Press release

March 13, 2020

 

Presentation of the results of the SIPOCA project 377

 

The project "Legal counselling services for victims of abuses or irregularities in administration and judiciary", project code: SIPOCA377 ends on March 15, 2020, with results above the initially estimated expectations.

 

Transparency International Romania implemented this project in partnership with the West University of Timişoara, the “Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu, the University of Craiova, the “Babeş Bolyai” University of Cluj Napoca, the “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iaşi and the University of Bucharest, between July 15, 2018 and March 15, 2020.

 

The overall objective of the project was to increase access to justice for citizens, especially for vulnerable groups, who are victims of abuses or irregularities in the public administration and the judiciary, by creating and operationalizing a network of documentation and assistance centers.

 

The observed results include:

 

  • Establishment and operationalization of 6 Legal Assistance and Documentation Centers for citizens, supported by an electronic platform.

 

The centers opened at the headquarters of the Law Faculties of the project partners from Timișoara, Sibiu, Craiova, Cluj-Napoca, Iași and Bucharest offer both the possibility of documentation for legal practitioners, as well as assistance for citizens, especially for those from vulnerable groups who are victims of abuses or irregularities by the public administration and the judiciary.

 

  • A high level of information of over 2500 specialists in the law field

 

During the project, 2,538 law specialists participated in seminars and workshops, being consulted and informed about the Documentation and Assistance Centers.

 

  • Three model procedures for assistance and alternative administrative resolution of citizens' complaints were developed within the project.

 

  • Two studies and one guide have been developed within the project:

  • “Comparative study on access to justice, legal assistance and advice, alternative ways of resolving litigations, including administrative disputes in the Member States of the European Union and the Council of Europe";

  • "Study on the alternative resolution, by administrative ways, of litigations between citizens and public administration";

  • "Guide on citizens' rights in relations with the public administration and the judiciary".

The materials are available in printed and audio-book format, as well as in Braille.

 

  • 161 people trained towards increasing their capacity to provide legal assistance and advice to citizens, especially those in vulnerable groups, who are victims of abuse or irregularities by the public administration and the judiciary.

There have been organized two types of lectures: a professional training course on “Theoretical and practical aspects on the justice of fundamental rights and freedoms; particularities of vulnerable groups”, respectively a mimetic-gestural language course at the beginner level.

 

Beneficiaries included persons who carry out or are authorized to carry out a legal activity, specialists in the field of law, as well as staff from institutions in the judiciary or public administration.

 

Also, through participation in seminars and post-training mentoring, 98 people in the public administration could increase their capacity for rapid alternative dispute resolution and / or avoidance of administrative disputes.

 

An extensive information campaign was also carried out, focusing on legal aid services available to citizens. Furthermore, the information campaign was also present in rural areas through a caravan, as well as in the media by broadcasting a radio spot at the national and local level.

 

The project "Legal advice services for victims of abuses or irregularities in administration and justice" was co-financed from the European Social Fund, through the Operational Program Administrative Capacity 2014 - 2020.

 

Additional information, including studies and procedures, are available on the project website: www.acces-justitie.ro.

 

Contact person: Georgeta Filip, public relations consultant for this project, tel: 0722.598.014 e-mail: georgeta.filip@transparency.org.ro

 


Data publicare: 13/03/2020