Judiciar working group for Georgia’s EU candidacy doesn’t move for genuine changes – deputy public defender

The Deputy Public Defender of Georgia, Giorgi Burjanadze, said on Monday that the judicial working group, set up in the state legislature in June for Georgia to meet the EU conditions for membership candidate status, had refused to “accept any recommendations” for reforming of the High Council of Justice, an independent body which select and appoints judges across the country. 

The deputy ombudsperson stressed that one of the key conditions for EU candidacy “is reforming the High Council of Justice”. 

According to Anri Okhanashvili, the head of the working group of the Legal Affairs Committee, from the ruling Georgian Dream party, certain political groups and the Public Defender are proposing such changes that “have no analogues” at the international level, and “are inconsistent with international standards”.