The foregoing provisions are new and have not yet been elaborated upon by the ��������� relevant� bodies. Monitors observed that victims and injured parties do not make use of the������������ provisions� on ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� a ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� regular basis. Victims and injured parties were represented in few cases, and in each of these instances it was an NGO that represented the victim or injured party. Witnesses have the right to legal assistance,159 but the state is not obliged by law to offer a defence lawyer��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� . It����������������������������������������������������������������������������� may hire a lawyer on�������������������������������������������������������� a������������������������������������������������������ contractual basis to represent them������������������ ; this is perhaps �������� why witnesses rarely������������������������������ ������������������������������������ make use of legal assistance. 4.6. The Right to Timely Examination of the Case Throughout the monitoring period, a significant percentage of hearing postponements were attributable to the absence of victims and/or witnesses. In the courts in Chişinău�������� ���������������� 8 % of cases monitored were postponed because of the absence of the victim and 14% because of the absence of witnesses. The corresponding percentages for courts in the Southeast were 9% and 10%, respectively. Monitors observed in several postponements that the judge was not able immediately to establish the date of the next hearing and left the scheduling for later. In such instances, monitors noted that judges usually consulted the prosecutor and the defence lawyer on a time for the next hearing, but not victims or witnesses. Rescheduling hearings without consulting or immediately informing witnesses or victims of the new date reduces their likelihood of appearing. While it is obviously impossible to consult all trial participants about the time for a hearing, efforts should be made to include victims and witnesses in the scheduling process, especially when victims and witnesses must travel a long distance to attend hearings. Such efforts at inclusion might improve attendance. 159 ��������������������������������������������������������� Art. 90 para. (12) p. 10 of the Criminal Procedure Code. 76