Jakob

Ljubljana – Slovenian secondary school student Benjamin Bajd has won a gold medal at the 34th International Olympiad in Informatics in Indonesia in competition of 349 students from 88 countries. This is the first gold medal for Slovenia since the country has started participating in the annual competitive programming event.

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 has reported.

Ljubljana – The Constitutional Court has annulled a provision in the latest Covid relief law that raises the pay ceiling in the single public sector wage system only for doctors and dentists. The trade unions which petitioned the court to examine the law welcomed its decision.

Ljubljana – Trade union confederations said they had decided to leave the Economic and Social Council (ESS), the country’s industrial relations forum, because the government had practically abolished social dialogue and thus deprived them of the seats at the negotiating table. They warned the government’s action was leading to a conflict.

Ljubljana – The International Workers’ Day, 1 May, will this year again be marked by epidemic-related restrictions. Trade unions call for job security, decent pensions, social security but also for safety at work, so that workers are not exposed to infection. Traditional celebrations with big bonfires on the eve of the holiday will not take place.

Ljubljana – The government has presented to public sector trade unions a preliminary proposal overhauling the public sector pay system. The sector is to be split into two groups, allowing more autonomy in terms of salaries to institutions funded not only by the state but also by other sources. Unions believe this would lead to disintegration of the pay system.

Brdo pri Kranju/Ljubljana – Labour Minister Janez Cigler Kralj has announced after meeting social partners on Tuesday that he will set the minimum wage for 2021 at EUR 1,024 gross. This is 120% of the minimum cost of living and the lowest possible rise under minimum wage legislation. Last year, the minimum wage stood at EUR 941 gross.

Ljubljana – Prime Minister Janez Janša has announced that the “operative part” of the police force would be extracted from the single public sector pay system to make pay ratios fairer. Public sector trade union representatives expressed disagreement and called for social dialogue.