Morning Headlines for Slovenia: Sunday, 27 March 2022

Check the date at the top of the page, and you can find all the “morning headlines” stories here. You can also follow us on Facebook and get all the news in your feed.

This summary is provided by the STA:

National Hall to be formally transferred on Slovenian minority Monday

TRIESTE, Italy – The ownership of National Hall, a building in Trieste which is of great symbolic importance to the Slovenian minority in Italy, will be formally transferred from the University of Trieste on to the minority on Monday. However, the university will able to use it for another ten years free of charge, until a building to which it will move is renovated. The National Hall Foundation said the move will bring to an end the process of restitution which started in July 2020.

Digit minister visits US tech giants to discuss cooperation, investment

LJUBLJANA – Minister for Digital Transformation Mark Boris Andrijanič visited tech giants such as Apple, Google, Tesla, Meta, Amazon, Starlink and NVIDIA during his 20-25 March visit to the US, discussing ways of increasing technology investments in Slovenia and opening the country’s representation office in the Silicon Valley. Slovenia will open a development and economic office in the Silicon Valley in the coming months as it aims to become one the most most advanced European countries. This will make it the first country from Central and East Europe to do so. The office will help Slovenian tech companies and talent enter the US market.

Slovenia win Ski Jumping World Cup team event in Planica

PLANICA – Slovenia’s Žiga Jelar, Peter Prevc, Timi Zajc and Anže Lanišek won the last Ski Jumping World Cup team event of the season in Planica before some 20,000 spectators. With 1,601.1 points, the team outperformed Norway by 24.2 points and third-placed Austria by 56.9. The men jumpers brought Slovenia the 84th World Cup victory, of which 72 have been individual wins. “I’m glad the boys have jumped well, but we shouldn’t take such achievements for granted. That’s been a lot of hard work throughout the season to come to such successes,” chief coach Robert Hrgota told public broadcaster TV Slovenija.

Zorčič says parliamentary speaker’s role should be neutral

LJUBLJANA – National Assembly Speaker Igor Zorčič gave a generally positive assessment of the parliament’s work upon the end of the current four-year term, adding that any speaker should retain a neutral position. He has been the first speaker in Slovenian history to be practically an opposition MP as he left the coalition SMC two years ago. In an interview with the STA, he assessed that he had performed his role in line with professional standards.

Freedom Movement and SDS almost tied in Elections 2022 poll

LJUBLJANA – The non-parliamentary Freedom Movement party of ex-energy business executive Rober Golob is slightly ahead of the ruling Democrats (SDS) of PM Janez Janša, according to the Elections 2022 poll that Ninamedia carried out for the newspapers Večer, Dnevnik, Svet24 and Primorske Novice between 21 and 24 March. Polling at 20.7%, the Freedom Movement has a 1.2-point lead on the SDS, while a total of eight parties would make it to parliament. All the other parties polled below 10%.

Daily coronavirus cases at 2,888 on Friday

LJUBLJANA – 2,888 new coronavirus cases were logged on Friday, up 85 from Thursday but down 274 from a week ago. It is estimated there are now 38,510 active cases in the country, a daily rise of 686. The 7-day average of new cases continues to decrease while the 14-day incidence per 100,000 people is increasing. There were 131 Covid patients treated at regular Covid-19 wards this morning, down 10 from yesterday, and 33 in intensive care (ICU), up 1. Three patients died.

European Individual Chess Championship kicks off

ČATEŽ OB SAVI – The European Individual Chess Championship kicked off in Čatež ob Savi just months after the team event was held at the same venue. While the team event was held amidst strict restrictions, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is at the forefront this time. Both the European and world governing bodies of chess have banned players from competing under the Russian or Belarusian flags, whereas the Ukrainian players, there will be 23, will not have to pay a fee to join the competition. Over 300 competitors from 40 countries have registered for the event, which runs until 6 April.