Jernej Vrtovec

Ljubljana – The parliamentary Public Finance Oversight Commission is to discuss the recent decision by the motorway company DARS to pick the Slovak company Skytoll to set up the country’s e-tolling system in the wake of reports that DARS tailored the tender for Skytoll. The decision will also be challenged by one of the rivals in the tender.

Ljubljana – Ski resorts in nine regions that have been moved to the red tier of coronavirus restrictions will be allowed to reopen on Saturday. With few exceptions, skiers will have to produce a negative test result to hit the slopes and strict public health rules will have to be observed. Ski lift operators are happy to be able to welcome visitors again.

Ljubljana – A 6am-6pm ban on overtaking for lorries on the A1 motorway between Šentilj and Koper entered into force on Friday. Police controls will be beefed up.

The new regime will be in place for lorries weighing more than 7.5 tonnes. Overtaking will still be allowed for these vehicles during the day in three-lane sections, and on the entire motorway in night time.

Ljubljana – Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec has signed a protocol with local mayors on the construction of a new road link between the northern Gorenjska and the western Primorska regions. Thus, an important step was made towards the implementation of the project, called the 4th development axis, according to the minister.

Ljubljana – The ruling Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) continues to lead the field in the latest poll commissioned by the newspaper Delo, but has lost ground for the second month running. The LMŠ party of ex-PM Marjan Šarec and the DeSUS of the aspiring PM-designate Karl Erjavec have likewise slipped back amid growing voter discontent.

Ljubljana – As daily coronavirus cases hit a new record earlier this week, the government decided on Thursday that schools and kindergartens will remain closed at least until 18 January. While the majority of restrictions were extended, ski lifts will have to shut down once again tomorrow and there will be some minor changes to entering Slovenia.

Ljubljana – Ski resorts demand that the government abolish obligatory coronavirus tests for skiers, Manuela Božič Badalič, president of an association of ski lift operators, said on Monday following a meeting of representatives of all ski resorts. Unless the testing requirement is abolished, they will mount a Constitutional Court challenge.

Kočevje – At 12.08pm on Sunday the first Kočevje-bound passenger train since 1971 departed from the Ljubljana Rail Terminal as passenger service on the route resumed, bringing much needed mass transit to south Slovenia.

Ljubljana – A highway patrol unit is to be established in Slovenia at the beginning of next year in a bid to boost the enforcement of traffic rules and improve safety on the Slovenian motorway network. It is expected to eventually assume other duties as well, including prevention of crime and illegal migration.

Ljubljana – Public transportation will continue to run during the festive season until the end of the year, even if it was initially relaxed only for the period between 15 and 23 December.

Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec said on Wednesday that trains and buses would run until further notice, but each vehicle could be filled only up to half capacity.