VARUH ČLOVEKOVIH PRAVIC / LETNO POROČILO / OVITEK 2015 / PANTONE 3405 BLACK 2015 Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia ISSN 1318–9255 Dunajska cesta 56, 1109 Ljubljana ANNUAL REPORT Telephone: +386 1 475 00 50 OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN Fax: + 386 1 475 00 40 E-mail: [email protected] OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA www.varuh-rs.si FOR 2015 WITH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA FOR 2015 2015 FOR OF THE REPUBLIC SLOVENIA OMBUDSMAN OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT ANNUAL ANNUAL REPORT ANNUAL REPORT OF THE NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM FOR 2015 PREVENTIVE MECHANISM FOR OF THE NATIONAL REPORT ANNUAL OF THE NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM FOR 2015 ABRIDGED VERSIONS 2 Annual Report of the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia for 2015 with Annual Report of the National Preventive Mechanism for 2015 ABRIDGED VERSIONS Ljubljana, September 2016 3 4 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA FOR 2015 NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA Mr Milan Brglez, President Šubičeva 4 1102 Ljubljana Mr President, In accordance with Article 43 of the Human Rights Ombudsman Act I am sending you the tweny-first Regular Report referring to the work of the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia in 2015. I would like to present personally in accordance with Article 44 of the Human Rights Ombudsman Act, at the session of the National Assembly, the Summary report and findings concerning the level of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and the legal protection of citizens in the Republic of Slovenia. Yours respectfully, Vlasta Nussdorfer Human Rights Ombudsman Number: 0103 - 15 / 2016 Date: 11 May 2016 Vlasta Nussdorfer Human Rights Ombudsman Phone: +386 1 475 00 00 Fax: +386 1 475 00 40 E-mail: [email protected] WWW.VARUH-RS.SI ANNUAL REPORT OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA FOR 2015 5 1 INTRODUCTION 11 2 WORK CONTENT AND REVIEW OF CASES DISCUSSED 25 2.1 CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS 27 2.1.1 General observations 27 2.1.2 Realisation of the Ombudsman’s recommendations 27 2.1.3 Freedom of conscience 29 2.1.4 Ethics of public discourse 29 2.1.5 Assembly and association 31 2.1.6 Voting rights 32 2.1.7 Protection of privacy and personal data 33 2.2 DISCRIMINATION 35 2.2.1 General observations 35 2.2.2 Realisation of the Ombudsman’s recommendations 36 2.2.3 Mechanisms to protect against discrimination and the organisation of the state 37 2.2.4 National and ethnic minorities 38 2.2.5 Special rights of national communities 38 2.2.6. Equal opportunities relating to sexual orientation 40 2.2.7 Equal opportunities relating to physical or mental disability (invalidity) 40 2.3 RESTRICTION OF PERSONAL LIBERTY 43 2.3.1 General observations 43 2.3.2 Realisation of the Ombudsman’s recommendations 44 2.3.3 Detainees 46 2.3.4 Prisoners 47 2.3.5 Forensic Psychiatry Unit (Unit) 51 2.3.6 Persons with restricted movement at psychiatric hospitals and social care institutions 54 2.3.7 Minors in residential treatment institutions and special education institutions 56 2.3.8 Aliens and applicants for international protection 58 2.4 JUSTICE 61 2.4.1 General findings 61 2.4.2 Realisation of the Ombudsman’s recommendations 62 2.4.3 Judicial proceedings 63 2.4.4 Minor offence proceedings 72 2.4.5 Prosecution service 74 2.4.6 Attorneys and notaries 76 2.5 POLICE PROCEEDINGS 81 2.5.1 General observations 81 2.5.2 Realisation of the Ombudsman’s recommendations 81 6 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA FOR 2015 2.5.3 Findings from complaints considered 82 2.5.4 Police Tasks and Powers Act 85 2.5.5 Changes of forms of deprivation of liberty and detention 85 2.5.6 Resolving complaints about the work of police officers 85 2.5.7 Private security and traffic warden services 87 2.6 ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS 89 2.6.1 Realisation of the Ombudsman’s recommendations 89 2.6.2 Denationalisation 90 2.6.3 Taxes 90 2.6.4 Residence registration 91 2.6.5 Municipal roads on private land 91 2.6.6 Inspection procedures 92 2.6.7 Legal property matters 92 2.6.8 Aliens and citizenship 92 2.6.9 The Ombudsman’s response to the so-called migrant crisis 103 2.7 ENVIRONMENT AND SPATIAL PLANNING 105 2.7.1 General observations 105 2.7.2 Realisation of the Ombudsman’s recommendations 106 2.7.3 Odours 107 2.7.4 Openness, transparency and public access 107 2.7.5 Water-related issues and land with water use 108 2.7.6 Noise 109 2.7.7 Inspection procedures 110 2.8 PUBLIC UTILITY SERVICES 111 2.8.1 General observations 111 2.9 HOUSING MATTERS 113 2.9.1 General observations 113 2.9.2 Realisation of the Ombudsman’s recommendations 114 2.9.3 Homelessness 114 2.9.4 Subsidising rents 115 2.10 EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS 117 2.10.1 General observations 117 2.10.2 Realisation of the Ombudsman’s recommendations 117 2.10.3 Round table: Let us open the doors to young people – enforcing labour rights 118 2.10.4 Problem of issuing A1 forms for workers posted abroad 119 2.10.5 Inspection procedures 120 2.10.6 Workers in the public sector 120 2.10.7 Violations of employees’ rights in Slovenian Armed Forces 121 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA FOR 2015 7 2.11 PENSION AND DISABILITY INSURANCE 123 2.11.1 General observations 123 2.11.2 Pension insurance 123 2.11.3 Disability insurance 125 2.12 HEALTH CARE AND HEALTH INSURANCE 127 2.12.1 General observations 127 2.12.2 Health Services Act 128 2.12.3 Ljubljana University Medical Centre ignores the Ombudsman’s queries 128 2.12.4 Patient Rights Act 129 2.12.5 Euthanasia as a human right 130 2.12.6 Health Care and Health Insurance Act 131 2.13 SOCIAL MATTERS 135 2.13.1 Unacceptable delay when preparing expert groundwork for the Act on Social Inclusion 136 2.13.2 Payment of social transfers 136 2.13.3 Contentious provisions of the Exercise of Rights from Public Funds Act 137 2.13.4 Poor records and incorrect clarifications of the Ministry 138 2.13.5 Ineligible use of social benefits is sanctioned inappropriately 139 2.13.6 Preventing contacts between relatives is a form of violence against the elderly 140 2.13.7 Institutional care 141 2.14 UNEMPLOYMENT 143 2.14.1 General observations 143 2.14.2 Training and employment of the unemployed 144 2.14.3 Treatment of the unemployed 144 2.15 CHILDREN’S RIGHTS 147 2.15.1 General observations 147 2.15.2 Advocate – A Child’s Voice Project 148 2.15.3 Family relationships 149 2.15.4 Position of children in court proceedings 151 2.15.5 Rights of children in kindergartens and schools 154 2.15.6 Compensation for the transfer of a child to another sports club 159 2.15.7 Scholarships 160 2.15.8 Children with special needs 160 2.15.9 Right to participation 162 2.15.10 Children in the media 163 2.16 OTHER 165 8 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA FOR 2015 3 INFORMATION ABOUT THE OMBUDSMAN’S WORK 167 3.1 STARTING POINTS FOR THE OMBUDSMAN’S WORK 167 3.1.1 History of the institution’s work 167 3.1.2 The Ombudsman as a constitutional category 167 3.1.3 Election and position of the Ombudsman and her Deputies 168 3.1.4 Legal bases for the Ombudsman’s work 169 3.1.5 The Ombudsman’s work is also determined by other acts 170 3.1.6 Operation of the Ombudsman as the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) 170 3.1.7 Advocate – A Child’s Voice Project 171 3.2 THE METHODS OF THE OMBUDSMAN’S WORK 171 3.2.1 Accessibility of the institution 171 3.2.2 Meetings outside the head office 172 3.2.3 Discussion of complaints 173 3.2.4 Communication with state and local authorities 175 3.2.5 Communication with non-governmental organisations and civil society 182 3.3 MEDIA AND THE PUBLIC 185 3.4 INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION 198 3.5 SERVICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN 205 3.6 STATISTICS 207 3.7 FINANCES 217 4 COMPILATION OF THE OMBUDSMAN’S RECOMMENDATIONS IN 2015 220 5 IMPLEMENTATION OF DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM 227 5.1 General 227 5.2 Act ratifying the Optional Protocol 227 5.3 Activities of the NPM 228 5.4 Brief statistics on NPM visits in 2015 229 5.5 Realisation of NPM recommendations 232 5.6 International and other activities of the NPM 234 5.7 Conclusion 234 5.8 Review of NPM visits in 2015 235 5.9 Review of other NPM activities in 2015 244 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA FOR 2015 9 10 1 1 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.