Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Milan Antonijević, visited the institution of the Ombudsman of Hungary in Budapest, where he met with the recently elected Commissioner for Fundamental Rights, Imre Juhász, who had previously served as President of the Constitutional Court of Hungary. This was the first bilateral meeting between representatives of the equality bodies of the two countries, at which the foundations for future cooperation in the field of the protection of human rights and equality were defined.
During the constructive discussion, which was also attended by other officials of the Hungarian institution – Director General for Equal Treatment János Videman, Secretary General Balázs Könnyid, Head of Department Veronika Molnár and Deputy Director General Judit Varga – experiences were exchanged on common challenges in the fight against discrimination. Particular focus was placed on the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities, older citizens and the promotion of gender equality.
During the meeting, Commissioner Antonijević pointed to the current legal framework in Serbia, with particular reference to the standstill in the implementation of the Law on Gender Equality due to proceedings before the Constitutional Court, as well as to amendments to the Law on the Prohibition of Discrimination that would enable the Commissioner to act ex officio. The discussion also addressed the strengthening of the position of independent institutions in line with the implementation of the EU Directives on standards for equality bodies.
Among the key activities of the Serbian institution in the current year, Antonijević highlighted cooperation with the business community in combating discrimination in the labor market, education of young people through equality programs in schools, expanding the accessibility of the institution through the opening of regional offices, and the preparation of a Special Report on the Position of National Minorities in Serbia.
The meeting concluded with an agreement on a return visit and the establishment of continuous cooperation aimed at the more effective protection of citizens’ rights.
