Deputy Minister of Justice Orozbek Sydykov explained that under the new initiative, legal representatives registered in the registry would be able to represent citizens in court alongside lawyers.
Dastan Bekeshev expressed concerns that this initiative would make legal assistance less accessible. He cited the situation with the transfer of inheritance issues to private notaries as an example.
“Currently, there is collusion between state and private notaries. If a certificate of inheritance used to cost 1,000 soms, now its price has risen to 20,000,” the deputy stated.
He also reminded about “cheap cases,” when citizens file lawsuits against utility services or government bodies without requiring significant expenses. In such cases, they can seek help from law students or friends.
“This bill restricts the ability to seek assistance only to legal representatives with higher legal education, three years of work experience, and appropriate registration. Training for them will be paid. This means that lawyers will avoid ordinary cases with fees of 3 or 10 thousand soms. You are depriving students of the opportunity to practice in courts. This will lead to an increase in the cost of legal services. The poor will become even poorer, while the rich will remain as they are since they will turn to lawyers. The monopolization of the legal field is unacceptable. You compare us to France or Germany, but we have a different standard of living. Then let’s raise salaries and pensions like they do there. Are you living in space? You come up with such laws,” Dastan Bekeshev exclaimed.
The parliamentarian urged his colleagues to reject the bill, and several deputies supported him, also speaking out against the increase in legal service prices.
Deputy Prosecutor General Umutkan Konkubaeva noted that the supervisory body considers legal representatives an unnecessary institution and opposed this bill.
As a result, the deputies decided not to vote on the bill and removed it from the agenda.
