By: P.T., STA
A new decree banning non-essential services will take effect on Saturday, expanding the list of exceptions to the ban in nine Slovenian regions with the best epidemiological status. Stalls selling farmers’ produce, workshops and shops offering children’s products will be allowed to reopen there.
The government adopted the decree at Wednesday’s session. The relaxations apply to Central Slovenia, Pomurska, Savinjska, Podravska, Gorenjska, Obalno-Kraška, Koroška, Zasavska and Primorsko-Notranjska regions.
Movable stalls selling farmers’ produce, workshops providing repair and maintenance works for motor vehicles and bikes and specialised stores with a children’s segment are permitted to reopen in these regions as of Saturday.
In the remaining three regions, the Goriška, Posavska and Southeast Slovenia, the current restrictions and exceptions remain in place, meaning only essential stores are allowed to be open along with the exceptions.
These include newsagents, hairdressers, cleaning services, medical pedicure, surveying services, individual counselling, chimney-sweep services and construction works with zero contact with clients.
Delivery services and in-person pick up are also exempted from the ban, however consuming food or beverages in public spaces is not allowed.
Economy Ministry State Secretary Simon Zajc told today’s government briefing that the latest decree would be effective from Saturday to next Friday.
He also noted that the current cap on the number of customers remained in place. Only specialised stores, and not supermarkets, will be permitted to sell children’s products from Saturday, he added.
If the current epidemiological trends continue, so will the relaxations, the state secretary said, expressing satisfaction that a recent drop in case and hospitalisation figures enabled certain activities to reopen.
Zajc also pointed out that efforts to monitor compliance with Covid rules in shops and other services had been intense and would continue to be so.
