President of Kosovo Assembly promises timely debate on Ombudsperson Institution’s seventh Annual Report

24/08/2007

At a meeting today with Acting Ombudsperson Mr. Hilmi Jashari, the President of the Kosovo Assembly, Mr. Kole Berisha, promised to ensure a timely parliamentary debate on the recommendations offered in the Ombudsperson Institution’s Annual Report (2006-2007).
Covering the period from July 2006 to June 2007, the Institution’s seventh Annual Report presents the Acting Ombudsperson’s assessment of the most important human rights issues in Kosovo today. It also offers recommendations that aim to assist the Assembly in resolving the many problems Kosovans face when dealing with local institutions.
Today, over six weeks since its release on 11 July, the Annual Report is yet to be tabled for parliamentary debate.
“We want to help the Assembly in tackling these issues,” the Acting Ombudsperson told Mr. Berisha today. “But we can only be of use to the Assembly and to the people of Kosovo if our recommendations are swiftly and properly addressed.”
In offering his full support to the work of the Ombudsperson Institution, Mr. Berisha promised that the Annual Report would be tabled for debate in the Assembly as soon as possible. He also assured the Acting Ombudsperson that the Report’s recommendations would play a crucial role in improving the work of Kosovo’s judicial, executive and legislative branches.
During the seventh annual reporting period, over 4,600 people contacted the Ombudsperson Institution to lodge formal complaints; this was almost 500 more than in the previous reporting period. Over 100 Open Days were held at the Institution’s offices throughout Kosovo, and almost 700 complaints were registered.
The seventh Annual Report (2006-2007) has been posted on the Ombudsperson Institution’s new website: www.ombudspersonkosovo.org.