Open Door in Opovo: New Requests for Free Legal Aid from Internally Displaced Persons
As part of the free legal aid project, an Open Door event was held in the Municipality of Opovo on 9 October 2025, with the aim of informing internally displaced persons (IDPs) about available services and providing direct legal support.
The event brought together representatives of the local self-government and relevant institutions, including the Deputy Mayor, Dr Dragan Ugrinov, representatives of the Centre for Social Work and the Red Cross, as well as members of the project team. The project’s activities and mandate were presented, with particular emphasis on the importance of referrals by local institutions.
The mobile legal team held individual meetings with three beneficiaries who sought legal assistance regarding various property-related and status issues. All beneficiaries submitted requests for free legal aid, thereby initiating new cases that will be further reviewed following the processing of the submitted documentation.
The legal issues raised included difficulties in obtaining documents in places of origin, privatization procedures of socially owned enterprises, as well as cases of unlawfully occupied property.
Events of this kind represent an important mechanism for improving access to justice for IDPs, by enabling direct contact with legal experts and the provision of concrete legal support.