site.btaNational Ombudsman Takes Part in European Citizens’ Rights Protection Meetings in Brussels

Bulgaria’s National Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva participated in two annual events for human rights institutions in Europe – the Annual Conference of the European Network of Ombudsmen and the Annual General Assembly of the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions, her press office said on Saturday. The forums took place in Brussels on November 20-21, 2025 and brought together heads of institutions from across the continent.

The discussions focused on current challenges in safeguarding citizens’ rights in the EU: freedom of movement and the real obstacles to it; the effectiveness of monitoring the implementation of EU legislation; ensuring the independence of ombudsman institutions; expanding oversight of private entities providing public services; environmental protection and the handling of environment-related complaints; the role of ombudsmen in the fields of migration and asylum; and the impact of regulatory simplification on the quality of rights protection.

Delcheva moderated the working group dedicated to oversight of private companies that provide services of public interest. The discussion included heads of institutions from Austria, Italy, Slovakia, Albania, Turkiye, Georgia, among others.

Delcheva also took part in a discussion on the risks to citizens’ rights posed by the rapid digitalization of public and private services.