Attention in the legal system in Bosnia and Herzegovina as lawyers from the Federation of BiH and Republika Srpska have decided to suspend their work in cases starting today. This decision could potentially impact the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s ability to conduct custody hearings and trials where ex officio lawyers are representing suspects or accused individuals.
Specifically, this move is expected to affect decisions related to custody determination and prohibitive measures, as the presence of a defense attorney is crucial as per the Criminal Procedure Code. The Bar Associations of FBiH and RS have requested that trials involving ex officio lawyers be scheduled monthly to avoid the need for work suspension.
The primary concern for lawyers is the payment of overdue fees for their official duties, which have not been disbursed for the past six months due to delays in the adoption of the state budget. Moreover, lawyers from RS are pushing for the approval of the Tariff on Rewards and Remuneration submitted to the Ministry of Justice last year.