Initial reactions by experts in the field describe the draft amendments as too repressive. They state that police officers have enough powers as it is in order to perform all their tasks. The Ministry of Interior's response to the critisicm is that the texts and wording in the amendments have not yet been harmonized. It adds that it will give priority to quality debates backed with arguments, instead of hasty reactions.
The police has put forward a number of novelties through the amendments to the law on police powers. According to the draft law the police is to use electroshock weapons as a new means of restraint, it would have more possibilities to conduct security checks, and would introduce automatic number plate recognition technology.
There has also been much opposition to the possibility of using unmanned aircraft in monitoring public events, and the possibility for an expanded use of biometric data and the collection of all personal data of flight passengers.
More repression because of terrorism
The amendments dealing with the collection and storage of personal data also caught the attention of Slovenia's Information Commissioner. Some of the commissioner's remarks have already been taken into account by the authors of the law, like for example the deleting of DNA profiles, fingerprints and photographs of suspects who have never been convicted. The provisions for criminal intelligence work in monitoring social networks have also been softened.
The main motive behind the changes to the Law on the Duties and Powers of the Police is of course the different environment in which terrorist attacks are ever more frequent. The police highlighted the need for more effective legislation, which would allow a wider range of investigative methods for the worst forms of crime - such as terrorism - two months ago during the arrest of Rok Žavbi, who was wanted in Italy on terrorism charges. The police says the draft law is still being harmonized and that all the received remarks are being thoroughly examined.