Driving in Slovenia

In accordance with an amendment to the Public Roads Act, approved by the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia at the end of April 2008, use of toll stickers (Slovene: vinjete) is obligatory for all vehicles with a permissible maximum weight of 3,500 kg (7,700 lb) (the current first and second toll-rate category) on motorways and expressways in Slovenia as of 1 July 2008.

The toll-collection system with stickers was introduced with the aim of improving traffic flow and reducing exhaust emissions.

[citation needed] The toll stickers have been criticized by the European Commission and various automobile clubs from Central and Southern Europe, spawning numerous guides on how to avoid highways, and causing heavy traffic damaging the roadway on secondary roads.

Nevertheless, the main protesters were Austrian, and yet Austria has had a toll-sticker system in place for many years.

[1][2][3][4] On 28 January 2010, after short-term toll stickers were introduced by Slovenia and some other changes were made to the Slovenian toll-sticker system, the European Commission concluded that the toll-sticker system is in accordance with European law.