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The new ordinance on temporary partial restriction of movement and gatherings as well as prohibits on movement between municipalities

At today’s correspondence session, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia issued the Ordinance on temporary partial restriction of the movement of people and the restriction or prohibition of public gatherings in order to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infections and published it in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia.

To prevent SARS-CoV-2 infections and contain and manage the COVID-19 communicable disease, the Ordinance will temporary restrict movements of people between municipalities, unless this Ordinance stipulates otherwise.

The areas of municipalities are stipulated in the Establishment of Municipalities and Municipal Boundaries Act. The list of municipalities is published on the website: https://www.gov.si/drzavni-organi/obcine/.

Thirteen exceptions to cross municipal boundaries, access shops and urgent maintenance of graves

While observing the recommendations, people may move between municipalities in thirteen exceptional cases, i.e.:

  1. arrival to and from work and the implementation of work tasks,
  2. implementation of business, agricultural and forestry activities,
  3. elimination of immediate danger to health, life and property,
  4. care and assistance to people requiring aid or care for family members or implementation of parental care and contact with children,
  5. access to pharmacies, health and sanitary services, and health resort treatment,
  6. access to foreign diplomatic and consular representation offices,
  7. access to emergency services,
  8. access to the implementation of tasks related to the operations of judiciary, administrative and law enforcement authorities,
  9. access to services for people with special needs,
  10. implementation of maintenance and seasonal work at a private facility or land plot for members of the same household,
  11. travelling of people who entered the Republic of Slovenia with the purpose of transit through the territory of the Republic of Slovenia to the neighbouring country or to their residence in the Republic of Slovenia,
  12. access to shops or services in another municipality if these establishments are closer to the person’s residence than shops or services in the municipality of residence or if these facilities are not available in the municipality of residence,
  13. urgent maintenance of a grave, whereby an individual must demonstrate this right with evidence of the rental of the grave or other supporting evidence.

 The enforcement of exceptions (excluding the exception under point 13, which applies only to individuals) also applies for close family members (spouse, cohabiting partner, partner in a formal or informal civil union and divorced spouse or partner who, on the basis of a court order, is paying child support, and their parents, legitimate and illegitimate child, adopted child and child placed in a family for the purpose of adoption on the basis of the decision issued by the competent authority) and members of the same household when travelling together.

Evidence and statements

When crossing municipal boundaries, an individual must hold suitable evidence to demonstrate the enforcement of the exception, and a legible and signed statement consisting of the following data:

  1. name and surname,
  2. residence address,
  3. address or travel destination,
  4. reason justifying the travel and stay,
  5. names of possible close family members or members of the same household who travel and stay with them,
  6. statement that they, their close family members or members of the same household who travel and stay with them were not ordered isolation or quarantine,
  7. statement that they are aware of criminal or damage liability for not complying with the regulations, orders or measures for control or prevention of communicable diseases in humans,
  8. statement that they are aware of the restrictions arising from this ordinance and that they would comply with them.

The person must provide evidence and the statement at the request of the inspector of the Health Inspectorate of the Republic of Slovenia or a police officer.

Residence

It is understood that a person resides in a municipality if they have a permanent or temporary residence registered in the relevant municipality. An individual may only reside at one residence address and must not move between both residences.

Sports and recreational activities and walking

If observing recommendations of the National Institute of Public Health, an individual or persons living in the same household may implement sports and recreational activities outdoors or in open public spaces in the municipality if they maintain safe distance from others. These include individual sports and recreational activities (e.g. jogging, cycling, golf, yoga) or group sports activities whose regular execution prevents contact with other people (e.g. tennis, badminton, boules).

When walking on green surfaces and during sports and recreational activities where at least a three-metre distance may be maintained at all times irrespective of the provisions of other ordinances individuals or persons living in the same household are not obliged to wear protective face masks.

Restriction of movement between 21:00 and 6:00 and the prohibition of gathering of more than six people still apply

Movement of people between 21:00 and 6:00 is still temporary restricted, with the exception of five exemptions (elimination of immediate danger to health, life and property; arrival to and from work and implementation of urgent work tasks; access to, and provision of, emergency services; food or medicine delivery services; travelling).

The Ordinance continues to prohibit all events, gatherings, weddings and religious ceremonies, and any gatherings of more than six people, unless these are close family members or members of the same household. When no more than six people gather, minimum social distancing must be ensured as per the adopted instructions or recommendations of the National Institute of Public Health published on their website.

Enforcement of the Ordinance

The Ordinance will enter into force on the day following its publication in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia (i.e. Tuesday, 27 October 2020). With the enforcement of this Ordinance, the current Ordinance on temporary partial restriction of movement of people and the restriction or prohibition of public gatherings in order to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infections (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia [Uradni list RS], Nos. 147/20 and 151/20) ceases to apply.