Adam Borowski has announced the establishment of a civic Ombudsman institution, an initiative intended to support people who cannot rely on state institutions to provide effective protection of their rights.
“We will establish such an institution, and I will appoint myself to the role. We will take action and help people in the same way that Zofia and Zbigniew Romaszewski helped them during the days of the Workers’ Defence Committee and Solidarity,” Borowski said on TV Republika.
Borowski announced the decision following the completion of the parliamentary procedure to elect the Commissioner for Human Rights, stressing that he intended to continue working on behalf of citizens regardless of the outcome of the vote in the Sejm.
According to Borowski, the civic Ombudsman will act as an independent representative of citizens, receiving reports of violations of rights and freedoms and drawing public attention to cases requiring intervention. The initiative is to be based on civic engagement, cooperation with experts and civil society organisations, and assistance for people who feel that public institutions have failed to provide them with effective support.
The establishment of the civic Ombudsman institution is intended as a response to the need for greater public oversight of the observance of rights and freedoms in Poland. Borowski stressed that he intended to operate within this framework, regarding it as both a contribution to public debate and a means of representing people who report problems related to the functioning of the state.
Borowski spoke in greater detail about the initiative in the TV Republika studio.
“I will perform this role together with friends, lawyers and independent legal experts. We will establish a civic Ombudsman institution. During the parliamentary hearing, I said that although I do not have a legal education, I was shaped by Zofia and Zbigniew Romaszewski to respect human rights. They established the Rule of Law Commission and operated in the underground opposition. They were not lawyers, yet they worked alongside some of the country’s finest attorneys,” he stressed.
“We will establish such an institution, and I will appoint myself to the role. We will take action and help people in the same way that Zofia and Zbigniew Romaszewski helped them during the days of the Workers’ Defence Committee and Solidarity,” he added.
On Friday, the Sejm appointed Sylwia Gregorczyk-Abram, known for her involvement in the “Wejście” group, as Commissioner for Human Rights. Her candidacy received the support of 233 MPs. Before the candidate nominated by the Civic Coalition and the Left can take office, her appointment must still be approved by the Senate. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said she would “certainly” receive its support.
A total of 433 MPs took part in the vote, with 217 votes required for an absolute majority.