The Council of State will decide on the veto of the amendment to the Civil Service Law

The Slovenian National Council will decide on a veto proposal regarding a new law on public sector employees, following a motion submitted by trade union representatives. The decision is set to take place on Friday, with critics primarily concerned about the immediate abolition of the administrative council, a key institution within the public service system. The proposed veto was prepared by an interest group representing employees, who argue that the new law, passed by the National Assembly on Friday at the government's initiative, goes beyond minimal organizational or administrative changes. According to the explanation provided with the veto proposal, the law fundamentally alters the structure of the public administration system by abolishing the administrative council and thereby removing the institutional participation of representative unions. It casts doubt on the independent professional evaluation process used in selecting top officials, increases political influence over the initial professional phase of public tenders, and legally regulates issues still under open collective negotiations. Critics claim these changes cannot be justified solely by references to reducing bureaucracy and improving the efficiency of special tender procedures, since the new law does not change the method of conducting procedures based on tender committees, but rather shifts the balance of power between political officials and the professional phase of selection. Critics have pointed out that the new law removes a socially agreed-upon and more than two-decade-old legal institutional participation of representative unions without providing an equivalent alternative mechanism. They are also critical because the law maintains special tender committees but transfers their appointment directly to political officials, while abandoning uniform standards for the administrative council and allowing criteria to be shaped at the level of individual committees. They highlight that the abolition of the administrative council does not mean de-bureaucratization, but rather a shift of political influence into the professional part of the tender process. Concerns are also raised regarding the fairness and predictability of tender processes. Additionally, they emphasize that concerns are not limited to trade union organizations, as the Corruption Prevention Commission has also criticized the new regulation, warning about corruption risks and political influence. They further note that the new law does not introduce a gradual transition model, as the implementation would result in the termination of mandates for members of the administrative council and halt already initiated special public tenders, which would need to be restarted under the new regulations. This, they warn, raises questions about legal security, as existing protections based on professional judgment and collaboration with social partners would not only apply to future cases but also be immediately applied to personnel procedures already underway under the current regulations. They also mention that a significant portion of the trade union comments were not actually addressed during the formal alignment process. The proposed veto reflects broader dissatisfaction among employee groups and watchdog bodies, who believe the new law undermines established mechanisms of oversight and representation within the public administration system. The National Council’s upcoming vote could mark a pivotal moment in determining whether the new law proceeds unchanged or faces substantial revisions.