Volksanwalt Luisser, Volksanwältin Schwarz und Volksanwalt Achitz nehmen ihre Arbeit auf

Date of article: 01/07/2025

Daily News of: 04/07/2025

Country:  Austria

Author: Austrian Ombudsman Board

Article language: de

Heute wurde das neue Kollegium der Volksanwaltschaft von Bundespräsident Alexander Van der Bellen in der Hofburg angelobt. Es besteht aus Christoph Luisser, Gaby Schwarz und Bernhard Achitz. Luisser wird auch für die nächsten zwölf Monate den Vorsitz übernehmen.

Die Zuständigkeiten werden wie bisher beibehalten:

Der neue Volksanwalt Christoph Luisser wird zuständig sein für die Polizei, das Fremden- und Asylrecht, den Denkmalschutz, Land-, Forst- und Wasserwirtschaft, Natur- und Umweltschutz, Gewerbe und Betriebsanlagen, Kindergärten, Schulen, Universitäten, den Verkehr, Gemeindeabgaben und Agrarangelegenheiten.

Volksanwältin Gaby Schwarz prüft auf Bundesebene den Strafvollzug, Steuern, Gebühren, Abgaben, die Verfahrensdauer bei Gerichten und Staatsanwaltschaften, europäische und internationale Angelegenheiten sowie die Landesverteidigung; auf Landesebene die Gemeindeverwaltungen und alle kommunalen Angelegenheiten (Raumordnung, Baurecht, Wohn- und Siedlungswesen, Landes- und Gemeindestraßen) sowie die Friedhofsverwaltung. Zu ihren Schwerpunkten gehört auch der Kampf gegen Gewalt an Frauen, denn Frauenrechte sind Menschenrechte.

Volksanwalt Bernhard Achitz prüft die Kranken-, Pensions- und Unfallversicherung sowie die Arbeitsmarktverwaltung und die Bereiche Jugend und Familie. Anliegen von Menschen mit Behinderungen, aber auch Themen wie Mindestsicherung, Grundversorgung und Gesundheitsverwaltung bis hin zur Jugendwohlfahrt, Tierschutz und Veterinärwesen fallen auf Landesebene in seinen Aufgabenbereich. Außerdem ist Achitz für Heimopferrenten zuständig sowie Generalsekretär des International Ombudsman Institute (IOI).

Mit ihrer Angelobung nehmen die Volksanwältin und Volksanwälte ihre Arbeit auf und stehen allen Menschen mit Beschwerden über österreichische Bundes- und Landesbehörden (ausgenommen in Tirol und Vorarlberg nur über Bundesbehörden) als Anlaufstelle zur Verfügung.

Erreichbar ist die Volksanwaltschaft unter post(at)volksanwaltschaft.gv.at, postalisch bzw. für persönliche Vorsprachen im Info-Center in der Singerstraße 17, 1010 Wien und telefonisch unter 0800-223 223.

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New standards for dealing with complaints in health and social care

Date of article: 01/07/2025

Daily News of: 04/07/2025

Country:  United Kingdom - Northern Ireland

Author: Northern Ireland Ombudsman

Article language: en

1 July 2025

Our Complaints Standards team has launched a new Model Complaints Handling Procedure (MCHP) for health and social care services in Northern Ireland.

This is a major step in our work to improve how complaints are handled across the sector. The new MCHP sets out clear stages, timescales and expectations for service providers and complainants.

 

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The Ombudsman Institution has alerted the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime, the Ministry of Education and Science, and the State Agency for Child Protection about an online game that teaches children how to sell and use cocaine

Date of article: 30/06/2025

Daily News of: 04/07/2025

Country:  Bulgaria

Author: National Ombudsman of Bulgaria

Article language: en

The Ombudsman Institution sent a letter to the Minister of Education Krasimir Valchev, the Chair of the State Agency for Child Protection Teodora Ivanova, the Executive Director of the Cyber Security Directorate at the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime at the Ministry of Interior Vladimir Dimitrov, and the Parents Association, in which it warned about dangerous computer viruses that are spreading in schools. The letter was also sent to the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Justice.

17 June 2025

 

The Ombudsman Institution sent a letter to the Minister of Education Krasimir Valchev, the Chair of the State Agency for Child Protection Teodora Ivanova, the Executive Director of the Cyber Security Directorate at the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime at the Ministry of Interior Vladimir Dimitrov, and the Parents Association, in which it warned about dangerous computer viruses that are spreading in schools. The letter was also sent to the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Justice.

 The reason for this is a report from concerned parents who are worried about a new trend among students—a game that simulates cocaine use and its effects. It is spreading online, and a subscription costs 84 leva. Parents report that the game contains messages such as “Experience the thrill of being a cocaine dealer 27/7. Send children out on the streets to sell, get arrested, and possibly killed, while you collect the profits.” In the game, each child must prepare cocaine doses to sell.

“Psychologists report that they are already encountering children and students who have been influenced by such content. In the context of the specificities of child development, this becomes a model that they follow, even unconsciously,” writes Dr. Aysun Avdjiev, Secretary General of the Ombudsman Institution, to the competent authorities.

He adds that, according to international sources, similar games such as “Drug Dealer Simulator,” “Cocaine Dealer,” and “Schedule I” are available on various platforms, including Steam, and have gained significant popularity in recent years.

“We are confident that measures to improve students' civic and digital literacy and to include digital safety issues in conversations with parents can be expanded in the field of education. We believe that the Parents Association, as a member of the Public Council for Safe Internet, will raise awareness of this issue through the safe internet hotline, after which concrete steps can be proposed. The State Agency for Child Protection, as the state body responsible for guiding, coordinating, and monitoring policies for children, can organize various initiatives, seeking the support of the Agency's Children's Council,” writes Dr. Avdjiev.

He further emphasizes that despite the publicly stated position that “this is perhaps a moral issue related to parental responsibility and control,” according to the Ombudsman Institution, the Cyber Security Directorate of the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime has the expert capacity and competence to recommend possible actions to protect children and young people.

“We believe that it is imperative to quickly monitor the internet for the distribution and search for both this and similar games that encourage children to engage in illegal activities,” said Aysun Avdjiev.

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Difensori Civici a confronto: convocata la riunione del Coordinamento nazionale – 16 luglio 2025.

Date of article: 04/07/2025

Daily News of: 04/07/2025

Country:  Italy

Author: National Coordination of Italian regional Ombudsmen

Article language: it

È convocata per mercoledì 16 luglio 2025 alle ore 10:30, in modalità online, la prossima riunione del Coordinamento Nazionale dei Difensori Civici delle Regioni e delle Province Autonome italiane.

I lavori vedranno la partecipazione dei componenti del Coordinamento e dei funzionari degli uffici della difesa civica di tutta Italia.

Ordine del Giorno:

  1. Autorità Nazionale Anticorruzione (ANAC)
    Riflessione a seguito della nota in allegato
    Relazione del collega Giacomo Bernardi
  2. Rafforzamento del Coordinamento Nazionale
    Spunti e proposte operative per una maggiore incisività e rappresentanza
    Relazione del collega Gianalberigo De Vecchi
  3. Proliferazione dei Garanti nelle Regioni italiane
    Analisi dello scenario attuale e riflessioni sul ruolo del Difensore Civico
    Relazione della collega Paola Baldovino
  4. “Abuso d’Ufficio” e ruolo del Difensore Civico
    Considerazioni e riflessi sull’attività delle autorità di garanzia
    Relazione del collega Francesco Cozzi

La dichiarazione del Presidente Marino Fardelli:

«Questa convocazione rappresenta un momento importante di confronto operativo e di riflessione strategica, in una fase in cui il ruolo dei Difensori Civici è sempre più centrale nel garantire legalità, trasparenza e tutela dei diritti. Rafforzare il Coordinamento nazionale significa rafforzare la democrazia e la fiducia dei cittadini nelle istituzioni».

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Link to the Ombudsman Daily News archives from 2002 to 20 October 2011