Ombudsman confronts administrative negligence and policy access
In what marks a new tension point, the Ombudsman opened a confrontation with the Ministry of Inclusive Policies and Equality, led by Aitana Mas. The first vice-president responded with firmness yesterday, denying that certain demands from the Ombudsman had not been addressed by the ministry in question.
The Ombudsman has repeatedly addressed access to inspection records for centers serving the elderly and minors. During a press conference held after a Consell meeting, the vice-president told the Ombudsman team that the department views its staff as district lawmakers, granting broad access to documents but withholding copies. Mas explicitly stated that copies of minutes related to specific cases were never provided, and he described the situation as an inconsistency that personally involves the Ombudsman. The dispute has now extended to discussions surrounding Monica Oltra.
Ombudsman warns of administrative negligence against citizens
From a stance of perceived inactivity, the Ombudsman cited the very law governing the office, approved two years ago, notably Article 37. This article requires all subjects under investigation to grant access to files and documents, or to provide copies when necessary to clarify facts. The law leaves only narrow limitations, which is where the disagreement arises.
In a progression of the dispute, the Ombudsman referenced an ex officio complaint from 2021 regarding Elche housing for the elderly in Altabix. The Ministry submitted the requested minutes as part of that year’s report, yet the matter remains a focal point of contention, illustrating how procedural interpretation can diverge within the same framework.
Aitana Mas makes her latest housing reports controversial for the Ombudsman
More cooperation and tension
The relationship between the two bodies appears to have hardened, even as both sides seek to control the narrative when speaking to the media and strive to project a tone of cooperation for public consumption, while statistics tell a different story. The minister for Equality, Mas, emphasized that the Ombudsman Ángel Luna’s tone was not aligned with the level of cooperation provided to the legal institution. He asserted that the ministry ranks among the most cooperative departments and noted that recommendations are often embraced because they are considered important for the Valencian Community.
The Generalitat’s vice-president avoided engaging in the assessments offered by the Ombudsman or by Luna, calling such commentary unattractive. He clarified that the ministry does not deny access to inspection records and even facilitates reviews of files, sometimes moving them to Alicante to prevent unnecessary travel to Valencia. Mas suggested that the Ombudsman should consider the broader development of public institutions under his remit, highlighting a significant drop in complaints from 14,096 in 2016 to 1,062 in recent years, a decrease of about 13,000 cases. He argued that cooperation and effective work should prevail, and that describing the situation as hostility only distorts the real progress. He left room for improvement in areas such as Addiction programs and Valencia Participation Income, acknowledging that the effort required is substantial but essential for meaningful reform.