02 Oct 2021, 13:22 PM

Employers Highlight Structural Imbalances of Slovenia’s Labour Market (Feature)

STA, 2 October 2021 - Amid a prospering situation in the labour market and favourable unemployment trends, employers have been recording the largest structural imbalances between the registered jobless and companies' needs since the 2008 financial crisis. Businesses highlight that the paperwork to hire foreign workers takes too long.

There have been fewer than 70,000 registered as jobless in August, according to data by the Employment Service. However, the latest survey among employers found that some 37% were faced with a shortage of appropriate candidates to fill their job vacancies.

Such issues were most often encountered in healthcare and social care (53%), construction (48%) and manufacturing (45%). Most sought-after candidates include, among others, heavy lorry drivers, simple task workers in manufacturing, construction workers, retail staff, cleaners and servants.

Commenting on the peak structural imbalances in the labour market, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) told the STA that an increase in economic activity had led to fewer new registered unemployed persons and more people being hired. This situation results in an increase in the share of the hard-to-employ.

Structural unemployment and labour shortages are getting worse, the Labour Ministry told the STA, adding that the current structure of the registered jobless called for a thorough breakdown of the statistics and efforts to tackle the issues that prevent people from getting a job.

One of the key reasons for labour shortages is demographic changes, the ministry said, noting that there would have to be more focus on the elderly in the future as they will represent a much more important segment in the labour market.

Responding to labour shortage challenges, companies are investing more in production automation and business process optimisation, said the GZS. However, in labour-intensive industries, such as the hospitality sector, these problems are much harder to solve.

Foreign workers are another solution for some companies, most of them coming from Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo, according to GZS data.

But procedures regarding foreign labour paperwork take too long due to lengthy waiting times, especially in Ljubljana and Maribor administrative units, the chamber said, noting that other countries had already been taking action to allow companies to hire foreign workers in a matter of few days.

Slovenia has signed bilateral employment agreements with Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia to facilitate hiring workers from these countries, but since workers from former Yugoslav countries are harder and harder to find, companies urge the authorities to sign such agreements with Thailand, Ukraine and Russia as well.

"These potential workers come from similar environments culture-wise and have an instilled work ethic," the GZS said.

However, Slovenia has no such bilateral agreements with third countries in place or planned at the moment, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, the Employment Service said employers had at their disposal comprehensive support in finding trained staff and other services.

The ministry has also announced additional measures to tackle imbalances in the labour market, such as promoting life-long learning, stepping up training programmes, tweaking employment policy and providing career specific or in-demand career scholarships.

02 Oct 2021, 12:00 PM

Last Week in Slovenia: 24 - 30 September 2021

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, 24 September
        NEW YORK, US - President Borut Pahor addressed the general debate at the 76th UN General Assembly session, saying that "all challenges we face, are global" and that solutions to them could be found only in working together. He welcomed the intention of the UN Secretary General to hold a wide debate about common future, saying people needed to "engage in meaningful discussion and dialogue".
        NEW YORK, US - President Borut Pahor met UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Pahor and Guterres discussed climate change and security challenges, while the meeting with Lavrov discussed Afghanistan, and EU-Russia relations, with Pahor saying there was a lack of trust on both sides.
        BRDO PRI KRANJU - EU ministers in charge of consumer protection agreed at an informal session that the EU legislation on package holidays needs to be reviewed, as Covid-19 has shown that it is not suitable for extreme situations such as the pandemic, said the host, Slovenia's Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek.
        BRDO PRI KRANJU - European Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders said that before taking action regarding Slovenia's non-appointment of its two EU delegated prosecutors, the European Commission was awaiting a decision of a Slovenian administrative court on the suit filed by the two rejected prosecutors.
        LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša appeared before the parliamentary inquiry commission dealing with the government's response to the Covid-19 epidemic. He was critical in his testimony of the preparedness of the public health authorities and noted the systemic problems in elderly care inherited by his government.
        LJUBLJANA - The migration situation topped the agenda as Czech Interior Minister Jan Hamaček visited Slovenia, as part of which he and Slovenian counterpart Aleš Hojs toured the Slovenian Schengen border and met with Slovenian and Czech police officers who conduct joint patrols.
        LJUBLJANA - The Defence Ministry said it had signed a EUR 33 million deal with the US government on the purchase of another 37 Oshkosh four-wheeled vehicles to be delivered in 2023-2024. The deal also envisages the purchase of 36 weapon stations M153, special tools, maintenance devices and spare parts, technical support and other equipment.
        LJUBLJANA - The Covid pass mandate was relaxed with the requirement waived for those working from home and those filling up their cars as long as they do not enter the interior of petrol stations. The mandate remains in place for the vast majority of services and all other workplace settings.
        LJUBLJANA - Health Minister Janez Poklular said the recovered-vaccinated rule would be expanded to all citizens if the epidemiological situation continued to deteriorate. In line with the proposal, the recovered-vaccinated (PC) rule, meaning omission of testing, would be introduced when two-thirds of ICU beds are occupied by Covid-19 patients.
        BRNIK - Budget carrier FlyDubai launched scheduled flights between Ljubljana and Dubai in what is a culmination of ten-year efforts by the Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport to get a direct link with Dubai. FlyDubai will operate three flights a week to offer the first direct flight connection between Slovenia and the UAE.
        LJUBLJANA - The Statistics Office corrected the assessment of Slovenia's general government deficit for last year, downgrading it by EUR 250 million compared to the previous assessment to EUR 3.618 billion or 7.7% of GDP.

SATURDAY, 25 September
        LJUBLJANA - Police Commissioner Anton Olaj rejected allegations that the police is politicised. The situation is considerably better than one can gather from media reports, he said in an interview with the the newspaper Večer. He got the impression that police commissioners used to be led by the police.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenian Book Agency (JAK) acting director Dimitrij Rupel told the newspaper Delo that the JAK had signed a EUR 4.5 million contract in August to finance Slovenia's participation in the 2023 Frankfurt Book Fair from cohesion funds. JAK is currently working on a selection of books and writers that will be put forward to German publishers.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia announced it would become the world's first country to issue its own non-fungible tokens to promote the achievements of its businesses and its tourism destinations. The tokens will be gifted to visitors to Slovenia's pavilion at the Expo show in Dubai, which opens on 1 October.
        LJUBLJANA - Environmental taxes paid into the national budget amounted to EUR 1.309 billion in 2020, 18.4% less than in the year before. Energy taxes represented more than four-fifths of the overall tax take, the Statistics Office said.
        BRATISLAVA, Slovakia - Slovenian kayaker Nejc Žnidaršič won the sprint event at the ICF's whitewater canoeing world championships to make history as the first whitewater competitor to win five world champion titles.

SUNDAY, 26 September
        LJUBLJANA - The government adopted a decree raising the lump sum which municipalities receive per resident from the state and which represents one of the main sources of local government funding. In 2022 the sum will rise from EUR 628 to EUR 645 and to EUR 647 in 2023.
        MIRNA PEČ - The new bishop of Novo Mesto, Andrej Saje was ordained at a ceremony at the parish church of Mirna Peč before he formally took over from Andrej Glavan three days later. After the consecration ceremony, Saje addressed the congregation with an appal for fruitful cooperation and dialogue with everyone to create a society of peace and justice.
        BUDAPEST, Hungary - Agriculture Minister Jože Podgoršek discussed the need to preserve and increase biodiversity as a task of present and future generations as he addressed an international hunting and nature fair. He also held several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the event.
        LJUBLJANA - The total debt of Slovenia's 212 municipalities and their utilities increased by a further EUR 47.5 million last year to EUR 971.2 million, or 2.1% of GDP. Average total debt per capita thus increased to EUR 473 in 2020 from EUR 449 in 2019, a report from the Finance Ministry showed.

MONDAY, 27 September
        BRDO PRI KRANJU - Speaker Igor Zorčič hosted a meeting of parliamentary speakers from the Western Balkans, saying that the EU must give the region a clear signal on when it could expect EU accession." The speakers of the Serbian and Montenegrin parliaments also called for more clarity regarding the EU enlargement.
        LJUBLJANA - The Commission for the Prevention of Corruption said it had established a breach of integrity by former Economy Ministry State Secretary Aleš Cantarutti as part of an investigation into the procurement of personal protective equipment.
        LJUBLJANA - The Health Ministry said the government had so far earmarked EUR 56.97 million for vaccination against Covid-19, of which EUR 39.79 million for the purchase of vaccines and EUR 17.17 million to organise and carry out the vaccination.
        TRIESTE, Italy - Primorski Dnevnik reported that Senator Tatjana Rojc, a member of the Slovenian ethnic community in Italy, had proposed an amendment to the Italian Constitution as a way of guaranteeing that the Slovenian minority is represented in the Italian parliament.
        MARIBOR - Some 200 representatives of young policy-makers and youth experts from all EU countries gathered for a four-day virtual EU Youth Conference to discuss the post-Covid future of Europe. It was the largest youth event of Slovenia's EU presidency.
        LJUBLJANA - The OECD said it its latest digital government review for Slovenia that the country should reinforce leadership and coordination of digital governance in the public sector and enhance cooperation of various stakeholders. The report adds that "more is needed to govern the digital transformation across the public sector".
        LJUBLJANA - The council of UKC Ljubljana, Slovenia's largest hospital, endorsed acting director Jože Golobič, who took over in February after Janez Poklukar left to become health minister, for a full term. Government approval is required before he can formally start his four-year term.
        LEMONT, US - Minister for Slovenians Abroad Helena Jaklitsch wrapped up her 11-day tour of the US as part of which she visited Slovenian communities in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, New York, Bethlehem, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Joliet and Lemont.

TUESDAY, 28 September
        LJUBLJANA - The heads of the opposition Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ), Social Democrats (SD), Left and Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) signed an agreement on post-election cooperation in which they commit to forming a government together after the election. Each party will run individually in the election with its own candidates and platforms.
        LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor received his Latvian counterpart Egils Levits, with the pair highlighting the similarity of their views, excellent bilateral relations, and the importance of Europe. They both believe that the situation in the Western Balkans calls for accelerating EU enlargement to the region.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - The EU ministers responsible for research adopted resolutions on a global approach to research and innovation. Their aim is greater resilience and competitiveness of the EU, said Minister of Education Simona Kustec.
        ZAGORJE OB SAVI/HRASTNIK/TRBOVLJE - Government officials were briefed on challenges that Zasavje faces as a region that used to be a mining and energy heavyweight but which is now lagging behind despite a strong high-tech cluster, as they visited the region. In Trbovlje, government officials were picketed by several hundred protesters.
        LJUBLJANA - The government decided to purchase an additional 100,000 doses of the Janssen Covid-19 vaccine from Hungary, whose stock of the Janssen vaccine currently exceeds the actual demand.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - Slovenia will get EUR 4.8 million under an EUR 5 billion adjustment instrument for member states hit by Brexit approved by the Council. Slovenia's allocation is the lowest among all member states.
        LJUBLJANA - The prosecution confirmed having pressed charges against two individuals at the Ljubljana Local Court for publicly inciting hatred, violence or intolerance in an article published in the weekly Demokracija in December 2020 that was widely condemned as racist.

WEDNESDAY, 29 September
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia suspended the use of the single-shot coronavirus vaccine produced by Johnson & Johnson after a twenty-year-old woman died within a fortnight after receiving the shot. Bojana Beović, the head of the vaccination advisory group, said it would take at least a week to investigate the death.
        LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly endorsed a government-sponsored bill that will secure about EUR 2 billion in investment in Slovenia's health system over the next ten years. Investment is planned at all three levels of healthcare; a total of EUR 763 million is earmarked for the country's two medical centres.
        LJUBLJANA - Finance Minister Andrej Šircelj highlighted a substantial increase in investments, in particular in healthcare, as he presented the budget documents for the coming two years after the government session. The government proposes the general government spending ceiling increases to EUR 26.1 billion in 2022 and to EUR 25.98 billion in 2023.
        LJUBLJANA - A group of several thousand protesters again gathered in Ljubljana to protest against the Covid pass mandate in what was the third such protest. Starting in Republic Square, the rally moved to the ring road, which was closed for a while, as the police tried to break up the crowd, including by using a water canon.
        LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed changes to pension legislation to remedy injustices done to persons who voluntarily continued to pay mandatory pension and disability insurance contributions despite being for instance unemployed after 1 January 2013, not being aware that this would not count towards their pensionable years.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's ILO-compatible survey unemployment rate fell further in August, to 3.9%, down 0.1 percentage points from July and 1.4 points down from August a year ago, the Statistics Office said.
        LJUBLJANA - The government somewhat relaxed the mask wearing rule. The masks will thus no longer be needed in indoor public places where food and drinks are being served under adherence to the recovered-vaccinated-tested rule.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek said after a session of EU ministers in charge of competitiveness that decarbonisation of the economy must be evenly spread across sectors and EU countries.
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia hosted an informal meeting of EU non-proliferation and disarmament directors as part of its EU presidency, the Foreign Ministry said. It focussed on strategic issues and the challenges of the global regime of oversight over weapons of mass destruction.
        KLAGENFURT, Austria - FM Anže Logar and Carinthia Governor Peter Kaiser chaired a session of the Slovenia-Carinthia Committee, which set out the course for future cooperation between Slovenia and the Austrian state of Carinthia in several areas of joint interest.
        LJUBLJANA - The government decided to donate 40 km of border fence to Lithuania, which started erecting a 508-kilometre fence on its border with Belarus as it has faced illegal migration from there since the beginning of the year.
        LJUBLJANA - The government appointed acting head of the Environment Agency, Joško Knez, for a full term, with his five-year term starting on 1 October. Knez was already at the helm of the agency between March 2013 and November 2018.
        LJUBLJANA - Record rains that pummelled Ljubljana caused extensive flooding, with basements flooded in hundreds of residential, industrial and educational buildings. In just one hour one weather station in Ljubljana recorded 94 mm of rain, the highest ever recorded in the capital, overwhelming the sewage systems.

THURSDAY, 30 September
        LJUBLJANA - STA director Bojan Veselinovič resigned after turning down a draft public service agreement proposed by the Government Communication Office that he described as damaging for the agency. The bodies representing staff at the STA urged those responsible to reinstate public funding in full compliance with law while preserving the agency's autonomy. The Trade Union of Journalists said it will start preparing for a strike should funding not be restored.
        LJUBLJANA - The Constitutional Court stayed the government's regulation under which state administration employees would have to be either Covid-19 reconvalescent or vaccinated to come to work starting from Friday. PM Janez Janša and Interior Minister Aleš Hojs said the decision meant the majority on the court assumed responsibility for the spread of Covid-19 and deaths.
        LONDON, UK - PM Janez Janša paid a working visit to the UK for talks his British counterpart Boris Johnson. Bilateral political ties, fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and the EU-UK relations topped the agenda.
        LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Health Committee confirmed changes to the pharmacy practice act, albeit in a significantly changed format than originally envisaged. Many of the articles were deleted from the wording, while the proposal to lift the ban on vertical integration of pharmacies and drug wholesalers was retained.
        KLAGENFURT, Austria - Speaker Igor Zorčič attended a conference on development of ethnic minority rights to stress that Slovenia supported efforts by the Slovenian minority to have its minority rights regulated systemically.
        THE HAGUE, Netherlands - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs noted good cooperation between Slovenia and Europol as he addressed a convention of European police commissioners. He said the Slovenian EU presidency was seeking to reach an agreement with the European Parliament on a regulation that would give Europol additional powers.
        PORTOROŽ - The Managers' Association presented the Manager of the Year award to Adrian Ježina, the president of the management board of Telemach, the fastest-growing mobile operator in Slovenia. The association credits him with an "exceptional transformation" of the company that improved its business results and increased market share.
        LJUBLJANA - The Statistics Office said that Slovenia's public finances improved significantly in the second quarter of 2021 due to faster economic growth and higher revenue. The general government deficit narrowed to 5.8% of GDP from 8.3% in the first quarter, whereas consolidated debt was down by six percentage points to 80% of GDP.
        LJUBLJANA - The Statistics Office reported that annual inflation rate in Slovenia in September reached 2.4% as the prices of petroleum products continued to rise. On the monthly level a deflation of 0.1% was recorded, largely due to lower prices of package holidays.
        MARIBOR - A renovated 1941 railway wagon was inaugurated to mark 80 years since first prisoners from Nazi camps were brought to Slovenia aboard such trains. The Train of Memory opened in front of the WWII International Research Centre, located at a former Nazi camp for prisoners of war.
        BREŽICE - Brežice became the first Slovenian municipality to win the title of European City of Sport in the category of communities with fewer than 25,000 residents, awarded by the European Capitals and Cities of Sport Federation.

02 Oct 2021, 09:24 AM

Gravitational Physiology Laboratory Opens in Planica, Helping Astronauts Stay Healthy

STA, 1 October 2021 - The Laboratory for Gravitational Physiology was inaugurated on Friday at the Planica Nordic Centre in cooperation with the European Space Agency, the ministries of science and the economy and the Jožef Stefan Institute. The laboratory will contribute to research to maintain the well-being of astronauts during missions to space.

The agreement on starting a joint operation was signed at Friday's ceremony by European Space Agency (ESA) director general Josef Ascbacher, Jožef Stefan Institute (IJS) director Boštjan Zalar, and Planica Nordic Centre director Franci Petek.

In his address, Aschbacher said the ESA was very happy to add to its programme the Planica Nordic Centre, which has a unique capacity to research hypoxemia, a shortage of oxygen supply in blood.

Future space missions are likely to be hypoxic, allowing for lighter structures or reducing the risk of decompression sickness during exits and surface operations, he said, adding that the results of the bed rest study can be used to prepare for human spaceflight and will be of great help in preparing for future missions.

The ESA director lauded all the partners that contributed to the implementation of the project and called on government officials to consider a further increase in Slovenia's contribution to the ESA's activities.

Danes je v Nordijskem centru Planica potekala otvoritev in zagon posebne raziskovalne naprave »človeške centrifuge«. Ministrica @SimonaKustec: "Gre za izjemen dosežek za Slovenijo, ki bo pomembno prispeval k razvoju znanosti in gospodarstva." pic.twitter.com/2JYsXsR7mL
— Ministrstvo za izobraževanje, znanost in šport (@MIZS_RS) October 1, 2021

Ministrica @SimonaKustec: V veliko čast in ponos nam je, da bo ?? s to napravo postala ena od 3 držav @esa, kjer se bodo izvajale bedrest raziskave. Verjamem, da bodo rezultati raziskav človeške centrifuge pomemben prispevek na področju vesolja kot tudi za zdravje ljudi na ?. pic.twitter.com/f8pe5PWkqT
— Ministrstvo za izobraževanje, znanost in šport (@MIZS_RS) October 1, 2021

The official then attended a bilateral meeting with Education Minister Simona Kustec and State Secretary at the Economy Ministry Simon Zajc, who were also present at the ceremony and who both hailed the realisation of cooperation.

The ESA director praised Slovenia's work and its cooperation with the ESA as an associate member country on its way to full membership. He also underlined the good performance of Slovenian companies and the importance of Friday's opening of the new facilities in Planica.

The opening of the Laboratory for Gravitational Physiology and the launch of the "human centrifuge" in Planica will enable the possibility of breakthrough international and interdisciplinary research in space physiology and medicine, the IJS said.

Addressing the launch, IJS director Zalar noted the opportunities opened up by the laboratory and great plans for future cooperation with the ESA, where the institute is to have full support from the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology.

Being quite remote, Planica makes an optimal place for such research because there are not many factors that could interfere with the measurements, Zalar said, noting vibrations, climate and air quality.

The establishment of the new laboratory is largely the result of 20 years of work by researchers from the IJS Department of Automation, Biocybernetics and Robotics, led by Igor Mekjavič.

After first experimental research two decades ago, an altitude room was established in 2007 in a hotel in Planica and in 2010 Slovenia signed a cooperation agreement with the ESA.

Only a year later, IJS researchers received special support from the ESA for their research of how hypoxemia affects processes of adaptation to zero-gravity and in 2016 Slovenia signed an association agreement that allowed the country to take part in select ESA programmes.

In support of research at the Planica lab and to encourage new research institutions and industry in the space sector, Slovenia in 2019 opted to take part in the ESA programme of human and robotic research with a financial contribution of EUR 2 million.

The "human centrifuge" at the laboratory, which combines medical research and microgravity simulation, will be only the third such facility in Europe, alongside those in Germany and France.

This operation will attract Slovenian and foreign scientists and increase the presence of Slovenian expertise in space exploration, said the IJS.

The Education, Science and Sport Ministry added that the new laboratory will be important both for space expeditions and for people on Earth, as the research programme will also contribute to findings relevant for lung and heart patients, overweight people and patients with osteoporosis.

02 Oct 2021, 09:14 AM

Janša Meets Members of European Parliament’s Identity and Democracy Group

STA, 1 October 2021 - Prime Minister Janez Janša met senior representatives of the Identity and Democracy (ID) Group in the European Parliament to discuss topics related to the EU and the post-Covid situation in Europe, his office said on Friday.

The meeting, which focussed on the Conference on the Future of Europe as well as the EU-Western Balkans summit, was held in Ljubljana on Friday as a delegation of the ID group is in Slovenia on a study visit.

The far-right ID group has 71 MEPs from ten parties, including Italy's League, France's National Rally (RN) and Germany's Alternative for Germany (AfD).

The Slovenian opposition Left party was critical of the group on the occasion, highlighting its far-right positions.

However, the party said in a press release that it was not surprised by the meeting between European right-wingers and Janša.

Today we are in Ljubljana, Slovenia! ??

Our MEPs are meeting Mr Janez Janša, Prime Minister of Slovenia to talk about the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU 2021. pic.twitter.com/1adWe7EAhO
— Identity and Democracy Group (@IDGroupEP) October 1, 2021

02 Oct 2021, 04:16 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Saturday, 2 October 2021

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:

Pahor supports Moldova's reform efforts

CHISINAU, Moldova - President Borut Pahor met his Moldovan counterpart Maia Sandu and PM Natalia Gavrilita as part of his official visit to Moldova. He expressed support for the president's and the government's reform efforts. "There are very many challenges ahead, but Slovenia has always stood by Moldova's side and this is how it will also be in the future," Pahor told a joint press conference as quoted by his office. Pahor and Sandu also discussed EU-Moldovan relations.

Commission Vice-President Šuica meets Janša during visit

LJUBLJANA/BRESTANICA - European Commission Vice-President for Democracy and Demography Dubravka Šuica visited Slovenia to attend an international conference on smart villages in Brestanica, which was held as part of Slovenia's EU presidency. She also met Prime Minister Janez Janša in Ljubljana to discuss the Conference on the Future of Europe and demographic issues. The commissioner expressed concern about the low participation of European citizens in the debates on the future of Europe.

Janša meets representatives of ID group

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša met senior representatives of the Identity and Democracy (ID) Group in the European Parliament to discuss topics related to the EU and the post-Covid situation in Europe. Janša's office said the meeting focussed on the Conference on the Future of Europe as well as the EU-Western Balkans summit. It was held as a delegation of the ID group is in Slovenia on a study visit.

Issue of Slovenian delegated prosecutors raised again in Brussels

BRUSSELS, Belgium - European Chief Prosecutor Laura Codruta Kövesi again raised the issue of non-appointment of European delegated prosecutors from Slovenia. She told the European Parliament's Committee on Budgetary Control that after four months of operation this was one of the main challenges the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO). Since Slovenia has not appointed delegated prosecutors yet, so the EPPO cannot process all Slovenian cases, which seriously affects not only the cases in Slovenia but also the investigations of all cross-border cases involving Slovenia, she said.

Expo Dubai showcases Slovenia as green oasis

DUBAI, UAE - Slovenia is showcased as a green and smart country at Expo 2020 Dubai, which opened its doors to exhibitors and visitors. Slovenia's pavilion paints the country as a green oasis in Europe under the slogan Slovenia - Green Smart Experience. The aim of Slovenia's participation is to increase its global market presence, boost its exports, including to the United Arab Emirates, and promote the country as a green tourist destination. Relevant officials are very satisfied with Slovenia's showing so far.

Slovenia, ESA discuss future cooperation

LJUBLJANA - Future cooperation between Slovenia and the European Space Agency (ESA) was in the focus as Minister of Education, Science and Sport Simona Kustec held talks with ESA director general Josef Aschbacher. The latter said that the reinforced Slovenian association with ESA - Slovenia is an associate member en route to full membership, was instrumental in strengthening national capabilities, adding the country was drafting a space law and strategy with the support of ESA.

Gravitational Physiology Laboratory launched in Planica

PLANICA - The Laboratory for Gravitational Physiology was inaugurated at the Planica Nordic Centre in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA), the ministries of science and the economy and the Jožef Stefan Institute. The laboratory will contribute to research to maintain the well-being of astronauts during missions to space. ESA director general Josef Ascbacher said the ESA was very happy to add to its programme the Planica centre, which has a unique capacity to research hypoxemia.

Armed Forces introducing green defence measures

CERKLJE OB KRKI - Defence Minister Matej Tonin announced the introduction of Pipistrel ultra-light electric aircraft as one of the most important green defence measures taken by the Slovenian Armed Forces (SAF) as cooperation with Slovenian aircraft maker Pipistrel was presented at the military airfield in Cerklje ob Krki. He also mentioned the introduction of hydrogen fuel and the energy renovation of Slovenian military barracks. "The SAF has made significant strides towards green defence and is becoming energy-efficient wherever possible," Tonin added.

All ministries to get more funds in 2022 budget

LJUBLJANA - All ministries as the biggest budget spending units will get more funds with the balanced 2022 budget compared to this year's original budget, with the Health Ministry's funds to more than double. In 2023, the majority of them will get less than this year, according to a breakdown of outlays the government sent to parliament. PM Janez Janša and Finance Minister Andrej Šicelj are to present the budgets to parliament on Thursday. The documents are to be passed in mid-November.

Review ordered over use of viral vector jabs on under 18s

LJUBLJANA - The Health Ministry asked the Medical Chamber to examine whether under 18-year-olds may have received the viral vector vaccines Janssen and AstraZeneca, which have not been approved for that age group. Data published on the website of the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) indicates that 219 persons under 18 years of age have been vaccinated with the single-shot Janssen jab, while the first shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine has been administered to 45 and the second to 20 under 18s.

Weekly increase in new Covid cases

LJUBLJANA - A total of 970 new coronavirus infections were recorded in Slovenia on Thursday in what is an increase week-on-week. The number of patients in hospital dropped by one to 419 this morning, including 112 in intensive care, three more than yesterday, government data show. Four Covid-19 patients died. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 decreased by eight to 596 as the rolling seven-day average of new daily cases increased by five to 869, according to the National Institute of Public Health.

Another academic year marked by Covid-19 begins

LJUBLJANA - The beginning of October marks the start of a new academic year, once more impacted by Covid-19, as in-person lectures, seminars and exams are being reserved for those meeting the recovered-tested-vaccinated rule. There has been no traditional university welcome for new students either. For staff and students, weekly self-testing at their respective institutions will be sufficient to meet the testing requirement. However, if the situation deteriorates, universities will have the autonomy to impose additional measures.

Ljubljana police department gets new interim head

LJUBLJANA - Police Commissioner Anton Olaj appointed Janez Rupnik interim head of the Ljubljana police department, says on the website of police. He will replace Boštjan Glavič, who will become an assistant of the Police Academy. Rupnik has so far served as assistant director of the uniformed police at the General Police Administration. The move comes after Prime Minister Janez Janša criticised the Ljubljana police leadership over the handling of Wednesday's protest, but Interior Minister Aleš Hojs said that the claims the replacement was linked to the protest were speculations.

Supreme Court warns Covid pass mandate cannot pertain to judges

LJUBLJANA - The Supreme Court proposed to the Justice Ministry to exempt the judiciary from the recovered-vaccinated-tested (PCT) rule so that the judicial branch can perform its function with clarity and autonomy. The court warned that the ministry's interpretation of the relevant decree cannot pertain to those working at courts. The issue was raised at a meeting on Monday which featured the justice minister, health minister and the president of the Supreme Court, the ministry confirmed for the STA.

Short animated film Granny's Sexual Life receives award

BRISTOL, UK - Granny's Sexual Life, a short animated documentary by Urška Djukić and Amelie Pigeard, has received the Special Mention award in the Animated Encounters Grand Prix category at the UK's leading short film festival Encounters 2021. The film is a journey into the history of the intimacy of a rural grandmother, summarising the attitude towards women in the first half of the 20th century in Slovenia.
"It'll be one of those films we will always remember," said the Animated Encounters jury.

Street in N Macedonia to be named after young Slovenian firefighter

NOVA GORICA - As news of a tragic death of a young Slovenian firefighter and diver reached North Macedonia, a country where he helped fight wildfires this summer, the Berovo mayor decided to propose that a street in the town be named after him. According to Primorske Novice, firefighter Žan Kofol, who died in a traffic accident in Nova Gorica on Tuesday, was the youngest of the firefighters from the Primorska region to join efforts to put out the fires around Berovo in eastern North Macedonia in August.

01 Oct 2021, 18:04 PM

Slovenia Reviews Use of Viral Vector COVID Vaccines in Under 18s

STA, 1 October 2021 - The Health Ministry has asked the Medical Chamber to examine whether under 18-year-olds may have received the viral vector vaccines Janssen and AstraZeneca, which have not been approved for that age group.

"Patients' health is always our top priority, this is why we have requested, based on the healthcare act, an extraordinary expert oversight from the Medical Chamber," the ministry said on Friday.

Data published on the website of the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) indicates that 219 persons under 18 years of age have been vaccinated with the single-shot Janssen jab, while the first shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine has been administered to 45 and the second to 20 under 18s.

The national advisory committee on immunization affiliated with the NIJZ has never recommended the two viral vector vaccines for the 12-17-year olds, the NIJZ noted in response for the STA.

It did allow for the possibility that errors may have occurred as vaccination centres entered data in the registry of vaccinated persons and adverse side-effects.

Questions over potential administering of Janssen and AstraZeneca vaccines to under 18s began to be raised after a 20-year-old woman died of brain haemorrhaging and blood clots within a fortnight after receiving a Janssen shot.

Demand for the vaccine, produced by Johnson & Johnson, surged in Slovenia after the government imposed the recovered-vaccinated-tested mandate for almost all services and decided that those vaccinated qualify for the Covid pass the next day after receiving the Janssen shot.

01 Oct 2021, 12:48 PM

Another Academic Year Starts Under COVID Restrictions (Feature)

STA, 1 October 2021 - The beginning of October marks the start of a new academic year, once more impacted by Covid-19, as in-person lectures, seminars and exams being reserved for those meeting the recovered-tested-vaccinated rule. There will be no traditional university welcome for new students either.

In line with the guidelines of the Education Ministry and the National Institute of Public Health, which higher education institutions also helped form, lectures will take place at faculties, subject to the recovered-vaccinated-tested condition.

For staff and students, weekly self-testing at their respective institutions will be sufficient to meet the testing requirement.

However, if the situation deteriorates, universities will have the autonomy to impose additional measures.

The tests will be free of charge for students and can be obtained from any pharmacy on presentation of an ID, an enrolment certificate and a health insurance card. For foreign students, the first two will be sufficient.

Students who work in addition to their studies will also be obliged to self-test with the employer they work for, while students on clinical training in healthcare are subject to the same self-testing conditions as other students.

Meanwhile, the enrolment process is still ongoing at the universities of Ljubljana, Maribor, Primorska and Nova Gorica.

The universities and other higher education institutions have offered 18,520 places for the 2021/2022 academic year, with 11,890 new students admitted in the first enrolment period.

A new dental medicine study programme is opening in Maribor this academic year, while the number of places has been increased at both medical faculties, in Ljubljana and Maribor, at the Faculty of Computer Science in Ljubljana and at the Faculty of Education in Primorska.

The number of foreign students continues to rise, having more than doubled in the last four years to 11%. Most foreign students study at the university in Ljubljana.

The final data on the number of students studying at Slovenian universities this academic year will be announced in October, as the second application and enrolment period runs until 30 September.

Due to epidemiological measures, mass events for welcoming newcomers traditionally organised by universities and student organisations will not take place.

The new chancellor of the University of Ljubljana, Gregor Majdič, will only address the new students at the Freshmen Welcome event remotely, via video-link.

Majdič, who was recently elected chancellor of Slovenia's largest and oldest university for the 2021-2025 term, believes the social role of the university needs to be strengthened, along with cooperation between faculties and with research institutes, and that the society's confidence in knowledge and science needs to be restored.

"In autumn, the first challenge will be to carry out the study process safely. More than 85% of University of Ljubljana staff have been vaccinated, which is something we are very proud of," he said.

"It is certainly our wish and our intention that the study process this academic year takes place at the faculties, with direct contact between professors and students," Majdič added.

Despite the lack of welcome events, students will be briefly introduced at the start of the year to a whole range of possible activities to stay healthy, entertained or gain additional knowledge, experience and other useful information.

01 Oct 2021, 10:32 AM

Growing Number of Foreign Students Choose Slovenian Universities

STA, 1 October 2021 - Slovenia has become an attractive studying environment for foreign students, judging by the growth in their numbers, a trend recorded at all Slovenian universities. While foreign students represented 4.5% of all students in the 2017/2018 academic year, they accounted for 11% of a total of some 65,000 students in the 2020/2021.

Most students from abroad study at the University of Ljubljana, which is the oldest and largest Slovenian university, with some 40,600 students.

The number of foreign students at the university rose from 2,476 in 2017/18 to 3,653 in 2020/21, which makes foreigners account for 9% of all its students.

At the University of Maribor, the country's second oldest and second largest, the figure was up almost 24% in the 2020/21 academic year 1,463 from 2019/20.

This was 10.5% all the 13,950 university students that studied in Maribor the last academic year.

However, it was the University of Primorska which enrolled the most foreign students in relation to the total number of its students in the last academic year.

The share stood at 12% in the 2017/18 academic year, but rose to 15.5% in 2020/21.

Education Ministry data shows that in 2020/21, 7,681 students from outside Slovenia studied in Slovenia: 2,154 from the EU and 5,527 from third countries.

Foreign students studying here that year came from 121 countries, the majority from Europe, up from 93 in 2016.

Most students from other European countries are from the countries which emerged in the area of the former Yugoslavia - Serbia, North Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro.

01 Oct 2021, 10:19 AM

Janša Meets Johnson in London

STA, 30 September 2021 - Prime Minister Janez Janša paid a working visit to the United Kingdom on Thursday for talks his British counterpart Boris Johnson. Bilateral political ties, fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and the EU-UK relations topped the agenda, the prime minister's office said.

Janša and Johnson also discussed cooperation in light of Slovenia's EU presidency and the presidency of the UK of the COP26 climate conference, and topical foreign policy issues, in particular Afghanistan and the Western Balkans.

The office of the British prime minister said in a press release that Janša and Johnson had discussed the strong bilateral relations in the last 30 years, including in trade and foreign policy.

It added that the prime ministers had agreed on the need to encourage stability and progress in the Western Balkans.

As part of the discussion on fighting Covid-19, they talked about the important role of vaccination in protecting people and opening of economies. They agreed about the importance of fight against misinformation regarding vaccines.

Ahead of the COP26 summit in October, Johnson said that all countries should adopt concrete commitments to fighting climate change, to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and to abandoning the use of coal.

Predsednik vlade ?? @JJansaSDS se danes na povabilo predsednika vlade ?? @BorisJohnson mudi na delovnem obisku v Londonu. Po jutranjih sestankih z @trussliz in @NCSC je premier prispel pred rezidenco in urad britanskega premierja @10DowningStreet. pic.twitter.com/kizkmbYGsi
— Vlada Republike Slovenije (@vladaRS) September 30, 2021

The Prime Minister welcomed Prime Minister @JJansaSDS of Slovenia to Downing Street today.

They discussed the strength of the UK-Slovenian relationship over the last 30 years, including in trade and our shared foreign policy work.

➡️ https://t.co/mO9QMwIDxv

?? ?? pic.twitter.com/aqPqAKpgen
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) September 30, 2021

According to the office, Prime Minister Johnson praised the commitments taken by Slovenia so far in this field.

He also expressed concern about the Northern Ireland Protocol and its effect on the residents of Northern Ireland. He said the EU should make an effort to find a lasting solution to the problem that would not undermine the Good Friday Agreement.

Janša first met Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss, with whom he talked about bilateral relations, topical international issues and the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Slovenian prime minister and Truss also discussed ways to boost business ties, fight against cyber threats and deepen cultural relations.

Accompanied by Minister of State for Middle East and North Africa James Cleverly, Janša then visited the National Cyber Security Centre to meet its leadership.

International cooperation in cyber security issues is of key importance for protection from all hybrid threats, the office of the Slovenian prime minister said.

Janša also met Joao Vale de Almeida, the ambassador of the EU to the UK, over a working lunch.

The prime minister's office assessed that bilateral relations with the UK are very good and friendly, with today's visit meaning that political dialogue at the highest level is being intensified.

The UK is the 20th largest trade partner to Slovenia, and the volume of investments increases on both sides. Last year, direct investments from the UK stood at EUR 501 million, which makes the UK the 9th largest foreign investor in Slovenia.

01 Oct 2021, 04:35 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Friday, 1 October 2021

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:

STA director Bojan Veselinovič resigns amidst funding row

LJUBLJANA - STA director Bojan Veselinovič resigned after turning down a draft public service agreement proposed by the Government Communication Office (UKOM) that he described as damaging for the agency. "I will never participate in the trampling of journalistic autonomy," he said. The bodies representing staff at the STA urged those responsible to reinstate public funding in full compliance with the law while preserving the agency's institutional autonomy and editorial independence. The Association of Journalists raised alarm and urged the government to restore financing, the Trade Union of Journalists said it will start preparing for a strike should funding not be restored, while the rival Association of Journalists and Commentators (ZNP) sees Veselinovič's resignation as an opportunity for UKOM and STA to reach a funding deal. The European Commission expressed concern about the situation and urged the government to take decisive action to stop and reverse the current trends. Calls for a solution also came from President Bourut Pahor and opposition political parties.

Top court stays PC rule for civil servants

LJUBLJANA - The Constitutional Court stayed the government's regulation under which state administration employees would have to be either Covid-19 reconvalescent or vaccinated (PC) to come to work starting from Friday. Public Administration Minister Boštjan Koritnik regretted the decision, but said he would respect it so that the new rule would not come into effect as planned tomorrow. The decision was taken in response to a motion by a police trade union, one of several to challenge the regulation. Prime Minister Janez Janša and Interior Minister Aleš Hojs said the decision meant the majority on the Constitutional Court assumed responsibility for the spread of Covid-19 and deaths.

Janša and Johnson talk bilateral and EU-UK ties London

LONDON, UK - Prime Minister Janez Janša paid a working visit to the United Kingdom for talks his British counterpart Boris Johnson. Bilateral political ties, fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and the EU-UK relations topped the agenda. Janša and Johnson also discussed cooperation in light of Slovenia's EU presidency and the presidency of the UK of the COP26 climate conference, and topical foreign policy issues, in particular Afghanistan and the Western Balkans. Janša also discussed similar topics with Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss and visited the National Cyber Security Centre.

Heavy rain caused nightly chaos

LJUBLJANA - Record rains that pummelled Ljubljana during the night caused extensive flooding, with basements flooded in hundreds of residential, industrial and educational buildings. In just one hour one weather station in Ljubljana recorded 94 millimetres of rain, the highest ever recorded in the capital, overwhelming the sewage systems. The Ljubljana emergency call centre alone received over 2,700 calls for assistance and flooding was reported in over 500 buildings around the city. The SNG Drama theatre and the Moderna Galerija museum of modern art were severely flooded and had to shut down. The UKC Ljubljana medical centre and the public broadcaster also sustained severe damage but saw no major disruption.

Zorčič says Slovenia supports minority's efforts to enjoy full rights in Austria

KLAGENFURT, Austria - Speaker Igor Zorčič attended a conference on development of ethnic minority rights to stress that Slovenia supported efforts by the Slovenian minority to have its minority rights regulated systemically. "It is Slovenia's great ambition for the position of the autochtonous Slovenian national community in neighbouring countries to improve and the country advocates consistent respect of international legislation governing the protection and implementation of their rights," he said according to the National Assembly.

Hojs addresses convention of European police commissioners

THE HAGUE, Netherlands - Interior Minister Aleš Hojs noted good cooperation between Slovenia and Europol as he addressed a two-day convention of European police commissioners in The Hague. The event discussed international police cooperation, aspects of operative cooperation and challenges of police work. Hojs said the Slovenian presidency's was seeking to reach an agreement with the European Parliament as soon as possible on a regulation that would give the European Police Office (Europol) additional powers.

New cases flat on weekly level

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 1,028 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, a figure that is broadly flat on the week before. The share of positive PCR tests was however lower, at under 18%. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 population dropped by 14 to 604. Government data show there are currently 420 patients in hospital, up slightly from yesterday, of whom 109 are in intensive care, four fewer than yesterday. Five patients with Covid-19 died.

Committee confirms bill on pharmacies in a tweaked form

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Health Committee confirmed changes to the pharmacy practice act, albeit in a significantly changed form than originally envisaged. Many of the articles were dropped, including the controversial proposal that would allow opening new pharmacies or subsidiaries within a distance of less than 400 metres in urban areas and at least five kilometres in other areas. Meanwhile, the proposal to lift the ban on vertical integration of pharmacies and drug wholesalers was retained, but in a changed form.

Adrian Ježina of Telemach named 2021 Manager of the Year

PORTOROŽ - The Managers' Association presented the Manager of the Year award to Adrian Ježina, the president of the management board of Telemach, the fastest-growing mobile operator in Slovenia. The association credits him with an "exceptional transformation" of the company that improved its business results and increased market share. The award was presented at the Manager Congress in Portorož.

Public deficit, debt narrow in second quarter

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's public finances improved significantly in the second quarter of 2021 due to faster economic growth and higher revenue. The general government deficit narrowed to 5.8% of GDP from 8.3% in the first quarter, whereas consolidated debt was down by six percentage points to 80% of GDP, show Statistics Office data. Overall revenue growth outpaced expenditure growth on robust tax revenue, which increased by almost 20%.

Annual inflation at 2.4% in September on higher petrol prices

LJUBLJANA - The annual inflation rate in Slovenia in September reached 2.4% as the prices of petroleum products continued to rise. On the monthly level a deflation of 0.1% was recorded, largely due to lower prices of package holidays, the Statistics Office said. Measured with the harmonised index of consumer prices, an EU gauge, consumer prices rose by 2.7% year-on-year, and by 0.5% at the monthly level.

Terme Čatež bounces back to H1 profit

ČATEŽ OB SAVI - The group around the spa operator Terme Čatež recorded EUR 5.1 million in revenue in the first half of the year, down 9% year-on-year, while posting EUR 3.7 million in net profit, bouncing back from a EUR 3.9 million net loss. The improvement is primarily a result of the sale of the operator of Marina Portorož. The group also reduced operating loss from the first half of 2020 by a third to EUR 2.2 million, shows a report published by Terme Čatež.

Museum at ex-Nazi POW camp partly opens

MARIBOR - A renovated 1941 railway wagon was inaugurated in Maribor to mark 80 years since first prisoners from Nazi camps were brought to Slovenia aboard such trains. The Train of Memory opened in front of the WWII International Research Centre, located at a former Nazi camp for prisoners of war. The camp is being turned into a museum. With today's event, which was also attended by President Borut Pahor, the museum opened for groups such as school children, with the opening for all due next year.

Brežice wins 2022 European City of Sport title

BREŽICE - Brežice has become the first Slovenian municipality to win the title of European City of Sport in the category of communities with fewer than 25,000 residents, which is awarded by the European Capitals and Cities of Sport Federation. The municipality will formally receive the title at an event at the European Parliament in Brussels in December.

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