STA, 24 March 2021 - The government has shortened the curfew from between 9pm and 6am to between 10pm and 5pm, and imposed a ban on movement into and out of three regions with the highest coronavirus infection rates.
Movement is being restricted to within the region in Obalno-Kraška and Goriška in the west and Koroška in the north, according to a release issued after the government session on Wednesday.
Exceptions to restriction of movement into and out of what are currently red-coded regions include travel for work, business, farming, forestry, dealing with risks to health, property, and caring for family members or maintaining parental ties.
Travel in an out of the regions is also possible to access services such as pharmacies or health services and diplomatic and consular missions, and maintaining property or graves, among other things.
Other than exceptions, travel is also allowed to persons providing a negative PCR rapid antigen test results no older than 48 hours, or proof of having been immunised against Covid-19 through vaccination or having recovered from the disease within the past six months.
The decree will take effect a day after publication in the Official Gazette and will be in force until 2 April.
The government has made no changes to gatherings or events, which continue to be capped at ten people.
It said it would take a final decision on measures proposed by the Covid-19 advisory group on Sunday at the latest, proposing for President Borut Pahor to call a meeting of heads of parliamentary parties and deputy groups prior to that.
The curfew has been in place since 20 October 2020 with the government arguing its necessity due to the coronavirus epidemic.
The cabinet had been deliberating on shortening the curfew two weeks ago, but the Government Communication Office said at the time the Covid-19 advisory team opposed such a proposal by Interior Minister Aleš Hojs.
The group's head Mateja Logar told the magazine Mladina last week they did not opt for shortening the curfew because they did not think it would change the situation much. She also announced that they would propose lifting the curfew if the epidemiological situation was good enough.
