Puconci sets new operating hours for food establishments

The Municipal Council of the Municipality of Puconci has adopted the Pravilnik o obratovalnem času prehrambnih obratov na območju Občine Puconci (Regulation on the operating hours of food establishments in the Municipality of Puconci), published in the Uradni list Republike Slovenije, issue No. 1425/2026 of 14 September 2026, under official reference 2026-01-2085. The regulation governs both regular and extended operating hours for all food establishments in the municipality and takes effect on 1 November 2026.

The regulation was passed at the council’s 33rd regular session on 10 September 2026, on the basis of the Zakon o gostinstvu (ZGos-1) (Uradni list RS, No. 77/25), the Pravilnik o obratovalnem času prehrambnih obratov (Uradni list RS, No. 5/26) and Article 17 of the Statut Občine Puconci. It was signed by the mayor, Uroš Kamenšek, under file number 321-0017/2026 and EDA reference 2026-5883237000-0016.

Regular operating hours

Food establishments operate within the regular hours set by ZGos-1 and the national Pravilnik o obratovalnem času prehrambnih obratov. Each operator determines and publishes its own regular hours within the permitted framework, and no municipal consent or decision is required for regular operation.

Extended operating hours

Operating outside regular hours is considered extended operation and requires written consent from the Municipal Administration of Puconci, the competent authority. The consent may be granted for a single day, several days or a defined period, and the extended hours must be publicly displayed at the establishment. The permitted time frames are:

• In residential areas: from Sunday to Thursday until 1.00 the next day; on Fridays, Saturdays and the day before a public holiday until 2.00.
• Outside residential areas: from Sunday to Thursday until 2.00; on Fridays, Saturdays and the day before a public holiday until 3.00.
• On special occasions (events, celebrations, gatherings, weddings and other organised events): until 5.00 the next day.

When deciding on consent, the authority weighs criteria including the type of establishment, its location relative to residential buildings, operation on outdoor surfaces, impact on the neighbourhood and quality of life, the needs of economic and tourism development, and any final rulings on violations linked to the establishment’s operation. Applications must be lodged at least 5 days before the planned start of extended operation.

Outdoor areas and revocation

On gardens and terraces connected to food establishments, live or mechanical music may not be played after 22.00 unless the establishment holds a permit for temporary noise load. A shorter extended period may be set for outdoor surfaces than for the indoor premises of the same establishment.

Consent lapses when its period expires or is revoked. The municipality may revoke consent to protect public order and peace and the living environment where at least two final rulings on violations of public order or the law have been established against the operator as a result of extended operation. The operator must be given the chance to respond before revocation, and an appeal does not suspend enforcement.

Transitional provisions

The new regulation repeals the previous Merila za določanje podaljšanega obratovalnega časa gostinskih obratov in kmetij (No. 30602-16/2002 of 4 December 2003), and all consents issued before the regulation’s application lapse on 1 November 2026. The regulation enters into force fifteen days after publication in the official gazette of the Municipality of Puconci.

For every caterer in Puconci, the new rules mean a single, transparent framework for extended hours, with clearer time limits and a defined application and revocation procedure — a change that will shape how the municipality balances hospitality, tourism and the quality of life of local residents.

Source: Uradni list Republike Slovenije, No. 1425/2026, 14 September 2026 (official reference: 2026-01-2085, EDA 2026-5883237000-0016).