STA, 21 July 2021 - The Administrative Court has granted the STA's request to stay the implementation of the regulation adopted by the government in June that introduces detailed rules governing the public service provided by the STA and its financing, which the STA is challenging on the grounds of its being unlawful.

While the court is yet to decide substantively on the suit brought by the Slovenian Press Agency (STA), it decided to suspend its implementation pending a final decision arguing the arguments and documents presented by the STA indicate the likelihood of the agency sustaining damage that would be hard to repair if the challenged regulation was enforced.

The court notes that in arguing its case the STA has proved it has not received any payment for the public service this year from the government as defendant, where the Government Communication Office (UKOM) argues the reason for non-payment is that it has not signed any agreement with the plaintiff and has thus assumed no liability for payment.

The court also accepted as valid the agency's argument that the government or UKOM on its behalf is trying to force the agency into singing an agreement based on the regulation it is challenging with the threat of continued non-financing.

Since appropriate financing of the public service is essential for the agency to continue as a going concern, the court upheld the STA's argument that with the enforcement of the regulation the agency would sustain hard to repair damage.

The court established that with revenue from commercial services alone, the STA cannot cover even labour expenses, let alone other expenses, which could lead to its insolvency and ultimately to bankruptcy.

The court notes that STA financing is regulated in Article 20 of the STA act, thus the government as the defendant cannot invoke the challenged regulation as a means by which it would authorize UKOM to provide financing to the STA or that potential suspension of the regulation would stay all procedures as UKOM's powers would cease.

In response to the government's argument that the STA's existence is no longer jeopardised after the STA sold its claims against the founder, the court says only one monthly claim from May 2021 has been sold, which given the agency's dire financial state does not yet mean it is not facing the threat of hard to repair damage.

STA director Bojan Veselinovič hailed the court's decision as "yet another confirmation by the judicial branch of power that the government should have financed us long ago, an obligation imposed on it by 7th Covid relief act".

The act stipulates that the government provide financing to the STA this year in accordance with the agency's business plan regardless of whether an agreement has been signed or not.

"Nevertheless, the STA has been negotiating on its content, but not in ill faith like UKOM, which has drawn up a wording of the agreement without taking into consideration any of our key remarks. It was sent to us on Tuesday afternoon with an ultimatum for us to sign it by today, which suggests that the plaintiff may have been notified of the court's decision by then," said Veselinovič.

Since the proposed agreement was based on a regulation that was now stayed, the STA management will in a formal response to UKOM today call for financing to be provided immediately in line with the law.

Veselinovič said that the STA will also demand of UKOM to pay the promised advance even before the resumption of new talks, without setting any conditions, saying the agency's future is at stake.

The STA has notified the European Commission and international public on the latest developments.

Responding to the court's decision, UKOM rejected Veselinovič's claim that the STA's remarks had not been taken into account, arguing that several remarks had been included in the agreement.

It also said the STA continued to flaunt its public service obligation by refusing to let any media use content published as part of the public service, which is "a clear violation of the law".

The STA has argued in the negotiations that its public service license does not amount to other media being able to simply republish content without payment, it merely meant certain content was not paywalled.

According to UKOM, the proposed agreement would have released funding, but this is not possible now, which is why it has had to reject the request for payment of the public service fee for June.

A new agreement can be signed once it is "adjusted to the new circumstances" and assuming the STA recognises UKOM as the representative of the founder, it said.

Before the government regulation was adopted, UKOM was not explicitly named as the government entity responsible for the STA, a point invoked by the STA in its refusal to hand over the documentation UKOM had requested. Once the regulation named UKOM as the entity responsible, it received the requested documentation.

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This summary is provided by the STA: 

EU environment ministers discuss biodiversity, pollinators

BRDO PRI KRANJU - A new proposal for a global framework for biodiversity after 2020 was in the focus of the closing day of the informal meeting of EU environment ministers. Minister Andrej Vizjak said that "the time is to stop the trend of declining biodiversity." He added that "ambitious global objectives should be set to contribute to preserving nature, protecting 30% of global land and oceans by 2030 and restoring degraded ecosystems."

Court stays govt regulation on STA

LJUBLJANA - The Administrative Court granted the STA's request to stay the implementation of a regulation adopted by the government in June that introduces detailed rules governing the public service provided by the STA. The court decided to suspend its implementation pending a final decision arguing the arguments and documents presented by the STA indicate the likelihood of the agency sustaining damage that would be hard to repair. STA director Bojan Veselinovič hailed the court's decision as "yet another confirmation ... that the government should have financed us long ago".

Post-resignation, aide issues sharp critique of Justice Ministry

LJUBLJANA - Anže Erbežnik voiced harsh criticism of the situation at the Ministry of Justice and of his former boss in his letter of resignation as a state secretary a day after his resignation was made public, saying he stepped down because he was unable to work respecting EU law, the rule of law and human rights. "As to the key issue of European delegated prosecutors, the ministry is trying to cover up for its own mistakes in the past unsuccessful appointment procedure, such as by censoring legal explanations to the media and other stakeholders," he said in the letter published by the newspaper Delo.

Daily coronavirus count passes 100

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia reported 111 coronavirus cases for Tuesday, the highest daily figure since mid-June, with the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) estimating there are now 838 active cases in the country. The rolling 7-day average of new daily cases has increased by four from the day earlier to 58 and the cumulative 14-day incidence per 100,000 residents rose by two to 39. Tuesday's cases were confirmed from 1,807 PCR tests, for a positivity rate of 6.1%, the highest since 12 June.

After Haemorrhagic fever, Tularemia infections appear in Slovenia

TOLMIN - The epidemic of the rodent-borne Haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in northern Primorska, caused by an increase in the number of mice, is beginning to slow down. However, another infectious disease is spreading in the same area in the west - 17 cases of Tularemia, also known as rabbit fever, have been confirmed so far, said the regional unit of the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) in Nova Gorica. The outbreak of the rare infectious disease, which has not been reported in the region for decades, probably originated from a small private water source.

STA, 20 July - The European Commission's second Rule of Law Report, released on Tuesday, raises concerns over Slovenia's failure to appoint on time its European delegated prosecutors. The situation of media freedom and pluralism in Slovenia has been deteriorating, the report warns, highlighting threats against journalists and the STA situation.

The annual report is also critical of Slovenia for what it sees as the "unjustifiably delayed" appointments of state prosecutors.

"The Slovenian justice system has seen some positive developments, including on issues raised in the 2020 Rule of law Report," the Commission said, pointing to a Constitutional Court ruling that declared parliamentary inquiry rules unconstitutional due to a lack of safeguards against encroachment on judicial independence.

Meanwhile, "challenges in proceedings relating to economic and financial crime cases remain", says the report, noting that the pandemic had exposed the need to step up distance communication tools in judiciary.

The Commission also sees further improvements in the legal and institutional frameworks for preventing and fighting corruption and protecting whistleblowers, saying that the independence and work of the Slovenian Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (KPK) have improved.

However, the anti-graft watchdog's shortage in human resources remains as do concerns over the effective enforcement of the anti-corruption rules. The Commission is also concerned over "the low number of convictions for corruption cases, especially for high-level instances".

When it comes to the situation of Slovenian media, the report highlights some alarming trends, warning that "online harassment of and threats against journalists are a growing source of concern, and several lawsuits against journalists with intimidating effects have been reported".

It also notes that concerns have been raised by Slovenian and foreign stakeholders due to "the refusal by the authorities to finance the Slovenian Press Agency for 2021".

The Commission points out that the independence of the media regulator or the Agency for Communication Networks and Services (AKOS) is ensured by law "but challenges remain regarding resources for its broad spectrum of tasks and commitment to further strengthen its independence".

The report also notes that the Slovenian Constitutional Court has improved its efficiency compared to the situation found in the first such report, released in September 2020, and has "played an active role in reviewing Covid-19 measures".

Civil society has meanwhile had to cope with several challenges that affect the work of NGOs, says the latest report.

The annual Rule of Law reports aim to be a preventive measure acknowledging challenges and seeking solutions. They focus on four pillars - judiciary, the national anti-corruption framework, media pluralism and media freedom, and the checks and balances system, taking into account the impact of Covid-19.

The primary aim of the latest Rule of Law Report was to de-escalate tensions among EU member states and dismiss allegations of double standards in assessing the situation in individual EU countries.

The Commission mostly sums up facts and assessments, but refrains from taking a stand in the reports. Unveiling the second report, the Commission even refrained from stating whether the rule of law situation had either improved or worsened across the EU or in individual member states.

The Slovenian EU presidency will lead dialogue among member states based on the latest report in the coming months.

A general debate on the situation of the rule of law in the entire EU is scheduled for October, whereas in November, the discussion will be dedicated to the situation in five member states whose turn it is according to alphabetical order - Italy, Croatia, Cyprus, Latvia and Lithuania.

A PDF of the full report

STA, 20 July 2021 - The latest survey by the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) shows that between 27.5% and 32.1% are still unwilling to get vaccinated against Covid-19. This is as almost 37% of the population has already been fully inoculated.

Releasing the 13th SI-PANDA survey on the impact of Covid-19 on people's lives, NIJZ noted that the proportion of fully-vaccinated people was steadily increasing.

The latest data on the NIJZ website shows that 36.5% of Slovenia's population has been fully vaccinated and 42% of the people have received their first dose.

Asked what would affect most their decision on getting the jab, most of those questioned said it would depend on whether there was sufficient data available on the vaccine being safe and effective, on whether the vaccine had been used for a while and on whether they would be able to choose between vaccines.

The main reasons cited by those unwilling to get vaccinated are concerns about side effects and the jab's long-term effect on their health and the belief that vaccines are not safe.

Nearly two out of three respondents (61.5%) reported that the pandemic had negatively impacted on their social contacts with their extended family and friends and just over one in three reported taking less exercise and as many saying their financial security had deteriorated.

On the other hand, those noticing a positive effect of the pandemic reported mainly taking more exercise.

The proportion of those who experienced stress increased compared with the CINDI survey conducted about a year ago. Nearly one fourth of respondents in the latest survey reported experiencing stress often or on a daily basis, about 7% more than in 2020.

Nearly three out of four of those who have had Covid-19 reported having issues still a month after recovering from the disease.

The survey is based on of WHO questionnaire, adapted to the Slovenia situation, which makes data internationally comparable.

STA, 20 July 2021 - Presenting the 2021 Rule of Law Report, European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova and Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders called on the Slovenian authorities on Tuesday to ensure a stable financing of the STA. Reynders pointed to potential measures in the wake of Slovenia's non-appointment of European delegated prosecutors come autumn.

Commission Vice President for Values and Transparency Jourova noted that she had openly criticised the precarious funding of the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) on a number of occasions. The STA provides public service and in line with Slovenian law such service should receive a stable financing so that journalists could do their work, she said.

The Commission is closely monitoring the situation. "We expect the Slovenian authorities will resume a stable financing," she told the press conference.

Jourova also commented on the recent campaign raising donations for the STA, saying that she liked the project, but as commissioner she also needed to stress that such a solution was not systemic and was as such unwelcome.

She said that the Commission's swift response in April to approve EUR 2.5 million in state aid to the STA, based on Slovenia's notification of these funds, showed Brussels believed it was key to provide sufficient funding for the agency.

Commissioner for Justice Reynders also highlighted the importance of a stable STA financing. According to him, the Commission insisted that the agency receive appropriate funding when it visited Slovenia at the start of the country's EU presidency.

Reynders again urged Slovenia to appoint its two European delegated prosecutors as soon as possible. If this will not happen, he will decide on measures post summer, he said.

The second Rule of Law Report raises concerns over Slovenia's failure to appoint prosecutors to the European Public Prosecutor's Office as well as over "unjustified delay" in appointing state prosecutors.

The Commission also voiced concern in the report about the deteriorating situation of media freedom and pluralism in Slovenia, warning about "online harassment of and threats against journalists" and lawsuits aimed at intimidating journalists.

Responding to the release of the report, European Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčič, who comes from Slovenia, told the STA that the Commission's main message in the report was to highlight serious concerns about the rule of law in Slovenia, particularly when it comes to the independence of prosecutors and media.

He highlighted the urgency of ensuring the STA's independence. "This is about two things - financing and preserving independence," he said, noting that the Commission was also clear in letting the Slovenian authorities know that the financing of the STA hence could not be subject to reducing its autonomy.

Asked why the report uses relatively mild warnings in the case of the STA funding given that the Commission has been known to voice concerns about the situation in a more direct manner, Lenarčič said that the report was straightforward in stating there is no funding for the agency even though it is required by law.

The report is mostly seen as a set of early-stage warnings, but if the situation in individual member states does not improve, the Commission has several mechanisms at its disposal to take action, he said.

Responding on Twitter, Prime Minister Janez Janša described Lenarčič's comments as political, adding that he had joined some individuals within the Commission who were trying to set conditions for EU recovery funds for Slovenia. "Luckily he remained a minority. It's the first known example of a commissioner trying to harm his own country directly," Janša tweeted.

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: 

Rule of law report raises alarm over prosecutors, media situation

BRUSSELS, Belgium - In its second Rule of Law Report, the European Commission's raised concerns over delays in Slovenia in the appointment of state prosecutors and the country's two European delegated prosecutors, as well as about deteriorating media freedom and pluralism. Presenting the report, Commission Vice President Vera Jourova and Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders called on the Slovenian authorities to ensure a stable financing of the STA. Reynders pointed to potential measures over non-appointment of European delegated prosecutors come autumn. Commissioner Janez Lenarčič, who comes from Slovenia, said the Commission had serious concerns about the rule of law in Slovenia.

EU ministers exchange views on Fit for 55, COP26 conference

BRDO PRI KRANJU - EU environment ministers conducted a preliminary exchange of opinions on Fit for 55, the EU's new energy and climate package, at an informal ministerial. Slovenia's Andrej Vizjak said the package was seen as a good basis for talks. "The guiding line has to be fairness among member states, solidarity, ambition and effectiveness," Vizjak said as he summed up the proceedings. The ministers also discussed preparations for the UN climate conference COP26 in Glasgow in November with Vizjak pledging Slovenia would work for the conference achieve concrete results.

One-month high of 88 new coronavirus cases confirmed on Monday

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia confirmed 88 new cases of coronavirus on Monday, the highest daily figure since mid-June. The positivity rate jumped to 5.1%, show data by the National Institute of Public Health. A total of 1,734 PCR tests were performed along with almost 28,000 rapid antigen tests. The 14-day incidence per 100,000 population is now 37, up one from the day before. The situation in hospitals improved slightly as 28 patients were hospitalised and nine were in intensive care this morning.

C5 foreign ministers say pandemic is not yet over

PRAGUE, Czechia - The epidemiological situation has improved, however the coronavirus pandemic is far from over, the foreign ministers of Slovenia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary warned after a meeting of what is known as the C5 group. Slovenia's Anže Logar lauded vaccine solidarity and said Slovenia's EU presidency was focused on developing the European Health Union and boosting the EU's strategic autonomy.

Justice Ministry state secretary steps down

LJUBLJANA - Anže Erbežnik, a state secretary at the Justice Ministry, stepped down after less than a month on the job. Erbežnik was named to the post on 22 June, a week after Marjan Dikaučič was appointed minister following the resignation of Lilijana Kozlovič over the government's refusal to appoint two European delegated prosecutors. Dikaučič told the STA Erbežnik had resigned due to "diverging views on the management of the portfolio and the role of the state secretary".

Deputy anti-graft tzar Uroš Novak steps down

LJUBLJANA - Uroš Novak, one of the two deputy heads of the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (KPK), stepped down, citing new professional challenges as the reason. President Borut Pahor received Novak's letter of resignation today. Apart from giving the reason for the move, Novak also thanked Pahor for trust and support. Novak was appointed to the post by Pahor in March 2018, and he assumed his duties in April that year. His five-year term would have ended in less than two years.

Bad bank chairman steps down

LJUBLJANA - The Bank Assets Management Company (BAMC), Slovenia's bad bank, announced that Franc Dover resigned as chairman of the BAMC's board of directors in a decision effective from 21 July and prompted by personal reasons. Dover was appointed a BAMC non-executive director by the government in February to replace Boris Novak, who was dismissed. Dover was to serve as a non-executive director until the end of 2022.

UKOM sends agreement for STA to sign

LJUBLJANA - The Government Communications office (UKOM) sent the Slovenian Press Agency a final draft of the agreement under which the STA is to provide the public service, expecting the agency to sign the document immediately. UKOM said the agreement, valued at EUR 2.028 million, took into account the costs of individual services of the public service as submitted by STA director Bojan Veselinovič. However, Veselinovič said UKOM failed to take into consideration a single of the STA's key remarks, calling for a new round of talks.

Social partners and regions get greater say in conference on EU future

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The executive board of the Conference on the Future of Europe decided to allocate more seats in the Conference Plenary to both regional and local representatives, and social partners, the Slovenian EU presidency said. The changes mean that the current 534-strong plenary will become a body with 550 representatives. "Today's update ... aims to bring Europe further beyond its capitals and gives greater voice to citizens from every walk of life," said Foreign Ministry State Secretary Gašper Dovžan, who co-chairs the board.

Amendments tabled to help foreign students

LJUBLJANA - A group of 40 MPs tabled legislation revoking the requirement that foreign students must provide proof of sufficient funding for their entire stay in Slovenia, which was enacted in May. Left MP Primož Siter said the legislation had unduly tightened conditions for studying in Slovenia by requiring students prove they have at least EUR 5,000 on their bank account. Previous legislation merely required that students present a statement from their parents to the effect that they will finance their children.

German donation for renovation of Jewish Cultural Centre

LJUBLJANA - The Jewish Cultural Centre Ljubljana and the German Embassy signed an agreement under which the German government will provide EUR 25,000 for renovation works. With the financial support, the centre's synagogue can be completed this year and reopen for worship in late autumn. Robert Waltl, director of the Ljubljana Jewish Cultural Centre, told the STA that the total investment for the renovation of the whole building is valued at EUR 1.2 million. The works are about halfway completed.

Eid al-Adha celebrations begin

LJUBLJANA - The Muslim community celebrates Eid al-Adha from 20 to 23 July. The main ceremony took place in the morning at the Muslim Cultural Centre in Ljubljana, with Mufti Nevzet Porić leading the prayer and stressing the importance of vaccination and personal responsibility. He endorsed calls by health experts for vaccination against Covid-19, expressing hope that closures of places of worship will not happen again.

Taxes and levies up 25% in first six months year-on-year

LJUBLJANA - The Financial Administration (FURS) collected EUR 9.34 billion in taxes and other levies in the first six months of 2021. This is up 24.6% year-on-year and also 8% more than in same period in 2019, show preliminary FURS data.

STA, 20 July 2021 - Slovenia started issuing digital certificates on 24 June, but initially they were only available on the national e-health website, which requires a digital identity to access.

In early July, the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) then sent out paper copies of the digital certificate to around 900,000 residents.

Since last week users can download the eZVEM app to their mobile devices running Apple's IOS or Google's Android operating system. To activate the app, they need one of two national digital identities.

To use digital Covid certificate data basis without internet access, registration is not needed. The users only need to scan the QR code of their digital Covid certificate to save it on their mobile device.

"The app and the genuine digital certificate are steps in continuation of the previously announced digitalisation and modernisation of Slovenian healthcare and public administration," said the health minister.

The key change is that parents will be able to download on their mobile phones the certificates of their children and other family members.

"In this way digital certificates will be always with you and will ease entry not only to other countries but also into cultural institutions, hotels, restaurants, sports venues," said Poklukar.

The new mobile app also makes it possible to access health documents such as e-prescriptions, e-referrals, waiting times and test results.

Poklukar also announced a special app that would allow event organisers to check "anonymously" whether visitors to public events have been either vaccinated, have recovered from Covid or tested negative.

This was as organizers have so far not been obliged to check whether the visitors meet one of the three conditions, even though that was a condition for access to the event.

"We would like participants in public events to attend them safely and to stay safe after the event, to not see a repeat of a football event like a year and a half ago becoming a source of infection or an outbreak," said Poklukar.

Calling on everyone to get a jab, he said as doctor he favoured those who have been vaccinated to be able to attend school in person, use public transport, go to the theatre, restaurant or hotel when the delta variant is set to spread in the autumn and winter.

Poklukar said that the country had so far allocated EUR 53.5 million for rapid tests, nearly EUR 70 million for PCR tests, while the cost of more than 17,000 Covid hospitalisations had been EUR 195 million.

NIJZ has so far recorded the issuance of 160,626 certificates proving recovery from Covid, 103,471 PCR test certificates, 504,852 vaccination certificates and 257,431 rapid test certificates, which are data from all issuing points and apps.

Get the app for Apple's iOS or Google's Android operating systems. You'll need a national digital identity to activiate it.

STA, 20 July 2021 - A group of 40 MPs led by the Left has tabled legislation revoking the requirement that foreign students must provide upfront proof of sufficient funding for their entire stay in Slovenia, which was enacted in May and has reportedly led to many students being unable to get temporary residency permits.

The amendments to the act on aliens enacted in May "prevent students already in Slovenia from continuing their studies, and prevent new students from enrolling in university," Left MP Primož Siter said on Tuesday.

The move comes in the aftermath of media reports showing that foreign students were having trouble proving their financial situation, even as the Interior Ministry claimed nothing had changed except the type of evidence they must present.

Siter said the legislation had unduly tightened conditions for studying in Slovenia by requiring students prove they have at least EUR 5,000 on their bank account, an amount he said was impossible for many to secure.

Previous legislation merely required that students present a statement from their parents to the effect that they will finance their children for the duration of their stay in Slovenia.

The motion to revoke the requirement has been signed by centre-left opposition deputy groups and the MP for the Italian minority.

STA, 20 July 2021 - Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogačar (UAE Emirates), fresh from his win of the Tour de France, has taken the lead in the rankings of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) for the second time in his brief professional career.

Another Slovenian, Primož Roglič (Jumbo Visma), topped the rankings before the Tour, but having left the race early due to a series of injuries, he is now in third place, behind his teammate Wout Van Aert from the Netherlands.

Pogačar has 4,088 points, 207 points ahead of Van Aert and 777 points on Roglič.

The 22-year-old had jumped to the top of the UCI rankings after his Tour victory last year, but was quickly overtaken by Roglič, who won the Vuelta last November to regain the lead.

With the exception of the brief two-week slip last year, Roglič had topped the UCI rankings from 15 September 2019.

STA, 20 July 2021 - The Muslim community celebrates Eid al-Adha from 20 to 23 July. The main ceremony of this major Muslim holiday took place on Tuesday morning at the Muslim Cultural Centre in Ljubljana, with Mufti Nevzet Porić leading the prayer.

Also called Eid Qurban or Bakra-Eid, Eid al-Adha (the Feast of the Sacrifice) is considered the holier of the two major Muslim holidays and also marks the end of the annual Hajj to the holy city of Mecca.

"The Hajj is a symbol of unity and deep belief, but also of diversity among people. It teaches that everything is passable on Earth and that ethical and moral values are key for harmonious mutual relations," the Islamic Community in Slovenia has said.

Mufti Nevzet Porić addressed the faithful at Tuesday's ceremony at the Muslim Cultural Centre in Ljubljana stressing the importance of vaccination and personal responsibility.

"In the past year, we had an emergency situation, where religious freedom was restricted as well, but we respected all the decrees of the competent institutions for the sake of health and saving lives," Porić said.

He endorsed calls by health experts for vaccination against Covid-19, expressing hope that closures of religious facilities will not happen again, as any restrictions on public life make the community's work more difficult.

The Mufti also explained that no one from Slovenia took part in the Hajj this year, as the number of pilgrims was limited due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Additional prayers were organised on Tuesday in Kranj, Tržič, Jesenice, Škofja Loka, Postojna, Ajdovščina, Koper, Kočevje, Trbovlje, Celje, Velenje, Maribor, Sežana, Izola, Nova Gorica, Krško and Novo Mesto. Worshippers were obliged to wear masks and observe physical distancing rules.