The Ombudsman’s Office has suggested that parish councils offer citizens an alternative to the use of the white stamp as a means of authenticating certifying documents signed by the respective presidents, namely certificates of residence or economic situation. The recommendation came about following a complaint in which it was found that citizens may find it impossible to use these documents…
The Ombudsman, Maria Lúcia Amaral, closed the first cycle of sessions of the conference organised by the Participar+ Association on “The fragility of democratic institutions in Portugal”. The event took place on 18 September at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon. To read the Ombudsman’s speech, click here [in Portuguese only].
The Ombudsman, Maria Lúcia Amaral, attended the hearing requested by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms and Guarantees as part of the specialised discussion of Bill 560/XV (PSD) and the other legislative initiatives under consideration – PPL 91/XV/1 (GOV) and Bill 826/XV/1.ª (PAN) – on the elections to the European Parliament: You can access the video of the hearing…
The Ombudsman was represented by the Coordinator of the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) Miguel Feldmann, at the conference marking World Mental Health Day (10th October), organised by the National Coordination of Mental Health Policies and the National Health Service (Ministry of Health) in partnership with the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Miguel Feldmann has taken part as a speaker in the conference on…
The Ombudsperson, Maria Lúcia Amaral, and the Deputy Ombudsman, Estrela Chaby, are participating in the XXVIII Ordinary General Assembly and the XXVII Congress of the Ibero-American Ombudsperson Federation (FIO), taking place between 3 and 5 October in Barranquilla, Colombia. The agenda includes meetings of FIO’s Thematic Networks and Working Groups, the annual Congress on the theme “Independence and Autonomy in…
The Deputy Ombudsman, Ravi Afonso Pereira, and the Coordinator of the Ombudsman’s Office, Catarina Ventura, met with the Secretary of State for Equality and Migration, Dr Isabel Almeida Rodrigues, with a view to discussing the role of the new Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) in taking on the responsibilities entrusted to the Immigration and Borders Service (SEF) in…
Assinala-se hoje o Dia Internacional do Idoso, oferecendo a oportunidade para fazer uma breve atualização da atividade da Linha dedicada aos mais velhos disponibilizada pela Provedoria de Justiça. Sem grandes variações face a anos anteriores, ao longo de 2023 e até ao momento foram recebidas mil e duzentas chamadas, motivadas essencialmente por pedidos de informação sobre apoios e respostas sociais,…
The Ombudsman has sent a recommendation to the Minister of Finance to repeal, as soon as possible, the regime on which the so-called Additional Solidarity Tax on the Banking Sector (“ASSB”) is based. After an in-depth study of the tax, carried out following the receipt of a complaint, it was concluded that it violates the principle of ability to pay,…
The Ombudsman submitted a request to the Constitutional Court for a declaration of unconstitutionality, with general binding force, of rules contained in Law 45/2012, of 29 August, which approves the legal regime for access to and exercise of the profession of driving examiner and the recognition of training bodies. The provisions in question are article 4(b) of the law, according…
The Ombudsman, Maria Lúcia Amaral, was heard by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms and Guarantees on 14 September at 4.30pm to present the Annual Activity Report for 2022, including the National Prevention Mechanism Report. To view the hearing, click here.