On 3 April 1959 the Executive Council of the former People’s Assembly of the People’s Republic of Slovenia, issued on the basis of the second paragraph of the Article 74 of the Decree on Organization and Performance of the Executive Council of the People’s Assembly of the People’s Republic of Slovenia (Official Gazette P.R.S., No. 20-111/58), a decree on setting up the Office for Minority Issues. This decree established, for the first time, a special government office that was entrusted with the responsibility for dealing with national minorities and performing professional tasks that fell within the State’s competence concerning the field of national minorities on the territory of the People’s Republic of Slovenia. This decree stated among other things: "The Office for Minority Issues performs professional tasks regarding the national minorities of the People’s Republic of Slovenia at the state level, when and if these tasks do not fall within the competence of other government agencies; it follows and coordinates the work of these agencies, institutes and organizations if it concerns the national minorities, and cooperates with them discussing these issues, it presents the Executive Council with analyses, reports and suggestions regarding these issues."

Untill this day the Government Office of the Republic of Slovenia for Nationalities performs its original task, with which it was entrusted in its founding decree. The Office’s work has over the years, and due to quick changes, expanded, therefore today the Office, apart from regular contacts with the minorities and the search for solution to different minority problems, also closely cooperates with the Roma Union of Slovenia regarding the problems of the Roma Ethnic Community in the Republic of Slovenia. The Office also cooperates with the Council of Europe, European Union and other international organizations, and prepares reports within the implementation of the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

Through the Office for Nationalities the Republic of Slovenia finances main self-governing organisations of the Italian and Hungarian National Communities, co-finances the bilingualism and other constitutional rights in those municipalities, where both National Communities live autochthonously, co-finances mutual cultural organisations residing in Croatia, co-finances the Italian and Hungarian Minority radio and TV programs. The Office for Nationalities has also some responsibilities regarding the Roma Ethnic Community that lives in Slovenia traditionally, historically. In this context it finances the main Roma organisation (Roma Union of Slovenia), indirectly co-finances Roma associations all over the country and finally co-finances Roma activities in the field of media.