State Secretary Fadila Bahović participated in seminar 'Free Legal Aid System – Current Issues'

The seminar entitled 'Free Legal Aid System - Current Issues' was held on 26 and 27 May 2025 in Zagreb.

It brought together stakeholders of the free legal aid and mediation systems, with the purpose to stimulate discussion on current affairs within both systems through a mutual exchange of knowledge and experience.

The workshop was opened by State Secretary Fadila Bahović, who emphasized the importance of the system of free legal aid in ensuring citizens’ access to the court and legal certainty for the past 16 years, when the system was established. She pointed out that the seminar was not only an opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience, but also served as an inspiration for further development and strengthening of partnerships between the stakeholders of the free legal aid system among themselves, but also with the mediation system that is currently in the reform momentum.

The international dimension of the event was given by the Head of Free Legal Aid System Division at the District Court in Ljubljana, Ms Anja Slak, who presented the Slovenian system of free legal aid in civil matters in her presentation, with an emphasis on the importance of mediation in granting and using free legal aid. 

Berislav Mance, Administrative Advisor in the Free Legal Aid Sector of the City of Zagreb Office for General Administration and Property and Legal Affairs, presented the role and work of first-instance bodies in granting and providing free legal aid and proposals for improving the operation of the system. 

In his presentation, Executive Director of the Victim and Witness Support Service Croatia Miren Špek stressed the synergistic effect of the free primary legal aid system and made recommendations for further development. 

Head of the Legal Clinic of the Faculty of Law in Rijeka, Prof. Dr. Dejan Bodul, presented practical experiences and challenges in organising and running a legal clinic.

On the second day, two interactive workshops were held, one on communication with demanding parties and the other on conducting an informative meeting on mediation.

The workshop was a great way to exchange ideas, experiences and suggestions for further steps in the development of the system of free legal aid and mediation, separately as well as in mutual synergy. The participants contributed to achieving the purpose of the seminar through their active participation and constructive ideas.

News