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Rafael Ribó takes office as Síndic de Greuges (Catalan Ombudsman) for a new nine-year term
Ombudsman Ribó has been sworn in in Parliament during a ceremony presided over by the President of the Catalan Parliament, Ernest Benach, and attended by the President of the Generalitat (Catalan Autonomous Government) José Montilla and several other Catalan government officials. Also on hand were the Spanish Ombudsman and the majority of autonomous community ombudsmen from Spain, in addition to local and university ombudsmen.
After being sworn in, Ribó gave an inaugural address that highlighted the challenges to be faced in his new term: making the institution better-known and accessible to all, the creation of a network of rights and obligations, and investigating and collaborating to improve the Administration. He also announced his plans to appear in Parliament over the coming weeks to further define the objectives and priorities of his new term.
Ribó was re-elected Catalan Ombudsman on February 10, 2010, by the Parliament of Catalonia by 117 votes in favour, three against and three abstentions. Rafael Ribó, born May 10, 1945, who has held the Catalan Ombudsman office since July 1, 2004, completed his five-year term last July 2 and has been exercising the post as acting Ombudsman since that time. Since June 2009, he has chaired the European Board of Directors of the International Ombudsman Institute.
