Ljubljana, Dec 25 (NationPress) The Constitutional Court of Slovenia has determined that physicians working in public health institutions should be permitted to engage in private practice during their off hours, effectively nullifying a significant aspect of the government's health reform.

This regulation, passed by parliament in April, prohibited the majority of doctors in public employment from pursuing private practice. The government maintained that this restriction was essential for enhancing the efficiency of the national healthcare system, according to reports from Xinhua news agency.

Slovenia's public health sector has been facing considerable strain, with numerous patients experiencing wait times of a year or longer for specific medical procedures.

The Trade Union of Doctors and Dentists, known as Fides, contested the prohibition before the Constitutional Court, arguing that it would further undermine the public health system by encouraging physicians to leave public roles for private practice.

In its judgement, the court stated that the ban infringed upon the constitutional right to free economic initiative and mandated parliament to revise the law within one year.

Bojana Beovic, president of the Medical Chamber of Slovenia, praised the ruling, asserting it was in the best interest of Slovenia’s citizens and patients.

This decision poses a setback for the government headed by Prime Minister Robert Golob just ahead of the general elections set for March 22, as health reform has been a pivotal element of its political agenda.

In another development, Slovenia's economic sentiment gauge increased to 0.6 points in December, marking the highest level since June 2022, according to the Statistical Office.

December also signified the first instance since December 2022 that the indicator turned positive, as per official statistics.

In recent times, Slovenia's economic sentiment has remained negative due to weak external demand for Slovenian goods, reflecting a broader economic slowdown within the European Union, which includes some of Slovenia’s key trading partners.

The indicator was reported to be 1.2 points higher than in November and 3.6 points above December of the previous year, according to the statistical office.

This year-on-year improvement was attributed to increased confidence in manufacturing, services, construction, and among consumers.

Confidence in manufacturing grew on projections of heightened production, while sentiment in the service industry improved due to anticipated demand growth.

The government anticipates that the Slovenian economy will recover in 2026, supported by elevated investment and exports. According to their September forecast, economic growth in 2026 is estimated to accelerate to 2.1 percent, up from an expected 0.8 percent this year.