STA, 26 November 2021 - Holiday season is starting in Slovenian towns as hundreds of thousands of lights will be lit and Christmas fairs launched in major towns on Friday and Saturday. However, due to the epidemiological situation no mass events will be held on the occasion.

Christmas lights will be switched on in Ljubljana and Maribor today, and just like last year the exact time has not be announced to avoid crowd.

In the capital, as many as 50 kilometres of lights will be switched on as part of a holiday decoration designed by Urban Modic, this year celebrating the importance of community and harmony.

The Christmas market is also opening tonight, and will this year expand to the Stritarjeva Street, leading up to the Town Hall.

As customary, a straw nativity scene will be on display on the Ljubljanica riverbank, the Zvezda Park will be adorned with lanterns made by primary school pupils, and citizens and visitors will decorate 79 green trees on four streets in the city centre.

Five concerts are planned in December but it is not clear yet how they will be carried out. Mayor Zoran Janković proposes visitors to be either reconvalescent or vaccinated, but he still needs a green light from the National Institute of Public Health for the move.

In Slovenia's second largest city, Maribor, the holiday magic will culminate in the Main Square and the Leon Štukelj Square. The Main Square will this year feature a festive merry-go-round, just like the one that was featured in a holiday commercial recently shot in the city centre.

Light sculptures called Lumina will greet visitors in city streets and squares, and urban forest photo points will be set up around the city.

Elf City will open on Friday as well, offering events and workshops throughout December. Father Frost will ride around the city in his carriage between 14 and 21 December.

The festive season in the coastal town of Izola will also start on Friday, while in Koper Christmas lights will be switched on on Saturday. In both towns open-air ice skating rinks will open and a number of events are planned for December.

Other towns around Slovenia will slip into the holiday mood this weekend or the next, with the Mozirski Gaj park in Mozirje featuring a record 1,7 million Christmas lights this year.

In Nova Gorica, the lights will be turned on next Friday. The town will organise a book fair, while visitors will be able to produce electricity for lighting up Christmas trees by riding a bike.

Murska Sobota in the north-east has cancelled all festive events because of the epidemic but it will still turn on almost 60,000 lights on the eve of St Nicolas Day.

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: 

Janša urges stronger cooperation in fight against pandemic at ASEM

LJUBLJANA/PHNOM PENH, Cambodia - Prime Minister Janez Janša called for stronger cooperation in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic as he addressed the Asian-European Meeting (ASEM) by videolink. "Better cooperation and an effective response to crises such as health emergencies requires cooperation and mutual coordination," he said. "To fully overcome the pandemic, we need to strengthen solidarity and resilience of our societies. The EU is fully aware of this and is therefore the biggest per capita vaccine donor in the world," Janša said.

Slovenia hails EU agreement on digital markets and services

BRUSSELS, Belgium - EU ministers in charge of competitiveness clinched a political agreement on two key digital acts - on digital markets and services at a session chaired by Slovenian Economy Minister Zdravko Počivalšek and Digital Transformation Minister Mark Boris Andrijanič. Počivalšek lauded the agreement an important milestone on the path to create a more open and competitive digital market, while Andrijanič and European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton This described the achievement as a historic day for EU consumers.

Opposition critical of changes to appointment delegated prosecutors

LJUBLJANA - Centre-left opposition parties expressed criticism of the amendments to the act on the public prosecution regarding the appointment of Slovenian prosecutors delegated to the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) just as Slovenia's two prosecutors received full five-year terms. The EPPO and the European Commission would not comment on the amendments, which would give the government more say in the appointment of delegated prosecutors. Speaker Igor Zorčič suggested parliament should vote the proposal down. Justice Minister Marjan Dikaučič said the amendments were not finalised yet.

MPs give go-ahead for higher budget spending cap

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly on Thursday in favour of the government's proposal to raise the cap on state budget expenditure for this year by EUR 670 million to nearly EUR 15 billion. The government said the rise was to allow the financing of Covid-19 response measures to continue undisrupted, but the centre-left opposition argued the government had lost a grip on public finances. The amendment to the budgeting framework regulation for the 2020-2022 period was backed by 45 votes in favour and 42 against.

Ban on sale of certain plastic products put into law

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly unanimously passed an act prohibiting the sale of certain plastic products, including disposable products, with the aim of reducing the quantity of discarded packaging and, consequently, improving public health. In line with the act, with which a relevant EU directive is being transposed in Slovenian law with some delay, it will be prohibited to sell products from OXO-biodegradable plastics and disposable plastic products in Slovenia.

Parliament votes fracking ban fit for further reading

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly backed a proposal for a ban on hydraulic fracturing in Slovenia, tabled by three centre-left opposition parties, on first reading in what is the fifth attempt to thwart British company Ascent Resources's fracking plans in the north-eastern Prekmurje region. The relevant amendment to the mining act, sponsored by the Left, Marjan Šarec List (LMŠ), and Social Democrats (SD), would ban the extraction of hydrocarbons by fracking in Slovenia.

Another attempt to endorse totalitarianism resolution fails

LJUBLJANA - The National Assembly failed to muster the majority needed to pass a declaration to support the European Parliament's 2009 resolution on European conscience and totalitarianism. This was the fifth attempt by the ruling Democratic Party (SDS) to endorse the resolution which condemns all totalitarian regimes, with the previous one failing in March 2019. 42 MPs of the coalition parties and the opposition National Party (SNS) voted in favour of the declaration, while 45 centre-left MPs voted against.

Govt adopts bill to facilitate licensing of doctors

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted amendments to the medical services act that facilitate licensing of doctors, transfer the jurisdiction of professional exams to the Medical Chamber and simplify hiring of foreign doctors with regard to Slovenian language skills. Health Minister Janez Poklukar said the changes would improve the functioning and accessibility of the healthcare system, in particular at primary level. Junior doctors not yet assigned speciality are to work for the first three months in family medicine or emergency medicine.

Parliament unanimously passes amendment to healthcare act

LJUBLJANA - The parliament passed on Wednesday evening an opposition amendment to the act on emergency measures in healthcare with 86 votes in favour and none against, introducing financial compensation for the self-employed, partners in companies and farmers in the event of a quarantine order due to Covid-19 or subsequent childcare obligations. The benefit payment is set at EUR 250 for each occurrence of a quarantine order, with a maximum limit of EUR 750 in one month. The amendment will apply retroactively, from 1 July onwards.

Downward trend in Covid infections continues

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia logged another 2,668 coronavirus infections on Wednesday, a figure down both on daily (3,144) and weekly (3,662) levels, show figures by the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ). Overall hospital numbers dropped slightly to 1,145, but the number of ICU cases rose to a new record of 286. Eleven patients with Covid-19 died, the government reported. Both the 7-day average of new cases and 14-day incidence per 100,000 population decreased.

Simoniti says Drama renovation to continue, but with lower budget

LJUBLJANA - Culture Minister Vasko Simoniti acknowledged on Wednesday that the renovation of the SNG Drama theatre in Ljubljana will be delayed, which was the reason for the resignation of theatre's director Igor Samobor. Simoniti indicated this was because the ministry wanted to clear up certain issues to make sure the project was transparent. Simoniti dismissed Samobor's claims the ministry did not communicate with the theatre.

Govt proposes changes to Financial Administration, tax procedure

LJUBLJANA - The government adopted changes to the Financial Administration act and the tax procedure act as part of efforts to upgrade the tax system. According to the government, the new legislation is to increase the legal safety of taxpayers and cut the red tape. The changes envisage organisational changes within the Tax Administration that should speed up proceedings and increase efficiency. They introduce a panel for deciding on the most complex tax proceedings.

TV Slovenija news journalists protest 2022 production plan

LJUBLJANA - Journalists of the news programme of the television arm of RTV Slovenija protested over the relevant draft programme and production plan for 2022, calling on the programming council of the public broadcaster to reject it on Monday and adjust it so that it "appropriately implements the mission of RTV". The main issue was that news content was being shrunk with some programmes moved from channel 1 to 2. TV Slovenija acting director Valentin Areh rejected the claim, saying the idea was to put the interest of viewers first.

STA among recipients of Watchdog Awards for journalism

LJUBLJANA - The Slovenian Journalists' Association announced this year's recipients of the Watchdog Awards, as the jury noted that Slovenian journalism had remained responsible, professional and ethical despite a challenging year. The most prestigious Watchdog Award went to Glorija Lorenci, a journalist at the Večer newspaper. One of the Watchdog Awards for outstanding journalistic achievement was awarded to the editorial board of the Slovenian Press Agency.

Govt forms council for open issues with Evangelical Church

LJUBLJANA - The government decided to establish a government council to address open issues with the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovenia. The new body will be in charge of identifying, recording and examining the open issues between the state and what is the largest Protestant church in Slovenia. The council will be led by State Secretary at the prime minister's office Bojan Pograjc, the government said after its session.

Retailer Mercator rebounds from loss on slightly higher sales

LJUBLJANA - Mercator, Slovenia's largest retailer, recovered from last year's deep loss as it posted a net profit of EUR 12.6 million for the first nine months of the year. Sales revenue was up by almost a percent to EUR 1.63 billion, shows the group's earnings report. Operating profit (EBIT) stood at EUR 57.5 million compared to an operating loss of almost EUR 28 million in the same period last year. The company said sales were also up by 2.9% on pre-Covid 2019, on the back of strong sales in its core market in Slovenia, where sales were up by nearly 5% on the same period in 2019.

EU's SET Plan discussed at Bled conference

BLED - A sustainable energy transition, and the role of innovation and investment to enhance it, is in the focus of a two-day conference on the EU's SET Plan which began in a hybrid format in the town of Bled. The event is organised by the Slovenian Ministry of Infrastructure and the European Commission. The European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) is designed to boost the transition towards a climate neutral energy system through the development of low-carbon technologies in a fast and cost-competitive way.

Slovenian Digital Coalition forum starts in Ljubljana

LJUBLJANA - An open forum of the Slovenian Digital Coalition started in Ljubljana, with the progress of digitalisation in Slovenia and European digital market regulations at the forefront of the debates. Speakers at the forum also stressed the importance of strengthening digital competences. The main points of interest for the coalition are regulation, environment, infrastructure, education and inclusion.

NGOs call for zero tolerance of violence against women

LJUBLJANA - Slovenian non-governmental organisations called for zero tolerance of violence on International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. They warn that women still often do not get the help they expect and need, highlighting the importance of cooperation among all political groups and other institutions in this field, and legislation that strives to boost the protection of victims of sexual violence and harassment.

Slovenia gets contact point for encouraging EU values

LJUBLJANA - Slovenia got its national contact point for the EU project Citizens, Equality, Rights & Values (CERV), which will support organisations of the civil society to strengthen the rights and values that are shared by all EU countries promoting pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and gender equality. CERV is a project worth almost EUR 1.5 billion aimed at building open, democratic and inclusive societies based on the rule of law.

Pogačar wins the Velo d'Or

PARIS, France - Slovenian Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar received the 2021 Velo d'Or, a prestigious cycling prize awarded by the French sports publisher l'Equipe. The 23-year-old ended the year at the top of the World Cycling Union (UCI) rankings, having become the 13th rider to defend the Tour de France title. Last year's laureate Primož Roglič came in second.

Mura pull off sensational win against Tottenham

MARIBOR - Slovenia's national football champions Mura made history by delivering a shock 2:1 defeat to Tottenham in the 5th round of the UEFA Europa Conference League to the thrill of roughly 5,500 spectators at the Maribor stadium. The lowest ranked team in this new competition, Mura claimed their first points. The winning goal against the top favourite of Group G was scored in the stoppage time by Amadej Maroša. This was after Harry Kane cancelled out Tomi Horvat's sensational opener.

Combined estimated worth of 100 richest Slovenians record-high

LJUBLJANA - The 100 wealthiest Slovenians are worth a combined EUR 7.1 billion, which is a record amount and almost a quarter or EUR 1.3 billion more than a year ago. There are no changes on the top, with the assets of Iza Sia Login and Samo Login being almost double of that of the second-placed couple of Sandi Češko and Livija Dolanc. The largest increase in the assets of the 100 richest Slovenians since 2008 is a result of higher estimates at stock markets, the newspaper Finance said as it unveiled the ranking.

Importance of health literacy underlined at expert meeting

LJUBLJANA - A national health literacy survey, presented at a health experts meeting, found that 48% of the adult population in Slovenia has limited health literacy. "The survey is the first of its kind in our country and represents one of the steps towards a national strategy to raise health literacy," the Health Ministry said. Meanwhile, the survey also showed the level of digital health literacy among Slovenian students to be quite high, even though half have difficulty assessing the reliability of information.

STA, 25 November - Slovenian Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar has received the 2021 Velo d'Or, a prestigious cycling prize awarded by the French sports publisher l'Equipe. Last year's laureate Primož Roglič came in second.

The Velo d'Or has been awarded since 1992 by Velo Magazine for outstanding achievements in the sport and Pogačar really did have an outstanding season.

The 23-year-old ended the year at the top of the World Cycling Union (UCI) rankings, having become the 13th rider to defend the Tour de France title.

He also won two major one-day races, the Liege-Bastogne-Liege and the Giro di Lombardia, and finished third in the Olympic road race.

He notched up a total of 13 individual victories in the season.

Roglič also won 13 times this year, but had to end the Tour prematurely due to injury. He made up for that by winning his third consecutive La Vuelta and the Olympic time trial.

STA, 25 November 2021 - Journalists of the news programme of the television arm of RTV Slovenija protested on Thursday against the relevant draft programme and production plan for 2022, calling on the programming council of the public broadcaster to reject it and adjust it so that it "appropriately implements the mission of RTV".

TV Slovenija journalist Igor E. Bergant told the protest press conference that the draft plan had not been significantly changed compared to its initial format despite remarks from the news programme journalists.

The key remarks and warnings remain, with certain changes "in the expert opinion of the news programme journalists being detrimental to the mission of the public institute", as cancelling and relocating shows "is reminiscent of some other times."

According to Bergant, the problem is that the plan is not well worked out in certain segments, and it is completely unclear how it could be realistically implemented at all even if the greatest possible effort was invested.

He believes that the changes do not solve the issue of ratings, as claimed by the management of RTV Slovenija as the initiators of the changes.

"Informing is not the only one, but is certainly one of the key missions of European radio-television services, where ratings are not and must not be the only or the main criterion," Bergant said.

He noted that the news programme journalists at TV Slovenija were not afraid of changes as such, as they wanted to work "even more, even better and in better conditions," while adding that the proposed changes did not enable this.

"The initiators even explicitly speak about an experiment," Bergant said, adding that now was not the time for experiments as RTV Slovenija is facing financial difficulties, but to "focus on what is already known".

The journalists also noted that the issue was not about individuals or politics or about problems with communication, but about an "ill-advised, and partially unprofessional" and "uncoordinated plan".

Manica Janežič Ambrožič, who stepped down as the TV news programme editor-in-chief in mid-October over the plan, said that the shrinking of the programme and moving some of the shows to channel 2 undermined the role and message of RTV Slovenija.

Janežič Ambrožič, who continues to serve as the acting editor-in-chief, noted that "134 colleagues ... think that the planned thorough changes are a step in the wrong direction."

She stressed that the journalists did not stand united because they feared change, but because the plan was an "extremely risky business", adding that changes needed to be "professionally reasoned, discussed and coordinated production-wise."

Also showing up at the protest press conference were many journalists from other media outlets, while support has also been expressed by the expert public.

According to the TV Slovenija news programme journalists, the appeal to the RTV Slovenija management to rethink the draft plan for next year has been signed by 126 out of a total of 143 journalists.

TV Slovenija acting director Valentin Areh rejected the claims by journalists about the news content being shrunk under the plan, adding that the idea was to put the interest of viewers first.

"The news programme of TV Slovenija is in a serious crisis, and ratings for a majority of shows are dropping ... which is why we decided for programme changes modelled after the most successful public broadcasters such as the BBC, ZDF and ORF," he said.

Areh, who is puzzled by the journalists "requesting that nothing must change despite the drastic drop in ratings", added that the management was obliged to take measures and take the wishes and interests of viewers into account.

The Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts meanwhile expressed support for TV Slovenija journalists, saying that the management should lend an ear to the remarks of employees, who should have the main say in such matters.

"Given the currently very chaotic management of the institute, which is becoming increasingly susceptible to informal pressure from external actors and their private interests, the position of the employees is where reasonable reflection should be anchored," adds the statement signed by almost 80 members of the centre.

The programming council of RTV Slovenija is expected to start discussing the plan next Monday.

STA, 25 November 2021 - The 100 wealthiest Slovenians are worth a combined EUR 7.1 billion, which is a record amount and almost a quarter or EUR 1.3 billion more than a year ago. There are no changes on the top, with the assets of Iza Sia Login and Samo Login being almost double of that of the second-placed couple of Sandi Češko and Livija Dolanc.

The largest increase in the assets of the 100 richest Slovenians after 2008 is a result of higher estimates at stock markets, which are the basis for the estimate of net worth, the business newspaper Finance said on Thursday.

In addition, the increase is also a consequence of good operation, deleveraging, larger financial cushions and, in some cases, successful takeovers, shows Manager, a special edition of the newspaper.

The entry point for the top 100 increased from last year's EUR 20.9 million to EUR 27.7 million, and more than a quarter of the people from last year's list is no longer in the top 100 company.

There are ten newcomers and 17 persons who are back on the list, Finance says, noting that sector-wise, the companies owned by the 100 wealthiest Slovenians are rather diverse, with the IT sector recording a rise in recent years.

The companies on the list largely have a good standing on the market and are more resilient to shocks than the average Slovenian company, which is why the aggravated economic conditions do not reflect on their bottom line.

Standing firmly on the top of the list are Iza Sia and Samo Login, the spouses who are privately separated but continue to work together, which is why they are treated as one entity on the list.

The value of their assets, estimated at EUR 689 million, is their share of the purchase money for the app developer Outfit7 and the dividends they received from the company while they were the majority owners.

The second-placed Sandi Češko and Livija Dolanc are worth an estimated EUR 355 million, with the bulk of their assets being the proceeds from their 55% stake in the omni-channel retailer Studio Moderna.

The Šešok family, the owners of the electronics group Iskra, made the biggest leap as their worth increased by EUR 150 million in the past year to EUR 270 million, to earn the third spot on the list.

The spouses Vesna and Dari Južna, the owners of the Perspektiva holding company, made it to the top 10 with a 73% growth of their estimated assets. This is mostly due to deleveraging and growth of the market value of the energy company Petrol.

Finance says that the most interesting newcomer is basketball player Luka Dončić, whose worth is estimated at EUR 29.4 million this year after the NBA star signed a five-year US$207 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks.

Top 10 wealthiest Slovenians according to Manager magazine

1  Samo and Iza Sia Login     EUR 689m (+0%)
   ex-owners of app developer Outfit7

2  Sandi Češko, Livija Dolanc EUR 355m (+3%)
   ex-owners of omni-channel retailer Studio Moderna

3  Šešok family               EUR 120m (+38%)
   owners of electronics group Iskra

4  Marko Pistotnik            EUR 210m (+ 0%)
   ex-owner of app developer Outfit7

5  Lah family                 EUR 209m (+27%)
   financial investors

6  Dari and Vesna Južna       EUR 202m (+73%)
   owners of holding company Perspektiva

7  Joc Pečečnik               EUR 199m   (-)
   owner of gaming company Elektronček

8  Damian Merlak              EUR 183m (+24%)
   ex-owner of cryptocurrency exchange Bitstamp

9  Igor Akrapovič             EUR 174m (+25%)
   owner of exhaust maker Akrapovič

10 Tone Strnad                EUR 142m (+21%)
   owner of pharmaceutical company Medis

STA, 25 November 2021 - Culture Minister Vasko Simoniti has acknowledged that the renovation of the SNG Drama theatre in Ljubljana will be delayed, which was the reason for the resignation of theatre's director Igor Samobor. Simoniti indicated this was because the ministry wanted to clear up certain issues to make sure the project is transparent.

Speaking for the Odmevi late-night show on RTV Slovenija on Wednesday, Simoniti dismissed Samobor's claims the ministry did not communicate with the theatre. He said he had met Samobor four times, but he did reject a one-on-one meeting given how complex and expensive the project is.

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

The renovation was initially estimated at EUR 60 million, whereupon the price tag dropped to EUR 45 million. "These are exceptionally high figures that demand precise answers to the financiers - the state, which the minister is responsible for."

The draft of the new culture programme says, according to RTV Slovenija, that the start of the renovation will be pushed to 2023 and the new estimated price is EUR 21 million.

Simoniti did not specify why the ministry was allocating less money for the project. He said it simply provisionally set aside EUR 21 million, the figure set down in the last national culture programme.

An audit of the project that he demanded concluded that it is impossible to determine a precise price, the project designers put the price tag at EUR 43 million. "I'm afraid if they are setting such prices, the figures would be significantly higher and there would be an inordinate number of annexes to the agreement."

The ministry wants a "transparent and clear picture of what this is about," according to Simoniti.

There are also several outstanding issues concerning the project, according to him, for example the status of certain plots of land and the consent of local residents. Simoniti said there were also questions about plans to build deep underground, which posed a potential threat to the Drama building and the nearby German House.

The comments come after Samobor tendered his resignation on Monday due to what he described as government foot-dragging over the badly needed renovation of the building of Slovenia's largest theatre.

Samobor said one of the reasons for his decision was the probability that there is certain personal animosity between him and the minister, but Simoniti dismissed that as a "not too precious propaganda move" and noted this was not Samobor's personal project but the responsibility of the state.

STA, 25 November - The Slovenian men's basketball team will start the qualifying cycle for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup on Thursday as the second-ranked team in Europe and fourth in the FIBA world rankings is hosted by Croatia in Zagreb. 

The Slovenian team will play up to 12 qualifying games in the next 15 months, starting with games against Croatia and against Sweden in Koper on Sunday.

The next FIBA Basketball World Cup will take place between 25 August and 10 September 2023, hosted by Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines, where 32 national teams will compete for the championship, including 12 from Europe.

The European qualifiers feature 32 teams, divided into eight groups, with each team will playing six games in the first group stage, from where the top three teams from each group qualify for the next stage.

The same process will be repeated in the next stage, but with only four groups, and the top three teams from each group will qualify for the World Cup, amounting to a total of 12 European national teams.

Slovenia begins the first group stage in group C, competing with Croatia, Finland and Sweden. Should they qualify for the next stage, potential opponents include Germany, Israel, Estonia and Poland.

Slovenia enter the qualifiers as the fourth best team in the world in FIBA rankings, behind the US, Spain and Australia.

The team will start the qualifiers without several prominent members of the Tokyo Olympics team, which won the fourth place, including Luka Dončić, Vlatko Čančar, Mike Tobey, Zoran Dragić and Gregor Hrovat.

Featured in the roster for the first two games are Jaka Blažič, Jakob Čebašek, Žiga Dimec, Blaž Habot, Alen Hodžić, Jan Kosi, Luka Lapornik, Miha Lapornik, Jurij Macura, Edo Murić, Aleksej Nikolić, Klemen Prepelič, Matic Rebec and Luka Rupnik.

After this week's games, the qualifying cycle will continue in February 2022, with the first group stage concluding in the early summer of 2022. The second group stage starts in August 2022 and will be completed by February 2023.

Should Slovenia qualify for the World Cup, it will be their fourth appearance after coming ninth in Japan in 2006, eighth in Turkey in 2010, and seventh in Spain in 2014.

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: 

EPPO appoints Slovenian prosecutors for full terms

LUXEMBOURG, Luxembourg - The College of the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) appointed Tanja Frank Eler and Matej Oštir as Slovenia's European delegated prosecutors for five-year terms, same as all the other delegated prosecutors. This was after the Slovenian government referred the two nominees, picked up by the State Prosecution Council nearly a year ago, to the EPPO last week, as what it described as a "temporary solution". Frank Eler and Oštir said they were pleased with the appointment and eager to start working. The EU Commission has also welcomed the two appointments.

Changes to appointment of EPPO prosecutors proposed

LJUBLJANA - The Justice Ministry put forward amendments to the act on the public prosecution that would give the government greater say in the appointment of Slovenian prosecutors delegated to the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO). The proposal stipulates that the Justice Ministry would get the power to propose candidates in the event that an insufficient number of prosecutors applied in the public call. The final decision on the appointment would be in the hands of the government, and not the Public Prosecutors' Council.

Janša and Morawiecki note similar views on border protection

LJUBLJANA - Hosting his Polish counterpart Mateusz Morawiecki, Prime Minister Janez Janša pledged Slovenia's support for Poland in light of the migrant crisis on the Polish-Belarusian border. He said the EU should fund all measures to protect the bloc's external borders, arguing that physical barriers at the borders have proved to be effective in preventing illegal migration and violence. He noted that Slovenia had been striving to drum up major support for Poland in the migration crisis as the country that is currently at the helm of the Council of the EU.

MEPs acknowledge improvements in Slovenia, lament delays

STRASBOURG, France - The European Parliament conducted a debate on fundamental rights and the rule of law in Slovenia. MEPs acknowledged there have been positive steps made recently, but they also criticised the government for delays, in particular in the appointment of European delegated prosecutors. There were warnings that despite progress on certain key issues, in particular the prosecutors, there are still threats to democracy, highlighting issues such as reduced funding of the media, cyberbullying, SLAPP lawsuits, and threats against critics.

Janša says restrictions work if people comply

LJUBLJANA - Prime Minister Janez Janša reiterated his call for vaccination against Covid-19 as he indicated in an interview for the Catholic Radio Ognjišče that a tightening of restrictions was not in the cards at present. He said that the closure of certain activities and services, if properly adhered to, can bring relatively quick relief in epidemiological terms. "But if we comply, measures related to the PCT rule can contribute significantly as well," he said in reference to the country's recovered-vaccinated-tested rule.

Logar discusses Bosnia's situation in EU Parliament

STRASBOURG, France - Foreign Minister Anže Logar raised concern about the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina as he addressed the European Parliament on Tuesday evening. Logar, who took part in the debate on behalf of the Council of the EU, called on the country's political leaders to give up provocative and divisive rhetoric and actions, including such that undermine the country's territorial integrity, and to commit to reforms. MEPs also expressed concern about the developments.

Coronavirus infections continue to fall

LJUBLJANA - The number of new coronavirus infections continued to fall on a daily and weekly basis, as 3,144 people tested positive on Tuesday, but the situation in hospitals remains alarming. The government reported that another 11 patients died, while 1,168 continue to be treated in hospitals, including 283 in intensive care. Health Ministry State Secretary Franc Vindišar said hospitals were so badly stretched they could no longer provide adequate level of service in case of a multiple casualty event.

Illegal migration down almost 40%

LJUBLJANA - Police dealt with 8,144 instances of illegal crossing of the border in the first ten months of 2021, nearly 39% fewer than in the same period last year. The most frequently processed illegal migrants were from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, who accounted for almost half of the total number. The police said the rise was currently slower than expected, with the area covered by the Koper Police Department remaining the most exposed.

Long-term care bill passes second reading

LJUBLJANA - The bill on long-term care passed second reading in parliament after it was heavily amended by the coalition. The bill offers institutional care, home care, care for a family member and financial compensation. All beneficiaries but those receiving institutional care would also be eligible for services aimed at strengthening and keeping their independence. It does not immediately solve the issue of financing, which will be dealt with in a separate act to be passed in 2024. Until then, the gradually rising costs of the new regulation are to be covered by the state budget.

Jasmina Cibic wins the 2021 Film London Jarman Award

LONDON, UK - Slovenian artist Jasmina Cibic won the 2021 Jarman Award handed out by Film London, worth EUR 10,000. The jury highlighted her projects NADA and The Gift, which was recently screened at the London Film Festival. Cibic was announced the winner at an event at the Regent Street Cinema on Tuesday. Based in London, Cibic (1979) works in film, sculpting, performance and installation. She broaches issues such as national identity, emergence of a state, soft power and relations within Europe in her works.

Actors urge debate on issues in culture sector

LJUBLJANA - The Association of Theatre Actors (ZDUS) sees the resignation of Igor Samobor as the director of Ljubljana's SNG Drama theatre as an opportunity for the public to get acquainted with issues in arts and culture and to call on politicians to act responsibly for the common good. They say the resignation is a result of "irresponsible cultural policy". Simoniti would not comment on the resignation until he was given the opportunity to appear on the late night news show on TV Slovenija like Samobor. He is due to appear there tonight.

Business sentiment improves in November

LJUBLJANA - Business sentiment in Slovenia improved in November after a brief slump, as the relevant indicator was up by 0.8 percentage points compared to October, and was 15.9 points higher year-on-year, the Statistics Office reported. Contributing the most to the improvement were the sub-indicators for sentiment in manufacturing and retail, which were up 1.1 and 0.4 percentage points, respectively.

Hydrogen filling station launched in Anhovo

ANHOVO/NOVA GORICA - A hydrogen filling station was launched outside cement maker Salonit Anhovo in western Slovenia as part of plans to make it one of the first carbon-neutral cement plants with minimum environmental impact by 2035. Tomaž Vuk, a member of the management board, said the filling station was the first step for the company on the path to carbon-neutral transport of cement. Anhovo is only the second such facility in the country after the first one opened in Lesce in north Slovenia in 2013.

Snowboarder Grilc dies in accident on Sölden slopes

SÖLDEN, Austria - Marko Grilc, one of the most accomplished Slovenian snowboarders, was killed in a snowboarding accident in the Austrian ski resort of Sölden on Tuesday. Media reports say the 38-year-old was part of a film crew inspecting a site for filming as he fell and hit his helmless head on a snow-covered rock in a closed section of the resort. Grilc had four podium finishes in the World Cup, with the sole victory coming in London in 2010 in acrobatic jumps.

STA, 24 November 2021 - The College of the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) appointed on Wednesday Tanja Frank Eler and Matej Oštir as Slovenia's European delegated prosecutors for five-year terms, same as all the other delegated prosecutors, in a move welcomed by the prosecutors and the EU Commission.

"We are extremely pleased to have been appointed European delegated prosecutors for a full five-year term and therefore given an opportunity to take part in this project," Frank Eler and Oštir told the STA.

"We thank the European Public Prosecutor's Office for the trust it has shown us. Regardless of all complications in the appointment procedure we would, above all, like to focus on further work in the prosecution of crime against the EU budget," they added.

Slovenia's Supreme State Prosecutor's Office welcomed the EPPO's decision as well, reiterating its stance that the pair were good candidates who had met all the conditions to be appointed European delegated prosecutor.

The decision has ended "delays in the fulfilment of Slovenia's agreed obligations," the Supreme State Prosecutor's Office said, noting that with Frank Eler and Oštir's appointments, Slovenia would finally fill in the gap that had beset the EPPO and "join the common efforts to protect the EU's financial interests in the country".

European Commission Vice-President for Values and Transparency Vera Jourova congratulated Frank Eler and Oštir on their appointments, posting on Twitter: "Good news, now we have Delegated Prosecutors from every participating country."

Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders shared the sentiment, saying: "After several exchanges I had with the Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša and the Minister of Justice Marjan Dikaučič, I am happy that we now have delegated prosecutors in all member states participating in the EPPO."

The EPPO received the Slovenian government's proposal to appoint the two candidates on Friday after the government decided last Thursday to refer the State Prosecution Council's pick of Frank Eler and Oštir.

According to the government, the decision is temporary, in place only until the appointment procedure in Slovenia is completed, a stance that has been disputed by experts.

The government argued that it had taken note of the procedure so far and established that it had not been carried out in line with the state prosecution act due to an insufficient number of applications.

The decision to nominate the selected candidates on a temporary basis has been thus made to avert substantial damage to Slovenia that could be caused by the delay in the appointment, the government said.

However, following the assessment of Frank Eler and Oštir, the EPPO decided this morning to appoint them as full-fledged delegated prosecutors, each for a period of five years, same as delegated prosecutors from all the other EU countries participating in the EPPO.

This comes after the office highlighted on Monday that national authorities only proposed the candidates, but it was up to the EPPO's College to decide on their appointment. "This is key to our independence," the EPPO said.

The State Prosecution Council said that the appointments of Frank Eler and Oštir for a full five-year term "mean the confirmation of the legality of the council's proposal".

However, Janša said today that "nothing is happening that has not been agreed on". "If there is anything left that is unclear, it will be cleared up in the next months," he said at a press conference he held with the Polish prime minister today.

Justice Minister Marjan Dikaučič told Radio Slovenija that Slovenia had been all along striving to fully join the EPPO's efforts as soon as possible by appointing European delegated prosecutors. "Today's decision settled that," the minister said.

The office was launched in June to investigate and prosecute EU budget fraud and other crimes against the bloc's financial interests. A total of 22 member states take part in the EPPO, including Slovenia, which was the last country to propose its delegated prosecutors.

STA, 24 November - Organisations representing employers and trade unions on the Economic and Social Council, the main industrial relations forum, have issued a joint call on Wednesday urging people to respect Covid-19 restrictions and get vaccinated.

Slovenia is in extremely difficult situation because of Covid-19, said the organisations, including the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS), the Chamber of Commerce (TZS), the Employers' Association and the ZSSS, Pergam, KS 90, KSJS and several other trade unions.

"We must realise that only responsible action by each individual and by all of us together can reduce the spread of infections and enable our life to return to normal," they wrote.

Higher vaccination rates can contribute the most to containing the spread of Covid-19, or at least faster recovery from the disease, and thus to relieving pressure on healthcare, which is on the edge of its capacities.

The employer associations and trade union thus urged people to be consistent in showing and checking the required documents on meeting the recovered, vaccinated, tested rule.

Companies should keep records on self-testing of employees and all citizens should be consistent in using protective masks, keeping a distance, hand sanitising and ventilating offices, they said, adding this was the only way to keep businesses running.

They warned though that government measures for preventing the spreading of Covid-19 must be clear, logical, sensible, proportionate and undiscriminating, and presented to the people on time and in a clear and understandable way.