The employees of the Regional Offices of the Ministry of Justice attended in Gevgelija, a three-days cascade training on Free Legal Aid. Supported by the joint European Union and Council of Europe Horizontal Facility II programme and in close co-operation with the Ministry of Justice of North Macedonia, 30 employees of the Regional Offices (ROs) were prepared on how to effectively provide primary and secondary legal aid and steer their actions towards such achievement. They had also the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills required to respond in an effective and appropriate manner when dealing with vulnerable persons asking for free legal aid, especially victims of domestic or gender-based violence.

The participants were trained by their colleagues – also employed at the MoJ’s Regional Offices, previously prepared in the framework of Horizontal Facility II programme to function as trainers in the field of FLA for the needs of Ministry of Justice, a long-term investment for sustainability in relation with continuous education of the ROs employees.

The importance of the Regional Offices for overall legal aid system in North Macedonia as drivers of change for better implementation of the Law on Free Legal Aid and protection of citizen’s rights, was stressed in the opening remarks by Mr. Agim Nuhiu, Deputy Minister of Justice.

During the activity, the participants received informational materials to be used in their daily work with clients and discussed for a greater involvement in the promotion and awareness raising campaign for Free Legal Aid in North Macedonia. The next casacade training will be organised in May with the rest of the employees at the Regional Offices.

The capacity building for the Regional Offices of the Ministry of Justice is conducted by the action “Supporting enhanced access to higher quality Free Legal Aid services in North Macedonia” which is part of the joint European Union/Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022”.