Within the press conference held today by ombudsman, Mihail Cotorobai has announced its intention to enhance the capacity of the institution for its efficient functioning, to strengthen relations with civil society, internal and external partners.
Mihail Cotorobai congratulated journalists with the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, marked on May 3 announced its intention to be open to media representatives and to promptly respond to their requests for comments or information.
The Ombudsman has a similar role to that of the press - to beat the alarm, raise awareness among public opinion, authorities regarding the existing problems, except in a narrow field of human rights observance. In this regard, the ombudsman institution and press have common tasks and goals, circumstances that require us to be partners, said Mihail Cotorobai.
The Ombudsman also revealed that a common objective is the promotion of human rights culture in society, informing citizens about their rights and their instruction how to defend these rights. Mihail Cotorobai said he hopes to cooperation with media in this regard, but also in promoting the institution, inform the public opinion about its activities, tasks and duties of the Office. This is needed firstly for citizens who shall be better informed about how they can apeall to institutions in order to protect their rights, said the ombudsman.
To establish a closer cooperation with the media Mihail Cotorobai expressed its readiness to organize informal meetings with journalists, and intention to hold quarterly or more frequently, if necessary, of same press clubs People’s Advocate Office where to discuss acute issues from the field of human rights.
Otherwise, the People’s Advocate said that at the current stage in the activity of the Office will remain to be of priority fields of combating discrimination, torture and ill-treatment, promotion of children's rights as well as persons with disabilities rights, combat of domestic violence. In the Office attention will continue to be problems related to respect for the right to quality health care services, malpraxis cases, and environmental issues.
Mihail Cotorobai emphasized that he wants the Office of People’s Advocate to be involved, according to the attributions under Law nr.52, in solving of resonance cases in the field of human rights.
The Ombudsman also noted through the proposed priorities of the activity the strengthening of People Advocate Office capacity to intervene not just reactive as well as proactive in promoting and defending the rights of people. Reactive interventions, those that are meant to protect people whose rights have been violated (the examination of petitions, action in instance in the interests of petitioners etc.) are very important. But no less important are those pro-active, which consists of human rights promotion and prevention activities in the community, unannounced monitoring visits, conducting investigations on cases of serious human rights violations and the settlement of several cases of human rights violations or citizens complaints through the mediation process, said the People’s Advocate.
Mihail Cotorobai mentioned that he aims the institution to contribute more actively to the improvement of legislation in human rights compartment, encourage the authorities to ratify international treaties in the concerned area.
Another priority announced by the ombudsman was enhancing of the credibility and authority of the People Advocate Office, rightly to be conceived as a main institution in the state that promote and protect human rights coordinate the policies in the field, as the opinion of People’s Advocate to be accepted and supported by civil society and public authorities.
Mihal Cotorobai said he wants to reset institutions relations with civil society institution which shall find a reliable partner in the People’s Advocate Office.We will support NGOs that launch useful and effective initiatives to promote and protect human rights, in order to improve the situation in the concerned field in Moldova. We are open to close cooperation with civil society, said the People’s Advocate. The Ombudsman also emphasized that from international practice in this area it is known - Ombudsman institution is effective only if it has the support of civil society and Parliament. That's because the ombudsman does not have the levers to penalize, sanction, all what he is doing has a character of recommendation.
Mihail Cotorobai said he intends to develop the cooperation relations with central and local public institutions, based on experience and relationships previously established by parliamentary advocates.
Realizing that in the territory localities are most potential beneficiaries of the People’s Advocate Office namely because people from the country less know about their rights, Mihail Cotorobai mentioned that together with district and local authorities intend to change things for the better in this regard. Thus, at the first stage, plans to carry out visits to regional centers but also in rural areas to meet the local authorities and inform as many people as possible about the Office, People’s Advocate and their duties.
The ombudsman revealed that he counts on the support of central public authorities both in institutional reform implementation, as well as same initiatives to improve the situation in the sphere of human rights in our country.
Among the priorities of the moment of the Peoples’s Advocate was mentioned the successful completion of institutional reform, creation of the Office new team, developing a new structure of the institution in accordance with the requirements of Law nr. 52. Another important issue is the assurance of the People’s Advocate Office with a new building.
During the press conference was presented the new version of People’s Advocate Office web page – www.ombudsman.md.