The Slovenian Constitutional Court subsequently declared the Corona laws unconstitutional. Now the government is paying back all Covid fines. It’s about 5.7 million euros.
Slovenia is conducting an amnesty for Violations of Covid regulations one that is subsequently for unconstitutional were explained. Parliament in Ljubljana passed a law on Wednesday lifting penalties imposed for violating restrictions during the pandemic. Fines that have already been paid will be refunded along with procedural costs. The left-liberal government wants to restore citizens’ trust in the rule of law.
The law was submitted to parliament by the government of Liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob in the spring. Anyone who has been punished will receive back all fines paid or collected. All still ongoing Proceedings in connection with the Covid violations become set. The corresponding entries in the criminal records are automatically deleted.
Between March 2000 and May 2022 around 62,000 procedures initiated for breaches of Covid regulations. Fines totaling more than 5.7 million euros imposed. Funds are allocated in the state budget for the reimbursement.
Justice Minister Dominika Švarc Pipan emphasized that with this law the state is… moral responsibility take over. This will make amends for the injustice that has been done to citizens “through the abuse of the criminal law and through unconstitutional and excessive interference with human rights,” she said at the parliamentary discussion that took place in Parliament on Tuesday. “May this be a lesson for all of us so that something like this never happens again,” added the Social Democratic minister.
Corona restrictions imposed via regulations
The previous government of right-wing conservative Prime Minister Janez Janša had imposed corona restrictions during the pandemic through regulations that were subsequently declared unconstitutional by the Slovenian Constitutional Court. The Supreme Court repealed several provisions of the Infection Protection Act and the Assembly Act on which controversial measures such as the ban on gatherings, movement restrictions and curfews were based.
The anger of many Slovenes over Janša’s corona policy contributed significantly to his deselection in the parliamentary elections last year. The head of government was accused of excessive and politically motivated restrictions on civil liberties, such as the ban on demonstrations, which opponents of the government ignored by using bicycles.
Amnesty law was passed
The amnesty law was passed in the Slovenian parliament with 49 votes to 20. All three coalition parties supported the regulation, while the two conservative opposition parties – Janšas SDS and the Christian Democratic NSi – voted against it.
The former governing parties argued that the regulations at the time were put in place with the legitimate aim of protecting public health and people’s lives. The SDS also said that the measures were no different from those in other democratic countries and were even looser than in some of Slovenia’s neighboring countries.