Slovenia

Vienna – A law providing an EUR 4 million donation to the Austrian province of Carinthia as promised by the federal government on the centenary of the Carinthian plebiscite last year was also published in the Slovenian language on Monday in what is the first such instance in Austria’s second republic. Slovenia has welcomed the step.

Ljubljana – After a very rough year that saw the coronavirus pandemic halve tourist arrivals, Slovenia’s tourism sector is in for another demanding year in 2021. However, the country holds the title the European Region of Gastronomy this year, bringing hope that the sector will once again be able to open.

Ljubljana – Prime Minister Janez Janša has wondered in a Facebook post whether Slovenia will have a competitive edge in the fourth industrial revolution compared to countries where there are twice as many people studying science and technology than humanities, whereas in Slovenia the share of the former is 37% and 39% of the latter.

Ljubljana – A video by the Slovenian Tourism Board (STO) has won first place in the ETC-CIFFT Video Competition, organised by the European Travel Commission (ETC) and the International Committee of Tourism Film Festivals (CIFFT). Titled Time to Stay Home. Turn to Nature and Dream, the video promotes social responsibility amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Ljubljana – A consortium of EU-wide protected crops and food products from Slovenia was established this week at the initiative of the Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association. The consortium will aim to promote the products, act as a united front in providing promotional funds and work on regulating the area, the association said.

Ljubljana – Former Culture Minister Dejan Prešiček from the opposition Social Democrats (SD) announced on Friday that a motion to oust Culture Minister Vasko Simoniti would be filed before 8 February, Culture Day. He said this would probably be one of the biggest presents to Slovenian culture for the holiday.

Ljubljana – Prime Minister Janez Janša has said that he would nominate a new health minister when the MPs for the Pensioners’ Party (DeSUS), which recently left the government coalition, decide whether they will support the government or become opposition MPs. He said they have until Wednesday’s coalition meeting to decide.

Ljubljana – Slovenia recorded slightly over three million arrivals of domestic and foreign tourists in 2020, down by almost 51% on 2019, as a surge in domestic tourism failed to offset the collapse in foreign tourist arrivals, show data released by the Statistics Office on Friday.

Ljubljana – PM Janez Janša believes the first half of 2021 will be similar to 2020 in terms of the epidemic and economic recovery, while the second half should be much better. He also accepted the Manager Association’s offer for cooperation to improve productivity as he addressed its annual get-together, which was held online on Thursday.

Ljubljana – Defence Minister Matej Tonin is to temporarily take over the role of health minister from Prime Minister Janez Janša on Monday, the news portal 24ur.com reported on Wednesday, quoting unofficial information. Tonin reportedly already informed his closest team in the New Slovenia (NSi) party of this.