Participants in the roundtable "Right to Legal Aid," held on October 25, 2024, unanimously emphasized that it is high time for the Institute for Free Legal Aid in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (HNC) to finally become operational, after ten years since its establishment. To make the Institute functional, a director must be appointed as soon as possible. As the selection process has been completed, a list of the most qualified candidates has been submitted to the HNC Government, and it is expected that the appointment will be on the agenda for one of the upcoming government sessions.
Given the worsening socio-economic situation, which has led to an increasing number of citizens in urgent need of free legal aid, the Association for Education and Development "Dignitet," along with its partners, has submitted two initiatives to the HNC Prime Minister, Marija Buhač:
- For the HNC Government to appoint a director of the Institute for Free Legal Aid at one of the upcoming sessions, no later than the end of this calendar year.
- For a public announcement to be conducted, in accordance with legal procedures and based on the Institute’s internal structure regulations, to fill vacant positions at the Institute within 60 days of the director’s appointment.
Following the successful roundtable, members of the "Dignitet" Association and their partners believe the HNC Government will complete the director’s appointment process promptly, which would greatly benefit the more than 20% of the HNC population in need of legal aid, according to unofficial data.
The current law, adopted in 2013, grants the right to free legal aid to recipients of permanent financial assistance, children without parental care, victims of violence, individuals with revoked legal capacity and mental health issues, veterans, recipients of the lowest pension, unemployed individuals with refugee, displaced, or demobilized status, and individuals with low income or in criminal proceedings who do not reside in HNC. Unofficially, over 20% of the population in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton needs free legal aid, which is why "Dignitet" members and partners are hopeful that the HNC Government will appoint the director of the Institute for Free Legal Aid as soon as possible.
