Why are we here?

The Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia (the Ombudsman) limits the arbitrary power of the authorities to interfere with the human rights and fundamental freedoms of individuals and certain groups.

In its work, the Ombudsman is not limited to direct violations of the human rights and freedoms set out in the Constitution, but can act in the event of any violation of any individual right by the authorities.

It can also intervene in cases of unfair and poor management of individuals by those who exercise power. Through its work, it has a significant impact on the development and improvement of the legal and administrative culture in relations between public authorities and individuals.

The Ombudsman is an autonomous and independent body in relation to other State bodies. The Ombudsman's organisation and work are governed by rules of procedure and other general acts, in accordance with the law.

The Ombudsman's influence is informal and he does not have decision-making powers, so his strength is also based on his engagement with the public. The Ombudsman does not use the argument of power, but the power of argument. He presents the arguments in different ways to communicate with the public.

When is it appropriate to contact us?

If you feel that your rights have been infringed by an act of a public authority, local authority or public authority, you can contact the Ombudsman. You can do this by submitting a petition.

Before you complain in writing, you should try to solve your problem yourself. You can do this by

1. 1. complain to the authority that violated your right,
2. 2. complain to the body that supervises the work of the body that has infringed your right
3. 3. pursue any other possible remedies.

What is a petition?

A petition is a description of your problem. It is also a description of all the steps you took to solve the problem until you no longer knew how to proceed.

You can write your petition as a simple letter on a white sheet of paper paper. Try to describe your problem as fully as possible, indicating which rights you claim to have been violated and attach documentation that confirms or evidence of what you are claiming.

Sign the petition and include contact details where you can be reached. The Ombudsman does not deal with anonymous petitions.

Does the procedure cost anything?

You do not need a lawyer to submit a written petition.

The procedure is free and informal.

Which language should I use to file my petition?

The Ombudsman operates in Slovenian, but you can submit your petition in your mother tongue if you do not speak Slovenian.

What can and cannot be done?

What can we do?

• warn the offender to correct or remedy the infringement; or propose compensation for the damage.
• we can submit a request to the Constitutional Court on your behalf and with your authorisation to review the constitutionality and legality of certain regulations or acts, or lodge a constitutional complaint for a breach of a right.
• we can petition the government or parliament to amend laws and regulations.
• suggest to all bodies under its jurisdiction that they improve their operations and relations with their clients.
• provide each authority with our opinion from the point of view of the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the matter before it, regardless of the type or stage of the proceedings pending before those authorities.

What can't we do?

• remedy infringements or irregularities instead of a particular state authority, local authority or holder of public powers. The person who has committed the infringement or irregularity must also put an end to it.
• We cannot deal with matters that are pending before a court, except in exceptional cases.
• We cannot overrule decisions of authorities (for example, a court)
• cannot intervene in cases where rights are being violated, e.g. by a private company, as it has no legal powers over the private sector. In such cases, it can put pressure on state authorities, local authorities and public authority holders who supervise the work of the private company or private individual.