Classified information are facts or means belonging to the areas of work of the bodies responsible for public security, defence, foreign affairs and the intelligence and security activity of the State which need to be protected against unauthorized persons for reasons determined in the Classified Information Act, and identified and labelled as classified on the basis of this law.

Classified information is categorized into one of the following levels of classifications depending on their potential detrimental effects for national security or national political or economic benefits, which might occur if classified information were revealed to an unauthorized person:  

1. TOP SECRET level is used for classified information whose disclosure to an unauthorized person would threaten the vital interests of the Republic of Slovenia or cause irreparable damage to them,
2. SECRET level is used for classified information whose disclosure to an unauthorized person could severely threaten the security or interests of the Republic of Slovenia,
3. CONFIDENTIAL level is used for classified information whose disclosure to an unauthorized person could threaten the security or interests of the Republic of Slovenia,
4. RESTRICTED level is used for classified information whose disclosure to an unauthorized person could threaten the activities or the implementation of duties of the body. 

The Classified Information Act as revised and amended in 2006 established the legal basis for implementing inspections in the field of classified information, which are being implemented in the bodies and organizations by the Inspectorate. With the exception of the field of defence where inspections are carried out by the Inspectorate of the Republic of Slovenia for Defence, the Inspectorate within its competence carries out inspections on the implementation of the Classified Information Act and of the regulations issued on the basis of this law and on the basis of international treaties concluded between a foreign country or international organization and the Republic of Slovenia, unless otherwise provided for in an international treaty. The implementation of these regulations are monitored and coordinated by the Office of the Republic of Slovenia for the Protection of Classified Information, unless otherwise provided for in an international treaty.

Inspection is carried out in state bodies, local community bodies, holders of public authority and other bodies, companies and organizations (hereinafter referred to as the bodies), as well as on suppliers, construction works contractors and service providers (hereinafter referred to as the organizations), which acquired classified information or possess them. A system of procedures and measures for the protection of classified information must be established in every body and organization which satisfies certain levels of classification and prevents the disclosure of classified information to unauthorized persons.

The aforementioned procedures and measures must include:

1. general security measures,
2. protection of persons having access to classified information,
3. protection of premises,
4. protection of documents and media containing classified information,
5. protection of communications used for transmitting classified information,
6. manner of labelling the levels of classification,
7. protection of equipment used for dealing with classified information,
8. manner of notifiying users of the measures and procedures for the protection of classified information,
9. supervision of recording and access to classified information and
10. supervision and recording of the transmission and distribution of classified information. 

Inspection is carried out by the Inspector, who examines the system of determining, labelling, protecting and gaining access to classified information. The Inspector carries out the inspection on the grounds of the provisions of the Classified Information Act, Inspection Act, General Administrative Procedure Act and the Decree on the conduct of inspections in the field of protecting classified information. Besides the general powers defined in the Inspection Act, the Inspector has the right and duty to: 

• specify the deadline for the elimination of shortcomings or irregularities in the implementation of classified information regulations,
• require the competent person to present written comments on the field of inspection, which shall not refer to the contents of classified information,
• carry out procedures in accordance with the law regulating minor offences,
• inform the competent authority of criminal offences prosecuted under official duties,
• propose the opening of a disciplinary procedure against violators of regulations concerning classified information,
• prohibit access to and transmission of classified information if the security of classified information has been compromised because not all measures for their protection have been fulfilled and
• take urgent measures for the protection of classified information and if required for the transmission of information to the area or to the body determined by the National Security Authority.

An appeal against the decision by the Inspector may be filed at the Ministry of the Interior within 15 days of the decision being served. An appeal against the decision will not delay its execution. The Ministry will decide on the complaint within 30 days of the complaint being filed.

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