News roundup - Sunday, 2 April

Doctors call off strike

LJUBLJANA - Fides, the trade union of doctors and dentists, announced Saturday evening it had decided to call off a strike it planned to launch on Sunday. The decision came after Fides and other public sector trade unions received the government's draft bill laying down the foundation of the public sector pay system on Friday. The union said this was the first step toward the government delivering on its promises for a separate healthcare pay pillar.

Spade of Year Award goes to statement on pursuit of happiness

MARIBOR - Anthropologist Dan Podjed won the Spade of the Year Award on Saturday for his view about there being "scores of happiness gurus trying to convince us that we're not happy enough and we must try harder. But I think we'll be the happiest when we stop trying to be happy and when we start focusing on each other". The award is given out by the newspaper publisher Večer for the most-on-point statement about the situation in society.

Ombudsman calls for action on Autism Awareness Day

LJUBLJANA - Nothing has improved for persons with autism in Slovenia in the past year, Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina has said ahead of World Autism Awareness Day. He called on the ministry in charge of equal opportunities and other bodies to set up day centres and appropriate non-institutional forms of assisted residential communities. He warned that it was not enough to simply publish calls for programme funding without having analysis and systemic approach.

Zajc wins ski flying event in Planica, Lanišek second

PLANICA - Slovenian ski jumper Timi Zajc won the FIS World Cup ski flying competition in Planica, the last event of the season. To great delight of thousands of fans, the second place was also claimed by a Slovenian. Anže Lanišek scored 455.0 points, only 0.1 point poorer than Zajc. Third place went to Austria's Stefan Kraft (445.1 points).

Pogačar wins Tour of Flanders

BRUGES, Belgium - Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) won the Tour of Flanders. This is his fourth victory at a one-day classic, having won Giro di Lombardia twice (2021 and 2022) and the Liege-Bastogne-Liege race in 2021.

Biometric ID cards start replacing health insurance cards

LJUBLJANA - Health insurance cards used in Slovenia will gradually become obsolete for those who have gotten a new, biometric, ID card after March 2022. Nevertheless, the ZZZS insurance institute is advising users to hold on to their health insurance cards, as transition will be gradual, starting on Monday. All holders of the new ID card over the age of 12 will be able to use it instead of their health insurance card.

Most crops in 2022 affected by drought

LJUBLJANA - Most crops and vegetables had a below-average harvest in 2022, while intensive orchards and vineyards saw average yields. Agricultural drought is becoming more common in Slovenia and is affecting all crop yields, data from the Statistics Office shows. Nearly 150,000 tonnes of wheat was harvested in 2022 at 5.5 tonnes per hectare. Average yield was 6% lower than in 2021 but 6% above the ten-year average.