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Office for National Minorities

Director

	Stanko Baluh

Stanko Baluh, MA

Stanko Baluh was born in Celje on 30 October 1968. After graduating from Poljane Grammar School, he attended language courses in Dublin, Ireland (1991) and Perugia, Italy (1992). He studied philosophy for four semesters at the Theological Faculty of the University of Ljubljana and then transferred to the Pontifical College Josephinum at Columbus, Ohio, where he graduated in pedagogy in 1996 and received his MA in philosophical sciences in theology, more specifically dialectics. In Washington he also participated in preparing various professional projects (Ethics and Society, Movement for Life, The Organisation of Public Institutions). After returning to Slovenia in 1998, he collaborated on many educational projects and lectured at international symposiums (Rome, Tinje, Brussels). Since 2000 he has been employed at the Government Office for National Minorities. As advisor to the Director he was responsible for the Italian Minority, the Roma Community and for European affairs. In July 2006 he became Director of the Office. He actively contributed to establishing international organisation Don Bosco Youth Net and was a member of the board until 2006. He was actively involved in addressing social and welfare issues in Slovenia. He has been Secretary to the Commission for Justice and Peace, and co-founded and managed the Social Academy.

Organisation

In addition to the Director, the Government Office for National Minorities  has four other employees. A personnel increase is planned because of new responsibilities and duties (municipal co-financing of bilingualism and other constitutional rights).

Main Areas of Activity

The Government Office for National Minorities is an independent Government office. The basic provisions on the protection of national communities are set out in the Constitution, whilst more detailed provisions are included in the legislation from various areas which in any way relate to the position of the two National Communities and the Roma Community. The relevant ministries are responsible for carrying out the provisions. With such a division of responsibilities, the main duty of the Government Office for National Minorities is global supervision of the implementation of constitutional and legal provisions pertaining to the protection of nationalities, monitoring their practical effects, drawing attention to problem areas, preparing proposals and initiatives for the Government and other state bodies, and conducting analyses and drawing up reports on the wider issues of the protection of nationalities, together with the relevant ministries.

The direct duties of the Office not included in the duties of other state bodies are:

• monitoring the implementation of constitutional and legal provisions relating to the special rights of the Italian and Hungarian National Communities, and monitoring and protecting the special rights of the Roma Community living in Slovenia, when this does not fall within the jurisdiction of other state or local community bodies;
• coordinating the work of state agencies and local community bodies regarding national minorities in Slovenia; in particular the special rights of the National Communities and the Roma Community;
• carrying out activities related to the position, rights, obligations and development opportunities of the National Communities and the Roma Community for the realisation of the responsibilities and obligations on the part of the Slovenian Government as laid down in the Constitution, applicable regulations and the policy on nationalities adopted on the basis of these;
• cooperating with competent bodies in the Republic of Croatia in matters pertaining to the realisation of the special rights of the Italian National Community in Slovenia;
• cooperating with Government bodies, research and other organisations dealing with issues pertaining to the National Communities, with self-governing national communities and with other organisations belonging to nationalities;
• dealing with topical issues in the realisation of the special rights of the Italian and the Hungarian National Communities and the Roma Community;
• carrying out analyses, preparing materials, and drawing up initiatives and proposals for sessions of the Government, Government bodies and other state agencies, as well as monitoring the effectiveness of the adopted decisions relating to the two National Communities and the Roma Community;
• overseeing the implementation of the Government’s decisions pertaining to the National Communities and the Roma Community;
• carrying out expert, administrative and organisational tasks for the Government Commission for the two National Communities and the Government Commission for the Protection of the Roma Ethnic Community;
• cooperating with the National Assembly Commission for National Communities;
• taking part at international and other conferences, consultations and seminars on ethnic minority rights and other related human rights, cooperating with the Council of Europe and the EU and their bodies, as well as with similar associations and bodies in other countries;
• cooperating with the relevant working bodies of other departments, research institutions and other organisations founded or co-founded by the Government, which deal with the status, rights, obligations and studies of the National Communities and the Roma Community;
• carrying out other activities pertaining to nationalities and issues relating to the Roma in accordance with the Constitution and current legislation.

The majority of tasks regarding minority protection are being performed mainly in areas where minorities live. The Office offers professional help to local communities and takes part in assuring additional funds needed by the local communities to perform tasks pertaining to minority protection. The Office usually offers professional help in the course of the preparation of general legislation regarding national minorities and its implementation. It cooperates with the newly founded Roma Community Council of the RS, the representative body of the Roma Community at state level, and with the Roma Union of Slovenia.

The Republic of Slovenia strives for good realisation of the constitutional and legislative rights of both National Communities. Members of the National Communities are guaranteed good protection of collective and individual minority rights to the highest European minority standards, together with political participation by these members in the National Assembly and in local authorities, the equal use of mother tongue in public life, their own cultures, information and publishing activities, and all ethnic or bilingual schools.

Programme Priorities

• Priorities raised by the adoption of the Roma Community Act: preparation and adoption of the Programme of Measures (National Action Plan) for the benefit of members of the Roma Community; appointment of a special working body within the Government; assistance in setting up a special working body for reviewing the situation of the Roma Community at the local level.
• To preserve the high level of minority rights of the Italian and Hungarian National Communities, the Slovenian Government is drawing up a Resolution on the Situation of the Italian and Hungarian National Communities.
• The preparation of Government material for the adoption of a special decree on financing bilingualism and the realisation of Constitutional rights of the Italian and Hungarian National Communities, as well as financing the law based rights of the Roma Community.
• Participation in various international projects and working bodies under the jurisdiction of the EU and the Council of Europe, as well as active participation in the preparation of numerous documentary material concerning national minorities.