During Thursday’s parliamentary session, Saeima deputies expressed differing opinions about the work and impact of the Ombudsman’s Office after hearing a report from Ombudsman Juris Jansons.
Andrejs Judins (New Unity) criticized the ombudsman, stating that often only objections are received from him without any proposed solutions. For instance, such objections have been made regarding how criminal liability is applied for various offenses.
“I’m sorry to see such examples — that shouldn’t be the case,” Judins added.
In contrast, Česlavs Batņa (United List) thanked the ombudsman for raising the issue of access to education in his report and questioning whether school network restructuring supports that goal. At the same time, Batņa expressed regret that the report did not include the topic of distance learning, despite the ombudsman having previously provided an opinion on it.
Batņa stated that the report accurately reflects educational issues but questioned what will actually be done with the report — whether ministries and the Saeima will respect the recommendations and findings it contains or only those aspects that are politically convenient.
THE OMBUDSMAN’S REPORT WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED TO BE PRESENTED IN THE SAEIMA ON MAY 23, BUT JANSONS DID NOT ATTEND, CITING HEALTH ISSUES.
In response, Saeima deputies began publicly questioning whether Jansons is capable of continuing in office and urged him to consider stepping down. Some politicians hinted at possible alcohol-related problems, which Jansons did not outright deny, though he did not rush to make a decision about resigning.
The ombudsman’s report placed particular emphasis on children’s rights — including violence in schools, access to healthcare, education quality, and the family environment. It highlighted shortcomings in the child protection system and the need for individually tailored services, especially for children with special needs. The report also examined the procedures for child support recovery, including grandparents’ responsibilities, and problems related to children’s property rights.
Issues of discrimination were also explored — based on language, citizenship, gender, and religion. The report emphasized the risk of discrimination due to artificial intelligence and the need for high-quality data and human oversight. It also analyzed the role of media in shaping perceptions of discrimination.
The ombudsman addressed matters of good governance — the accountability of national and local institutions, transparency, and public participation. Both positive examples and cases of legal violations or delays in decision-making were mentioned. The report also included research, international cooperation, and public education activities.
Finally, it outlined the priorities for 2025: security, the rights of children and persons with disabilities, strengthening good governance, and preventing discrimination.