Thousands to get lockdown fine refunds.

Perhaps, this was one of the most expensive fast-food items ever consumed in the city of Ljubljana.

The price of this particular burek, which is a Balkan cross between a pie and a pasty, is €400 (£350) for a hungry delivery rider. During the first lockdown of the Covid in the Slovenian capital, he was arrested on the steps of a church after he sat down to eat his snack on the steps.

It was caught on camera that the scene unfolded. An image of police surrounding a worker who was taking food to others – for the crime of slipping off his mask and taking a quick bite of his own – quickly became a cause celebre worldwide as a result of the press coverage.

The incident was seen by the public as a symbol of the harsh manner in which the Covid restrictions were being enforced by the authorities.

The rider will now be able to get his money back as well as get his police record cleared. Additionally, there are more than 60,000 Slovenians who have been affected by the anti-Covid measures on a daily basis.

A total of almost €6m (£5.2m) worth of fines have been issued by the police over a period of more than two years. It is good news that legislation is coming into effect this week that will allow that money to be refunded.

A pledge made by Prime Minister Robert Golob before his centre-left Freedom Movement was elected last year has been fulfilled by the bill.

A previous right-wing administration, led by the former prime minister Janez Jana, had implemented strict restrictions regarding the freedom of movement and assembly in the country.