The government determined the text of the draft law on specific matters relating to certain offences committed during the period of validity of the measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection

At today's session, the government determined the text of the draft law on specific matters relating to certain offences committed during the period of validity of the measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection. The draft law was submitted to the National Assembly for consideration based on ordinary procedure.

The draft law comprehensively regulates the payment of fines, costs of minor offence proceedings, procedure of enforced recovery and confiscated assets related to minor offence proceedings conducted for offences committed in the period from 7 March 2020 to 30 May 2022, as a violation of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection. The proposed regulation is based on the Analysis of the legal grounds used in minor offence proceedings against individuals for violations of the measures against the COVID-19 infection and the Baseline for drawing up normative solutions adopted by the government at the session on 24 November 2022, with the objective that the fines, costs of the proceedings, procedure of enforced recovery and confiscated assets are paid out automatically and with minimum burden on the beneficiaries.

The draft law regulates the payment of the amount of fines, costs of minor offence proceedings, procedure of enforced recovery and confiscated assets, suspension of current minor offence proceedings, suspension of proceedings related to the performance of community service, suspension of proceedings related to the execution of imprisonment for failure to pay a fine or suspension of proceedings of enforcement of fine and costs of minor offence proceedings. The proceedings, which will be conducted ex officio, and the legal consequences of relevant offences, are regulated (deletion of data from the offence records); moreover, the draft law sets out the competent authorities that will rule in the proceedings for the payment of the amount of fines, the costs of proceedings, the procedure of enforced recovery and confiscated assets. Financial resources are provided from the budget of the Republic of Slovenia.

Source: Ministry of Justice

2023 Development Report

At today's session, the government took note of the 2023 Development Report of the Office of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for Macroeconomic Analysis and Development (IMAD), which contains important findings and recommendations for development policy.

The large development gap in productivity is only gradually decreasing due to insufficient transformation into a smart and green economy. The measures to mitigate the consequences of the health and energy crisis have demonstrated positive impacts on the level of risk of social exclusion and material and social disadvantages, which in 2022 remained close to the lowest levels and well below the EU average. In 2020-2022, the financial position of households moderately deteriorated due to the epidemic and high cost of living with high inflation during the energy crisis, but remained more stable than in the period 2010-2017 and more favourable than that of the EU average.

The priority areas of action, which according to IMAD are key to the long-term sustainable development of Slovenia and improved quality of life, relate to the following challenges: accelerate productivity growth, accelerate transition to a low-carbon circular economy, ensure an inclusive, healthy and active society, and strengthen the development role of the country and its institutions.

Source: Office of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for Macroeconomic Analysis and Development

In 2023, almost 10.9 million euros for sports infrastructure

The government approved the annual plan for the financing and co-financing of investments in sports infrastructure for 2023. In 2023, the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport will publish a call for tenders for the selection of proposals for the co-financing of investments in the amount of approx. 10.9 million euros.

The co-financing of investments in sports infrastructure for 2023 will be divided into two fundamental segments, namely: the co-financing of investments for the renovation of multi-purpose sports halls and gyms in the total amount of up to eight million euros, and the co-financing of investments for the modernisation or establishment of new outdoor sports areas in the total amount of approx. 2.9 million euros.

Relevant sports infrastructure is required for the development of sports and individual sports disciplines. In 2022, the Act on providing financial resources for investments in sports infrastructure in the Republic of Slovenia in the years 2023 to 2027 was adopted in order to improve the condition of the sports infrastructure in Slovenia. The Act inter alia stipulates that the priority areas for financing and co-financing of investments in sports infrastructure are to be set out in the annual plan adopted by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia by March 31 of the current year.

The Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport identified the needs in terms of sports infrastructure based on the available data from the Record of Public Sports Facilities and Areas for Sports in Nature, available at the Space portal of the Surveying and Mapping Authority of the Republic of Slovenia, and needs expressed by local communities and national sports associations.

The first priority area for the co-financing of investments is the existing sports facilities – buildings in which various sports activities are carried out (multipurpose sports halls and gyms) and which include workout space and workout areas with the necessary sports equipment, accompanying indoor space and visitor reception area. Many such sports facilities have deteriorated and are in need of renovation or modernisation. The restoration and modernisation will ensure adequate conditions, greater usability and safety, which will enable the high-quality implementation of various sports programmes and the implementation of sports events at competitive and recreational sports level.

Sports facilities and areas for nature sports, for which the intended use for carrying out outdoor sports activities is set out in the regulations governing the space, are another priority area for the co-financing of investments. The annual sports programme co-finances the modernisation and investment maintenance of existing sports facilities and areas for nature sports, as well as the construction of new sports facilities. Preference for co-financing from the annual sports programme shall be given to sporting facilities and areas for nature sports that are available to everyone free of charge.

Funds are also provided in the budget item of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport; after the adoption of the rebalancing of the state budget for 2023, the funds will be transferred to the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport.

Source: Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport