Residents of Štepanjsko naselje in Ljubljana have filed a lawsuit against the City Municipality of Ljubljana over a newly introduced paid parking regime, arguing that it unlawfully interferes with their property rights and daily life. The initiative seeks suspension of the measure and restoration of the previous system, while also mobilizing broader community action to address what they describe as worsening parking conditions in the neighborhood.
Parking Regime Sparks Legal Challenge
On Wednesday, February 11, 2026, inhabitants of Štepanjsko naselje submitted both a disturbance of possession lawsuit and a complaint of interference with property rights against the City Municipality of Ljubljana at the District Court.
The legal action follows the mid-January introduction of a paid parking system in the neighborhood, where residents previously had the option to obtain free parking permits. Under the new structure, permits are free only until the end of June, after which they become payable according to Ljubljana’s pricing zones.
Members of the residents’ initiative stated that they want the municipality to stop enforcing the current regime and restore possession as it was before, claiming that the new regulations sharply restrict their neighborhood’s use and access. They have collected over 700 authorizations for the lawsuit, representing more than one-third of all apartments in the area.
Residents’ Complaints and Claims
Representatives of the Iniciativa za Štepanjsko naselje argue that the new parking and pedestrian zone regime severely restricts daily life and encroaches on plots of land that are still in legal processes of condominium establishment and land determination. They contend that the city has no right to intervene on these lands until those procedures conclude.
According to the initiative’s spokesperson, the neighborhood — traditionally a residential area — now forces residents to pay for parking, endure constant enforcement by wardens issuing fines, and encounter blocked access due to bollards. “This is not order; this is terror,” they stated.
Members of the group also claim that the municipality has economic interests in the neighborhood’s land, citing ongoing construction projects that reduce green spaces and parking areas. They argue that green spaces are shrinking and residents’ property values are declining as a result.
Collective Action and Broader Community Response
In addition to the lawsuit, the initiative has taken steps to request a community assembly for the Golovec district, asserting that there are nearly 1,000 too few parking spaces in the neighborhood. This move is intended to persuade municipal authorities to listen to residents’ suggestions for easing the worsening parking situation.
Some householders have also expressed concern about property managers withholding authorizations for the lawsuit due to fear of municipal retaliation, and discussions have begun in several apartment blocks about possibly taking action against property managers themselves.
