Morning headlines for Slovenia: Wednesday, July 6, 2022
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This summary was prepared by STA:
Zelenski will address the Slovenian parliament on Friday, reports Delo
LJUBLJANA – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will address the National Assembly via video link on Friday at 10 a.m., Delo reports. Zelenski was invited to this by the Speaker of the DZ Urška Klakočar Zupančič, who was authorized two weeks ago by the parliamentary committees for foreign policy and EU affairs behind closed doors at the proposal of the opposition Democrats (SDS). Prime Minister Robert Golob spoke with Zelensky before the EU summit in June, at which Ukraine received candidate status, while his predecessor, Janaz Janša from the SDS, was among the first politicians to visit Kyiv after the outbreak of war in mid-March.
Slovenian and Albanian presidents discussed EU enlargement
LJUBLJANA – President Borut Pahor hosted a working lunch for outgoing Albanian President Ilir Meta in Ljubljana, where they emphasized the importance of EU expansion to the Western Balkans, and Pahor warned against the idea of a more vague political community that would not see the integration of the region. in the EU. Speaking to reporters after their lunch, Pahor said that he had recently had the opportunity to speak with several leaders of the Western Balkans, who were all very concerned about the idea. Meta said the EU must not go down this path because “it would be a historic mistake”.
The President of Kosovo discusses the future of the Western Balkans in the EU
MENGEŠ – At the end of her two-day visit to Slovenia, Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu discussed the Euro-Atlantic future of the Western Balkans with Slovenian diplomat Vojko Volk at an event organized by the Center for the European Future and the Bled Strategic Forum (BSF). . The interlocutors agreed that if the EU does not integrate the region, someone else will. For the first time in the history of the EU, it sees its enlargement as a geostrategic concept and not as a bureaucratic process, said Osmani-Sadriu, who believes that this can be seen from Ukraine and Moldova, which received the status of candidate for EU membership.
Exports in May by 49% year-on-year, imports by 57%
LJUBLJANA – In May, Slovenian exports of goods increased year-on-year by 48.7% to EUR 4.8 billion, while imports into the country increased by 56.7% to EUR 5.3 billion. As in all previous months in 2022, a trade deficit of EUR 600 million was recorded, and the coverage of imports and exports was 89.6 percent. In the first five months of this year, exports increased year-on-year by 27.4% to EUR 20.3 billion, and imports by 49.4% to EUR 23 billion, with a trade deficit of EUR 2.7 billion and the ratio between exports and imports. coverage of 88.2%, the Statistical Office announced.
Initiative to file a petition for a referendum on the new covid law
LJUBLJANA – The People’s Coalition, an ad hoc group of opponents of strict coronavirus measures, including vaccination, submitted a petition to the DZ, supported by more than 2,500 signatures, for a referendum on changes to the Act on Infectious Diseases, which were adopted on June 29. . The group has criticized what they see as a lack of transparency in the fast-tracking of the bill in parliament, claiming it is a deliberate exclusion of the public from the debate. The NGO that drafted the amendments said that a referendum on this law might not be allowed because a referendum is not allowed on legislation that removes unconstitutionality.
The collection of SDS referendum signatures is planned for autumn
LJUBLJANA – The opposition Democrats (SDS) will collect 40,000 signatures for a referendum between September 1 and October 5, with which they want to contest the expansion of the government by three portfolios, the office of the Speaker of the Parliament announced. It is the second attempt by the SDS to prevent Prime Minister Robert Golob from expanding the government to 20 portfolios, after Golob’s nascent coalition submitted a bill to the DZ in May. If the SDS succeeds in the referendum, the DZ will not be allowed to adopt a law opposing the referendum decision for another year.
The Parliamentary Committee wants to strengthen the labor inspectorate
LJUBLJANA – The Parliamentary Labor Committee called on the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities to hire more labor inspectors by the end of next year, as it met at the request of coalition MPs in response to reports that reveal difficult working and hygienic conditions. in the fish processing companies Marinblu and Selea. Dan Juvan, State Secretary at the Ministry, said that legal amendments are being prepared and have already been sent to the Economic and Social Council; concern record keeping and social security. The committee called for these to be submitted to the parliamentary procedure as soon as possible.
In June, the number of unemployed continued to decrease
LJUBLJANA – The number of registered unemployed continued to decrease in June and reached a new lowest level since 1990. At the end of the month, 53,860 unemployed persons were registered at the employment office, which is 3.6% less than in May and 24.2% less than in the same period last year. At the end of June, there were 1,994 fewer registered unemployed people than in May, and 17,234 fewer compared to June last year. Among the newly unemployed, 3,949 people registered, which is 2% more than in May and 11.8% more than last year, while 3,618 people found employment, which is 6.5% less in May and 36% less year-on-year. Most of the newly registered were unemployed due to the expiry of their fixed-term employment.
The number of covid cases has risen to a more than two-month high
LJUBLJANA – 1,815 new coronavirus infections were confirmed in Slovenia on Monday, which is 33 percent more than the week, which is a new record since mid-April. Two covid patients died, according to fresh official data. The number of patients hospitalized with Covid as a primary condition remained broadly flat, with a total of 31 in hospital, down seven weeks, including eight in intensive care, the same as a week ago. The 14-day rate of reported cases per 100,000 population topped 520, up 165 from the previous week.
The state budget deficit decreased to 128 million euros at the end of the year
LJUBLJANA – State budget revenues in the first half of the year amounted to 6.4 billion euros, while expenditures amounted to 6.5 billion euros, with a deficit of 128 million euros, according to preliminary data from the Ministry of Finance. In the same period last year, the deficit amounted to 1.965 billion euros. Revenues increased year-on-year by 18%, while expenses decreased by 11.6%.
Privatization of Cinkarna Celje stopped
LJUBLJANA – The Bank Claims Management Company (DUTB) decided on Monday to stop the sale of an almost 13% stake in the chemical company Cinkarna Celje, even though it received two binding offers. BAMT announced on Tuesday that the sale would not be appropriate under the current conditions and circumstances. BAMT will not sell Cinkarna, as all its assets will be transferred to Slovenian State Holding (SDH) by the end of 2022, and SSH will then prepare a joint asset management strategy.
Research: A quarter of companies consider the current situation life-threatening
LJUBLJANA – According to a survey by the Chamber of Commerce of Slovenia (GZS), more than a quarter of surveyed companies estimate that rising prices for energy, raw materials and services threaten their existence. A survey conducted in June among more than 60 companies, 80 percent of which are industrial companies, sees their biggest challenges as the need to raise product prices, lower operating profit and competitiveness, and a drop in market share. “These are strong arguments for the government to take immediate action,” commented the general director of GZS, Aleš Cantarutti, on the survey presented on Monday.
President of the Skiing Federation of Slovenia appointed FIS treasurer
ZURICH, Switzerland – Enzo Smrekar, president of the Skiing Association of Slovenia, has been appointed treasurer of the International Skiing Federation (FIS), the first Slovenian to take care of the financial affairs of the umbrella body for international skiing and snowboarding. Smrekar, director of the Croatian-owned Slovenian food company Atlantic Droga Kolinska, was appointed on Monday in Zurich at the founding meeting of the new FIS council.
Slovenian and Italian firefighters signed a cooperation agreement
NOVA GORICA – Slovenian and Italian firefighters have signed an agreement on cooperation in the border area within the framework of the European project CROSSIT SAFER, which should enable more effective action in quick rescue operations. Aleš Markočič from the Novi Gori fire brigade said that he brought fast, successful and accurate interventions that will be safer for people and nature, reports the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Protection and Rescue on Twitter.