Pristina, 8 May 2019 – Kosovo Law Institute (KLI), on Wednesday, has promoted Free Legal Aid Center within the program “Access to Justice”, a project supported by programmatic funds of the United Nations Mission (UN) in Kosovo.
At an occasional ceremony, attended by various local and international personalities, high researcher from KLI, Betim Musliu said that the establishment of this center consists with the 10th anniversary of the establishment of KLI and the fulfillment of the mission that this organization has in strengthening the rule of law as well as increase and promotion of human rights in Kosovo.
Musliu said that KLI sees as inalienable components the respect in practice of the rights and freedoms of Kosovar citizens and foreign citizens in judicial processes, including here also the offering of free legal aid for those citizens that due to economic situation, or other reasons, cannot offer themselves professional representation before judicial or administrative bodies.
An initiative of great and special importance, has called the establishment of the Free Legal Aid Center, the President of the Supreme Court, Enver PEci.
In a short speech before the participants, president Peci, said that assessing socio-economic situation of citizens and the need for legal services, this center will be a great aid for parties in order to effectively realize their rights in procedure. Peci said that this Center will have the continuous support of the judicial system with the sole aim that citizens benefit as many services for the benefit of justice.
Director of the Free Legal Aid Agency, Ramadan Gashi, assessed that the establishment of this center, emphasizing that institution that he leads will be open for cooperation based on law, especially in fields where he said, agency has no possibility to offer certain services.
On the inauguration ceremony of LAC, has participated also the special representative of the United Nations in Kosovo, Zahir Tanin, who said that expresses his gratitude for this partnership with the KLI that according to him is a non-governmental organization and leader in the field of justice and human rights.
Tannin said Legal Aid Center will be offered for several groups of people in accordance with legislation in Kosovo.
I would also like to mention the excellent work that Kosovo Law Institute has done in reducing old cases at the Basic Court in Pristina. This center will ensure that legal aid is offered to several groups of people and in accordance with the legislation on Kosovo”, said Tanin.
According to him, this center will function in five points, each one separately, represents a category of people, starting from persons that belong to non-majority communities, till to the legal aid offered for the prisoners.
Tannin in the end said that he would like to express his commitment in supporting the justice system in Kosovo, congratulating the Legal Aid Center for success in offering aid to those in need.
A presentation of the work and mission of LAC, was given by the coordinator of this center, Yll Zekaj, who said that this center is being established within the program for access to justice, and its special focus will be sensitive groups in Kosovo, due to their financial condition can not realize their rights provided by law.
Legal Aid Center of the KLI is a project supported by programmatic funds of the United Nations Mission (UN) in Kosovo, withith the program “Access to Justice”. LAC its activity and its function started on March 2019.
LAC within its activities offers legal aid in the defined fields in the program “Access to Justice”.
The aim of the LAC is to offer equal opportunities for all citizens of Kosovo and foreigners in Kosovo for access to justice, and also to respect human rights and freedoms with the standards and principles defined by the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo and international instruments applicable in Kosovo.
LAC pays special attention to offer free legal aid for sensitive groups in Kosovo in criminal, civil and administrative matters.
LAC of the KLI offers free legal aid in six specific fields, legal support of women in realizing property rights, the right to work on issues that has to do with contracts and pension issues prohibited by Serbian authorities, legal support in protecting and realizing minority rights, displaced persons within the country, refugees and asylum seekers, issues of gender based domestic violence and compensation for survivors of sexual violence during the war, legal aid for the protection of the rights of prisoners, as well as the offer of legal aid for whistleblowers of corruption cases.
The Center aims that through its activity to achieve objectives such as, offering access to justice for all, without any discrimination based on race, color, gender, language, religion, political opinions or other, national or social origin property, relation with any community, property, economic condition, social, sexual orientation, birth, disability or other personal status, promotion of human rights and freedoms in judicial processes with special emphasis on criminal, civil and administrative matters, promotion of the implementation of practice of the European Court of Human Rights in the justice system in Kosovo as well as realization of constitutional and legal rights of Kosovo and foreign citizens, in accordance with applicable law in Kosovo.