Human Rights Ombudsman Vlasta Nussdorfer, who was given the green light at the National Assembly for the Human Rights Ombudsman report for 2013, said that last year her office received 11,800, and this year 8,877 calls to their toll-free number. Usually they receive 40 calls per day, but on worse days for people the number of calls can increase to 70 or more per day, Nussdorfer said.

"The calls are mainly about problems regarding the crisis which is lasting too long, how to survive on social assistance of EUR 269, how to keep the roof over one's head, how to fight against windmills, how to be successful in legal proceedings by oneself, or with the help of legal aid, why it is necessary to wait so long for the decisions by the Ministry of Labour, or regarding social issues on complaints against decisions by the Social Work Centres..." the ombudsman revealed the contents of the queries.

Problems with the entrepreneurial status
Thus ombudsman handled several motions by individuals who were not able to assert their rights from the obligatory health insurance due to civil bankruptcy. Those owing contributions for health insurance are only entitled to emergency health care until their debt is settled. Afterwards the expenses they had while their debt was outstanding are reimbursed. But the ombudsman's office emphasizes that such problems are becoming more and more frequent, mostly due to the increasing number of entrepreneurs who don't have enough work, and consequently a small income, and are therefore not capable of paying the contributions.

They have a lot of work with establishing permanent residences, as a number of things arise from a permanent residence, e.g. financial social assistance, health insurance, non-profit residences etc., which means that those with unregulated status encounter a number of problems.

Gregor Cerar, MMC
Translated by G. K.