Among other things, the Promotion of Digital Inclusion Act determined measures for the inclusion of the public. Target groups and sections of groups are granted a financial incentive in the form of a credit – a digital voucher for the purchase of computer equipment or participation in educational programmes to obtain digital competence. The value of the digital voucher is determined between EUR 100 and 200, and its validity is 12 months.

At the session of the Government Committee for the Economy, the Government decided on the spending rights in this year’s state budget.

The Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia will receive funds of the general budgetary provision in the amount of the redeemed vouchers for the payment of services in hospitality, tourism, sport and culture in the total sum of EUR 6 million.

The Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities will be allocated funds of the general budgetary provision in the amount of EUR 953,405.35. These funds will be earmarked for co-financing personal protective equipment for the employees involved in nursing and medical rehabilitation in the public network when dealing with service users with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection.

The Ministry of Health will be allocated funds of the general budgetary provision in the amount of EUR 786,680.25 for the payment of claims referring to the implementation of COVID-19 measures, including for the reimbursement of short sick leaves and financing of the virus sequencing.

At the committee meeting, the Government also confirmed the response to the initiative to instigate a procedure for a review of the constitutionality and legality of the Decree on the Water Protection Area for the Ljubljansko Polje Aquifer.

The Government responded to the supplementation of the initiative to instigate a procedure for a review of the constitutionality and legality of Articles 22 and 23 of the Decree on the Water Protection Area for the Ljubljansko Polje Aquifer, paragraph four of Article 32 of the Plant Protection Products Act, and point three of paragraph three of Article 74 and paragraph one and point two of paragraph two of Article 76 of the Water Act and to the request for temporary suspension of Articles 22 and 23 of the Decree on the Water Protection Area for the Ljubljansko Polje Aquifer. Simultaneously, it also responded to the proposal to suspend the implementation of two articles of the Decree.

The Government believes that the proposal for suspension of Articles 22 and 23 of the Decree on the Water Protection Area for the Ljubljansko Polje Aquifer is unfounded, as it has not been demonstrated that their implementation would cause harmful consequences that are difficult to remedy. Likewise, the contested arrangement does not threaten anyone’s right to drinking water.

In the response to the supplementation of the request for a review of the constitutionality and legality of Articles 22 and 23 of the Decree on the Water Protection Area for the Ljubljansko Polje Aquifer, paragraph four of Article 32 of the Plant Protection Products Act, and point three of paragraph three of Article 74 and paragraph one and point two of paragraph two of Article 76 of the Water Act, the Government established that implementation of the contested provisions will not result in harmful consequences, which would be difficult to remedy, for the users of drinking water in Ljubljana. The inclusion of active substances on the list of active substances, the use of which is not permitted in the narrowest water protection areas (WPA I), does not mean that all other active substances, which are not on the list, may be used. Only those active substances in plant protection products that are approved for use in Slovenia by means of an applicable decision on registration may be used in Slovenia. The active substances that are not approved at the level of the European Union, or those that are not approved for use in Slovenia, are not included in the list, as it is clear that they may not be used anywhere in the Republic of Slovenia, and not only in the narrowest water protection areas.