The opposition wants the Parliament to express serious concerns over the action of the Cabinet that did not enable Ombudswoman Jana Dubovcová to inform ministers on the alleged violation of basic rights and freedoms during a police raid in the Roma settlement of Budulovská in Moldava and Bodvou.
On 8th January at a session of the Cabinet Ombudswoman Dubovcová was not given the opportunity to present her disagreement with the opinion of the Interior Ministry on whether the rights of ethnic Roma citizens were violated by the police last year. According to the Government, the Ombudswoman violated the Act on Public Ombudsman by turning simultaneously to Police Corps Presidium and the Interior Ministry. Moreover, the Government recommended the Attorney-General to provide independent investigation of the matter. Dubovcová says she acted in compliance with the law adding that in her role as an independent constitutional body, she is charged with protection of fundamental rights and freedoms of people as well as companies. The Opposition People’ Platform clustering parties SDKU, Christian Democrats and the MOST-HID initiated a special parliamentary session on Ombudswoman Jana Dubovcová that started on Wednesday and is continuing on Thursday. The opposition claims that all these acts raise serious concern over how protection of human rights is secured in Slovakia and sends a negative signal to abroad as well.
