Signing of the Joint Statement for improving the implementation of the Law on Free Legal Aid

The signing of Joint Statement to improve the implementation of the Law on Free Legal Aid marked the launch of a joint campaign and a series of project activities aimed at raising public awareness of the availability of free legal aid to the most vulnerable and marginalized individuals. The planned campaign will also include training of employees in local self-government units in connection with planning and provision of financial resources in local budgets for the purpose of financing free legal aid. As part of the campaign, training will be conducted to strengthen the capacity of employees in local self-governments and the Ministry of Justice in order to achieve a qualitatively satisfactory legal procedure. Project activities that will contribute to more effective supervision of the implementation of the Law on Free Legal Aid are also foreseen.

The Joint Statement was signed by Minister of Justice Ms. Maja Popović and Minister of State Administration and Local Self-Government Mr. Aleksandar Martinović in the presence of Mr. Christian Schilling Head of Development Cooperation of the Embassy of Federal Republic of Germany, Ms. Plamena Halacheva Deputy Head of EU Delegation to Serbia and members of the Government Council for Free Legal Aid.

Project activities are supported by the Facility "Supporting Strengthening Rule of Law in the Republic of Serbia" (EU FOR FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION AND FOR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS), jointly financed by the EU and German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).