EU official expresses disapproval of election of new members to Georgia’s High Council of Justice

Deputy head of EU’s European External Action Service (EEAS) Luke Pierre Devin has disapproved of the recent election of four new members to the Georgian High Council of Justice, the body which selects and appoints judges in the country.

During the event organised by Euractiv yesterday - Georgia’s road to the EU: what is next? Devin stated that the election of the new members should be preceded by major judicial reforms in line with the EU-mediated agreement which was signed by the majority of Georgian political parties back in April 2021. 

The election of the new members on May 26 took place amid a rally of civic activists and the calls of the US and the EU ambassadors to pause the process.

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

Earlier this  week the ambassadors and opposition MPs urged for the postponement of the election of High Council of Justice members and judges of the Supreme Court to be postponed until the implementation of judicial reforms in line with the EU-mediated agreement. 

• Opposition MPs demand postponement of elections for new members in High Council of Justice

The opposition stated that the High Council of Justice, which selects and appoints judges in the country, is ‘run by a clan of judges’ and ‘is biased.’