LJUBLJANA, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- Slovenia's parliament on Friday approved a constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to use cash, with 67 votes in favor and 1 against, marking a rare legal protection of cash payments in Europe.
The amendment follows a citizens' initiative in 2023 that collected over 56,000 signatures, urging parliament to secure the right to pay in cash. The move reflects growing public concern over the shift toward a cashless society and the need to safeguard monetary freedom, privacy, and resilience in times of crisis.
Deputy Parliamentary Speaker Meira Hot told lawmakers that "cash is the most dependable way of payment, particularly in times of crisis." She emphasized that while Slovenia supports the adoption of digital transactions and cashless business, cash should remain a parallel system to ensure accessibility, privacy, and stability.
Slovenia has been a member of the European Union (EU) since 2004 and of the eurozone since 2007. The Ministry of Finance pointed out that the change of the Constitution is in line with the rules of EU and the European Central Bank (ECB).
According to ECB data, approximately 64 percent of payments in 2024 at physical points of sale in Slovenia were made in cash, indicating strong public attachment to banknotes and coins. The constitutional amendment aims to protect this tradition while continuing to modernize the country's payment infrastructure, including digital services in public-sector transactions.
