During the COVID-19 epidemic, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia established a single call centre to provide information about the coronavirus. Slovenian residents were therefore able to obtain all relevant information both from government bodies and healthcare institutions in one place.

This centralisation of information facilitated access to information for all audience types and ensured the coordinated notification and raising of awareness among the population. At the same time, callers' responses to the adopted Government measures provided decision-makers with valuable feedback in adopting new measures or adjusting existing ones. In its three months of operation between 9 March 2020 and 12 June 2020, the call centre responded to queries from over 50,000 callers.

The award for best improvement in public administration »The Shift Forward 2020« was presented to Director of the Government Communication Office Uroš Urbanija, MA, by Dean of the Faculty of Administration, Prof. Dr Janez Stare, and Vice-Dean for the Transfer of Knowledge, Asst. Prof. Dr Jernej Buzeti.

Upon accepting the award, Uroš Urbanija stressed the importance of raising awareness and knowing that the entire state administration was capable of reorganisation during crises such as the declaration of an epidemic. He pointed out that the award further facilitated promotional activities aimed at raising awareness and safety precautions related to the coronavirus, highlighting four key measures: wearing a mask, keeping a safe distance, disinfecting and using the #OstaniZdrav (#StayHealthy) tracing app.