Online Meeting with IOI European Regional President about Refugees Coming from Ukraine

On 3 March 2022, Commissioner for Fundamental Rights Dr. Ákos Kozma held an online meeting with Dr. Andreas Pottakis, Greek Ombudsman and European Regional President of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI), about the situation of the Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war.

During their discussion, the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights provided information about the current situation on the Ukrainian-Hungarian border, the circumstances of receiving the people coming to Hungary from Ukraine, and the measures taken to help them.

Dr. Andreas Pottakis assured the Commissioner of the IOI’s continuing support, and offered to keep the member organizations of the International Ombudsman Institute informed – based on the information sent to him by the Commissioner – about the issues concerning the persons fleeing to Hungary from the Ukrainian war.

The Commissioner for Fundamental Rights informed the Greek Ombudsman about the opening of a temporary regional office by the Office of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights in Záhony, near the border section affected, which took place on the day of the meeting, as well as about his intention to set up information points at the other border crossing points concerned.

During the online meeting, the parties also spoke about the fact that regional offices have been opened by the Office of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights in Szeged, Győr and Debrecen, and that three more will soon be opened in Székesfehérvár, Miskolc and Pécs. This is a unique achievement in the international ombudsman practice, and the Greek Ombudsman asked the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights to share his experience with the ombudsman community in this respect.

The International Ombudsman Institute was founded in 1978, and it is the only global organization that promotes cooperation between nearly 200 independent ombudsman institutions of more than 100 countries all over the world.