News roundup - Saturday, 29 April

Report: Top court stays changes to Financial Administration Act

LJUBLJANA - The commercial broadcaster POP TV and the web portal N1 reported on Friday that the Constitutional Court had unanimously stayed changes to the Financial Administration Act that allow the authorities, without a court decision, to use tracking devices to target illegal producers of products subject to excise duty. The constitutional review was requested in late January by Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina, who said the contentious article of the changes was the one introducing tracking devices. The court reportedly said it would treat the constitutional review as absolute priority.

EPP head critical of Slovenian government, foreign minister

LJUBLJANA - President of the European People's Party Manfred Weber was critical of the Slovenian government in an interview run by the newspaper Delo, saying that it was not capable of taking major steps in terms of reforms. The head of the largest party in the European Parliament said that during the time when the EPP parties were in the coalition, Slovenia had taken some reform steps. "I don't see any major reform steps in the government of Robert Golob, which shows in the healthcare sector and farmers' protests in Ljubljana," he said. Weber also reproached FM Tanja Fajon for being more on the side of the policy of understanding of Russia in terms of the war in Ukraine, and siding too much with Hungarian PM Viktor Orban.

Slovenia among few OECD members to see tax burden on labour decrease in 2022

PARIS, France - Slovenia was among the 11 OECD members states that saw the burden of taxes and social contributions in the labour costs of childless single workers decrease in 2022, a year marked by the highest inflation in over 30 years. As the higher wages accompanying inflation mostly pushed workers into higher income tax brackets, the tax burden on labour increased in 23 OECD member states. The average among all members for single workers without children was 34.6%, while it stood at 42.8% in Slovenia. This puts the country in seventh spot, one spot lower than the year before.

Slovenia draw Venezuela, Georgia and Cape Verde in Basketball World Cup

QUEZON CITY, Philippines - A draw determined that the Slovenian men's basketball team will face Venezuela, Georgia and Cape Verde in Group F of the preliminary round of the Basketball World Cup. Slovenia will play the preliminary round in Okinawa, Japan as part of the tournament that is also hosted by the Philippines and Indonesia from 25 August to 10 September. Guard Klemen Prepelič said Slovenia had been drawn in a "pretty favourable group", but this would have to be "proven on the court".