In Ljubljana they can charge you 800 euros for throwing garbage in a wrong garbage container; the same offense in Maribor costs 100 euros; the difference arises from the fact that every municipality makes its own decision – their hands are completely free in defining their penalty policy. Foto: BoBo
In Ljubljana they can charge you 800 euros for throwing garbage in a wrong garbage container; the same offense in Maribor costs 100 euros; the difference arises from the fact that every municipality makes its own decision – their hands are completely free in defining their penalty policy. Foto: BoBo

In Ljubljana they can charge you 800 euros for throwing garbage in a wrong garbage container; the same offense in Maribor costs 100 euros; the difference arises from the fact that every municipality makes its own decision – their hands are completely free in defining their penalty policy.

Miha Renčelj from Ljubljana was unpleasantly surprised when he opened the envelope sent to him by the municipality inspectorate: he was threatened by a fine of 800 euros for throwing another envelope in a wrong garbage container. »I received a call by a very pleasant young woman from the city inspectorate, who informed me that I should expect a notice about a penalty because of the garbage,« remembers Miha, and continues that he finds such a high fine unsuitable. »Supposedly they had found my envelope in the container, i.e. a bank statement. I really can't explain how it ended there, but I do remember that in the days before the inspection was made there was a total confusion with the garbage containers, as they kept moving them. I should also mention that we have only three garbage containers for three blocks of flats, which were filled over their capacity,« the inhabitant of Črnuče was outraged. »I believe my bank statement was found in a garbage container. But they keep moving them all the time, and the administrators of the buildings had been notified that there was not enough garbage containers – but nothing happened. Therefore it is no wonder such things happen, and wrong garbage is thrown into a container,« Miha said.

Arbitrary moving of containers is also punishable
Our state has a number of fines in reference to garbage; arbitrary moving of garbage containers is forbidden as well. A fine prescribed for such an offence by the Ordinance on Collection and Transport of Communal Refuse is 200 euros. And to those who dare rummage through garbage containers, or take communal rubbish deposited within, can be imposed a fine of 800 euros. In Slovenia these matters are regulated by a law, while the amount of the fine is regulated by separate municipalities, which is the reason for the difference amounting even to hundreds of euros.

Jasna Krljić Vreg
Translated by G. K.