Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih, who is temporarily heading the institution of the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia (Ombudsman), met with his colleagues in the municipality of Rogaška Slatina today, 15 October 2025. Four people who assessed that they needed the Ombudsman's assistance in exercising their rights in relation to state authorities, local community authorities or holders of public authority applied for a meeting with the Ombudsman, which took place at the municipality's premises.

On this occasion, Deputy Ombudsman Šelih also met with the deputy mayor of the municipality, Janez Božak, with whom they spoke about the problems of citizens who contact the municipality, the municipality's concern for the most vulnerable groups of residents, health and social care, and last but not least, the accessibility of the municipality to residents.

In a statement to the press after the operation, Šelih outlined the key highlights of this particular session outside the Ombudsman's headquarters. He said that the Ombudsman last operated in Rogaška Slatina in 2018, but that representatives of the National Preventive Mechanism had also visited the town several times. The latter operates within the framework of the Human Rights Ombudsman and carries out preventive visits to places where people are deprived of the possibility of free movement. Representatives of the National Preventive Mechanism have visited the police station and a retirement home several times. Since 2018, 87 people with very different problems have contacted the Ombudsman from the area that falls under the administrative unit of Šmarje pri Jelšah, which also includes the municipality of Rogaška Slatina. The Ombudsman carefully examines all the issues of citizens and residents of the wider region and helps them if they have already tried to solve their problems themselves but have encountered obstacles. On this occasion, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih also opened the Ombudsman's Corner, bringing the total to 116. As he emphasised in a press statement, the Ombudsman's Corners within the municipal premises of Slovenian municipalities are equipped with a stand where residents can find useful information about the work of the Ombudsman institution in the form of leaflets and brochures, as well as a form for submitting a complaint. When people become familiar with the work of the Ombudsman and the institution's powers, they can more easily judge when to contact the Ombudsman and what assistance can be provided to them in exercising their rights.

Information about the Ombudsman institution is available in the Ombudsman's Corners in classic printed form, as many people find it overwhelming to find what they need in the flood of information on the Internet or do not have the opportunity to do so or are not skilled in this type of communication. An easy-to-read leaflet about the Ombudsman has also been prepared, which is intended for all those who, due to their disabilities, have difficulty understanding complex texts. The Ombudsman has not forgotten all those who are skilled in surfing the Internet and, in cooperation with municipalities, has also prepared a so-called digital Ombudsman's Corner, on municipal websites, where the same information is available as in the corners set up in individual municipalities.