On 14 April 2011, the National Assembly of Bulgaria passed the law on the ratification of OPCAT. The law should be promulgated and enter into force. Agreement has been reached that the Ombudsman be designated as NPM.

On 24 March the adviser of the Chancellor of Justice performed an unannounced visit to the Ravila Care Home. It was a follow-up inspection to check the fulfillment of recommendation made after the inspection visit of 19 August of 2009.

On 18 March 2011, His Majesty King Mohammed VI appointed Mr. Abdelaziz Benzakour as head of the Ombudsman Institution, an independent national body established and especially created to replace Diwan Al Madhalim.

The Valedor do Pobo of Galicia recently published its newsletter. You can download the Spanish Version here.

The South Tyrol Ombudswoman and President of the EOI Burgi Volgger emphasized in her contribution the role of regional Ombudspersons in debureaucratization and closeness to citizens.

I.O.I. Secretary General Peter Kostelka took the opportunity of the 4th Annual Meeting of NHRIs from EU Member States and several European countries, hosted by the European Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA), to invite representatives of participating I.O.I. member institutions to an informal get-together.

On 3 March 2011, the House of Representatives (Parliament) of Cyprus approved the Ministerial Council's proposal that Ms Eliza Savvidou be the next Commissioner for Administration (Ombudsman) of Cyprus.

On 23 March 2011 I.O.I. President and New Zealand Chief Ombudsman Beverley Wakem opened the 26^th Australasian and Pacific Ombudsman Conference of the I.O.I. in Taipei that was hosted by the Control Yuan of Taiwan. The opening remarks are now online.