Human Rights Ombudsman Zdenka Cebasek Travnik and Public Administration Minister Gregor Virant on Thursday discussed three issues the ombudsman considers to be the most critical: backlogs in administrative procedures, ineffectiveness of inspectorates, and insufficient involvement of the public in the legislative process.

Virant said that backlogs in the public administration were lesser then in the judiciary, while they were still present, primarily in regarding complaints.

The current government inherited a poor condition and extremely long waiting periods for the processing of complaints referring to building permits, taxes, and at the Labour Ministry, said Virant.

According to him, backlogs should be eliminated by mid-2008, as they are decreasing in all areas. The Environment Ministry has processed nearly all complaints in construction, while the Finance Ministry has managed to halve waiting periods, although they are still too long, said Virant.

Regarding inspectorates, Virant said his ministry now coordinated the work of all main inspectors. The ministry also set up a model to measure the success and efficiency of inspectorates.

Virant agreed with Cebasek Travnik that the most critical was the environment and spatial planning inspectorate, saying that the inspectorate needed new staff. The issue is however in the hands of the relevant minister, he added.

Regarding legislative procedure, Virant said that the ministry was preparing detailed instructions to ministries on how to include stakeholders in the crafting of legislation.

Cebasek Travnik said that stakeholders were not involved sufficiently in the process, quoting the Health Ministry as an example.

The bill on mental health has still not been adopted by the government, while the Ombudsman's Office still has some remarks regarding the bill on patient's rights, she explained.