In Slovenia

Brdo pri Kranju – Prime Minister Janez Janša pledged for the government to respond to a third wave of the coronavirus epidemic, which he said could realistically be expected, and implement key commitments in the coalition agreement, as he addressed reporters with the other coalition leaders a day before a year will have passed since his government assumed office.

Ljubljana – Slovenia saw another 770 people test positive for coronavirus on Thursday, to push the 7-day average of new cases to 689, data released by the government show. Eight patients with Covid-19 died.

Of the 5,222 PCR tests performed yesterday 14.7% came back positive. In addition, 25,447 rapid antigen tests were performed.

Ljubljana – The council of the coalition Modern Centre Party (SMC) is meeting today to discuss current affairs and the party’s future course of action. Unofficial information indicates party leader Zdravko Počivalšek’s role will also be discussed as some would like to see him replaced.

Ljubljana – Karl Erjavec, the president of the Pensioners’ Party (DeSUS), has taken a job at the telecommunications equipment provider Iskratel where he will advise the CEO on expansion to new markets, prompting speculations about the future of his political career.

Ljubljana – It is one year to the day since the first infection with the novel coronavirus was confirmed in Slovenia. More than 192,000 have been confirmed since, and almost 3,900 persons have died of Covid-19. Slovenia has been in the state of epidemic for 60% of the time, with many restrictions remaining in force.

Ljubljana – The National Assembly voted 48:38 in favour of amendments to the act governing the STA that require the STA English Service to report on the work of NGO as a legal requirement.

The English Service already reports on NGOs, but the law on the STA does not stipulate this as an explicit requirement, even as it includes such a provision for the Slovenian-language service.

Ljubljana – Four centre-left opposition parties propose the National Assembly call a consultative referendum on the government-sponsored bill on the National Demographic Fund, arguing its concept is flawed. If their proposal is not adopted, they will initiate a legislative referendum once the bill is passed.

Ljubljana – Two months after the expiration of public and commercial news service contracts between the STA and the government, which had previously been renewed annually, the STA restricted access to its news items for the government administration on Monday. Parliament Speaker Igor Zorčič believes the time has come for the matter to be resolved in court.

Ljubljana – The left-leaning opposition responded with criticism to Prime Minister Janez Janša’s letter to the European Commission that invites a fact-finding mission to Slovenia. The responses range from assessments that he is diverting attention and calls that the situation should be calmed down, to such that he is not fit for the post.

Ljubljana – A group of opposition parties has requested a parliamentary inquiry into alleged political interference in police work during a period from 13 March 2020, when the Janez Janša government was sworn in, to the launching of the inquiry.