129th regular session of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia

SLOVENIA, November 21 - The Government issued a Decree determining the salaries of public employees in salary group B and will publish it in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia. Article 54 of the Common Foundations of the Public Sector Salary System Act (ZSTSPJS) provides, among other things, that the classification of salary group B public employees into salary grades is determined by a government decree. For individual job types, the classification can be determined within the salary grade range, and the criteria for determining salary grades must also be specified. The salary grade for determining the basic salary of B group budget users’ public employees is determined by the head or the body responsible for their appointment, taking into account the salary grade ranges, the criteria and the methodology for classifying jobs determined by the Government. The Decree determines the classifications into salary grades, the salary grade ranges, the criteria and the methodology for the classification of public employees’ positions in salary group B, as defined by the Common Foundations of the Public Sector Salary System Act.

The Government also issued a Decree on the Classification of Formation Duties and Titles in Slovenian Armed Forces into salary grades. Pursuant to the Service in the Slovenian Armed Forces Act, salary grades in Slovenian Armed Forces are regulated by government decrees or collective agreement. The proposal for a new decree was made in the course of negotiations on the reform of the public sector salary system.

The Government also adopted a Decree on Job Classification in Public Agencies, Public Funds into Salary Grades, which will be published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia. The proposed Decree classifies jobs in public agencies, funds and institutions from salary subgroup I1 into salary grades and determines the application of jobs in salary subgroups I2 and l9. The Decree also regulates the transfer of salary grades for jobs and transfers of civil servants in the event of suppression of job positions, renamed job positions or changed job position codes. In addition, the conditions for classifying expert job positions, filling expert and specialist job positions, and the criteria for determining management positions were also determined. The Decree will enter into force on 1 January 2025, i.e. simultaneously with the date of application of the Common Foundations of the Public Sector Salary System Act.

The Government issued a Decree Implementing Regulation (EU) on the establishment of a Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP), which is represents the EU’s a targeted and reinforced approach to eliminating strategic dependence of Europe’s economy and assume the leading role in developing advanced technologies. The STEP platform is intended to support European industry in its efforts to invest in strategic technologies in Europe by creating and steering initiatives through 11 EU-backed programmes in three key investment areas: clean, carbon-free and source-effective (cleantech) technology, digital technology and deep technological (digital tech and deeptech) innovation, and biotechnology (biotech). The purpose of this measure is to create European value chains, strengthen sovereignty and economic security and address the issue of shortage of labour and skills across strategically important sectors of the economy. STEP platform objectives are consistent with and important for national economic ambitions, especially for the envisaged positioning of Slovenia as a new European advanced and sustainable technological innovation hub. Based on the existing rich and diverse Slovenian tacit knowledge, this will be an important starting point for future regional development strategies. This is especially true as Slovenia is an important producer and developer of technologies in a number of areas that attract the the STEP platform’s attention. A strengthened project approach is planned to rank Slovenia among the leading countries implementing the STEP platform’s objectives. In accordance with the EU Regulation establishing a Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform, a competent national authority has been designated to act as the main contact point for implementating the STEP platform at national level. This function will temporarily be performed by the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sports (MGTŠ), but as of 1 December 2024, it will be assumed by the Slovene Enterprise Fund (SPS) and its new internal organisational project unit.

The Government also took note of the reasons for extending control at the internal Schengen border with Croatia and Hungary beyond 21 December 2024. The extended control at the internal Schengen border with Croatia and Hungary will be in force for a period of six months beginning on 22 December 2024. The Government will inform the other Member States of the European Union, the European Commission and the European Parliament about the intended extension of border control in accordance with Article 27 of the Schengen Borders Code. This is a temporary measure adopted due to the increased risk of terrorism, with a view to ensuring a high level of security for all residents. The Slovenian police will exercise control at border crossings in a way that will have the least possible impact on the flow of passengers, the environment and the economy, and particularly on the lives of the border zone population.