2020 in Slovenia

Events in the year 2020 in Slovenia.

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Decades:	2000s 2010s 2020s
See also:	Other events of 2020 Timeline of Slovenian history

Incumbents

• President: Borut Pahor
• Prime Minister: Marjan Šarec (until March 13) Janez Janša (from March 13)

Ongoing

• COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia

Events

January

• January 27 – Incumbent Prime Minister Marjan Šarec resigns, citing inefficiency of his minority government, and calls for early elections.^[1]

March

Empty old town square in Ljubljana on March 18, after COVID-19 epidemic had been declared a week earlier

• March 4 – The first case of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country is detected.^[2][3]
• March 12 – The acting government formally declares an epidemic and activates the national emergency response plan in response to the spread of COVID-19.^[4]
• March 13 – The newly formed coalition led by prime minister Janez Janša is confirmed by the National Assembly, and sworn in as the 14th Government of Slovenia.^[5]
• March 16 – All educational institutions in the country are closed to limit the spread of COVID-19.^[6]
• March 30 – All public gatherings are banned, and movement is restricted to the municipality of residence (with some exceptions).^[7]

April

• April 18 – The government begins to ease restrictions on movement due to the decreasing number of COVID-19 cases, with the most severe bans lifted on April 30.^[8][9]

May

• May 2
  • No new COVID-19 infections are detected for the first time since the outbreak of the epidemic on March 4.^[10]
  • Thousands of demonstrators on bicycles stage a protest against the government in Ljubljana due to allegations of corruption and mismanagement of the COVID-19 epidemic response.^[11]
• May 15 – Slovenia becomes the first European country to lift the declaration of the COVID-19 epidemic (effective May 31), but several restrictions remain in place.^[12][13]

September

• September 3 – After several delays, the first Slovene-built satellites, Nemo HD and Trisat, are carried successfully to space by Vega launch vehicle.^[14]
• September 20 – Slovene cyclist Tadej Pogačar wins the 2020 Tour de France for UAE Team Emirates, with Primož Roglič (Team Jumbo–Visma) taking second place.^[15]

October

• October 19 - The government declares a COVID-19 epidemic again in response to the rising number of confirmed cases since September, enacts a 9 pm-6 am curfew and limits public gatherings and businesses.^[16]
• October 27 - To limit the spread of COVID-19, movement of citizens is again restricted to municipality of residence, though with more extensive list of exceptions.^[17]

December

• December 27 - Mass vaccination against COVID-19 starts with the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine, at the same time as most other EU states.^[18]

Deaths

• 31 January – Janez Stanovnik, economist and politician (b. 1922)^[19]
• 18 March – Peter Musevski, actor (b. 1965)^[20]
• 11 April – Alojz Uran, Roman Catholic prelate (b. 1945)^[21]
• 17 May – Aleksandra Kornhauser Frazer, chemist (b. 1926)^[22]
• 18 May – Marko Elsner, footballer (b. 1960)^[23]
• 1 June – Janez Kocijančič, politician and lawyer (b. 1941)^[24]
• 8 November - Miro Steržaj, 9-pin bowling player, businessman and politician (b. 1933)^[25]
• 14 November - Peter Florjančič, inventor and athlete (b. 1919).^[26]
• 21 November - Jožef Smej, Roman Catholic prelate (b. 1922)^[27]

References

1. Novak, Marja (2020-01-27). "Slovenian PM Sarec resigns, early election likely". Reuters. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
2. "Slovenia Confirms First Case of Coronavirus: Health Minister". The New York Times. 2020-03-04. Retrieved 2020-03-06.
3. "Slovenia confirms first case of coronavirus: health minister". Reuters. 4 March 2020. Retrieved 2020-03-06.
4. "Slovenia declares coronavirus epidemic". Slovenian Press Agency. 2020-03-12. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
5. "Janez Janša government to be voted in". Slovenian Press Agency. 2020-03-13. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
6. Novak, Marja (2020-03-12). "Slovenia to close schools, reject cargo traffic from Italy". Reuters. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
7. "Od polnoči prepoved gibanja izven občine stalnega ali začasnega prebivališča" [Ban of movement outside the municipality of permanent or temporary residence after midnight] (in Slovenian). Government of the Republic of Slovenia. 2020-03-29. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
8. "Od danes manj stroga omejitev gibanja med občinami, možnih več športnih aktivnosti" [Less rigorous restriction of movement to municipalities from today, more sports activities possible]. 24ur.com (in Slovenian). 2020-04-18. Retrieved 2020-04-18.
9. "Vlada odpravlja splošno omejitev gibanja na občine" [The government is lifting the restriction of movement to municipalities]. 24ur.com (in Slovenian). 2020-04-29. Retrieved 2020-05-02.
10. "Včeraj prvič brez nove okužbe, umrla sta še dva obolela" [No new infections yesterday for the first time, two more diseased have died]. Delo (in Slovenian). 2020-05-03. Retrieved 2020-05-03.
11. "Anti-government bicycle protest in Ljubljana amid lockdown". Euronews. 2020-05-02. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
12. "Epidemic effectively over on 31 May, restrictions remain in place". Slovenian Press Agency. 2020-05-15. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
13. Forrest, Adam (2020-05-15). "Slovenia becomes first European country to call official end to coronavirus epidemic". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2020-05-19. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
14. "Izstrelitev prvih slovenskih satelitov vendarle uspela: Šlo je neverjetno gladko" [Launch of the first Slovene satellites succeeds at last: It went incredibly smoothly]. Dnevnik (in Slovenian). 2020-09-03. Retrieved 2020-09-21.
15. Leicester, John (2020-09-20). "Vive Le Tour! With Young Winner, Thrilling Race Defies Virus". NBC Boston. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
16. "30-day epidemic declared in Slovenia". Radio SI. Radiotelevizija Slovenija. 2020-10-19. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
17. "13 izjem za prehajanje med občinami, potrebna tudi podpisana izjava" [13 exceptions for crossing between municipalities, a signed statement also required]. 24ur.com (in Slovenian). 2020-10-26. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
18. "Covid-19 vaccination under way across Slovenia". Slovenian Press Agency. 2020-12-27. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
19. "Janez Stanovnik (1922–2020): Partizan, ki je v žepu hkrati nosil člansko izkaznico komunistične partije in rožni venec" [Janez Stanovnik (1922–2020): a Partisan who carried a Communist Party membership card and a rosary in his pocket at the same time] (in Slovenian). Dnevnik. 2020-01-31. Retrieved 2020-04-11.
20. "Umrl igralec Peter Musevski" [Actor Peter Musevski dies] (in Slovenian). 2020-03-18. Retrieved 2020-04-11.
21. "Umrl je upokojeni ljubljanski nadškof metropolit Alojz Uran" [Metropolitan Alojz Uran, retired archbishop of Ljubljana, died] (in Slovenian). 2020-04-11. Retrieved 2020-04-11.
22. "Umrla je kemičarka prof. dr. Aleksandra Kornhauser Fraser" [Chemist prof. dr. Aleksandra Kornhauser Fraser has died] (in Slovenian). Radiotelevizija Slovenija. 2020-05-19. Retrieved 2020-05-19.
23. "Slovenian football great Marko Elsner dies". Slovenian Press Agency. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
24. Vrabec, Aljaž (2020-06-01). "Umrl je Janez Kocijančič" [Janez Kocijančič has died]. Delo (in Slovenian). Retrieved 2020-08-14.
25. "Umrl je Miroslav Steržaj" [Miroslav Steržaj has died]. 24ur.com (in Slovenian). 2020-11-09. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
26. Evans, Gareth (2020-11-21). "Peter Florjancic: Story of ski-jumping inventor who escaped the Nazis". BBC News. Retrieved 2020-04-12.
27. "Umrl upokojeni mariborski pomožni škof in častni občan Jožef Smej" [Retired auxiliary bishop of Maribor and honorary member of the community Jožef Smej has died]. Večer (in Slovenian). 2020-11-22. Retrieved 2020-11-26.