Tatiana Crestenco: In the past 4-5 years, the institution of the Ombudsperson has raised concerned about the disorders identified at the Boarding Housefor Children with Mental Disorders of Orhei several times. However, the Ministry of Labour Social Protection and Family (MLSPF) failed to fulfil the recommendations of the national human rights protection institution. If MLSPF have heard the Ombudsperson’s voice, the existing situation at the Boarding House would not have so aggravated.
Within a press conference, the head of the Child Protection Service of the People’s Advocate Office, Tatiana Crestenco, stated that since 2011 the Boarding House of Orhei has been constantly monitored by the Ombudsperson and the staff of the Ombudsperson institution both following examination of a number of petitions, and following verification of the conditions at the institutions where children with disabilities are placed, as ex-officio action or following notifications in the media.
After each of the visits conducted at the Orhei Boarding House, the Ombudsperson sent to MLSPF notifications calling for action, in which it informed about the irregularities observed and recommended to the Ministry to take measures to improve the situation. Among others, Mrs. Crestencosaid that the Centre for Human Rights of Moldova (CHRM) asked MLSPF as early as in 2012to dismiss the head of the Boarding House “for violation of the professional ethics and deficient management of the institution”.If MLSPF have heard the Ombudsperson’s voice, the existing situation at the Boarding House would not have so aggravated, the representative of the People’s Advocate Office stated.
In addition, Tatiana Crestenco informed journalists that during the unplanned visits to the Boarding House of Orhei, there were cases when the ombudsperson and the representatives of CHRM were not allowed access to the institution, although according to Law on Parliamentary Advocates No. 1349 and Law on Ombudspersons No. 52, the ombudsperson is entitled to “have free and immediate access to institutions, organisations, and enterprises, regardless of the type of property and legal form thereof…, institutions providing social, health or psychiatric assistance, special educational and re-educational institutions or curative and re-educational institutions for juveniles, and other similar institutions”.Even the local press ofOrheicovered this incident.
Tatiana Crestenco notified the attending journalists about the latest conclusions of the team of monitors from the People’s Advocate Office, regarding the situation at the Boarding House of Orhei following the visit to this institution conducted on September 8. She spoke about a number of irregularities identified within the recent visit to the Boarding House. This time again the staff of the Ombudsperson’s Institution faced the problem of access to this institution. The members of the team of monitors were not able to talk to the beneficiaries of the Boarding House because the Deputy Minister of Labor Social Protection and Family did not allow access of the representatives of the People’s Advocate Office to the groups of children, justifying it by the fact that this had not been coordinated with MLSPF.
Mrs. Crestenco mentioned that, although the purpose of the concerned social institution is to provide placement for children up to 18, at the Boarding House there are also adult people aged 39. The staffing list of the Boarding House does not include psychologists, educational psychologists, and educators. Another issue is the staff turnover caused mainly by the low salaries. For instance, nurse-maidshave a monthly wage of 1,080 MDL. The staff is not incentivized financially.
The representative of the Ombudsperson’s institution also spoke about the recommendations made to MLSPF with a view to improving the situation at the Boarding House of Orhei. She informed that the People’s Advocate Office asked the General Prosecutor’s Office and the Prosecutor’s Office of Orhei to conduct criminal investigation of the facts of inadvertence in exercising job duties and violation of the rights of Orhei Boarding House beneficiaries, which had been revealed in the video broadcast on the web portal www.today.md .
Actele de reacționare ale ombudsmanului
Video de la conferința de presă poate fi vizionat aici:http://realitatealive.md/live-conferinta-de-presa-opinia-oficiului-avocatului-poporului-privind-situatia-de-la-casa-internat-pentru-copii-cu-deficiente-mintale-de-la-orhei_26634.html
