4.3 Greece Body responsible for monitoring forced return flights: The Greek Ombudsman ( ). The Greek Ombudsman is an independent authority under the Hellenic Constitution. 20 It has been in operation since 1 October 1998 and provides its services for free. Its main function is to mediate between the public administration and citizens to help them exercise their rights in an effective way. Its mandate was made operational in 2014, with the publication of the Interministerial Decree No. 4000/4/57. 21 Its mission consists in: - safeguarding and promoting children’s rights; - promoting equal treatment and combating discrimination, in the public sector, based on race, ethnicity, religion or other beliefs, disabilities, age or sexual orientation; - monitoring and promoting the implementation of equal opportunities and equal treatment between men and women, both in matters of employment (in the public sector but also in the private sector), and in terms of access to goods and services in the public sector. As a mediator, The Greek Ombudsman makes recommendations and proposals to the public administration, but it cannot impose sanctions or invalidate unlawful actions by the public administration. Anyone, regardless of nationality, can lodge complaints or send reports by filling in an online form on the Ombudsman’s website, also in English (it may be natural persons, but also legal persons or associations). The staff of The Greek Ombudsman is divided into Departments that deal with the different areas of competence: in particular the Department of Human Rights, responsible for monitoring the return procedures of third-country nationals, also coordinates the special mandates of the Ombudsman as body in charge of overseeing equality and acting as NPM. 22 This unit deals specifically with the defence of individual, political and social rights protected by the Constitution, by international agreements or by national law, and in particular in cases concerning: - violations of personal liberty, religious freedom and freedom of worship; - discrimination based on nationality or ethnic origin; - violations of immigrants’ rights; - equal access to public education; - recognition of foreign academic qualifications; - protection of professional rights; - violation of the right of appeal to the administrative authority and of access to judicial protection; - right of political asylum and right of entry and residence of foreigners. Article 101A and 103 of the Greek Constitution – section VI – chapter I. Joint Ministerial Decision (JMD) 4000/4/57 – “Regulation of the organisation and functioning of the system of external monitoring of the procedures of removal of third country nationals (Official Gazette s.B’ 2870/2014). 22 The Greek Ombudsman was attributed the function of national monitoring mechanism for the return of thirdcountry nationals on the basis of Directive 2008/115/EC (“Return Directive”) and with the introduction of the Law 3907/2011, which transposed it in Greek law. 20 21