The conference was opened today in order to promote the professional development of psychologists and social workers involved in the process of rehabilitation and re-socialization of persons in conflict with the law.

During two days, participants of the event will discuss case management by psychologists and social workers, share experiences and discuss specific ways of multi-sectoral cooperation that will make penitentiary and crime prevention systems more effective.

Deputy Minister of Justice, Buba Lomuashvili and Head of the Council of Europe Office in Georgia, Natalia Vutova addressed the participants of the conference with a welcome speech.

It was noted at the conference that the further development of probation and penitentiary systems in accordance with the best European and international standards is a strategic priority of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia and it significantly depends on the professional activities of social workers and psychologists; Participants evaluated the progress made in the systems over the last 10 years.

The event was organized by the Ministry of Justice, the National Agency for the Execution of Non-custodial Sentences and Probation and the Office of the Council of Europe within the framework of the project - "Improving health care provision in the penitentiary system of Georgia".

The conference was attended by members of the executive power; Representatives of the National Agency for Crime Prevention and Enforcement of Non-custodial Sentences and Probation, Special Penitentiary Service, Council of Europe Office in Georgia and invited guests.

The Ministry of Justice will finance the 17 best projects revealed within the grant program with a total budget of 335,000 GEL. The corresponding agreements with the winning organizations and individuals were signed today.

The purpose of the competition is to strengthen the priority directions of the Ministry of Justice and to increase the participation and involvement of civil society throughout the system.

On October 10, the Ministry of Justice announced the grant program aimed at protecting and strengthening human rights, introducing innovative services and strengthening legal security. Within the framework of the competition, a total of 47 project applications were submitted. Deputy Minister of Justice, Tornike Cheishvili and Erekle Gvinianidze attended the event.

The Deputy Minister of Justice addressed the participants and introduced in detail the Georgian model of providing state services. Erekle Gvinianidze introduced the current and planned innovative projects of the Ministry of Justice to the audience.

"Despite the variety of functions and activities of the 11 public law legal entities operating in under the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, the common goal of each of them is to provide high-quality and fast services to the public, which the Ministry implements through its own front line - Public Service Hall," said Erekle Gvinianidze.

The forum was attended by the executive director of the Public Service Hall, Lasha Lobjanidze, Chairperson of the State Services Development Agency, Ketevan Betlemidze, and Chairperson of the National Agency of Public Registry, David Devidze.

The purpose of the international forum held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, on December 15-16, was to share the best practices in the provision of state services.

The Minister presented today the one-year report of the agency's activities to the deputies.

Protection of state interests in international courts, increased access to services for citizens, Mobile Public Service Halls, new and under construction Public Service Halls, holographic museum of the history of law, systematic registration of land, project of addressing, development of digital governance, studio "Justice", re-socialisation and rehabilitation programs, new penal code and improved conditions of prisoners - these were some of the topics that the Minister informed the MPs about.

After the report, Rati Bregadze also answered the questions of the deputies.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the first forum on international migration and its progress report.

Representatives of other UN agencies, state agencies and civil society participated in the event organized by the co-chairs of the UN Migration Network - the Permanent Coordinator of the UN in Georgia and the Georgian Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), as well as the regional office of the IOM.

Together with the hosts, the meeting was opened by First Deputy Minister of Justice of Georgia, Tamar Tkeshelashvili, who in her speech emphasized the importance of partnership, coordinated action and general state approach in the field of migration management at the global, regional and national levels, which enabled Georgia to implement the visa liberalization action plan with the European Union and on its basis, has played an important role in the development of field management mechanisms.

The meeting was also attended by Chairperson of the State Services Development Agency of the Ministry of Justice, Ketevan Betlemidze, Executive Secretary of the State Commission for Migration Affairs, Giorgi Jashi, and representative of the agency, Ana Tsuladze.

Minister of Justice of Georgia Rati Bregadze spoke about the main innovations of the Code at the briefing held today after the government meeting. According to the minister, the project improves the working conditions of the employees of the special penitentiary service and brings the legal status of the persons in the penitentiary institutions to an even higher level.

The Minister of Justice highlighted several important changes:

• The accused persons will be granted the right to a long appointment, which they did not have before;
• All kinds of appointments will become completely free - today adult convicts have to pay 60 GEL, and minors - 30 GEL;
• Except for high-risk convicts, everyone will be granted the right to receive higher education, and therefore the innovative project, which was launched by the Ministry of Justice together with the Ministry of Education and Science - Digital University, will become available to the masses of convicts;
• The number and duration of telephone conversations increases, which will give convicts even more opportunities to communicate with the outside world;
• The living conditions of convicted and accused persons will be equalized, which is undoubtedly a progressive step;
• All units of the penitentiary service will be given a special status, which will equalize and improve the conditions of employees;

The circle of persons with special rank is expanding, and all employees, except for official and rank-and-file employees, will receive a bonus for years of service, which will have a positive effect on their salary conditions.

The first meeting of the advisory group working on issues of protection of the rights of persons with disabilities was held today in the Ministry of Justice. The participants of the meeting were addressed by Deputy Minister of Justice, Buba Lomuashvili and Deputy Head of the United Nations Development Program in Georgia, Anna Chernishova.

Under the leadership of Mr. Buba Lomuashvili, the concept of the advisory group and the annual report on the implementation of the 2022 action plan were discussed at the meeting. The document includes the activities carried out by the Ministry of Justice during the current year for the realization of the rights of persons with disabilities. Among them are: revision of the legal system and analysis of its compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; works carried out for the purpose of accessibility of electronic services and websites; Training of system employees on issues of protection of the rights of persons with disabilities; Amendments to the Resolution No. 508 of the Government of Georgia of December 29, 2011, which provides for the issuance of an electronic ID (residence) certificate on preferential terms to a person with severe or significantly expressed disabilities.

After hearing the report, a discussion was held. The participants of the event discussed future plans and activities related to the activities of the advisory group.

The legal forum, the purpose of which is to share experience and deepen legal relations between the Ministries of Justice of Georgia and Azerbaijan, was held for the first time this year and ended with the development of a joint declaration.

The First Deputy Minister of Justice summarized the event. Tamar Tkeshelashvili thanked the participants of the forum - the representatives of the Ministries of Justice of Georgia and Azerbaijan, the judiciary, the prosecutor's office, the lawyers' corps - for their fruitful and interesting work and spoke about the importance of the joint declaration, which will further deepen the sectoral cooperation between Georgia and Azerbaijan.

The Georgian-Azerbaijani legal forum was held within the framework of the memorandum signed between the Ministries of Justice of the two countries. The event was opened by Minister of Justice of Georgia, Rati Bregadze and his Azerbaijani counterpart, Fikrat Mamadov. Within the framework of the forum, the delegation of Azerbaijan held meetings with Head of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, Tornike Rizhvadze, and Deputy Chairperson of the Constitutional Court, Manana Kobakhidze.

The Georgian-Azerbaijani legal forum will be held annually and it will be hosted by Georgia and Azerbaijan in turn.

Meetings are taking place within the framework of the Georgian-Azerbaijani Legal Forum. The members of the Azerbaijani delegation together with the Minister of Justice of Georgia met with Chairperson of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, Tornike Rizhvadze and the Deputy Chairperson of the Constitutional Court, Manana Kobakhidze. The purpose of the meetings is to deepen the cooperation between the two countries.

Rati Bregadze also hosted his Azerbaijani counterpart at the Batumi Public Service Hall. Fikrat Mamadov got acquainted with the specifics of the work of the Public Service Hall and the concept of the Mobile Public Service Hall.

The Georgian-Azerbaijani legal forum is being held in Batumi for the first time this year under the patronage of the Ministries of Justice of Georgia and Azerbaijan. Its purpose is to share experience and deepen legal relations between the Ministries of Justice of the two countries. The forum will be held annually. Georgia and Azerbaijan will host the event in turn.