After discussing the 2002 annual ombudsman report on Wednesday, MPs passed several recommendations to the government, among other urging it to study the possibility of establishing a special independent institution that would fight discrimination.

In his report, Ombudsman Matjaz Hanzek pointed out that human rights violations reported at his office are similar every year. He has seen that state institutions are sluggish to change while the employees in state institutions care too little about the people in need.

In a bid to improve the situation, the MPs passed recommendations on the respect of human rights and legal protection in the state, constitutional rights and the safeguarding of personal data.

Further recommendations refer to the restriction of personal freedom, police procedure, administration affairs, health insurance and health security. A special chapter deals with justice, children's rights and domestic violence.

The ombudsman has also proposed the establishment of an institution that would systematically deal with all sorts of discrimination, because he found that the groups living on the margins of the society do not turn to his office for help.

The parliament proposed that the government draft a strategy of anti-discrimination and study the possibility to establish a special independent institution that would fight discrimination in all fields.

The MPs also addressed the discrimination of the Roma community, which the government is to improve with comprehensive legislation.

The justice minister, judiciary, state prosecution and lawyers have been called upon to take a more efficient approach in order to do away with court backlogs and guarantee trials within a reasonable period of time in all cases, including execution of sentences and those related to land register.