Ordinance on the conditions of entry into the Republic of Slovenia from the Italian Republic to prevent the spread of communicable diseases

The Government of the Republic of Slovenia has issued the Ordinance on the conditions of entry into the Republic of Slovenia from the Italian Republic in order to prevent the spread of communicable diseases that will be published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia.

Four checkpoints will be established in the border area at road connections with the Italian Republic: Vrtojba, Fernetiči, Škofije, and Krvavi potok. The checkpoints Vrtojba, Fernetiči, and Škofije will be open at all times and the checkpoint Krvavi potok from 5:00 to 23:00.

Road operators will ensure the necessary signs are set up at the checkpoints and that all other road connections with the Italian Republic are closed.

Railway passenger as well as international occasional and line bus transport between the Italian Republic and the Republic of Slovenia is suspended. All cargo transport from the Italian Republic into the Republic of Slovenia is suspended, except for post, protective equipment, medical devices and humanitarian aid. The exception are goods vehicles (cargo transport) for which the Republic of Slovenia is the final destination or which are in transit and the neighbouring country has agreed to accept them.

Entry into the Republic of Slovenia is permitted to foreign citizens under the condition that they present proof in the Slovenian, English or Italian language of a molecular laboratory test for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) showing negative results for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) no older than three days. Even if the foreign citizen does not present such a proof, they will still be granted entry into the Republic of Slovenia if their body temperature is below 37.5°C and there are no clear indications of an upper respiratory tract infection (cough, sneezing, shortness of breath).

Citizens of the Republic of Slovenia and persons with a permanent or temporary residence in the Republic of Slovenia are granted entry into the Republic of Slovenia. If their body temperature is above 37.5°C or if they show clear indications of an upper respiratory tract infection (cough, sneezing, shortness of breath), then the person will be informed about the instructions provided by the National Institute of Public Health.

This Ordinance does not apply to citizens of the Republic of Slovenia who own property in the territory of the Italian Republic close to the national border and perform agricultural work.

It will be implemented by health professionals and the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief, assisted by the Police.

The Ordinance shall take effect on 19 March 2020 at 00:00.

As of the entry into force of the Ordinance, the Order on the conditions of entry into the Republic of Slovenia from the Italian Republic to prevent the spread of communicable diseases (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, Nos 18/20 and 20/20) ceases to apply.

Source: Ministry of the Interior

Amendment to the Ordinance on the temporary prohibition of offering and selling goods and services to consumers

The Government of the Republic of Slovenia issued the Ordinance amending the Ordinance on the temporary prohibition of offering and selling goods and services to consumers in the Republic of Slovenia.

The purpose of the amendment is to prevent contact because of the COVID-19 epidemic; it determines business hours enabling a longer time interval of making purchases in stores, thus reducing the concentration of shoppers.

The Ordinance sets out the business hours for grocery stores, which will begin no later than at 8:00 and end no earlier than at 20:00 every day. From 8:00 to 10:00, all vulnerable groups, which include disabled persons, retired persons and pregnant women, will be given priority in making purchases as well as entering a shop. All shops will be closed on Sundays and work-free days except petrol stations and pharmacies, which may operate.

This Ordinance will take effect on 19 March 2020 at 00:00.

Source: Ministry of Economic Development and Technology

Amended Ordinance prohibiting gatherings of people in education institutions and universities and independent higher education institutions

At today’s correspondence meeting, the Government adopted amendments to the Ordinance prohibiting gatherings of people in education institutions and universities and independent higher education institutions, which was adopted at the 1st meeting by correspondence of the Government. The amended Ordinance was issued because of the need to establish a legal basis for using these premises for the accommodation of employees in critical infrastructure or national security sectors and implementing other measures for containing and controlling the COVID-19 epidemic.

Source: Ministry of Education, Science and Sport

Ordinance on the renewal of licences or certificates to personnel responsible for the performance of safety-critical tasks in railway transport

The Ordinance is issued as part of measures for preventing the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus. The railway transport operator and carriers cannot provide the mandatory periodical competence and compliance controls of personnel performing safety-critical tasks in railway transport in accordance with the Railway Traffic Safety Act, the Rules on train drivers, training centres, examiners and examination centres and the Rules on the procedures for assessing the mental and physical abilities of operational railway staff.

In order to be able to carry out these procedures, organisational and technical requirements must be met, which is not possible during the epidemic or would significantly increase the risk of spreading the outbreak, and mandatory periodical health checks cannot be performed due to the closure of the authorised community health centres.

All the activities in this respect are suspended (until the end of the epidemic is declared). The requirements must be met within three months following the end of the epidemic. This period of time will allow the operator and the carriers to organise training courses without any adverse consequences for railway transport.

To contain and manage the epidemic, the validity of licences and certificates of personnel performing safety-critical tasks due to expire after the entry into force of the Ordinance and before 30 April 2020 is provisionally extended by this Ordinance.

The validity of these licences and certificates that will expire after the entry into force of the Ordinance and before 30 April 2020 is extended until 30 July 2020.

The Ordinance will enter into force on 20 March 2020 at 00:00.

Source: Ministry of Infrastructure

Government earmarks EUR 28 million for an increase in commodity reserves

In order to provide the inhabitants of Slovenia with essential supplies during the epidemic, the Government has earmarked EUR 28 million of the budget reserve for an increase in commodity reserves.

Source: Ministry of Finance

Government orders the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief to declare a high risk of fire in the natural environment

At today’s meeting by correspondence, the Government ordered the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief to declare a high risk of fire in the natural environment on the basis of Article 8 of the Decree on protection against fire in the natural environment.

Slovenia is experiencing an extended period of drought. A total of 381 fires in the natural environment requiring intervention by firefighters have been recorded this year. An increase in the number of fires has been noted in March (103 fires). As people now stay at home, the number of fires in the natural environment has been increasing, which leads to greater exposure of firefighters to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

One of the measures adopted by the Government to combat the epidemic and reduce the risk of infection with the new coronavirus among firefighters is a decision ordering the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief to declare a high fire risk in the natural environment starting on 8 March 2020.

Source: Ministry of Defence