Notification of the government on the information from the Minister for Energy regarding the distribution of profits and awards to the management of companies within the same group or related companies that have received aid under the Act Determining the Aid to the Economy to Mitigate the Consequences of the Energy Crisis

The government has taken note of the information from the Minister for Energy regarding the distribution of profits and awards to the management of companies within the same group or related companies that have received aid under the Act Determining the Aid to the Economy to Mitigate the Consequences of the Energy Crisis.

The government takes the view that the conduct of economic entities is contrary to the purpose of the Act, i.e. to help companies facing problems due to the energy crisis.

The government has taken note of the information from the Minister for Energy regarding the measures implemented in this regard. The Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport is taking all steps required to strengthen control over the implementation of the Act Determining the Aid to the Economy to Mitigate the Consequences of the Energy Crisis, and to implement procedures for issuing decisions on the return of unduly received aid in accordance with the Act without delay.

Pursuant to the Act, the Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia is to immediately carry out the recovery of the refund of the unduly received aid.

Source: Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy

The government on the starting points for harmonising the values of the wage groups of the pay scale and the response regarding the 2023 holiday allowance

The government adopted the starting points for harmonising the values of the wage groups of the pay scale, as part of the negotiations for the renovation of the salary system of the public sector with the representative unions of the public sector, and the response to the representative unions of the public sector regarding the 2023 holiday allowance.

The government states that this year, the holiday allowance for public sector employees will be significantly higher due to the higher minimum wage. Last year's minimum holiday allowance was 1,074.43 euros; this year, the minimum holiday allowance amounts to 1,203.36 euros, which is approx. 129 euros higher.

In doing so, the government has already provided public employees with a higher holiday allowance upon an already realised salary increase and the planned elimination of disparities in basic pay.

Source: Ministry of Public Administration

Act Proposal on the Amendment of the Freedom of Religion Act

The government has adopted an Act Proposal on the Amendment of the Freedom of Religion Act and sent it to the National Assembly for consideration.

The Proposal for the amendment of the Freedom of Religion Act only affects paragraph 1 of Article 27 of the Act, and in the previous provisions, repeals the Decree on the method of determining the criteria for recognising the entity of the public utility status of a church or other religious community, and for determining the amount of targeted national financial support for the payment of the social security contributions to their employees, which contradicts the Freedom of Religion Act (hereinafter the Decree).

In the legal basis, the basis for national financial support for the payment of social security contributions to church and other religious community employees is increased from at least 48% to 60%.

The Proposal for the amendment of the Freedom of Religion Act repeals the Decree, which in Article 4 sets out the targeted national financial support for the payment of social security contributions to church or other religious community employees in the amount of 100% of the base, if the church or religious community is granted the status of an entity of public utility, pursuant to Articles 2 and 3 of the Decree, or 60% of the base, if the church or religious community is not granted this status. In this regard, the Decree has established unequal treatment of religious communities.

Act Proposal on the Amendment of the Freedom of Religion increases financial support, which was set at 48% in 2012 by the Fiscal Balance Act. It harmonises the amount of financial support with the amount received by other stakeholders.

Pursuant to Article 27, the Catholic Church, the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovenia, the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Islamic Community in the Republic of Slovenia are eligible for financial support.

Pursuant to Article 33, the Christian Adventist Church, the Evangelical Pentecostal Church and the Slovenian Muslim Community are eligible for financial support.

Source: Ministry of Culture