Hongaars Voorzitterschap helpt bij opzetten nieuw Europees systeem voor slachtofferbescherming (en)

“The Hungarian Presidency i believes cooperation has to be enhanced in the area of protecting victims, in the European Union. Not only benevolent citizens take advantage of the freedom of movement, but also criminals,” said Tibor Navracsics i, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Public Administration and Justice, at a conference held in Budapest.

The conference called “Protecting victims in the EU: The Road Ahead’ was organised by the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice, on 23-24 March with the support of the Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA i).

In his speech, Deputy Prime Minister, Tibor Navracsics, called the serving of citizens’ interests the number one fundamental value of the European Union. We have to enhance the freedom and security they live in, he stressed. “Wherever we are in the Union, we may become victims. Incidently, we need a more unified regulation, on victim support. We have to remove language barriers and make administration of justice more accessible,” said Tibor Navracsics, who thinks that a more harmonised cooperation is necessary, between governmental and non-governmental defence organisations.

Vivane Reding i, Vice President of the Commission and European Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, thanked the Presidency for organising the conference in a video message. She called attention to the fact that every year, 15 per cent of the population (approx 75 million people), become victims in the Union. However, crimes affect many more people, as indirectly, family members are victims too. The Lisbon Treaty i opens the door to improvements in the area of victim protection, she reminded.

Mortem Kjaerum, director of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, thinks that the standard of jurisdiction, has to be improved in the EU. On the one hand, to prevent individuals seeking legal remedy from a second victimisation by the jurisdiction, and on the other hand, to encourage victims to report crimes. Many of them are afraid to do so, or do not see the point, as they do not trust criminal investigation and judiciary organisations. He stressed that children, disabled, mentally handicapped people, as well as minority groups, have to be given special attention, as they are the most exposed and vulnerable.

Francoise le Bail, Director-General of DG Justice i, explained the necessity of adopting an amendment package related to the European victim support system, by saying the EU regulations adopted in 2001 and 2004, did not prove to be efficient enough. We have to identify minimal conditions, and provide for victims everywhere in the EU. The Director-General spoke highly of the Hungarian victim support system, saying that not every country can boast of such good conditions.

Ferenc Zombor, Deputy State Secretary for EU, and International Judicial Cooperation of the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration, presented the Hungarian victim support programme to the participants of the conference. In Hungary, which has a population of 10 million, 230 thousand people become victims of crimes every year. They can seek redress at the metropolitan and county courts, where they can get free information; and may receive legal or financial assistance, as well as mitigation of damages.