Today on May 20, the Moscow City Duma has discussed a veto set by the Mayor of Moscow on the law “On the Ombudsperson in Moscow” and adopted the Mayor’s amendments.
Under the wave of public protest after a surprising amendment made by the United Russia eliminating the institute of ombudsman of children’s rights, Yuri Luzhkov suggested that one of the priorities for a Moscow ombudsperson will be protection of children’s rights. The Ombudsperson should also have the right to file law suits in case of violation of children’s rights.
According to Luzhkov’s amendments, the current office of the Ombudsman for Children will maintain its work until the first city ombudsman takes the post.
The author of the draft law “On the Ombudsperson in Moscow” and member of the YABLOKO faction of the Moscow City Duma Eugeni Bunimovich said that the Mayor’s variant represented a compromise. “The law would have been worse without such amendments,” said Bunimovich. He also told that YABLOKO had been against elimination of the post of Ombudsman for Children. According to Bunimovich, this institute should be preserved.
Bunimovich also refuted the information that he may take the post of the Moscow ombudsman. “I wrote the draft law for Moscow and not for myself, – he said. – I am sure that we shall find a worthy person who could work on the post”.
Bunimovich also added that Ombudsman should be able both to interact with government and human rights organisations. “It is important that this person should preserve and integrate the previous experience of Ombudsman for Children,” he said.
See also:
Human Rights
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