The Ombudsman addressed the competitors and audience at the national dance championship in Medvode Sports Hall, which was organised by the DanceSport Federation of Slovenia, and handed out the awards to the winners. 33. 30 June 2015 Deputy Ombudsman mag. Kornelija Marzel met representatives of the Trade Union of Slovenian Mobile Workers at the Ombudsman’s head office. 34. 2 July 2015 The regular monthly meeting with representatives of civil society in the field of the environment and spatial planning took place in Ankaran, focusing on environmental issues on Slovenia’s coast. 35. 16 July 2015 At the Ombudsman’s head office, Deputy Ombudsman mag. Kornelija Marzel, Martina Ocepek, Director of the Expert Service, and Jožica Matjašič, the Ombudsman’s adviser, met representatives of the Ministry of Infrastructure, the Proteus Association – the Bela Krajina environmental movement and the civil initiative against the construction of transmitters in various settlements in Slovenia. Date Description of event 50. 23 November 2015 The Ombudsman addressed the participants of the bazaar of the Centre KORAK for Persons with Acquired Brain Injury at Brdo Congress Centre. 51. 26 November 2015 Deputy Ombudsman mag. Kornelija Marzel attended a round table in Koper entitled ‘Homelessness Here and Now’. 52. 28 November 2015 The Ombudsman opened the 22nd International Charity Bazaar SILA at Ljubljana Exhibition and Convention Centre. 53. 3 December 2015 The Ombudsman attended a reception at the Presidential Palace hosted by Borut Pahor, President of the Republic of Slovenia, to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. 54. 8 December 2015 Deputy Ombudsman Tone Dolčič gave a lecture at a panel discussion on violence against the disabled, which was organised by the VIZIJA – the Association of the Physically Disabled. The Ombudsman and her Deputy Tone Dolčič met representatives of NGOs, which detect certain deficiencies in providing comprehensive child care at a regular meeting with the Centre for Advocacy and Information on the Rights of Children and Youth (Centre ZIPOM). 55. 9 December 2015 Deputy Ombudsman Jernej Rovšek attended a celebration organised by the United Nations Association of Slovenia to mark Human Rights Day. 56. 15 December 2015 37. 29 July 2015 The Ombudsman and Deputy Tone Dolčič held an introductory meeting with the new President of the Slovenian Federation of Pensioners’ Associations, Anton Donko, and Vice-President Vera Pečnik. At the Ombudsman’s head office, the Ombudsman received the Peace Light of Bethlehem from representatives of the Slovenian Catholic Girl Guides and Boy Scouts Association. 57. 18 December 2015 38. 2 September 2015 Human Rights Ombudsman Vlasta Nussdorfer, Deputy Tone Dolčič, the Executive Director of UNICEF Slovenia, Tomaž Bergoč, and promoter Boštjan Gorenc - Pižama presented UNICEF safe points at UNICEF’s press conference held at the Ombudsman’s head office. The Ombudsman attended a reception at the Presidential Palace for representatives of humanitarian organisations, which was organised by Borut Pahor, President of the Republic of Slovenia. 58. 23 December 2015 39. 8 September 2015 The Ombudsman attended the panel discussion entitled ‘For safe old age’, which was organised by Alma Mater Europaea – ECM in Maribor. At the Ombudsman’s head office, the Ombudsman, Deputy mag. Kornelija Marzel, Martina Ocepek, Director of the Expert Service, and Sabina Dolič, Ombudsman’s adviser, met representatives of civil society dealing with the environment and spatial planning. 40. 10 September 2015 The Ombudsman was a guest as part of the ‘NE-ODVISEN.SI – Those two words’ programme at Ipavec Cultural Centre in Šentjur pri Celju. 41. 16 September 2015 The Ombudsman was a guest as part of the ‘NE-ODVISEN.SI – Those two words’ programme in Slovenske Konjice. 42. 19 September 2015 The Ombudsman attended a charity concert in Cankarjev dom for the Slovenian Red Cross and the Blood Transfusion Centre of Slovenia. 43. 25 September 2015 The Ombudsman, Deputies Jernej Rovšek and Ivan Šelih, the Director of the Expert Service, Martina Ocepek, and the Ombudsman’s advisers met with representatives of civil society dealing with the issue of aliens and refugees. 44. 26 September 2015 The Ombudsman attended a formal event to mark the 20th anniversary of the Association of Patients with Blood Diseases in Mengeš Cultural House. 45. 15 October 2015 The Ombudsman greeted the participants at a ceremony marking the 15th anniversary of the VIZIJA – the Association of the Physically Disabled in the House of Culture in Slovenske Konjice. 46. 20 October 2015 The Ombudsman, Deputy mag. Kornelija Marzel and the Director of the Expert Service, Martina Ocepek, hosted a meeting of civil society dealing with the environment and spatial planning; the special guest was Irena Majcen, Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning. 47. 29 October 2015 As part of the European Year for Development project, Deputy Ombudsman Jernej Rovšek lectured on international institutions and mechanisms for human rights protection in Trubar Literature House in Ljubljana. 48. 19 November 2015 The Ombudsman, Deputy mag. Kornelija Marzel and the Director of the Expert Service, Martina Ocepek, attended a meeting of civil society dealing with the environment and spatial planning, which took place in Vrhnika. 49. 23 November 2015 The Ombudsman, Deputy Tone Dolčič and Ombudsman’s adviser mag. Simona Mlinar met representatives of the Cystic Fibrosis Association of Slovenia at the Ombudsman’s head office. 36. 23 July 2015 3 INFORMATION ABOUT THE OMBUDSMAN’S WORK Description of event 184 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA FOR 2015 3.3 MEDIA AND THE PUBLIC The Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia is aware of the role of the media when disseminating information on the Ombudsman’s work and raising public awareness of the importance of enforcing human rights. We know that media relations should be based on a long-term relationship. We try to be a partner to the media, while nurturing two-way relations and providing information which helps people when enforcing their rights. The media enable the Ombudsman to realise the right of the public to information. By forwarding information to the media, we also enforce the right of the public to obtain information of a public nature. Public authorities must provide information about their work to the media and journalists without discrimination so that the public are informed about all matters of public significance, which is a standard in democratic societies. The Ombudsman protects individuals against unacceptable encroachments by holders of authority on their fundamental rights; however, the Ombudsman cannot act in cases when rights are violated by legal entities governed by private law, which also include some media. These can also violate human rights. More about this can be found in the section on ethics of public discourse. The Ombudsman also protects the rights of employees in the national media institution with regard to labour law legislation and the aspect of freedom of expression and the independence of media. Interaction with the media in 2015 was intensive and took place daily. In 255 working days, we received about 300 questions from journalists or invitations to various forms of cooperation. Furthermore, the Human Rights Ombudsman made statements and replied to dozens of questions on numerous occasions. Unfortunately, statistics cannot be kept on this matter, so no precise number can be given. In 2015, 19 press conferences were held; seven were held at the head office in Ljubljana and 12 in different towns in Slovenia during meetings outside the head office. After each meeting with the most senior representatives of ANNUAL REPORT OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA FOR 2015 185 3 INFORMATION ABOUT THE OMBUDSMAN’S WORK Date 32. 27 June 2015