Dear Sir or Madam,
I propose to amend Article 10 of the Regulation on Working Time in State Administration Bodies (hereinafter referred to as the Regulation), so that it would read as follows:
'Article 10
(Flexible working hours and compulsory attendance in government departments, ministries and constituent bodies)
(1) The flexible start of working hours in government departments, ministries and their constituent bodies shall be between 7.00 a.m. and 9.00 a.m., and the flexible end of working hours shall be between 3.00 p.m. and 5.30 p.m., or between 2.30 p.m. and 4.30 p.m. on Fridays.
(2) The compulsory attendance of a civil servant at work shall be from 9.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. and on Fridays until 2.30 p.m.".
I would also suggest that Article 4 of the Regulation, which would allow for a different working time for a civil servant who has children in kindergarten or primary school (arrival before 7 am), should remain in force.
The reasons for the proposed amendment are set out below:
* DISTANCE FROM THE PLACE OF RESIDENCE TO THE PLACE OF WORK
A significant number of employees commute to work in Ljubljana from very distant places, which requires a daily drive of more than 2 hours (and much more if using rail transport!). Arriving before 7.30 am and leaving before 3.30 pm would allow avoiding the worst rush hours, faster travel times, less crowding on Ljubljana's streets and less exhaust fumes.
* CLOSING TIMES OF KINDERGARTENS AND PRIMARY SCHOOLS
Kindergartens and schools in smaller towns are only open until 16:00, leaving work at 15:30 makes it impossible for parents of children living in remote places to pick up their child by 16:00. If you need at least 1 hour to drive, you are immediately half an hour late.
* SHORTER WORKING HOURS AT THE EXPENSE OF FALLING STANDARDS?
The decline in family incomes and the consequent fall in standards makes it difficult to afford part-time work - which is also only possible until the youngest child is 6 years old, but we know that children in the first years of primary school need to be accompanied to school or at least to bus stops.
Employees who live in remote places and depend on disastrous public transport (especially poor rail connections) and who do not have the help of grandparents are forced to work only 4 hours to get to kindergarten or school on time. The 4-hour working day, however, has a significant impact on the family's income.  
* NON-COMPLIANCE WITH ARTICLE 4 OF THE REGULATION
Although Article 4 of the Regulation allows for different working time arrangements for individual civil servants, this is unfortunately true mainly in theory, but in practice it is quite different.
Requests have to be made every year (even though, for example, a child's birth certificate shows how old he or she is), and it often happens that you do not get a reply at all, or you are only verbally informed that the request has not been granted. There are no decisions not to grant an application, so there is no right of appeal.
A successful application depends on the will of the current Secretary-General. In some ministries, they listen to their employees (and they are approved, and some have even been granted decisions up to the point of revocation), while in others, the individual reasons of the person are not taken into account.
5. ACTIVE TIME WITH CHILDREN
Coming home late leaves little time for children, children are increasingly left to fend for themselves, and the result is a generation of more problematic children every year.
6. A SOCIAL AND FAMILY-FRIENDLY STATE
This change would show that we are a social and family-friendly country. Social because moving to flexitime would allow employees to work full time, which means more income for families and also more consumption (which our country bloody needs). But it would also be a welcome change for family life. We are so keen to compare ourselves with foreign countries, but foreign countries have got it right in this area - they are understanding of young families or working parents.
7. A POSITIVE CHANGE WITH NO IMPACT ON THE BUDGET
In these times when we are being "battered" by new taxes, when the daily news is generally only bad, this kind of change would be a bright spot for civil servants and their families, and would make it easier for them to balance work and family commitments.
8. OTHER
- Whereas it is important that work in the civil service is of good quality and done on time, and it does not matter whether you do it by 3.00 p.m. or 3.30 p.m,
- because most public agencies have working hours from 7am-3pm, as do civil servants, where managers have an ear for their subordinates;
- because children are our wealth and our future and they need us now, when they are young,
- so that young families will no longer think of moving abroad, because in this country of ours "nothing can be done" - except raising taxes.
 
Thank you and greetings!