The Parliamentary Ombudsman meets the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland

The Parliamentary Ombudsman meets the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland

Published February 14, 2025

The Parliamentary Ombudsman, Judge Emeritus Joseph Zammit McKeon, welcomed H.E. Tomasz Czyszek, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Poland to Malta, for a courtesy visit. During their meeting, the Ombudsman provided a detailed overview of his mandate and the role of the Office in upholding principles of good public administration, good governance and the rule of law.

Ambassador Czyszek acknowledged the Office's recent proposal to the Maltese Government to expand its remit to include the promotion and protection of human rights, aiming for accreditation as a National Human Rights Institution (NHRI). He noted that aligning the human rights mandate with that of the Ombudsman is a common best practice within the European Union.

The Ombudsman detailed the proactive steps taken before submitting the new Ombudsman Bill, including the Office's associated membership in the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI) and consultations with experts to draft the bill. This initiative aims to provide the administration with a comprehensive draft to build upon.

Ambassador Czyszek welcomed the fact that the Office of the Ombudsman is accessible not only to Maltese citizens but also to the significant Polish community of around 2,500 residents in Malta, as well as to the numerous Polish tourists visiting the country that amounts to 250,000 annually.

The Ombudsman also highlighted his intensive involvement in international fora, particularly as Secretary General and Treasurer of the Association of the Mediterranean Ombudsmen (AOM) and as a member of both the European Region and World Board of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI). He emphasised the importance of these international networks, especially for peer support.

He cited the example of Dr. Adam Bodnar, who served as Poland's Ombudsman from 2015 to 2021. Dr. Bodnar appointed a Deputy Ombudsman to address LGBTQ issues, which led to governmental attempts to significantly reduce his budget. He also spoke out against hate speech following the tragic killing of the Mayor of Gdańsk and faced legal challenges from the State TV Company. In response, the IOI dispatched a delegation to Poland to engage with key stakeholders, including NGOs, government ministers, the judiciary, and international agencies. The resulting report garnered substantial media coverage in Poland, ultimately preventing the threatened budget cuts. Dr. Bodnar now serves as Poland's Minister of Justice.