The Human Rights Ombudsman welcomes the publication of the European Commission’s 2022 Rule of Law Report. The report addresses four areas in detail: the justice system, anti-corruption, media pluralism and freedom, and other institutional issues that have an impact on national systems of checks and balances in Member States.

This year’s report for the first time contains specific recommendations addressed to each Member State. Slovenia has received a number of recommendations that shine a light on the weaknesses in the functioning of the rule of law in the country. ‘Although the recommendations are not legally binding, I urge all the relevant institutions to study them and enact them into Slovenian law. Expert-level discussions of the report are already under way in a number of countries with a view to improving the rule of law. I hope that Slovenia will also hold public, detailed, expert-level discussions on the Commission’s report. It is only through public discussion and the exchange of opinions between decision-makers, civil servants, judges, academics and representatives of independent institutions that we will be able to implement the recommendations quickly, to the benefit of the country’s citizens,’ said Ombudsman Peter Svetina.

To compile the report, the Commission used information and data from the countries themselves, as well as a range of other sources. A major report on Slovenia was also drafted in English by the Ombudsman’s office and submitted as part of a wider regional report drawn up by the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI).

In its submission to the Commission, the Human Rights Ombudsman gave proposals for improving the rule of law stemming from specific cases it has dealt with, from other activities undertaken by the Ombudsman and from the recommendations that the Ombudsman has addressed to various institutions and that also form part of the annual reports to the National Assembly. In the area of justice, the Ombudsman highlights the need to pass further measures to improve access to legal aid and adopt legislative amendments that will ensure that all victims of crime receive compensation regardless of nationality. It also points out that the state should act urgently to secure sufficient numbers of experts in family law cases, as the shortfall in numbers is leading to a violation of children’s rights. Regarding the workings of the Ombudsman’s office itself, one recommendation relates to amending the legislation in order to strengthen the operations of the institution in line with international standards. The Ombudsman urges everyone involved to comply with the Constitutional Court’s decision regarding the financial autonomy of four independent institutions. It also warned that a growing number of Constitutional Court decisions were still awaiting enforcement and recommended that a mechanism be established, along the lines of the mechanism in place at the European Court of Human Rights, for providing expert support for the enforcement of Constitutional Court decisions. Regarding media plurality and freedom of speech, the Ombudsman highlights the issue of hate speech and the need for amendments to be made to the Media Act that specify the ways in which the public interest can be protected, measures for removing unlawful content or hate speech, and sanctions for media that allow hate speech on their platforms. It also highlights the issue of the rise in strategic lawsuits against journalists and human rights advocates (SLAPP) , and calls for immediate implementation of the EU Whistleblower Directive from 2019, which Slovenia is already considerably behind in transposing. The Ombudsman’s office also told the Commission that Slovenia was slipping down the Press Freedom Index, which is published every year by Reporters Without Borders.

Slovenian translation of the Human Rights Ombudsman’s submission to the European Commission on the rule of law in Slovenia in 2022

Rafael Ribó was elected síndic for the first time in July 2004 and was re-elected in 2010
 

Rafael Ribó ends today his mandate as síndic de greuges de Catalunya (Catalan ombudsman). He first took office in 2004 and was re-elected in 2010, in accordance with the new Act on the Síndic de Greuges.

Over the course of both terms of office, the institution has processed more than 370,000 actions; has assisted more than 617,000 people and has presented more than 100 reports in Parliament (42 annual and 66 monographic), with their corresponding appearances in the Plenary and the Commission of the Catalan Ombudsman (more than 150 in total). In addition, 42 special monitoring agreements have been signed with local councils and county councils and more than 1,200 trips have been made throughout the territory to collect complaints and queries.

Ribó has been a member of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) since 2006, holding various positions: He served two terms (2009-2012 and 2016-2021) as president of the IOI European Board of Directors and also served as a director of the IOI World Board.

He was also one of the founding members of the International Association of Language Commissionners (IALC), established in Barcelona in 2014. He also promoted, with other ombudsmen, the National Energy Ombudsmen Network (NEON), formally founded in Brussels in January 2015.

At the end of May, Ribó gave a speech on the state of rights in the Sant Pau modernista complex, and it served to take stock of his term of office at the head of the institution. In his speech, Ribó warned about the situation of certain basic rights in our society and concluded that it is necessary to defend rights beyond laws to evolve towards a more democratic system that respects people. He also stressed the need to focus on people and move beyond the concept of citizens, which can be restrictive in relation to rights.

Today we present a press dossier with the competences that the institution has acquired over the years, the most important figures, the reports published, and the conferences and seminars held.

Rafael Ribó thanks all the employees of the institution for the work done and encourages the new ombudswoman, Esther Giménez-Salinas, to continue fighting to guarantee the rights of people, especially the most vulnerable.

• Executive summary of the term

Pour contribuer à l'échange d'expériences et de connaissances avec d'autres institutions similaires, l'Ararteko publie un magazine qui souligne les aspects les plus significatifs de son rapport annuel 2021 en français dans l'espoir de favoriser le dialogue, la solidarité et le soutien mutuel entre des organisations de régions et de pays différents, mais jumelées par leur objectif commun.

L’année 2021 a comporté un certain nombre de défis extraordinaires que l’institution de l’Ararteko a abordés avec détermination, tels que les conséquences de la pandémie. Cela n’a pas empêché un nombre record d’études et recommandations générales.

Accéder au résumé en français

Gaby Schwarz folgt auf Werner Amon, der sein Amt als Volksanwalt vorzeitig zurückgelegt hat. Sie tritt eine dreijährige Funktionsperiode an.

Bundespräsident Alexander Van der Bellen hat in der Hofburg die neue Volksanwältin angelobt. Van der Bellen würdigte die Volksanwaltschaft als eine der bedeutendsten Einrichtungen der Republik, zum Schutz der Bürgerinnen und Bürger.

Die Volksanwaltschaft zählt zu den Obersten Organen und kontrolliert seit 1977 die öffentliche Verwaltung. Seit 1. Juli 2012 hat die Volksanwaltschaft zusätzlich den verfassungsgesetzlichen Auftrag, im Rahmen eines Mandats der UNO die Einhaltung von Menschenrechten zu schützen und zu fördern. An die Volksanwaltschaft kann sich jedermann wenden, der sich von einer österreichischen Behörde nicht gerecht behandelt fühlen. Die Volksanwaltschaft geht jeder Beschwerde nach und prüft, ob Missstände in der Verwaltung vorliegen.

Die Volksanwaltschaft besteht aus drei Mitgliedern, die vom Nationalrat für sechs Jahre gewählt werden und einmal wiedergewählt werden können. Jeweils ein Mitglied der Volksanwaltschaft führt den Vorsitz. Dieser wechselt jedes Jahr im Juli. Mit ihrem Amtsantritt übernimmt Volksanwältin Gaby Schwarz damit auch gleich den Vorsitz in der Volksanwaltschaft.

Schwarz stammt aus dem Burgenland und hat sich in ihrer Zeit als Nationalrätin in den vergangenen Jahren als Gesundheits- und auch als Mediensprecherin im ÖVP-Klub des Parlaments für die Belange der Bürgerinnen und Bürger eingesetzt. Auch in der Krisenintervention ist die Volksanwältin sehr engagiert und fährt dort als Ehrenamtliche Einsätze.

„Ich fühle mich geehrt und bin stolz mich von jetzt an als Volksanwältin für die Rechte der Bürgerinnen und Bürger einsetzen zu können.“ so Volksanwältin Schwarz. Schwarz weiter: „In Artikel 1 der allgemeinen Erklärung der Menschenrechte der Vereinten Nationen heißt es „Alle Menschen sind frei und gleich an Würde und Rechten geboren“ – diesen Grundsatz nehme ich sehr ernst und danach handle ich. Vor allem Frauenrechte liegen mir dabei sehr am Herzen. Mädchen und Frauen sollten die gleichen Rechte und Chancen in ihrem Leben haben wie die Männer.“

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  Foto: © Peter Lechner/HBF

Casares ha celebrado este sábado 9 de julio, 20 años de los Premios Blas Infante Casares Solidario. En estos años, el jurado, presidido por el Defensor del Pueblo Andaluz, ya desde su primera edición en 2003, ha premiado 121 proyectos sociales, destinando 1.200.000 euros y llegando a medio millón de personas de 38 países o regiones diferentes partes del mundo.

Como ha dicho el Defensor del Pueblo Andaluz, Jesús Maeztu: "Orgullosos de formar parte de esta iniciativa que cumple 20 años defendiendo los derechos de las personas y contribuyendo a construir sociedades más justas e igualitarias".

La Cooperación para el Desarrollo es una expresión de la solidaridad de la sociedad casareña con los pueblos empobrecidos de otras regiones del mundo. Es además un compromiso político y social a escala nacional, autonómica y local, basado en unos principios rectores muy claros y definidos: defender un modelo de desarrollo socialmente justo, que fomente la redistribución de la riqueza y la garantía del bienestar para toda la humanidad; luchar por un modelo de desarrollo ambientalmente sano que proteja la naturaleza, garantizando la utilización de los recursos de forma sostenible; reclamar los derechos humanos individuales y colectivos; y apoyar especialmente medidas contra el racismo y la xenofobia, y a favor de la igualdad de oportunidades para hombres y mujeres.

Gala de la entrega de premios, celebrada el 9 de julio

Vídeo de felicitación del Defensor del Pueblo andaluz