On Wednesday, 27 June 2018, the Council of the Human Rights Ombudsman met for its first meeting. Its establishment, tasks and objectives are defined in Article 50a of the Human Rights Ombudsman Act (ZVarCP – official consolidated version 2). It is an advisory body of the Ombudsman for promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms and strengthening legal security, which operates according to the principle of professional autonomy.

It consists of the Chairperson and 16 members. Seven members are representatives of civil society, three are representatives of science, and two are representatives of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia. The Advocate of the Principle of Equality, the Information Commissioner, the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia and the National Council of the Republic of Slovenia each have one member.

The following were appointed to the Council of the Ombudsman:
a)    as representatives of civil society:

    Mag. Ivan Bizjak
    Prim. mag. Anton Gradišek, dr. med.
    Darja Groznik
    Karel Lipič
    Denis Miklavčič
    Violeta Neubauer
    Mag. Sebastijan Valentan

b)    as representatives of science:

    Dr. Jernej Letnar Černič
    Dr. Igor Pribac
    Dr. Neža Kogovšek Šalamon

c)    as representatives of state bodies:

    Aldijana Ahmetović, National Council of the Republic of Slovenia
    Alenka Jerše, Information Commissioner of the Republic of Slovenia
    Mag. Milena Krnec Horvat, Government of the Republic of Slovenia
    Simon Maljevac, mag., Advocate of the Principle of Equality
    Peter Pavlin, Government of the Republic of Slovenia
    Nataša Voršič, National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia


The term of the Council’s members is linked to the Ombudsman’s term of office. The law stipulates that the Council is chaired by the Deputy Ombudsman, and the Ombudsman has authorised her deputy, Dr. Kornelija Marzel for this function for a specific term.

In addition to the Ombudsman and the Deputy Ombudsman, the Ombudsman was also represented by Mag. Lea Javornik, advisor to the Ombudsman, Liana Kalčina, advisor to the Ombudsman for international relations, analyses and publications, and Nataša Kuzmič, advisor to the Ombudsman for public relations.

At the first meeting, the Ombudsman, the Chairperson of the Council and the members took note of the legal bases for the establishment of the Council, the objectives and purposes of its operation, got acquainted with each other and discussed the proposal for the Council's Rules of Procedure. They decided to meet again in early September, when they will also focus their attention on some substantive topics in the field of human rights.