Slovenia will be setting up a communication, warning and alert system for mobile phones. In case of a natural or any other disaster, all those present in affected areas, including foreigners, will receive push notifications, under a government regulation adopted on 14 December.

For the purpose of the alert system, Slovenia will have to set up a cell broadcast system, which sends messages to multiple mobile phone users in a defined area at the same time.

The move addresses Slovenia's failure to meet the EU deadline, under which all member states were obligated to introduce the system by mid-2022. The relevant legislation was passed in Slovenia in autumn 2022.

Presenting the decision to the press, Digital Transformation Minister Emilija Stojmenova Duh said the decree laid down the obligations of telecommunications providers. Earlier this week, she said that people in the affected areas would get push notifications alerting them to dangers ahead.

"There have been a lot of questions as to why this is not an app. The main objective is to reach everybody who finds themselves at a specific location at a certain moment. It must not depend on whether they have an app or whether they have internet access," the minister said.

The need for such an alert system became obvious during the August floods.

The government has earmarked €3.5 million for the establishment of the system and €340,000 annually for the next five years for maintenance.