The Coalition Addresses the Judicial Conference Held on Extraordinary Basis
The Coalition for an Independent and Transparent Judiciary addresses the twentieth Judicial Conference held on extraordinary basis, which is supposed to elect two new members of the High Council of Justice.
The Coalition is closely observing the work of the High Council of Justice and believes that currently the major challenge faced by the judiciary and the Council is the lack of diverse opinions and real discussions. Correspondingly, it is critically important for the judicial self-government body to address the problems of the Council by electing independent, impartial, and strong members.
The Coalition calls on the Judicial Conference to give candidates an opportunity to present their views on the state of the justice system in Georgia, including its current achievements and challenges.
We also call on the High Council of Justice membership candidates to present their views to the Judicial Conference and the public on the following issues:
- What are the major challenges faced by the High Council of Justice and how can the Council’s work be improved?
- Is it necessary for the Council to provide justification for its decisions and should these decisions be subjected to legal revision?
- What needs to be done to ensure the independence of judges, both from internal influences and from pressures coming from the other branches of government?
- What procedure should be followed for appointing court chairs and what role should they perform in the court system?
The Coalition calls on the Judicial Conference to ask candidates questions that are relevant to the problems of the judiciary and to base their decisions on the vision and values presented.