On 18 June 2025, the members of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia did not support the proposal of the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Nataša Pirc Musar, who proposed the current Deputy Ombudsman, Dr Dijana Možina Zupanc, for election to the position of Human Rights Ombudsman. The doctor of law with many years of experience in the field of human rights, sustainable development, international cooperation, and the operation of independent institutions was supported by 53 members of the National Assembly, while 6 voted against.

In a statement to the media after the vote, Možina Zupanc thanked the President of the Republic for the trust she had shown. "I accepted the invitation to help with all responsibility, as I felt it was my duty in the given situation. My sincere thanks also to everyone who stood by me in this process – with open dialogue, support, or encouraging words. This experience was valuable and I am grateful for the opportunity to stand up for the values ​​I believe in," she said.  

As she emphasised, today revealed something more than merely the result of the vote. It has revealed that human rights and the distress of people are not high enough on the scale of political priorities. “I do not perceive the result of the vote as a vote of no confidence in me personally, but as a reflection of the attitude towards the question of how we as a community value rights – especially the rights of the most vulnerable,” she added. According to her, without a human rights ombudsman, society is losing the voice that speaks on behalf of those who need it most. “Such a situation represents a serious democratic deficit. It would be difficult to describe it as productive – much less constructive. Independent institutions, which should be a bulwark against government interference, are running in neutral and cannot effectively address individual or systemic irregularities. This weakens their legitimacy, and public trust in their operations is also decreasing,” she pointed out, stressing that human rights are not a matter for one person or one function, but rather the daily task of all.

She believes that in order to protect human rights one should strive or fight with persistence, fairness, and confidence. "Hence, I persist on this path and continue with determination in the role of Deputy Human Rights Ombudsman – with the greatest possible empathy, professionalism, and awareness of the importance of our institution. At the same time, I sincerely hope that the Ombudsman gets its head with a full, legitimate mandate as soon as possible. Only thus will the institution be able to perform its constitutional and legal tasks: responding appropriately to complex social challenges and, bringing attention to human rights violations caused by authorities or holders of public authority with authority and conviction," Možina Zupanc emphasises.