Human Rights Ombudsman dr. Zdenka Čebašek-Travnik told the press in Ljubljana on Tuesday that her priorities in 2012, which is the last year of her term, would be the referendum on the family law, and the issue of hate speech.

"The family law and the consequences of the referendum will most likely be in the spotlight in the first half of the year," dr. Čebašek-Travnik said.

She noted that the human rights ombudsman could not take an active part in the referendum campaign. "We can present the rights to the people, though," she said, adding that her office would organise a panel debate on the law, which is being challenged by conservative pro-family groups over the right of gay couples to adopt children.

"Should the law be rejected in a referendum, we will have to draft a plan on how to introduce some of the provisions of the law, to which I have dedicated a number of years," she said.

Ombudsman stressed that the issue of hate speech would be another priority in 2012. Her team will do everything "to clarify the concept in terms of law" and to suitably change the legislation, she said.

Among other projects, dr. Čebašek-Travnik highlighted her efforts for the introduction of a law introducing the advocate of the rights of the child, adding that her office had already launched a project dubbed "Advocate - a Child's Voice".

Some 80 people have already been qualified to become the advocate, she said, explaining that her office had devised a method for training them.