The President of the Regional Government of Andalusia, Juanma Moreno, has acknowledged the work of the legal profession, which he has defined as a cornerstone of the judicial system and the democratic system and at the forefront of defending the fundamental rights of citizens. He has emphasized that a just society needs a well-regarded, recognized, and well-equipped legal profession and has defended the importance of respecting justice and preserving the independence of the judiciary.
During his speech at the inauguration of the IX Conference of the Boards of Governors of the Bar Association in Jerez, Moreno highlighted the importance of these events in reflecting on and debating the challenges and transformations they face.
At this point, he stressed the value that the legal system places on debate and the exchange of opinions on issues such as education, professional confidentiality, collegial support, social security, free legal aid, the changes introduced by efficiency laws, or the new Organic Law on Judicial Efficiency, which represents a turning point in the transformation of the judicial system in Spain.
In this regard, he added that Law 1/2025 is an opportunity that should be addressed through co-governance and pointed out that Andalusia is trying to contribute to the improvement of this regulation with specific initiatives such as the proposal for a pilot project of the Instance Court of Campo de Gibraltar and La Janda, which will allow for a more efficient administration of justice in a very complex area due to its geographical location, or the request to the Ministry of Justice for funding for its implementation, which will cost the Andalusian community over 56 million euros.
«In Andalusia, we would like the Spanish government to ensure equal treatment of all autonomous communities.»
The Andalusian president has emphasized that the conclusions of this forum are necessary for the improvement of the Administration of Justice and has recalled some of the measures that the Andalusian government has implemented, such as improving remuneration and reducing payment deadlines for the Duty Counsel, which are paid within fifteen days instead of waiting for a year as before, or the approval of new fee schedules for the Duty Counsel and Duty Guard, with an increase of 4%, then 20%, and in the guards up to 60%.
Juanma Moreno is welcomed by the President of the General Council of Spanish Bar Associations, Salvador González Martín, upon his arrival at the conference.
Additionally, it is worth noting that Andalusia was the first to remunerate mediation in the Duty Counsel, paying 400 euros per agreement, as well as the future implementation of Law on Efficiency 1/2025, which will include mediation support as a paid module.
Furthermore, he highlighted the commitment against gender violence, for which 7,300 new specialized guards have been approved, along with more training and resources for the judiciary.
The event was attended by the Minister of Justice, Local Government, and Public Function, José Antonio Nieto; the Mayor of Jerez, María José García Pelayo, and the President of the General Council of Spanish Bar Associations, Salvador González Martín.