President Nicos Anastasiades said Thursday that the services of the office of the Commissioner of Administration (Ombudsman) in Cyprus are supportive of the state’s efforts for a society based on justice, equality and respect for diversity and of the rights of all citizens.
Addressing an event for the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the institution, the President said that this is an independent institution and that any attempts to interfere, fortunately due to the Commissioner’s efforts, were prevented. Therefore, he said, people realize that there are frameworks within which everyone should work.
He referred to a series of measures taken aiming at supporting and strengthening the efforts of each Commissioner such as the sufficient financial resources to the institution, based on the budget prepared every year by the Commissioner, an amendment to the legal framework regarding the competence of the Commissioner to act as the National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture, the possibility of the Commissioner to conduct visits freely and unannounced to any place of detention etc.
The President said that with the aim of further strengthening the independence of the person appointed to the position, the appointment should receive the approval of the majority of the Parliament.
President Anastasiades also said that a Subcommittee of the UN re-evaluated the institution and accredited it as a National Human Rights Authority with an A status, recognizing that the institution is in full compliance with the Paris Principles and performs the task it has undertaken perfectly.
Source: Cyprus News Agency