There was continued concern about the status of thousands of people whose names were removed from the registry of permanent residents in 1992 (known as the "erased"). Members of Romani communities faced discrimination including in access to education.

The 'erased'

The Slovenian authorities failed to resolve the status of the so-called "erased" – some 18,305 individuals unlawfully removed from the Slovenian registry of permanent residents in 1992. The "erased" were mainly people from other former Yugoslav republics who had been living in Slovenia but had not acquired Slovenian citizenship after Slovenia became independent. The Slovenian authorities failed to ensure that the "erased" had full access to economic and social rights, including access to work, health care and, in some cases, education.

Although the Slovenian Constitutional Court had ruled in 1999 and 2003 that the removal of these individuals from the registry of permanent residents was unlawful, approximately 6,000 of the "erased" still did not have Slovenian citizenship or a permanent residence permit at the end of 2005.

Following the 2003 Constitutional Court decision, the Slovenian Ministry of Interior had issued approximately 4,100 decrees retroactively restoring the status of permanent residents to the individuals concerned. However, the Slovenian authorities stopped issuing such decrees in July 2004 and no new steps were taken to implement the Constitutional Court decision and to restore the rights of the "erased".

Many of the "erased" continued to live in Slovenia "illegally" as foreign nationals or stateless persons; others were forced to leave the country. Many of the 12,000 who had managed to obtain Slovenian citizenship or permanent residency – in many cases after years of bureaucratic and legal struggle – continued to suffer from the ongoing consequences of their past unregulated status and had no access to full reparation, including compensation.

Lack of access to education for Romani children

The Slovenian authorities failed to fully integrate Romani children into the education system and tolerated or promoted the creation of special classes for Romani children in certain primary schools. In some cases the children in the special classes were taught a reduced or simplified curriculum.

Concern was expressed in July by the UN Human Rights Committee that members of Romani communities continued to suffer prejudice and discrimination, including in access to education.

  • In March, after protests by parents of non-Romani children against the "large share" of Romani pupils attending the Bršljin primary school, the Slovenian Minister of Education and Sport proposed to create at that school special separate classes in certain subjects for Romani children. This proposal was subsequently retracted following protests by Romani parents and non-governmental organizations, including AI.

AI country visits

An AI delegate visited Slovenia in September.

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