Slovenia's diplomatic mission in Kyiv to be led by chargé d'affaires

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Prime Minister Janez Janša announced the Slovenian diplomatic mission in Kyiv will operate at the level of chargé d'affaires with full powers for the duration of the emergency situation. He did not reveal who the chargé d'affaires will be, but said that several volunteers had come forward. Citing unofficial sources, media reported the interim chargé d'affaires would be Lt-Col Boštjan Lesjak, who served as a civilian member of the OSCE observation mission in Ukraine after Russia's annexation of Crimea. Defence Minister Matej Tonin indicated the mission would involve staff from his ministry as the opposition denounced what it called "armed diplomatic mission" as an "arbitrary and dangerous" move.

President Pahor discusses cooperation with Emir of Qatar

DOHA, Qatar - President Borut Pahor started a two-day official visit to Qatar by meeting Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. They assessed that there are many opportunities to further strengthen bilateral cooperation, especially in energy, sustainable development, tourism and investment. The Emir, who accepted Pahor's invitation to visit Slovenia, said that as leaders of small and young countries they were both aware of how important it was to find peaceful solutions to all conflicts.

Top court strikes out petition to assess two opposition parties

LJUBLJANA - The Constitutional Court struck out a petition to examine whether the Left and the Social Democrats (SD) may be functioning in contravention of the constitution and whether their programmes may be unconstitutional, deeming it to be totally without merit. The petition was brought by Vili Kovačič, an activist best known for unsuccessfully bidding to defeat the government law on the Koper-Divača rail project in two referenda in 2017 and 2018. The two opposition parties welcomed the decision suggesting the ruling coalition Democrats (SDS) were behind the constitutional petition.

New group of refugees arrives from Ukraine

ŽALEC - A group of 43 refugees from Ukraine arrived in Žalec to be temporarily taken care of by the Celje Caritas before they are accommodated with families. The group had been brought to Slovenia by Tamino Petelinšek, a photographer with the Slovenian Press Agency who had been commissioned by the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternity, to photograph a shipment of humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

Private accommodation offered for 600 Ukrainian refugees

LJUBLJANA - Owners of hotels, hostels and self-catering apartments offered accommodation for around 600 refugees in a public call for applications issued by the Government Office for the Support and Integration of Migrants in early March. Talks with the 153 applicants are under way and agreements are expected to be signed this week, the office told the STA. The call was open to providers who could offer accommodation for at least 20 persons.

Slovenian businesses summit looks at the future

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Green transition and digitalisation, connectivity in all areas, re-industrialisation and the role of the state and the financial system were identified as four main target areas at the Slovenian Business Summit, an annual event organised by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry at Brdo estate and featuring most senior government officials. Over 150 measures and goals were set out in a document called Horizons of the Future, which PM Janez Janša called bold. He said they showed the economy's confidence.

Govt presents investment projects in its term

BRDO PRI KRANJU - Ahead of the official start of the election campaign, Prime Minister Janez Janša, and fellow coalition leaders Matej Tonin and Zdravko Počivalšek, presented what Janša called the "biggest investment drive" in Slovenia's history. They said almost EUR 8 billion worth of investment projects had been implemented, were ongoing or were approved along with funds in their government's term at the level of local communities. EUR 1.5 billion comes from EU funds.

New act on money laundering prevention passed

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly passed a new act on the prevention of money laundering and terrorism financing, replacing the relevant act from 2016. While the government argued the act was needed so as to transpose three EU directives, the centre-left opposition is concerned that it will give relevant authorities too broad powers. Slovenia was running late in transposing the directives into its legislation and has already received warnings from the European Commission.

Proposal to ban pre-election polls voted down

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly voted down a proposal sponsored by the opposition National Party (SNS) and backed by the ruling Democrats (SDS) to ban publication of political opinion polls for half a year before elections. 33 MPs voted in favour of the bill and 42 against. Both the SNS and the SDS argued that pollsters often created public opinion rather than measured it with SNS saying it was dictated by the left political bloc, which still wielded most influence in the media.

MPs confirm two inquiry interim reports

LJUBLJANA - MPs confirmed interim reports by two coalition-sponsored inquiries into the purchasing of protective equipment and Covid measures, and into the purchase of medical equipment by Slovenian hospitals not related to Covid. But they rejected a report by an opposition-led parliamentary inquiry into the government's handling of the epidemic. The coalition argued the previous government had left warehouses empty of protective equipment, an allegation dismissed by the opposition.

Centre-left protest against developments at RTV Slovenija

LJUBLJANA - The four centre-left opposition parties and Robert Golob's Freedom Movement issued a joint statement to protest against what they see as attempts to subjugate public broadcaster RTV Slovenija and to support journalists' warnings about irregularities and pressure they experience at work. The five parties pledged to change legislation after the elections to prevent political interference in the public broadcaster and let staff do their job professionally and independently.

Minorities expect dialogue, support from new govt

LJUBLJANA/KLAGENFURT, Austria/TRIESTE, Italy - Leaders of Slovenian autochthonous minorities in Austria and Italy expect the new Slovenian government to be formed after the April election to keep engaging in dialogue with them, provide support to resolve open issues, and remain as active on the minority front as Minister for Slovenians Abroad Helena Jaklitsch has been over the past two years.

Slovenia partly implemented recommendation about hate speech

LJUBLJANA - The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance found that Slovenia had partly implemented the recommendation that it should address serious shortcomings in prosecution of hate speech, including victims lacking a legal remedy when prosecutors dismiss hate speech complaints or do not decide to prosecute. It however failed to implement the recommendation about equality data collection that the commission made as part of its fifth regular report in 2019.

Covid cases continue to climb

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia confirmed 3,325 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, an increase of 14% on the same day a week ago. The epidemic has been growing since early March, but the situation in hospitals remains stable for now. The 14-day notification rate per 100,000 of the population is at 1,713. The health authorities estimate there are currently nearly 36,300 active cases in the country. An additional three people with Covid died, according to the Health Ministry.

Public health insurer expects EUR 184m in deficit this year

LJUBLJANA - The ZZZS public health insurer recorded EUR 3.64 billion in revenue, which is EUR 383 million more than in 2020. Expenditure was up by EUR 176 million to EUR 3.52 billion. This year, a EUR 184 million shortfall of revenue over expenditure is planned, said director general Tatjana Mlakar. Based on forecasts by the IMAD, the government's macroeconomic think-tank, revenue is to go up by EUR 225 million this year, while expenditure is expected to rise by EUR 260 million.

Consumer confidence lowest since November 2020

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia's consumer confidence plunged to its lowest level since November 2020, declining by 12 percentage points, in what is the sharpest drop since the first peak of the pandemic in April 2020, show Statistics Office figures. The indicator measuring consumer expectations about the state of the economy was down 26 points, whereas the indicator measuring inflation expectations dropped by 23 points, to the lowest level since measurements began in 1996.

Revoz stops production over semi-conductors

NOVO MESTO - Revoz, the Slovenian subsidiary of French car maker Renault, was forced to stop assembling cars earlier this week over an irregular supply of electronic components for cars it manufactures in Novo Mesto, south-eastern Slovenia. Production is to resume next week, trade unionist Slavko Pungeršič told the STA. The company is trying to find a long-term solution to the problem.

NLB reportedly suspends sale of asset manager arm

LJUBLJANA - The newspaper Finance reported that Slovenia's largest banking group, NLB, decided to suspend the sale of its asset management arm NLB Skladi, which was launched in mid-2021. "Now is not the time to sell good assets. We may continue the sale at some point in the future," NLB chairman Blaž Brodnjak was quoted as saying by the newspaper. NLB Skladi is the largest asset and mutual fund management company in Slovenia. At the end of last September, it had a 37.2% market share.

SIJ group returned to profit last year

LJUBLJANA - SIJ, the Slovenian steel group in majority Russian ownership, reported it turned to profit last year after posting a net loss of EUR 49.9 million in 2020. Last year, sales revenue stood at EUR 962.7 million, up 36.8% from the year before, while net profit reached EUR 29.2 million, the group's audited results show. The group's EBITDA almost tripled to EUR 100.8 million gross and EBITDA margin was 5.1 percentage points higher at 10.5%.

Alpe-Adria fair focuses on active tourism

LJUBLJANA - The Alpe-Adria fair, the largest trade show for tourism and leisure in Slovenia, opened in Ljubljana after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic. The focus of the show, which runs until 26 March, is green and active tourism. Over 130 providers of tourism services from Slovenia, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Czechia, Croatia, Italy and Nepal are showcased. A debate held at the fair heard the government would help tourism, possibly with tourism vouchers.

Slovenia's GDP at 90% of EU average in 2021

LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - Slovenia's GDP, expressed in purchasing power standards, amounted to 90% of the EU average in 2021, a percentage point higher than the year before, Eurostat data shows. GDP ranged from 277% of the EU average in Luxembourg and 221% in Ireland, to 55% in the bloc's poorest country, Bulgaria.

Belgrade gets monument to Slovenian linguist

BELGRADE, Serbia - A monument honouring Slovenian linguist Jernej Kopitar (1780-1844) was unveiled in Belgrade in a gesture that celebrates the friendship of Kopitar and his Serbian counterpart and friend Vuk Stefanović Karadžić (1787-1864), whose statue was erected in Ljubljana in 2016. The work of Slovenian sculptor Matjaž Počivavšek, the Kopitar monument has the shape of a narrow, triangular, hollow prism which is reminiscent of an upright book.