NGOs Accuse “Georgian Dream” of Obstructing Anti-Corruption Efforts in Judiciary
The Coalition for an Independent and Transparent Judiciary issued a statement on the Georgian Dream’s deliberate obstruction of the formation of a temporary investigative commission in Parliament on two occasions.
The Coalition states that this so-called “act of solidarity” is merely an attempt to support the powerful judicial group known as the “clan”. “At the same time, this decision means taking political responsibility for the corrupt dealings of influential judges in the justice system. Local and international organizations have been discussing the problems in the judiciary for years.
The Coalition for an Independent and Transparent Judiciary believes that the parliamentary majority is deliberately abusing procedures by refusing to register and preventing the opposition from forming a temporary investigative commission. They further assert: “With this kind of action, the Georgian Dream, with the support of the judicial clan, also violates the supreme law of the country, because it renders meaningless the Constitutional provision regarding the creation of a temporary investigative commission without the involvement of the parliamentary majority”.
The organization Georgian Court Watch has also issued a statement, reading: “We believe that based on the current situation in the system of general courts of Georgia, it is important to create a temporary investigative commission in order to study at the parliamentary level such issues as corruption, nepotism, appointment of judges, distribution of cases and institutional independence of individual judges and courts.” The statement goes on to emphasize that the implementation of judicial reform is a prerequisite for Georgia’s integration into European structures. However, the actions of Georgian Dream do not contribute to the establishment of an independent, accountable and impartial court.
Also Read:
- 06/04/2023 – Coalition for Independent and Transparent Judiciary Supports US Sanctions on Judges
- 19/04/2023 – Parliament Fails to Reach Quorum Again, Preventing Vote on Investigative Commission
- 18/04/2023 – Lack of Quorum Prevents the Vote on the Establishment of Commission of Inquiry into the Judiciary
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