"Govt. in unprecedented denial of authority"

The proposed law on secret information strips the ombudsman and the commissioner for information of their authority to have unlimited access to information. This is necessary in order for them to establish whether the state services are working in keeping with laws and regulations, Ombudsman Sasa Jankovic said in a statement on Thursday in Belgrade. "Govt. in unprecedented denial of authority" The draft legislation was prepared by the government and sent to parliament for adoption. The posts of ombudsman and information commissioner have been established in keeping with the Constitution and the law as independent state organs, and parliament elected them with an absolute majority vote independently, to control organs of authority as they exercise respect of citizens' rights, the statement said. The announced limitations to the offices of ombudsman and information commissioner are unprecedented, not only in states with centuries' long traditions of independent parliamentary institutions of control, but also in the countries of the region, the ombudsman said.

"Govt. in unprecedented denial of authority"

The draft legislation was prepared by the government and sent to parliament for adoption.

The posts of ombudsman and information commissioner have been established in keeping with the Constitution and the law as independent state organs, and parliament elected them with an absolute majority vote independently, to control organs of authority as they exercise respect of citizens' rights, the statement said.

The announced limitations to the offices of ombudsman and information commissioner are unprecedented, not only in states with centuries' long traditions of independent parliamentary institutions of control, but also in the countries of the region, the ombudsman said.