Recently, the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia (Ombudsman) has increasingly been consulted by elderly people, aged 55 or older, who claim to be discriminated against with regard to digital vouchers '22, as they are subject to an additional condition when redeeming vouchers. Namely, compared to other (younger) beneficiaries, elderly people are to receive training in digital competences. Moreover, they are prohibited from combining vouchers with their spouse, cohabiting partner, children, grandchildren, or brothers and sisters.

When considering several initiatives related to alleged discrimination against the elderly with regard to digital vouchers, the Ombudsman contacted the Office of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for Digital Transformation (SVDP) and set out its position on the complaint raised and the alleged discrimination. The Ombudsman is critical of the additional condition of participation in the training programme to obtain the '22 voucher, as it is based on age and not actual need. Therefore, the additional condition, unjustifiably and based on personal circumstances (age), limits people aged 55 or older who may already have (at least basic) digital knowledge. According to the Ombudsman, the condition should be based on the assessment of the digital competences of the beneficiaries, irrespective of their age, as only actual knowledge constitutes an objective criterion. Moreover, the ombudsman holds that the fact that people aged 55 or older have much less time to use vouchers than other beneficiaries is contentious. Regarding the ban on combining digital vouchers, the Ombudsman proposed to SVDP to consider the possibilities of amending the Promotion of Digital Inclusion Act (ZSDV) so that, pursuant to the principle of equality before the law, people aged 55 or older are given the opportunity to combine digital vouchers with their spouse, cohabiting partner, children, grandchildren, or brothers and sisters.

The Ombudsman looks forward to early preparation of an amendment to the Promotion of Digital Inclusion Act (ZSDV), according to which people aged 55 or older will be able to obtain a voucher '22 without fulfilling the additional condition of participation in training. Moreover, the Ombudsman expects the possibility of combining digital vouchers to be regulated for the elderly. The Office of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for Digital Transformation has already informed the Ombudsman that both proposals will be examined and considered by an interdepartmental working group, which will prepare amendments to the Act.