Preliminary findings and administrative gap assessment in the current functioning of the Kosovo Ministry of Justice (MoJ) Department for Free Legal Professions (FLP) and the MoJ Division for Overseeing the Legality of the Work of FLPs were presented and discussed in the roundtable held on Tuesday, 7 December 2021. The roundtable was organized by the EU-funded project EUKOJUST in cooperation with the Department for Free Legal Professions of the Ministry of Justice.
The roundtable provided the opportunity for an open discussion and consultation on the legal framework, competences, operation and administrative capacity of MoJ Department for Free Legal Professions and of the Division for Overseeing the Legality of the Work of FLPs with the aim of reaching common conclusions on the way ahead.
The preliminary findings together with the recommendations were prepared and presented by the Senior Short-Term Expert Ms. Pepa Laleva on the basis of a detailed screening of the current situation, including the analysis of the Kosovo legislation and practice, the organizational structures and the relevant European standards.
“The objective of this project activity is to support the MoJ in strengthening the FLP Department, considering the role of this department for the effective and quality delivery of services for free legal professions: notaries, private enforcement agents, mediators, bankruptcy administrators, and lawyers,” the EUKOJUST Team Leader, Volkmar Theobald, said.
He emphasized the special importance of this in the light of the role of FLPs as part of the justice sector for increasing the efficiency of the judiciary and for strengthening the rule of law in Kosovo.
EUKOJUST Long-Term Structure Expert, Kristian Turkalj, pointed out that it is in the interest of all stakeholders in the justice sector to have competent and professional officials in the MoJ who are well acquainted with the laws that regulate certain aspects of the functioning of the justice sector.
“In this regard, the need to further strengthen the Department of Free Legal Professions was emphasized, which should expand the scope of competence, accompanied by staff strengthening of the Department itself,” said Turkalj.
The findings of the report were openly discussed by the European experts, the Team Leader from the EU Office in Kosovo, Nicola Scaramuzzo, the representative of the Cabinet of the Minister of Justice, numerous officials of MoJ, the presidents and other representatives of the Bar Association, the Notary Chamber and the Chamber of Mediators of Kosovo. Main results from the discussions will be analysed, considered and included by the project in the final report, namely on the findings and recommendations for the more effective functioning of the FLP Department and the MoJ Division for Overseeing the Legality of the Work of FLPs.
The active participation of the representatives from the Justice Sector, the Public Administration Sector, the EU Office and the EUKOJUST is a guarantee for the direct impact of the results of the round table in view of Kosovo’s European perspective and of the need for citizen-oriented service delivery.
