6500 APPLY TO OMBUDSMAN’S OFFICE, ONLY 243 GET POSITIVE REPLY
Panorama.am
18:31 04/04/2007
In the course of 2006, 6500 applications were submitted to Human Rights
Ombudsman’s Office with 243 of them receiving positive reply. Ombudsman
Armen Harutunyan believes it is "a very big figure." He said Greece
is bigger in population for several times but the ombudsman’s office
received 10000 applications.
Harutunyan said Armenia should have had some 3000.
Harutunyan believes violations are systemic in Armenia. "State
structurs should have looked to citizens and their rights. Here, we
observe the contrary process. These structures are united and work
for each other. For example, the mayor is the chairman of Project
Implementation Office management board but he may issue decisions on
non-compliance with court decisions."
Harutunyan believes it is strange that people with applications on
property rights do not get positive replies concerning alienation of
property. He said similar cases have 40% success in Lithuania. The
ombudsman said officials never apply to the office but political
figures do.