New category of neighbouring countries on the red list and exceptions in respect of border crossing (Article 11)

A citizen of the Republic of Slovenia or a foreigner with permanent residence in the Republic of Slovenia who owns real estate or vessel with accommodation or on the basis of a lease or rental contract has the right to use real estate, vessel with accommodation or plot of land in a camping site in one of the neighbouring countries (Italy, Croatia, Austria and Hungary) and is entering Slovenia together with close family members, which he must prove by submitting relevant evidence, may enter the Republic of Slovenia without having to quarantine also in cases where one of the neighbouring countries is on the list of countries with a deteriorated epidemiological situation (red list), provided that he returns to Slovenia within 48 hours of leaving the country.

Persons holding proof of a scheduled doctor's appointment or medical procedure in the neighbouring country may cross the border into Slovenia from a neighbouring country that is on the red list without having to quarantine if they will return on the same day or immediately after the doctor's appointment or medical procedure if the latter lasted more than one day.

New exceptions added to Article 10 (points 19, 20 in 21)

Categories of persons who by way of exception may cross the border without having to quarantine are listed in Article 10 of the ordinance. These 21 exceptions are applicable to crossing the border from the countries on the yellow list.

With the amended ordinance, persons who may enter without having to quarantine include professional athletes, members of their accompanying staff, sports delegates or referees in order to participate in official sports competitions organised by international sports federations, which they must prove by submitting relevant evidence (accreditation, employment contract, invitation to a competition, etc.) and a negative test for COVID-19 carried out in accordance with the provisions of the ordinance (point 19), and persons who are member of an official foreign delegation (point 21) who on entry must submit adequate proof and a negative test for COVID-19. An exception to point 20 has been added for persons who have been transported to Slovenia with an ambulance, in which case a negative test for COVID-19 is not necessary.

In addition, persons (with escort) holding proof of a scheduled emergency doctor's appointment or medical procedure in the Republic of Slovenia, other EU member state or Schengen Area country may cross the border without having to quarantine (Point 10). Emergency doctor's appointments and medical procedures include cases where failure to provide medical attention would place the person's health in serious jeopardy (such as chemotherapy, special diagnostic procedures, services at a tertiary level of health care), but do not include routine specialist examinations or services that can be carried out in the member state.

With the amended ordinance, the category of posted employees of state authorities now also includes state employees on a business trip abroad, which they prove by submitting a travel order (point 16).

Assessment of adequacy of COVID-19 tests

According to the ordinance, the adequacy and credibility of foreign laboratories (in the third countries) for the recognition of the validity of COVID-19 tests will be assessed jointly by the Institute for Microbiology and Immunology and the National Laboratory of Health, Environment and Food. The list of laboratories in the third countries whose COVID-19 tests are recognised by Slovenia will be published on the website of the National Laboratory of Health, Environment and Food.

A negative test for COVID-19 will not be required for the exceptions in points 11, 12, 13, and 14 of Article 10 of the ordinance, i.e. for persons crossing the border because of education and schooling, to attend a funeral, maintain relations with family members or to attend to pressing personal matters. These persons must return to the country within 24 hours of leaving it.

Amendments to Article 12

Transit across the Slovenian territory within six hours is possible for persons who have been quarantined abroad because of contact with a person infected with SARS-CoV-2 but do not have any signs of infection. In such cases the police will allow such persons to enter the country on the basis of an announcement by the competent authority in Slovenia, i.e. Ministry of Health or the National Institute of Public Health.

Entry into Slovenia is possible for Slovenian citizens or foreigners with permanent or temporary residence in Slovenia who have been quarantined abroad because of contact with a person infected with SARS-CoV-2 and wish to quarantine in Slovenia. Also in such cases the police will allow such persons to enter the country on the basis of an announcement by the competent authority in Slovenia, provided that the person will travel with their own vehicle and will take the shortest route to the address where they will quarantine.

Entry into force of the ordinance

The ordinance enters into force on the next day following its publication in the Official Gazette, i.e. on 21 August 2020 at 00.00 hours.

You may return from Croatia without a quarantine by Monday no later than midnight

Slovenian citizens and foreigners with permanent or temporary residence in Slovenia who on the day of entering into force of this ordinance (21. 8. 2020) are in one of the neighbouring countries that the Government has included on the list of countries with a deteriorated epidemiological situation (red list) may return to Slovenia by Monday, 24. 8. 2020, no later than midnight without having to subject themselves to quarantine.

Croatia added to the red list as of tomorrow, Greece taken off the green list

The Government of the Republic of Slovenia took note of the Assessment of the epidemiological situation in the EU and Schengen Area member states, the Balkans, and the selected third countries and the Assessment of the epidemiological situation in the countries and determination of the criteria for a deteriorated epidemiological situation prepared by the National Institute for Public Health, assessed the professional grounds for the restrictions listed in the Ordinance on imposing and implementing measures to prevent the spread of epidemic of COVID-19 at border crossing points at the external border, inspection points at the internal border and within the Republic of Slovenia (the ordinance), and decided that these restrictions still apply. The Government of the Republic of Slovenia will notify the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia and the public.

The Government has adopted the list of the epidemiologically safe countries and administrative units (green list) and the list of countries with a deteriorated epidemiological situation (red list), which are in force as of 21 August. Greece has been taken off the green list due to an unstable epidemiological situation while Croatia has been added to the red list.

Green list as of 21 August 2020

1. Hungary
   2. Estonia
   3. Finland
   4. Latvia
   5. Liechtenstein
   6. Slovakia
   7. Italy
   8. Georgia
   9. New Zealand
   10. Rwanda
   11. Uruguay
   12. San Marino
   13. Vatican
   14. Germany
   15. Lithuania
   16. Norway
   17. Austria
   18. Cyprus
   19. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Red list as of 21 August 2020

1. Qatar
   2. Bahrain
   3. Chile
   4. Kuwait
   5. Peru
   6. Armenia
   7. Oman
   8. Brazil
   9. Panama
   10. Singapore
   11. Maldives
   12. Sao Tome in Principe
   13. United Arab Emirates
   14. United States of America
   15. Saudi Arabia
   16. Russia
   17. Moldova
   18. Bolivia
   19. Puerto Rico
   20. Gabon
   21. Dominican Republic
   22. South Africa
   23. Iran
   24. North Macedonia
   25. Serbia
   26. Bosnia and Herzegovina
   27. Kosovo
   28. Albania
   29. Luxemburg
   30. Montenegro
   31. China
   32. Kazakhstan
   33. Honduras
   34. Israel
   35. Cape Verde
   36. Columbia
   37. Turks and Caicos Islands
   38. Azerbaijan
   39. Iraq
   40. United States Virgin Islandsv
   41. Kyrgyzstan
   42. Argentina
   43. Costa Rica
   44. Guatemala
   45. Mexico
   46. Salvador
   47. Eswatini
   48. Surinam
   49. Romania
   50. Bahamas
   51. India
   52. Spain
   53. Belgium
   54. Guam
   55. Belize
   56. Gibraltar
   57. Libya
   58. Paraguay
   59. Gambia
   60. Lebanon
   61. Philippines
   62. Venezuela
   63. Ukraine
   64. Morocco
   65. Saint Martin
   66. Equatorial Guinea
   67. Faroe Islands
   68. Namibia
   69. Malta
   70. Ecuador
   71. Andorra
   72. Monaco
   73. Netherlands
   74. Croatia

A 14-day quarantine is required for all persons who are entering Slovenia and have permanent or temporary residence in the countries on the red list and for all persons, regardless of their citizenship or country of residence, entering Slovenia from these countries. The only exceptions are persons listed under points 3–8, 10, 16, 18-21 of paragraph one of Article 10 of the ordinance.

As for the neighbouring countries included in the red list (so far Croatia), the Government determined a wider range of exceptions to quarantine rules due to cross-border links, which means that all exceptions referred to in paragraph one of Article 10 of the ordinance will apply, except point 17 (tourist visit), as well as three new exceptions for Slovenian citizens or foreigners with permanent residence in Slovenia, listed in paragraph two of Article 11 of the ordinance (e.g. owners of real estate, vessels, plots in camping sites, and persons with scheduled medical examinations, including non-emergency cases).