On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we took part in the radio programme Studio at 17:00, discussing the amendment to the Act on Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (ZIMI).

The deadline for adapting public buildings for persons with disabilities expires on December 11, 2025, yet many facilities still do not meet the legal requirements for universal accessibility. Without timely and professionally executed measures, building owners and managers will be in violation after the deadline, and compliance will be overseen by the Building Inspectorate.

Through personal experience, an urban planning student observes that the accessibility of public buildings for people with mobility impairments is often overlooked and insufficient. He highlights the importance of inclusive design and the adoption of good international practices in the local context.

We visited The Art Beyond the Visible, Slovenia’s first tactile gallery in Kromberk, which enables a multisensory experience of art through touch. The exhibition, part of the European Capital of Culture Nova Gorica - Gorizia 2025 programme, brings together tactile interpretations of historical artworks and contemporary pieces created especially for blind, visually impaired, and sighted visitors alike.

Dostopnost gostinskih obratov pomeni, da so restavracije, kavarne in bari urejeni tako, da lahko v njih enakovredno uživajo tudi gosti z različnimi oviranostmi. Zakonodaja določa, da mora biti vsaj četrtina miz in sedišč ob pultih dostopna osebam na vozičkih, z urejenimi potmi in primernimi dimenzijami miz. 

Exhibition spaces must be designed according to the principles of universal accessibility, ensuring equal access for persons with physical disabilities, blind and partially sighted visitors, as well as deaf and hard of hearing individuals. The Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities Act (ZIMI) and the Regulation on Universal Construction and Use of Buildings provide the legal framework that guarantees culture and knowledge without barriers.

Tudi osebam z različnimi oblikami oviranosti je treba omogočiti samostojen vstop v bazen. Ker ena rešitev ne ustreza vsem, je pogosto potrebna kombinacija različnih pristopov, pripomočkov in elementov.

The Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia (UIRS) conducts professional on-site assessments of building accessibility based on a methodology aligned with relevant legislation and standards. These assessments identify on-site barriers for all types of disabilities, with results made publicly available through online tools.

Vhod v stavbo je prvi stik uporabnika z objektom. Če je urejen premišljeno, brez ovir in jasno označen, daje obiskovalcu občutek dobrodošlosti, varnosti in zaupanja, da bo lahko znotraj objekta samostojno uredil želene opravke. Pomembno je,  da je dostop do vhoda premišljeno zasnovan: brez ovir, z ustreznimi klančinami, jasno označenimi potmi, dobro vidnimi informacijami ter prilagojen vsem, tudi osebam z različnimi oviranostmi. 

The Slovenian Building Act (GZ-1) stipulates that accommodation facilities with ten or more rooms must have at least 10% of rooms adapted for persons with disabilities. Such rooms must allow for independent and safe use and meet the spatial and functional requirements for persons with various disabilities.