30 Sep 2021, 14:52 PM

Floods Close SNG Drama Ljubljana and Moderna Galerija Until Further Notice (Video)

STA, 30 September 2021 - The torrential rainfall that hit the capital last night caused significant damage to the SNG Drama Ljubljana, the country's leading theatre, and the Moderna Galerija, the national museum of modern and contemporary art. Both are closed until further notice. The damage caused is yet to be estimated.

Water started pouring in through the roof of SNG Drama last night just as a play was being staged, the theatre's spokesman Jernej Pristov told the STA.

The water flowed in streams to the stage and backstage, so the show had to be interrupted, the audience evacuated and electricity shut off.

"The water was flowing in the hallways, got in to the upper and lower boxes, into the Šugman lounge and the coffee shop. A lot of it was caught near the box office, where it flooded computer equipment as well," said Pristov.

Luckily, the lights and other computer equipment were not damaged, he said.

The theatre has already had problems with water coming into the lower parts of the building, and with dampness.

Pristov said that they had acted quickly to prevent mould. Since this morning, dehumidifiers are being used to suck out the dampness.

As repair work is under way, the shows scheduled for tonight and tomorrow evening have been cancelled and there are also no rehearsals in the building today.

At Moderna Galerija, the right wing of the building was particularly affected, where an exhibition of Pablo Picasso's illustrations was to open today.

With much effort the art works were protected and removed from the rooms on time, the museum said in a press release.

"The building currently does not allow for the exhibition to be set up again," it added.

The water also poured into depositories, so firefighters helped staff in their efforts to save the art pieces. Most of the works were rescued.

Since the building's roof, rooms and electric wiring were damaged, the museum is temporarily closed. The extent of the damage will be estimated in the coming days.

All art pieces that have been exposed to flooding will also be carefully examined, the museum said.

30 Sep 2021, 12:12 PM

New Chief Supervisor for Slovenia’s Public Broadcaster

STA, 29 September 2021 - The supervisory board of the public broadcaster RTV Slovenija elected on Wednesday Janez Čadež its chair. The board's term expires next January, RTVS said.

Until April, the supervisory board had been led by Andrej Grah Whatmough, who then took over as RTVS director general.

At the end of August, the supervisors elected a new chief supervisor, Danilo Tomšič. Six out of the 11 members were present at the session and four submitted written proposals. At the same session, the supervisors tasked Grah Whatmough to immediately report on the legitimacy of his actions, including dismissing the director of the public broadcaster's TV programme section.

But Grah Whatmough quoted a legal firm in saying that the session had been illegal due for procedural reasons, so all its decisions were null and void.

Deputy chief supervisor Borut Rončević filed a law suit to challenge the decisions made at the session on 25 August. The RTVS management also said these decisions were null and void.

On Tuesday, the government dismissed Matjaž Medved and Petra Majer as representatives of the founders in the supervisory board, and appointed Anton Tomažič and Milenko Ziherl in their place.

Medved and Majer were appointed by the Miro Cerar government in 2018.

A group of RTVS supervisors said today that the dismissal of the two supervisors had no affect and that they were still members of the supervisory board. They argued that a similar government decree on their dismissal from April 2020 had been stayed by the Supreme Court.

The pair also announced they would use all legal means available to determine whether the government move had been legal.

Tomšič said that at today's session, which in line with the rules of procedures was non-existent, "the new majority elected a 'new' chief supervisor ..."

The RTVS supervisory board is 11-member strong. Five members are appointed by the National Assembly, four by the government and two by employees.

30 Sep 2021, 07:55 AM

Heavy Rain Causes Trouble Across Slovenia (Videos)

STA, 30 September 2021 - Record rains that pummelled the capital Ljubljana and eastern Slovenia on Wednesday 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 and in what the Environment Agency has described on Twitter as a "once in two centuries event".

Goričko in the east received a similar amount of rainfall.

The Ljubljana emergency call centre alone received over 2,700 calls for assistance and flooding was reported in over 500 buildings around the city.

Several schools were flooded, as was the SNG Drama theatre in the centre of the city and multiple industrial buildings.

Na Sotinskem bregu in v Ljubljani včeraj popoldne oziroma zvečer rekorden naliv. Na Sotinskem bregu je postaja izmerila 58 mm v 30 minutah in 76 mm v 60 minutah. 15-letni rekord je doslej znašal "le" 34 oziroma 37 mm. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/dyvMqDRdEU
— ARSO vreme (@meteoSI) September 30, 2021

Firefighters had to intervene more than 300 times in Ljubljana alone.

In eastern Slovenia buildings were flooded in Beltinci, Cankova, Lendava, Celje, Laško, Ljutomer, Murska Sobota, Odranci, Puconci and Rogašovci.

There have been no report of casualties.

30 Sep 2021, 07:46 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Thursday, 30 September 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:

Slovenia suspends use of J&J coronavirus vaccine

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, Health Minister Janez Poklukar announced. The move was proposed by the special advisory group for vaccination at the National Institute of Public Health and the suspension will be in place until all the circumstances of the woman's death have been cleared up. Bojana Beović, the head of the advisory group, said it would take at least a week to investigate the death.

Parliament approves EUR 2bn in healthcare investment by 2031

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly endorsed by 68 votes in favour and two against 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, EUR 557 million for development and modernisation of general hospitals, nursing hospitals and community health centres across the country. The step is "a guarantee that our healthcare will continue to be public, universal and accessible in 2031", Health Minister Janez Poklukar had told MPs.

New uptick in Covid with 1,339 cases on Tuesday

LJUBLJANA - After eight days of decline, Slovenia's daily coronavirus case count rose again week-on-week with 1,339 new infections confirmed on Tuesday, 13% more than a week ago. The test positivity rate yesterday was 20.9%. Data from the National Institute of Public Health shows the tally pushed the 7-day average up by 22 to 861, while the 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents dropped by one to 618. The government said that the number of patients hospitalised with Covid-19 has dropped further to 403 this morning as the number of those in intensive care rose to 114 and four patients died.

Govt highlights investment growth in budget documents

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. All the revised budget proposals and other relevant documents need to be submitted to parliament for confirmation by Friday. The proposals reflect the forecast of a fast economic rebound, as a result of which the general government deficit is to be reduced fast. The government proposes the general government spending ceiling increases to EUR 26.1 billion in 2022 and to EUR 25.98 billion in 2023, said a press release by the Government Communication Office.

Police use water canon at protest against Covid pass mandate

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. The protesters demanded an end to Covid restrictions and an immediate government resignation. They were critical of media reporting and obstructed some journalist crews reporting from the scene with journalist organisations raising concern over this. PM Janez Janša said attacks, threats and violations of Covid-19 rules were not the constitutional right to assembly.

Prime Minister Janša due in London Thursday for working visit

LJUBLJANA - PM Janez Janša will be on a working visit to the UK on Thursday for talks with British counterpart Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss. A number of bilateral and international issues will be on the agenda. The main topics include the deepening of bilateral political cooperation, the fight against Covid-19, EU-UK relations, and international topics such as Afghanistan and the Western Balkans, according to Janša's office. Bilateral relations are "very good and friendly" and the visit represents "an intensification of political dialogue at the highest level", it said.

Slovenia to buy 100,000 doses of Janssen vaccine from Hungary

LJUBLJANA - The government decided at Tuesday's correspondence session to purchase an additional 100,000 doses of the Janssen Covid-19 vaccine from Hungary. The government said that, based on the current epidemiological situation and the interest in vaccination expressed by Slovenian residents, it would make an agreement with Hungary to buy the mentioned quantity. Hungary's stock of the Janssen vaccine currently exceeds the actual demand. The price of the vaccine equals the price offered by the producer directly, the Government Communication Office added in the press release.

MPs pass changes to pension legislation to remedy injustices

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly unanimously 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. The changes to the pension and disability insurance act, put forward by the opposition Left, concern some 9,800 people, of whom 2,800 have already retired.

Survey unemployment rate fell below 4% in August

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, show data released by the Statistics Office. The office estimates about 40,000 people aged 15 to 74 were out of a job in August. Women represented 55% of the unemployed and men 45%. This puts the joblessness rate among women at 4.7%, compared to 3.3% for men.

Mask rule being relaxed somewhat

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 (PCT) or in situations and settings when everyone is immunised against Covid either through vaccination or recovery. Masks have so far not been mandatory for guests seated at the same table in hospitality establishments. Now the exception is being expanded to all settings where food or drinks are sold or served such as cinemas or receptions.

Počivalšek says Expo good framework for ambitious promotion of businesses

LJUBLJANA - Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek told the STA in an interview ahead of Friday's opening of Expo 2020 in Dubai that Slovenia is well prepared for the event, which will be an opportunity to showcase the country's potential and for the presentation of more than 100 companies in a region where many opportunities are cropping up. "I'm happy that we are following up on the bold decision that we took for Expo 2015 in Milan. Our economy needs a framework in which it can be presented in an ambitious manner," he said.

Decarbonisation of economy must be balanced, says Počivalšek

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Decarbonisation of the economy must be evenly spread across sectors and EU countries, said Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek after a session of EU ministers in charge of competitiveness, who gathered in Brussels to discuss the impact of the Fit for 55 package on the competitiveness of the European economy. The ministers agreed that an abundant availability of affordable decarbonised electricity is a prerequisite for the success of Fit for 55 and the green transition, he said.

EU Military Committee talks military capability in Postojna

POSTOJNA - Slovenia hosted a session of the European Union Military Committee (EUMC) in Postojna as part of its EU presidency. The participants discussed the EU's military rapid reaction capability and possible solutions to strengthen the committee from a military perspective, the General Staff of the Slovenian army said. The participants discussed the situation in Afghanistan, among other issues.

Slovenia hosts EU non-proliferation and disarmament directors

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia hosted an informal meeting of EU non-proliferation and disarmament directors as part of its EU presidency, the Foreign Ministry said. The annual meeting focussed on strategic issues and the challenges of the global regime of oversight over weapons of mass destruction. The talks focussed on the preparations for the tenth review conference of the parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

Slovenia-Carinthia Committee discusses cooperation

KLAGENFURT, Austria - FM Anže Logar and Carinthia Governor Peter Kaiser chaired a session of the Slovenia-Carinthia Committee in Klagenfurt, which set out the course for future cooperation between Slovenia and the Austrian state of Carinthia in several areas of joint interest. The two sides agreed to continue cooperation in transport, environment protection and spatial planning, and in protection against natural and other disasters, the Slovenian Foreign Ministry said after the session.

Govt donates 40 kilometres of border fence to Lithuania

LJUBLJANA - The government decided to donate 40 kilometres of border fence to Lithuania, which today started erecting a 508-kilometre border fence on its border with Belarus. According to the Government Communication Office, Slovenia thus responded to Lithuania's request for aid with the erection of physical obstacles on the border with Belarus, as the latter country has been faced with illegal migration from there since the beginning of the year.

Environment Agency acting head gets full term

LJUBLJANA - The acting head of the Environment Agency, Joško Knez, was appointed for a full term at a government session. His five-year term starts on 1 October. Knez was already at the helm of the agency between March 2013 and November 2018 and had also served as the acting head prior to this period.

Public broadcaster gets new chief supervisor

LJUBLJANA - The supervisory board of the public broadcaster RTV Slovenija elected Janez Čadež its chair. The board's term expires next January, RTVS said. This came after the government dismissed Matjaž Medved and Petra Majer as representatives of the founders in the supervisory board, and appointed Anton Tomažič and Milenko Ziherl in their place. A group of RTVS supervisors argued the dismissal of the two supervisors had no affect with the pair announcing they would challenge the move.

Report shows Slovenia must make climate neutrality top priority

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia can achieve climate neutrality by the middle of the 21st century if it makes cutting greenhouse gas emissions and transition to climate neutrality a top priority and if it immediately enhances implementation of climate measures, says the Climate Mirror 2021 report, a collaboration of the Centre for Energy Efficiency at the Jožef Stefan Institute (IJS) and partners in the LIFE Climate Path 2050 project. It adds that the country's attainment of the set goals in 2020 was "encouraging", as the country will meet two of the three binding goals.

Cost effectiveness in focus of bank consolidation

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian banking system has been rapidly consolidating in recent years, the focus being on cost effectiveness, heard a debate organised by the Alumni Club of the Ljubljana School of Business and Economy and the STA. Bankers noted the process had been beneficial and central bankers highlighted the need to strike a balance. Vice-governor of Slovenia's central bank Primož Dolenc said what was required was the right measure to ensure financial stability.

AGRFT academy finally in its own premises

LJUBLJANA - The Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television (AGRFT) has moved to its new premises in Aškerčeva Road in Ljubljana after years of efforts to secure an adequate facility. Some of its departments are meanwhile at the new premises in Trubarjeva Street. The entire AGRFT project - the renovation of the building in Aškerčeva and the purchase of a building in Trubarjeva - cost EUR 21.9 million. AGRFT Dean Tomaž Gubenšek said the academy would now like to become a cultural centre of the University of Ljubljana and beyond.

29 Sep 2021, 23:13 PM

Water Cannon Used on Ljubljana COVID Pass Protestors (Videos)

STA, 29 September 2021 - A group of several thousand protesters again gathered in Ljubljana on Wednesday 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 cannon.

The rally started in the city centre but since the parliament building was fenced off and police started restricting movement in near-by streets, the crowd moved to Celovška Street and continued all the way to the Ljubljana ring road, blocking traffic as it progressed accompanied by a police helicopter.

Police used a water cannon and according to media reports also tear gas to disperse the crowd, which however turned back towards the city centre again and continued rallying in Republic Square. Now, most of the protesters have dispersed.

The Ljubljana police department said the protesters had been asked to leave the site for their own security.

The protesters opposing the recovered-vaccinated-tested (PCT) requirement today raised the issue of the death of a 20-year-old, who died within a fortnight after receiving a shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Her father addressed the crowd.

The rally demanded immediate lifting of the PCT requirement and immediate government resignation.

Protesters were also critical of media reporting, and obstructed some journalist crews reporting from the scene, including the teams of commercial TV stations Kanal A and POP TV. They were throwing different objects at them and spat on them. A security guard accompanying the teams sustained light injuries.

A group of protesters also stopped in front of the building of public broadcaster RTV Slovenija, where police also used the water cannon.

The Slovenian Association of Journalists (DNS) responded by urging people to respect the work of journalists in the field and not put them in danger, as they are merely doing their job. It also called on media outlets and police to provide for the safety of journalist crews working in the field.

The Association of Journalists and Commentators (ZNP) also expressed concern over the violence against journalists, saying it had become a regular feature at protests. Since cameras recorded the attack on the journalist crews today, the ZNP expects police to find the perpetrator and take appropriate action.

Prime Minister Janez Janša commented on the events on Twitter by saying that attacks, threats and violations of Covid-19 rules were not the constitutional right to assembly. "The leadership of the Ljubljana police is obviously not capable of preventive action, it's time for the Interior Ministry to take action," he tweeted.

29 Sep 2021, 14:16 PM

Use of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Suspended in Slovenia After Young Woman’s Death

STA, 29 September 2021 - Slovenia on Wednesday 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, Health Minister Janez Poklukar announced.

The move was proposed by the special advisory group for vaccination at the National Institute of Public Health and the suspension will be in place until all the circumstances of the woman's death have been cleared up, according to Poklukar.

Bojana Beović, the head of the advisory group, said it would take at least a week to investigate the death.

Unlike in several other countries, where the Johnson & Johnson vaccine (also known as the Janssen vaccine) is administered only to older patients, it was available to anyone over the age of 18 in Slovenia, with the exception of pregnant women.

Indeed, the vaccine surged in popularity in recent weeks after the government decided that those vaccinated qualify for the Covid pass, which is now mandatory for almost all services, the next day after receiving the shot.

This provided the fastest way to get the coveted Covid pass; for all other vaccines, the Covid pass took effect after the second dose.

Beović said this was not recommended by the advisory group, while Poklukar said the decision was motivated by the desire that the rules are the same for all vaccines.

A total of 120,000 Slovenian have been vaccinated with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and just yesterday the government announced it was buying another 100,000 doses from Hungary to meet the high demand.

The 20-year-old's death due to brain haemorrhaging and blood clots is the second reported case of serious adverse effects concerning coronavirus vaccines in Slovenia. Another young woman had serious adverse effects but recovered.

Poklukar was quick to point out that there have been only two serious cases among the almost million vaccinated Slovenians, whereas nearly 4,900 people with Covid had died, of which almost a hundred in September alone.

"I have to emphasise that we have so far vaccinated 120,000 people with the Janssen vaccine and that the benefits of vaccination outweigh potential risks," he said.

The Johnson & Johnson jab is one of two vector-based vaccines that has been used in Slovenia. Beović said it might make sense to consider no longer providing the AstraZeneca jab and focusing only on the mRNA vaccines.

29 Sep 2021, 12:45 PM

Bovec Golf Course Owner Invents Tennigolf, Offers World’s First Course

STA, 29 September 2021 - A Slovenian sports aficionado has come up with a new hybrid sport, a mix between tennis, golf and footgolf that he calls tennigolf. The game is played on a golf course with a racket and a tennis ball, while the target is a footgolf hole half a metre in diameter.

"Tennigolf is a new sport that nobody in the world has registered or patented," Aleksander Kravanja, the inventor of the sport and owner of the Bovec Golf Course, said at the sport's world premiere yesterday.

The Bovec Golf Course has been offering footgolf for a several years now and has even hosted an international competition and national championships in the increasingly popular sport.

According to Kravanja, tennigolf is more accessible than golf, which requires a lot of skill, or footgolf, which requires between three and five kicks of a football for a single hole.

Bovec is currently the only place where it can be played, but next year the plan is to introduce it at several more courses across Slovenia.

In the coming weeks, the new sport will also get more precise rules and a handicap system.

There are quite a few hybrids between golf and other sports. Disc golf is particularly popular and players have five courses available in Slovenia.

Footgolf is much more recent but has exploded in popularity, with an estimated 120,000 active players worldwide at the moment.

Kravanja, 51, took a liking to footgolf several years ago.

"I started with golf and then I realised that other activities can be performed on a golf course. I tried footgolf and I realised people were enthralled with the sport... I'm sure tennigolf will thrive as well and in the future we'll be able to say that Bovec is the homeland of tennigolf," he said.

Visit the Bovec Golf Course

29 Sep 2021, 09:21 AM

Janssen Vaccine May Be Suspended in Slovenia After 20-Yr Old Suffers Stroke

According to RTV Slovenia (and multiple other sources), Slovenia is considering suspending use of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine after an incident involving a 20-year old woman. While initial reports had claimed the woman had died a few weeks after receiving the vaccine, UKC Ljubljana then clarified that woman remains alive, although in a critical condition.

The case has been referred to the NIJZ (National Institute of Public Health) as indicating a possible side effect of the vaccine. UKC Ljubljana stressed that while no direct link has been found, there’s a reasonable suspicion of a causal link between the vaccination and the woman’s stroke.

So far just under 120,000 people have received the Janssen vaccine in Slovenia. One other woman under 50 was previously reported as suffering from a serious complication after receiving the vaccine in Slovenia, and she then recovered. In contrast, the wife of a Slovenian diplomat who received the Janssen vaccine in Brussels in May died shortly after, with the investigating commission concluding a direct connection between the events.

The head of Slovenia’s vaccine advisory group, Bojana Beović, responded to the news of the latest incident by saying that despite the low level of risk she personally favoured suspending the use of the Janssen vaccine.

News of the young woman’s cases came on the same day Slovenia announced that it has purchased an additional 100,000 doses of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine from Hungary.

29 Sep 2021, 04:10 AM

Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Wednesday, 29 September 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:

Centre-left parties sign post-election pact

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. The agreement says that other parties can be invited to join the government coalition after the election if all four parties give their consent. Party leads said the goal was to lead a government that does things differently than the current government.

Pahor and Levits urge strengthening EU and enlargement

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor received his Latvian counterpart Egils Levits. The pair highlighted 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. "That would not only be good for the development of these countries but also, at this moment, for security and stability itself," said Pahor. Levits said they also agreed that the situation in the region was worrying and that there was a real need for the EU taking action.

EU research ministers adopt resolutions on global approach to research, innovation

BRUSSELS, Belgium - 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. "Our goal is an effective and inclusive European Research Area that would bring faster social progress and greater resilience and competitiveness of Europe," she said. The ministers have urged the EU Commission to sign agreements on the association of third countries to the Horizon Europe programme.

Restructuring seen as biggest challenge for Zasavje

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. Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek said Zasavje would get a third of the EUR 250 million in just transition funds for the restructuring of mining regions, and the ministry would also earmark a million euro for better management of business zones. Companies from the region can hope for a share of the EU's recovery and resilience funds as well. In Trbovlje, government officials were picketed by several hundred protesters chanting anti-government slogans.

Top court to deliberate on Covid pass rule for civil servants Thursday

LJUBLJANA - The Constitutional Court will deliberate Thursday on a petition from a police trade union challenging the government's regulation mandating that state administration employees not working from home be either Covid-19 reconvalescent or vaccinated from 1 October. The SPS union of police officers said the court would decide whether to stay the regulation pending its final decision. The recovered-vaccinated rule for state administration employees is being challenged by a number of unions.

Downward coronavirus trend preserved

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia recorded 1,037 new coronavirus cases on Monday as the slow decline in the curve of infections continues, data from the National Institute of Public Health shows. Nine Covid-19 patients died. The 7-day average of new cases dropped by 39 from the day before to 839 and the 14-day incidence per 100,000 was down by 17 to 619. Data released by the government shows 419 Covid-19 patients were treated in hospitals this morning, seven fewer than yesterday; 107 were in intensive care.

Finger-pointing as MPs debate violent protests

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Home Policy Committee on Monday discussed the violent protests in front of parliament on 15 September, with part of the coalition MPs seeking the causes for violence in the weekly anti-government protests that are supposedly instigated by certain opposition deputies. The opposition rejected these allegations. The committee adopted several resolutions, condemning all violent protests, urging for punishment of perpetrators and legislative changes to hold organisers accountable.

Slovenia gets EUR 4.8 million in Brexit adjustment funds

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Slovenia will get EUR 4.8 million under an EUR 5 billion adjustment instrument for member states hit by Brexit that the Council approved on Tuesday. Slovenia's allocation is the lowest among all member states. The calculations for each member states took into account the importance of trade with the UK, the importance of fisheries in the UK's exclusive economic zone, and the importance of neighbouring links for the maritime border regions with the UK.

New sources for EU budget financing discussed at conference

LJUBLJANA - An inter-parliamentary conference on stability, economic coordination and governance in the EU discussed a global digital tax and taxation of carbon-ridden imports as potential new sources to finance the EU budget. Slovenian Finance Minister Andrej Šircelj pointed to the debate on the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, saying imported goods would better reflect their content of carbon. "This will be one of the important candidates for new sources of the European budget when it comes to green policy."

Prosecution files charges against two for inciting hatred in political magazine

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. The individuals, the author of the piece Aleksander Škorc and Demokracija editor-in-chief Jože Biščak, could face up to two years in prison. Biščak said in response that the piece was within the framework of freedom of expression protected by Article 10 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights.

Commercial real estate prices up in second quarter

LJUBLJANA - Prices of commercial properties - offices and retail spaces - increased by 1.1% in the second quarter of 2021 compared to the first quarter, the Statistics Office reported. The prices of retail spaces (shopping areas of all types and sizes, including restaurants, bars, hairdresser, dry cleaning, gyms) rose by 1.6% in what was the third consecutive quarterly rise. The prices of retail spaces were thus the highest after 2015 - 6.8% above the 2015 average.

Janša climbs Europe's tallest chimney

TRBOVLJE - Prime Minister Janez Janša climbed the disused chimney of the Trbovlje power station on the eve of the government's visit to the central region of Zasavje in what he said was a tribute to the region's mining tradition. The 360-metre-high chimney is arguably the tallest in Europe. Janša posted photos of the feat on his Twitter profile, saying the climbing party were not deterred by light rain in honouring the memory of the mining tradition of Trbovlje and Zasavje.

Klemen Pisk wins Lithuanian translation award

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian translator Klemen Pisk is this year's recipient of the St Jerome Prize conferred for translation of Lithuanian literature. Pisk is the first Slovenian to receive this prize, which has been given out since 2006 by the Lithuanian Culture Ministry and the Association of Lithuanian Literary Translators. A translator, writer and musician, Pisk has translated from Lithuanian for almost 20 years, while also translating from Polish and Czech.

28 Sep 2021, 14:41 PM

Slovenia to Get €4.8mn from EU’s €5bn Brexit Adjustment Fund

STA, 28 September 2021 - Slovenia will get EUR 4.8 million under an EUR 5 billion adjustment instrument for member states hit by Brexit that the Council approved on Tuesday. Slovenia's allocation is the lowest among all member states.

The calculations for each member state took into account the importance of trade with the UK, the importance of fisheries in the UK's exclusive economic zone, and the importance of neighbouring links for the maritime border regions with the UK.

"The prompt adoption of the reserve means that the much needed funding will soon be made available to the worst affected European regions and companies, especially SMEs and their workers," Zvonko Černač, Slovenian minister for development and European cohesion policy, said on behalf of the Slovenian EU presidency.

"Our goal is to help the most vulnerable navigate through a difficult period of adjustment to the aftermath of Brexit. This demonstrates solidarity by all member states with the most affected areas," he said.

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