Watchdog ducks criticism to win second term

RIGA - Olafs Bruvers, head of the state-run National Human Rights Office, was re-elected for another four years in office by Parliament on June 13.

Bruvers, who has been criticized by Latvia's largest daily Diena and by non-governmental organizations, was the only candidate. He was elected 47-8, with 28 abstentions, in the 100-seat Parliament.

The People's Party, which is part of the governing coalition, led criticism of Bruvers' selection. Party spokesman Arno Pjatkins said he had been ineffective in the post, particularly in developing relations with overseas donors.

"There will be no serious development at the National Office for Human Rights," he said.

Nils Muiznieks, director of the non-governmental Center for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, added his voice to the protest.

"It's unfortunate that the government did not carry out a broader search for more qualified candidates," said Muiznieks. "A real search process would have strengthened the authority and independence of the office, regardless of whether Bruvers was chosen. The government has created an office that no serious member of the political elite wants, unlike most posts with ministerial status for which there are many applicants.

"Until now Bruvers has been in reactive mode, dealing with problems as they arise. I hope he will implement the recommendations of international experts. He needs to lay out his priorities in a strategic plan for Parliament and the public, to create subdivisions for dealing with different equality issues, such as gender issues, ethnic issues, the rights of the disabled, children's rights, and so on."

Bruvers said such criticisms showed a lack of understanding of the office's work.

"Our strategy is led by the people themselves," he said. "This office was famous internationally, but I've promoted its popularity among Latvians. I have traveled the country meeting officials. I have not spent money going on foreign trips for myself, but I have sent my staff to be trained abroad.

"Last year we looked into between 146,00 and 150,000 human rights complaints. We react to different problem areas as society shifts. Now, for example, we will speak about gross violations in the field of pretrial detention, and we always pay attention to minority rights.

"If I had more money we could create a long-term strategy. But our lawyers are overburdened with human rights complaints and analyzing legislation."

He rejected criticisms leveled in Diena that he had failed to alleviate the office's financial problems by asking the United Nations Development Program and the Dutch, Finnish and Swedish governments to continue providing funding, which ended in December 1999.

"There was an agreement that when funding from the United Nations Development Program ended, the government would increase our funding, but it didn't, and Diena blames me. This is the government's responsibility. It would be rude to return cap-in-hand to the UNDP. I'm not against looking for finance, but, as one ambassador told me, foreign governments want to finance non-governmental organizations."