The Ombudswoman, Tena Šimonović Einwalter, presented the Ombudswoman’s Annual Report for 2025, an assessment of the human rights situation in Croatia in the past year, which also contains 181 recommendations to the competent authorities.

Similar long-term and systemic problems affecting citizens persist year after year. These include difficulties in everyday interactions with various institutions, which leave citizens feeling powerless in the face of the system, as well as insufficiently transparent and participatory processes that deepen distrust in institutions. When adopting legislation and policies, the impact on the most vulnerable is too often overlooked, while the realization of rights in practice often depends on where and in which part of Croatia a person lives. Many do not receive the necessary care, public services, or timely responses from authorities, while employees in the healthcare, social welfare, and other systems are overburdened.

Last year, the Ombudswoman received the highest number of complaints in more than 30 years of the institution’s existence: 4.491 new cases were opened, based on complaints or ex officio, 21% more than the year before, which had also recorded the highest number up to that point. A record number of complaints was also received in a single area, namely related to the right to health (525).

Overall, human rights in Croatia largely stagnated in 2025; in some areas there was regression, and threats to the rule of law were also recorded.

Access to healthcare was insufficient: citizens continued to wait a long time for examinations, while oncology and palliative patients were in a particularly difficult position. Shortcomings in the functioning of the welfare state were evident, while the number of older persons at risk of poverty continued to rise. Intolerance towards minority groups—particularly the Serbian and Roma national minorities, as well as foreign workers and other migrants—were more frequent and more direct. Hate speech was widespread, especially online, while disinformation and fake news were also spreading. The space for critical voices continued to narrow, primarily affecting journalists and media freedom, civil society organizations, and independent institutions. In the area of the right to public assembly, issues arose concerning the requirement for prior notification of assemblies, the suitability of venues where they take place, and the messages conveyed on such occasions. Prisons remain overcrowded, resulting in inadequate accommodation conditions, as well as inadequate healthcare for prisoners.

In 2025, there were also some positive developments. These include the implementation of the first strategic document on affordable housing, changes to the pension indexation model, the systematic publication of court judgments, and the expansion of protection for whistleblowers also when they report directly to the police and the State Attorney’s Office, as well as the start of work on some of the necessary strategic documents. For some citizens, the obligation to report in person to the Croatian Health Insurance Fund every three months in order not to lose mandatory health insurance was also abolished.

At the same time, the Ombudswoman also presented a special report, “The Rights of Older Persons in Croatia”, with 32 recommendations, aimed at placing greater focus on the rights of older persons. The special report provides a comprehensive overview of the various problems faced by older persons and also brings some new insights. For example, for the first time it provides more detailed coverage of the challenges faced by persons living with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. In Croatia, no anti-dementia medicines are included on the Basic List of Medicines of the Croatian Health Insurance Fund and all must be co-paid, while social welfare institutions have capacity for only 1.3%—namely 659 out of 48,842 persons living with dementia. In almost half of the counties, such accommodation is not available at all.

The Ombudswoman’s reports to the Croatian Parliament are primarily based on the handling of complaints received from citizens, but also on a large number of other sources of information, including those provided by competent authorities and civil society organizations, statistical indicators, research, academic work, and case law of national courts, the Constitutional Court, the European Court of Human Rights, and the Court of Justice of the European Union, as well as many other sources.

It should be noted that the Croatian Parliament has still not discussed the Ombudswoman’s Annual Reports for 2023 and 2024, nor the special report “The Impact of the COVID-19 Epidemic on Human Rights and Equality – Recommendations for the Strengthening of Resilience to Future Crises”, submitted four years ago.

Accordingly, three annual and two special reports of the Ombudswoman are currently awaiting parliamentary discussion. By postponing these discussions, opportunities are missed to give attention to the problems raised by citizens, to use the reports while the data remain current, and to enable parliamentary debate on their underlying causes—stemming from the work of various authorities—which is important for the protection of human rights and the rule of law in Croatia.

Support for human rights systems and defenders

At its meeting on 20 April, the Council Working Party on Fundamental Rights, Citizens’ Rights and Free Movement of Persons (FREMP) held an in-depth exchange on how to strengthen human rights impact assessments in EU and national lawmaking. The European Commission, FRA and the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI) introduced the exchange amongst Member States. 

The European Commission outlined how human rights impact assessments are conducted when preparing new EU legislation under the ‘Better Regulation Toolbox’ emphasising the key role the EU’s Fundamental Rights Charter. 

Drawing on its report ‘Better legislation: Human rights impact assessment in lawmaking’, FRA called for systematic, concrete, and practice-oriented approaches. The Agency pointed to the recommendations formulated in its report and encouraged peer learning among Member States to support the development of effective practices. 

ENNHRI underscored the added value of involving national human rights institutions in national assessments. 

Various Member States emphasised that political urgency must not justify lowering fundamental rights standards and are not an argument against carrying out impact assessments. Some delegations argued for better consideration of national contexts and more coordination to enhance transposition and strengthen coherence in fundamental rights protection. 

Sarà una riflessione ampia e articolata sul rapporto tra cittadini, istituzioni e innovazione tecnologica quella in programma mercoledì 15 aprile 2026 alle ore 10.30 presso la Sala Mechelli del Consiglio regionale del Lazio.

L’iniziativa, promossa dal Difensore civico della Regione Lazio, si inserisce nel solco delle attività istituzionali volte a rafforzare la tutela dei diritti e il dialogo tra pubblica amministrazione e cittadini, con particolare attenzione alle sfide poste dalla trasformazione digitale.

Il convegno, dal titolo “Diritti, Innovazione e Istituzioni: Il Difensore Civico e la Pubblica Amministrazione nell’era digitale”, vedrà la partecipazione di rappresentanti istituzionali, accademici ed esperti del settore, chiamati a confrontarsi su temi sempre più centrali quali la semplificazione amministrativa, l’accesso ai servizi pubblici, l’uso delle nuove tecnologie e il ruolo dell’intelligenza artificiale nella gestione dei procedimenti.

Ad aprire i lavori saranno i saluti istituzionali di Marino Fardelli, Difensore civico della Regione Lazio e presidente del Coordinamento nazionale dei Difensori civici, affiancato da Giuseppe Cangemi, vicepresidente del Consiglio regionale del Lazio, e da Marika Rotondi, presidente della Commissione speciale per la semplificazione amministrativa. Interverranno inoltre Luciano Nobili, presidente della Commissione speciale PNRR e Grandi Eventi, e Giosy Pierpaolo Tomasello, segretaria generale del Consiglio regionale.

La seconda parte dell’incontro sarà dedicata agli interventi di approfondimento. Tra i relatori figurano Eleonora Zazza, presidente del CORECOM Lazio, Alessandro Sterpa dell’Università degli Studi della Tuscia, Ernesto Belisario, avvocato esperto di diritto delle tecnologie e intelligenza artificiale, e Giovanni Anastasi, presidente di Formez PA. Il dibattito sarà moderato dal giornalista Gaetano Orticelli dell’Ufficio stampa del Consiglio regionale del Lazio.

Uno dei momenti più significativi della giornata sarà la prima edizione del “Premio Caterina Sparagna”, istituito in memoria della studentessa già distintasi nell’ambito del progetto “Il Difensore Civico tra i banchi di scuola”. Il riconoscimento è finalizzato a valorizzare l’impegno delle giovani generazioni sui temi della cittadinanza attiva, della difesa civica e della tutela dei diritti, attraverso elaborati creativi e multimediali.

Alla cerimonia di premiazione prenderanno parte anche i rappresentanti delle amministrazioni locali, tra cui il sindaco di Anagni Daniele Natalia e il sindaco di Acuto Augusto Agostini, a testimonianza del forte legame tra istituzioni territoriali e percorsi di educazione civica.

Ampio spazio sarà dedicato proprio agli studenti delle scuole superiori del Lazio, protagonisti del progetto educativo promosso dal Difensore civico. I ragazzi interverranno attivamente con domande, contributi e riflessioni, trasformando l’evento in un’occasione concreta di confronto diretto con le istituzioni.

L’iniziativa si configura dunque come un momento di dialogo e approfondimento di grande rilevanza, in cui il tema della digitalizzazione della pubblica amministrazione viene affrontato non solo sotto il profilo tecnologico, ma anche – e soprattutto – in relazione alla tutela dei diritti dei cittadini. Un’occasione per ribadire il ruolo strategico del Difensore civico come garante di equità, trasparenza e accessibilità nell’azione amministrativa, in un contesto in continua evoluzione.

The Venice Commission is one of the key expert bodies of the Council of Europe in strengthening democracy, the rule of law and the protection of human rights. Through its independent legal opinions, the Commission assists states in shaping legislation and institutional solutions based on respect for constitutional principles and the highest European standards. The most recent request from Slovenia was submitted to the Venice Commission in 2000 in relation to the electoral system.

The Ombudswoman emphasised that the recommendations of the Venice Commission provide important guidance for ensuring a stable and predictable legal environment, as well as for preventing systemic human rights violations. She stressed the importance of their timely and consistent implementation, particularly at times when democratic institutions are under increased pressure. She also welcomed the updated Rule of Law Checklist, adopted in December last year, which highlights the role of the Ombudsman and national human rights institutions. In addition, the institution of the Ombudsman may submit a request to the Venice Commission concerning legislation defining its competences and functioning.

The interlocutors agreed on the importance of strengthening professional cooperation while preserving the autonomy and independence of both institutions. They emphasised that open dialogue and the exchange of good practices contribute to more effective protection of individuals’ rights and to strengthening the democratic resilience of society.