12.12.2023

Problemfelder bei Thüringer Behörden - Repräsentative Umfrage des Thüringer Bürgerbeauftragten zeigt die Schwachstellen

In einer repräsentativen Umfrage des Instituts INSA (PDF) im November 2023 haben 76 Prozent der erwachsenen Thüringer die Bürokratie als großes Problem in Thüringer Behörden benannt. Es folgen Bearbeitungsdauer (63%), Gebührenhöhe (57%), Stand der Digitalisierung (55%) und Erreichbarkeit (53%). Fast die Hälfte der Befragten (48%) sieht die „Verständlichkeit der Schreiben“ problematisch. Lediglich die Freundlichkeit des Personals (27 %) und die Kompetenz des Personals (33 %) werden nicht absolut-mehrheitlich als großes Problem wahrgenommen.

zur Grafik 1

Auf die allgemeine Frage „Wie würden Sie die Thüringer Behörden insgesamt beschreiben?“ beurteilen 26 Prozent der Thüringer die Behörden in Thüringen als bürgernah, wohingegen 24 Prozent die Behörden als abgehoben erleben. 41 Prozent schätzen die Verwaltung als teils bürgernah und teils abgehoben ein. 7 Prozent trauen sich keine Entscheidung zu.

zu Grafik 2

Mit Blick auf die Digitalisierung der Verwaltung fällt das Urteil der Thüringer überwiegend kritisch aus: Insgesamt wird die derzeitige Entwicklung hin zu einer möglichst vollständigen Digitalisierung mehrheitlich (56 %) als schlecht bewertet: Für 78 Prozent ist es wichtig, dass trotz der Digitalisierung direkte Ansprechpartner erhalten bleiben.

Für den Bürgerbeauftragten des Freistaats Thüringen belegen diese Ergebnisse, dass bei der Zufriedenheit mit der Arbeit der Verwaltung noch „deutlich Luft nach oben“ ist. Herzberg wörtlich: „Die Menschen in Thüringen erwarten, dass Behörden zeitnah bearbeiten, bürokratiearm agieren und gut erreichbar sind. Dabei sollen sie verständlich und auf Augenhöhe mit den Bürgern reden. Diese Erwartungen sind berechtigt, leider erleben es die Bürger noch allzu oft anders.“

Für die Digitalisierung wünscht Herzberg, „dass sie noch viel stärker vom Bürger her gedacht wird.“ Herzberg weiter: „Trotz aller digitalen Möglichkeiten braucht es immer auch den Weg zu einem direkten Ansprechpartner, bei dem ich nachfragen und Unklarheiten besprechen kann.“

Die detaillierten Ergebnisse und alle Grafiken finden Sie auf der Webseite des Bürgerbeauftragten bei → Veröffentlichungen (Umfrage - Thüringer Behörden – Erfurt 2023).

Die Umfrage wurde im Auftrag des Bürgerbeauftragten durch die INSA-CONSULERE GmbH im Zeitraum 30.10.-07.11.2023 mittels einer Modus-Mixta Befragung (telefonisch und online) durchgeführt. 1.000 Personen aus Thüringen ab 18 Jahren nahmen an der Befragung teil.

Pressemitteilung (PDF)

Kontakt für Rückfragen:
Susan Kasten
Tel.: 0361 573113878,
susan.kasten@buergerbeauftragter-thueringen.de

Following a series of exchanges with the European Parliament on its post-Qatargate ethics reforms, European Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly acknowledges significant progress in strengthening the rules but concerns remain about their implementation and enforcement.

A credible ethics framework requires adequate resources, rigorous implementation and strong enforcement but it is not yet clear that these elements are in place. The Ombudsman urges Parliament to put them in place as quickly as possible to reassure the European public ahead of next June's elections. As the self-regulation model remains largely intact, citizens need to be confident that it can work.

The reform package includes some welcome improvements such as a more detailed definition of conflict of interest and the obligation on Members to publish all meetings organised with registered lobbyists and with diplomatic representatives from non-EU countries.

Three issues remain of particular concern:

Firstly, it is not clear how Parliament will monitor and enforce the new rules, such as the post-mandate cooling-off period for MEPs and the obligation to register meetings with lobbyists.

Secondly, although the committee that monitors MEPs’ compliance with the Code of Conduct has been given a more proactive role, certain details remain unclear including how in practice the committee will receive and act on ‘signals’ concerning alleged wrongdoing by MEPs.

Finally, the Ombudsman noted the inadequate transparency of the reform process itself, in particular regarding decisions adopted by its Bureau—a body that lays down rules for the Parliament. In future, the public should be able to scrutinise internal decisions of significant public interest.

“The Qatargate scandal undermined the reputation of the European Parliament in the eyes of many EU citizens. Ahead of the European elections next year, the Parliament must now show that it is doing everything in its power to protect its integrity and credibility.

The new stronger ethics rules are a good starting point but the rules are only as good as their implementation and enforcement.

My aim is to encourage the Parliament to continue the process of reform needed to ensure a strong ethical culture and an enforcement regime worthy of citizens’ trust,” said the Ombudsman.

Background

First reported in December 2022, the Qatargate scandal involves allegations that non-EU countries tried to buy influence in the Parliament.

In January 2023, the Ombudsman asked the Parliament for more information on how it intended to reform its ethics and transparency framework in the wake of this scandal. She also later provided input on the 14-point proposal for reform presented by the Parliament’s President, Roberta Metsola.

The Parliament adopted several changes including to its Rules of Procedure and to Members’ Code of Conduct in September 2023. These changes strengthened the rules around the transparency of MEPs’ declarations of private interests, conflicts of interests, and declarations of meetings with interest representatives. There is also now a six-month cooling-off period for former MEPs and a new ‘transparency webpage’ on the Parliament’s website.

See the Ombudsman’s assessment in full.

By 1 September each year The Althingi Ombudsman submits his annual report to Althingi on activities in the previous year.  An excerpt of the annual report in English has now, for the first time, been made made available on-line. The excerpt contains several main points in some of the most important cases dealt with in 2022, statistical information and OPCAT summary.

Five hundred and twenty-eight complaints were registered in 2022, 18 own-initiative inquiries were opened and six visits were made as part of OPCAT monitoring. The number of complaints submitted was slightly lower than the record of 570 received in 2021; this was balanced by a greater number of own-initiative inquiries and more OPCAT monitoring. Over the past five years the average number of complaints received each year has been 470.

Six visits were made as part of the office’s monitoring under OPCAT. Two of these were to the main prison at Litla-Hraun. Four reports were issued. Other visits were made to the prison at Kvíabryggja, the police detention facilities in the Northeastern Region in Akureyri and Siglufjörður, the psychiatric ward of the Akureyri Hospital and the security detention facilities in Akureyri.

Annual Report 2022 (Excerpts)

On 20-24 November 2023, the head of the Seimas Ombudspersons’ Office, Seimas Ombudsperson Erika Leonaitė and the advisors of the Human Rights Division of the Office, Fausta Viktorija Osičnaitė and Goda Jurevičiūtė, visited Copenhagen. The study visit for the representatives of the Seimas Ombudspersons’ Office was organised by the Danish Parliamentary Ombudsman’s office, which not only deals with complaints, like most ombudsman institutions, but also carries out national torture prevention functions in accordance with the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

The study visit started with a presentation of the powers and activities of the Danish Parliamentary Ombudsman. Then, 2022 activity report of the Danish Parliamentary Ombudsman was presented as well as the procedures and features of implementation of the national prevention of torture in Denmark, statistical data, challenges arising in this area and visited places of restriction of liberty. In addition, the information was provided on cooperation with the non-governmental organisation “DIGNITY” (Danish Institute Against Torture) and the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR), as well as the dialogue with representatives of state authorities regarding implementation of recommendations of the Danish Parliamentary Ombudsman.

The representatives of the Seimas Ombudspersons’ Office were also introduced to the detailed guidelines for monitoring activities in places of restriction of liberty (Manual for Monitoring Activities) applied by experts of the Danish Parliamentary Ombudsman’s office and informed about the possibility of improving communication skills with persons whose freedom is restricted using the FreedomLab.io, an online learning platform developed by the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). In addition, many examples of good practice regarding the planning and execution of inspections at places of restriction of liberty were shared.

During the study visit, representatives of the Seimas Ombudspersons’ Office had an opportunity to get to know how the employees of the Danish Parliamentary Ombudsman’s office prepare monitoring reports, the structure and content of such reports, to share good practices on their preparation and finally, to visit the main pre-trial detention facility of the Copenhagen prison group – The Western Prison. Later, the representatives of the Seimas Ombudspersons’ Office discussed the aspects monitored in prisons as well as the peculiarities and differences of the Lithuanian and Danish penitentiary systems with experts of the Danish Parliamentary Ombudsman’s office.

The head of the Seimas Ombudspersons’ Office and the advisors of the Human Rights Division were also introduced to the asylum procedures applied in Denmark, the powers of the Danish Parliamentary Ombudsman to visit state institutions and private centers for foreigners whose freedom is restricted. They were informed about the types of such places, the features of inspections carried out there, the most important areas to be checked and the results of such visits. The next part of the presentation was dedicated to discussing the Danish Parliamentary Ombudsman’s function of forced-return monitoring. Afterwards, the representatives of the Seimas Ombudspersons’ Office were provided with an opportunity to visit the detention and probation facility for asylum seekers and other foreigners (The Ellebæk Center for Foreigners).

In addition to the already mentioned areas, the representatives of the Seimas Ombudspersons’ Office were introduced to the legal regulation of involuntary treatment of patients in psychiatric institutions in Denmark, the conditions of involuntary hospitalisation, the procedure for applying physical restraint measures, etc. Together with the experts of the Danish Parliamentary Ombudsman’s office, the experience and knowledge on the implementation of national torture prevention functions in Lithuania was shared, the challenges arising in this area were discussed as well as information learned during the visit and possible further cooperation were talked about.

It should be highlighted that the visit to the Danish Parliamentary Ombudsman’s office was organised as part of the Nordic-Baltic Mobility Programme for Public Administration of the Nordic Council of Ministers, which allocates funds to civil servants and other employees of the public sector to carry out short-term study visits, internships, trainings or network activities in the region.

La responsabile del Centro di tutela contro le discriminazioni Garbin in occasione dell’anniversario della proclamazione della Dichiarazione universale dei diritti umani: “Attivarsi insieme per la dignità e i diritti delle persone”.

“Tutti gli esseri umani nascono liberi ed eguali in dignità e diritti”: queste le parole introduttive della Dichiarazione universale dei diritti umani, approvata e proclamata il 10 dicembre 1948 dall’Assemblea generale delle Nazioni Unite. “Ciò che suona così semplice, spesso nella realtà si sviluppa in modo completamente diverso”, dichiara Priska Garbin, responsabile del Centro di tutela contro le discriminazioni, in prossimità dell’anniversario della Carta: “Ci sono persone che vengono svantaggiate perché hanno un determinato colore della pelle, perché amano persone dello stesso sesso o per via di disabilità fisiche”.

Ovunque le persone si riuniscano - al lavoro, nelle associazioni sportive, nei cori e nelle cappelle, nei corpi volontari dei vigili del fuoco, nel vicinato, quando si fa la spesa - è possibile fare esperienza di risentimento, xenofobia e omofobia: il Centro di tutela contro le discriminazioni offre consulenza e sostegno legale alle persone che si sentono violate nella loro dignità umana.

Una società in cui ognuno senta di essere riconosciuto come essere umano e di appartenervi è il presupposto per una convivenza pacifica in un ambiente democratico e multiculturale: “Per questo”, conclude Garbin, “vale sempre la pena attivarsi insieme in difesa della dignità umana e dei diritti umani di tutti, con senso di responsabilità e coraggio”.

INFO: Centro di tutela contro le discriminazioni, via Cavour, 23/C
39100 Bolzano (orario di apertura: lun -ven 9.00 – 12.00) - tel. 0471.946020, e-mail: info@centrotuteladiscriminazioni.bz.it . È possibile contattare il Centro anche compilando l’apposito modulo sul sito della Difesa civica.