Executive Director of the Foundation Jasmina Mujezinovic said at press conference that the document is based on an agreed joint action and effective cooperation, respecting the jurisdiction and scope of work of each party, and will enable the further development of this important system for the protection of the rights and improving the equal status of citizens in society.
President of the Municipal Court in Sarajevo Janja Jovanovic said that the court is interested in developing of legal aid service, recalling that earlier the courts have had the legal aid service for the ignorant parties. She said that often persons come to court without any knowledge how to exercise their rights.
Now, she said, they may be directed to the Institute for free legal aid. She added that activities of such institutions is speeding up the judicial process and contributes to efficient work of the courts. The importance of cooperation agreements was highlighted by the Human Rights Ombudsman BiH Nives Jukic who said that this institution is dedicated to the protection of human rights and specifies that it receives complaints of various kinds, mostly in the area of civil and political rights.
“However, most of the citizens seek the answer how and where they can do exercise their rights. It is precisely the aim of this agreement, to help the citizens more efficiently, instruct them to the right address where they will receive legal instructions and realize their rights” - she said.
Assistant to Chief of the General Administration in the Municipality of Ilidža Mirsada Hasečić said that at the level of municipalities a various forms of legal aid are provided, in a form of preparation of submissions (appeals, petitions, lawsuits ...), and there is always a striving to do it better. In areas outside their competence, there is a cooperation with the Cantonal institute for the providing of free legal aid and the Foundation for Local Democracy.
The signatories to the Agreement on cooperation in the provision of legal aid are Foundation of Local Democracy, Municipal Court in Sarajevo, the Institution of Ombudsman for Human Rights, Institute for free legal aid of Canton Sarajevo, Cantonal Centre for Social Work of Canton Sarajevo and Municipality of Ilijaš, Center, Vogošća, Novo Sarajevo and Trnovo.
