The importance of complying with the Venice Principles for Ombudsman institutions to strengthen the institutions’ independence and autonomy and create an enabling environment to perform their mandate nationally and internationally
Monday, 18 May 2026
Trusteeship Council Chamber, United Nations Headquarters, New York
Distinguished Chair, esteemed colleagues,
Latvia aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union.
Latvia wishes to reaffirm the central importance of full compliance with the Venice Principles as a cornerstone for strengthening Ombudsman institutions globally. These principles are a collective commitment to independence, autonomy, and integrity in the protection of human rights. However, the Venice Principles risk remaining at the level of principles and not being actually implemented.
To avoid this, the first and most important step is the incorporation of the Venice principles into national legislation. In this regard, I highlight the Law on the Ombudsman of the Republic of Latvia as an example of good practice. It integrates, both, the Venice and Paris Principles, which allow our Ombudsman institution to operate independently.
The second essential step in safeguarding the independence of the Ombudsman is the complete removal of any form of direct or indirect influence. To achieve this, the Ombudsman institution must remain entirely free from any hierarchical or subordinate relationship with either the executive branch or the legislature.
When Ombudsman institutions operate free from political pressure, with secure mandates and adequate resources, they are able to carry out their role as impartial defenders of fairness and accountability. Compliance with the Venice Principles ensures that these institutions can act without interference, enabling them to address grievances, uphold the rule of law, and reinforce public trust.
I thank you.