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People´s Advocate

ALBANIA

The activities performed by People’s Advocate as regards the international relations during the period January – August 2002

I. The visitors received by the People&#8217;s Advocate in Tirana

• 21-24 March, the People’s Advocate received in Tirana the Mediator of the Republic of France Mr. Bernard Stasi who paid a study visit at the People’s Advocate Office . The President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the Head of the Constitutional Court, the Minister of Justice and other personalities, received Mr. Stasi. Mr. Stasi and the staff companying him participated in a workshop organised by an Albanian NGO on the subject “The role of the Mediator in a regular legal process”
  
  
• 3-5 April, the People’s Advocate Dr. Ermir Dobjani received in Tirana the Chief Parliamentary Ombudsman of the Swedish Kingdom, Mr. Claes Eklundh who participated and delivered a speech in the workshop “ The Ombudsman and its relations with the judiciary”. Mr. Eklundh was also received by The President of the Republic, the Speaker of the Parliament, the Head of the Constitutional Court, the Minister of Justice etc.
  
  
• 26-28 June, the People’s Advocate Dr. Ermir Dobjani received in Tirana the Parliamentary Ombudsman of Denmark Mr. Hans Gemmeltolft Hansen. Mr Hansen was also received by the Speaker of the Parliament, the Head of the Constitutional Court, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Justice Members of Parliament etc. He had some meetings in Gjirokastra and Saranda , in the South of Albania with the local authorities , local police and court authorities where he was informed about their co-operation with the People’s Advocate. We defined the fields of the further co-operation between the respective offices.
  
  
• 8-10 July, the People’s Advocate Dr. Ermir Dobjani received in Tirana the member of the executive board of the European Ombudsman Institute , Mr. Nikolaus Schwaezler. The Minister of Justice and the Minister of Public Order received Mr. Schwaezler.
  
  
• 17-20 July, the Ombudsman of Bosnja- Herzegovina Mr. Frank Orton paid a visit to the People’s Advocate Dr. Ermir Dobjani. In the workshop organised at the People’s Advocate office, Mr. Orton presented to the ombudsman staff his personal experience as an Ombudsman. Mr. Orton was received in separate meetings by the Speaker of the Parliament, the Prime Minister, the Head of the Constitutional Court, the Minister of Justice, the General Prosecutor etc.

II. The visits the People&#8217;s Advocate has paid to his counterparts

• 10-13 April, the People’s Advocate accompanied by his close collaborators, paid a visit back in Athens, to his Greek counterpart Mr. Diamondouros, who visited Albania in November 2001. The main topic of discussion was the further co-operation between the two institutions.
  
  
• 2-5 May, the People’s Advocate Dr. Ermir Dobjani and a part of his staff paid a working visit back in Kosovo, invited by the Kosovo Ombudsperson Mr. Marek A. Nowicki.
  Mr. Nowicki visited Albania in august 2001. The Prime Minister of Kosovo Mr. Bajram Rexhepi, the Head of Supreme Court of Kosovo etc, received the People’s Advocate. In other meetings with the local authorities of Prishtina, Prizren, Gjakove, Peja the main topic of discussions was the positive experience of co-operation these authorities have with the Ombudsperson of Kosovo.
  
  
• 20-23 May, the People’s Advocate Dr. Ermir Dobjani, accompanied by the Commissioner Mrs. F. Nuni and a part of his close collaborators participated the 18 th Conference of TOA (The Association of the American Ombudsmen) in Arlington in USA The main topic of the Conference was: “The work of the Ombudsman – Inspiration, Civilisation and Respect, in challenges” The People’s Advocate was received at the American State Department and at the Headquarters of the General Assembly of the UN by the Deputy Secretary General Mr. Hans Correll.
  
  
• 2-4 June, the People’s Advocate Dr. Ermir Dobjani participated the 18 th Conference organised by the Council of the Administrative Courts of Canada, in Ottawa . The subject of this Conference was “Maturation of the Legal Administrative System of Canada”. Mr. Dobjani was received by the Speaker of the Parliament of Ontario Province and by representative of human rights Commissioners of Canada and Ontario Province.
  
  
• 10-15 July, the People’s Advocate Dr. Ermir Dobjani and a part of his staff paid a study visit in the office of the French Mediator Mr. Bernard Stasi.
  The Albanian delegation had the opportunity to see during this visit the structure of the office, its activity and the techniques of mediation
  
  
• 20-24 July, the People’s Advocate Dr. Ermir Dobjani, paid a visit back to “Il Difensore Civico” of Bolzano in Italy, Mr. Werner Palla who visited in his turn Albania in December 2001. Mr. Dobjani could see during his visit the work carried out by Mr. Palla’s office and his commitment in protecting the Albanian immigrants working and living in Bolzano.

Vlaamse Ombudsdienst

BELGIUM

PRESS CONFERENCE
THE SETTING UP OF AN INTER-UNIVERSITY CENTRE FOR THE JOB OF OMBUDSMAN - JUNE 2002

Over the last ten years the function of ombudsman in Belgium has gradually become better defined. Following this period of expansion the time is now ripe for in-depth study, streamlining and deepening of the ombudsman function.

With this in mind, it has been decided to set up ICOM. The “Inter-university Centre for the Support of the job of Ombudsman” endeavours to underpin the further development of the job of ombudsman by means of research and training initiatives. Both academics as well as ombudsmen are at the birth of this initiative.

Numerous professors from the academic world have become involved in this initiative, representing Belgium’s wealth of universities. Various ombudsmen from the sector have also become involved. This does not only concern ombudsmen and women from the public sector; input is also expected from the private sector. Besides this, there are also a few interested partners from the adjoining sectors, such as the

Association for Towns and Boroughs, the Flemish Association for Administration and Policy and the Francophone Association of public administration and management sciences, the King Boudewijn Foundation and the Council of Sate.

The first initiative will be a study day in which the surplus value of the ombudsman services will be tested on different levels. On 4 December ‘02 various professors and ombudsmen will thematically throw more light on part of the subject matter.

For more information please apply to Kaat Van den Audenaerde or Bernard Hubeau.

Kaat VAN DEN AUDENAERDE
Staff member ICOM
Korte Sint-Annastraat 6
2000 ANTWERP

Tel: 03 204 10 58
Fax: 03 204 10 80
e-mail: kaat.vandenaudenaerde(at)ua.ac.be

Bernard HUBEAU
Flemish Ombudsman/Interim chairman ICOM
Hertogstraat 67 bus2
1000 BRUSSELS

Tel: 02 552 98 51
Fax: 02 552 98 50
e-mail: bernard.hubeau(at)vlaamsparlement.be

Members of the founding work group

• Prof. dr. Robert ANDERSEN – Catholic University of Leuven / chairman Francophone Association of Public Administration and management Sciences
• Prof. dr. Geert BOUCKAERT - Catholic University of Leuven / Government Institute – chairman of the Flemish Association for Administration and Policy
• Philippe DE SURAÂĽ - Ombudsman - La Louvičre
• Lieven JANSSENS - Kaat VAN DEN AUDENAERDE – Antwerp University - UAMS / staff member ICOM
• Bernard HUBEAU – Flemish Ombudsman / Interim chairman ICOM
• Prof. dr. Ria JANVIER – Antwerp University / UAMS
• Prof. dr. Paul LEWALLE – Liege University
• Herman WUYTS – College of federal ombudsmen