2025-12-19
Silvo Dajčman, Dejan Romih
The COVID-19 epidemic has led to the need to analyse the relationship between health care and the economy. This paper analyses the time-varying relationship between health care and economic activity in the United States, filling a gap in the literature. Using time-varying Granger causality, the study provides empirical evidence of a time-varying causal relationship between health care spending and industrial production, which has important policy implications. Povzetek Epidemija covida-19 je spodbudila potrebo po analizi razmerja med zdravstveno oskrbo in gospodarstvom. Ta članek analizira časovno spremenljivo razmerje med zdravstveno oskrbo in gospodarsko aktivnostjo v Združenih državah Amerike ter zapolnjuje vrzel v obstoječi literaturi. Z uporabo časovno spremenljive Grangerjeve vzročnosti raziskava ponuja empirične dokaze o časovno spremenljivem vzročnem razmerju med izdatki za zdravstvo in industrijsko proizvodnjo, kar ima pomembne posledice za oblikovanje politik.
2025-12-19
Martina Smojver
Court settlements, as instruments of amicable dispute resolution, represent a flexible procedural tool that also serves as an enforcement title document. As such, these instruments are known in all of the Member States of the European Union (EU) and are included under the rules of EU’s private international law regulations, which offer a legal basis for their cross-border enforcement. However, challenges persist due to varying regulation and understanding of court settlements at the national level, as well as due to the ambiguities in the EU’s cross-border enforcement rules, leading to potential misinterpretations in practice. Thus, this paper firstly aims to explore what exactly constitutes a ‘court settlement’, both at the national and at the EU level. Based on this definition, it then examines the EU regulatory framework, specifically within the selected EU regulations, to assess whether further improvements are necessary. The answers to the research questions are found through case law analysis, exploration of academic literature, and particularly on the basis of the relevant provisions of the EU regulations that were selected for this research. Povzetek Sodne poravnave kot instrumenti sporazumnega reševanja sporov predstavljajo prilagodljivo postopkovno orodje, ki služi tudi kot izvršilni naslov. Kot takšni so ti instrumenti znani v vseh državah članicah Evropske unije (EU) in so vključeni v pravila mednarodnega zasebnega prava EU, ki zagotavljajo pravno podlago za njihovo čezmejno izvrševanje. Vendar pa izzivi ostajajo zaradi različnih predpisov in razumevanja sodnih poravnav na nacionalni ravni ter zaradi nejasnosti v pravilih EU o čezmejni izvršbi, kar v praksi vodi do morebitnih napačnih razlag. Zato je prvi cilj predmetnega prispevka raziskati, kaj točno predstavlja „sodna poravnava“ na nacionalni ravni in na ravni EU. Na podlagi te opredelitve prispevek nato naslovi regulativni okvir EU, zlasti v izbranih uredbah EU, za ugotovitev ali so potrebne nadaljnje izboljšave. Odgovori na raziskovalna vprašanja temeljijo na analizi sodne prakse, preučitvi znanstvene literature ter zlasti na podlagi ustreznih določb uredb EU, ki so bile izbrane za to raziskavo.
2025-12-10
Iza Beširević
The author discusses the legal aspects of the regulation of the right to daily and weekly rest and right to disconnect. The primary focus is on the study of Slovenian normative legal framework (with an emphasis on the amendment to the Employment Relationships Act, through which Slovenia regulated the right to disconnect). The measures to ensure the right to disconnect that employers must adopt (until 16 th November 2024) should be, if possible, established through the collective agreement at the sector level. However, if a collective agreement with relevant content is not concluded, employers will have to adopt the measures themselves in their general acts. Following the review of sector collective agreements in the Republic of Slovenia (in September 2024), the author concludes that most collective agreements do not yet regulate the right to disconnect, and those that do, lack the necessary measures. Therefore, the inclusion of the right to disconnect at the statutory level has, so far, not resulted in any amendments to collective agreements regarding the right to disconnect. It should be noted that further research (of this kind) will have to be carried out in the forthcoming period in order to fully assess the impact of the legal reform in question. Povzetek Avtorica obravnava pravne vidike urejanja pravice do dnevnega in tedenskega počitka ter pravice do odklopa. Pri tem se osredotoča predvsem na normativni okvir slovenskega pravnega reda (s poudarkom na obravnavi novele Zakona o delovnih razmerjih (ZDR-1D), s katero je bila v Sloveniji uvedena pravica do odklopa). Ukrepi za zagotavljanje pravice do odklopa, ki jih morajo sprejeti delodajalci (do 16. novembra 2024), naj bodo, če je to mogoče, določeni v kolektivni pogodbi na ravni dejavnosti. Vendar pa, če do sklenitve kolektivne pogodbe z relevantno vsebino ne pride, bodo morali delodajalci ukrepe sprejeti sami v svojih splošnih aktih. Po pregledu kolektivnih pogodb na ravni dejavnosti v Republiki Sloveniji (v septembru 2024), avtorica ugotavlja, da večina veljavnih kolektivnih pogodb še ne ureja pravice do odklopa, tiste, ki jo urejajo, pa ne določajo ukrepov. Torej, vključitev pravice do odklopa na zakonsko raven do sedaj ni privedla do sprememb kolektivnih pogodb glede ureditve pravice do odklopa. Ob tem je treba izpostaviti, da bo za celovito oceno učinkov predmetnih zakonskih sprememb treba izvesti nadaljnje (tovrstne) raziskave še v prihajajočem časovnem obdobju.
2025-12-10
Dejan Bodul, Pavle Jakovac, Marko Tomljanović
The history of financial crises and their serious consequences have made them a key interest for both academics and policymakers. During periods of economic growth, bankruptcy was mainly viewed as a mechanism to eliminate uncompetitive firms. However, current global economic conditions, including inflation, decreased demand, rising production costs, the energy crisis, and financial collapses in certain markets, have made it difficult for many companies to service their debts. Outdated bankruptcy regulations have worsened the situation. In the context of globalization and the internationalization of business, modernizing bankruptcy laws has become essential. Various international institutions have advocated for reforms, including redefining the concept of state bankruptcy. This paper aims to analyze the role of the state in bankruptcy, focusing not on its role as a commercial creditor or debtor but as a potential subject of bankruptcy itself. Povzetek Zgodovina finančnih kriz in njihove resne posledice so postale ključnega pomena za akademike in oblikovalce politik. V obdobjih gospodarske rasti se je na stečaj gledalo predvsem kot na mehanizem za izločitev nekonkurenčnih podjetij. Vendar so sedanje svetovne gospodarske razmere, vključno z inflacijo, zmanjšanim povpraševanjem, naraščajočimi proizvodnimi stroški, energetsko krizo in finančnimi zlomi na nekaterih trgih, mnogim podjetjem otežile odplačevanje dolgov. Zastareli stečajni predpisi so razmere še poslabšali. Zaradi globalizacije in internacionalizacije poslovanja je posodobitev stečajne zakonodaje postala nujna. Različne mednarodne institucije so se zavzele za reforme, vključno s ponovno opredelitvijo koncepta državnega stečaja. Namen tega prispevka je analizirati vlogo države v stečaju, pri čemer se ne osredotočamo na njeno vlogo kot poslovnega upnika ali dolžnika, temveč kot potencialnega subjekta samega stečaja.
2025-07-07
Gorazd Justinek
Slovenia has 12 urban municipalities, each with a sustainable development strategy aligned with the Agenda 2030 framework and valid through 2030. This paper examines how these strategies incorporate emerging technologies, particularly blockchain, and innovative sustainability concepts such as the circular economy. Achieving the goals of Agenda 2030, especially transitioning to a circular economy, requires doubling energy efficiency by 2030. While blockchain and the circular economy have often been studied separately, this research explores their intersection within the context of urban sustainability. The study applies qualitative content analysis to the official development strategies of all 12 urban municipalities. This analysis is complemented by semi-structured interviews with senior officials from the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy, and the Vice Mayor of Ljubljana, providing institutional perspectives on strategic priorities and implementation logic. This is the first comprehensive analysis of how Slovenian urban municipalities address the interconnected themes of sustainability, circular economy, and blockchain technology. The findings contribute to academic discussions and offer practical recommendations to enhance innovation in urban sustainability planning. Povzetek članka v slovenskem jeziku (abstract in Slovene language): Slovenija ima 12 mestnih občin, vsaka z lastno strategijo trajnostnega razvoja, ki je usklajena z okvirom Agende 2030. Prispevek preučuje, kako te strategije vključujejo nove tehnologije, zlasti tehnologijo veriženja blokov (blockchain), ter inovativne trajnostne koncepte, kot je krožno gospodarstvo. Za dosego ciljev Agende 2030, predvsem pri prehodu na krožno gospodarstvo, je treba do leta 2030 podvojiti energetsko učinkovitost. Medtem ko sta blockchain in krožno gospodarstvo pogosto raziskana ločeno, ta raziskava proučuje njuno presečišče v kontekstu trajnosti mest. Študija uporablja kvalitativno analizo vsebine uradnih razvojnih strategij vseh 12 mestnih občin. Analizo dopolnjujejo polstrukturirani intervjuji z visokimi uradniki Ministrstva za okolje, podnebje in energijo ter s podžupanom Mestne občine Ljubljana, ki podajo institucionalne poglede na strateške prioritete. To je prva celovita analiza, kako slovenske mestne občine obravnavajo medsebojno povezane teme trajnosti, krožnega gospodarstva in tehnologije veriženja blokov. Ugotovitve prispevajo k akademskim razpravam in ponujajo praktična priporočila za krepitev inovativnosti pri načrtovanju trajnostnega razvoja mest. Acknowledgment The author acknowledges the financial support from the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (project “Corporate accountability, human rights, and climate change: Towards coherent and just Slovenian and international legal order”, ID JP-50171”).
2025-06-30
João Ricardo Catarino, Carlos Henriques Machado
Online games constitute an increasingly widespread activity that carries increased risks for players, especially minors. This study analyses the effectiveness of protecting online players' rights considering Portuguese legislation, which originates from the common European rules established for all Member States of the European Union. This study aims to characterise the Portuguese regulatory policy for games of chance, especially in the online gaming modality, its regulatory principles, its characteristics, and purposes, and to describe how it articulates with European recommendations. Based on this characterisation, this study analyses the effectiveness of compliance with the fundamental aspects of this regulatory policy by entities operating online gambling from the perspective of protecting the rights and duties of players, as enshrined. It concludes that some of these rights need to be sufficiently protected. The methodology includes analysing the websites of licensed entities and providing a questionnaire to young people who frequently play online. The study shows that the information on online gaming platforms reasonably complies with the current legal requirements and that players must be fully aware of all their rights. It also highlights that such rights are not fully protected in sensitive aspects. Povzetek članka v slovenskem jeziku (abstract in Slovene language) Spletne igre so vse bolj razširjena dejavnost, ki prinaša večja tveganja za igralce, zlasti mladoletnike. Ta študija analizira učinkovitost zaščite pravic spletnih igralcev ob upoštevanju portugalske zakonodaje, ki izhaja iz skupnih evropskih pravil, določenih za vse države članice Evropske unije. Namen te študije je opisati portugalsko regulativno politiko za igre na srečo, zlasti na področju spletnih iger na srečo, njena regulativna načela, značilnosti in namene ter opisati, kako se ujema z evropskimi priporočili. Na podlagi te opredelitve ta študija analizira učinkovitost upoštevanja temeljnih vidikov te regulativne politike s strani subjektov, ki prirejajo spletne igre na srečo, in z vidika varstva pravic in dolžnosti igralcev. Ugotavlja, da je treba nekatere od teh pravic zaščititi v zadostni meri. Metodologija vključuje analizo spletnih strani licenciranih subjektov in posredovanje vprašalnika mladim, ki pogosto igrajo na spletu. Študija kaže, da so informacije na spletnih igralnih platformah v razumni meri skladne z veljavnimi zakonskimi zahtevami in da se morajo igralci v celoti zavedati vseh svojih pravic. Poudarja tudi, da te pravice v občutljivih vidikih niso v celoti zaščitene.
2024-06-27
Patricija Glavica, Leon Brulc
The article delves into the legality of defensive actions taken by the USA and the UK in response to the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. Despite assertions that such actions are justified under the right to self-defence, legal ambiguities persist in international law. The authors argue that while attacks on merchant vessels by non-state actors may constitute armed aggression, clarity is lacking on whether they meet the criteria for self-defence. The USA and UK stress that attacks on their warships validate their defensive measures, framing them as necessary responses to significant threats. However, the authors contend that the principle of proportionality may have been disregarded, urging restraint in the use of force to safeguard ships while respecting Yemen’s sovereignty. The article underscores the need for a nuanced approach to assessing the legality and necessity of military actions in complex conflict scenarios. Povzetek Članek obravnava zakonitost obrambnih ukrepov ZDA in Združenega kraljestva kot odziv na napade Hutijev v Rdečem morju. Kljub trditvam, da so takšni ukrepi upravičeni na podlagi pravice do samoobrambe, v mednarodnem pravu še vedno obstajajo pravne nejasnosti. Avtorja trdita, da čeprav lahko napadi nedržavnih akterjev na trgovska plovila pomenijo oboroženo agresijo, ni jasno, ali izpolnjujejo merila za samoobrambo. ZDA in Združeno kraljestvo poudarjata, da napadi na njune vojaške ladje potrjujejo njune obrambne ukrepe, saj jih opredeljujeta kot nujen odziv na pomembne grožnje. Avtorja prispevka ugotavljata, da morda ni bilo upoštevano načelo sorazmernosti, in pozivata k zadržanosti pri uporabi sile za zaščito ladij ob spoštovanju suverenosti Jemna. Članek poudarja potrebo po diferenciranem pristopu k ocenjevanju zakonitosti in nujnosti vojaških ukrepov v zapletenih konfliktnih scenarijih.
2024-06-27
Thomas Allan Heller
The rallying cry of many American politicians is Law and Order. This tactic wins votes. As a result of its Wars on Crime, Drugs, and the Impoverished, America has the highest rate of incarceration in the world. This article explores how, over the past few decades, politicians have charged criminal defendants every imaginable fee and fine as they wind their way through the criminal justice system in order to fund the massive prison complex that the politicians do not want to tax Americans for. These tactics have criminalized poverty, as they disproportionately impact the most marginalized in American society. These abusive and unfair tactics have drawn scrutiny from policymakers in recent years, including the American Bar Association, which adopted stringent guidelines to help inform policymakers of this critical problem in an effort to reign in the abusive use of fees and fines. The paper discusses recent reforms, many at the urging of the Department of Justice, Office for Access to Justice, in conjunction with the ABA. It discusses the main Supreme Court cases that considered the Excessive Fines Clause of the Eighth Amendment. Povzetek Številni ameriški politiki se sklicujejo na zakon in red. Ta taktika prinaša glasove. Zaradi vojn proti kriminalu, drogam in obubožanim ima Amerika najvišji delež zapornikov na svetu. Ta članek raziskuje, kako so politiki v zadnjih nekaj desetletjih obdolžencem kaznivih dejanj zaračunavali vse možne pristojbine in globe, ko so se prebijali skozi kazenskopravni sistem, da bi financirali ogromen zaporniški kompleks, za katerega politiki nočejo plačevati davkov Američanom. Ta taktika je kriminalizirala revščino, saj nesorazmerno močno vpliva na najbolj marginalizirane v ameriški družbi. Te zlorabljajoče in nepoštene taktike so bile v zadnjih letih deležne pozornosti oblikovalcev politike, vključno z Ameriško odvetniško zbornico, ki je sprejela stroge smernice za pomoč pri obveščanju oblikovalcev politike o tem kritičnem problemu, da bi omejili zlorabljajočo uporabo pristojbin in glob. V dokumentu so obravnavane nedavne reforme, ki so bile številne izvedene na pobudo Urada za dostop do pravnega varstva pri Ministrstvu za pravosodje v sodelovanju z združenjem ABA. Obravnava glavne primere Vrhovnega sodišča, ki so obravnavali klavzulo o pretiranih globah iz osme spremembe.
2023-12-06
Flutura Kola Tafaj, Silvana Cinari
This paper aims to critically analyse the formal and substantive validity of choice of court agreements in favour of Albanian courts. The provisions of the Albanian Private International Law and their implementation by Albanian courts are in the focus. However, considering that the Albanian Private International Law provisions are approximated with the EU acquis communautaire and since the provisions on choice of courts agreements are drafted in terms that are fully compatible with the Council Regulation 44/2001 of December 22, 2000 "On Jurisdiction, Recognition and Implementation of Judicial Decisions in Civil Matters and Trade” (Brussels I Regulation), the interpretation of the Albanian law provisions is also done in the light of the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union. After a thorough analysis of the Albanian Private International Law provisions concerning choice of court agreements and of the Albanian case law, the paper concludes that they are not always interpreted and applied correctly and that the rich case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union can provide valuable guidance. Povzetek Namen tega prispevka je kritično analizirati formalno in vsebinsko veljavnost sporazumov o izbiri sodišča v korist albanskih sodišč. V ospredju so določbe albanskega mednarodnega zasebnega prava in njihovo izvajanje s strani albanskih sodišč. Ker pa so določbe albanskega mednarodnega zasebnega prava približane pravnemu redu EU in ker so določbe o sporazumih o izbiri sodišča oblikovane tako, da so v celoti skladne z Uredbo Sveta 44/2001 z dne 22. decembra 2000 „O pristojnosti, priznavanju in izvajanju sodnih odločb v civilnih in gospodarskih zadevah“ (Uredba Bruselj I), je razlaga določb albanskega prava opravljena tudi ob upoštevanju sodne prakse Sodišča Evropske unije. Po temeljiti analizi določb albanskega mednarodnega zasebnega prava o sporazumih o izbiri sodišča in albanske sodne prakse članek ugotavlja, da se te določbe ne razlagajo in uporabljajo vedno pravilno ter da lahko bogata sodna praksa Sodišča Evropske unije zagotovi dragocene smernice.
2023-12-06
Elijah S. Sritharan
The fossil fuel industry is the driving force behind our current carbon-centric socioeconomic systems. The industry has imposed fossil fuel-dependent business models and behaviours on the global socioeconomic system. The actions and plans of the industry are far from being aligned with the 1.5°C target set by the Paris Agreement. Moreover, they remain overlooked in the global climate discourse and negotiations. This paper builds its arguments starting from a moral issue: climate change is an ethical failure, and the industry has had a unique role in causing, shaping, advancing, and defending the current unsustainable fossil fuel-dependent global economy, and thus bears responsibility and has duties of reparation to limit consequent harm. This paper examines the various moral principles of rectifying the unjust situation created by the actions that produced climate change. Although the Paris Agreement assigns responsibilities to states, climate lawsuits against fossil fuel companies are also on the rise. This paper helps link legal frameworks and the relationship between climate justice, sustainable development, and environmental human rights to make radical, systemic changes to ensure a sustainable future. Povzetek Industrija fosilnih goriv je gonilna sila naših sedanjih družbeno-gospodarskih sistemov, ki so osredotočeni na ogljik. Ta industrija je v svetovni družbeno-gospodarski sistem uvedla poslovne modele in vedenje, ki so odvisni od fosilnih goriv. Ukrepi in načrti industrije še zdaleč niso usklajeni s ciljem 1,5 °C, določenim v Pariškem sporazumu. Poleg tega ostaja spregledana v svetovnem podnebnem diskurzu in pogajanjih. Ta članek gradi svoje argumente, izhajajoč iz moralnega vprašanja: podnebne spremembe so etična napaka, industrija pa je imela edinstveno vlogo pri povzročanju, oblikovanju, pospeševanju in obrambi sedanjega netrajnostnega svetovnega gospodarstva, odvisnega od fosilnih goriv, zato nosi odgovornost in dolžnost povračila škode, da bi omejila posledično škodo. V tem prispevku so obravnavana različna moralna načela za odpravo nepravičnega stanja, ki je nastalo zaradi dejanj, ki so povzročila podnebne spremembe. Čeprav Pariški sporazum odgovornost nalaga državam, so v porastu tudi podnebne tožbe proti podjetjem za fosilna goriva. Prispevek pomaga povezati pravne okvire in razmerje med podnebno pravičnostjo, trajnostnim razvojem in okoljskimi človekovimi pravicami za korenite sistemske spremembe, ki bodo zagotovile trajnostno prihodnost.
2023-12-06
Zdravko Šergo, Jasmina Gržinić, Mirela Sučić Červa
The synthetic control method (SCM) is a valuable tool for unbiased pre-bankruptcy reform analysis in economic policy evaluations. This study utilizes SCM to assess the impact of the Financial Operations and Pre-Bankruptcy Settlement Act (AFOPBS) on Croatia's total factor productivity (TFP). Control units and weights were meticulously chosen to construct a synthetic control for Croatia, creating a counterfactual scenario for the reform's absence. The policy's impact was quantified by comparing TFP growth post-policy between Croatia and its synthetic control. Placebo tests confirmed the results' significance, and further validation was achieved through panel difference-in-differences analysis (PDID). Our findings show that the pre-bankruptcy reform in late 2012 effectively reduced the gap between Croatia and its synthetic control throughout the post-treatment years. However, it had two short-term adverse impacts and a subsequent recovery-like phase. These effects were statistically significant and confirmed by cross-validation. In conclusion, Croatia's pre-bankruptcy reform significantly influenced TFP volatility, highlighting SCM's effectiveness in evaluating economic policies, especially those crucial for economic growth Povzetek Metoda sintetične kontrole (SCM) je dragoceno orodje za nepristransko analizo reforme pred stečajem pri vrednotenju ekonomskih politik. Ta študija uporablja SCM za oceno vpliva Zakona o finančnem poslovanju in predstečajni poravnavi (AFOPBS) na skupno faktorsko produktivnost (TFP) na Hrvaškem. Kontrolne enote in uteži so bile skrbno izbrane za oblikovanje sintetične kontrole za Hrvaško, s čimer je bil ustvarjen nasprotni scenarij za odsotnost reforme. Vpliv politike je bil količinsko opredeljen s primerjavo rasti skupne faktorske produktivnosti po uvedbi politike med Hrvaško in njeno sintetično kontrolo. Placebo testi so potrdili pomembnost rezultatov, nadaljnja potrditev pa je bila dosežena s panelno analizo razlik v razlikah (PDID). Naše ugotovitve kažejo, da je reforma pred stečajem konec leta 2012 učinkovito zmanjšala razliko med Hrvaško in njeno sintetično kontrolo v vseh letih po izvedbi ukrepa. Vendar je imela dva kratkoročna negativna učinka in poznejšo fazo, podobno okrevanju. Ti učinki so bili statistično značilni in potrjeni z navzkrižnim preverjanjem. Zaključimo lahko, da je hrvaška reforma pred stečajem pomembno vplivala na nestanovitnost skupne faktorske produktivnosti, kar poudarja učinkovitost SCM pri ocenjevanju gospodarskih politik, zlasti tistih, ki so ključne za gospodarsko rast
2023-06-29
Zoran Dimović
The implementation of smart energy systems (SES) in the Slovenian energy sector has raised significant privacy and data protection concerns. The collection and processing of personal data from energy consumers, as well as cybersecurity threats, pose risks that must be addressed. The legal framework governing privacy and data protection in the energy field in Slovenia is based on the GDPR, ZOEE, ZVPot-1, ZVOP-2 and others, which impose significant obligations on entities processing personal data. To mitigate these risks, exact terminology must be used to implement privacy, data protection and also cybersecurity measures and ensure compliance with the legal framework. Povzetek Izvajanje pametnih energetskih sistemov (SES) v slovenskem energetskem sektorju je sprožilo precejšnje pomisleke glede zasebnosti in varstva podatkov. Zbiranje in obdelava osebnih podatkov odjemalcev energije ter grožnje kibernetski varnosti predstavljajo tveganja, ki jih je treba obravnavati. Pravni okvir, ki ureja zasebnost in varstvo podatkov na področju energetike v Sloveniji, temelji na GDPR, ZOEE, ZVPot-1, ZVOP-2 itd., ki subjektom, ki obdelujejo osebne podatke, nalagajo pomembne obveznosti. Za zmanjšanje teh tveganj je treba uporabljati natančno terminologijo za izvajanje ukrepov na področju zasebnosti, varstva podatkov in tudi kibernetske varnosti ter zagotavljati skladnost s pravnim okvirom.