Work plan for the protection of the rights of nationalities in the reorganised Office of the Ombudsman

Work plan for the protection of the rights of nationalities in the reorganised Office of the Ombudsman

Ernő Kállai, the Deputy Ombudsman responsible for the Protection of the Rights of Nationalities living in Hungary makes plans for the next year and a half and builds upon the experience of the past years. Extracts of the recently finalised plans:

Ernő Kállai attempts to conduct comprehensive inquiries in the reorganised Ombudsman's Office with his secretariat consisting of two woman secretaries, a lawyer and a sociologist working part time; in principle, however, he also has the possibility of using the staff of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights. According to the plans, the Deputy Ombudsman will analyse the contradictions of legal regulations, the special circumstances relating to nationalities and the state of affairs regarding the cultural autonomy of the nationalities. As a new element in his concept, each month he will focus his attention on the conditions and circumstances of a chosen nationality. ‘The time at my disposal will allow me to conduct talks with the leaders and experts of the community concerned, to review the work of the educational institutions and to meet the people in person" – writes Ernő Kállai in his work plan for 2012/2013.

The Deputy Commissioner for Fundamental Rights also sees it as one of his tasks to continuously monitor the changes occurring in the life of the communities concerned. Ernő Kállai considers it indispensable to analyse the impact of the new Act on the Nationalities, and of certain sectoral legislation, on the exercise of the rights of nationalities. He lays particular stress on the importance of continuously monitoring the changes of the social, educational and employment system affecting Roma people in extreme poverty, and on the implementation of the National Social Inclusion and Roma Strategy.

Moreover, the Deputy Commissioner for the Protection of the Rights of Nationalities will also examine the life circumstances and perspectives of people living in Roma settlements or in other segregated living environments. The examination of nationality education, the comprehensive analysis of the census data from the point of view of the nationalities is also part of the work plan and the financing of the cultural autonomy of the nationalities will be a subject-matter of an inquiry. However, the basic condition of the realisation of all these plans is that external and internal resources be ensured.

Besides ex officio inquiries, certain questions relating to the autonomy of nationalities and to the integration of Roma will also be dealt with by the Deputy Ombudsman at experts' meetings, and in permanent and ad hoc circles of professionals. He will also pay attention to finding ways to make use of exemplary local initiatives aiming at the improvement of the social and housing conditions of Roma people. ‘On several occasions I found that these programmes, due to their careful foundation and professional implementation, are workable in the long term and can even serve as model for other communities' – states Ernő Kállai in his work plan.