Ombudsman’s address at the press conference held on June 6, 2017
On July 21st, I will have completed five years serving as the Ombudsman and will be leaving office in accordance with the Organic Act governing this Institution.
The first deputy will be taking over these duties until Parliament elects another Ombudsman.
I have not had nor do I currently have any intention of being a candidate for a further term of office.
I believe five years is long enough to carry out one’s work through the Ombudsman Institution. My time as the Ombudsman ends here, on July 21st.
It has been a great honour to have endeavoured to fulfil the mandate set out under the Constitution of defending the constitutional rights and freedoms; in addition to serving as the U.N. High Commissioners for Human Rights and as a National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture (NPM).
I would like to express my appreciation “quite especially” to the Vice President of the Government, to the “PP” People’s Party parliamentary group and to the Socialist parliamentary group who proposed here five years ago as a candidate for Ombudsman, and for having exercised the functions thereof “completely independently, conditioned solely by my own capabilities”.
I would also like to express my appreciation to the members of the Joint Commission for Relations with the Ombudsman Institution for the interest with which they have taken in keeping abreast of all of the Institution’s work and functions over the course of the 32 appearances before Parliament: 12 appearances in Congress and Senate plenary sessions and 20 appearances in Joint Commission. I appreciate their suggestions, comments, their favourable analyses and also those in discrepancy with my actions”,
Over the course of my time in office, I have presented 5 annual reports, 4 semester reports, 22 monographic reports and 5 reports as a NPM. At the end of the month, I will be presenting the statement for this semester as well as a summary of these past five years.
The work done over the course of these past five years has been made possible thanks to the people who work at the Institution, highly competent personnel deeply devoted to their duties
I would like to start by expressing my appreciation for the “dedication and commitment of Deputies Francisco Fernández Marugán and Concepció Ferrer, who have carried out their duties with a true commitment to public service, and would also like to thank all involved for the work done by all of the technical personnel, administrative personnel and personnel from different services.
I would like to reiterate my thanks to each and every one.
Summary of the activity over the course of these 5 years:
- Defending rights of the greatest number of people and make it possible for the Institution to reach the greatest number of people possible, to take action in defence of their rights, to provide solutions to their complaints, to carry out ex-officio measures concerning matters in their interest or of their concern, and to put forth the fitting Recommendations to the administrations and achieve positive results.
- The budget in 2012 was 14,492,900 and 14,180,900 in 2016.
- The figures, the details concerning all of the resolutions, show aspects of interest:
In 2012, there were 548 resolutions to administrations, 70% of which were approved.
In 2016, there were 1,771 resolutions to administrations, 82% of which were approved.
- The average time frames for the first response form the Ombudsman to the citizen were: 62.35 days in 2013; and 30.07 days in 2017.
- The uncooperative administrations numbered a total of 66 in 2012; having been 35 in number in 2016.
- The NPM visits in its beginnings, in 2012, totalled 52 in all; having totalled 101 in 2016, and totalling 46 to date in 2017.
- A total of 9 study conferences have been held in collaboration with entities, associations and experts.
- Five surveys were conducted for the purpose of learning the citizens’ opinions concerning: architectural barriers, starting date of the school years, needs of persons with celiac disease, granting of credits on the part of banking institutions and transparency of the public administrations. A total of 26,953 people took part.
- Nine openings for Ombudsman Institution job positions have been announced via a competitive procedure by way of publication in the Spanish Official Gazette (B.O.E.).
- 10. In 2014, the online complaint filing and consultation and tracking service was put into operation.
- In 2015, the lengths of time employed in the responses, on the part of both the Ombudsman and the administrations, the uncooperative administrations, the number of complaints and ex-officio measures were all published on the website by areas of action, as well as the suggestions and recommendations put forth and to which administration.
- In 2016, the Institution’s presence on the social networks was increased, and both a blog and a chat were gotten under way more and better communications and information. Today, one can enter the website or lodge a complaint via app.
In 2016, there were 470,182 visits to the website.
In 2017, up to June 6th, there have been 261,765 visits.
- Transparency has been one of our major objectives. Everything is on the website. Very good rating on the first report evaluating compliance with the transparency law prepared and presented by the Council for Transparency and Good Governance.
The Ombudsman Institution has been in existence for 34 years, further expanding upon our democratic system as in other consolidated democracies and is an Institution of which we, the people of Spain, can feel proud.
