site.btaNational Ombudsman Institution Handled 75,339 Cases since 2015

Sofia, August 2 (BTA) - Since her election as National Ombudsman in 2015, the office of Maya Manolova has handed 75,339 cases, she said on Thursday, reporting back on her work.

The number of collective complaints exceeded 450 between 2015 and 2018. During that period, 42,690 people visited the Ombudsman's reception centres countrywide. The Ombudsman's team processed 32,649 complaints, of which 31,078 were concluded. State and administrative bodies were issued 2,636 recommendations, and one in two recommendations were acted on in whole or in part.

The Ombudsman commented that her institution is encountering the administration's refusal and reluctance to do its job, lobbyist interests and attempts to suggest that the problem cannot be solved. She sees the number of complaints as an indication that people trust her institution.

The largest number of complaints (8,325) were submitted in connection with violations of consumer rights, followed by complaints over violated social rights (4,376). The number of complaints about environmental pollution and impaired rights of ownership has increased to 3,286. The fourth most numerous complaints were about irregularities in enforcement proceedings (2,637) and the right to good administrative services (1,599).

Manolova also commented on the results of legislative amendments, adopted on her initiative, in connection with "modern slavery" and wage default.

As a result of the revisions, which entered into force on February 1, 2018, a total of 1,643 workers so far have received their back wages from the Fund for Employees' Claims Guaranteed in the Event of their Employer's Bankruptcy, amounting to 2,940,971 leva in aggregate, compared to 716,941 leva paid in 2017.

According to data released by the General Labour Inspectorate, after these legislative amendments, 35 petitions have been submitted for the initiation of bankruptcy proceedings against employers defaulting on wage payments.

The Ombudsman said that work on a comprehensive reform of policies for people with disabilities is on the order of the day. Manolova's team is also drafting legislative proposal for a law on natural persons bankruptcy and curbing the excessive powers of banks, and is also working on legislation to restrain what she sees as "arbitrary practices" of debt collector firms.