The Public Defender of Rights (in Slovak verejný ochranca práv or verejná ochrankyňa práv, if the holder of the office is a woman) is an independent state body for protecting your fundamental rights and freedoms.
The term ombudsman (or ombudsmanka if the holder of the office is a woman) is also frequently used in Slovakia.
The establishment of the institution of the Public Defender of Rights in Slovakia is laid down by the Constitution of the Slovak Republic and its functioning is specified by law.
How can it help you
Complaints about violations of human rights
The Public Defender of Rights can investigate complaints about potential human rights violations. However, the Ombudsperson may act only if your complaint is related to activities, decision-making or inactivity of a public administration body (e.g. local government, police local branch, prison guard, building authority, education office) affecting the enjoyment of your human rights and personal interests.
You can freely turn to the Ombudsperson’s Office with any situation you consider as a human rights problem. However, if the merits of your case lie outside the scope of competence of the Ombudsperson, she might advise you to turn to another state institution, e.g. the Slovak National Centre for Human Rights (which is the anti-discrimination authority), the Centre for Legal Aid or the Labour Inspectorate.
After investigating your complaint, the Ombudsperson might determine that your human rights have been violated. In this case she would call upon the respective public administration body to rectify the violation. On the Ombudsperson’s website you can learn more about the complaint procedure. Mind that the Public Defender of Rights is not a judicial organ, and she cannot interfere with the court procedures, either.
Who can turn to the Public Defender of Rights?
The Public Defender of Rights acts upon a complaint of a natural person or a legal entity or on her own initiative, if no other authority acts in the case of an obvious and serious violation of human rights. Anybody can turn to the Public Defender of Rights, be it a citizen of the Slovak Republic or an alien residing on the territory of Slovakia. In contacts with the Public Defender of Rights, natural persons may use their mother tongue. The costs of interpretation shall be borne by the state.
How can you file a complaint?
You can file a complaint in writing by mail (postal address below), or by e-mail (podnet@vop.gov.sk). You can also file a complaint verbally into the minutes. In this case you should visit the office personally after making an appointment beforehand with one of the officers. You can make an appointment either via e-mail or via phone consultation (+421 2 323 63 701). Your personal data and your right to private life are protected throughout the procedure, however, mind that the office is not obliged to deal with your complaint if it has been filed anonymously.
Complaints about discrimination
The Public Defender of Rights deals with discrimination only in the case of “vertical discrimination”, i.e. when discrimination appears as a side-effect of a human rights violation by a public administration body. In the case of discrimination according to the so called anti-discrimination law you should turn to the Slovak National Centre for Human Rights, which is the Slovakian Equality Body or to some of the other specialised bodies listed in our Guide.
Activities
- Protecting the rights and legal interests of a natural or legal person in the case of a human rights violation upon receiving an individual complaint by a natural person or a legal entity
- Acting on her own initiative on human rights violations when she finds it necessary and no other state authority had initiated an action
- Drafting and submitting to Parliament an annual report on her activities and on the situation on human rights in Slovakia
- Filing motions to changing or repealing of any act, other generally binding legal regulation or internal regulation issued by a public administration body, if she finds during the investigation of a complaint facts indicating violations of fundamental rights and freedoms
- Challenging before the Constitutional Court of the Slovak Republic legal regulations, if their further application could represent a threat to the fundamental rights and freedoms
- Education and awareness rising in society regarding human rights standards and protection mechanisms