Acciones tomadas:
As regards the pledge to ensure accountability for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community, Slovenia supports full implementation of the Rome Statute, its universality and integrity. In addition, Slovenia supports the work and effective functioning of the ICC and its judicial independence.
According to the complementarity principle of the Rome Statute, the primary responsibility for bringing offenders to justice lies with States themselves. To strengthen the fight against impunity and enhance cooperation between national courts of different States in prosecuting the most heinous crimes, Slovenia supports the adoption of a new multilateral instrument: the Convention on International Cooperation in the Investigation and Prosecution of the Crime of Genocide, Crimes against Humanity and War Crimes (MLA Initiative). As a member of the MLA Initiative Core Group, Slovenia contributes its share to the adoption process of the Convention. The Diplomatic Conference for the Adoption of the Convention was planned to take place in Ljubljana, Slovenia, in June 2020. Unfortunately, the Conference has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will not be organised before 2023.
To support the work of the ICC, Slovenia acknowledges the importance of cooperation between the States and the Court, especially through bilateral agreements enabling the Court to perform its duties. In this respect, Slovenia has concluded the Agreement on the Enforcement of Sentences with the ICC. Slovenia ratified the Agreement in 2022.
Slovenia regularly voices its support for both the ICC and the fight against impunity in general bilaterally and in multilateral fora.
In order to promote and raise awareness of the ICC, Slovenia regularly participates in the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute (ASP) and additionally contributed to its work as a member of the Bureau until 2021.
By participating in the Council Working Group COJUR-ICC, Slovenia fosters the advancing of the 2011 EU Action Plan aimed at promoting universal support for the Rome Statute of the ICC. In addition, Slovenia encourages the widest possible participation in the Rome Statute and supports the independence of the ICC, its effective and efficient functioning.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs takes part in annual informal ministerial network meetings in support of the ICC and he also visited the ICC and met with its officials in 2020. In addition, Slovenia expresses its support for the ICC at the UN General Assembly in its national statements on the report of the ICC to the UN.
Slovenia held the presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of the 2021. During that time, the Slovenian delegation met with the Court’s officials, including the ICC Presidency, and discussed the cooperation and the challenges facing the Court. The Slovenian Foreign Minister gave a speech on behalf of the EU at the ASP in support of the ICC and all of its aspects.
Within bilateral fora with States that are not parties to the Rome Statute, Slovenia regularly promotes the ICC in the context of the fight against impunity, the need for universal recognition of the importance of the Rome Statute, its integrity and independence. We call upon non-States Parties to ratify the Rome Statute and become members of the ASP. Regarding accession to the Rome Statute, Slovenia has not received any requests for assistance from non-States Parties.
Slovenia regularly expresses its unwavering support for the crucial work of the ICC in the fight against impunity, including on the occasions of the annual EU Day against Impunity and the Day of International Criminal Justice. In the future, Slovenia will be promoting the universality of the Rome Statute by marking the 20th anniversary of the entry into force of the Rome Statute on 1 July 2022.
