News

3 December 2025

Dear ladies and gentlemen,

Der fellow citizens for whom the state and society must be a source of support,

On International Day of Persons with Disabilities, I address you with deep respect—to congratulate you on the strength, dignity, and courage with which you defend your rights and overcome numerous visible and invisible obstacles every day.

This day is not just a date on the calendar. It reminds us that your voice, your rights, and your human dignity must be at the center of public care and attention.

As Ombudsman, from day one I have made the protection of the rights of people with disabilities one of my top priorities. Every report you make, every difficulty or injustice you share with me is not a formality, but a call to action. The Institution consistently insists on a fairer, more transparent, and more humane regulatory framework—one that supports independent and fulfilling lives.

But beyond the laws lies an even more important task—changing public attitudes. Together, we must overcome the stigmas that for years have marginalized people with disabilities and deprived them of an equal voice.

This is also the spirit of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities—a document that clearly emphasizes that people with special needs do not expect pity, but equality, accessibility, participation, and real support.

As a society, we owe you more – more accessibility, more understanding, and more opportunities for development. And as long as I am Ombudsman, the Institution will remain your reliable ally – a place where your voice is heard and where every injustice meets a decisive response.

Thank you for the strength, resilience, and humanity with which you remind us what true dignity means.

Today is your day, but it is our duty to work for your rights every day, because as a society we still owe you.