By Martin Banks - 22nd January 2010
MEPs have welcomed the re-election of Nikiforos Diamandouros as European ombudsman.
The Greek national was re-elected to the Strasbourg-based post for another five-year term by deputies meeting in the French city this week.
He was considered the most suitable of three candidates, winning 340 of the 648 valid votes cast. The other candidates were Vittorio Bottoli, a regional ombudsman from northern Italy, and Pierre-Yves Monette, a Belgian.
Diamandouros has been ombudsman since April 2003 and was the overwhelming favourite for re-election to the post which oversees complaints against EU institutions.
He is widely credited with having raised the profile of a post which, until recently, was virtually unknown to most Europeans. During his term, the number of complaints has risen sharply and he has taken the institutions to task on several occasions.
After his re-election, Diamandouros said, "I am very grateful for the support of parliament and for this vote of confidence in my work. I look forward to continuing my efforts to improve the quality of the EU administration and to promote a culture of service in the EU institutions for the benefit of European citizens."
He said his priorities for the next five years are to ensure that citizens profit fully from the Lisbon treaty and the charter of fundamental rights; strengthen a "culture of service" to citizens within the EU administration; and further improve the efficiency of his office.
MEPs Pascale Gruny, EPP group coordinator on the petitions committee, and Erminia Mazzoni, chairwoman of the same committee, both congratulated Diamandouros.
"The EPP group looks forward to working with Diamandouros towards a better protection of European citizens," Gruny said.
"I would like the successful cooperation with the committee that I chair to continue after this confirmation," said Mazzoni.
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