I. INSTITUTIONAL MATTERS

Between 1 January 1998 and 31 August 1998 a total of 2.174complaints were addressed to the Human Rights Ombudsman of Slovenia(not including complaints from 1997 that had not been concluded - 512 -and cases reopened in 1998). The largest number of complaints which theOmbudsman received in first eight months of this year are related tojudicial and police procedures (560 complaints) and administrativeaffairs (476 complaints).

A lot of public interest and broad media coverage raised theOmbudsman´s report on the situation in Slovenian prisons. During visitsto prisons across Slovenia we carried out a very detailed inspections.After each of these visits we compiled a wide-ranging report detailingour findings, proposals and recommendations for improving conditions.We sent these reports to the institution concerned as well as to theMinistry of Justice. Ombudsman´s statements also raised a great publicawareness for the procedures in the psychiatric clinics, especially incases of detention against a person´s will.

In the recent time the Ombudsman has raised again the question ofcomplaint possibilities in the area of healt care and especiallystressed the right of every single person to be informed about thecomplaint possibilities, which must contain simple instructions and beaccessible to everybody.

The Ombudsman is also dealing very much with the question of the rightto information, particularly from the point of view of transparency andopenness of the state bodies as far as information of a public natureis concerned in respect of all citizens. Mr. Bizjak presented thistheme as a main speaker at the Second National Assembly of the PublicRelations Society of Slovenia.

II. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

1. Participation at the European regional colloquy

The Human Rights Ombudsman of Slovenia Mr. Ivan Bizjak participated atthe European regional colloquy AIn our hands, organized from 2-4September 1998 in Strasbourg by the Council of Europe as a contributionto the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the UniversalDeclaration of Human Rights and the 1998 review of the implementationof the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. The participantswere addressed, among the others, also by Mrs. Mary Robinson, UnitedNations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The main topics of theEuropean regional colloquy were Protection and responses to structuralor large-scale human rights violations, Social rights: the challenge ofindivisibility and interdependence, Effective implementation of women´srights, Effective protection of the human rights both on the nationaland international level, and Promotion of human rights; information,education and training. Mr. Bizjak, who was very active in thediscussion group on protection of human rights at the national level,raised a lot of interest by pointing out the role of the constitutionalcourt in the field of protection of human rights. Concerning thisquestion he presented the possibility of the Human Rights Ombudsman inSlovenia where may the Ombudsman, in connection with an individual casehe is dealing with, lodge an appeal for the assessment ofconstitutionality and legality of Regulations and other Acts of generalspecific, issued for the purpose of implementing public authorities.Under conditions provided by the law, the Ombudsman may also lodge aconstitutional complaint with the Constitutional Court in relation toan individual case he is dealing with. The constitutional complaintshall be lodged after the previous consent of the person whose humanright or fundamental freedom the Ombudsman is protecting in thatparticular case.

Mr. Bizjak also mentioned in the discussion a very important preventiverole that Ombudsman has dealing with the problems which arise withvarious forms of deprivation or restriction of personal freedom, havingin mind especially people in police detention, remand prisoners,convicts serving prison sentences, people with mental disordersdetained against their will for treatment. The statement of the SloveneOmbudsman provoked a very vivid discussion.

2. Official visit to Macedonia

On the invitation of the Public Attorney of Macedonia Mr. BrankoNaumovski the Human Rights Ombudsman of Slovenia with his delegationwas from September 19 to 22 this year on the official visit toMacedonia. Mr. Bizjak met with Mr. Naumovski and members of his officewhere they discussed about the situation on the field of protection andpromotion of human rights in both countries. During his visit toMacedonia the Human Rights Ombudsman of Slovenia met with the presidentof the Macedonian Parliament, president of the Constitutional court ofMacedonia and representatives of the Supreme court of Macedonia.

II. COMMEMORATION OF THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

The Human Rights Ombudsman of Slovenia Mr. Ivan Bizjak has alsoprepared, as a contribution to the celebration of the 50th Anniversaryof the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a special edition of theDeclaration with the motto "Human Rights - your and my freedom". Thespecial edition has been printed in 50.000 copies and will be spread tothe pupils in the secondary schools, especially to those, who arefinishing the secondary school. For the reason of the campaign therehas been printed also one thousand posters. In Slovenia there are over140 secondary schools. Campaign started at the beginning of Octoberthis year.