Reasserting the principle of legality in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic : a case note on the decision U-I-79/21 of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Slovenia

Kos, Marjan (author)

In a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Slovenian Government adopted numerous measures that were substantively similar to those, adopted in other states. The scope and intensity of those measures significantly affected the principle of the separation of powers and the protection of human rights. In this context, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Slovenia adopted Decision U-I-79/21, which marked the contours for the review of legality and constitutionality of the Governmental measures in subsequent cases. The key message of the Decision was the demand for the strict observance of the principle of legality when adopting measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which interfere with human rights. This article explains the context of the Decision and presents key arguments from the Decision and the concurring and dissenting opinions as well as the response of the expert community.

• Language: English
• Keywords: separation of powers, principle of legality, Communicable Diseases Act, Constitutional Court, COVID-19
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.03 - Other scientific articles
• Organization: PF - Faculty of Law
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.01.2022
• Year: 2022
• Number of pages: Str. 365-379, 407, 423
• Numbering: Letn. 82
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-144667
• UDC: 342.565.2:616(497.4)(094.9)
• ISSN on article: 1854-3839
• DOI: 10.51940/2022.1.365-379
• COBISS.SI-ID: 132652035
• Publication date in RUL: 07.03.2023

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Zbornik znanstvenih razprav
• Shortened title: Zb. znan. razpr.
• Publisher: Pravna fakulteta
• ISSN: 1854-3839
• COBISS.SI-ID: 223437312

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Utrjevanje načela zakonitosti v času pandemije COVID-19: predstavitev odločbe Ustavnega sodišča Republike Slovenije v zadevi U-I-79/20

Abstract

Kot odziv na pandemijo covida-19 je Vlada RS sprejemala številne omejitvene ukrepe, ki so bili po vsebini podobni ukrepom, sprejetim v drugih državah. Obseg in intenzivnost teh ukrepov sta pomembno vplivala na ustavno načelo delitve oblasti ter varstvo človekovih pravic. V tem kontekstu je Ustavno sodišče RS izdalo odločbo U-I-79/21, ki je tudi v nadaljevanju močno zaznamovala presojo ustavne skladnosti sprejetih vladnih ukrepov. Ključno sporočilo te odločbe je zahteva po strogem spoštovanju načela zakonitosti ob sprejemanju ukrepov za preprečevanje širjenja covida-19, ki omejujejo človekove pravice. Prispevek predstavi kontekst izdaje odločitve, ključne argumente iz odločbe in ločenih mnenj ter odziv strokovne javnosti na odločitev.

• Keywords: načelo delitve oblasti, načelo zakonitosti, Zakon o nalezljivih boleznih, ustavno sodišče, covid-19