President Salome Zourabichvili Stresses Importance of Justice at USAID Training Project Event
By Liza Mchedlidze
Monday, July 8, 2024
At an event marking the end of a six-month training project supported by USAID's Rule of Law Program, President Salome Zourabichvili emphasized the vital role of justice in Georgian society. The project, implemented by the House of Justice, focused on equipping students from various higher education institutions with practical skills to strengthen the justice system.
Addressing the students, President Zourabichvili reiterated the significance of justice as a core value for Georgians. "For Georgians and Georgia, justice has always been the most important thing that drives us, which is the basis of our culture, our identity, our existence as a nation and as a state," she said.
The President also spoke about the ongoing reform of the justice system, the objectives of the Georgian Charter, and the current process of selecting candidates for the High Council of Justice. She highlighted the European Union's recommendations for improving the system and the need to remove those who hinder its proper functioning.
"Our partner, the European Union, serves this when it asks us in its recommendations to manage this system, to remove from this system those who prevent it from working properly," she noted. She emphasized the collective demand to eliminate undue pressure from the justice system and the bipartisan support for the Georgian Charter aimed at its improvement.
President Zourabichvili concluded by underscoring the necessity of justice for a functioning state, noting that without legal protections, a country cannot truly thrive. "If you are not protected by justice in your country, then you have nothing," she warned.
The event included a mock trial conducted by the project participants, focusing on the protection of constitutional rights.
