Travel & safety — Slovenia

Slovenia is a parliamentary democracy and a member of the European Union. Tourist facilities are widely available throughout the country. Slovenian is the official language; English is not widely spoken outside of major cities and tourist attractions.

While Slovenia has not had any incidents of international or indigenous terrorism, it shares open borders with three Schengen Zone neighbors. This allows for the possibility of terrorist groups entering/exiting the country with anonymity. We remind U.S. citizens to remain vigilant with regard to their personal security and to exercise caution while traveling in Slovenia. While civil disorder is rare in Slovenia, there are occasional strikes, protests, and other public demonstrations. Protests in Ljubljana are usually held in areas around Kongresni Trg (Congress Square), opposite the Slovenian Parliament, and, sometimes, near the U.S. Embassy. While most demonstrations are peaceful and not anti-American in nature, some participants have occasionally expressed anti-U.S. sentiments. As all demonstrations can potentially turn confrontational or even violent, U.S. citizens are urged to avoid these events whenever possible, and to exercise caution when in the vicinity of any such gathering. For additional information, we encourage U.S. citizens to check the Embassy’s website or call the Embassy at 386-1-200-5595 (200-5556 after hours and on weekends/holidays).

Slovenia’s overall crime rate is low and violent crimes are relatively uncommon. Most crimes tend to be directed towards obtaining personal property, such as purse snatching, pick-pocketing, and residential and vehicle break-ins. Visitors should take normal security precautions and report any incidents to the local police. Vehicle break-in/theft is a continuing problem in Slovenia. You should always lock your vehicles, use vehicle anti-theft devices, park in well-lighted areas, and if possible, secure vehicles in residential or hotel garages. To guard against residential burglaries, it is advisable to implement preventative security measures such as rolling down shutters and locking windows and doors when not at home and keeping garage doors closed. We urge U.S. citizens to exercise caution with so-called "gentlemen's clubs." A few such establishments have presented foreign customers with grossly inflated bar bills, sometimes in the thousands of dollars, and threatened those customers who refuse to pay. Incidents of violent crime, while still relatively infrequent, are possible. U.S. citizens have reported incidents of sexual assault in at least one nightclub in recent years. Use caution when accepting open drinks at bars or clubs, and don’t leave your drinks unattended. Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law.

While you are traveling in Slovenia, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from our own, and criminal penalties vary from country to country. If you break local laws in Slovenia, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution. It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not in countries where you will be traveling. And certain crimes may result in you being prosecuted both in a foreign country and in the United States. For instance, engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography is illegal in Slovenia and these actions are also prosecutable in the United States. Persons violating Slovenian laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Slovenia are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, bilateral agreements with certain countries, and customary international law, if you are arrested in Slovenia, you have the option to request that the police, prison officials, or other authorities alert the

Adequate medical care is readily available. Travelers to Slovenia may obtain a list of English-speaking physicians on the U.S. Embassy’s website. Antibiotics, as well as other U.S.-equivalent prescription medications are available at local pharmacies. In Slovenia all medications, including drugs considered over-the-counter and first aid supplies, are dispensed through pharmacies (called “lekarna”). Please see the Embassy’s website for a list of pharmacies open 24 hours. Persons who engage in outdoor activities may wish to take a vaccine to prevent tick-borne encephalitis.