Latest News from Slovenia
Slovenia orders one million rapid tests
Ljubljana – The Health Ministry has picked Sanolabor as the supplier of a million rapid antigen test for mass testing for coronavirus. The medical supplier submitted the lowest bid among 22 bidders.
Sanolabor offered EUR 1.37 per test, with the total cost for the state amounting to EUR 1.137 million, show data published on the Public Procurement Portal.
Google to update street view of Slovenia
Ljubljana – US tech giant Google will update its Street View service for Slovenia, starting on 8 April, said the Information Commissioner on Friday. Slovenia was first included in the application in 2014.
Travel agencies still coping, expect state recovery aid
Ljubljana – Travel agencies, which have not been able to provide services to consumers or organise trips for the majority of the past year due to the Covid-19 measures, are not doing well, but the situation is not yet “tragic”. They have been eligible for state aid and the state is also expected to help them restart their activity in full.
Three centuries of the Škofja Loka Passion Play
Škofja Loka – The Škofja Loka Passion Play, Slovenia’s oldest play, was staged in the town of Škofja Loka on Good Friday exactly 300 years ago. Passion processions had been held in town before and the play was in the making for years, but the preserved manuscript is dated 1721.
Centre-left opposition to table motion to impeach Janša
Ljubljana – Four centre-left opposition parties have tabled a motion asking the National Assembly to impeach Prime Minister Janez Janša before the Constitutional Court, accusing him of violating several articles of the constitution and laws, pertaining to healthcare, media, prosecution and human and constitutional rights. Janša called the move pathetic.
Fitch upgrades NKBM
Maribor – Ratings agency Fitch has upgraded the long-term credit risk for NKBM, Slovenia’s second largest ban, from BB+ to BBB- with a stable outlook, citing the completion of the merger with Abanka, firm capital position and low share of non-performing loans.
Stock market, interbank transactions suspended for Easter holidays
Ljubljana – The Ljubljana Stock Exchange has suspended its operations on Friday for Easter holidays. Due to the suspension of the European TARGET2 payment system, banks in the euro zone will not conduct interbank transactions until after Easter Monday.
Slovenia introducing self-testing for students
Maribor – After schools reopen on 12 April, secondary school students will begin self-testing for coronavirus, followed a while later by pupils of the final three years of primary school, Health Minister Janez Poklukar said on Thursday.
Slovenia enters third pandemic lockdown
Ljubljana – Slovenia is going into its third lockdown in just over a year on Thursday, as it wants to buy time for vaccination and stem the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic, driven by the highly virulent British variant. The lockdown is planned until 11 April, with the exception of Easter Sunday, when up to two households will be able to socialise.
Business organisations urge more ambitious debureaucratisation
Ljubljana – Four business chambers or associations associated in an Economic Circle initiative urged the government to be more ambitious in its debureaucratisation drive and lower the planned social security cap, as they presented a number of ideas for a lean state at an online news conference on Wednesday.
Primorsko-Notranjska region to get business incubator
Postojna – All six municipalities in Primorsko-Notranja, a region in the south-west of the country, have signed a contract to set up a regional business incubator Perspektiva in a bid to provide systemic leverage to encourage entrepreneurship through start-ups.
Two-month high of 1,558 new coronavirus cases confirmed
Ljubljana – Slovenia confirmed 1,558 new cases of coronavirus on Tuesday, the highest daily figure since 2 February, as the share of positive tests continued to climb, exceeding 21% for the first time since mid-February, the latest government data show. Seven people with Covid-19 died.
US State Department Human Right report for Slovenia puts attacks on press in spotlight
Washington – The US Department of State has released the 2020 Human Rights international report in which it also analyses the situation in Slovenia. Attacks on media and harassment of journalists in the country feature more prominently than ever, the latter being described as one of the key human rights issues in Slovenia.
Failure to Sack Speaker Boosts Slovenian Opposition’s Election Hopes
The failure of government parties in Slovenia on Tuesday to dismiss as parliament speaker Igor Zorcic - although he is no longer in the ranks of the ruling coalition - has encouraged the opposition to call for snap elections.
MPs pass amended water act
Ljubljana – Parliament passed on Tuesday changes to the water act with 44 votes in favour and 38 against. One major provision has been scrapped from the bill in the wake of criticism by NGOs, but environmentalists warn that the legislation is still problematic with efforts already launched to place the law on a popular ballot.