Slovenia to Establish Mobile Disaster Alert System
The Slovenian government announced on Thursday, December 14, its decision to create a national communication, warning, and notification system for mobile phones. In the event of a natural disaster or any other catastrophe, all individuals present in affected areas, including foreigners, will receive push notifications, as reported by The Slovenia Times.
To facilitate the alert system, Slovenia will establish a mobile network that simultaneously sends messages to numerous mobile phone users in specific locations. The government has allocated 3.5 million euros for the creation of the system and 340,000 euros annually over the next five years for its maintenance.
Presenting the decision to the press, Slovenia's Minister of Digital Transformation, Emilija Stojmenova Duh, stated that the decree also outlines the obligations of telecommunications providers to ensure the system's functionality.
"There were many questions about why it's not an application. The main goal is to reach everyone who finds themselves in a specific place at a specific time. It should not depend on whether people have a specific application installed or access to the internet," noted the official.
The need for such an alert system became evident during the August floods, which affected many regions of the country and resulted in numerous casualties. The strong floods occurred in approximately two-thirds of the country's territory, causing damages exceeding half a billion euros. The disaster led to the destruction of buildings, the collapse of bridges and roads, and disruptions to water supplies in some parts of the country.
It's worth mentioning that Slovenia has enacted a law related to unconstitutional restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The law includes provisions for the refunding of fines imposed on citizens for actions later deemed unconstitutional.
According to the Ministry of Justice of Slovenia, from March 7, 2020, to May 30, 2022, approximately 62,000 proceedings related to the violation of pandemic-related restrictions were initiated in the country. The total amount of fines imposed was around 5.7 million euros, with 30% of fines voluntarily paid or collected, while the rest were in the process of enforced collection at the time of the law's adoption.