The Deafblind Association of Slovenia DLAN expresses serious concern regarding the decision of the Committee for the Awards of the Republic of Slovenia in the field of education of the Ministry of Education, which awarded Matjaž Juhart, long-time Secretary of the Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing of Slovenia (hereinafter ZDGNS), the Award for Outstanding Achievements in the Field of Special Needs. We believe that the rationale for the award does not reflect the actual state of the deafblind field in Slovenia.
The award was given to an individual who lacks professional credentials and competence in working with persons with deafblindness, has never collaborated with the DLAN Association, and unjustifiably claims credit in the field of deafblindness, where the DLAN Association has carried out pioneering and continuous work since 2005. The public was misled, as the presented information was inaccurate and contrary to the facts.
The DLAN Association is an independent, professional, and disability organization that is representative of persons with deafblindness and was established in 2005. Since then, it has systematically developed the field, implemented numerous social care programs and educational initiatives, and provided support to persons with deafblindness and their families. The status of representativeness is granted under the Law on Disability Organizations, which defines the conditions for obtaining it. ZDGNS does not meet these legal conditions.
DLAN is a full member of the European Deafblind Union (EDbU) and the World Federation of the Deafblind, making it the only organization from Slovenia representing deafblindness internationally and recognized by international organizations. Membership in international organizations in the field of deafblindness requires exclusive focus on this field.
Since the establishment of DLAN, Matjaž Juhart, through the Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing of Slovenia, has exerted pressure, obstructed operations, and indirectly influenced the deaf community to follow ZDGNS’s interests at the expense of persons with deafblindness.
The award justification incorrectly states that Matjaž Juhart played a key role in the inclusion of the deafblind language in the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia and that he focuses on the inclusion of persons with deafblindness. Both claims are false. The deafblind language is an independent language and cannot be equated with sign language. Teaching sign language is the responsibility of deaf academics, not Matjaž Juhart. Misrepresenting these facts is professionally harmful and insulting to persons with deafblindness.
We emphasize in particular:
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Matjaž Juhart has no professional publications on deafblindness or the deafblind language (none can be found in COBISS), while the Secretary of DLAN, Dr. Simona Gerenčer, has over 240 entries on this topic.
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In 2019, he was forced to issue an apology for the unauthorized use of Dr. Simona Gerenčer’s work, demonstrating unfair appropriation of someone else’s work.
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The inclusion of the deafblind language in the Constitution (Article 62a) was the result of work by a professional group of the Constitutional Commission, in which Dr. Simona Gerenčer participated. Matjaž Juhart had no professional role in this process. On the contrary, in the initial draft for the Slovenian Sign Language, he equated deafness with deafblindness and thus even obstructed the procedure.
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In 2024, the Court of Audit of the Republic of Slovenia issued a negative assessment of ZDGNS’s operations, including the improper disbursement of funds to Matjaž Juhart.
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In July 2025, ZDGNS stated in a letter to the National Assembly regarding the Draft Act on the Use of the Deafblind Language that “the deafblind language is not an independent language,” directly contradicting the constitutionally recognized fact and devaluing the identity of persons with deafblindness.
All of the above clearly demonstrates that Matjaž Juhart unjustifiably represents and exploits the field of deafblindness, harming persons with deafblindness and undermining their 20 years of work within an organization that continuously strives to improve their quality of life. The committee’s rationale, claiming that Matjaž Juhart contributed to the inclusion of the deafblind language in the Constitution, is professionally incorrect, insulting to the deafblind community, and undermines the credibility of the state award. Given that the committee includes experts with doctorates, we would expect fact-checking and thorough assessment, which clearly did not happen.
Therefore, we demand:
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That Matjaž Juhart return the award.
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That the Committee for the Awards of the Republic of Slovenia in the field of education resign.
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That the proposer of the award, the Faculty of Education in Koper, which provided professional support to Matjaž Juhart, take responsibility for this unprofessional awarding.
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That the Ministry of Education issue a public apology to persons with deafblindness and provide a dedicated fund for their education, enabling them to achieve academic success similar to that of Helen Keller internationally.
This year, the DLAN Association celebrates its 20th anniversary. Instead of recognition for pioneering work, we are witnessing the devaluation of achievements and disregard for the actual professional and social contributions. Such conduct is ethically and professionally unacceptable and further marginalizes persons with deafblindness.
Sincerely,
mag. Petra Rezar
Legal Representative and Co-founder of the DLAN Association
The audit report of the Court of Audit can be viewed at the following link:
Revizijsko poročilo računskega sodišča
