Prime Minister Golob: "People with disabilities most often show us where the state needs to grow"

SLOVENIA, December 1 - Prime Minister Golob began by saying that such events are an opportunity to hear and understand people's lives, to learn from one another and to preserve the values that bind us together as a community. He added that people with disabilities have diverse experiences. "I have lived one part of this experience myself as a father," the Prime Minister said candidly.

"I know those long days when you wish for answers to questions that, in truth, have no answers. And I know the feeling of having to fight for rights that ought to be self-evident, yet are, at times, achieved with great difficulty. At the same time, I understand the joy that a person can only know if they have watched a child or an adult make small, but decisive steps forward," he said.

"I vividly remember meeting representatives of organisations of people with disabilities for the first time before the elections. We agreed that nothing concerning people with disabilities should be done without them, and I have honoured that commitment throughout my term," the Prime Minister continued. "Mutual honesty and understanding are the foundations upon which we can build a better future for all of us."

The Prime Minister added that it is up to the state to provide the foundations upon which everyone can live with a sense of security, respect and the opportunity to develop their abilities. "People with disabilities most often show us where the state needs to grow. Not because they seek special treatment, but because their stories are where we first see how, as a country, we must become more responsible and more attuned to people's needs," said Prime Minister Golob.

He added that the government has taken significant steps forward during this term. "We have restored voting rights to people under guardianship, thereby reinstating equal citizenship and dignity. We have established a national accessibility point, which, for the first time, brings together all existing information, expertise and support relating to accessibility. We have adopted the Act Regulating the Accessibility of Products and Services for Persons with Disabilities. We have adopted the Act on the Use of Tactile Sign Language and comprehensively regulated the status, language rights and position of people with deafblindness. We have secured, and I dare say strengthened, the system of personal assistance," he noted.

"We have begun deinstitutionalisation, remedied injustices suffered by workers with disabilities, ensured the accessibility of new public housing, expanded employment, rehabilitation and psychosocial support programmes. We have supported families of children with the most severe impairments," said the Prime Minister. He gave special recognition to the excellent work of the focal group operating within the Office of the Prime Minister and expressed his gratitude to everyone involved.

"These measures are not just words on paper for any of us; for many, they represent an easier life, more independence and less of a feeling of being left to cope alone. Their impact also obliges us not to stop here. There is still much to do. We must remove architectural, communication and digital barriers, ensure stable funding for essential support services, strengthen community support and deinstitutionalisation, increase employment opportunities, and embed universal accessibility in every public building," said Prime Minister Golob.

“Through our work, we must create opportunities for learning, work and for a dignified and independent life – a life that comes entirely naturally to people without impairments, while for others, it remains a heartfelt wish. This is where we see whether our society is truly inclusive," the Prime Minister stressed.

He added: "When we think about the future of Slovenia, we must also consider how we treat people who face obstacles every day – obstacles many do not see. This is a test of humanity. It is a test of state, and therefore I sincerely thank you for your courage, which so often goes unnoticed."

The Prime Minister expressed his gratitude for the honesty that teaches, and for the voices that help shape a fairer society. "This is the Slovenia we want. This is the Slovenia we will continue to build together," he concluded.

Mateja Toman, President of the Disability Council of the Government of the Republic of Slovenia, thanked all individuals and institutions whose work promotes and enables equal, active, independent lives for people with disabilities and those who strive for an inclusive, just society for all. "The Prime Minister has listed several encouraging, progressive steps. But I believe much work still lies ahead, so let us roll up our sleeves and work together," she said.

Midhet Huskič, President of the National Council of Disability Organisations of Slovenia, thanked the government for its constructive cooperation. "I would like to thank the government of Robert Golob for keeping its word – that we were included in the dialogue on every matter we closely followed. Nothing was done for people with disabilities without people with disabilities. I hope you will keep moving in this direction," he said.

It is worth recalling that Prime Minister Golob has repeatedly stressed in the past that removing physical, social and economic barriers is essential for the full inclusion of people with disabilities in society. Organisations of people with disabilities play an indispensable role in this effort, as they protect the rights of people with disabilities and promote their active participation. On the initiative of the Prime Minister, and with the aim of strengthening cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Slovenia and the National Council of Disability Organisations of Slovenia (NSIOS), a focal group was established in 2022 within the Prime Minister's Office to systematically address the issues faced by people with disabilities in their daily lives.