Towards a Consolidated and More Efficient Free Legal Aid (FLA) System in North Macedonia

Back Citizens in Skopje, Bitola, and Shtip to receive Primary Free Legal Aid at the Civil Registry Offices

Irena BABUSHKOVSKA

Modified 10 Months ago.

Citizens in Skopje, Bitola, and Shtip to receive Primary Free Legal Aid at the Civil Registry Offices

As of today, citizens of Skopje, Bitola, and Shtip can receive primary legal aid services at the Civil Registry Offices.

Three mobile teams, composed of representatives from civil society organisations authorised to provide free legal aid as well as legal clinic students, were established to offer direct assistance to citizens at these locations. This initiative, supported by the European Union and the Council of Europe in collaboration with the OSCE Mission to Skopje, aims to enhance access to justice by ensuring that vulnerable and marginalised individuals, especially members of the Roma community, can receive timely legal support when needed. It also seeks to strengthen the capacities of future legal professionals and civil society representatives in delivering free legal aid.

The teams, trained during October, began their work today. They will operate twice a week according to the following schedule:

Mobile Team	Open Days
Skopje	Every Monday and Thursday from 10:00 to 12:00, until 31 December 2025
Bitola	Every Tuesday and Friday from 10:00 to 12:00, until 31 December 2025
Shtip	Every Tuesday and Friday from 11:00 to 13:00, until 31 December 2025

During open hours, citizens can receive information about the procedures for obtaining civil documentation and about the free legal aid services available to them. They can also ask specific questions directly to the legal experts in the teams and receive detailed guidance on where and how to access free legal aid.

User-friendly informational materials will be distributed, covering key topics such as how to obtain free legal aid as well as information on civil documentation, domestic violence, property rights, anti-discrimination, and social protection.

By embedding legal support within existing public institutions, this initiative makes access to justice more consistent and accessible for citizens. The involvement of CSOs and students further contributes to building the capacities of future legal professionals and civil society actors, ensuring sustainability and effectiveness of free legal aid also for the future.

These initiative is organised in the framework of the European Union and Council of Europe joint action “Towards a Consolidated and More Efficient Free Legal Aid (FLA) System in North Macedonia” (part of the Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye) and the OSCE Mission in Skopje, in close co-operation with the Ministry of Justice of North Macedonia, the Civil Registry Office and the Ministry of Digital Transformation.

North Macedonia 30 October 2025

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The action “Towards a Consolidated and More Efficient Free Legal Aid (FLA) System in North Macedonia” is implemented within the joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” running from January 2023 until December 2026. The action is contributing to:

1) professional and independent functioning of the Free Legal Aid system in North Macedonia in a reliable, integrated and sustainable manner;

(2) Reform of the system of legal aid in criminal proceedings in line with the European standards and Council of Europe recommendations;

(3) the consolidation of knowledge and capacities of the legal aid providers in North Macedonia including Ministry of Justice, Bar Association, Civil Society Organisations (CSO-s), Legal Clinics etc;

(4) facilitated and broadened access to legal aid services for the people in North Macedonia, particularly marginalised and vulnerable groups;

What is the goal(s) and objective(s) of the action?

The action aims at supporting the main public actors and local stakeholders in ensuring efficient, accessible, and professional provision of Free Legal Aid services in North Macedonia, in line with European standards and best practices.

Who benefits from the action?

Ministry of Justice of North Macedonia and its Regional Offices;
Bar Association of North Macedonia and the lawyers;
CSO-s authorised for FLA;
Legal Clinics authorised for FLA (within universities);
the institutions that are indirectly involved in the FLA system: Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, Centres for Social Work, Ministry of Interior, Ombudsman, Municipalities, Courts, CSO-s and other Networks (not registered for FLA) but providing assistance to vulnerable groups;
The general population, especially vulnerable groups.

How does the action work?

The action builds upon the results achieved in the implementation of the previous two Horizontal Facility actions on this issue, by addressing the remaining challenges emerging from the initial implementation of the recent legislation on Free Legal Aid and by ensuring that all actors can efficiently provide quality services to FLA beneficiaries.

The action is supporting the process of capacity building for the local beneficiaries and is offering technical assistance in a tailored, targeted and flexible manner to respond to specific and emerging needs of the beneficiaries.

What do we expect to achieve?

The action will achieve

Professional and independent functioning of the state system for Free Legal Aid, including a strengthened Central Unit for FLA;
A more efficient and accessible system of free legal aid in criminal proceedings in line with the European standards;
Improved legal aid services for the people of North Macedonia and strengthened capacities of the legal aid providers;
communities and the society at large in North Macedonia are aware and informed about the provision of FLA in civil, administrative, and criminal proceedings.

What is the budget of the action?

The total budget of the action is 900 000 Euros.

The budget allocated to the overall Horizontal Facility programme amounts to ca. 41 Million EUR (85% funded by the European Union, 15% by the Council of Europe).

How to get more information?

Home - Council of Europe Programme Office in Skopje (coe.int)

Soravia Center, Filip Vtori Makedonski br. 3, Skopje, 1000

+ 389 (2) 3100 321, e-mail: [email protected]
Horizontal Facility website and e-mail address

About Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye?

The “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” is a joint initiative of the European Union and the Council of Europe that enables the Western Balkans Beneficiaries and Türkiye to meet their reform agendas in the fields of human rights, rule of law and democracy and to comply with the European standards, which is also a priority for the EU enlargement process.