The Bar Association will propose a review of the new statute to the next government.

The President of the Bar Association (BA) has expressed dissatisfaction with the class statute approved by the CoP in Parliament on Tuesday, vowing to introduce changes and raise awareness of the need for a review of the diploma by the next government.

In a conversation with Lusa, Fernanda de Almeida Pinheiro said that these changes to the statutes of the OA are “absolutely appropriate”, expressing regret that they were recently approved in the conditions in which they were, at the insistence of the government, since it is “a law that is harmful rights, freedoms and guarantees of citizens in terms of their legal security.”

In addition, according to the president, the statute recently approved by the PS parliament, even after the President of the Republic vetoed the diploma, “harms access to the profession for trainees who face the very difficult task of finding a patron.” with economic opportunities to cover the costs of the internship, since government funding is not provided.”

Regarding the issue of internship, the President emphasized that it is not yet known “how the assessment part will be carried out,” criticizing the removal of the aggregation exam from the diploma, saying: “This profession is not just a profession, it is a profession that a simple law graduate cannot engage in, because that he needs to study to be a lawyer.”

“As a person who must learn to be a judge, learn to be a prosecutor or a notary,” explained Fernanda de Almeida Pinheiro, noting that this reality needs to be discussed again and that “this is what the OA will do.” as soon as the next legislative session begins.”

The President considered it positive that the OA had already managed to ensure that “certain issues began to be studied” during its mandate, for example the issue of pensions for lawyers, barristers and bailiffs, whose dossier is “already under development” and led to the creation of the commission , which is composed of members of recognized merit and experience. The idea, he explained, is to “address the lack of social rights and safety that exists in the profession.”

“This is very positive, like other events that have happened in the first year in power,” he said.

Despite the fact that the government is resigning, Fernanda de Almeida Pinheiro assured that the OA continues to maintain the “natural constant dialogue” that it wants to maintain with the next chief executive, in the hope that he will begin “with relevance” what the President says that this is a priority.

He expressed “some hope that some issues” could continue, as in the case of “the implementation of a national legal advice system”, which he stressed was “absolutely fundamental” for citizens to have access to legal advice “worthy of it”. ” Name”.

Fernanda de Almeida Pinheiro also considered it “very important” to change the basic law on access to justice to allow this right “to cover everyone, and not just a marginal part of the population that has virtually no functions.”

In his opinion, in the current system the middle class is “completely excluded” from access to the courts and “this is unacceptable in a democratic state of law.”

According to the president, the fact that certain people have certain compensation or assets, as is the case with the middle class, “does not mean that they have the means to be able to make a claim (in court),” due to the high costs. whether court costs, attorneys’ fees or other related expenses.

“This is the specification that we must present to the new government,” he said, hoping that “there will be a Minister of Justice who will fight for justice and propose solutions together and in partnership with legitimate operators,” since these are the ones who “know what are the bottlenecks of the system?

“We hope that there will finally be someone who will build on what is happening and create, innovate and provide solutions that are needed and have long been identified in all areas of justice, whether in terms of access to law or point of view of human rights. and technological resources.”