Ombudsman Matjaz Hanzek on Thursday discussed the human rightssituation in Serbia with Cedomir Jovanovic, a former Serbian deputy PMwho was a close associate of the assassinated Serbian Prime MinisterZoran Djindjic.

The founder of the Belgrade-based Centre for Modern Politics,Jovanovic is paying a two-day visit to Slovenia at the invitation ofthe Ljubljana International Institute for Middle East and BalkanStudies (IFIMES).

The institute said that he and the Slovenian ombudsman agreedthat Hanzek would visit Belgrade in November to attend a conferenceaimed at promoting human rights and the establishment of a human rightsombudsman's office in Serbia. The event is organised by the Centre forModern Politics.

While in Ljubljana, Jovanovic is expected to meet severalSlovenian politicians and representatives of NGOs. He would like tolearn about Slovenia's experience in joining the EU and NATO as well asexperience with the media in the period of transition. He believesSerbia should benefit from Slovenian experience and experts who wereinvolved in integration processes.

Source: STA, 22 July 2004