EU PROGRES

The implementation of the project Establishment of Citizens Advisory Service started with signing the MoU between the European Partnership with Municipalities Programme – PROGRES and the Sandzak Human Rights Committee.  This project will create conditions for an effective, efficient and sustainable free legal aid system and advisory services available to all Novi Pazar residents. The priority in providing assistance in procedures for accessing rights with public services will pertain to single parents, Roma, returnees, unemployed, women, elderly, persons with disabilities, refugees and IDPs. Local self-government, employment institutions, social and health protection, judiciary and police services will be more easily available to the beneficiaries. The mobile team field visits will also facilitate access to these services for the residents from remote places.

CAS will provide necessary information to beneficiaries and practical assistance in providing personal documents, accessing rights to social protection and pension and dealing with other administrative procedures. For some categories of beneficiaries financial support is provided for covering administrative costs.

Project activities are implemented in partnership with the town of Novi Pazar, which authorised the Sandzak Human Rights Committee to provide legal aid to the residents. The Project is helping create conditions, after the legal framework regulating this area has been put in place, in which the local self-government can provide free legal aid directly with available human, technical and financial resources.

Total value of the project is 43,400 EUR, with PROGRES donors, European Union and Swiss Government contributing 30,000 EUR and the rest covered by the Sandzak Human Rights Committee and the town of Novi Pazar.