Constitutional Court of Slovenia

After the Slovenian Constitutional Court reversed its decision to stay the legislative changes on the governance of the public broadcaster, the petitioners challenging the law have taken their case to the European Court of Human Rights. They allege violation of the right to a fair trial.

Ljubljana – Nina Krajnik, a philosopher and psychoanalyst, has announced she is entering the presidential race. She will run as an independent but will accept endorsement by like-minded political parties.

“I am making it official and public. I will run for president of the republic in the autumn election,” the 37-year-old told the press on Monday.

Ljubljana – The National Assembly appointed Rok Svetlič a judge on the Constitutional Court for a nine-year term in a secret ballot on Wednesday. Svetlič received 46 votes, the minimum required to get appointed, after only 46 MPs in the 90-strong legislature picked up their ballots and all voted for him. The new judge has already been sworn in.

Ljubljana – Matej Accetto has been elected president of the Constitutional Court after his peers voted to give him a three-year term at the helm of Slovenia’s top court. He will take over from Rajko Knez on 19 December, the court said on Monday.

The law stipulates that the nine Constitutional Court judges elect the president from among their ranks in a secret ballot.

Ljubljana – Rok Svetlič, a nominee for a Constitutional Court judge, presented his bid at the Presidential Palace on Tuesday, rejecting claims that he had spoken about shooting migrants at a consultation on migration and the foreigners act in the summer of 2020. He also said no party, guild or university department was behind his bid.

Ljubljana – The Constitutional Court has stayed a provision of a government decree which restricts travel to countries on Slovenia’s red list of high-risk countries due to Covid-19, pending its final decision.

In a decision published in the Official Gazette on Thursday, the court invoked its right to stay legislation to prevent the occurrence of irreparable damage.

Ljubljana – The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has admitted an application against Slovenia over an alleged violation of the right to a fair hearing. The case concerns Constitutional Court judge Rok Čeferin’s failure to exclude himself from a case, the STA has learnt from the State Attorney’s Office.

Ljubljana – After consulting heads of parliamentary factions, President Borut Pahor has narrowed down the list of candidates for consideration to put forward to the National Assembly in a renewed attempt to fill a vacancy on the governing board of the central bank and one on the Constitutional Court.

On the occasion of Constitution Day, Constitutional Court president Rajko Knez has told the STA in an interview that the country’s top court has also been affected by the Covid-19 epidemic in terms of caseload. He warned against the overburdening of the Constitutional Court with additional tasks in general as this may weaken the institution.

Romania's ruling Social Democrats are mulling the possible suspension of the country's President, Klaus Iohannis, over his refusal to fire the anti-graft chief prosecutor, Laura Codruta Kovesi.