47th regular session of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia

At today’s session, the Government adopted several ordinances to contain the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic.

Distance learning continues in primary and secondary schools in next week as well

The Government issued the Ordinance amending the Ordinance temporarily prohibiting gatherings of people in educational institutions and universities and independent higher education institutions and will publish it in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia.

On the basis of the opinion of the Expert Group for the Containment and Management of the COVID-19 Epidemic, the Government decided to extend the Ordinance until 15 January 2021.

The gathering of people in special primary schools and educational institutions for children and adolescents with special needs is no longer prohibited.

Source: Ministry of Education, Science and Sport

The Government adopted the Ordinance amending the Ordinance on temporary measures to reduce the risk of infection and spread of COVID-19

By changing the Ordinance, the validity of the Ordinance on temporary measures to reduce the risk of infection and spread of COVID-19 is extended, i.e. the measures of mandatory use of a protective face mask in public spaces or premises and of mandatory hand sanitisation are extended until 15 January 2021. The content of the Ordinance remains unchanged.

Source: Ministry of Health

The Government adopted the Ordinance amending the Ordinance on the mandatory installation of hand sanitiser dispensers in apartment buildings

By amending the Ordinance, the validity of the Ordinance amending the Ordinance on the mandatory installation of hand sanitiser dispensers in apartment buildings (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia [Uradni list RS], Nos. 182/20, 190/20 and 195/20) is extended. Regarding the declared COVID-19 epidemic and current epidemiological situation in the country, it was assessed that the measure of mandatory installation of hand sanitiser dispensers in apartment buildings must be extended until 15 January 2021.

Source: Ministry of Health

The Government issued the Ordinance on temporarily prohibiting the offering and sale of goods and services directly to consumers in the field of drivers and vehicles in the Republic of Slovenia

To restrict the movement of people and contain and manage the COVID-19 epidemic, this Ordinance temporarily prohibits the offering and sale of goods and services directly to consumers in the field of drivers and vehicles in the Republic of Slovenia with certain exceptions.

The temporary prohibition of offering and sale of goods and services directly to consumers in the field of drivers and vehicles in the Republic of Slovenia does not apply to:

  • the implementation of tasks of technical services, professional organisations and authorised registration organisations involving motor vehicles,
  • regular and interim inspections of tanks and vehicles for the issue of ADR certificates on roadworthiness of vehicles for the transport of dangerous goods, and
  • procedures and tasks in tachograph workshops.

Only the validity of driving licences which have or will expire between 16 November 2020 and 15 January 2021 and whose holders could not or will not be able to extend the validity of their driving licence (additional driver/beginner training programme) due to the temporary prohibition of offering and sale of goods and services in the field of drivers and vehicles in the Republic of Slovenia will be extended until 28 February 2021.

Only the validity of driver qualification cards which have or will expire between 16 November 2020 and 15 January 2021 and whose holders could not or will not be able to extend the validity of their driver qualification cards (regular training to extend the validity of basic qualifications) due to the temporary prohibition of offering and sale of goods and services in the field of drivers and vehicles in the Republic of Slovenia will be extended until 28 February 2021.

The validity of the theoretical part of the driving test will only be extended until 28 February 2021 for the candidates for motor vehicle drivers for whom the validity of the theoretical part of the driving test has or will expire between 16 November 2020 and 15 January 2021 and who were not or will not be able to fulfil the obligations required (practical part of the driving test) due to the temporary prohibition of offering and sale of goods and services in the field of drivers and vehicles in the Republic of Slovenia.

The Ordinance temporarily prohibiting the offering and sale of goods and services directly to consumers in the field of drivers and vehicles in the Republic of Slovenia is to enter into force on 9 January 2021 and will apply for seven days.

Source: Ministry of Infrastructure

The Government issued the Ordinance on temporary prohibition, restrictions and manner of conducting public passenger transport in the territory of the Republic of Slovenia

The Ordinance on temporary prohibition, restrictions and manner of conducting public passenger transport in the territory of the Republic of Slovenia enables the implementation of public passenger transport in a limited scope and determines the obligations of passengers and public transport operators.

The currently applicable Ordinance on temporary prohibition, restrictions and manner of conducting public passenger transport in the territory of the Republic of Slovenia ceases to apply on the day the new Ordinance, which is identical to the preceding one, enters into force. The new Ordinance is adopted due to examining measures following the decision of the Constitutional Court as of 3 December 2020.

The provisions regarding operations of cableway installations are amended. The operation of all cableway installations for transporting people is prohibited in the new Ordinance. The exceptions include transport of persons with cableway installations for emergency supply, medical assistance, protection and rescue, and transport of categorised and professional athletes, coaches and other competition and training organisers for the competitions permitted on the basis of other ordinances.

The Ordinance enters into force on the day following its publication in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia and will apply for seven days.

Source: Ministry of Infrastructure

The Ordinance amending the Ordinance on temporary restriction on implementation of freedom of religion

The Ordinance adopted by the Government at today’s session extends the validity of the Ordinance on temporary restriction on implementation of freedom of religion in the Republic of Slovenia. Regarding the declared COVID-19 epidemic and current epidemiological situation in the country, the Government assessed that the restrictions of the relevant Ordinance must be extended until 15 January 2021.

Source: Ministry of Culture

Ordinance on temporary suspension of cultural and cinematographic services in the Republic of Slovenia

Based on the Ordinance adopted by the Government at today’s session and with regard to the declared COVID-19 epidemic and current epidemiological situation in the country, museums and galleries in all statistical regions are being closed. Libraries remain open in the way that allows the collection of material prepared in advance at an outdoor collection spot.

The services of accessing and viewing cultural heritage without organised guided tours in fenced outdoor public areas with immovable cultural heritage are possible while observing all hygiene recommendations of the Ministry of Health and the National Institute of Public Health to prevent the SARS-CoV-2 virus infection. The number of persons in fenced outdoor public areas with immovable cultural heritage where access to, and viewing of, cultural heritage without organised guided tours for end users is limited to one user per 30 square metres of fenced outdoor public area or one user if the fenced outdoor public area is smaller than 30 square metres.

The Ordinance enters into force on 9 January 2021 and will apply until 15 January 2015.

Source: Ministry of Culture

Measures on the restriction of movement and the prohibition of gathering are extended until 15 January

The Government issued the Ordinance amending the Ordinance on the temporary partial restriction of movement of people and on the prohibition of gathering of people to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and published it in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia.

The validity of measures on temporary restriction of movement and the prohibition of gathering is extended until 15 January 2021.

The Ordinance enters into force on the day following its publication in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia.

Source: Ministry of the Interior

Border crossing: PCR tests from third countries are recognised, an exception regarding education has been added, the possibility of rapid testing at the border has been abolished

The Government issued the Ordinance amending the Ordinance on determining the conditions for entry into the Republic of Slovenia for the purpose of containment and control of the infectious disease COVID-19 and published it in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia. The amendments enter into force on 9 January 2021.

PCR tests from third countries are also valid, while rapid tests are only valid if done in the EU or the Schengen Area

The test on the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus must be conducted according to the PCR method in an EU Member State, a Member State of the Schengen Area or at an organisation or an individual that was recognised as suitable and credible by the Institute of Microbiology and Immunology and the National Laboratory of Health, Environment and Food, and is listed on the website of the National Laboratory of Health, Environment and Food, or according to the HAG method in an EU Member State or a Member State of the Schengen Area.

When entering the Republic of Slovenia, negative PCR tests are thus also recognised if carried out in third countries, but it still applies that negative test results must not be older than 48 hours.

Rapid antigen tests must be carried out in an EU Member State or a Member State of the Schengen Area.

Testing with rapid antigen tests at border crossings has been abolished on the external Schengen border.

Possibility of quarantine suspension has been reintroduced for all persons

If a person who was referred to quarantine at home by the police upon their arrival in the Republic of Slovenia undergoes testing for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) according to the PCR method during their quarantine and their test result is negative, their quarantine is considered suspended. The testing may only be done on the fifth day after being referred to quarantine at home. The possibility of quarantine suspension thus applies for all persons irrespective of their citizenship.

An exception for education was added and deleted for athletes

As of 9 January 2021, entry to the Republic of Slovenia from a red-listed country without a referral to quarantine at home or the submission of a negative test (PCR or HAG) is permitted to:

  • persons who daily or occasionally cross the border due to education or scientific research in the Republic of Slovenia or an EU Member State or a Member State of the Schengen Area and proves the foregoing with suitable evidence. If the person from this point is a minor or cannot travel on their own due to other reasons, a person who transports that person may also cross the border under the same conditions, but they must return immediately after the transport is completed.

The exception for athletes is deleted since testing with rapid antigen tests at the border is no longer envisaged in the Ordinance.

Red list of countries (valid as of 9 January 2021)

Finland is removed from the red list, which means that entry from this country is possible without quarantine or a negative test. There are no changes in the list of third countries.

EU Member States or Member States of the Schengen Area:

  1. Andorra
  2. Austria
  3. Belgium
  4. Bulgaria
  5. Cyprus
  6. Czech Republic
  7. Denmark (only individual administrative units): all administrative units, except the Faroe Islands and Greenland
  8. Estonia
  9. France (all administrative units of mainland France: except Brittany and Corsica, and all overseas territories, except Guadeloupe, Martinique and La Réunion)
  10. Greece (only individual administrative units): Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Central Macedonia, Western Macedonia and Thessaly
  11. Croatia
  12. Italy
  13. Latvia
  14. Liechtenstein
  15. Lithuania
  16. Luxembourg
  17. Hungary
  18. Malta
  19. Monaco
  20. Germany
  21. The Netherlands
  22. Norway (only individual administrative units): Oslo and Viken
  23. Poland
  24. Portugal (only individual administrative units): all administrative units, except the Madeira autonomous region
  25. Romania
  26. San Marino
  27. Slovakia
  28. Spain (only individual administrative units): all administrative units, except the Canary Islands
  29. Sweden
  30. Switzerland
  31. Vatican
  32. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Source: Ministry of the Interior

Ordinance on temporary suspension of the sale of goods and services to consumers in the Republic of Slovenia

The Government issued the Ordinance on temporary suspension of the sale of goods and services to consumers in the Republic of Slovenia, which enters into force on 9 January 2021 and will apply until 15 January 2021.

To restrict the movement of people and contain and manage the COVID-19 epidemic, a new Ordinance on the temporary suspension of the sale of goods and services to consumers in the Republic of Slovenia is proposed, which temporarily prohibits the offering and sale of goods and services directly to consumers in the Republic of Slovenia with certain exceptions that are necessary to meet citizens’ basic needs or are important for ensuring safety and health.

The relevant Ordinance maintains the exceptions that apply in the existing Ordinance and adds to them the following:

  • surveying services,
  • construction works at uninhabited construction sites, houses or apartments where no contact with consumers is ensured during the work,
  • medical pedicure and medical manicure, and
  • cleaning services.

Source: Ministry of Economic Development and Technology

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