Opinion on the proposed Act Amending the Animal Protection Act

The government adopted an opinion on the proposed Act Amending the Animal Protection Act, which was submitted to the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia by a group of deputies with the first signed mag. Meira Hot.

The government supports the main objectives and substantive solutions of the proposed Act; however, the opinion shed light on individual proposed solutions, which should reasonably be amended, as they are substandardised. The government’s comments on the proposed Animal Protection Act refer to:

• Definition of the crime of cruelty to animals;
• Cat tagging initiative;
• Definition of the term “circus”;
• Classification of “housing of animals in too small a space without the possibility of sufficient recreation contrary to regulations” as a prohibited conduct;
• Introduction of authorised consultants;
• Introduction of video surveillance in slaughterhouses

In view of the above, the government of the Republic of Slovenia supports the ordinary legislative procedure, as it considers it vital that the National Assembly conducts a thorough general debate on the proposed Act Amending the Animal Protection Act. In addition to all interested stakeholders, the general debate should include professional institutions and associations, enable the confrontation of all arguments and thus encourage evidence-based, carefully considered, effective and enforceable solutions in the field of animal protection.

Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food

Appointment of the Director-General of the Forestry and Hunting Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food

The government issued a decision on the appointment of Tomaž Hrovat as the Director-General of the Forestry and Hunting Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food for a mandate period of 5 years, from 1 June 2023 until 31 May 2028 at the latest, with the possibility of re-appointment.

The Public Employees Act stipulates officials for the positions of Directors-General of the Ministries be selected based on open competition. Pursuant to the above, a special open competition for the position of Director-General of the Forestry and Hunting Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food was published on the gov.si website and at the Employment Service of Slovenia. The open competition for this position is carried out by a special selection board appointed by the Council of Officials on a case-by-case basis. The special selection board appointed by the Council of Officials has carried out the selection process for the position of the Director-General of the Forestry and Hunting Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, and forwarded a notice of suitable candidates to the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food.

The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food proposes to the government of the Republic of Slovenia to appoint Tomaž Hrovat for the position of the Director-General of the Forestry and Hunting Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food as of 1 June 2023, for a period of five years, with the possibility re-appointment. The proposed candidate is a university graduate in forest engineering currently employed as Acting Director-General of the Forestry and Hunting Directorate. He fulfils the tender conditions, has relevant work experience, and was evaluated by the special selection board for the implementation of the open competition process for the position of Director-General of the Forestry and Hunting Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food as a candidate suitable for appointment to the relevant post.

Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food

Appointment of the Director of the Farmland and Forest Fund of the Republic of Slovenia

The government issued a decision on the appointment of mag. Irena Tušar for Director of the Farmland and Forest Fund of the Republic of Slovenia for a mandate period of four years, from 26 May 2023 to 25 May 2027, with the possibility of re-appointment.

National Farmland and Forest Fund Act stipulates that the fund is to be managed and represented by a Fund Director appointed by the government. On 6 April 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food published an open tender for the position of Director of the Farmland and Forest Fund of the Republic of Slovenia at the Employment Service of Slovenia and on the GOV.SI website of the state administration. Within the public tender procedure, the tender evaluation committee verified the qualifications of four candidates pursuant to the adopted Criteria for Selection and Methods of Verifying Candidate Qualifications. The Minister proposes to the government to appoint mag. Irena Tušar to the position of Director of the Farmland and Forest Fund of the Republic of Slovenia for a term of office of four years, from 26 May 2023 to 25 May 2027, with the possibility of re-appointment. Mag. Irena Tušar has a master’s degree in the field of Rural Economics at the Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science of the University of Maribor. Since 2001, she has been employed at the Court of Audit of the Republic of Slovenia, where she worked as Assistant Supreme State Auditor over the last years.

In view of the above, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food considers that the candidate is highly suitable for the position of Director of the Farmland and Forest Fund of the Republic of Slovenia.

Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food