OSCE Mission to Skopje continues support for capacity-building of the Ombudsman institution

SKOPJE, 26 June 2007 - Ambassador Giorgio Radicati, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje, and Swedish Ambassador, Ulrika Cronenberg Mossberg, announced the beginning of the second phase of the Macedonian Ombudsman Support Project at a press conference in Skopje today.

The project, funded by the Swedish International Development Agency and supported by the OSCE Mission, will help strengthen the professional capacities of the Ombudsman institution, and focus on increasing the co-operation with other State structures.

"The OSCE Mission has supported the Ombudsman office since 2002, and we remain committed to assist in the long-term development of the Ombudsman institution," said Ambassador Giorgio Radicati.

The National Ombudsman, Ixhet Memeti, added: "We appreciate international assistance which helps us more professionally and efficiently promote and protect the human rights of our citizens. These activities will increase our visibility and will raise public confidence in our institution."

This year, the Ombudsman plans to raise the awareness of prisoners about their rights and increase their access to his services. Nine presentations will be conducted in different penitentiaries around the country in order to educate the prisoners and prison staff about their rights and responsibilities and on the basics of the penitentiary legislation, including the European Prison Rules. Special boxes for complaints to the Ombudsman will be installed in the prisons.

The OSCE Mission also supported the publication of the brochure The Ombudsman in protection of the rights of imprisoned persons, published in Macedonian, Albanian and Roma languages, which will be distributed during the presentations.