NEWS

Parliament approves 14 of 19 candidates as lifelong judges on Supreme Court amid protests

The voting took place amid protests outside the parliament building. Photo: parliament of Georgia press office.

Agenda.ge, 12 Dec 2019 - 17:42, Tbilisi,Georgia

The Georgian parliament has approved 14 of total 19 candidates for lifelong judges of the Georgian Supreme Court amid protests of the opposition and civic groups.

Opposition, civic activists announce 'large rally' amid voting of judges in parliament

Prosecutor General Shalva Tadumadze, his deputy Mamuka Vasadze and Secretary of Georgia’s High Council of Justice Giorgi Mikautadze are among those approved.

Parliament session paused as unclear substance spilled before controversial voting

The new judges of the Georgian Supreme Court are as follows:

Merab Gabinashvili
Miranda Eremadze
Mamuka Vasadze
Maia Vachadze
Tamar Zambakhidze
Shalva Tadumadze
Vladimer Kakabadze
Levan Mikaberidze
Giorgi Mikautadze
Nugzar Skhirtladze
Lali Papiashvili
Nino Kadagidze
Letevan Tsintsadze
Aleksandre Tsuladze

Controversies over the candidates of the Supreme Court started at the end of 2018. Photo: Supreme Court press office.

The rejected candidates are:

Tamar Alania
Gocha Jeiranashvili
Lasha Kochiashvili
Shota Getsadze
Paata Silagadze

One candidate, current head of the Georgian Constitutional Court Zaza Tavadze, withdrew his candidacy shortly before the voting.

The opposition and civil groups have been opposing the 20-person list of candidates, saying several of the candidates were government-affiliated or used to deliver unfair verdicts in the past.

Parliament session paused as unclear substance spilled before controversial voting

12 Dec 2019

A break has been announced in parliament as an unclear substance has been spilled in the session hall with a “very unpleasant smell”as MPs say, causing a delay in a major vote today on the controversial list of judges for the Georgian Supreme Court. Emergency brigades and law enforcers are present at the scene, as several of the MPs feel ill.

12 detained at a rally near parliament

12 Dec 2019

Twelve individuals including opposition leaders and members have been detained at parliament earlier today for ‘hooliganism and disobedience to the police’, during a rally opposing a 20-person list of judges nominated for seats on the Georgian Supreme Court. Opposition leaders and members Giorgi Vashadze, Giorgi Tevdoradze, Beso Gazdelian, Guram Chalagashvili, Zurab Kostava, David Kakauridze and Kakhaber Machitidze are among the detainees.

Ruling party won’t vote for several candidates for Supreme Court judge

10 Dec 2019

The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party says it will not vote for several of 20 candidates running for a seat as a Georgian Supreme Court judge, during the voting scheduled on December 12.

Head of Georgian Constitutional Court withdraws candidacy for Supreme Court

02 Dec 2019

Head of the Georgian Constitutional Court Zaza Tavadze, who is on the 20-person list presented to parliament for a lifetime appointment as a judge on the Georgian Supreme Court, has withdrawn his candidacy, citing controversies related to his higher education.

US Embassy isses statement on appointment of Supreme Court judges

13 Dec 2019

The US Embassy said that the candidate selection process in the High Council of Justice “lacked transparency and resulted in a slate of nominees that did not fully represent the best qualified candidates”.

Police investigating spillage of noxious substance in parliament, ruling party points at opposition

13 Dec 2019

The Georgian Interior Ministry is investigating who spilled a noxious substance in parliament early yesterday, leading to a pause in the parliamentary session ahead of a major vote and the need to summon ambulances for several MPs.

EU issues statement on appointment of Supreme Court judges

14 Dec 2019

The European Union has issued a statement on the recent lifetime appointment of 14 Supreme Court judges in Georgia. New EU Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano released a statement yesterday.

6 candidates for Georgian Supreme Court judges nominated

27 Dec 2019

The High Council of Justice has selected six candidates to fill the vacant seats of the lifelong judges at the Georgian Supreme Court. Although the Georgian parliament approved 14 judges in mid-December, six seats still remain vacant now.

OSCE/ODIHR releases 2nd report on appointment of Supreme Court judges in Georgia

09 Jan 2020

The report reads that the final plenary vote on the judicial appointments took place amidst a political crisis, a boycott by the opposition, and widespread calls for an adjournment.

Former Prosecutor General Shotadze runs again for post

16 Jan 2020

Former Georgian Prosecutor General Irakli Shotadze, who resigned in 2018, has been registered to run for the post again after former Chief Prosecutor Shalva Tadumadze was approved as a lifetime judge of the Georgian Supreme Court in December 2019.

NGO calls on Prosecutorial Council not to select Irakli Shotadze’s candidacy for prosecutor general

16 Jan 2020

The Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC), an organisation working on human rights issues, calls on Prosecutorial Council not to select former Prosecutor General Irakli Shotadze’s candidacy back for the top position.

Ex-Chief Prosecutor Shotadze on verge of being reelected to post

06 Feb 2020

Former Georgian Prosecutor General Irakli Shotadze, who resigned in 2018, might take the post again as he is among the four candidates who were advanced through the selection process by the Prosecutorial Council earlier today.

Candidate 'unexpected' by opposition nominated for head of Georgian Supreme Court

10 Mar 2020

The Georgian High Council of Justice has nominated Nino Kadagidze as a candidate for the head of Georgian Supreme Court, while the opposition expected former Chief Prosecutor Shalva Tadumadze in the role.

PACE monitors urge Georgian authorities request Venice Commission opinion on changes to appointment process of Supreme Court judges

19 Sep 2020

PACE co-rapporteurs for the monitoring of Georgia Titus Corlatean and Claude Kern have urged the Georgian authorities to request a Venice Commission opinion on the proposed amendments to the law on the Common Courts for appointing Supreme Court judges.

Supreme Court chair elected as new head of High Council of Justice

15 Oct 2020

Supreme Court chair Nino Kadagidze has been elected as the head of Georgia’s High Council of Justice, an independent body which is responsible for the selection and appointment of judges and other legal issues.

36 new judges appointed to appellate, district courts in Georgia

19 Nov 2020

The High Council of Justice has appointed 36 judges to appellate and district courts in Georgia. Newly appointed judges who have more than three years of experience in the court system are appointed for life, while the rest are appointed for a probationary period of three years.

EU says further financial aid will made conditional on Georgian judiciary reforms

08 Apr 2021

The European Union says that revising the selection process of Georgian Supreme Court judges in line with CoE’s Venice Commission recommendations will be a condition for the disbursement of the second tranche of macro-financial assistance to Georgia under its current programme.On 1 April, the Georgian parliament adopted legislative amendments reviewing the selection process of Supreme Court judges.

Lelo opposition party submits bill to delay election of new judges

20 May 2021

The Lelo opposition party has submitted a bill requesting the state legislature declare a moratorium on the election of new judges for the country’s Supreme Court and new members in the High Council of Justice before the implementation of the EU-mediated agreement.

Foreign dignitaries call on Georgian parliament to ensure transparency in appointment of judges

23 May 2021

The Georgian parliament must ensure transparency in judicial reform, including the appointment of judges, the ambassadors of the European Union and the United States Carl Hartzell and Kelly Degnan, and Head of the Council of Europe Office in Tbilisi Natalia Voutova say in a letter sent to Georgian Parliament Speaker Kakha Kuchava.

EU, US ambassadors in Georgia support moratorium on election of judges

25 May 2021

EU and US ambassadors to Georgia say that the election of judges to Georgia’s Supreme Court and members of the High Council of Justice should take place only after major justice reforms have been carried out in line with the recent EU-mediated agreement signed by the majority of Georgian political parties back in April 2021.

Four elected to High Council of Justice amid protests

26 May 2021

Four individuals have been elected to Georgia’s High Council of Justice earlier today amid a rally of civic activists and the calls of the US and the EU ambassadors to pause the process.

OSCE/ODIHR: Nomination of judges to Georgia’s highest court still marked by shortcomings despite recent improvements

10 Jul 2021

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) says the shortcomings in the process of judicial nominations to Georgia’s Supreme Court put the independence of the judiciary in the country at further risk, despite some recent improvements to the transparency and accountability of the process.

EU refuses to attend hearings of candidates for Georgian Supreme Court in parliament

25 Nov 2021

The EU representation to Georgia has refused to attend the hearings of candidates for Georgian Supreme Court judge in the state legislature, as the European Union has been calling on Georgia for several months to carry out a fundamental judiciary reform first.