📋 Tender Overview
Experts from the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport, the Olympic Committee of Slovenia and the Football Association of Slovenia met at a working meeting and discussed additional measures and solutions for greater security at sports events.
They agreed that the meeting, led by state secretaries Helga Dobrin and Dejan Židan, was very constructive. The proposals and solutions with which we want to achieve zero tolerance for violence in society related to both punitive policy and preventive activities. The key here, according to the participants, is that the agreed measures are consistently implemented.
State Secretary Helga Dobrin presented the proposals of the Ministry of the Interior (MNZ). Originally, these were proposals for additions and amendments to the Criminal Code and the Act on Police Duties and Powers.
According to State Secretary Dejan Židan, the Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sport is preparing the National Sports Program of the Republic of Slovenia for the next 10-year period , which will be adopted by the National Assembly by the end of 2024. The document will be the basis for annual sports programs at local and national level and for the comprehensive upgrade of integrity in sport.
Representatives of the Olympic Committee of Slovenia and the Football Association of Slovenia presented proposals in the field of education and preventive work with clubs and fan groups. They also supported the already formulated legislative proposals and emphasized that they will also consistently implement measures within the framework of the disciplinary policy in the future.
Legislative proposals of the Ministry of Health for greater security at sports events
Today, the MNZ has already forwarded an initiative to the Ministry of Justice to include a new article in the Criminal Code in the area of ??endangering safety at sports events and in connection with sports events. With this, he aims to prevent the worst forms of fan violence in the long term and effectively.
The MNZ is also preparing amendments to Articles 62, 63 and 162 of the Act on Tasks and Powers of the Police (ZNPPol-C), which would expand the conditions for imposing a ban on participation in sports events also in the case of the use of a pyrotechnic product at a sports event and in the event that the perpetrator has already stopped committing the act upon the arrival of the police or has fled the scene. The measure of banning participation would be extended to ten years and would also cover the ban on approaching the sports facility during the sports event. The MNZ will also propose an increase in the fine in cases where the violator does not comply with the ban on participating in a sports event or when he does not comply with the order of the investigating judge. The police will also be able to seize dangerous items from the operator of a vehicle carrying fans and the ownership of these items is unknown, which is linked to the existing power to stop travel. We will submit changes and additions to the ZNPPol-C for interdepartmental and professional coordination in March.
The Ministry of Health is preparing a new Law on the Protection of Public Order and Peace , as part of which we will examine the possibility of introducing a new offense related to violence and endangering safety at sports events.
Recommendations to sports federations for greater security at sports events
The Ministry of Health has also formulated recommendations for sports federations for greater security at sports events , related to the responsibility of event organizers and the implementation of concrete measures in the context of the security of sports events. These are, for example, the personalization of tickets, the provision of adequate video surveillance, a preliminary inspection of the sports facility and its surroundings, the consistent implementation of compliance with the ban on participation, and the like.
For greater security, the Football Association of Slovenia has proposed the appointment of persons in individual sports clubs who will be responsible for security and who will cooperate with fan groups and coordinate measures for the safe execution of events, including the provision of relevant information about the travel and participation of fans in individual matches.
There was also a discussion on the possibility of determining additional measures in the Regulation on general measures in sports facilities at sports events , which would additionally help to prevent violence and sanction violent individuals.
Background
During the match between the football clubs Mura and Maribor on February 18, 2024 in Murska Sobota, several people were injured due to the prohibited use of pyrotechnics . Regarding the concrete event at the football match in Murska Sobota, the Inspectorate of the Republic of Slovenia for Internal Affairs ex officio launched an inspection procedure. In doing so, he determines whether the private security license holder , who provided private security services at the event, performed his tasks in accordance with the provisions of the Private Security Act and the permission of the competent administrative unit. Minister Poklukar has also already requested a police report on their measures in connection with the security of the football match .
On February 22, 2024, the Minister of Internal Affairs Boštjan Poklukar and the Minister of Economy, Tourism and Sport Matjaž Han met with the Presidents of the Olympic Committee of Slovenia and the Football Association of Slovenia, Franje Bobinec and Radenko Mijatovi? .All of them strongly condemned the hooliganism and violence at the recent football match in Murska Sobota and at sports events in general, and assessed the meeting as very operational and effective .
