News roundup - Wednesday, 22 January, until 3pm

Ljubljana, 22 January - Below is a roundup of major events on Wednesday, 22 January, until 3pm local time:

Interior Minister Poklukar survives motion of no confidence

LJUBLJANA - Interior Minister Boštjan Poklukar survived an opposition-sponsored motion of no confidence in parliament, with 29 MPs voting in favour of his dismissal and 35 voting against after ten hours of debate. He remains in office even though the two junior ruling coalition parties voiced their misgivings about his handling of problems in the police force, and abstained from voting. After the vote, the minister said he was not worried about the result, with only 35 coalition MPs endorsing him. "The vote is clear, I have remained the minister and we are moving forward," he said.

Head of investment promotion agency Spirit resigns

LJUBLJANA - Economy Minister Matjaž Han accepted the resignation of the director of the investment promotion agency Spirit Rok Capl. The decision was made in the wake of media reports casting suspicion on the selection of EU funds recipients under an open call for the restructuring of coal regions because some of the biggest recipients of EU Just Transition Funds for the restructuring of Slovenia's two coal regions were small companies with just a handful of employees. Han has ordered an audit into the open call and today reiterated that not a single recipient of the funds has actually received any money so far and no contract has been signed.

Second miner found dead after Velenje accident

VELENJE - A second miner was found dead in the morning after a massive inrush of water and clay occurred at the Velenje coal mine Monday evening. One miner remains missing as the effort to remove an estimated 500-700 cubic metres of material continues. Mine operator Premogovnik Velenje said that the identity of the miner found today has not yet been confirmed. The miner found dead immediately after the accident was a native of Gaberke, a village just north of Velenje. The search for the third missing miner continues.

Foreign policy committee wants trade restrictions for West Bank settlements

Ljubljana, 22 January - The Foreign Policy Committee called on the government to examine the possibility of banning trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank. One of the MPs said that Israel had mocked the international community with its actions in Gaza and despite the ceasefire it continues to attack the West Bank, and that sanctions are needed. Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon and Economy Ministry State Secretary Dejan Židan said the chances of Slovenia taking unilateral measures are slim as trade policy is in the purview of the EU.

Heliport at UKC Ljubljana hospital operational again

LJUBLJANA - The heliport at UKC Ljubljana, the country's largest hospital, used by the medical air service, the mountain rescue service and also by helicopters that transport patients between hospitals, is back in service after it was closed due to repairs since 21 October last year. UKC Ljubljana announced that the heliport reopened at 6am after the firefighting system was tested on Tuesday and now functions flawlessly. During the heliport's closure, emergency helicopters landed within the perimeter of the Edvard Peperko Barracks in eastern Ljubljana, a few kilometres from the hospitals.

Vesna critical of government's real estate tax proposal

LJUBLJANA - The non-parliamentary green party Vesna expressed criticism of the government's proposal for a new real estate tax, saying the funds collected should be used to tackle housing policy issues. Accusing the government of avoiding responsibility, the party said the solutions are partial and the problem would not be resolved before the end of its term. The proposed tax will not contribute to the construction of new housing, Vesna warned, saying it will only be used to "patch up the budget hole". Any attempt to address an issue as complex as housing must start with orchestrated measures, it added.

Deadly avian disease detected in chicken in NE Slovenia

MURSKA SOBOTA - A case of Newcastle disease, caused by a highly virulent avian virus, has been found in a small flock of 14 farmyard chickens in northeastern Slovenia. While the virus only causes mild conjunctivitis in humans, it can wreak havoc on entire flocks, so the outbreak has prompted the authorities to advise protective measures.

Average gross pay in November up 4.8% in real terms

LJUBLJANA - The average gross wage in Slovenia in November amounted to EUR 2,518.74, up 5.5% nominally and 4.8% in real terms from October, while the average net wage was EUR 1,610.87, up 6.4% in nominal and 5.7% in real terms. The increase was mostly the result of Christmas or end-of-year bonuses, the Statistics Office said. Such one-off payments accounted for 5.7% of the total gross wage bill for November and only 0.4% for October.

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