Government Communication Office

Ljubljana – The government has overstepped its powers and abused the police as it tasked the Interior Ministry to examine whether STA director Bojan Veselinovič’s alleged violations of the law contained elements of suspected crime prosecutable ex officio and to act accordingly, the trade union and the association of journalists said on Friday.

Ljubljana – The Slovenian PEN centre has urged the government to fundamentally change its attitude to the STA as well as media and journalists in general, arguing that its actions constituted an attempt at dismantling the agency and silencing a source of trustworthy information.

Ljubljana – The government adopted a revised national vaccination strategy at a correspondence session on Friday, making some minor changes after it revised the document adopted on 3 December at the start of March. The strategy now says vaccines will be provided to all residents with permanent or temporary residence, not just to Slovenian citizens.

Ljubljana – The government adopted on Thursday a strategy for improvement of energy efficiency of buildings until 2050 that, among other things, defines decarbonisation approaches and policies of the National Housing Fund.

Ljubljana – Prime Minister Janez Janša called on the director of the Slovenian Press Agency (STA), Bojan Veselinovič, to step down. “It is time for the director as a political tool of the extreme left to step down and take responsibility for his unlawful actions. And allow the STA to work and develop normally,” Janša wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.

Ljubljana, 25 February – Following protests by taxi drivers over the requirement that they be tested for the novel coronavirus every 72 hours, the government decided on Wednesday that, from now on, they will need to get tested only once a week. This also applies to drivers in public passenger transport and staff in railway transport.

Ljubljana – The government has drafted legislative changes under which drivers of motor vehicles powered by natural gas will be exempt from paying excise duties until the end of 2025. The government says this pursues Slovenia’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in transport.

Ljubljana – The Government Communication Office (UKOM) has suspended the financing of the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) again, declining to pay it for the services provided as a public service in January on the ground that the parties have not yet signed a contract for the year.

Ljubljana – Prime Minister Janez Janša and other Slovenian officials have been invited for a virtual exchange of views on the media in the country with the European Parliament’s Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group on 5 March.

Brussels – Dutch MEP Sophie in ‘t Veld (Renew) has invited PM Janez Janša to Brussels to take part in a discussion on the media in Slovenia that is expected to take place in March, public broadcaster TV Slovenija reported on Monday.