30 para-jurists trained to provide free assistance in 13 districts

The residents of 13 Moldovan districts during a year and a half benefited from free assistance provided by para-jurists within two projects supported by Soros Foundation. The results of the activity were presented in a summing up meeting, Info-Prim Neo reports. Thirty parajurists were initially trained to counsel persons who sought help from them within the projects “Juridical Empowerment of Rural Communities through a Network of Community Para-jurists” and “Promotion of a Sustainable System of State Guaranteed Legal Assistance in Moldova”. The poor people were the main beneficiaries of the services provided by para-jurists. According to the director of the Law Program of Soros Foundation Moldova Victor Munteanu, over the last three years and a half, one in five Moldovans faced at least one serious civil or administrative problem that was hard to resolve in court. “The activity of community para-jurists is provided in the Law on State Guaranteed Legal Assistance and the justice sector reform strategy for 2011-2016, and they did a good job,” said Victor Munteanu. Para-jurist Viorica Chirnicinai said that most often the people needed advice on problems concerning the neighbors, family, land, social protection, compensation of damage, and on medical problems. Soros Foundation supported the projects during a year and five months and is now considering the possibility of extending the cooperation contract.