Georgian Parliament approves legislative changes to meet EU priorities
The legislative changes also stipulate some regulations regarding judges. The maximum duration of sending judges on secondment to other courts without their consent has been reduced from two years to one year. The High Council of Justice will now be obliged to provide detailed justification for such secondments. Photo via Parliament of Georgia
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The Georgian Parliament has approved a package of legislative changes aimed at fulfilling the European Union’s nine priorities necessary for commencing accession negotiations with the country.
The amendments, adopted during a plenary session on Wednesday, target several key areas, including the Special Investigation Service, Personal Data Protection, Anti-Corruption Measures, and Common Courts of Georgia.
Significant changes include empowering the Special Investigation Service and Personal Data Protection Service to publish special reports on issues related to their activities at any time.
The Public Defender will now have the authority to choose selection board members for appointing heads of the two services without competition, and the selection process now requires a majority vote from the full composition.
The changes include the extension of the investigative scope of the Special Investigation Service, which will not involve only the crimes committed by prosecutors, while the Anti-Corruption Bureau head has been granted immunity, with any legal actions against them requiring prior parliamentary approval.
Additionally, the Anti-Corruption Bureau will monitor the financial activities of political parties and individuals with declared electoral goals more effectively, including questioning individuals and requesting information from various entities.
The legislative changes also stipulate some regulations regarding judges. The maximum duration of sending judges on secondment to other courts without their consent has been reduced from two years to one year. The High Council of Justice will now be obliged to provide detailed justification for such secondments.
The amendments tighten the election process for members of the High Council of Justice, with a restriction on electing more than four judges within six months.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili pointed out that the legislative changes, important for Georgia’s European integration, were adopted without the representatives of radical opposition, by their decision.