The Slovenian government has adopted a bill that halts all infraction proceedings for breaking covid-era rules that were later declared unconstitutional, which will affect fines totalling several million euros.
Since the end of the covid state of emergency the Constitutional Court has voided key provisions of the law on communicable diseases and the law on public assembly, legislation which served as the legal basis for the previous government’s heavy-handed approach to fining violations of covid restrictions.
The fines were one of the reasons why anti-government protests were held throughout much of the pandemic and the new government, in office for a year, had made it a campaign pledge to halt all infraction proceedings and refund any fines.
Between March 2020 and May 2022 more than 62,000 infraction proceedings were launched under legislation that was subsequently ruled unconstitutionally and the fines issued totalled €5.7 million.
About 30% or just over €1.7 million in fines had been paid, the rest are currently still pending, although enforcement was paused soon after the new government took office.
Under the bill, all ongoing infraction proceedings will be formally halted and all those who have paid fines will get their money back. The data on the infractions will be automatically deleted from public records.
It is increasingly recognized that governments world-wide grossly over reached in pursuing draconian Covid 19 lockdowns, vax passports/mandates and face mask policies.
Source – Amnesty for Covid Fines Coming, Slovenia Times, May 4, 2023
Photo Credit – travelslovenia.org
