146th regular session of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia
The Government has finalised the text of the draft Act Amending the Game and Hunting Act and submitted it to the National Assembly for consideration and adoption under the ordinary legislative procedure. The proposed amendment aims to create a more transparent and easily traceable game management system, with the potential for digitisation to improve game welfare and the ecosystem benefits. The draft Act amends the provisions that have proved ineffective or inadequate in practice since the Act was introduced in 2004. It also introduces changes to improve game welfare, benefit the ecosystem, and to provide a necessary regulatory framework, such as for the management of personal data records. In addition, the amendments make existing provisions clearer and less ambiguous, and streamline procedures. However, the draft Act retains all the key principles of the existing Game and Hunting Act.
The Government also adopted the Decision establishing the Public Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Healthcare Quality. The Public Agency for Healthcare Quality is being established to systematically ensure quality and safety in the healthcare system. It represents a significant step toward improving the quality and safety of healthcare services in Slovenia. The Agency will be responsible for the systematic monitoring, supervision and improvement of the healthcare standards, thereby contributing to greater public confidence in the healthcare system. Its establishment is bases on Article 21 of the Health Care Quality Assurance Act (ZZKZ). In addition to the tasks set out in the ZZKZ, the Agency will also be responsible for:
- Cooperation with international institutions focusing on health care quality;
- Developing and conducting annual national surveys on patient experience;
- Defining methods for monitoring and measuring the culture of safety in health care;
- Informing the general public and professional circles about its findings and activities;
- Establishing detailed guidelines for the work of quality and patient safety commissions.
The Agency's Council will consist of seven members appointed by the Government on the proposal of various institutions (the Medical Chamber of Slovenia, the Chamber of Nursing and Midwifery Services of Slovenia, the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia (ZZZS) and non-governmental organisations specialising in the protection of patients' rights). The term of office of each Council member is five years. The Director of the Agency will to be appointed by the Government on the proposal of the Agency's Council and will be responsible for the management, representation and legal compliance of the Agency. The constitutive session of the Agency's Council will be convened within one month of its members' appointment, after which a public selection process for appointing the director will take place.
At today's session, the Government adopted the Framework for the Issuance of Sustainability-Linked Bonds of the Republic of Slovenia (SLB). These bonds are financial instruments where the coupon interest rate is linked to the achievement of specific "green" or sustainability targets. The issuance of such bonds is based on this framework, which defines sustainability targets and target levels based on the recently adopted National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP). The framework envisages the following potential sustainability targets (with each SLB issuance required to include at least two of them):
- Reduction of total annual greenhouse gas emissions;
- Share of renewable energy sources in annual final energy consumption;
- Annual final energy consumption.
If Slovenia financially quantified its commitments under the NECP by issuing SLBs, this would have significant symbolic and economic value. It would reinforce the country's dedication to combating climate change and enhance its reputation on international financial markets.
During today's session, the Government designated the Municipality of Kranj as the site for the new Gorenjska regional hospital. The hospital will be built in Zlato Polje, a flat area between the Kranj East-West motorway and the centre of Kranj.In the past, various documents were produced to assess the suitability of potential hospital sites. Key factors considered included urban planning requirements, accessibility for residents, potential for future expansion, spatial constraints, existing utility infrastructure, support from the local community, economic feasibility, and the timeline for obtaining the necessary permits, including those required for hospital construction in a particular potential location. Based on these criteria, Kranj and Radovljica were identified as suitable locations. Ultimately, the Government decided that the Gorenjska regional hospital would be built in the Municipality of Kranj.