NGOs Assert Conference of Judges Aims to Prevent Vetting, Contradicting European Commission Recommendations
By Liza Mchedlidze
Monday, March 25, 2024
The non-governmental organizations released a joint statement asserting that the conference of judges scheduled for March 24 aimed to prevent vetting, directly contradicting the 9 recommendations outlined by the European Commission.
As mentioned in the statement, the initial agenda item for the conference is the "discussion of developments around the court." NGOs assert that judges with a strong aversion to integrity verification will attempt to circumvent the integrity test by shielding fellow judges participating in the conference.
The signatory organizations appealed to each judge, urging them not to allow themselves to be used as a weapon against Georgia's integration into the European Union.
"As known to the public, after obtaining the status of a candidate for EU membership, Georgia is obligated, within the 9 steps defined by the European Commission, to undertake a comprehensive reform of justice. This reform includes the establishment of an extraordinary mechanism for assessing the integrity of individuals in prominent positions within the judicial system, as well as judicial candidates.
Instead of the authorities urgently developing a plan to fulfill the above-mentioned request of the European Commission, the Prime Minister and the Speaker of the Parliament announced that the issue of checking the integrity of judges is 'closed'.
The European Union, in an emergency statement on March 22, 2024, once again confirmed that Georgia is expected to create an emergency system for checking the integrity of judges, with international experts playing a decisive role, in order to address systemic flaws in the judicial system. In the same statement, the European Union called on the Georgian authorities to cease attacks on individual judges who have expressed opinions regarding the integrity check.
Based on Article 78 of the Constitution of Georgia, constitutional bodies are obliged within their powers to take all measures to ensure Georgia's full integration into the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Two days before the judges' conference, the European Union's emergency statement, emphasizing the importance of the independence of individual judges, reaffirms support for all judges who have expressed their willingness to check the integrity of judges working in leadership positions.
We are aware of the attitude and support of a significant portion of the judges towards European integration. Therefore, we would like to remind them that, on one hand, the European future of our country is at stake, while on the other hand, the personal interests of an influential group of judges are also at stake. Their stance can profoundly influence Georgia's process of European integration. Hence, we urge each of them not to allow the group to manipulate the judiciary to impede Georgia's progress towards the European Union," the statement reads.
