The Coalition for Independent and Transparent Judiciary has addressed Parliament with a legislative proposal concerning proper regulation of the process of selecting and appointing judges. The goal of the amendments is to make the appointment of judges, whether probationary or permanent, require substantiation, meet impartiality and transparency requirements and be based on the principle of merit.
In order to address the existing flaws, the Coalition, within the framework of the I Want To Trust the Court campaign, demands that the following changes be made:
Nomination of Supreme Court Judges
According to the amendments to the Constitution of Georgia, Parliament elects the Supreme Court judges for life based on the nomination by the High Council of Justice. It is the Coalition's opinion that, before the High Council of Justice is vested with the powers to nominate the Supreme Court judges, it is important to reform the legislation regulating the work of the High Council of Justice, the procedures of the selection of judges by the Council and its decision-making process. The law should also guarantee that the Council's activities are transparent and its decisions are impartial and based on the principle of merit.
The issue of nomination of the Supreme Court judges by the Council requires additional regulation through the Organic Law of Georgia on General Courts:
The Coalition for Independent and Transparent Judiciary is responsible for the content of the press release. It does not necessarily reflect the views of the East-West Management Institution, USAID or the US Government.