-finding mission expressed concern mainly at the tone of public debate, while also calling for the issues of STA funding and European delegated prosecutor appointments to be addressed urgently. After three days of meetings in Slovenia, the delegation is returning to Brussels to compile a report, but in their first observations they find that "public institutions in Slovenia work well", something the delegation's head Dutch MEP Sophie in 't Veld (Renew) described as reassuring. However, she said the delegation was struck by "members of the government engaging in kind of debate which I think is unfitting for civilised and democratic society".

Responding to PM Janša's tweet, EU reps say no space for anti-Semitism

BRUSSELS, Belgium - There is no room for anti-Semitism in the EU and social networks are no place for personal attacks, the European Commission said in response to a tweet by Prime Minister Janez Janša which sparked an avalanche of criticism. "We do not comment on comments, but let me make a few points clear. Social media should be a space for constructive and respectful debate, it should not be a place for personal attacks against individuals, as was the case with the tweet you mentioned," EU Commission spokesman Christian Wigand said.

Speaker says govt dismantling Slovenia's legal system

PORTOROŽ - Speaker Igor Zorčič has accused the government of destroying the legal system and subjugating it to its political goals. He pointed to rule by decree, disregard of media legislation, and dismissive attitude to members of a fact-finding mission of the European Parliament as examples of this. "When a branch of government does not honour the law, ignores it, and tailors it to its needs, then it is clear that the rule of law is being dismantled," he told the Days of Slovenian Jurists yesterday.

Slovenian MEP presents her take on fact-finding mission

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian MEP Romana Tomc, a member of the ruling Democrats (SDS), presented her view on the European Parliament's fact-finding mission to Slovenia, a member of which she has been over the past three days. The mission's main finding is that institutions function well, she said, but complained about its secrecy and non-transparency. Tomc, who was a member of the fact-finding mission as a representative of the European People's Party (EPP), took to Twitter saying the mission had found no major systemic violations by the government that would call for action on the part of the European Commission or Parliament.

Opposition say PM's tweets shameful, harmful for Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - The centre-left opposition condemned PM Janez Janša's response to the visit of a fact-finding mission of the European Parliament, in particular his tweets. These were labelled as harmful and detrimental to Slovenia's international image. It also urged the junior coalition partners to distance themselves from this or exit the government to enable an early election. Matej Tonin, the head of the coalition New Slovenia (NSi), urged Janša to apologise, whereas the head of the Modern Centre Party (SMC) Zdravko Počivalšek said he did not support such statements by the PM. Responding indirectly to the developments, President Borut Pahor said that impolite or even intolerant statements should be first and foremost resisted by the top state representatives, because their views can also be seen as the views of the state.

Rok Svetlič nominated Constitutional Court judge

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor nominated philosophy of law professor Rok Svetlič for a post on the Constitutional Court, in what is the fourth attempt in over a year to find a candidate who has cross-partisan support at the National Assembly. "After consultations with the leaders of all deputy groups and minority MPs, the president has concluded that Svetlič has sufficient support," Pahor's office said. The move comes after opposition factions voiced scepticism about anyone being electable in a hung parliament.

Commitment voiced to boost ties as Georgian foreign minister visits

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia and Georgia expressed a commitment to boost ties, in particular in trade, as Foreign Minister Anže Logar hosted his counterpart David Zalkaliani. The ministers had a constructive discussion on various topics, advocating for enhancing bilateral cooperation in various areas, in particular in trade. Logar told reporters he was confident Georgia's new consulate in the seaside town of Portorož would contribute to that. Meanwhile, Zalkaliani expressed Georgia's full commitment to the EU.

Defence Minister Tonin visits Montenegro

PODGORICA, Montenegro - Defence Minister Matej Tonin was on a working visit to Montenegro to meet his counterpart Olivera Injac in Podgorica and attend the To Be Secure international security forum in Budva, the Defence Ministry said in a press release. The ministers were happy the activities they had agreed at their recent meetings were being implemented at military level and in other fields within the powers of the defence ministries. Tonin outlined the Slovenian EU presidency's activities to get the countries in the region closer to the EU, foremost the efforts regarding the common security and defence policy. At the To Be Secure forum, he pointed to the need to reflect on a new strategic concept, noting that as the EU presiding country, Slovenia advocated strengthening the NATO-EU strategic partnership.

MPs to conduct oversight at police HQ over crackdown on 5 October protest

LJUBLJANA - A delegation of the parliamentary Intelligence Oversight Commission will visit the police headquarters on Monday over the crackdown on the 5 October protest in Ljubljana in the wake of media reports suggesting the operation had been run by government officials, including Interior Minister Aleš Hojs and State Secretary for National Security at the PM's Office Žan Mahnič. Matjaž Nemec, the commission chair, said the delegation would conduct an interview with Police Commissioner Anton Olaj over developments pertaining to the protests and the police force's response. "We would like to check a great deal of facts within our remit," he said.

Unions urge MPs to vote down laws not subject to social dialogue

LJUBLJANA - The country's major trade unions called on the National Assembly to vote down legislative proposals that have not been talked through on the tripartite forum featuring the government, employers and unions as they accused the government of ignoring social dialogue. "We expect of MPs to reject the bills that are already in the parliamentary procedure but have not been coordinated on the Economic and Social Council," said Branimir Štrukelj, the head of the KSJS association of public sector trade. Labour Minister Janez Cigler Kralj responded by saying the door had been open to the social partners all along. This can be seen from "a number of ESS sessions and legislative proposals that we have discussed and harmonised with the social partners", he said in a press release.

EU ministers urge considering social aspects in future economic measures

LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - EU employment and social affairs ministers met to discuss the future of the European Semester, arguing that future economic measures and reforms should take social dimensions into account in a consistent manner. The ministers held a "broad debate" on the future of the European Semester, with a strong role attributed to the European Pillar of Social Rights, Slovenia's Minister of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Janez Cigler Kralj, who chaired the meeting, told a press conference.

Over 2,000 promised bonuses for security during W Balkans summit

LJUBLJANA - The government decided that police officers who provided security during the EU-Western Balkans summit on 5 and 6 October will receive performance bonuses, as will civil servants who participated in the security arrangements for the event. A total of 2,380 staff will thus receive bonus pay. While formal decisions have not been issued yet, it is expected that the eligible civil servants will receive bonuses equalling 10% or 20% of their base pay, at a total cost of EUR 875,000.

Demographic office gets acting director

LJUBLJANA - The government appointed Danilo Lončarič acting director of the Government Office for Demographic Affairs as of today. The appointment comes after the government decided a month ago to postpone the launch of the new office until Friday, 15 October. Lončarič was appointed for the period until a full-fledged director is appointed through a call for applications, but for no more than six months, the Government Communication Office said after the correspondence session.

Govt tweaks exemptions from quarantine, donates vaccines to COVAX

LJUBLJANA - The government changed a decree setting out exemptions from mandatory quarantine after a high-risk contact, so that those vaccinated against Covid-19 will be exempted from this indefinitely for now. Those inoculated against Covid-19 have been so far exempted from compulsory self-isolation for up to nine months after becoming fully immunised, but now this condition will be lifted as epidemiologists consider the protection to last indefinitely until new facts are known and it is clear when a booster dose will be needed. The government also decided to donate an estimated 578,336 doses of the Vaxzevria vaccine, manufactured by AstraZeneca, to the COVAX facility.

Health Committee happy with more funds as it debates 2022, 2023 budgets

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Health Committee discussed the draft national budgets for 2022 and 2023 when the Health Ministry's budgets will stand at EUR 683 million and almost EUR 524 million, respectively. The drop in funds in 2023 is largely a result of less funds envisaged for managing the Covid-19 epidemic. State Secretary Robert Cugelj said the ministry's funds in the draft supplementary budget for 2022 are by EUR 389.7 million higher than planned when the 2022 budget was passed last November. A great deal of the rise is due to epidemic financing, investment (EUR 142 million), long-term care and health insurance for the socially deprived. Several opposition MPs welcomed a rise in funds for healthcare, but highlighted the fact that the state has to borrow to finance the budget.

Diesel hits new record

LJUBLJANA - The price of diesel at petrol stations along Slovenian motorways has reached a record high of around EUR 1.49 per litre. The previous record price of diesel was in October 2018, when drivers had to pay EUR 1.464 per litre, show Economy Ministry price data. Elsewhere in the country, diesel costs from EUR 1.402 to EUR 1.472 per litre, depending on location and provider. Regular petrol currently sells at around EUR 1.389 per litre, which is still below EUR 1.576 recorded in September 2012.

Slovenia plans purchase of new building for Brussels diplomatic mission

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The government approved the purchase of a new building in Brussels to house Slovenia's permanent representation to the EU and the embassy in Belgium, which are currently using rented premises from which they have to move by August 2023. The government decided to buy new premises rather than renovate Slovenia's old diplomatic building, which is considered inadequate from a security point of view. The project is worth EUR 21 million. The move to the new premises is planned for mid-2023.

Epidemiological curve continues to rise

LJUBLJANA - A total of 1,100 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Slovenia on Thursday for a test positivity rate of 21.4%, up more than 30% from a week ago. Another five Covid-19 patients have died, according to government data. Today, 403 patients are in hospitals, down three from the day before, including 116 in intensive care, one fewer than yesterday. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 population increased by six to 552.

Govt urged again to change rules on when Covid pass becomes valid

MURSKA SOBOTA/LJUBLJANA - The advisory committee on immunisation and the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) have once again asked the government to change the system whereby a person's Covid pass becomes valid immediately after they are vaccinated. They propose that happens seven or 14 days after full vaccination. "We still think so, the ministry has been acquainted with this, but it is hard to say what will happen," Bojana Beović, head of the advisory committee, told the STA. The Health Ministry responded by saying that the decree on this matter only specified when a person obtains a valid vaccination certificate, but not that they have achieved protection from the virus through vaccination.

TV Slovenija news programme editor steps down

LJUBLJANA - Manica Janežič Ambrožič, the TV news programme editor at public broadcaster RTV Slovenija, stepped down, saying she had decided to do so because she disagreed with changes to the programme and production plan for TV Slovenija's news programme for next year, RTV Slovenija said in a statement. The RTV Slovenija management labelled her move as a "complete surprise", and TV Slovenija acting director Valentin Areh urged her not to step down today. The public broadcaster also said that minor changes to the programme and production plan were necessary. For the time being, Janežič Ambrožič will stay on as acting TV news programme editor. TV Slovenija's news programmes staff and the Slovenian Journalist Trade Union (SNS) regretted Janežič Ambrožič's resignation. Both are worried about the planned cut in news programmes, which the SNS believes will take the public broadcaster away from European standards.

One in ten fails to take PCR test after positive rapid test

LJUBLJANA - Since Slovenia introduced a system to double check all positive coronavirus rapid antigen tests with the more reliable PCR tests, more than 4,000 of those who tested positive in screening tests have failed to take a PCR test and as a result have not been ordered to self-isolate and could have spread the infection. Marko Kern of the national Covid-19 tracker site reckons that out of those more than 4,000 people, infection would have likely been confirmed in around 3,300 individuals in PCR tests.

REM opens new business and production centre in Trebnje

TREBNJE - REM, a Trebnje-based manufacturer of prefabricated construction modules, opened a new business and production centre in the local industrial zone. The project, worth more than EUR 15 million and expected to create over 50 new jobs, was supported by a EUR 2.6 million government grant. In what is the company's largest single investment so far, REM plans to unify and automate production and increase capacity in the three existing locations.

Another automotive supplier forced to lay off workers

SLOVENJ GRADEC - With the global automotive industry running low on semiconductor chips and orders from car makers to car part suppliers cut, the Slovenj Gradec-based company Dani AFC has announced that it is forced to reduce its 304-strong workforce by a third. The company, which produces leather seat covers for high-end marques, is preparing a redundancy plan for some 100 workers, while its director Jožef Horvat hopes that the actual number of lay-offs will be lower.

Slovenian community in Italy marks 70th anniversary of its weekly

SAN PIETRO, Italy - The Slovenian community in the Italian region of Slavia Friulana will mark on Friday the 70th anniversary of its weekly Matajur, which is now called Novi Matajur. The newspaper of Slovenians living in the province of Udine, Italy, was first issued in 1950, but the celebration was moved to this year because of Covid. The anniversary, which was originally planned last year, will be marked tonight with the opening of an exhibition at the gallery of the Slovenian Culture Centre in San Pietro.

Swiss embassy celebrates 20th anniversary with special event

LJUBLJANA - The Embassy of Switzerland in Slovenia celebrated its 20th anniversary with a grand jubilee event at the Švicarija arts centre in Ljubljana's Tivoli Park. The cultural and culinary event entitled Tradition Meets Innovation included the showcasing of a robot preparing one of Switzerland's national dishes, cheese fondue. President Borut Pahor and Swiss Ambassador Denis Knobel addressed the event, and a special message by Swiss President Guy Parmelin was read out on his behalf. All of them highlighted outstanding relations between the two countries.

STA, 15 October - There is no room for anti-Semitism in the EU and social networks are no place for personal attacks, the European Commission said on Friday in response to a tweet by Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša, which sparked an avalanche of criticism from leading representatives of EU member states and institutions.

"We do not comment on comments, but let me make a few points clear. Social media should be a space for constructive and respectful debate, it should not be a place for personal attacks against individuals, as was the case with the tweet you mentioned," EU Commission spokesman Christian Wigand said on Friday when asked to comment.

"The commission's position on anti-Semitism is very clear - it has no place in the EU. As laid out in the recent anti-Semitism strategy, it presents a threat not only to the Jewish communities, but to an open and diverse society," he added.

In a tweet that was later deleted, PM Janša posted an image with the heading "13 of the 226 known Soros puppets in the EU parliament," referring to the MEPs as puppets of Jewish Hungarian billionaire George Soros.

One of the MEPs in the image was Sophie in 't Veld (Renew), who is currently on a fact-finding mission in Slovenia with the European Parliament's committee on civil liberties examining Slovenia's compliance with the rule of law and media freedom covenants.

Since Thursday evening, Janša has been engaged in online confrontations with leading representatives of EU member states and institutions.

President of the European Parliament David Sassoli urgently called on Janša to cease the provocations against members of the EU Parliament.

Dutch PM Mark Rutte described the tweet as tasteless, adding that "the government just conveyed this same sentiment to the Slovenian ambassador in The Hague".

Janša retorted that Rutte should not "waste time with ambassadors and media freedom in Slovenia. Together with Sophie in 't Veld, protect your journalists from being killed on the streets," referring to the killing of Dutch journalist Peter R. de Vries in July.

Meanwhile, President of the European Council Charles Michel wrote, without directly referencing Janša's tweets, that members of the European Parliament should be able to do their work free from any form of pressure and called for mutual respect.

STA, 15 October 2021 - Slovenian professor of computational mathematics Andrej Bauer will receive the 2022 Levi L. Conant Prize for an article on constructive mathematics, the American Mathematical Society (AMS) has announced.

In announcing the winner, the AMS website said that Bauer's article entitled “Five stages of accepting constructive mathematics” introduces readers to a different way of thinking on mathematics with insightful humour and patience.

"This is an article whose ideas will stay with the reader long after it has been read," wrote the AMS.

Andrej Bauer said he was "truly honoured and grateful to receive the prize".

"I first came into contact with constructive mathematics during my graduate years. I still remember how difficult it was to learn constructive thinking and to suppress the instincts distilled into me by classical mathematical training," said Bauer.

"This article is the synthesis of these experiences, as well as an honest disclosure of my personal views on constructive mathematics and mathematics in general," he added.

The AMS Levi L. Conant Prize recognizes the best expository paper published in either the Notices of the AMS or the Bulletin of the AMS in the preceding five years.

Prize winners are also invited to present a public lecture at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where Professor Conant spent most of his career. The 2022 prize will be presented in Seattle on 5 January.

The paper can be read here

STA, 14 October 2021 - Srebrna Nit, an association campaigning for dignified old age, has drawn up a bill to legalise assisted death in Slovenia. The proposal will first be subject to a six-month public consultation, after which it will be amended and submitted to parliament, backed by 5,000 signatures.

"Most of us would like to have a peaceful death. But death can also involve suffering, associated with slow dying and a loss of personal dignity," Biserka Marolt Meden, the head of the NGO, told reporters on Thursday.

Referring to the practice of assisted death being increasingly established world-wide in a bid to protect the individual's dignity, the NGO said their proposal would only permit assisted suicide, while euthanasia would only be possible as an exception.

The proposal would enable adults to pick the time and place of their death themselves, on the condition that they experience unbearable suffering that cannot be eased in a way they find acceptable.

It also contains safeguards to prevent abuse and no one's life could be ended against their will. The whole procedure would be overseen by a special commission at the Health Ministry, explained Andrej Pleterski, one of the founding members of Srebrna Nit.

Pleterski said a survey conducted by the Medical Association a while ago showed enough doctors would be willing to take part in such a procedure if assisted death was legalised.

Adults with permanent residence in Slovenia and mandatory health insurance would be entitled to assisted death. The service would be provided by providers in the public healthcare network, either public or private practices with concession.

The proposal would not make it possible to resort to assisted death in case of life weariness and the patient would be able to change their mind about being helped to die at any time.

STA, 15 October 2021 - The price of diesel at petrol stations along Slovenian motorways has reached a record high of around EUR 1.49 per litre as soaring global oil derivatives prices have spilled over into the Slovenian market.

The previous record price of diesel was in October 2018, when drivers had to pay EUR 1.464 per litre, show Economy Ministry price data.

Currently, the average price at petrol stations on the Slovenian motorway network is EUR 1.49.

Elsewhere in the country, diesel costs from EUR 1.402 to EUR 1.472 per litre, depending on the location and the provider, according to the fuel prices website goriva.si.

This means that the price of diesel at petrol stations outside of the motorway and expressway network increased by more than 44% since the liberalisation in October 2020, when both diesel and regular petrol cost around a euro per litre.

The price of regular petrol has increased by 33% on average since the full liberalisation.

The two largest retailers, Petrol and OMV, currently sell it at EUR 1.333 and EUR 1.334 per litre, respectively, outside the motorway network.

Regular petrol is even more expensive along motorways, with the current price set by the two providers at around EUR 1.389 per litre, which is nevertheless still below the of EUR 1.576 recorded in September 2012.

The Economy Ministry says it is closely following the situation in the market, noting that the prices in Slovenia are not much different than in other EU member states and are in line with forecasts made before the market was fully liberalised.

"The higher prices of fuel are not a consequence of price liberalisation, but of high prices of crude oil in global markets," the ministry told the STA on Friday.

Asked in what case the state would decide again to intervene in the market and how, the ministry said that the control mechanisms for detecting possible disputable practices were contained in the prevention of restriction of competition act.

It noted that the Competition Protection Agency was in charge of supervising the market, adding that it would intervene if it detected certain irregularities that would demand action according to the law.

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: 

Janša under fire over "Soros puppets" tweet

LJUBLJANA/BRUSSELS, Belgium - Prime Minister Janez Janša faced criticism after publishing a tweet implying that many members of the European Parliament are "Soros puppets". "We urgently call on Janša to cease the provocations against members of the European Parliament. Attacks on members of this house are also attacks on European citizens," European Parliament President David Sassoli said on Twitter. Janša tweeted, and then deleted an image with the heading "13 of the 226 known Soros puppets in the EU parliament". Several MEPs accused him of anti-Semitism.

Government not planning to act on energy prices yet

LJUBLJANA - The government got acquainted with the current price trends in energy markets and decided not to take any action for now. "Slovenia is on the safe side for now, but it is absolutely necessary to invest more in renewables and in new nuclear technologies," Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec said. The government set up a task force led by Vrtovec to keep an eye on the situation. It also got acquainted with the toolbox of measures presented by the EU Commission yesterday to tackle high prices. "It determined there is no need at this point for Slovenia to take any action. But if that is required, we are ready," he said.

Pahor, Čaputova praise W Balkans declaration, excellent relations

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian and Slovakian presidents, Borut Pahor and Zuzana Čaputova, praised bilateral relations as excellent as Čaputova paid an official visit. They stressed the role of cooperation at bilateral and EU levels to address social, political and economic challenges, and welcomed the EU-Western Balkans summit. The visit is "an expression of excellent bilateral relations, which are truly friendly, without open issues", Pahor said, while Čaputova said that challenges faced by Slovenia and Slovakia, including in dealing with the Covid pandemic, were also discussed.

Impasse over appointment of EU delegated prosecutors continues

LJUBLJANA - The Prosecution Council again rejected the government's stance that the first procedure for the appointment of European delegated prosecutors was not lawful and cannot be revisited. The council said it did not intend to come up with new candidates for Slovenia's two posts in the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), arguing that the first procedure has not yet been concluded given to recent decision by the Administrative Court.

Energy Chamber and businesses urge action in response to price hikes

LJUBLJANA - Soaring global energy prices are raising concerns in Slovenia, in particular in energy-intensive industry, which is already scaling down production in response to the situation. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) and the Energy Chamber are calling on the government to act. Pots-pandemic recovery is one reason for the record-high hikes, but deeper reasons are linked to transition from fossil to renewable energy sources with prices of emission coupons going up as well, Ana Vučina Vršnak, the executive director of the Energy Chamber, has told the STA in an interview.

Left seeks for MPs to call on govt to regulate energy prices

LJUBLJANA - The opposition Left demanded for the parliamentary committees on infrastructure and social affairs to meet for a joint emergency session due to soaring energy prices. One of their proposals is regulating gas and power prices for end users. Even though end users in Slovenia are not yet feeling the full extent of huge hikes in global gas prices due to sufficient stockpiles and prices guaranteed in long-term contracts the gas wholesaler Geoplin has with Russian suppliers, energy prices have started to go up for end consumers as well, the party said.

Proposal put forward to legalise assisted death

LJUBLJANA - Srebrna Nit, an association campaigning for dignified old age, has drawn up a bill to legalise assisted death in Slovenia. The NGO said their proposal would only permit assisted suicide, while euthanasia would only be possible as an exception. The proposal will first be subject to a six-month public consultation, after which it will be amended and submitted to parliament, backed by 5,000 signatures.

Pahor and Mattarella to visit twin border cities next week

LJUBLJANA - The presidents of Slovenia and Italy, Borut Pahor and Sergio Mattarella, will visit Nova Gorica and Gorizia, the cities on each side of the Slovenian-Italian border, next Thursday to hail their title as the 2025 European Capital of Culture. On the occasion Pahor will decorate Mattarella with Slovenia's top state honour.

New coronavirus case count up 11% week-on-week

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia logged 1,081 new coronavirus infections on Wednesday in what is an 11% increase week-on-week. The test positivity rate stood at 20.1%. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 population increased by seven to 546, and the rolling seven-day average of new daily cases was up by as many as 30 to 811. The government said that hospitalisations were down by 14 to 406 Covid-19 patients, of whom 117 are in intensive care, down by five compared to yesterday. Three Covid-19 patients died.

Beekeepers to receive EUR 1.3m in aid

LJUBLJANA - The state will allocate EUR 1.28 million in budget funds for aid to beekeepers who were hit by frost this year, the government decided. According to the Slovenian Beekeepers' Association, this year's season was the worst on record. The government's decree is the basis for providing aid to beekeepers who recorded a drop in revenue due to lower production.

New state secretary appointed at PM's office

LJUBLJANA - The government appointed Polona Rifelj as state secretary at Prime Minister Janez Janša's office, effective on 20 October. She will join the eight other state secretaries there. Rifelj has been the head of Celje's main library since 2013. Prior to that she worked at the Celje municipality and the Agriculture Ministry, and in local media outlets.

Media advertising revenue down 10% last year

LJUBLJANA - Total revenue from advertising in leading media in Slovenia dropped by a good 10% to EUR 250 million in 2020 compared to 2019. The biggest drop was recorded in outdoor advertising and the smallest in print media, shows the annual report compiled by the magazine Marketing Magazin. Advertising revenue of print media has been falling for several years, and last year the biggest drop was witnessed by the newspaper Večer (-17%).

Pakistani smugglers of migrants sentenced to prison, expulsion

LJUBLJANA - Three Pakistani citizens were sentenced on Wednesday to prison for organising illegal transport of foreigners across Slovenia as part of a criminal ring, and will also be expelled from the country for several years, Dnevnik reported. The prosecution held that 12 members of the ring organised and transported, or cooperated in, unlawful transport of foreigners from the Croatian to Italian border, or from the Ljubljana Asylum Centre to Italy, in June 2019 and in June-to-October 2020. Among them were four Ljubljana taxi drivers, and three security guards from the asylum centre.

Two dead in shooting incident in Domžale

DOMŽALE - A 44-year-old and a 71-year-old died in a shooting incident in the Domžale area on Wednesday afternoon in what appears to be a murder suicide. The 44-year-old reportedly shot his father before committing suicide. The Ljubljana Police Department told the STA last night the police had been informed of the shooting at around 6:30pm yesterday. As officers arrived at the scene, they found two dead bodies in a house, and a rifle. The information gathered so far suggest that the young man shot the older man before shooting himself, the police said today.

STA, 14 October - Prime Minister Janez Janša has faced heavy criticism after publishing a tweet implying that many members of the European Parliament are "Soros puppets", including Sophie in 't Veld, the chair of a fact-finding mission currently examining Slovenia's compliance with rule of law and media freedom covenants.

"We urgently call on Janša to cease the provocations against members of the European Parliament. Attacks on members of this house are also attacks on European citizens," European Parliament President David Sassoli said on Twitter.

"A constructive collaboration with the rotating Council Presidency can only be based on mutual trust and respect," he said.

The statement came after Janša tweeted an image with the heading "13 of the 226 known Soros puppets in the EU parliament", a reference to Hungarian billionaire George Soros.

Janša, who has often accused political opponents of being on Soros's payroll, has since deleted the tweet.

The image he tweeted has been traced by Twitter sleuths to a radical hate blog. Some of the people in the image are no longer MEPs and one passed away earlier this year.

Some accused Janša of anti-Semitism, including the Dutch MEP Malik Azmani, who described the image as a "despicable, anti-Semitic trope", and vice-president of Renew Europe, and German Green MEP Daniel Freund, who said Janša "peddles Orban-style anti-Semitic conspiracy theories".

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte described Janša's tweet as "tasteless" and condemned it "in the strongest possible terms". "The government just conveyed this same sentiment to the Slovenian ambassador in The Hague," he said.

Janša retorted that Rutte should not "waste time with ambassadors and media freedom in Slovenia. Together with @SophieintVeld, protect your journalists from being killed on the streets."

This was just one of the tweets referencing the fact-finding mission in recent days.

This afternoon, he responded to a tweet by the European Socialists and Democrats, who said Janša refused to meet with the European Parliament's fact-finding mission.

"Who are you? How many times have you visited a German chancellor, a Dutch PM or a French president?" Janša said.

"By the way, it's Netherlands where the last journalist was killed in the #EU. In Slovenia, such attempts were executed only during the regime of your comrades" from the ranks of the Social Democrats (SD), he said.

SD president Tanja Fajon, herself an MEP, said she felt ashamed. "I hope my colleagues understand Slovenia is much more than Janez Janša."

Slovenian Renew MEP Irena Joveva described Janša's tweets as "vile provocations" and in a joint statement with fellow Renew MEP Klemen Grošelj rejected the "anti-Semitic message in the prime minister's post".

MEP Milan Zver, a member of Janša's Democrats (SDS), meanwhile hit back at Sassoli saying his statement was "politically motivated and indicates ignorance of the situation in Slovenia."

STA, 14 October 2021 - The government got acquainted with the current price trends in energy markets on Thursday and decided not to take any action for now. Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec said there was no reason to panic. 

"Slovenia is on the safe side for now, but it is absolutely necessary to invest more in renewables and in new nuclear technologies," Vrtovec said after the cabinet session.

The government set up a task force led by Vrtovec to keep an eye on the situation. It also got acquainted with the toolbox of measures presented by the EU Commission yesterday to tackle high prices.

"It determined there is no need at this point for Slovenia to take any action. But if that is required, we are ready," he said.

The statement comes after energy group Petrol announced it would raise electricity prices by 30% and gas prices by 12% as of December.

A few weeks ago, a small electricity provider announced it was ceasing operations and urged customers to switch providers.

Asked about this, Vrtovec said the market was working: "Don't panic, switch the provider."

STA, 14 October 2021 - A 44-year-old and a 71-year-old died in a shooting incident in the Domžale area on Wednesday afternoon in what appears to be a murder and a suicide. According to unofficial information, the 44-year-old shot his father before committing suicide.

The Ljubljana Police Department told the STA last night the police had been informed of the shooting at around 6:30pm yesterday. As officers arrived at the scene, they found two dead bodies in a house, and a rifle.

The information gathered so far suggest that the young man shot the older man before shooting himself, the police said today.

The pair were related, while the motive for the shooting is not clear yet. It seems no other people were involved, the police said, adding that investigation was under way.