The demolition of a black building in a Roma settlement was not entirely unusual

A second demolition of unauthorized construction has been planned in the town of Novo mesto, following the recent removal of a structure in the Roma settlement of Brezje-Žabjak. The local municipality confirmed that they hold another binding decision from the building inspectorate requiring the removal of an illegally constructed object. Despite efforts over several months, the execution of this decision has yet to take place, with the timing still unclear. The demolition of the illegal structure in Brezje-Žabjak occurred on July 10, after the decision from the building inspectorate became final. The wooden cabin, built by a young Roma couple, was removed without their knowledge, just one day after the ruling took effect. According to officials, the municipality already holds another such binding decision, which requires the removal of another unauthorized structure. However, the exact date for the new demolition has not been determined. Efforts to enforce the previous decision have been ongoing for many months, but were hindered due to actions taken by other state authorities. Officials emphasized that the decision is binding and that further steps to execute it are currently underway. They did not confirm whether the new structure is located in the same settlement, but noted that it stands on green areas where residential construction is prohibited, making legalization impossible. The investors were informed of the decision before the construction began, but according to them, they do not cooperate with the municipality in seeking solutions. The municipal administration stated that it has actively supported the regularization of property statuses and improved living conditions in Roma settlements for years. As part of these efforts, the municipality has signed ten agreements for building rights aimed at legalizing structures with the possibility of later land purchase. It also facilitates temporary connections to public infrastructure for legalized or regulated buildings and co-finances design services for legalization processes for socially vulnerable citizens. To date, ten agreements for building rights have been signed and paid, while only one application for co-financing design services has been received and approved. However, the process has not been completed within the required timeframe. The municipality stressed that all Roma settlements within its area are spatially regulated and can connect to municipal infrastructure. According to the building inspectorate, procedures for demolishing unauthorized constructions are typically lengthy and legally complex. The recent case in Brezje-Žabjak is one of the few exceptions, as the time between the decision becoming final and the actual demolition was only one day. Meanwhile, the municipality claimed it was unaware that the demolished structure had occupants or who its owner was, based on information provided. The building inspectorate indicated that on December 31, 2025, they handled 8,366 administrative inspection cases, with 4,154 resulting in decisions regarding unauthorized construction and 2,837 initiating enforcement proceedings. Most of these decisions were executed voluntarily, meaning the responsible party removed the unauthorized structure themselves. Only 25 were enforced through third parties, usually when the unauthorized structures posed a danger to people or the environment or affected public interest significantly. Enforcement procedures are generally slow due to the legal complexity involved. Responsible parties often use legal remedies and other forms of legal protection provided by law, including regular and extraordinary legal means, requests for deferral of enforcement, court proceedings, protection of the right to home, and selection of enforcement methods. It is common practice for parties to submit various applications shortly before anticipated enforcement, which can significantly delay or temporarily prevent the removal. In the case of the recent demolition in Žabjak, the speed of the action appears to be partly due to the lack of legal challenges from the owners. The municipality, as the landowner, received the decision from the inspection and initiated the demolition process accordingly. They confirmed that there were no obstacles prior to the demolition, as the site was found unoccupied and the investor or owner of the unauthorized construction was unknown. The wooden cabin was reportedly built by the partner of the occupant over five months and occupied since May.