After the family law was rejected in Sunday's referendum (55% against and 45% in favour), parliament is prohibited for a year from passing legislation that would counter the referendum decision. Labour, the Family and Social Affairs Minister Andrej Vizjak said his ministry would present "compromise solutions" in a year.

Human Rights Ombudsman Dr. Zdenka Čebašek - Travnik, who had endorsed the law, told the STA that despite the one-year ban on new legislation it was crucial to find solutions for the most pressing issues: a children's rights advocate and a ban on corporeal punishment.

"Things that are important for children are so important they cannot be deferred," she said, adding that her office would urge the ministry to present a roadmap. "For some of the recommendations that we have made, two years or more is absolutely too long."