The European Commission on November 18 urged Slovenia to ensure that the newly adopted emergency law on public safety does not disproportionately affect any community, following strong criticism from the Roma Foundation for Europe.

The legislation — known as the Šutar Act and adopted late on November 17 in the National Assembly — introduces extensive changes across criminal, judicial, social and other areas of law. It grants police expanded powers to operate in designated high-risk areas, a move the government proposed after the fatal attack in Novo Mesto in which 48-year-old Aleš Šutar was killed, RTV SLO reported.

Under the law, police will be allowed to use technical surveillance tools, including photography, video and audio recording, in areas where people’s lives or property are threatened or where such risks are deemed likely.

Surveillance zones can be established by the director of the relevant police administration or the director general of police, based on indicators such as crime levels. Orders are issued for a maximum of three months and must be reviewed by an investigating judge within 24 hours.

Police must clearly mark monitored zones, and any footage not used as evidence must be deleted within 30 days. Officers may also conduct time-limited security operations — lasting up to three hours, or six in exceptional cases — to prevent or investigate serious crimes and public-order violations.

The law additionally permits police to enter private premises without a court order, when necessary to seize firearms in situations posing immediate danger. A written report must be submitted within 12 hours to police leadership and the Interior Ministry’s supervision directorate.

Other provisions include the use of automatic licence-plate recognition in high-risk areas, higher penalties for violent offences, simplified procedures for the temporary seizure of property and adjustments related to social-benefit enforcement and cases involving underage parents.

Municipalities with registered Roma settlements will receive additional funds to support local safety measures. At least 10% of publicly funded work programmes financed through these funds must be reserved for Roma employment.

The Roma Foundation for Europe in a statement published on November 18 expresses deep concern over the adoption of the so-called Šutar Law, warning that Slovenia has taken a step rarely acknowledged within the EU — enacting legislation that effectively frames an entire minority community as a security threat.

The Foundation argues that provisions allowing warrantless home entry, expanded surveillance powers and the potential involvement of the military in domestic policing represent a serious and troubling shift in how an EU member state defines internal security.