The Constitutional Court held a ceremony on Thursday to mark Constitution Day, which has been celebrated on 23 December since 1997. The Slovenian parliament adopted the first Constitution of the independent Slovenia 14 years ago.
The head of the Constitutional Court, Janez Cebulj, said in his speech that this day should be a day to remember not only the position of the Constitutional Court but also the obligation to protect human rights.
Cebulj moreover stressed that the Constitutional Court is having trouble keeping up with the increased workload. According to him, the Court received 1,800 cases this year, an increase of 20% on last year.
Meanwhile, keynote speaker Marko Ilesic, a judge at the Court of Justice of the European Communities, stressed the importance of respecting the verdicts of courts.
He also pointed to the problem of shared jurisdiction, referring to the Court of Justice of the European Communities and the European Court for Human Rights.
Although there is no binding rule, the first ruling usually prevails. "I feel we live in a time when everyone is aware that cooperation between courts is not only an expression but an important value with significant effects," Ilesic said.
The ceremony was also attended by President Janez Drnovsek, Parliament Speaker France Cukjati, president of the Supreme Court Franc Testen, judges, and representatives of religious communities.
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