Project “Promotion and Protection of Property Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, Refugees and Returnees upon Readmission Agreements” represents a continuation of a number of free legal aid projects used by the Office for Kosovo and Metohija and funded by the European Union pre-accession funds since 2008. The beneficiaries of the project are internally displaced persons, refugees and returnees from the EU, based on the provisions of the readmission agreements between the EU and Serbia. The project promotes and protects their property rights by providing information, legal advice and other expert assistance, including court representation.
The work of lawyers, trainee lawyers and advisors is coordinated by the project, and all activities are funded by the EU and the Government of the Republic of Serbia. The project is realized by the Consortium led by European Consulting Group. The total value of the project, which lasts two years, is EUR 3,651,630.
Refugees, returnees and IDPs interested in support or information on how to exercise their rights in Serbia or at the place of their origin can contact the project on free phone number 0800 108 208.
Over the past two decades, the IDPs, refugees and returnees from the EU upon readmission agreements have faced numerous human rights violations, amongst which illegal property occupation and demolition, discrimination of Serbs and other non-Albanian population in state institutions in Kosovo and Metohija, lack of legal representation and safety endangering. The Legal Aid Office is a continuous effort of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, with financial support of the European Union, to offer assistance to these groups in exercising their rights.
At least 60,000 of property claims regarding the displacement of Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija since 1999 includes Serbs and other non-Albanians whose property was damaged, destroyed or illegally occupied.
Up to 85,000 Serbian and other non-Albanians families, including many of the displaced people, could lose their property in Kosovo and Metohija in the cadaster program for verification introduced by the authorities in Pristina.
People eligible for the legal aid this project provides are displaced people and people who have property rights in Kosovo and Metohija but due to their financial situation cannot afford legal representation or who cannot exercise their rights due to the limited access to the Kosovo legislation. A team of senior experts, junior experts and legal trainees will be at their disposal working to provide them with adequate assistance. Services the office provides include offering legal advice, representation before courts in places of client’s origin, obtaining documentation from state institutions, as well as informing those in need on their rights.
Besides assisting clients, the Project is also working on a sustainability of legal aid for the people who have troubles getting legal representation. A team of young, talented lawyers, born in Kosovo and Metohija, Croatia or BiH, will work for the Legal Aid alongside the legal experts gaining a unique skills and experience which will enable them to continue working on preserving the rights of those in need.