The agreement was signed by Deputy Minister of Justice, Tornike Cheishvili and Director of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), Alexis Goosdeel. The agreement is a clear example of sectoral cooperation with EU agencies and will contribute to the process of Georgia's integration with the EU.

The cooperation agreement aims to deepen cooperation, strengthen the capabilities of the National Drug Monitoring Centre and support the data collection system. In addition, the agreement envisions the sharing of experience on drug-related health and social harm response mechanisms, drug abuse prevention and drug addiction treatment, as well as support prevention of related diseases and harm reduction.

The sharing of experience on new psychoactive substances and the creation and strengthening of the drug-related early warning system are additional key areas of cooperation between the parties.

The close sectoral cooperation between the EMCDDA and Georgia has been ongoing for years and the European agency makes a significant contribution to the promotion and development of a humane and evidence-based drug policy in the country.

The Georgian National Drug Observatory was established in January 2020 based on the order of the Minister of Justice, and it is analogous to the EMCDDA at the national level, which serves to promote the study, assessment and evidence analysis of the drug situation in the country.

The EMCDDA delegation will leave Georgia on September 15.

The candidate for the membership of the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice of the Council of Europe (CEPEJ) and the Consultative Council of European Judges of the Council of Europe (CCJE) by the quota of Georgia has been selected.

The selection competition for candidates to be submitted to the CEPEJ and the CCJE was held in two stages in accordance with the rules of the competition approved by the orders of the Minister of Justice of Georgia No. 848 and No. 850 of July 27, 2022. In the first stage, from July 28 to August 6, 2022, 6 candidates submitted applications for membership in the CEPEJ in the public competition announced on the official website of the Public Service Bureau of the State Public Service Agency (www.hr.gov.ge), and four candidates for the CCJE participated in the competition. After the selection of the applications submitted by the contestants, 3 candidates advanced to the interview stage and as a result of the two-stage competition, the candidate selection commission for membership in the CEPEJ and the CCJE selected the candidacy of Ketevan Tsintsadze, judge of the Supreme Court of Georgia, as a candidate to be presented by the quota of Georgia.

Ketevan Tsintsadze will be nominated to the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice of the Council of Europe (CEPEJ) and the Consultative Council of European Judges of the Council of Europe (CCJE) by the quota of Georgia for a period of five years.

The CEPEJ works within the framework of its activities to improve the effectiveness and functioning of the justice systems in the countries, as well as to comply with the standards and legal instruments of the Council of Europe; The purpose of the activities of the commission member experts is to make a significant contribution to the process of implementation of the commission's functions and to support the effective implementation of justice systems in the member states of the Council of Europe. The CCJE member judges work in the direction of promoting the rule of law, the introduction of European standards, especially the independence, impartiality and competence of judges, as well as the effective performance of their judicial activities.

In accordance with the domestic procedure of conducting a competition for the purpose of selecting a candidate at the national level, the candidate for membership in the CEPEJ and the CCJE was selected by the competition commission, which was composed of representatives of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, the Supreme Court of Georgia and the Supreme Council of Justice of Georgia.

It should be noted that the Minister of Justice of Georgia was given the authority to determine the rules and procedure for the selection of candidates from Georgia to international courts, as well as to international organizations working on human rights and legal issues, by the resolution of the Government of Georgia No. 234. It is significant that with the adoption of this resolution, transparent procedures for the selection of candidates to be submitted from Georgia to international organizations have been established, within the framework of which the candidates will be selected as a result of an open competition.

More than 100,000 residents of Varketili-Vazisubani will be able to use up to 470 services of the Public Service Hall in the new branch opened today in the building of Hualing Group. Opening the branch in the shopping center is a good example of successful cooperation between the state and the private sector, which significantly saves time and money of the population;

Increasing the availability of state services is one of the priorities of the Ministry of Justice. Justice Minister, Rati Bregadze opened the Varketili branch of the Public Service Hall together with his deputies. The Minister met the employees, got acquainted with the working process and received information about the needs of the customers.

The Varketili Public Service Hall has started operating at full capacity since September 1 and offers customers the highest quality services typical of the Public Service Hall. The new branch will help to manage and redistribute customer flows from the central Tbilisi branch, and optimize waiting and service time.

About 45 employees have been employed in the new branch. In addition to the central office of the Public Service Hall in Tbilisi, there are already two branches of the Public Service Hall in Varketili and Gldani.

The performance of the play - Angels Fly Over the Prison was held today in the Kote Marjanishvili State Drama Theater with the participation of convicts. 19 convicts participate in this one-act play. The script, direction, props, artistic decoration and posters belong to the convicts themselves. The performance was staged in Penitentiary No. 5 (Women’s Prison).

In the process of working on the play, the convicts had the full support of the management of the penitentiary service, as this is part of their re-socialization and rehabilitation program. The play itself is based on the idea that the convict, like any other person, should be able to start life with a clean slate after making a mistake. The process of working on the play was a kind of way for each participating convict to understand that through overcoming internal difficulties they will be able to draw experience from their mistakes that will help them plan their lives better. Angels Fly Over the Prison has already been performed on the stage of the Sandro AkhmeteliState Drama Theater;

Some of the convicts participating in the first performance have already left the penitentiary and were replaced by other convicts. The performance itself, as well as the process of working on it, is a kind of rehearsal for returning to society for convicts. Before the performance, an exhibition of handicrafts made by convicts was organized in the lobby of the Marjanishvili Theater.

The performance was attended by Minister of Justice, Rati Bregadze, the Deputy Ministers of Justice, Minister of Education and Science, Mikheil Chkhenkeli, who cooperates with the Ministry of Justice within the framework of the "Digital University" project, members of the legislative authority, representatives of the LEPLs of the Ministry of Justice and members of the Patriarchate.

The indicated competition will be held in accordance with the rules of the competition approved by the order of the Minister of Justice of Georgia No. 852 of August 23, 2022. The Minister of Justice of Georgia has been granted the authority to determine the rules and procedure for the selection of candidates from Georgia to be submitted to international courts, as well as to international organizations working on human rights and legal issues and their bodies, by the Resolution No. 234 of the Government of Georgia. It should be noted that before the adoption of this resolution, there was no unified approach to the selection rules and procedures of candidates to be submitted from Georgia in international organizations; The purpose of granting this authority to the Minister of Justice is the effective and timely fulfillment of international obligations to Georgia, and the selection and nomination of a candidate in the above-mentioned bodies impartially and in accordance with international standards.

The participation of representatives of thematic agencies is envisaged in the composition of the candidate selection commission.

The selected candidate will act individually, independently and impartially within the framework of his activities in the above-mentioned body. Competition requirements are posted at the following address:

Candidate for membership of the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Being (GRETA) https://www.hr.gov.ge/JobProvider/UserOrgVaks/Details/73028?active=1

The cooperation document envisions a new platform for cooperation between the Ministry of Justice and the Academy of Sciences. The parties will develop and implement joint scientific-research, educational and legal projects, organize conferences, symposiums, seminars, round tables and public discussions; Scientific works will be published in the magazine Matsne of the National Academy of Sciences and the magazine Iustitia of the Ministry of Justice.

The memorandum was signed by Minister of Justice. Rati Bregadze and President of the National Academy of Sciences, Giorgi Kvesitadze.

The deepening of cooperation with the Academy of Sciences is another step to promote the law-making process based on scientific conclusions and analytics, which is a priority direction of the strategy of the Ministry of Justice for 2022-2024.

For this purpose, the Ministry of Justice has already implemented a number of activities:

- A bilingual legal magazine Iustitia was founded, two issues of which are already available;

- A scientific-advisory council was created at the Ministry of Justice and staffed with prominent experts in various fields, which will develop draft laws, concepts, conclusions and opinions to be submitted to the Minister of Justice;

- Bilateral cooperation documents were also signed with authorized higher education institutions in Georgia.

The cooperation document envisions a new platform for cooperation between the Ministry of Justice and the Academy of Sciences. The parties will develop and implement joint scientific-research, educational and legal projects, organize conferences, symposiums, seminars, round tables and public discussions; Scientific works will be published in the magazine Matsne of the National Academy of Sciences and the magazine Iustitia of the Ministry of Justice.

The memorandum was signed by Minister of Justice. Rati Bregadze and President of the National Academy of Sciences, Giorgi Kvesitadze.

The deepening of cooperation with the Academy of Sciences is another step to promote the law-making process based on scientific conclusions and analytics, which is a priority direction of the strategy of the Ministry of Justice for 2022-2024.

For this purpose, the Ministry of Justice has already implemented a number of activities:

- A bilingual legal magazine Iustitia was founded, two issues of which are already available;

- A scientific-advisory council was created at the Ministry of Justice and staffed with prominent experts in various fields, which will develop draft laws, concepts, conclusions and opinions to be submitted to the Minister of Justice;

- Bilateral cooperation documents were also signed with authorized higher education institutions in Georgia.

The concept of restricting movement as a form of preventive measure was discussed by members of the legislative and executive authorities.

The purpose of the amendments is to introduce a new measure into the Criminal Procedure Code - restriction of movement, which is enforced through electronic monitoring, and the use of electronic surveillance for those accused of violence against women.

According to the initiative, the implementation of the new mechanism will be ensured by the Ministry of Justice's National Agency for the Execution of Non-custodial Sentences and Probation. Therefore, the effectiveness of movement restrictions will depend on the agency's technical and human capabilities. Minister of Justice, Rati Bregadze spoke about these issues today.

According to the Minister of Justice, all initiatives in penitentiary and probation systems, including the movement restriction mechanism, serve to protect human dignity and rights. On the one hand, it implies a humane approach to accused persons and the use of a lighter form of detention instead of imprisonment for them, and on the other hand, it saves state funds - enforcement of movement restrictions requires approximately 80% less financial costs than providing imprisonment.

Rati Bregadze emphasized the fact that this prevention measure will not apply to all types of crimes and its use will be the prerogative of the court. According to the minister, the National Agency for the Execution of Non-custodial Sentences and Probation will purchase 1,000 wristbands and the same number of servers in the first stage for the enforcement of movement restrictions. In addition, it is planned to increase the number of employees of the electronic monitoring center and train them.

According to the Minister, the probation system is always ready for innovation. A good example of this is Probbox - an electronic service system for probationers, as well as a 24-hour monitoring service, which was created in the National Agency for the Execution of Non-custodial Sentences and Probation last year.

At the meeting, Deputy Minister of Justice Buba Lomuashvili presented the necessary measures for the implementation of the new prevention mechanism.

Speaker of the Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, Prosecutor General, Irakli Shotadze, and Counselor of the Department of Justice of the US Embassy, Lena Owens, as well as representatives of the Public Defender, Lawyers' Bar Association, Young Lawyers' Association, Legal Aid Service, other state agencies and non-governmental organizations participated in the discussion of this legislative initiative.

The construction of the St. Panteleimon the Healer Temple on the territory of penitentiary institution No. 10 was ongoing for a year. Up to 40 convicts took part in the construction process.

On the 1,500 square meters of land, a baptistery and monastic cells were also built, where chanting, theological and Bible study courses will be held for the convicts.

The church opened today with the blessing of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi, Metropolitan of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazia, His Holiness Ilia II. Minister of Justice, Rati Bregadze opened the temple together with representatives of the Patriarchate.

The convicts who participated in the construction were given certificates and souvenirs from the Patriarch.

Head of the Special Penitentiary Service, Nika Tshvarashvili and his deputy Giorgi Giorgadze also attended the liturgy.

The Minister of Justice continues to present the one-year report on the agency's activities in the cities of Georgia. After Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Borjomi, Rustavi, Batumi and Telavi, Rati Bregadze visited Gori today. The Minister personally informed the residents of Gori about the implemented reforms and fulfilled promises.

The minister's report covers all spheres of activity of the Ministry of Justice and the LEPLs under its governance and reflects the progress that has been achieved over the past year. In particular:

The innovative project Mobile Public Service Hall was introduced and is successfully operating in 7 regions; PROBBOX electronic service system for probationers was launched in 6 big cities of Georgia;

The reform of systematic land registration started - in 59 municipalities of Georgia, land is being measured and registered step by step, according to the timeframe;

Infrastructural works continue – 5 new public service halls and a community center were opened; Constructions are underway in 6 more municipalities; Additionally, one more Public Service Hall will be opened in Tbilisi, in Hualing; The Samtskhe-Javakheti regional archive building opened in Akhaltsikhe;

The bilingual magazine Iustitia was founded and published; The largest electronic legal database HeinOnline became available to the Ministry of Justice;

Memoranda of mutual cooperation were signed with the Ministries of Justice of Turkey, Israel, Hungary, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Switzerland;

Notary services have become available in 12 administrative units; Soon, citizens will be able to receive online notary services through a mobile application;

Employment programs for prisoners have been strengthened in the penitentiary and probation systems; encouragement of sports activities in penitentiary institutions continues;

Probation offices opened in Sighnaghi, Terjola, Kutaisi and Zestafoni; The referral center opened in Kutaisi; Memoranda of cooperation have been signed with municipalities for the employment of persons sentenced with penal labor.

The presentation of the one-year activity report of the Ministry of Justice was attended by local government representatives, deputy ministers of justice and invited guests.