From February 10, 2015, free legal aid became available in Shorapani borough, Zestaphoni district. The service is provided in local public center where once in a week, the LAS consultant receives citizens.
The LAS Zestaphoni bureau lawyers started to carry out meetings in order to inform the population of Shorapani and nearby villages about this novel service. The first meetings were held on March 10, in Shorapani borough and Saghvine village.
The local population got introduced with criteria necessary for rendering the service and received brochures too. Currently, free legal consultation is available every Tuesday in Shorapani public center. Moreover, the citizens can apply to the LAS Zestaphoni bureau any time, where together with legal consultation, they will receive advocacy service.
Currently, public services operate in 17 villages of Georgia under Public Service Development Agency.
Implementation of free legal consultation is envisaged by the memorandum of cooperation which was concluded between Legal Aid Service and Public Service Development Agency. Besides Shorapani, legal consultation is available in Geguti and Mejvriskhevi public centers.
UNDP Georgia actively supports expansion of legal aid network and cooperation with public centers too.