Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2025

Daily Sabah - Latest & Breaking News from Turkey | Istanbul

  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV

Slovenia amends constitution to include right to water

by

LJUBLJANA Nov 18, 2016 - 12:00 am GMT+3
Canoeists and kayakers out on Lake Bohinj in Slovenia on April 16, 2016. (AFP Photo)
Canoeists and kayakers out on Lake Bohinj in Slovenia on April 16, 2016. (AFP Photo)
by Nov 18, 2016 12:00 am

Green-friendly Slovenia amended its constitution on Thursday to ensure access to drinkable water was a fundamental right for all citizens and could not be commercialised.

With 64 votes in favour and none against, the 90-seat parliament added an article to the eurozone country's constitution saying "everyone has the right to drinkable water".

The centre-right opposition Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) abstained from the vote saying the amendment was not necessary and it was only aimed at increasing public support.

Slovenia is a mountainous, water-rich country with more than half its territory covered by forest.

"Water resources represent a public good that is managed by the state. Water resources are primary and durably used to supply citizens with potable water and households with water and, in this sense, are not a market commodity," the article read.

Centre-left Prime Minister Miro Cerar had urged lawmakers to pass the bill saying the country of two million people should "protect water - the 21st century's liquid gold - at the highest legal level".

"Slovenian water has very good quality and, because of its value, in the future it will certainly be the target of foreign countries and international corporations' appetites. As it will gradually become a more valuable commodity in the future, pressure over it will increase and we must not give in," Cerar said.

Slovenia is the first European Union country to have included the right to water in its constitution, although according to Rampedre (the online Permanent World Report on the Right to Water) 15 other countries across the world had already done so.

Earlier this year, Slovenia was declared the world's first green destination country by the Netherlands-based organisation Green Destinations, while its capital, Ljubljana, is this year's European Green Capital.

Amnesty International implored Slovenia to ensure the new law would be also applied to the 10-12,000 Roma people living in the country.

"Many Roma are... denied even minimum levels of access to water and sanitation," Amnesty said in a statement.

The European Union agreed in 2014 to exclude water supply and water resources management from the rules governing the European internal market, following the first successful European Citizens' Initiative that managed to raise over one million signatures.

  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Nov 18, 2016 12:31 pm
    KEYWORDS
    world
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    No Image
    Etna, Ukraine tensions and waves: Weekly top photos
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • DS TV
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021