Supreme Court warns Covid pass mandate cannot pertain to judges

Ljubljana – The Supreme Court has proposed to the Justice Ministry to exempt the judiciary from the recovered-vaccinated-tested (PCT) rule so that the judicial branch can perform its function with clarity and autonomy. The court warned that the ministry’s interpretation of the relevant decree cannot pertain to those working at courts.

The matter was discussed at a meeting on Monday which featured Justice Minister Marjan Dikaučič, Health Minister Janez Poklukar and the president of the Supreme Court Damijan Florjančič, the ministry confirmed for the STA.

Open issues regarding the interpretation and implementation of the decree imposing the Covid pass mandate were resolved at the meeting, the ministry said.

Clients and other participants in court procedures are exempt from the PCT rule, as clients cannot be considered users of services or participants in the performance of activities in this context.

However, judges and other court staff are not exempted from the PCT rule, the ministry said, noting they were obliged to do a coronavirus test once a week if they were not vaccinated or reconvalescent since they fell under the decree’s category of persons performing their work or duty.

This comes after the Judicial Council said last week that the decree could not be used to restrict access to courts or their work.

It also warned that any interference in the constitutional or legal status of the judiciary by means of decrees was inadmissible, since, in line with the Constitution, the regulation of the courts could only be governed by law.

The post Supreme Court warns Covid pass mandate cannot pertain to judges appeared first on Slovenia Times.