Peter Svetina

The Constitutional Court has suspended legislative amendments that allow the warrantless use of tracking devices to target smugglers of products such as tobacco that are liable for excise duty.

Ljubljana – Commenting on the role of president of the republic in Slovenia as the presidential race in the country is accelerating, Mladina says the constitution and social commitment are the only thing that kept outgoing President Borut Pahor from causing havoc and damage with his politically biased choices during his mandates.

Ljubljana – Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina has met Greek counterpart Andreas I. Pottakis, who heads Europe’s section at the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI), as part of hos visit to Slovenia. Pottakis has also been received by President Borut Pahor, Svetina’s office said in a press release on Wednesday.

Ljubljana – Slovenian NGOs and the human rights ombudsman have called on the authorities to take measures to reduce poverty to the largest degree possible as the world observes International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on Sunday. The ministry in charge social affairs on the other hand says the government has not forgotten the socially deprived.

Ljubljana – A delegation of the European Parliament’s committee on civil liberties, justice and home affairs (LIBE) visiting Slovenia on a fact-finding mission has expressed concern mainly at the tone of public debate, while also calling for the issues of STA funding and European delegated prosecutor appointments to be addressed urgently.

Ljubljana – The Human Rights Ombudsman had proposed that the government enable rapid antigen testing for coronavirus for all users of healthcare services, who are currently obliged to meet the recovered-vaccinated-tested (PCT) rule. This would protect the system from new infections and prevent irreparable deterioration of health of individuals, it believes.

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Ljubljana – The Constitutional Court has declared parts of the communicable diseases act allowing the government to restrict movement and public assembly unconstitutional, and effectively annulled the government decrees that were based on this law. The National Assembly has two months to do away with the unconstitutional rules.

Ljubljana – Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Ljubljana on Friday protesting against the government’s actions and calling for an early election. The rally included various groups and movements and was supported by trade unions and part of the opposition. PM Janez Janša said spreading Covid-19 with unregistered mass rallies was a crime.

Ljubljana – Free, plural and independent media are a fundamental ingredient of democracies, Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina said in his World Press Freedom Day message. “Independent media and public services are the basis of democratic societies, so they must not be hostage in the hands of election winners,” he wrote on Monday.