More categories of people from socially vulnerable groups might benefit from qualified legal assistance in Moldova

Chisinau, 29 September /MOLDPRES/ - People with severe or pronounced disability, whose income is lower than the minimum monthly salary established by the government, might benefit from qualified legal assistance. In this respect, the cabinet today approved a legislative initiative which suggests the amendment of the law on the legal assistance guaranteed by the state, the government’s communication and protocol department has reported.     

The draft’s goal is to strengthen the legal assistance guaranteed by the state, in order to effectively ensure the right to defence.   

„More exactly, the draft is set to include the people with severe or pronounced disability, as well as the people whose income is lower than the minimum monthly salary established by the government, which is presently 3,500 lei, in the categories of people who are provided qualified legal assistance, no matter the level of incomes. Through excluding the categories of beneficiaries of qualified legal assistance, provided for free, we ensure the right to defence in the criminal prosecution bodies, in law courts on criminal, contravention, civil and contentious administrative matters files, as well as representation before the public administration authorities,’’ Justice Minister Sergiu Litvinenco said at the cabinet meeting.    

Besides the ensuring of access to justice for the people from the vulnerable groups, the draft aims at strengthening and optimizing the functional capacities of the National Council for Legal Assistance Guaranteed by State (CNAJGS) – an institution which provides qualified legal assistance. In particular, the provisions refer to:    

- criteria of employment of paralegals (simplification of the ways recruiting paralegals); 

- the mandate of the members and executive director of the National Council for Legal Assistance Guaranteed by State;   

- the reasons for the refusal to provide qualified legal assistance. 

Under the current legislation, the legal assistance guaranteed by the state represents the legal services provided for free to the people who do not have enough financial means for their payment and who meet the conditions stipulated by the law. The state legal assistance can be primary (mere consultations) and qualified (legal assistance provided on criminal, civil, contravention, administrative cases).    

Photo: Government