45% of recommendations made by Office of Public Ombudswoman in 2021 accepted

Zagreb - Public Ombudswoman Tena Šimonović Einwalter informed the parliament in 2021 her office forwarded 156 recommendations to the bodies of the state administration concerning various topics, and that the bodies responded to 45% of those suggestions.

Presenting the report of her office for 2021, which was marked by the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequences of the 2020 earthquakes, Šimonović Einwalter said that the most complaints submitted by citizens in that year referred to discrimination, the right to the healthcare services, labour rights and the rights from the sector of judiciary.

She called for improvement in access of citizens to state administration bodies and for more efforts to be made in informing citizens about their rights and protection.

In 2021, her office received 3,580 complaints by citizens.

Several Opposition MPs objected that Public Ombudswoman's reports were put on the parliament's agenda belatedly.

Šimonović Einwalter agreed that it was pity that the 2021 report was on the parliament's agenda only now.

If we are not more prompt in discussing those reports, we miss opportunities to discuss the collected data and analyses in a timely fashion, she said.

Author: Hina