Refund to Be Issued to Thousands for Covid Lockdown Fines in Slovenia

During the first Covid lockdown in Ljubljana, a delivery rider was fined €400 for sitting on the steps of a church to eat his Balkan burek, a type of pie. The incident, captured in a photograph, became symbolic of the strict enforcement of Covid restrictions by the authorities. Now, the rider and over 60,000 other Slovenians who received fines for breaking anti-Covid measures will be refunded. The government has introduced legislation to reimburse the total of €6 million worth of fines issued over a period of two years. This move fulfills a promise made by Prime Minister Robert Golob, who took office last year. The previous right-wing administration had imposed stringent restrictions on movement and assembly, including curfews and travel limitations. The Constitutional Court eventually overturned these measures, but it has taken until now for the authorities to reverse the penalties imposed on those who were deemed to have breached the rules. The restitution of fines is seen as a way to restore trust in the rule of law, according to Justice Minister Dominika Švarc Pipan. However, there has been opposition to the legislation, with one MP arguing that repaying the fines is disrespectful to the healthcare workers who worked tirelessly to save lives during the pandemic.