The Ombudsman, Mr. Endrit Shabani, delivered a speech at the International Conference of Ombudsman, held at the Italian Parliament.

Speaking about technology, Mr. Shabani emphasized that the digital presence does not replace the physical presence of the institution among citizens, especially those who are not heard by the state.

He raised three questions for his colleagues: how to ensure minimum standards of transparency for our institutions; how to reach citizens who do not trust the state; and how to maintain independence without becoming a political actor.

“An institution does not live in its buildings or statutes. It does not live on online servers either. It lives in the moment when a citizen believes that his complaint will change something. Between the law as it is written and the law as it is applied, there is a distance, where trust is gained or lost. Our role is to be present on the ground and reduce this distance,” emphasized Mr. Endrit Shabani.

The conference closed with the Rome Declaration 2026, a common framework for the international protection of human rights.

During a unannounced inspection of the State Psychiatric Hospital in Sevlievo, the Ombudsman, acting as the National Preventive Mechanism, found mold on the walls, crumbling plaster, dampness in the rooms, and hazardous conditions for patients.

25 May 2026

During a unannounced inspection of the State Psychiatric Hospital in Sevlievo, the Ombudsman, acting as the National Preventive Mechanism, found mold on the walls, crumbling plaster, dampness in the rooms, and hazardous conditions for patients.

The inspection revealed serious violations, substandard repairs, and suspicions of unjustified spending of public funds.

On 11 May 2026, a team from the National Preventive Mechanism under the Ombudsman conducted an unannounced inspection at the Sevlievo State Psychiatric Hospital to follow up on the implementation of the Ombudsman’s previous recommendations. Back in 2025, the Ombudsman’s team found that the renovation works at the medical facility were being carried out in a perfunctory manner, with poor quality and significant delays.

It was found that repair works worth over BGN 1.4 million under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) were carried out to an extremely poor standard—peeling plaster, mold, and damp in the rooms, and suspended ceilings installed in a hazardous manner, uneven flooring, dangling cables, and unfinished work.

Furthermore, despite repeated recommendations from the Ombudsman, the hospital still lacks a fire alarm system and an elevator for patients with limited mobility.

The inspection also found serious grounds for suspicion of duplication and overpricing of construction and installation costs, including for work that was already included in the original contract or, according to hospital management, was not performed at all.

Due to the identified violations, the Ombudsman has referred the matter to the Gabrovo District Prosecutor’s Office, the Ministry of Finance, the National Audit Office, and the State Financial Inspection Agency, requesting a full investigation into the renovation, the quality of the work, and the expenditure of public funds.

“It is inexcusable to use public funds to carry out substandard renovations in healthcare facilities where some of the most vulnerable people in society are housed. It is even more concerning when there is evidence of work that was not performed, yet payment is being claimed for it,” Velislava Delcheva stated firmly.

Recommendations were made to the Minister of Health to clarify the reasons for the lack of oversight over the renovation works, the delays in construction and installation activities, and the failure to implement key safety measures, including the installation of a fire alarm system and an elevator.

Berlin: (hib/HAU) Der Petitionsausschuss tagt am Montag, 8. Juni 2026, öffentlich. Während der um 12 Uhr beginnenden Sitzung im Anhörungssaal 3.101 des Marie-Elisabeth-Lüders-Hauses werden zwei Petitionen beraten. Dabei handelt es sich um eine Eingabe, mit der die Sicherstellung der ambulanten psychotherapeutischen Versorgung durch angemessene Vergütung gefordert wird. Ab etwa 13 Uhr steht eine Petition auf der Tagesordnung, die sich gegen eine Kürzung der Eingliederungshilfe für Menschen mit Behinderung richtet.

Mehr als 127.000 Mitzeichnungen kann die Petition(Externer Link) von Siegfried Kaldewey zur ambulanten psychotherapeutischen Versorgung aktuell verzeichnen - wobei die Mitzeichnungsfrist sogar noch bis zum 9. Juni läuft. Der Petent fordert geeignete gesetzgeberische Maßnahmen, um sicherzustellen, „dass Anpassungen der Vergütung psychotherapeutischer Leistungen im System der gesetzlichen Krankenversicherung nicht zu einer Verschlechterung der Versorgungssituation führen und eine bedarfsgerechte, wirtschaftlich tragfähige Versorgung gewährleistet bleibt“. Eine Absenkung oder strukturell unzureichende Vergütung könne die wirtschaftliche Grundlage psychotherapeutischer Praxen beeinträchtigen und mittelbar zu einer Reduktion des Behandlungsangebots führen, warnt er in seiner Eingabe. In einem bereits angespannten Versorgungssystem bestehe die Gefahr, dass sich Wartezeiten weiter verlängern und der Zugang zur Behandlung zusätzlich erschwert wird.

Aus Patientensicht sei dies besonders kritisch, schreibt er unter Verweis auf eigene Erfahrungen. „Auch ich habe erst nach längerer Suche einen Therapieplatz erhalten“, heißt es in der Petition. Diese Erfahrung verdeutliche, „dass die bestehenden Kapazitäten bereits heute an ihre Grenzen stoßen“.

Von der Bundesvorsitzenden des Vereins Lebenshilfe, Ulla Schmidt, stammt die zweite zu beratende Eingabe(Externer Link). Sie fordert, keine gesetzlichen Änderungen vorzunehmen, die zu Kürzungen und Einschränkungen der Eingliederungshilfe für Menschen mit Behinderung - zum Beispiel durch Pauschalierungen - führen. Innerhalb der sechswöchigen Mitzeichnungsfrist hat die Petition insgesamt 181.269 Unterstützerinnen und Unterstützer gefunden.

Die ehemalige Bundesgesundheitsministerin Schmidt verweist auf öffentliche Diskussionen darüber, die Kosten für die Eingliederungshilfe zu begrenzen. „Diese Diskussionen verunsichern viele Menschen mit Behinderung, ihre Familien und Freunde zutiefst“, betont sie.

Hintergrund der Diskussion sei der finanzielle Druck, den Kommunen seit Jahren beklagten: Leere Kassen zwängen sie, nach Einsparmöglichkeiten zu suchen. Nun fordert laut Schmidt die Sozialstaatskommission, „dass der aktuelle Dialog zwischen dem Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales, den Ländern und Kommunen vorrangig auf Kosteneinsparungen in der Eingliederungshilfe ausgerichtet wird“. Für Menschen mit Behinderung sei Eingliederungshilfe jedoch nicht irgendeine Leistung. „Sie ist die notwendige Unterstützung im Alltag: Assistenz beim Wohnen oder in der Schule, Hilfe bei der Arbeit, Begleitung in der Freizeit, Unterstützung bei der Kommunikation“, heißt es in der Petition. Die Eingliederungshilfe ermögliche die volle, wirksame und gleichberechtigte Teilhabe am gesellschaftlichen Leben - und verwirkliche das Recht jedes Menschen mit Behinderung, „selbst zu entscheiden, wo, wie und mit wem er oder sie lebt“.

Im Verlauf der öffentlichen Sitzung erhalten die Petenten die Möglichkeit, ihr Anliegen nochmals kurz darzustellen, um dann konkrete Fragen der Ausschussmitglieder zu beantworten. An der Sitzung nehmen auch Mitglieder der Bundesregierung teil, die von den Abgeordneten zu den Themen befragt werden können. Ein abschließendes Votum wird der Ausschuss in einer seiner späteren Sitzungen fällen.

Interessierte Zuhörerinnen und Zuhörer sowie Medienvertreterinnen und Medienvertreter können sich unter Angabe von Namen und Geburtsdatum spätestens bis zum 5. Juni 2026, 12.00 Uhr, beim Sekretariat des Petitionsausschusses, vorzimmer.peta@bundestag.de(Interner Link), anmelden.

Die Anhörung wird live im Parlamentsfernsehen und im Internet auf www.bundestag.de(Interner Link) übertragen. Sie steht anschließend in der Mediathek zum Abruf bereit.

E' stata approvata, dal Consiglio Regionale del Veneto nella seduta del 26 maggio 2026, la Relazione sull'attività del Garante regionale dei diritti della persona nell'anno 2025 

The Chancellor of Justice invited students in grades 6–12 to answer questions about what they do after school, what they would like to do, and what prevents them from doing what they would like. The questions were prompted by this year’s Estonian Human Development Report, which recommends offering young people more leisure-time opportunities on school days. Hobby education improves learning outcomes and reduces risk behaviour among young people. Engaging in hobbies is also a good alternative to spending time in front of a screen.

We are grateful to all 3,232 students across Estonia who responded to the survey, and to their parents and teachers who encouraged young people to take part. Special thanks go to the members of the Chancellor of Justice’s Children’s Advisory Body and to the child rights ambassadors of the Estonian Union for Child Welfare, as well as to their supervisors, who prepared videos and a map application to present the survey results.

What do young people do after school?

The survey results showed that, in general, young people’s time after school is fairly structured and filled with obligations. Approximately half of all respondents regularly attend sports training. Many go to the gym, play football, or engage in athletics. It stood out that many young people, both boys and girls, are involved in motorsport: they ride motorcycles, drive cross cars and karts. Some also practise shooting and martial arts.

It was surprising that students in basic school and upper secondary school do significantly more sport after school (50%) than students in vocational schools (22%).

Twenty-two percent of young people regularly take part in other guided activities – attending music or art school, drama groups, robotics, singing in a choir, or dancing in a folk dance group. A positive surprise was that many young people are interested in cooking and preparing food.

Basic school and upper secondary school students also participate in guided hobby groups more than vocational school students.

Every fourth respondent noted that their main activity after the school day is studying. They do homework, various school projects, and prepare for tests and exams. Several respondents noted that they take extra lessons and study with a private tutor. As many as 34% of girls noted that after school their time is mainly spent studying. Among boys, 21% named studying as their main activity.

A positive surprise was that various screen-based activities ranked only fifth among after-school activities (18%). Almost as many young people spend time outdoors: walking, cycling, and so on. There were notable differences between boys and girls in screen use: while 14% of girls spend time in front of screens — on social media, surfing the internet, watching videos, or playing computer games — the share among boys was 25%.

A negative surprise was that among the 3,232 students who responded to the survey, only 38 young people visited youth centres across Estonia. This is just slightly more than one percent of the students in grades 6–12 who responded to the survey. Significantly more young people work alongside school (3.3%). Vocational school and upper secondary school students work more often (6%). Among basic school students, 1.5% mentioned working.

Unfortunately, young people have little time for reading alongside compulsory schoolwork. Reading habits differ between boys and girls: girls (7.2%) read three times more than boys (2.3%).

What would young people like to do after school?

If young people could freely choose what to do after school, most would choose training, sport, or another active activity (27%). They would like to engage in the hobbies and sports that genuinely interest them, rather than settle for the training or hobby group that is available close to home. The responses indicated young people’s growing interest in motorsport and robotics.

The second most desired activity is spending time with friends. Being with friends is also important in hobby education and sport – the fact that a friend attends the same hobby group or training session can be a strong reason to take up the same activity. The responses suggest that young people would like to spend more time with friends, in a calmer way, outside school, and without the time pressure caused by homework.

Many young people are already involved in three or four different hobbies after school and do not want to add a new hobby group or activity; they would like more time to rest. Almost every eighth respondent would simply like to rest, sleep, recover, and be free of obligations after the school day.

A positive finding is that only 4.3% of respondents would like to spend their free time after school in front of a screen – playing computer games, watching videos, surfing the internet, or being on social media. This is several times less than respondents’ actual screen use (18%). This means that for many young people, screen time is not the most desired way to spend their free time, but because they are often tired after school and do not have enough time or opportunities for other activities, they choose this easily accessible activity that requires little effort.

In fact, young people would like to engage much more in art, music, and creative activities (10%) and spend time outdoors (10%). The responses also suggest that young people would like to travel more. However, there are major differences in travel opportunities. While some young people travel abroad during every school holiday, there are others who long simply to be able to go to the cinema, a concert, or a spa in town.

What prevents young people from doing what they would like?

As the main obstacles, the young people who responded to the survey pointed out that school days are long — often 8–9 hours in upper secondary school — the study load is heavy, and there is a lot of homework and many tests. As a result, there is not enough time to engage in a preferred hobby. Even if a little time is left after school-related activities, they are often too tired to go to training or a hobby group. Twenty-seven percent of young people answered that they would like to do more sport, rest, spend time with friends, or pursue hobbies, but school-related obligations take up a large part of their time and energy. A recurring idea in the responses was: “I am so tired after school that I do not have the energy to do anything.” Girls mentioned the volume of homework and fatigue caused by a heavy study load more often than boys.

Many also mentioned performance pressure and anxiety. They fear poor grades on their report card and worry about failing exams. They fear that every failure could ruin their future. Students in the final grades of basic school and upper secondary school are under particularly great pressure. Several respondents said that because of exams they had given up hobby groups and sports training, or had put them “on pause”. There were also those whose parents had advised them to give up hobbies in order to prepare for exams. No one wants to lose the chance to get a place in upper secondary school or vocational school.

Long distances between home, school, and hobby groups, as well as unsuitable bus schedules, were also mentioned as obstacles. Transport-related problems were clearly a greater concern for young people living in rural areas. While 2.4% of urban youth mentioned transport problems, every tenth young person living in a rural area said they could not engage in their preferred hobby because of transport problems. A rural child’s opportunity to pursue a hobby often depends on whether a parent can drive them by car. Transport problems are an obstacle especially for activities where it is important to be in a specific place at a specific time: sports training, hobby groups and other guided activities, as well as cinema, theatre, concerts and other events that begin at a set time. Transport problems were most often highlighted by young people from Rapla County, Põlva County, Jõgeva County, Viljandi County and Hiiu County. A young man living in Harju County wrote that he would like to get home from school in two minutes, not two hours. A boy living in Võru County wrote that he would like to teleport himself home from school.

A total of 4.2% of respondents noted that they cannot do what they would like after school because the hobby is expensive and their family does not have enough money for it. Slightly fewer young people mentioned household duties or other family-related restrictions as obstacles. For example, they have to look after a younger sibling, take care of animals, or do household chores.

Other obstacles mentioned included the lack of a suitable sports training, hobby group, or instructor in their home area, the lack of suitable spaces for young people, and the lack of necessary equipment. Young people’s opportunities to engage in their preferred sport vary by county. For example, in Harju County, 58.5% of respondents can attend the sports training they want; in Jõgeva County, Tartu County, Pärnu County and Jõgeva County, more than 53% of respondents can do so, but in Valga County the figure is 32.4%, in Ida-Viru County 33%, and in Viljandi County 35%. Young people living in Ida-Viru County also participate the least in other organised groups and hobby activities. A positive point, however, is that in those counties where young people have fewer opportunities for organised hobby activities, young people spend more time in nature on their own, walk the dog, and ride bicycles.

While in Saare County and Põlva County more than 6% of respondents visited youth centres, in several counties no respondent had visited a youth centre or only a few had done so.

Summary

To sum up in the words of one young person: “young people would like to be more active and creative in their free time than their daily routine allows.” The main obstacles to engaging in a preferred hobby are a heavy study load and the resulting fatigue, and in rural areas, transport problems as well.

Young people would like to spend less time in front of screens than they actually do. If they had more time and energy after fulfilling their school-related obligations, they would choose spending time in nature, being with friends, or engaging in a preferred hobby instead of screen-based activities.