US Embassy isses statement on appointment of Supreme Court judges
In its statement the US Embassy encouraged parliament and relevant authorities “to address the identified shortcomings” before selection of additional candidates "in order to instil greater confidence in Georgia’s judicial system". Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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The United States Embassy to Georgia released a statement concerning the recent lifetime appointment of 14 Supreme Court judges.
U.S. Embassy’s statement on supreme court nominees. https://t.co/hCTOJbL0QT
— U.S. Embassy Tbilisi (@usingeo) December 12, 2019
The 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”.
The hearings for the nominees in the Parliament’s Legal Committee were open and transparent. During the hearings, a number of candidates were unable to demonstrate sufficiently their legal expertise or a commitment to impartiality”, the Embassy stated.
We regret the list of candidates approved in Parliament today includes such nominees”, it added.
In its statement, the US Embassy explained that “judicial independence ensures the rule of law, safeguards democracy, and is a cornerstone of economic growth”.
Acting Prosecutor General Shalva Tadumadze, his deputy Mamuka Vasadze and Secretary of Georgia’s High Council of Justice Giorgi Mikautadze are among the 14 new judges approved by parliament on December 12. Photo: Parlaiment of Georgia/Facebook
It therefore encouraged parliament and relevant authorities “to address the identified shortcomings” before selection of additional candidates "in order to instil greater confidence in Georgia’s judicial system".
Referring to the disorder witnessed in parliament surrounding the recent vote, it further called on “all parties to maintain calm and to engage one another in a respectful and constructive manner”.
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. Prosecutor General Shalva Tadumadze, his deputy Mamuka Vasadze and Secretary of Georgia’s High Council of Justice Giorgi Mikautadze are among those approved.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for the monitoring of Georgia have expressed their “regret and disappointment” over the recent appointment of 14 Supreme Court judges.
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.
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.
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.