“In accordance with Article 3 of the Law, the Ombudsman is elected by a majority vote of the members of Parliament following the nomination by the President of the Republic.
The SCA is of the view that the process currently enshrined in the Law and in practice is not sufficiently broad and transparent. In particular, it does not:
- require the advertisement of vacancies;
- establish clear and uniform criteria upon which all parties assess the merit of eligible applicants; and
- promote broad consultation and/or participation in the application, screening, selection, and appointment process for all members.
The SCA understands that the mandate of the current Ombudsman expired in May 2020, and no Ombudsman has so far been appointed. This delay may impact the ability of the Ombudsman institution to fulfil its mandate.
The SCA encourages the Ombudsman to advocate for this process to be concluded in a timely manner…”