EU ombudsman to seek second term

European ombudsman Nikiforos Diamandouros has confirmed he will seek a second term in the office.

The Greek official is one of three candidates for the post.

The others are Vittorio Bottoli, currently ombudsman for the northern Italian Veneto region, and Belgium's Pierre-Yves Monet.

Each will be 'screened' by parliament's petitions committee later this month before a final decision is made, probably in January.

Diamandouros, who has occupied the post since 2003, told this website he was particularly keen on another term following ratification of the Lisbon treaty.

"The treaty gives us an enormous chance to reach out to citizens more than ever before," he said.

"I have really enjoyed my time in the post and hope to serve another term."

The ombudsman's office, set up by the Maastricht trety in 1992, examines complaints from EU citizens against the EU's administration.

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