Morning headlines for Slovenia: Wednesday, July 13, 2022
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This summary was prepared by STA:
The gas crisis at the summit of the Golob-Scholz meeting
BERLIN, Germany – The impact of the war in Ukraine, especially the energy crisis, was one of the main topics on the agenda of Prime Minister Robert Golob, who met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin on his first bilateral visit abroad. Speaking to journalists, Golob said that the goal of spending the winter without Russian gas is very ambitious, but achievable with the cooperation of the EU. The interlocutors also discussed the expansion of the EU to the Western Balkans, with both representatives emphasizing that the countries in the region have been waiting for EU membership for too long.
Report: Slovenian truck carriers cheaper diesel on highways
LJUBLJANA – Časnik Finance reported that Slovenian truckers get cheaper diesel at Petrol service stations along the highways compared to the prices paid by others, as they have commercial contracts with Petrol, according to which diesel costs the same as outside Slovenian highways. This was confirmed for the newspaper by the chambers of commerce. The news comes after Infrastructure Minister Bojan Kumer said at the end of June that such different prices will not exist in Slovenia. The Ministry of Infrastructure declined to comment to the newspaper.
Companies are looking for alternatives to Russian gas
LJUBLJANA – Companies are already looking for alternatives to Russian gas, as supply disruptions may occur, but this requires time, resources and cooperation, the GZS told STA on Tuesday, a day after the Energy Agency issued an early precautionary warning to gas consumers on the careful use of natural gas. Some companies warn that they cannot switch to other energy sources in such a short time. In the Chamber of Small Businesses, the OZS meanwhile expect help from the government, including measures such as a fixed electricity price. Companies expect the government to introduce business planning measures as soon as possible.
The European Commission is suing Slovenia over legislation on electronic communications
LJUBLJANA – The European Commission filed a lawsuit against Slovenia for failure to transpose the EU directive on the Electronic Communications Act, the Government’s Office for Digital Transformation announced. Minister Emilija Stojmenova Duh regretted that Slovenia did not transpose the directive on time. The bill, which would have replaced the Electronic Communications Act 2024, was twice rejected under the previous government because of provisions that would have allowed the exclusion of Chinese provider Huawei. The corresponding bill was now given its first reading on July 1.
The Administrative Court nods to the Hungarian MP
LENDAVA – The Administrative Court has ruled in favor of Hungarian minority MP Ferenc Horvath in a case in which he challenges the decision of the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption that he violated the rules of incompatibility of dual functions because he was also a member of the council of the Hungarian minority organization. . Horvath said the court did not find a conflict of interest because he represented the interests of the Hungarian community in both offices. There is no appeal against the decision, but the commission will request a revision of the procedure and, if necessary, subsequently propose changes to the Act on Integrity and Prevention of Corruption.
FM meets with representatives of minorities in Hungary
SZENTGOTTHARD, Hungary – Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon met with representatives of the Slovenian minority in Hungary during her visit to Szentgotthard. The community presented her with current issues and challenges, and the minister praised their work for the preservation and development of the community, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced. The meeting was attended by the representative of the Slovenian community in the Hungarian parliament, Erika Köleš-Kiss, the president of the Self-Governing Community of Slovenia, Karel Holec, and the president of the Union of Slovenes in Hungary, Andrea Kovacs. Tomorrow, Fajonova will attend the ministerial meeting of the Central 5 countries in Budapest.
The coalition is trying to prevent a referendum on the new covid law
LJUBLJANA – The parties of the three governing coalitions submitted a proposal to ban the referendum on challenging the latest amendments to the Act on Infectious Diseases, which regulate epidemic restrictions. They believe that the draft law, the purpose of which is to eliminate unconstitutionality, should not be the subject of a referendum. This happened after two initiatives to call for a referendum on changes to the Act on Infectious Diseases, which were submitted last week by the ad hoc group Conscious Residents of Slovenia and People’s Coalition.
Joint draft law of non-governmental organizations for voting at the plenary session
LJUBLJANA – The Parliamentary Committee for Internal Affairs supported by 9 to 6 the proposal for a law on repealing, in its opinion, harmful measures of the previous government, submitted by the non-governmental organization Institute March 8. The government supports the bill, which will be voted on at Thursday’s plenary session, but the opposition has announced its intention to challenge it in the constitutional court. The purpose of the summary bill is to amend 11 laws that the government of Janez Janša changed in order to eliminate harmful political measures and ensure respect for the rule of law.
Conflicting warnings allege political interference in public broadcasting
LJUBLJANA – The Association of Journalists and Commentators of Slovenia (ZNP) has condemned the ruling coalition’s intention to replace the management of RTV Slovenia following an emergency procedure, as the most brutal political attempt to intervene in public broadcasting. This is after the coalition decided yesterday to speed up the preparation of a new law on public broadcasting. The two RTV journalist unions urged RTV General Director Andrej Grah Whatmough not to appoint Uroš Urbanija as the director of TV Slovenija.
NSi against the removal of the fence on the border with Croatia
LJUBLJANA – The opposition Nova Slovenija (NSi) has expressed its opposition to the government’s decision to remove the razor wire from the border with Croatia, where it was placed after the migrant crisis in 2015. The party believes that the decision was made without a security assessment and from the point of view of migration and safety cannot be excused. NSi are skeptical that technical means such as drones will provide the same level of security as “tactical obstacles”, said MP Janez Žakelj.
Almost half of sustainable bond funds are for healthcare
LJUBLJANA – Slovenia earmarked most of the 1.05 billion euros collected through the issuance of the first sustainability bond for projects and programs in healthcare and for decarbonization of transport, especially investments in railway infrastructure, according to the first report on the distribution and effects of funds. collected by bond. The report covers the budget years 2020 and 2021, and this year, Slovenia increased last year’s 1.05 billion euro expenditure by 50 and 90 million euros, respectively.
New cases of the coronavirus have reached their highest level in three months
LJUBLJANA – Slovenia recorded 2,365 cases of coronavirus infection on Monday, which is the most in the last three months and 29 percent more than the same day a week ago. One covid-19 patient died as hospital numbers remained stable, health ministry figures show. The rate of reported cases within 14 days per 100,000 population increased by 55 to 749, according to the National Institute of Public Health.
69 million euros for the upgrade of ski areas into year-round centers
LJUBLJANA – The Ministry of Economy has allocated 69.14 million euros to 20 projects for the development and transformation of ski resorts into year-round mountain centers and the construction of additional or renovation of existing accommodation facilities. 63.42 million euros in subsidies will be available for the restructuring of ski resorts within the framework of ten projects and 5.71 million euros for additional accommodation capacities in mountain centers within the framework of another ten projects. The projects are expected to provide more than 500 new beds for tourists and more than 200 beds in upgraded facilities with a higher rating.
The ZZZS is dissatisfied with the bill that aims to shorten waiting times in healthcare
LJUBLJANA – ZZZS announced that the 200 million euro government proposal to reduce waiting times in healthcare will not stabilize the healthcare system. ZZZS believes that the waiting lists should be updated, as currently the data on the number of patients and waiting times are not accurate. Only then will it be possible to see how many employees and how many resources are actually needed. High officials of ZZZS also regret that “there was no dialogue with key stakeholders”, agreeing with the unions’ position.
Two Ukrainian teachers suspected of ill treatment of orphans
POSTOJNA – Last week, a team from the Ministry of Labor visited Ukrainian orphans staying in Slavina near Postojna, after the social center there received several anonymous complaints that some Ukrainian teachers mistreat children. The ministry decided to suspend two Ukrainian teachers and replace them with Slovenian ones. “The staff were informed that any violence is unacceptable and that the supervision of work in the orphanage will be increased,” the ministry told STA today.
Air quality in Ljubljana categorized as poor
COPENHAGEN, Denmark – The Slovenian capital ranked 279th out of 344 cities in the European air quality checker in cities with air quality in the poor category. Maribor, the second largest city in the country, is in 207th place with moderately clean air. The ranking, published on the European Environment Agency’s website, ranks cities from cleanest to most polluted based on average levels of fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, over the past two calendar years.
Consumer electronics retailer Big Bang is buying a Croatian counterpart
LJUBLJANA – Big Bang, the largest Slovenian retailer of entertainment electronics, has announced that it has signed an agreement to take over Sancta Domenica, one of the largest Croatian retailers in the same segment. The deal must be approved by competition regulators. Big Bang said the strategic partnership with Sancta Domenica has created a strong regional player with 30 stores in two countries. Big Bang is owned by the subsidiary company Adventura Holding, which is controlled by businessman Darko Klarič.
Mercator for the merger of some activities with Konzum
LJUBLJANA – The newspaper Dnevnik reported that after the transformation of the Slovenian retailer Mercator from a joint-stock company to a limited liability company at the beginning of the month, its owner Fortenova plans to merge some business functions of Mercator and the Croatian retail chain Konzum. . According to unofficial information obtained by Dnevnik, some business functions in Bosnia and Herzegovina were to be merged first, and then in Serbia, while the Mercator brand was to be preserved.
Florjan Lipuš large golden badge of honor of Carinthia
CELOVEC, Austria – Florjan Lipuš, who is considered to be the most important writer of the Slovene minority in Austrian Carinthia, received on Monday the Carinthia’s great golden medal of honor for his contribution to the preservation of the Slovene language and for his important literary works. work. The Governor of Carinthia, Peter Kaiser, upon awarding the honor, called Lipuš one of the most important representatives of Slovenian literature in Carinthia and in Austria in general.