Human Rights Ombudsman Dr Zdenka Cebasek - Travnik pointed out at a press conference in Ljubljana on Tuesday that the state was not tackling environmental issues properly. The Environment Ministry and its bodies are not responsive enough and it takes too long for problems to be solved, she said.

The ombudsman believes the state should be proactive when it comes to environmental laws. "Environmental legislation has numerous flaws. The state knows about this, but very little or nothing happens," Dr Cebasek - Travnik told the press.

She said that she was aware that there were not enough inspectors in the country, "but this cannot and should not be an excuse for such delays".

She pointed to pollution in the Celje basin in the east-central Slovenia, which she believes is being tackled too slowly. Many people in the area have health problems due to the pollution, she said, adding that there were several cases which need quick and effective solutions.

The ombudsman also said that her complaints related to environmental issues "are being processed too slowly".

Deputy ombudsman Mag Kornelija Marzel highlighted as a major issue the non-response of the Inspectorate for the Environment and Spatial Planning to some 500 unanswered requests concerning water areas.

She moreover pointed to the problem of cleaning cesspits in mountain cottages in areas over 1500m above sea level and the quality of water in the mountains.

Dr Cebasek Travnik also noted at today's press conference that judicial experts in Slovenia sometimes lacked the necessary expertise and were biased in their assessments. She said that in one case a judicial expert formed their opinion on forged health documents, which influenced a court's decision, for which nobody was punished.

The ombudsman was also critical of the work of the state prosecution service in the same case.