15,000 persons received legal assistance from ABA

Seven Moldovan lawyers, within the “Travelling Lawyers” programme of the American Bar Association Central European and Eurasian Law (ABA/CEELI), supported by USAID, provided free legal services to about 15,000 person from the rural regions across Moldova. Within the frameworks of the programme, 7 lawyers travel once a week to different villages in order to provide free legal assistance, and free of charge representation in court. They help citizens solve problems related to land, family law, social protection, salaries etc. On the other hand, the lawyers organize presentations in schools, enterprises and farms in these villages and write articles in order to inform Moldovans about their legal rights. According to the US Ambassador in Moldova, Michael Kirby, the “Travelling Lawyers” programme is important because the work of these lawyers not only solves the legal problems common people face, but also increases the trust in the supremacy of law in Moldova. Being financed by the United States Government, USAID provides economic and humanitarian assistance in over 100 countries, in order to contribute to a better future. The “Law Supremacy” programme implemented by ABA/CEELI constitutes a part of the USAID efforts to support more efficient and responsible democratic institutions. ABA/CEELI is a public service project of the American Bar Association (ABA) which addresses the rule of law by supporting the legal reform in Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia and the Middle East. Incorporating more than 413 000 members, the American Bar Association is the world’s largest professional voluntary organization. In its role of the national voice of the legal profession, ABA provides law school accreditation, continuing legal education, information about the law, programmes to assist lawyers and judges in their work, and initiatives to improve the legal system for the public.