relevant information they possess, regardless of the classification level (when this is important for the ongoing investigations). The Protector of Citizens may recommend the removal of the official who he/she considers responsible for the violation of the rights of citizens, initiate the disciplinary proceedings against employees of public authorities, file reports or petitions for initiation of criminal, infringement or other relevant proceedings. Relationship with other independent bodies In the protection of certain rights and freedoms, for which specialized independent branches have been established by the law (the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection ; the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality and others), the Protector of Citizens cooperates with these authorities on improving the exercise and protection of the rights, and acts upon complaints of violation of these rights only after the citizens have used the opportunity to contact a specialized independent body. The Protector of Citizens is authorized to decide to launch the oversight procedure, exceptionally, even before the citizens turn to another, specialized independent body, if he finds that some special circumstances envisaged by the Law on the Protector of Citizens are present (if the complainant was inflicted with irreparable damage or if the complaint relates to a violation of the principle of good administration, especially the incorrect attitude of the administrative authorities towards the complainant, untimely work or other violations of the rules of ethical behavior of employees in administrative bodies). Citizens have the right to contact the Protector of Citizens with a complaint to other independent, specialized bodies for the protection of citizens' rights, if they feel that their rights have been violated by their unlawful or irregular conduct. Under the Law on the Protector of Citizens, Ombudsman of the Autonomous Province, that is, the ombudsmen of local self-government units are required to receive complaints from citizens, even if they fall under the competence of the Protector of Citizens, and to forward such complaints without delay to the Protector of Citizens for handling and vice versa. Performance of activities outside the seat of the body Under the Law on the Protector of Citizens, the Protector of Citizens may, by his decision, establish offices outside the institution’s head office. The possibilities for doing so are objectively limited by the size of the Protector’s Secretariat, which is determined by the job classification rules and the budget. The Protector of Citizens regularly performs duties within his competence in the head office and in three offices outside the head office (in Bujanovac, Preševo and Medveđa). For the purpose of conducting procedures of oversight, preventive and educational activities, the Protector of Citizens and employees in his Secretariat travel to cities and towns throughout the Republic on a daily basis. In addition to receiving citizens at the head office of the Institution, as well as in offices outside the head office, the Days of the Ombudsman are also periodically organized, during which the Protector of Citizens speaks with citizens and representatives of the civil sector, and holds meetings with representatives of public authorities pointing to the need to improve the respect for citizens' rights. - 138 -