TFL Vsebine / Revija Revus

Pravni interes je procesna predpostavka, ki v primeru začetka postopka na podlagi pobude pomeni pogoj za dopustnost vsebinskega odločanja o ustavnosti in zakonitosti izpodbijanega predpisa. Ustava ne določa, kaj pomeni, da mora pobudnik izkazati svoj pravni interes, šele Zakon o ustavnem sodišču je natančneje določil, da je pravni interes za vložitev pobude podan, če predpis ali splošni akt za izvrševanje javnih pooblastil, katerega oceno pobudnik predlaga, neposredno posega v njegove pravice, pravne interese oziroma pravni položaj. Zakonska določba je rezultat dotedaj uveljavljene prakse ustavnega sodišča in ima omejevalni namen. Namen zahteve po izkazanem pravnem interesu je preprečiti sprožanje postopkov zoper predpise, ki pobudnikov sploh ne zadevajo oziroma jih ne zadevajo neposredno in konkretno. Stalnica v ustavnosodni praksi je poudarjanje, da je pravni interes potrebno restriktivno razlagati, saj je funkcija pravnega interesa ravno v omejevanju dostopa do ustavnega sodišča. Omejevalni namen je v sami naravi pravnega interesa, pravni interes pomeni oviro, zaradi katere pobuda ne more biti actio popularis. Ob upoštevanju vedno večje preobremenjenosti ustavnega sodišča in glede na to, da imajo posamezniki možnost dostopa do ustavnega sodišča še prek ustavne pritožbe, je restriktivni pristop k razlagi pravnega interesa utemeljen. Po drugi strani pa vlaganja pobud ni dopustno onemogočati s takšno razlago pravnega interesa, da ga v neki situaciji nihče ne bi izkazoval. Bistveno vprašanje je torej, koliko restriktivna razlaga pravnega interesa je še dopustna.

In order for the constitutional review procedure to start on the basis of an initiative must an initiator demonstrate his or her legal interest. Legal interest is a procedural requirement that must be complied with if the Constitutional Court is to decide the merits of the case. The Constitution does not say what it means that each initiator must show his or her legal interest, only the Constitutional Court Act has determined that legal interest for filing a constitutional review initiative is given if the impugned regulation or general legal act directly encroaches upon initiator’s rights, legal interest or legal position. This statute provision is the result of the Constitutional Court’s jurisprudence and has a restrictive purpose. The intention of the legal interest requirement is to prevent the constitutional review procedures in respect of statutes or regulations which do not concern initiators directly and concretely. The Constitution Court has stressed many times that legal interest should be interpreted restrictively, its purpose is namely to limit the access to the Constitutional Court. It is in the nature of legal interest that it has a restrictive intent, it actually represents an obstacle due to which an initiative cannot be action popularis. Considering the growing number of cases and the fact that individuals may access the Constitutional Court also through the constitutional complaint procedure, it becomes clear that restrictive interpretation of legal interest is founded. On the other hand any interpretation that would make initiatives impossible is not constitutionally permissible. The principal question is therefore what restrictive interpretation of legal interest is still allowed.