Localized licenses are planned to be introduced to improve access to legal assistance in the regions
The Ministry of Justice has presented a draft law for discussion in the Jogorku Kenesh, aimed at providing lawyers in all regions of the country, including hard-to-reach and remote areas.
At a meeting of the committee on constitutional legislation, Deputy Minister of Justice Orzbek Sydykov pointed out that most licensed lawyers are concentrated in large settlements, while in some areas there are simply none. According to the law, every citizen has the right to free legal assistance.
Sydykov explained that a minimum of 70 points is required on the qualification exam to obtain a lawyer's license. However, it is proposed to allow those who score, for example, 50 points to work in remote and crisis areas. They will be issued localized licenses valid in a specific territory.
These changes affect regions such as Kara-Kulja, Chon-Alai, and others, where there is currently a shortage of lawyers.
The Deputy Minister also noted that a similar mechanism was implemented in 2023 for notaries. As a result, 35 notaries began providing services in remote settlements where notarial services were previously absent.
“The absence of a lawyer in the area forces specialists to travel from neighboring regions, which creates an additional burden on the budget. The new mechanism will systematically address this issue,” he added.
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