The origins of the concept of credit as we know it today date back to the time of Roman law. Many credit concepts, such as loan contracts, pledges, interest, and claims for debt repayment, were developed by Roman law. The most significant contract for economic activity in the Roman Empire was the informal mutuum contract, one of the oldest real contracts. A contractual relationship was formed by the informal transfer of a certain amount of money or a quantity of replaceable items into the ownership of the borrower, with both parties simultaneously agreeing that the borrower would return the same amount of money or the same quantity of equivalent items to the lender. In the Republic of Slovenia, various types of credit are available for individuals or businesses. These types differ according to their purpose, conditions, and type of collateral. Credit under modern Slovenian law is regulated by various legal frameworks that govern the conditions for concluding loan contracts, credit agreements, consumer protection, and interest rates. The Obligations Code defines a loan agreement as a contract in which the lender commits to providing a certain amount of money or a specified quantity of other replaceable items to the borrower, who, in turn, commits to returning the same amount of money or the same quantity of items of the same type and quality after a certain period. Compared to Roman law, modern Slovenian law regulates credit through a variety of laws, and credit relationships are much more detailed, especially evident in the regulation of consumer credit. The detailed regulation of consumer credit is a result of the demonstrated need to protect consumers in the economy, as they are considered weaker participants in the market. In contrast, the crediting of business entities, i.e., those operating within a profession or for-profit activities, is not regulated by a specific law. For the conclusion of credit agreements, the general rules of obligation law apply.
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