Government initiates activities to erect a monument to Slovenian independence

Slovenia gaining independence was an exceptional moment in history and is the greatest state-building act of the Slovenian nation. Various memorials have been erected in public places over the past decades to mark the milestone anniversaries that commemorate the events that paved the way to the nation's freedom and independence. The largest number of monuments was unveiled on the thirtieth anniversary of the country's creation, being placed in various Slovenian cities in memory of the events and citizens who fought for the country's independence. The Government has initiated activities to erect a monument to Slovenian independence, which will connect and unite, and with its symbolism convey the story of the future of a nation that has won its independence and freedom.

At today's session, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia adopted a decision by which it instructed the Military Heritage Administration of the Republic of Slovenia to prepare, in cooperation with the competent ministries, starting points for erecting the monument and submit them to the Government for approval.

Source: Office of the Prime Minister

Bill determining the intervention measures to prevent harmful consequences of the extension of mining rights and concessions

The Government has adopted a bill determining the intervention measures to prevent harmful consequences of the extension of mining rights and concessions. The Government proposes to the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia discussion of the bill in a fast-track procedure in order to prevent consequences that would be difficult to mitigate.

The aim of the bill is primarily to ensure the stability and predictability of operation of companies that exploit mineral resources on the basis of mining rights, and thus also the uninterrupted supply of these resources to the economy. The bill envisages that the mining rights are extended for three years by means of an annex. No decision is required for such an extension, as the conclusion of the annex will result in the mining right being extended in accordance with the relevant law itself. Next year, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning will initiate the procedure to amend the Mining Act (ZRud-1), to address certain open issues in the field of mining.

Source: Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning

Amendments to the Higher Education Act to eliminate established unconstitutionality

At today’s session, the Government determined the wording of amendments to the Higher Education Act, which will be submitted to the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia to be discussed in a fast-track procedure. The fast-track procedure is required in order to eliminate as soon as possible the established unconstitutionality in view of the decision of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Slovenia on the Higher Education Act in the part relating to determining the public service and the status and legal regulation of relations between a university and its members.

The proposed amendments to the Higher Education Act primarily deal with the regulation of the legal status of university members, specifically stipulating that a university is a legal entity, while its members are internal organisational units that do not have legal personality, and the regulation of the public service in higher education, which includes educational, scientific research, artistic and support activities, and which is performed by public higher education institutions and private higher education institutions for study programmes under concession. The amendments also contain certain minor proposed changes, i.e. solutions related to: - establishing the legal bases for electronic business and management of digital records in higher education, - the position of university teachers elected to the post of the dean of a member of a university, - access to higher education for foreign citizens who complete secondary education in the Republic of Slovenia, - access to subsidised residence for foreign citizens and citizens of EU member states who are themselves or whose parents are tax residents in the Republic of Slovenia.

Source: Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation