In 2025, Slovenia will implement significant legal changes affecting accessibility for people with disabilities, including the Accessibility of Products and Services for Disabled Persons Act (ZDPSI) and the Equal Opportunities for Disabled Persons Act (ZIMI). These laws will require adjustments in various sectors, including products, services, and transportation, as well as the removal of physical barriers at train stations and on trains by December 2025, contributing to better inclusion of people with disabilities in society.

A well-designed checkout area is crucial for people with disabilities. Good lighting, adjustable payment terminals, the correct height of counters and conveyor belts, and clear price displays can significantly improve the shopping experience.

The National Action on the Social Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities project, led by NSIOS, promotes the inclusion of people with different forms of disabilities in society. As a project partner, the Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia is assessing the accessibility of 100 buildings in public use that are all benefit providers for EU Disability card holders, raising awareness among owners and building managers, and informing people with disabilites on how to access those buildings and plan their visits to the providers.

Accessible restrooms are essential for the independence and safety of wheelchair users. It is crucial to provide sufficient maneuvering space, correctly installed equipment such as grab bars, sinks, and emergency alarms, and easily reachable features like switches, hooks, and waste bins. Common mistakes include improper equipment heights and unsuitable solutions that hinder usability. Properly adapted restrooms ensure equal accessibility and dignity for all users.

Correct shelf positioning, aisle widths and paths of movement between shelves are key to ensuring the accessibility of shops. Adaptations such as lower shelves and wider aisles make shopping easy for all, regardless of handicaps.

Univerzalna dostopnost je bistvena zahteva po gradbenem zakonu, ki mora biti izpolnjena za pridobitev uporabnega dovoljenja, kar zagotavlja enakovredno uporabo objektov za vse, tudi osebe z invalidnostmi. Primer bazena Ilirija opozarja, da neupoštevanje teh zahtev vodi v zamude in dodatne stroške zaradi nujnih prilagoditev.

Awareness of accessibility of buildings is gradually increasing, helped by the approach of the legal deadline and the efforts of organisations and individuals in this field. The Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia, with its long-standing work on data collection, training and awareness-raising, continues its efforts to improve accessibility, which will be necessary even after the legal deadline has passed.

The state of accessibility of public buildings in Slovenia remains inadequate, as most facilities are not adapted for people with disabilities and adaptations are often carried out without consulting experts, leading to non-functional solutions. To improve the overview and the situation, we are developing an accessibility self-description tool that will allow us to obtain more data and plan adaptations more efficiently.

Despite adequate legislation on universal construction, its implementation and the training of the planning profession remain deficient, affecting the quality of adaptations and their implementation in practice. While there are signs of progress as the deadline for meeting the requirements of the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities Act approaches, investment and financial support to address barriers remain insufficient.
 

The Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities Act requires all public buildings to be accessible by December 2025, but the current capacity and speed of adaptation is not sufficient to meet this target. Nevertheless, an extension of the deadline is unlikely.