Youth Initiative Demands Appointment of Citizens Advocate

Inicijativa mladih za ljudska prava

The Youth Initiative for Human Rights submitted its request to the Serbian Skupstina (the Parliament) for urgent appointment of Citizens� Advocate, an institution that would lay the ground for the establishment of the Office of the Ombudsman.

The Law on Citizens� Advocate obligates the Skupstina to name the Citizens� Advocate within six months from the entry into force of the Law. The legal deadline expired on March 24.

"The Skupstina still hasn�t nominated and appointed the person for that office, which not only violates the provisions of the Law, but has denied the citizens of Serbia from access to an institution that will protect their rights from abuse and violations�, says the Youth Initiative.

The Youth Initiative reminded the public that similar transgression of deadlines appeared during the process of nomination and appointment for the Office of National Commissioner for Access to Information, which points out the continued irresponsible action by the Skupstina and its hesitation to take proper action in the process of establishment of the fourth branch of government.

"The Skupstina adopts laws that itself fails to implement, which gives a bad precedence to the citizens of Serbia. The existence of laws on declarative level only reminds us that Serbia is still far from full implementation of the rule of the law principle�, states the Youth Initiative.