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1Legal aid in Kosovo has been institutionalised in May 2006 with the establishment of the Agency for Free Legal Aid, which is the first and only of its kind in South-Eastern Europe. It offers and ensures equal access to justice for citizens of the Republic of Kosovo, thus affirming the readiness of Kosovo institutions in promotion, respect and protection of the principles of human rights and rule of law in Kosovo. The Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo (Article 31), reaffirms that “free legal assistance shall be provided to those without sufficient financial means if such assistance is necessary to ensure effective access to justice”, thus bringing to a fore the rights of citizens to fair and impartial trial. The Agency for Free Legal Aid in the Republic of Kosovo operates as an independent body responsible for providing free legal aid in civil, criminal, administrative, and minor offences law to all citizens of the Republic of Kosovo who have no access to justice due to lack of financial means but fulfil eligibility requirements as such. Law No. 04/L-017 on Free Legal Aid provides for the establishment of a functional free legal aid system in Kosovo. The Agency is an independent public institution that carries out its functions and responsibilities in compliance with this law. The Agency for Free Legal Aid is the only one institution in the territory of the Republic of Kosovo that has the responsibility to organise and provide free legal aid. Agency bodies are:
Currently, the provision of free legal aid covers the entire territory of the Republic of Kosovo through its five regional offices for free legal aid located in five regions of the Republic of Kosovo: Prishtinë, Prizren, Pejë, Mitrovicë and Gjilan, and eight free legal aid offices which were initially supported by the UNDP Project ‘Advancing Gender Justice’, while currently are supported by the Royal Norwegian Embassy Project ‘Equal Access to Justice’. These offices operate from Ferizaj, Graçanicë, Dragash, Gjakovë, Mitrovica North, Skenderaj, Klinë and Kllokot.
