Foreword

Quo vadis institution of the Public Defender of Rights in Slovakia?

The Public Defender of Rights in the Slovak Republic is a type of ombudsman institutions. The diverse nature of the rights falling within the remit of these institutions depends on the constitutional and legislative frameworks under which they operate in a particular jurisdiction. The information and insights exchanged and shared at the meetings of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI), the European Ombudsman Institute (EOI), the European Network of Ombudsmen (ENO) and the Visegrad Group countries evidence such diversity, as do the conclusions from various studies and surveys conducted in this regard.1 Protecting the fundamental rights and freedoms of natural and artificial persons against violations caused by actions, inaction or decision-making of public authorities is the core mission of the Public Defender of Rights in Slovakia as an element of open governance.

(...)