the basis of which the activities planned in the process of accession of the Republic of Serbia to the European Union are assessed. In its Screening Report for Chapter 23, the European Commission issued a recommendation to “Strengthen the capacities of the Protector of Citizens (especially with regard to his role as a National Preventive Mechanism), the provincial local ombudsmen services” (Recommendation 3.2.1 in the Action Plan on Chapter 23). For the purpose of implementing recommendation 3.2.1, the Action Plan envisages measures related to strengthening of the capacities of the Protector of Citizens through the amendments of the Law on the Protector of Citizens which would reinforce independence and specify his powers in accordance with the achieved degree of development of this institution; through the human resources capacity building of the institution in terms of adopting a new Rulebook on Internal Organization and Systematization of Job Positions in the Secretariat of the Protector of Citizens; providing permanent premises for the institution of the Protector of Citizens; as well as measures aimed at strengthening the Protector of Citizens‘ influence by imposing a duty to report to the European Commission on the compliance of public authorities with the recommendations issued by this independent state body, both in the capacity of the Protector of Citizens and in capacity of the National Preventive Mechanism. The Protector of Citizens is also mentioned in over 20 strategies and action plans: Public Administration Reform Strategy of the Republic of Serbia for the period 2018-2020.268, Strategy for Social Inclusion of Roma Men in the Republic of Serbia for the Period from 2016 to 2025269, Strategy for Prevention and Protection against Discrimination 270, Strategy on the Implementation of the Convention on Access to Information, Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matterss– the Aarhus Convention271, the Penal Sanctions Enforcement System Development Strategy in the Republic of Serbia by 2020272, National Strategy for Preventing and Protecting Children from Violence273, Action Plan for the Implementing the Strategy on Implementation of the Aarhus Convention274, Action Plan for the Exercise of Rights of National Minorities, the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Strategy for the Social Inclusion of Roma in the Republic of Serbia for the Period 2016-2025, etc. The legal framework governing the work of the Protector of Citizens includes a body of secondary legislation that governs in detail the actions and operation of this institution, some of which are: Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly275, the Government’s Rules of Procedure276, Decision on the Formation and Operation of the Secretariat of the Protector of Citizens277, Decision on the Formation of Local Offices in Preševo, Bujanovac and Medveđa278, Decree on the implementation of internal and public competition procedures for filling vacancies in state bodies279, Special collective agreement for state authorities280, Rules on the “Official Gazette of RS“, no. 09/14, 42/14 - corr. and 54/18. “Official Gazette of RS“, no. 26/16. 270 “Official Gazette of RS“, no. 60/13. 271 “Official Gazette of RS“, no. 103/11. 272 “Official Gazette of RS“, no. 114/13. 273 “Official Gazette of RS“, no. 122/08. 274 “Official Gazette of RS“, no. 103/11. 275 Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly, “Official Gazette of RS“, no. 20/12- consolidated text. 276 Article 39а and 46 of the Government Rules of Procedure, “Official Gazette of RS“, no. 61/06-consolidated text, 69/08, 88/09, 33/10, 69/10, 20/11, 37/11, 30/13, 76/14 and 8/2019. 277 “Official Gazette of RS“, no. 105/07 and 99/18. 278 “Official Gazette of RS“, no. 91/09. 279 “Official Gazette of RS“, no. 2/19. 280 “Official Gazette of RS“, no. 28/19. 268 269 - 133 -