Sofia, Feb 13 (BTA/GNA) – The National Legal Aid Bureau (NLAB) helped more than 3,600 people in 2022 under the Asylum and Refugees Act. Nearly 200 people were advised on domestic violence matters. More than 6,300 lawyers are registered at the NLAB, according to its report on the last four years, which was presented on Monday.
Some 240 lawyers register with NLAB every year, while 220 de-register.
A little over BGN 29 million were paid in fees to public defenders between 2019 and 2022, the largest sum, over BGN 9 million, being paid in 2022.
Addressing those gathered, Vice President Iliana Iotova said: “Legal aid covers various services and support – information, legal advice and providing a lawyer where needed. All this is free of charge to the poor and vulnerable so that they can know their rights even better and have even easier access to justice.” She highlighted the provision of legal aid to people living in poverty and social exclusion, people with disabilities and children. “All this requires very strong public policies in addition to legal aid,” she said.
The Vice President focused on two aspects of the National Legal Aid Bureau’s activities: assistance to victims of domestic violence and to unaccompanied refugee and migrant minors. Iotova highlighted the numerous proposals of the NLAB for amendments to the Protection against Domestic Violence Act and deplored the rejection of the proposed revisions in the last days of the 48th National Assembly. She expressed a hope that a coordination mechanism to combat domestic violence would be put in place.
The Legal Aid Ordinance will be amended for consistency with revisions to the Legal Aid Act, said NLAB Chair Natalia Ilieva.
Justice Minister Krum Zarkov said the Legal Aid Act amendments of 2022 would help more people get legal aid. To this end, the NLAB should receive support from the government.
Mariana Tosheva, Chair of the State Agency for Refugees, said the Ukrainians seeking international protection already outnumber the Syrians of the 2015-2016 refugee crisis.
BTA/GNA