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Slovenian author Marwan receives Austrian literary prize

KLAGENFURT, Austria - Ana Marwan, a Slovenian author who lives and works in Austria, is the recipient of this year's Ingeborg Bachmann Prize, a prestigious prize for works in German conferred by the city of Klagenfurt. She has received the prize, which comes with a EUR 25,000 cheque, for Wechselkröte, a piece about a woman who lives alone in a rural area and finds out she is pregnant.

Garnbret continues winning streak

INNSBRUCK, Austria - Olympic gold medallist Janja Garnbret won the World Cup lead event in Innsbruck on Sunday, becoming the first competitor to notch up 33 World Cup wins in climbing. Wile she did not reach the top, her score of 39+ was enough to beat the American Brooke Raboutou and the South Korean Chaehyun Seo, both of whom scored 27+.

Slovenian minority in Austria hosting Europeada

EBERDORF, Austria - The Slovenian minority in the Austrian state of Carinthia is hosting this year's Europeada, a football championship of minority groups held under the auspices of the Federal Union of European Nationalities. Held in a monastery in Dobrla Vas/Eberndorf and under way between 25 June and 3 July, it has been co-organised by by the National Council of Carnthian Slovenians and the Slovenian Sports Union from Klagenfurt.

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Pahor says new government could have long-term prospects

LJUBLJANA - In an interview with the public broadcaster TV Slovenija on Frida, President Borut Pahor has talked about the international circumstances, noting that the government is in for deliberation about how to remain an ally in helping Ukraine, while wisely "regulating sanctions so that we can help ourselves". He also spoke about the long-term prospects of the new cabinet, saying it had a solid political majority that made it possible to "look a little bit further into the future", and saying that Prime Minister Golob has the required ability and intelligence.

Slovenia received many congratulations on Statehood Day

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia received congratulations from world leaders on Statehood Day, with President Borut Pahor getting messages from Queen Elizabeth II, US President Joe Biden, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and French President Emmanuel Macron, among others. Pahor also received messages from Spanish King Felipe VI, King Philippe of Belgium and Japanese Emperor Naruhito, and the leaders of the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Finland, Switzerland, Egypt, Georgia and Kenya.

President hands out two state decorations on Statehood Day

LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor conferred the Golden Order of Merit on Ludvik Toplak, a former rector of the University of Maribor, and Roberto Battelli, a former MP for the Italian minority, at a ceremony that also marked Statehood Day. Toplak was honoured for "outstanding contribution to the democratisation and independence of Slovenia and its promotion internationally and in the academic circles." Battelli received the decoration for his work and contribution to the development of democracy in Slovenia and for his merits in connecting and preserving the Italian minority in Slovenia, the president's office said.

Fajon to visit Berlin and Zagreb soon, new ambassadors to stay

LJUBLJANA - In an interview with the STA, Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon expressed the hope that the war in Ukraine would end as soon as possible and announced a visit to Berlin as a sign of return to the core EU countries. She will also work on having good relations with Croatia, which is however unlikely to join the Schengen Area any time soon. Asked about the government's announcement of revision of the appointments of ambassadors by the previous, Janez Janša government, Fajon said that the appointments had been approved at all levels and there was no legal basis for recalls.

First Slovenian president, PM would like to see more unity

LJUBLJANA - On the occasion of the 31st anniversary of independence, Slovenia's first President Milan Kučan and first Prime Minister Lojze Peterle said they would like to see more unity of the nation. Kučan, who served as the president of the republic in 1991-2002, said that "when people feel that there is no unity between what people think and what politics does, big projects do not even start, let alone are concluded." Peterle, who served as prime minister in 1990-1992, said he would like to see politicians be able to stand together on essential issues, and more dialogue and more high political culture.

US assistant secretary of state to visit Slovenia

WASHINGTON, US - Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Michele Sison will pay a visit to Vienna, Rome and Ljubljana, the US Department of State announced on Friday, but it has not yet revealed when exactly the visit will take place. In Ljubljana, Sison will meet with Slovenian officials "to discuss shared interests at the UN", including Slovenia's bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council from the beginning of 2024 to the end of 2025.

Štore Steel posts record sales for 2021

ŠTORE - Štore Steel, a leading Slovenian steel producer, had a record year in 2021 with EUR 144.6 million in revenue, a 69% increase from the year before and 38% above projections. Profit stood at EUR 6 million, compared to a EUR 2.5 million loss in the year before. Steel sales were 30% higher than in 2020, reaching 145,577 tonnes, which is 7.8% higher than projected. The average price of steel was EUR 991 per tonne, said the CEO Jani Jurkošek for the STA. He estimates that the increased revenue is mainly due to increased prices of iron and alloys, which represent the variable part of the company's prices.

Number of newborns in Slovenia up one percent last year

LJUBLJANA - A total of 18,984 children were born in Slovenia last year, which is 217 or 1% more than in 2020. The average age of the mother at the birth of her first child was 29.6 years, and at the average age at any birth was 31.1 years, the Statistics Office reported. There were 9,822 newborn boys and 9,162 newborn girls last year, and the number of newborns per 1,000 residents in 2021 was nine, up from 8.9 in the year before. On average, 52 children were born every day, which is one more than in 2020. There were 264 pairs of twins, with 84 pairs of boys and 91 pairs of girls.

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

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FRIDAY, 17 June
        BRUSSELS, Belgium/OHRID, North Macedonia - PM Robert Golob said he would propose that Bosnia and Herzegovina be granted EU candidate status at the next EU summit. He acknowledged that a single member state can prevent this process, but hopes reason will prevail.
        LJUBLJANA - The Foreign Ministry said Slovenia would pay legal expenses to Croatia over its border arbitration-related lawsuit against Croatia before the EU Court of Justice, which rendered the lawsuit inadmissible. The ministry said Slovenia saw this issue as part of the procedure to implement the 2017 border arbitration award.
        NEW YORK, US - International law expert Vasilka Sancin failed to get re-elected for another four-year term on the UN Human Rights Committee. She said her bid failed because the former government blocked her nomination, so her candidacy was submitted as the last one, in early June, almost two months after the 6 April deadline.
        LJUBLJANA - The coalition parties filed to parliament changes to the communicable diseases act that will make the country's efforts to fight infectious diseases in line with the constitution after the top court ruled a year ago Article 39 unconstitutional, giving the National Assembly two months to remedy the situation.
        LJUBLJANA - Irena Vodopivec Jean, one of the three vice-governors of Banka Slovenije, asked the parliament to be relieved of her duties for personal reasons. Her term would have expired in October 2027.
        LJUBLJANA - Legendary illustrator and painter Marlenka Stupica, best known for her illustrations of world classics such as Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Mehurčki, the collection of children's poetry by Oton Župančič (1878-1949), died aged 94.

SUNDAY, 19 June
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - Slovenia produced a proposal to grant Bosnia-Herzegovina EU candidate status as early as at the next EU summit. Under the proposal, Bosnia would have to adopt the laws set out in the political agreement reached by Bosnian political parties at talks in Brussels a week ago before accession talks could start.
        NOVO MESTO - Slovenia's star rider Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) won the 28th Tour of Slovenia to defend the title from last year. The 23-year-old two-time Tour of France winner finished the race, which he sees as a good rehearsal before the upcoming Tour de France, ahead of his Polish teammate Rafal Majka, with Slovenia's Domen Novak (Bahrain-Victorius) finishing third.
        LJUBLJANA - As owners of motor vehicles headed for service stations en masse ahead of expected price hikes all three major fuels providers, Petrol, OMV and MOL, experienced occasional fuel shortages. Economy Minister Matjaž Han assured the public the next day the country had sufficient reserves of fuel, while PM Robert Golob said this was a scandal.

MONDAY, 20 June
        LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Slovenia's proposal that the EU should grant Bosnia EU candidate status as soon as possible received a great deal of support and, above all, a great deal of understanding among EU foreign ministers, Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon said after she outlined it to her counterparts at a session of the Foreign Affairs Council.
        RIGA, Latvia - President Borut Pahor urged the leaders of Three Seas EU countries to endorse Slovenia's proposal at the EU summit later this week to give Bosnia the status of EU candidate country, as he addressed the summit of the Three Seas initiative in Latvia.
        
TUESDAY, 21 June
        LJUBLJANA - Slovenia donated 35 Yugoslav-era armoured combat vehicles to Ukraine. In return, Slovenia is to receive a credit from the US to be used for equipment needed by the Slovenian Armed Forces in their operations.
        LJUBLJANA - The prices of petrol and diesel at service stations along Slovenian motorways became completely deregulated under the new fuel pricing model, which pushed them up by roughly 20 cents a litre compared to those at stations outside the motorway network, which are now fully regulated.
        LJUBLJANA - The Competition Protection Agency launched an investigation into whether Petrol and OMV Slovenija, the country's two largest fuel retailers, abused their dominant market position as fuel shortages occurred right before a new pricing regime kicked in, raising fuel prices.
        LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary EU and foreign affairs committees outlined Slovenia's foreign policy for the future, with PM Robert Golob saying after the closed session that Bosnia-Herzegovina should get immediate EU candidate status and that Slovenia would help Ukraine with demining in the future.
        LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon spoke over the telephone with her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba assuring him of Slovenia's support for Ukraine's EU candidate status and the country's post-war reconstruction. She also announced that she would visit Kyiv soon.
        LJUBLJANA - The new police commissioner sacked two high-ranking police force members who have reportedly been involved in a contentious hiring of an employee in which security check results had been falsified.
        LJUBLJANA - The management of energy company Petrol said fuel price regulation in Slovenia and Croatia would affect Petrol's business in the first half of the year, so the Slovenian group did not expect to achieve the planned results.
        LJUBLJANA - After rejecting the candidacy of RTV Slovenija journalist Urban Laurenčič for the position of director of TV Slovenija (TVS), the public broadcaster's TV arm, the RTV programme council endorsed the appointment of music advisor Patrik Greblo as TVS acting director.
        LJUBLJANA - Two European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) will be set up in Slovenia, the European Commission decided upon evaluating applications in the first call of the DIGITAL Europe Programme.

WEDNESDAY, 22 June
        LJUBLJANA/KYIV, Ukraine - Prime Minister Robert Golob had his first conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, with the talk focusing on the status of EU candidate country that is expected to be given to Ukraine. Golob assured the Ukrainian president that although there had been a change of government in Slovenia, the country's attitude towards Ukraine had not changed.
        LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed changes to the government act allowing Prime Minister Robert Golob to shape his government as he wants as it deflected an attempt by the opposition Democrats (SDS) to hold a referendum on the act. A new referendum motion may however be initiated by a group with close ties to the SDS.
        LJUBLJANA - President Borut Pahor said the Russian aggression against Ukraine had confirmed the need for Slovenia to have a highly trained and professional army, as he addressed via video call Slovenian soldiers serving in missions.
        LJUBLJANA - The works council at public broadcaster RTV Slovenija urged director general Andrej Grah Whatmough to "step down immediately and irrevocably", presenting a number of reasons for its decision, taken a day after RTV staff went on strike as the talks following the 23 May strike brought no major progress.
        LJUBLJANA - Ljubljana Archbishop Stanislav Zore expressed the wish for a continuation of the dialogue between the state and the Roman Catholic Church as he berated previous governments for not showing willingness to address all open issues during a sermon at a mass celebrating the anniversary of Slovenian statehood.
        LJUTOMER - A multi-stakeholder commission for cereals proposed that the government purchase all wheat Slovenian farmers will harvest this year, and then sell it on to millers. Slovenian farmers will grow 100,000 tonnes of wheat and they would reportedly like to sell it to Slovenian millers, but if the price is not right, they will sell to whoever is willing to pay more.
        
THURSDAY, 23 June
        BRUSSELS - While Slovenia did not succeed with its proposal that Bosnia-Herzegovina be granted EU candidate status along with Ukraine and Moldova at the EU summit, Prime Minister Robert Golob said an "important step" has nevertheless been made since the country has been put back on the EU's agenda and given a rough timeline on when it could get the status.
        LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Justice Committee unanimously endorsed a draft declaration on the European Parliament's resolution on fighting impunity for war crimes in Ukraine, which was tabled by the opposition Democrats (SDS) and endorsed by the government the previous day.
        LJUBLJANA - The government adopted two regulations to temporarily abolish two environmental duties on diesel at service stations on the motorway network, where prices are fully liberalised, to help hauliers cope with the price hike.
        LJUBLJANA - The government changed a regulation laying down the cooperation between the police and the prosecution and other bodies in pre-trial procedure, abolishing a restriction that allowed prosecutors to communicate their orders to the police only in written form. The restriction was put in place by the previous government.
        LJUBLJANA - The government replaced members of the supervisory boards of nine hospitals due to the institutions' poor financial performance. It also ordered a special audit to see how they continue to post losses despite receiving hundreds of millions of euros in extra funding last year.
        LJUBLJANA - Lawyer Nataša Pirc Musar, best known in her former role as information commissioner, announced she would enter the presidential race in the autumn election as an independent, becoming the first candidate to formally announce her bid.
        LJUBLJANA - Checks carried out by market inspectors at service stations across Slovenia in the aftermath of severe fuel shortages have not produced indications that fuel retailers intentionally kept supplies low to take advantage of higher prices after the transition to a new price regulation model.
        BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission said it had opened an in-depth investigation to assess Hungarian energy group MOL's purchase of service stations of OMV Slovenija, the second largest such network in Slovenia, over concerns that the takeover would severely reduce competition on the Slovenian retail motor fuel market.

STA, 25 June 2022 - Slovenia celebrates Statehood Day on Saturday, marking 31 years since the country declared independence from the former Yugoslavia. A number of events and celebrations were held across the country last night to mark the occasion, with President Borut Pahor addressing the main ceremony in Ljubljana.

Before the ceremony late on Friday evening, President Pahor held the annual reception for the families of those who had fallen or been injured in the 10-day war that followed Slovenia's independence declaration.

He also laid a wreath at the monument to the victims of all wars in Congress Square, underlining that the courageous people who gave their lives for an independent Slovenia will never be forgotten.

Preserving peace is the most important mission of all, said the president, noting that the war in Ukraine was a clear reminder that peace cannot be taken for granted.

Addressing the main ceremony in Congress Square, he noted that more than 30 years ago "we, Slovenians, were capable to create the conditions to establish our own country". There are many challenges that the country faces today, including the sustainable, green and digital transition, but if there will be unity and solidarity, Slovenia can achieve anything, he said.

It is a respected country in the international community and one of the safest countries in the world, the president pointed out, adding that just as Slovenia was ready to meet challenges more than 30 years ago, it is ready to do the same now.

Na Kongresnem trgu v Ljubljani je danes potekala osrednja državna počastitev ?? dneva državnosti.

Slavnostni govornik na proslavi je bil predsednik Republike Slovenije @BorutPahor. pic.twitter.com/gBLLLTnmKB

— Vlada Republike Slovenije (@vladaRS) June 24, 2022

"Slovenia will help Ukraine as much as it can together with allied countries and will not let it down," he said, noting how important it was to achieve "a just peace" in Ukraine.

In the current situation, Slovenia "needs to further strengthen all the elements of statehood, democracy, its institutions and, of course, its values" and it needs to ensure that "the usual political differences do not escalate into dangerous political divisions".

He also noted that the country should help make the EU stronger, while making sure it preserves its own identity.

In addition to the Guard of the Slovenian Armed Forces and the flag-bearers of the army and the police, the ceremony once again featured flag-bearers from all veteran, independence and patriotic organisations after this was not the case in the past two years. In 2020 they were all excluded, ostensibly, due to Covid restrictions, and in 2021 the flag-bearers of the WWII veteran organisation NOB were not invited to attend.

Prime Minister Robert Golob could not attend yesterday's ceremony since he was still in Brussels for his first EU summit, but he attended a reception for Slovenians working in European institutions to mark Statehood Day.

In his message dedicated to this public holiday he extended congratulations to all citizens, underlining that strength lies in unity. Times are hard, but just the fact of knowing that "we can overcome any obstacle if we work together gives us hope for a brighter and better future".

More than three decades ago, Slovenians decided to live in a society governed by the rule of law and democracy, and a society in which everybody will be able to live a dignified life, he said.

"Looking back today, we can proudly say that we not only preserved independence and sovereignty, but we also became proud and equal members of a wider European family," Golob said at the sidelines of the EU summit on Friday.

Before the main ceremony, the National Assembly and the National Council, the lower and upper chambers of parliament, each held a ceremonial session to mark the holiday.

National Assembly Speaker Urška Klakočar Zupančič said that the many divisions faced by Slovenia were unnecessary and so were perpetual quests for a new or one's own truth, which can never be absolute.

"How nice it would be if we embraced our history such as it is, and the diversity of the Slovenian nation in its entirety. This should make us strong, not divide us ... we don't have to deny a part of history, and it would not be right. But we also don't have to play the victim."

National Council President Alojz Kovšca said in his address that Statehood Day was a holiday that unified all Slovenians without exception. He believes the celebrations of last night were an opportunity to show through actions political correctness and mutual respect.

"Only empowered and enlightened leaders know how and are capable of overcoming political divisions which undermine people's trust and basic values, such as tolerance, harmony and peace." These values will forever remain a key part of Slovenian identity, he believes.

Today, President Pahor will decorate Ludvik Toplak, a former university rector, for his contribution to Slovenia's independence efforts, and Roberto Battelli, a former MP for the Italian minority, for his contribution to the development of Slovenia's democracy and efforts dedicated to the Italian community in Slovenia, the president's office said.

Pahor will also hold an open day at the Presidential Palace in honour of Statehood Day.

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This summary is provided by the STA:

Golob sees "important step" taken for Bosnia

BRUSSELS, Belgium - While Slovenia did not succeed with its proposal that Bosnia-Herzegovina be granted EU candidate status along with Ukraine and Moldova at the EU summit, PM Robert Golob said an "important step" had nevertheless been taken since the country has been put back on the EU's agenda. Golob said Bosnia had been "plucked back from a kind of oblivion" in which it had spent several years, and now the EU leaders have a rough time frame in which the topic will be back on the agenda. FM Tanja Fajon also said the proposal opened a very important debate and showed proactivity and unity.

Prime minister to visit Germany in July, hopes for good relations with all neighbours

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Robert Golob has told Delo that his first official bilateral visit will be to Germany in the first half of July. He also indicated Slovenia was in no hurry when it comes to the border arbitration agreement with Croatia. He said many European countries had open issues with their neighbours. "The award of the arbitral tribunal is a fact and any debate about that is unnecessary. The agreement will be implemented sooner or later, and we wish that Croatian politics slowly accepted that," he said.

Slovenian NGO wins 2022 European Citizens' Prize

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The Legal Network for the Protection of Democracy, a Slovenian network of NGOs that has played a major role in challenging controversial government restrictions during the Covid pandemic is among the recipients of this year's European Citizens' Prize conferred by the European Parliament. It has received the recognition for a project supporting individuals and organisations in the use of legal means to challenge measures, procedures and policies that are unlawful, unconstitutional and undemocratic.

Strategic council united that Ukraine war should end ASAP

LJUBLJANA - The Foreign Ministry's strategic council held its maiden session to discuss the Ukraine war. After an almost three-hour debate, Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon said that despite some differences in views, all members agreed the war should end ASAP. She also revealed she would meet her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in July. A key message was that Slovenia and the EU must remain united in their responses to the Ukraine crisis. Fajon asserted Slovenia would continue to help Ukraine "wherever possible"

Parliamentary committee opposes referendum on RTV Slovenija

LJUBLJANA - The Culture Committee rejected an opposition-sponsored motion to call a referendum on the changes to the RTV Slovenija act which would make the now mandatory RTV Slovenija licence fee voluntary. The Democrats (SDS) filed the motion in mid-May after tabling the bill in parliament. The motion delayed the final decision on the changes by the then emerging coalition led by the Freedom Movement, which intended to vote them down in parliament.

Digital minister discusses immersive tech at EU event

TOULOUSE, France - Slovenia's Minister for Digital Transformation Emilija Stojmenova Duh attended the annual EU Digital Assembly in Toulouse, France in the middle of this week. Taking part in a panel on immersive technologies in Europe, the minister said such technologies had an immense potential and their use would only increase in the future. The Government Office for Digital Transformation quoted her as saying that immersive technologies enabled a more friendly access to the virtual world.

Activist petitioning for referendum on govt restructuring bill

LJUBLJANA - Political activist Vili Kovačič launched a petition for a referendum on a bill that would allow the prime minister to shape the cabinet as he sees fit. The changes, expanding the number of ministries by three, are a disgrace for democracy, he said, adding he would call on PM Robert Golob to withdraw them from procedure. He intends to challenge all coalition-sponsored bills passed in parliament in the future.

Clashing responses to US overturning Roe v Wade in Slovenia

LJUBLJANA - Responding to the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn the landmark Roe v Wade ruling that guaranteed the constitutional right to abortion, two Slovenian organisations displayed opposite views. The feminist NGO 8 March Institute condemned the decision, whereas the March for Life civil initiative, an anti-abortion organisation, welcomed it.

Melamin accident did not cause pollution in Kočevje

KOČEVJE - Analyses of samples taken from the soil near chemical plant Melamin in Kočevje, south Slovenia, which was devastated by a massive explosion in mid-May, have shown no signs of soil pollution, the Environment Agency said. "No substances connected to the explosion or Melamin's operations were found in any of the samples ..." said the report. Samples were taken from the soil on the day of the accident and the day after by Talum Institute.

Tourist arrivals in May up three-fold year-on-year

LJUBLJANA - A total of 461,000 tourist arrivals were recorded in tourist accommodation facilities in Slovenia in May, which is over three times more than in the same month last year. The number of overnight stays generated by tourists in May was meanwhile up by 258% to 1.137 million, the Statistics Office said. The number of tourists from non-European countries increased significantly.

Business sentiment down in June

LJUBLJANA - Business sentiment in Slovenia dropped by two percentage points in June over May, reaching 0.8 percentage points. Compared to June 2021, the sentiment dropped by 7.1 percentage points. All confidence indices affected the sentiment, with manufacturing lowering it by 0.6 percentage points, consumers by 0.5 points, services by 0.4 points, construction by 0.3 points and retail by 0.2 points.

Coronavirus case count up 40% on a weekly basis

LJUBLJANA - The number of new coronavirus infections, at 645 on Thursday, was up by almost 40% on a weekly basis. Hospitalisation numbers remained stable, while one Covid-19 patient died, the fresh official statistics show. The 14-day incidence rate per 100,000 of the population increased by 17 to 298, and the 7-day case average is at 536, up by 25 on a daily basis.

Koper police bust two international criminal gangs

KOPER - In cooperation with the Italian authorities, the Koper police dismantled two internationally-organised criminal gangs involved in smuggling and trafficking large quantities of illegal drugs. They arrested eleven suspects and seized several kilograms of cocaine and cannabis and over EUR 60,000 in cash, the Koper Police Department said.

Tour of Slovenia attracts huge crowds both in person and on TV

LJUBLJANA - The Tour of Slovenia road cycling race that took place last week produced some impressive viewership numbers, as it was seen in person by some 300,000 people, while almost 11 million people saw it on the Eurosport TV network, which is 1.5 million more than last year. The race was also a big hit on social networks.

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Golob and Zelensky have first talk, Ukraine's candidacy in focus

LJUBLJANA/KYIV, Ukraine - Prime Minister Robert Golob had his first conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday, with the talk focusing on the status of an EU candidate country that is expected to be given to Ukraine at today's EU summit. The Slovenian government said on Twitter that Golob assured the Ukrainian president that although there had been a change of government in Slovenia, the country's attitude towards Ukraine had not changed. A post by Zelensky said that the Ukrainian president "expressed gratitude for the readiness to support granting Ukraine the status of a candidate for accession to the EU."

Golob hopes for consensus on Bosnia candidate status

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Arriving for an EU summit, Prime Minister Robert Golob expressed the hope that EU leaders will reach a consensus on giving Bosnia-Herzegovina candidate country status at the summit as he dismissed reports by some media that Slovenia is willing to block Ukraine's bid to achieve that. "There has been no talk about a blockade, nor has there been any need to," he said on arrival at the summit about reports by some foreign media that Slovenia and Austria would block the adoption of summit conclusions unless Bosnia-Herzegovina gets candidate status.

Justice Committee endorses declaration on war crimes in Ukraine

LJUBLJANA - The parliamentary Justice Committee unanimously endorsed a draft declaration on the European Parliament's resolution on fighting impunity for war crimes in Ukraine, which was tabled by the opposition Democrats (SDS). The committee voted for the motion a day after the government endorsed the resolution. The EU parliament's resolution calls on the EU to take all the necessary measures to support prosecution of those who have committed crimes against humanity in Ukraine.

Slovenia stresses its opposition to Austria's border checks

LJUBLJANA - Interior Minister Tatjana Bobnar reiterated Slovenia's position of opposing Austria's border checks on their joint border nearly a fortnight after an Austrian administrative court decided that the border checks, which have been in place since 2017, are unlawful. Such control of the border can only be of limited duration and must be in line with the principle of proportionality, Bobnar said after a government session, adding that Austria's actions were inadmissible.

Golob attends summit of European Liberals, discussing role of Renew

BRUSSELS, Belgium - PM Robert Golob, the leader of the Freedom Movement, took part in a summit of leaders from the liberal Renew group in the European Parliament on the sidelines of an EU summit in Brussels today. He said they had agreed it might be time for Renew to be at the forefront of European change as the strongest political movement.

Verbal communication allowed between prosecution, police once again

LJUBLJANA - The government changed a regulation laying down the cooperation between the police and the prosecution and other bodies in pre-trial procedure, abolishing a restriction that allowed prosecutors to communicate their orders to the police only in written form. The restriction was put in place by the previous government.

Supervisors in nine hospitals replaced due to poor financial results

LJUBLJANA - The government has replaced members of the supervisory boards of nine hospitals due to the institutions' poor financial performance and will carry out a special audit to see how they continue to post losses despite receiving hundreds of millions of euros in extra funding last year. The aim is to stabilise their finances and make sure they emerge from the red by the end of the year, Health Minister Danijel Bešič Loredan told the press after a cabinet session.

Lawyer Pirc Musar announces presidential run

LJUBLJANA - Lawyer Nataša Pirc Musar, best known in her former role as information commissioner, announced she would enter the presidential race in the autumn election as an independent, becoming the first candidate to formally announce her bid. "For several years I've had this desire to do something in Slovenian society and politics and the role of president would fit like a glove," she told the press. To run as an independent, Pirc Musar must collect 5,000 voter signatures. While she plans to formally run as an independent in any case, she says she is not averse to discussing receiving support from political parties.

Govt abolishes two duties to cut diesel prices along motorways

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted two regulations to temporarily abolish two environmental duties on diesel at service stations on the motorway network, where prices are fully liberalised. The measure to lower the price of diesel to help hauliers will take effect when published in the Official Gazette, on Friday at the earliest. It is designed to cut the price of diesel along motorways - where it has topped EUR 2 a litre since liberalisation kicked in on Tuesday - to the level outside motorways, currently at EUR 1.848.

No foul play detected by inspectors at service stations

LJUBLJANA - Checks carried out by market inspectors at service stations across Slovenia in the aftermath of severe fuel shortages have not produced indications that fuel retailers intentionally kept supplies low to take advantage of higher prices after the transition to a new price regulation model. The inspectors found there were severe jumps in fuel sales the weekend before the new pricing model took effect, according to chief market inspector Andreja But.

Brussels opens in-depth investigation into MOL's acquisition of OMV Slovenija

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission said it had opened an in-depth investigation to assess Hungarian energy group MOL's purchase of service stations of OMV Slovenija, the second largest such network in Slovenia. Brussels is worried that the takeover would severely reduce competition on the Slovenian retail motor fuel market. MOL signed a EUR 301 million contract in June 2021 to acquire a 92.25% stake in OMV Slovenija while it already holds the remaining 7.75% stake through Croatia's INA. The deal means MOL - with 53 filling stations the third largest fuel retailer in Slovenia - would get another 120 stations around the country.

Govt secures more staff to care for Ukrainian children in Postojna

LJUBLJANA - The government has secured more staff to help Ukrainian guardians take care of the 20 children from a Luhansk orphanage who are temporarily staying in the village of Slavina near Postojna. A vehicle will also be purchased for transporting children to different institutions and activities. The government made the decision after calls were made for more staff to attend to the orphans, aged between one and seven, who arrived in Slovenia accompanied by their guardians and their children in early May.

Panel discusses ways of transposing EU copyright directive

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia is behind in implementing the EU directive on copyright on the single digital market, which covers areas such as publishing, journalism, education and the audio visual industry, so panellists at Thursday's STA-hosted discussion called on the authorities to finally regulate this field. Slovenia's audiovisual industry is worth over EUR 200 million a year, employs 2,500-3,000 staff, has a 1.8 multiplier effect and, comparatively speaking, is on a par with Norway, film producer Danijel Hočevar said.

Sava Re shareholders to get EUR 1.50 dividend

LJUBLJANA - The shareholders of insurance company Sava Re approved the proposal of the management and supervisory boards to distribute EUR 23.3 million from last year's distributable profit of EUR 37.05 million for dividends. The dividend will amount to EUR 1.50 gross per share, and the rest of the distributable profit will remain unallocated.

Property prices in Slovenia continue to rise in Q1

LJUBLJANA - Property prices were up 4.1% in the first quarter of this year compared with the previous quarter and up 16.9% year-on-year, the Statistics Office said. The prices of resale flats and houses have been rising continuously on a quarterly basis for more than two years. In the first three months of 2022, they went up by 5.2% - resale flat prices by 5.5% and resale house prices by 4.7%. Geographically-wise, resale property prices rose the most in Maribor, by 6.9%, followed by the rest of Slovenia, up 6.3%, and Ljubljana, up 5.3%. Prices of new residential property declined after five consecutive quarterly increases.

Govt urged to draft bill on protection of whistleblowers

LJUBLJANA - Transparency International Slovenia urged the government to fulfil a pledge made before the general election to pass an effective law on whistleblower protection within the first year of the government's term. Whistleblowers must be protected to help fight corruption and ensure a higher level of democracy, it said on the occasion of World Whistleblower Day. The new law must do more than just transfer the EU directive on the protection of whistleblowers into Slovenian legislation, it added.

Govt does not support mandatory drug testing for office holders

LJUBLJANA - The government said it did not support an opposition-sponsored bill that would require MPs, ministers, state secretaries as well as the prime minister and the president of the republic to undergo mandatory annual drug testing. The bill excessively interferes with individual privacy, the Government Communications Office said.

Covid case count up nearly 40% week-on-week

LJUBLJANA - A total of 763 people tested positive for coronavirus in Slovenia on Wednesday, up by 39% over the same day a week ago. There were no additional Covid deaths and hospitalisations remained stable, fresh official figures show. The number of patients treated for Covid-19 as their main condition in hospitals totalled 39, including six who needed intensive care, which is a slight increase on the day before. Compared to the same day a week ago, hospitalisations were up by seven.

Number of travels up by more than 50% in first quarter

LJUBLJANA - The first quarter of 2022 in Slovenia saw the overall number of travels increase by over 50% year-on-year, the Statistics Office reported, noting that 22% of Slovenians over the age of 15 opted for at least one private trip. Slovenians over the age of 15 made some 976,000 travels in total between January and the end of March. The number of private travels rose by 14 percentage points year-on-year, and by 17 percentage points compared to 2020, with 377,000 people going on at least one trip.

Roman Rozina's Hundred Years of Blindness declared best novel of the year

LJUBLJANA - The winner of the 32nd Kresnik Prize for best novel of the year, given out by the publisher Delo, is Roman Rozina. He convinced the jury with his historical novel Sto Let Slepote (Hundred Years of Blindness), portraying the Knap family and the rise and fall of mining in the 20th century. The other four nominees were Davorin Lenko with his novel Triger, Andrej E. Skubic with Krasni Dnevi (Wonderful Days), Dušan Šarotar with Zvezdna Karta (Star Map) and Marjan Žiberna with Dedič (Heir).

Ana Desetnica brings street theatre to 13 cities

LJUBLJANA - The Ana Desetnica street theatre festival will open today, taking place until 3 July in 13 Slovenian cities, with most events being held in Ljubljana, including the opening event and the birthday party. Having first started in the capital 25 years ago, the festival will bring shows to 12 other towns this year, including Maribor, Ptuj, Kamnik, Logatec and Nova Gorica. Almost 100 artists from 10 countries will travel between the cities for 11 days to perform 37 shows and urban interventions.

Speaker advocates minority rights during visit to Klagenfurt

KLAGENFURT, Austria - Parliamentary Speaker Urška Klakočar Zupančič visited Klagenfurt to mark 30 years since Slovenia opened its general consulate in the city. She underlined the importance of Article 7 of the Austrian State Treaty, which guarantees the rights of the Slovenian minority. Addressing the ceremony, she said that "suitably regulated and implemented minority safeguards were a key standard of democracy in modern societies, and they must be continually developed and improved".

Minority radio station gets access to Radio Slovenija shows, assistance

LJUBLJANA - Radio Monošter, a Slovenian minority radio station in Hungary, has entered cooperation with Radio Slovenija that enables it to broadcast shows of the Slovenian public radio broadcaster. The contract was signed on Wednesday, a day before the radio station from the town of Szentgotthard/Monošter, celebrates 22 years since it went on air. It gives Radio Monošter access to all Radio Slovenija shows, including the music archives, as well as to Slovenian language training and other assistance.

STA, 23 June 2022 - The government has confirmed higher reimbursement of commuting costs as one of the ways to mitigate the impact of high energy prices on household expenditure.

For travel to and from work, workers will get 21 cents per kilometre, up from 18 at present. For official company trips, the rate rises from 37 to 43 cents per kilometre from the start of July, according to a decision adopted by the government on Thursday.

These rates are untaxed. Companies can cover higher commuting costs for workers, but any payments above these levels are taxed as income and rarely used.

The Finance Ministry has described the changes as an "urgent, complementary and temporary measure" taken due to surging fuel costs.