Focal points in the federal Laender As in recent years, in investigative proceedings at the regional and municipal level, various thematic focal points predominate. At the top of the list are problems in the areas of regional planning and building law. In 2011, a total of 711 cases were brought to the attention of the competent Ombudswoman Gertrude Brinek. The rising trend in complaints about guaranteed minimum income and youth welfare in 2010 continued in 2011, as one can see from the number of investigated cases handled by the competent Ombudsman Peter Kostelka (558). In the course of her investigations, Ombudswoman Terezija Stoisits was repeatedly confronted with complaints regarding problems surrounding the execution of the citizenship law. Compared to 2010, percentage distribution of complaints among the thematic focal points remained the same with one exception: complaints regarding regional planning rose by three percentage points. Resolved complaints relative to regional and municipal 2011 2010 No case of maladministration 4,163 4,021 Maladministration on the part of the authorities 1,041 829 1,217 1,141 1,177 1,240 128 106 647 600 3 12 1 0 8,377 7,949 government administration Investigative proceeding currently inadmissible (administrative proceeding still ongoing) Complaints outside the AOB mandate Complaints not suitable for handling (per the relevant regulations) Complaint retracted Cases which the Board jointly determined a case of maladministration and issued a recommendation Challenges to regulations TOTAL Average duration of investigation: 49 days 20 In the year under review, a total of 8,377 investigated cases were resolved, i.e. 6% more than in the previous year. Concurrently, the number of cases where maladministration was detected also increased, although not quite as strongly, going up from 829 (2010) to 1,041 (2011). Thus the percentage of cases in 2011 where maladministration was ascertained was at 12.4%. The average duration of an investigative proceeding was 49 days in 2011.