177th Regular Session of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia

Prime Minister Robert Golob | Author Bor Slana/STA

The Government of the Republic of Slovenia approved the text of the Draft Emergency Measures to Ensure Public Safety Act and submitted it to the National Assembly for consideration under an urgent procedure. The proposed act introduces changes to the Free Legal Aid Act, the Criminal Code, and the Criminal Procedure Act. In the field of internal affairs, it provides for amendments concerning entry and inspection of foreign residences without a court order, the use of technical means in security-risk areas, the ordering of security operations to prevent and detect serious breaches of public order, criminal offences, and major traffic violations, as well as the automated verification of license plates. The proposal also introduces new powers for maintaining public order in and around hospitality establishments.

The act further defines the obligations of social work centres in cases involving underage parents and introduces public works opportunities for members of the Roma community. To prevent or deter repeated offences, the draft law also allows enforcement against certain social welfare benefits. It amends the Financing of Municipalities Act to enable municipalities with registered Roma settlements to use specific funds for measures improving public safety and the quality of life. Through this, the Government introduces preventive measures to strengthen security in municipalities with such settlements.

The Draft Juvenile Criminal Justice Act implements Article 5(2) of the Criminal Code, which provides for a special law governing the criminal liability of minors. The proposal addresses the specificities of juvenile criminal responsibility, broadens the scope of educational measures and prohibitions, and expands their applicability even when an institutional educational measure is imposed. It refines decision-making on cumulative offences and extends the permissible duration of institutional measures for repeat offenders. The act's key provisions aim to accelerate proceedings, ensure early identification of a minor's difficulties and needs, prevent reoffending, and promote reintegration. Juvenile cases will be treated as a priority, and courts with sufficient caseloads will assign judges exclusively to juvenile matters. An individual assessment of the minor must be prepared as early as possible to inform tailored decisions throughout the process.

The amendments to the Minor Offences Act strengthen the punitive framework and reduce the burden on offence authorities. Conditions for substituting fines and procedural costs with community service are tightened-courts will no longer grant this option to offenders who, in the past four years, failed to cooperate or delayed their community service obligations. The amendments also set a clear deadline for completing such work and abolish the option of proposing community service as a substitute for imprisonment. The law now authorizes issuing fines in expedited proceedings without specific legislative delegation. In cross-border traffic offences, the start of the deadline for response will now be counted from the dispatch of the written notice rather than its delivery.

The amendments to the Probation Act enhance the verification of identity and ensure better awareness of rights and duties among those under probation. They define more precisely when a person fails to meet obligations, specify that probation units oversee conditional sentences, early releases, community service, and home detention, and broaden the list of implementing entities to include state bodies, thereby shortening waiting times. Probation officers are now recognized as official persons under the Criminal Code due to the nature and risks of their duties.

The amendments to the Slovenian Intelligence and Security Agency Act modernize legislation dating back to 1999, addressing legal gaps that have delayed data acquisition and limited operational capacity. The proposal aligns the framework with EU standards for modern intelligence and security services. It equalizes conditions for data collection across intelligence and counterintelligence fields and introduces two new special forms of data collection: the use of technical means for monitoring mobile phone signals and direct access to telecommunications data solely for logging communication traffic. Both measures require authorization by the President of the Supreme Court, ensuring judicial oversight. The signal monitoring measure may last up to 15 days and cannot be extended; it expressly forbids eavesdropping or recording electronic communications. Access to telecommunications data may last up to one month and only for traffic logging, without the ability to inspect the device. The proposal also regulates the processing of biometric data-specifically, voice and facial images-and addresses certain administrative and employment matters related to the Agency's operations.

Finally, the Government decided that the Slovenian Armed Forces will assist the Police in broader protection of the national border within the country's interior. The Armed Forces will provide technical and logistical support and may place equipment directly at the Police's disposal. The Police and the General Staff of the Slovenian Armed Forces must coordinate an operational plan for the implementation of these tasks by 7 November 2025. The Director General of Police will report monthly to the Government on the execution of these activities. The decision remains in force until revoked. Under Article 37(4) of the Defence Act, the Armed Forces may cooperate with the Police in border protection following a government decision. Army members performing these tasks do not hold police powers. To address staff shortages and heightened security challenges-particularly in southeastern Slovenia and areas affected by illegal migration-the Armed Forces will assist the Police with tasks such as border observation (on land, air, and water), transportation of migrants, support in return operations, and logistical maintenance of border infrastructure.

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