Socially Excluded Population Will Be Legally Aided

Tbilisi. 08. 11. 06. Media News. Today Minister of Justice Gia Kavtaradze presented draft law at Governmental Session. It was devised in the framework of Reform Strategy of Georgian Criminal Legislation.

Draft Law aims at ensuring the defense of the rights envisaged under the Georgian Constitution, as well as establishing efficient system of free legal aid in the country.

When the aforementioned draft law enacted most part of Georgian population will have a chance to receive free legal consultation, and the most excluded Georgians will be legally aided. All expenses will be reimbursed by the government.

Current scheme of free legal consultation could not provide legal aid for socially excluded people and besides that it is very formal.

To regulate the problem, draft law establishes service centre for legal aid which will coordinate the system in the whole country. It provides supervision of the activities and takes responsibility of qualified legal aid. Some sections in the draft law determine the category of people who should be supported and also sorts out the legal aid. Control system for State finances is being established as well.

Besides socially excluded people, free legal aid would be provided for every Georgian citizen.

According to the project, there will be various sources to receive legal aid - by Legal Aid Centresor by lawyers registered at the bar registration department.  

The draft law coincides with EU direction; European Convention for Human Rights and fundamental Freedoms, European Court precedents  and other international legal standards.

The draft law will be submitted to the parliament for further discussion.