Slovenia debates assisted suicide. Doctors and medical groups oppose the bill.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Slovenian legislature

On June 19 I reported that Slovenia was debating euthanasia and assisted suicide. A Slovenian group called Silver Thread collected signatures and were demanding the legalization of assisted dying. The bill proposed by Silver Thread was to be introduced in the Slovenian legislature. 

A Slovenian news article indicated that an assisted dying bill was introduced in the Slovenian legislature on July 17.

The Slovenian Times reported on July 21 that the bill would legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide and was similar to the Spanish euthanasia law. The article reported:

Jurist Peter Golob said that the bill was the closest to the Spanish law that recognised both procedures, which were tied to the obligation of a certain person to perform the assistance.

He said that the Slovenian proposal was bad as it presented the procedures as a right instead of a possibility, while jurist Urban Vrtačnik added that the proposal lacked a comparable legal analysis and a broader debate on social and legal terms.

There is also a lack of debate on “how to properly balance out values such as the value of life, possibility of making decisions about oneself and inviolability of life in order to obtain a socially and legally coordinated solution,” he added.

On July 25 Representatives of doctors and medical organisations held a press conference to express opposition to the proposed bill to legalise assisted dying, arguing that it is inconsistent with medical ethics and the constitution.

On May 4 the Medical Ethics Commission at the Health Ministry issued an opinion opposing the bill, which it said entails a high level of ethical risk.