Sandi Čurin, National Coordinator for the fight against the human trafficking presented the Report on the work of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the fight against human trafficking for 2007 attoday's press conference at the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Slovenia.
The press conference was also attended by Katjuša Popvič from the Centre for the Fight Against Trafficking in Human Beings and Imre Jerebic from Caritas Slovenia, representatives of non-governmental organisations participating in the project "Care of victims of human trafficking".
The Report on the work of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the fight against human trafficking (hereinafter: IWG) for 2007 encompasses reports of governmental and non-governmental organisations whose representatives are members of the Intergovernmental Working Group. The Government of the Republic of Slovenia reviewed and confirmed the report at its session on 15 May 2008.
Prevention activities of the IWG in 2007 included raising public awareness, raising target population awareness, and education and training of experts in this field. Prevention also encompasses research activities and other forms of monitoring this phenomenon. The research, entitled "Setting up and monitoring internationally comparable indicators onhuman trafficking", needs to be emphasised.
Human trafficking in the Republic of Slovenia is monitored on the basis of measurable data from the Police and State Prosecutor's Office for criminal offences involving human trafficking, placement into slavery and prostitution. Indirect indicators of non-governmental organisations are also presented in the report, above all in connection with the treatment of victims of human trafficking. In 2007, the Police dealt with 16 cases (11 criminal complaints and 5 reports at district prosecutor's officers) involving 15 suspects, and registered 9 victims of human trafficking. In 2007, the State Prosecutor's Office dealt with 9 criminal complaints in connection with human trafficking against 13 suspects.
The project "Care of victims of human trafficking" has continued in its implementation. The tender commissions of the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry for Labour, Family and Social Affairs chose, on the basis of public tenders, contractors for 2007, namely Caritas Slovenia for "crisis accommodation" and the Centre for the Fight Against Human Trafficking (Ključ) for "accommodation in shelters". During the reporting period, Caritas Slovenia provided crisis accommodation to three persons. Accommodation in centres was provided to three persons by the Ključ Society. These regard separate matters.
The project "Introducing the mechanism for recognition, assistance and protection of victims of human trafficking and/or sexual violence in asylum procedures in Slovenia (PATS)", which has been financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for four years, is being carried out by the non-governmental organisation Ključ in the Asylum Home of the Ministry of the Interior. The project has acquired a regional dimension, expanding to Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. From January to December 2007, 50 PATS interviews were conducted.
The Republic of Slovenia became more actively involved in the fight against human trafficking in 2001 with the establishment of the Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG) and the designation of a national coordinator. Due to these developments and the increasing range of tasks, this role is directed towards the active, harmonised and coordinated activity of all national authorities in this area within the framework of their competences.
Progress in the field of combating human trafficking in Slovenia was also noted by international organisations and other institutions which monitor and assess efforts of different countries in the fight against human trafficking. In 2007, the US State Department for the very first time placed Slovenia in the highest category, namely in the category of countries that provide appropriate standards in the fight against human trafficking. This progress is, above all, a reflection of many years of work and an appropriate approach to planning, directing and implementing activities in this area.