Over 10,000 citizens benefited from free legal aid during 2025 provided by the Free Legal Aid Agency, under the Ministry of Justice.
The agency’s focus has been on the most vulnerable categories, including victims of domestic and gender-based violence, victims of human trafficking, children and minors, persons facing discrimination, and those who suffered sexual violence during the last war.
At the official opening of “Free Legal Aid Week”, Acting Minister of Justice Donika Gërvalla said the week aims to inform citizens about their rights and the opportunities they have to protect them.Meanwhile, the Acting Executive Director of the Free Legal Aid Agency, Faton Jashari, highlighted the types of requests most commonly received by the agency.
“In our offices we don’t only have cases; real people come in—women seeking protection from violence, parents who do not know how to protect their children, young people facing institutions for the first time, discriminated persons, citizens fighting for property rights, pensions, dignity. At that moment, free legal aid is not just a procedure; it is the first clear word in a difficult situation and the first time the citizen feels that the state is listening. The year 2025 clearly demonstrated this practice. The agency provided nationwide coverage of free legal aid across Kosovo through seven regional offices and 23 mobile offices. It provided free legal aid to 6,797 citizens, our staff carried out 6,936 legal assistance actions, while 733 cases were referred to lawyers for representation and further services. The total number of cases handled in 2025 exceeds 10,000.The focus has been on the most vulnerable categories: victims of domestic and gender-based violence, human trafficking victims, children and minors, persons facing discrimination, and those who suffered sexual violence during the last war,” he said.
From the OSCE, Deputy Director of the Department for Human Rights and Communities, Tamar Khidasheli, said that legal and economic barriers continue to prevent citizens from exercising their rights, but that free legal aid has helped overcome this.
Khidasheli said that laws alone are not enough.
