The number of persons who benefit from state guaranteed legal aid services is on the rise. More than 40,000 people used such services so far this year, an increase of 3,000 persons on 2014. About 500 lawyers provided such services to persons who do not have sufficient financial resources for paying them. The data were presented by the National Council for State Guaranteed Legal Aid, IPN reports.

Under Moldova’s legislation, the citizens can benefit from state guaranteed legal aid to get legal consultancy and to be represented in court, within criminal, administrative and civil cases. The children victims of offenses are also entitled to such aid.

To benefit from state guaranteed legal aid, the person must file an application to the local office of the National Council for State Guaranteed Legal Aid, the prosecution body or the court of law. The income statement must be obligatorily attached to the application.

“On average, a lawyer should provide state guaranteed legal aid to 80 beneficiaries during a year. In some districts, the lawyers provide such services to more persons, while in other districts – to fewer persons. The situation is not worrisome. It is a real workload for a lawyer,” said the Council’s head Victor Zaharia.

In Chisinau alone, about 26,000 people benefitted from state guaranteed legal aid. “Within criminal cases, legal aid is sought in cases of theft, drug distribution and domestic violence, within non-criminal cases – different proceedings are challenged, while among civil cases – the people consult mainly about divorces, inheritance and conflicts related to neighborhood rights,” said Sergiu Chiruta, coordinator of the Council’s Chisinau local office.

In Moldova, there are four local officers of the National Council for State Guaranteed Legal Aid, in Chisinau, Balti, Cahul, and Comrat.