The EU4Justice ‘Judiciary Support Project’ in Georgia has held its final event to close its activity and highlight its results. The project aimed to bring Georgia’s justice system closer to the best international standards and to increase its accessibility, efficiency, independence and accountability through a variety of instruments.
From October 2016 to June 2021, the project delivered around 185 capacity building activities (trainings, workshops, conferences, international congress), eight study visits and seven summer and winter schools.
Key achievements include the adoption of a comprehensive Judicial Reform Strategy, building a network of analytical units within the courts, a comprehensive IT audit of the judiciary, launching of a user-friendly web portal for Tbilisi City Court, development of an electronic case-management system of the Constitutional Court and its website, and introducing modern HR management instruments for courts managers. Annual analytical reports and numerous training and awareness-raising activities are also among project’s important results.
“The European Union is proud to have taken an active role in developing the Rule of Law in Georgia, which is a pillar in any democracy,” EU Ambassador to Georgia, Carl Hartzell, said. “While recognizing progress made, it is equally true that further efforts are needed, in particular when it comes to increasing the transparency, accountability, independence and trust in the judiciary.”
The Ambassador also noted that the EU-mediated political agreement of 19 April “already provides a comprehensive work plan for what needs to be done next, highlighting reforms of key institutions and processes, and the need to address them in a broad, inclusive and cross-party reform process”.
