Local Government and Regional Policy mag. Minister Zlata Plostajner met on Wednesday with Ombudsman dr. Zdenka Cebasek - Travnik to discuss the need for raising public awareness of citizens, especially those living in small and remote places, about social issues.

The minister noted that sometimes local communities were not aware of the problems of its members. The ombudsman pointed out that the poor often do not receive the required information.

Dr. Cebasek - Travnik noted that when people begin saving, their first step is usually to cancel newspaper subscriptions.

She believes that especially those living in small places should be informed in more detail on which bodies to turn to when they have a request for the local authorities. The ministry will thus look for efficient ways on how to provide information to people.

Dr. Cebasek - Travnik also believes that it would make sense to set up local offices for a few hours a week in villages with poor transport connections.

Mag. Plostajner and dr. Cebasek - Travnik also touched on the fact that the Roma community living in Grosuplje, some 20 kilometres SE of Ljubljana, still does not have its own representative in the municipality's council in spite of a legal obligation and a Constitutional Court ruling.

The minister assured the ombudsman that the government would take action if the municipality failed to solve the problem by the end of March, as it has promised.