Morning headlines for Slovenia: Saturday, February 26, 2022
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This summary provides STA:
Pahor officially apologizes to the erased
LJUBLJANA – President Borut Pahor officially apologized to 25,671 people who were deleted from the register of permanent residents of Slovenia 30 years ago. According to him, it was an unconstitutional act, a violation of human rights. Receiving the apology, Irfan Beširović, head of the Civil Initiative of the Erased, pointed out that not all injustices have been eliminated yet, and that some of the erased still live without a proper status in Slovenia. Dunja Mijatović, Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, welcomed the apology as a welcome and sensible step.
The government is simplifying the use of airspace for NATO aircraft
LJUBLJANA – The government decided to impose restrictions on Slovenian airspace, as it met due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The decision will simplify the use of airspace for overflights of Allied military aircraft for the purpose of deploying troops to NATO’s eastern wing. The government has also taken some further measures to respond to the crisis and a decision to help Ukraine with military equipment, but details have not yet followed. The decisions were made after the NATO virtual summit decided to deploy the Alliance’s rapid reaction force on its eastern flank. Prime Minister Janez Jansa, who attended the summit, said on Facebook that “only Ukraine’s victory and Putin’s defeat can prevent a long period of a new Cold War”.
The Prime Minister and the new US Ambassador welcome sanctions against Russia
LJUBLJANA – Prime Minister Janez Janša met with the new US Ambassador to Slovenia Jamie L. Harpootlian, with whom he discussed the situation in Ukraine. The couple strongly condemned the Russian attack on Ukraine and welcomed the imposition of tough sanctions against Russia. They agreed on the need for strong support for Ukraine and a strong and united response from the international community. Janša informed Harpootlian about the call of his and his Polish counterpart for Ukraine to become an EU member by 2030.
Logar says the toughest package of sanctions has been imposed on Russia
BRUSSELS, Belgium – As the EU adopts a second package of sanctions against Russia over the invasion of Ukraine, targeting key sectors of its economy and President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Slovenian Foreign Minister Anze Logar said it was “the strictest package “. sanctions “that the bloc has ever adopted. He said opposition to the ban on Russia from the Swift system was growing weaker.
Anti-war protests in Ljubljana and Maribor
LJUBLJANA / MARIBOR – More than a hundred people gathered in Ljubljana in the rain to protest against Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, shouting slogans and singing Ukrainian songs. The protest had to move to another location after the Russian embassy was locked by police and fences, which protesters called a disgrace. Friday’s cycling protesters also showed solidarity with Ukraine, and Ljubljana Castle was illuminated in the colors of the Ukrainian flag. Protesters also gathered against the war in Ukraine in Maribor.
The foreign policy and defense committees condemn the invasion of Ukraine
LJUBLJANA – The parliamentary committee for foreign policy and defense met behind closed doors at a joint session on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The chairman of the Defense Committee, Samo Bevk, said that they condemned the Russian aggression and discussed the proposal that Slovenia initiate a session of the UN General Assembly to do so. MEPs also questioned the security of Slovenian citizens in Ukraine and those in Russia and Belarus. The meeting was also attended by the Minister of Defense Matej Tonin.
Preparations are under way to accommodate Ukrainian refugees
ROGLA – Preparations are underway in Slovenia for the establishment of accommodation centers for the reception of refugees from Ukraine, and Interior Minister Aleš Hojs said that several thousand could be accepted if necessary. In any case, these are people in the immediate vicinity of Slovenia, he said, adding that it would be inappropriate not to accept them, given the calls during the Afghan crisis for countries to accept refugees in the vicinity. The Minister said that it was not yet clear how much Slovenia would take over.
Companies are calling for caution in imposing sanctions on Russia
LJUBLJANA – Slovenian companies doing business with Ukraine, Russia or Belarus hope that there will be no sanctions against Russia that could harm companies in Europe. Above all, they are afraid of Swift’s ban and believe that Slovenia should not support it, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry said after meeting with them. Central bank data show that the banking system’s exposure to customers from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus is low, at 0.18%. Last year, Slovenia exported 867 million euros worth of goods to Russia and imported 342.7 million euros. Russia ranks 4th among Slovenian NTI destinations.
The former minister returns the Russian medal in protest
LJUBLJANA – The vice-president of the opposition SocDems and former Minister of Labor Anja Kopač returned the Russian state medal in protest against the Russian attack on Ukraine, which she described as “an act of aggression and a serious violation of international law”. In 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded her the Order of Friendship for her efforts to strengthen peace and friendship between nations. “I was very proud of the award. But now I am returning it with the same pride,” she said.
Janša was given a suspended sentence for an insulting tweet
CELJE – The Judicial Chamber of the Celje District Court found Prime Minister Janez Janša guilty of defaming two TV Slovenia journalists, Eugenija Carl and Mojca Šetinc Pašek, who in 2016 tweeted them as “washed prostitutes”. In a judgment that is not yet final, Janša was given a three-month suspended sentence. He was also ordered to pay the costs of the proceedings. The verdict comes after the Supreme Court overturned a conviction over Janša’s Twitter post.
Pahor receives Slovenian deputies from all neighboring countries
LJUBLJANA – President Borut Pahor received Slovenes representing the national parliaments of four neighboring countries. On this occasion, Pahor became acquainted with the situation of the Slovene minority in each of these countries. This was the first meeting of members of Slovene ethnic minorities, who are representatives in the national parliaments of Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia.
SSH supervisors approved the plan to purchase York’s stake in Sava
LJUBLJANA – Supervisors of the Slovenian State Holding (SDH) confirmed a decision to exercise the pre-emption right to purchase a 43.2% stake in the Sava tourist holding from the York private fund. The share will be acquired together with the KAD fund. SSH and KAD will transfer a total of 38 million euros on Monday. When the transaction is completed, they will have a total of 89.96% stake in Sava. The government approved the move on Monday after public outcry against the sale of the stake to a Hungarian investor.
EUR 10 million tender for investments in tourist infrastructure
LJUBLJANA – The Ministry of the Economy has announced a tender for subsidies for investments in public and common tourist infrastructure and natural heritage areas, with 10 million euros available until 2024. Eligible infrastructure includes parks, beaches and seashores, rivers and lakes, hiking trails and mountain path. The Slovenian Enterprise Fund, meanwhile, has announced a tender for convertible loans for innovative companies worth more than one million euros.
Ljubljana-Brussels flight renewed from next week
LJUBLJANA – Direct flights between Ljubljana and Brussels will be resumed from next week, as Brussels Airlines will return to Ljubljana Airport on Monday after the suspension of flights in January. The low-budget airline Wizz Air will reintroduce Ljubljana-Brussels flights a month later, on March 27, according to a statement on the airport’s website. Currently, eleven airlines covering twelve destinations operate international flights to Slovenia.
A man killed two assistant bailiffs for seizing a car
LJUBLJANA – A 66-year-old man killed two assistant bailiffs near Šmarje pri Jelšah on Thursday night after they tried to seize his car. He got angry and shot a 27-year-old man and a 42-year-old woman with a gun. The man died on the spot and the woman succumbed to her injuries at the hospital. The 66-year-old suspect was arrested. The double murder was condemned by the Minister of Justice Marjan Dikaučič, and the executor described it as a direct attack on the judiciary.
The daily number of coronavirus cases falls below 2,000 on Thursday
LJUBLJANA – 1,911 new cases of covid were confirmed in Slovenia on Thursday, which is the first time that the number has fallen below 2,000 since the beginning of January. The epidemic continues to decline, with the number of currently active cases falling by more than 5,000 to 52,648, new official figures show. The number of hospitalizations has fallen further, as government figures show that Covid as their main condition this morning, 445 patients were treated in hospitals and 30 fewer the day before. Seven more people died with Covid.
Eight restaurants received the highest Gault & Millau rating
LJUBLJANA – Renowned French catering guide Gault & Millau announced the highest rated restaurants and recipients of special Slovenia 2022 awards at an online event. Marko Pavčnik from the Pavus Restaurant at Tabor Laško Castle is the chef of the year. The highest number of points was won by the House of Franko in Kobarid. The full range of top rated Gault & Millau restaurants will be published in this year’s guide in the second half of March.