No. 07-00-464/2017-02  Date: 5 February 2018

OPINION

The opinion was issued in the procedure regarding the complaint filed by J.K. against the P.E. “Post of Serbia”, Post Office 25101 Sombor, because the building of this company at 12, Dositeja Obradovića Street, with its entrance at 32, Venac Stepe Stepanovića Street, in Sombor is not accessible to people with disabilities. In the course of the procedure, a request was made to the P.E. “Post of Serbia” and its “Subotica, Zrenjanin, Sombor, Kikinda” Regional Working Unit to issue a declaration about the case. In their declarations it was stated, among other things, that in the territory of the city of Sombor there are four post offices, that all buildings were built 40 years ago and that there are structural and technical issues that make it impossible for these buildings to be adapted for access by people with disabilities. Also, the declarations stated that, in cooperation with the local self-government of Sombor, it was ensured that people with disabilities, through the equipped service centre in Sombor, can use the services of Post Office 25107 Sombor, located in the municipality of Sombor, and that Post Office 25103 in the Local Community Unit of Goge is expected to be opened, which will have adequate technical conditions for access by people with disabilities. It was stated that the P.E. “Post of Serbia” meets the needs of people with disabilities to the greatest extent possible so that they would not queue for the provision of services regardless of the number of people waiting, and as for the post offices that are not accessible, employees leave the counter hall and provide services directly to people with disabilities. In the course of the procedure it was established that the post office facility in Dositeja Obradovića Street is inaccessible to people with disabilities. The Commissioner for the Protection of Equality issued the opinion that the building of Post Office 25101 Sombor in the Dositeja Obradovića Street, with the entrance at 32, Venac Stepe Stepanovića Street is not accessible to people with disabilities, which is a violation of the provisions of Articles 6, 17 and 26 of the Law on the Prohibition of Discrimination, in connection with the provisions of Articles 13 and 16 of the Law on the Prevention of Discrimination of People with Disabilities, which is why the P.E. “Post of Serbia” was recommended to take action in order to provide for the accessibility of the building of Post Office 25101 Sombor in Dositeja Obradovića Street,  with entrance at 32, Venac Stepe Stepanovića Street, and to ensure that it does not violate anti-discrimination legal provisions in the course of its regular affairs and activities.