Kintantis ombudsmeno vaidmuo demokratinėje visuomenėje

LTŽmogaus teisės yra kiekvienos demokratinės visuomenės vertybė. Kiekviena valstybė vadovaujasi savo pagrindiniu įstatymu (konstitucija), kuriame paprastai įtvirtinamos pagrindinės žmogaus teisės ir laisvės, valstybės valdžios institucijų sandara ir jų veikimo mechanizmas. Įvairiose valstybėse ombudsmeno teisės ir funkcijos skiriasi, tačiau teisės literatūroje vyrauja nuomonė, jog pirmiausia turėtų būti suvokiama, kad ombudsmenas – tai žmogaus teisių gynėjas. Žinoma, galima teigti, kad kiekvienoje valstybėje yra ne viena žmogaus teises ir laisves ginanti institucija, pavyzdžiui, teismai, prokuratūra ar įvairios ginčų sprendimo komisijos. Be jokios abejonės, prokuratūra ar teismas, vykdydami savo funkcijas, tam tikrais aspektais prisideda prie pažeistų teisių gynimo. Tuomet kyla klausimas dėl ombudsmeno vietos ir vaidmens žmogaus teisių gynimo sistemoje. Norint atsakyti į jį tikslinga trumpai apžvelgti ombudsmeno instituto atsiradimo istoriją, susipažinti su įvairiais ombudsmeno instituto modeliais, atskleisti ombudsmeno veiklos principus, įgaliojimų apimtį ir jos kitimo tendencijas. [Iš straipsnio, p. 123]Reikšminiai žodžiai: Demokratinė visuomenė; Ombudsmenas; Žmogaus teisės; Democratic society; Human rights; Ombudsman; Ombudsmen.

ENHuman rights are a value in any democratic society. In every state, there exists more than one institution that defends human rights and freedoms and, while implementing its functions, contributes to the defence of violated rights in certain aspects. Through the analysis of the place and role of the ombudsman in the system of human rights defence, the article reveals the history of the emergence of the institute of an ombudsman and its models that are related to two different, though inseparable, aspects of the activity of an ombudsman: the aspect of the supervision of officials and the aspect of the protection of human rights and freedoms. The article analyses whether any of these aspects should be prioritised or whether they both are equally important. The experience of foreign states demonstrates that the activity of ombudsmen is not only limited to the supervision of the performance of the duties of officials and the examination of the complaints of citizens, which is typical of the classical (Swedish) model of the ombudsman institution. The growing international tendencies to expand the areas of the activity of ombudsmen confirm the increasing emphasis on the role of an ombudsman as a human rights defender.The article also examines the main aspects of the status and activity of the Ombudsmen of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania determining the “Lithuanian” model of an ombudsman and discusses the place of the institution of the Seimas Ombudsmen in the institutional system of improving public administration and protecting human rights in Lithuania. With regard to international tendencies to strengthen the protection of human rights, to take preventive action against human rights violations, and to promote the implementation of international standards of human rights protection at the national level, the article reveals the changes in the activity of the Seimas Ombudsmen. The international recognition (accreditation) of the Seimas Ombudsmen’s Office, which was granted in view of its status as a national human rights institution and the compliance of its activity with the Paris Principles, not only brings additional challenges to the activity of the Seimas Ombudsmen but also implies the obligation of the state to justify the confidence expressed at the international level and to ensure that the accredited body has the possibilities to defend human rights effectively. In collaboration with other institutions defending human rights, as well as with civil society, and by jointly addressing human rights issues, the Seimas Ombudsmen can achieve good results in strengthening human rights protection in its entirety and implement international obligations and human rights standards. [From the publication]