155 NEWS PUBLISHED ON THE OMBUDSMAN’S WEBSITE IN 2014 All news can be read in full (in Danish only) on www.ombudsmanden.dk. 10 January 21 January No criticism of refusal to give residence permit on humanitarian grounds to woman with HIV The Ombudsman: We too must act fast in access request cases The Ombudsman cannot criticise that the Ministry reply from the public authorities when request- of Justice refused to give a woman with HIV a ing access to files, says the new Access to Public residence permit on humanitarian grounds without Administration Files Act. And now the Ombudsman checking whether medical treatment is available announces that he will also step up the pace when to her in her native country. This is the outcome of processing complaints about the authorities in a case recently concluded by the Ombudsman. access request cases. 16 January 22 January Efficiency drive at the Ombudsman office Ombudsman satisfied with prospect of faster processing of early retirement cases Structure and work processes have been the sub- Journalists and other citizens must receive a quick ject of critical scrutiny at the Ombudsman office. As a general rule, citizens in Copenhagen who have The outcome will be a brand new structure which applied for early retirement at the end of 2012 may will come into force on 1 February 2014. The new expect a reply before the end of January 2014. structure is intended to give the approximately And the majority of new applicants may expect 100 employees a better scope for processing com- a reply within three months. So says the City of plaints quickly, but also an opportunity for even Copenhagen in a statement to the Parliamentary more focus on and in-depth handling of fundamen- Ombudsman who is satisfied that a solution has tal or otherwise important cases. been found to the long processing times for early retirement applications.