Held the second training within the project “Free Legal Aid for Marginalized Groups”

The second training within the project “Free Legal Aid for Marginalized Groups” on the topic of the allocation of legal aid for marginalized groups was held in hotel “Ruza vjetrova” in Dobre Vode. The project is supported by the EU, within the EIDHR instruments, and through mediation of the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro. The training lasted for five days and gathered both the participants from partner organizations of the project – CeMI, HELP, Adria, Bonum; as well as the representatives of the most significant civil society organizations in Montenegro (representing the rights of certain marginalized groups or providing legal assistance to the same) – SZK, UMHCG, Juventas, the Legal Center… The aim of the training was to familiarize the participants with the basics of legal aid in order to approach the implementation of other activities within the project in the best possible way, especially the provision of legal assistance to all users and the promotion of the Law on Free Legal Aid after the project.

Participants had an opportunity to become familiar with the theoretical and the legal framework of the legal aid. In addition, they learned about the practices of civil society organizationsworking with marginalized groups in Montenegro and the wider region. Lecturers representing the legal system of Montenegro were Natasa Radonjic i Marija Bakovic from the Ministry of Justice and Alija Muslicic from the Office for Free Legal Assistance within the Basic Court in Bar. Lectures representing the civil sector were Bosko Nenezic from CeMI and Dalibor Josovic from the Legal Center. All of the other representatives of domestic organizations also had a chance to present their experiences in this area. Lecturers during the training were also lawyers Katarina Golubovic and Snezana Micanovic. Mrs. Golubovic represented a Serbian organization YUCOM (Committee of Lawyers for Human Rights) and spoke about the main aspects of the work of her organization in the field of legal aid in the past eight years. Mrs. Micanovic, as a local lawyer, presented the Free Legal Aid Project for Drug Users and spoke about the cooperation with CeMI and Juventas in that field.

One day of the training was dedicated to the creation of an informal NGO network in Montenegro which would jointly provide legal aid to the most vulnerable members of society and work on future projects. With the assistance of Ana Novakovic, the executive director of the Center for NGO Development, who acted as a facilitator, a document on the establishment of the said network was drafted. A public signing of the draft will soon be organized and will mark the beginning of the work on provision of legal aid to marginalized groups.