Daily headlines - Monday, 20 December

DELO

Foreign policy
"Slovenia America's trump card against Belarus": Slovenia will vie for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council in 2024-2025. It will run against Belarus in the Eastern European group, prompting Belarus to claim Slovenia's bid is being pushed by one of the permanent members. (front page, 3)

Cross-country skiing
"Only Slovenians celebratory in Dresden": Anamarija Lampič achieved two podium finishes at the World Cup in Dresden this weekend, a source of happiness in the Slovenian team amidst the gloom of the shuttered city. (front page, 11)

Medical rehabilitation
"Diagnostic driving simulator": The Soča rehabilitation centre will soon test a driving simulator developed in Slovenia for patients who cannot drive a car due to physical limitations. (front page, 9)

DNEVNIK

Polls
"New parties only slowly picking up support": The latest Vox Populi poll shows the government remains deeply unpopular. The SDS would win the election, but the centre-left KUL coalition would get a combined 50 seats in parliament. (front page, 2)

Media
"Position on remote can influence the election": Some reports suggest Telekom Slovenije is thinking about moving POP TV and Kanal A to less favourable positions in its programming. The two channels might even get booted out of the basic package. This would reduce the influence of news shows critical of the government. (front page, 3)

FINANCE

Fiscal policy tightening
"What fiscal policy tightening means for your savings, job, loan": As central banks tighten fiscal policy, loans, including government borrowing, will get more expensive, but interest on savings will gradually rise. (front page, 2, 3)

Rapid-test purchases
"Hidden profits of Lekarne Ljubljana in test purchases at the expense of the budget?": Lekarne Ljubljana, Slovenia's largest pharmacy chain, claims it pays EUR 2.5 per rapid test, the exact amount that the state covers. But given how much other pharmacies pay, it seems likely profits are hidden since it buys most of the tests from the wholesaler that it owns. (front page, 5)

Company forecasts
"What Sava Re and Petrol expect": Petrol plans revenue of EUR 5.9 billion and a net profit of EUR 158.3 million next year, whereas Sava Re forecasts profit will remain broadly level at EUR 60 million. (front page, 6)

VEČER

Vaccination campaign
"Vaccination days (and nights)": The first night-time vaccination campaign attracted quite a bit of interest in Maribor. Some people wanted to avoid crowds and the campaign came just as neighbouring Austria tightened entry requirements, affecting many who work there. (front page, 3. 14, 15)

Sparkling wine
"Bubbly increasingly an everyday treat": Sparkling wines are becoming increasingly popular in Slovenia, and not just during the holidays. Demand is higher than last year. (front page, 6, 7)

Polls
"No breakthrough of new parties as yet": The latest Ninamedia poll shows six parties would make it to parliament. Newly established parties are registering among voters, but they do not yet have the kind of ratings that would give them seats in parliament. (front page, 2, 3)