Known Names of All Candidates for the Human Rights Ombudsman

"There is an increasing sense that Slovenia is distancing itself from the ideal of a legal and social state and is becoming a society dominated by individual interests," Peter Svetina was critical during the presentation of the annual report in the National Assembly, the last in his term as the Human Rights Ombudsman. He wishes to remain in this position for another six years, and in addition to him, 11 other candidates have applied following the call from the President of the Republic. However, currently, it does not seem that anyone can gather the 60 votes from the deputies.

According to Peter Svetina, the year 2023 once again showed that necessary and urgent changes in society are happening extremely slowly, and this slowness of reforms "causes a sense of powerlessness among residents, who too often feel the inefficiency of the state and the poor functioning of its subsystems, especially healthcare, education, social services, and also the judiciary."

Based on the number of initiatives, the area of healthcare is particularly critical, with many unanswered questions remaining, worsening the accessibility of healthcare services. "The issues that initiators bring to us point to system anomalies that require a serious approach," emphasized the ombudsman, who made 86 new recommendations in the report and warned that many are repeated, but ministries remain inactive regarding their implementation.

Great Interest in the Ombudsman Position

In the six years of his leadership, which ends on February 23, 2025, the institution has handled more than 30,000 cases and identified more than 1,600 violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Svetina has "the desire, will, energy, and experience for another term," as he wrote in a letter to the President of the Republic Nataša Pirc Musar. Eleven more or less known names are also vying for the position: lecturer and migration researcher at the Faculty of Social Sciences Dr. Simona Zavratnik, head of the diplomatic academy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Andraž Zidar, advocate of the principle of equality Miha Lobnik, director of the Legal Center for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment Katarina Bervar Sternad, former director of the Office for Nationalities Stanko Baluh. State Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office Maša Kociper was proposed by a group of mediators with the first signatory Aleš Zalar, former Minister of Justice, former senior state prosecutor Vlasta Nussdorfer, who was the ombudsman from 2013 to 2019, the Science and Research Center (ZRS) Koper, neurologist Dr. Zvezdan Pirtovšek by the association Spominčica – Alzheimer Slovenia. The list of candidates also includes senior state attorney Jana Morela, lawyer Boštjan Pintar, who ran for constitutional judge in 2020, sociologist Dr. Valerija Korošec, an expert on universal basic income.

To be elected, the candidate proposed by the president must obtain a two-thirds majority in a secret parliamentary vote – Svetina received as many as 89 votes in 2019 – but the parties have not yet declared who they favor the most. In the coming weeks, they are expected to meet with the candidates, and Nataša Pirc Musar is expected to consult with parliamentary groups in December. Although there is still some time until then, doubts are emerging whether anyone will manage to convince 60 deputies. What would happen if a new ombudsman is not confirmed by February 23? The office responded that, according to the law, one of the four deputies would temporarily take over the leadership of the institution.