Law and disasters: the case of Slovenia

This text discusses case law on liability in the context of disasters triggered by natural hazards, with a particular focus on risk communication, and highlights the relationships among the various actors in disaster management.

The author finds that changes in legal practice reflect the shortcomings of legal systems in managing disasters, which is particularly evident in the determination of legal liability. He has come to the general conclusion that disasters are no longer just a natural phenomenon, but have become a social, cultural, political and, not least, moral - and therefore legal - phenomenon. This leads to a shift of (legal) responsibility from higher to lower spatial levels and an increasing criminalization of legal proceedings related to disaster triggered by natural hazards.