ALAC – Advocacy and Legal Advice Center

The goal of the project

Providing an alternative instrument of legal assistance to BiH citizens facing corruption problems.

What is an ALAC project?

ALAC is an acronym for Advocacy and Legal Advice Center, which in free translation means advocating for a policy of transparency and accountability of public institutions and the rule of law using all available legal mechanisms within the civil sector.

The ALAC functions as a Legal Aid Center in cases reported by citizens in order to identify structural, institutional and legal weaknesses.

How does ALAC provide legal assistance?

• It provides legal advice to citizens and presents them with the most effective legal instruments at their disposal.
• It forwards cases with credible information to the executive, administrative and judicial authorities in BiH.
• Informs the parties about the development of their case and conducts written correspondence with the competent public institutions.
• Educates citizens about the legal system of BiH and legal mechanisms with the aim of using them in practice.

ALAC project activities

The goal of the project

• Receiving telephone calls from citizens about cases of corruption in BiH via the contact line 0800 55555
• Receiving and processing corruption cases, through online reports of corruption, by mail or other means of communication.
• Active work and cooperation with the parties in resolving cases of violation of freedom of access to information and conflicts of interest.
• Informing and educating BiH citizens on the use of BiH legal mechanisms.
• Monitoring the work of public administration.
• Informing the public about existing forms of corruption through legal analysis, research and documentation of corruption in the media and printed publications.
• Production and printing of brochures, flyers and similar material for the promotion of the Center and the ALAC project.
• Cooperation with journalists and academics on the topic of corruption and ALAC activities in BiH.

Basic components of ALAC

Corruption Reporting Line 0800 55555 –

Basic communication and free means by which BiH citizens can get basic information on the protection of their rights, ad hoc legal advice, referrals to competent institutions or the non-governmental sector, explanations of legal procedures and legal protection mechanisms, education on the use of certain laws, etc.

The line is used to report all cases of future or past corruption in BiH. The information that citizens need to provide must be credible and supported by basic facts. All personal data of persons addressed through the line or other means of communication are confidential.

The ReportCorruption.org website is one of the most frequently used tools for reporting corruption, which enables all persons to fill in the basic data for reporting according to a predetermined scheme (which is important for efficient processing in the work of the ALAC Center).

Legal advice – Assistance provided by the ALAC Center is in line with the registered activities of Transparency International BiH and serves to help citizens define their legal problems and disputes related to illegal actions of state authorities.

In that sense, reference is made to the competent institutions which are solely responsible for taking actions within the limits of their authority. If it is a violation of the Freedom of Access to information Act or reporting conflicts of interest, the ALAC Center may conduct additional analysis, research and submit applications on its own behalf.

Advocacy – Based on reported data on corruption, cooperation with the state, the degree of communication with the party and the public sector, and the success of the cases themselves, conducts public advocacy with stakeholders in order to improve quality, e.g., legislative system, case law, citizen awareness, etc.

Database of court decisions that serves as a single register of case law in the field of freedom of access to information. During many years of work in the field of protection of the rights of individuals and the general public interest, TI BiH through the ALAC Center through correspondence with various institutions, public institutions, companies, authorities and judicial authorities has collected material that provides insight into how freedom of access is achieved. goal of general interest.

Bearing in mind that the right to free access to information, guaranteed by the laws on freedom of access to information in BiH, is crucial for achieving transparency in the work of public authorities, knowledge of practice and how judicial bodies act and interpret these rights is crucial for civil society. in BiH.

Therefore, the database, which contains over 200 cases and several hundred different decisions of bodies and courts at all levels of government, is an immeasurably important resource for all individuals and civil society organizations as well as representatives of the judiciary who want to know how this right is practice accomplishes.

It is important to note that the ALAC Center will not provide assistance to parties if the Center is abused or exploited for personal, property, political or other purposes.

The Center does not represent parties or interfere in any active proceedings before the judiciary or administrative bodies in BiH. The Center does not interpret judgments rendered in any degree before the courts in BiH, nor can it influence the judicial authorities in any way in order to resolve someone’s case faster.

The ALAC Center does not do administrative or similar matters for which the state and its administration are solely responsible.