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The President of the Republic began consultations to suggest a candidate for the position of Chancellor of Justice of the Republic of Estonia

25.11.2014

The President, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, began consultations today with the parliamentary parties to suggest a candidate for the position of Chancellor of Justice of the Republic of Estonia who would receive the support of the Parliament.

The Head of State met with Urmas Reinsalu from the Pro Patria and Res Publica Union, Kadri Simson from the Centre Party, Kristen Michal from the Reform Party and Karel Rüütli from the Social Democratic Party. He gave the representatives of the parliamentary parties an overview of his activities in seeking a candidate for the position of Chancellor of Justice and discussed nominating Professor of Constitutional Law of University of Tartu, Ülle Madise, as a candidate for the position.

Ülle Madise, who has worked as the Head of the Department of Public Law at the Ministry of Justice, the Head of Office of the Constitutional Committee of the Riigikogu, the Director of Audit at the National Audit Office and a Professor of Public Law of Tallinn University of Technology has been a Legal Adviser to the President of the Republic since March 2009 and a Professor of Constitutional Law at the Faculty of Law of University of Tartu since September 2011. Ülle Madise took part in the compilation of the commented versions of the Constitution of the Republic of Estonia in 2002 and 2008 and was also Chief Editor of the publication of 2012.

"Ülle Madise is an acknowledged specialist of constitutional law, a committed lawyer who is known for her objective views, accurate wording and reconciliatory attitude, and a person who is clearly aware of the requirements of a modern society," said President Ilves. "She would be both a strong Chancellor of Justice and a fair Ombudsman."

The Head of State will adopt the decisions for nominating a candidate to the position of Chancellor of Justice soon. The Chancellor of Justice will be appointed to office for a seven-year period by the Riigikogu at the proposal of the President of the Republic.

The term of the current Chancellor of Justice, Indrek Teder, will expire in March 2015.

According to the Constitution, the Chancellor of Justice is a sole and independent constitutional institution. The main constitutional duty of the Chancellor of Justice is to ensure that laws and regulations are constitutional and in compliance with other laws.

The main duty of the Chancellor of Justice under the Chancellor of Justice Act is to ensure that authorities and officials performing public duties do not violate people's constitutional rights and freedoms, laws and other legislation of general application, as well as the principles of sound administration; persons held in places of detention are not be treated in a degrading, cruel or inhumane way; the rights of children are protected, laws on the rights of children are constitutional and the activities of child care institutions legal. The Chancellor of Justice deals with the promotion of the rights of children and raising awareness.

Other tasks of the Chancellor of Justice under the law include the submission of opinions to the Supreme Court in constitutional review proceedings; replying to the interpellations of Members of the Riigikogu; replying to written questions of Members of the Riigikogu; making proposals for waiving immunity; initiating disciplinary proceedings against judges; resolving discrimination disputes; and submitting opinions to the drafts of legislation of general application.

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