Press Release

Government approves amendments to Road Transport Act

At today’s session, the Government approved the text of the Act Amending the Road Transport Act, which it submitted for debate in the National Assembly, along with a proposal to pass it by summary procedure. The amendments reflect amendments laid down in EU directives and regulations which need to be transposed into Slovenian legislation.

The main aim of the amended act is to enable the adoption of several measures that would, directly or indirectly, help to mitigate the impact of the economic crisis on the road haulage industry. Moreover, several provisions that have become ambiguous or unclear as a result of other laws coming into force are now being clarified. 

The main aim of the amended act is to enable the adoption of measures that will have an immediate and tangible effect in helping the road haulage sector overcome the crisis. The following goals are being pursued:

- to reduce the number of cases when regulations on the use of permits are breached

- to do away with red tape in order to better mitigate the negative effects of the crisis

- to improve monitoring of road haulage operators and the penalising of infringements

- to align penal sanctions with those in other countries.

The following principles have been considered in drafting the act:

- efficient control of foreign road haulage operators with regard to the use of permits in Slovenia

- equality before the law for both foreign and domestic road hauliers

- ensuring greater efficiency by eliminating red tape and additional financial burdens

- eliminating any lack of clarity with regard to road traffic control, both in domestic and international traffic

- fines are to be aligned with international standards

- providing a systemic solution for third country hauliers by issuing documents stating their driver’s qualifications.

At today’s session, the Government approved the Regulatory Work Programme of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for the Year 2010.

Altogether 626 regulations, including 200 by the National Assembly, 166 by the Governments and 260 by ministries, were proposed for inclusion in the work programme.

In accordance with the Government Rules of Procedure, the Regulatory Work Programme of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for the Year 2010 encompasses regulations and other statutory instruments concerning measures to mitigate the effects of the international financial and economic crisis, regulations that will enable the implementation of decisions of the Constitutional Court or under the Programme of Measures for the Reduction of Administrative Burdens, and regulations pertaining to the implementation of the Coalition Agreement in 2010.

The Regulatory Work Programme of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for the Year 2010 has the following chapters: Development and Modernisation of Slovenia, Personalised Welfare, Democracy and Active Citizenship, Slovenia as an International Player, and Programme of Other Independent Bodies. The chapters are further divided according to topic and/or line ministries.

At today’s session, the Government approved a draft declaration on guidelines for Slovenia's participation in EU institutions between January 2010 and June 2011. The document lays down Slovenia’s priorities in EU matters until 2011 in both the Council of the EU and the European Council. The Government will submit the draft declaration for passage to the National Assembly.

Besides implementing the regulatory provisions, the Government seeks to make Slovenia’s policy in EU matters clearer and more transparent, inform the public about outstanding issues in both the EU and Slovenia, and encourage an early debate that would allow Slovenia to pursue national interests while contributing to common European goals. At the same time, the programme will serve as a basis for creating Slovenia’s positions which the Government presents regularly in EU institutions.

The document consists of the Draft declaration on guidelines for Slovenia's participation in EU institutions between January 2010 and June 2011 and Priority tasks in the Council of the EU between January 2010 and June 2011. The first part comprises Slovenia’s key policies for work in EU institutions. The second part lays down priorities for individual areas and thus represents a step forward from the political priorities outlined in the first part. The document also includes a chapter detailing the situation in the EU regarding individual areas.

The Government adopted a decision for Slovenia to take over an OMLT in Afghanistan. Strengthening Afghan security capabilities is the main goal of the international community, as well as the pivotal point of a transition strategy that will enable a gradual retreat of international forces from the country.

Therefore, the Slovenian Government decided that, as part of the endeavours by the international community and NATO to stabilise Afghanistan, the Republic of Slovenia will take over an Operational Mentor and Liaison Team (OMLT), an ISAF initiative, and with civil experts see that civilian-military collaboration is carried out as planned.

The takeover of the OMLT is scheduled for autumn 2010, for a minimum period of four rotations of a group of instructor/mentors, while the first civilian functional experts are expected to join in February 2010. The Government also decided that, given the requirements and needs of its tasks, the Ministry of Defence may modify the composition of the Slovenian contingent, but consider that the combined number of Slovenian military staff and civilian experts in Afghanistan deployed as part of ISAF forces will not exceed 90 people.

The importance that the international community attaches to stabilising the situation in Afghanistan is reflected in numerous resolutions of the UN Security Council, which has frequently called on its members to contribute as best they can to stabilising the situation in the country. Joining the UN in its efforts are NATO, with ISAF forces, and the EU, with its EUPOL mission strengthening the Afghan police and the rule of law. The international presence in Afghanistan is based on a decision of the UN Security Council, which annually adopts various resolutions to ensure the legitimacy and legality of the international presence in the country. The newest UN Security Council resolution – No. 1890 of 8 October 2009, which extends the authorisation of ISAF forces to operate in the country – calls on member countries to contribute their forces to the ISAF mission and thus strengthen cooperation on training the Afghan security forces.

As a UN member and country advocating a unilateral approach, Slovenia joined the international community in its endeavours to stabilise the situation in Afghanistan in 2002. Among its first activities were contributing humanitarian aid to civilians, and arms and equipment to the Afghan security forces. Our country thus actively supported the endeavours of the international community to bring stability to the country. Slovenian Armed Forces personnel joined ISAF forces in Afghanistan in March 2004. Slovenia’s input to stabilise the situation in Afghanistan is an active contribution to improving global security, the security of allied forces, and therefore, the security in the Republic of Slovenia.