The Slovenian Parliament’s passage of a new security law has sparked significant controversy, particularly regarding accusations of targeting the Roma community. The legislation, known as the “Measures to Ensure Public Safety” or the “Šutar Law,” extends police powers to unprecedented levels. This includes the authority to enter homes without a warrant and monitor high-security risk areas through video surveillance. The wide-ranging powers also enable police to remove individuals for breaching public order and issue exclusion orders barring their return.
Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob defended the legislation, emphasizing its preventive intentions rather than punitive measures. According to Golob, the bill aims to provide police with the ability to swiftly confiscate weapons, suggesting a focus on crime prevention. The bill is named after Aleš Šutar, a recent murder victim, with the primary suspect being a 21-year-old from the Romani community. This incident provoked widespread protests, many of them anti-Roma, and instigated a noticeable increase in police presence in Romani neighborhoods.
Criticism of the bill has been vocal, particularly from rights organizations like Amnesty International, which described it as a “draconian security bill.” Concerns have been raised that the legislation could be implemented arbitrarily and discriminatorily against the Roma population. Esther Major from Amnesty International highlighted fears that the law, while not explicitly targeting the Roma, might nonetheless lead to unjust applications against them. The legislation’s intersection with potential punitive restrictions on social benefits for marginalized families compounds these concerns.
The bill has raised constitutionality questions, potentially violating sections of the Slovenian Constitution designed to protect privacy and civil liberties. These protections encompass prohibitions against warrantless home entries and guarantee data and communication privacy.
Mensur Haliti, Vice President at the Roma Foundation for Europe, criticized the conflation of crime prevention with the policing of the Roma community. He noted that addressing crime requires proportionality to ensure adherence to the rule of law rather than collective blame. For details, the full report is discussed on JURIST.
Despite government assurances, the legislation has sparked a nationwide debate on its broader social implications and the potential erosion of judicial protections. Further critiques have emerged from international observers questioning the fairness and targeted nature of Slovenia’s recent law, amplifying scrutiny on how the state balances security with civil rights.