Minister of Justice, Rati Bregadze visited today the Probation Bureau of the Federal Republic of Germany as part of his official visit to Germany. According to the Minister, the successful cooperation between Georgia and Germany is important in the process of European integration of Georgia, especially after granting the European perspective. First Deputy Minister, Tamar Tkeshelashvili, Deputy Minister Buba Lomuashvili and Beka Dzamashvili also participated in the meetings held at the Probation Bureau. According to the Minister, further development of penitentiary and crime prevention systems in accordance with the best European and international standards is a priority for him.

The members of the delegation of the Ministry of Justice spoke about the important reforms implemented by the agency, which are implemented by the National Agency for Crime Prevention, Non-custodial Sentences and Probation; In particular, the innovative device for the control and provision of services for probationers - PROBBOX, through which the control and services of probationers became possible without reporting to the probation offices. By means of this device, more anonymity of probationers is ensured and the geographical area of their control and service is increased. Regarding the PROBBOX, the Ministry of Justice is actively sharing its experience with partner countries.

During his speech, Rati Bregadze focused on such important reforms as: increasing the effectiveness of alternative punishments and execution of house arrests; Supporting the active involvement of persons sentenced for penal labor in the implementation of infrastructure projects of cities and municipalities throughout the country, and promoting/ensuring their employment after serving the sentence; Support for re-socialization and rehabilitation of convicts and ex-prisoners.

Within the framework of his official visit to Germany, the Minister of Justice met today with Chairperson of the Legal Committee of the German Bundestag, Elisabeth Winkelmeier-Becker. First Deputy Minister, Tamar Tkeshelashvili, Deputies, Buba Lomuashvili and Beka Dzamashvili, and Georgian ambassador to Germany, Levan Izoria also attended the meeting.

At the meeting, the minister said that for him, as for the head of the department of law-making activities, the directions of cooperation with the Legal Committee of the Bundestag and the Federal Ministry of Justice of Germany are particularly interesting.

During the meeting, the members of the delegation of the Ministry of Justice also noted that the modern Georgian legal space was formed under the influence of the values established in Germany. Accordingly, the legal institutions regulated by the legislation of Georgia and their components are clearly similar to the German legal system. According to the Minister of Justice, a great contribution to the creation of the legislation of independent Georgia was made by Georgian scientists, who at one time attended the German school of law and used the experience gained in the preparation of the legislative framework.

The Minister of Justice spoke about the fact that in Georgia, as in all other countries, the Ministry of Justice ensures, on the one hand, law-making activities, and on the other hand, the harmonization of Georgian legislation with international legal norms.

As the Chairperson of the Legal Committee of the German Bundestag noted, such important issues as: legal policy, legal state and democracy were discussed at the meeting. "We have a very high interest in Georgia. At the meeting, we got acquainted with the different directions of the activities of the Ministry of Justice, including digital services. We shared our experiences with each other and I think we will continue to do so with pleasure in the future," said Elizabeth Winkelmeier-Becker.

At the end of the meeting held in the Bundestag, Rati Bregadze noted that it is interesting for him to share German experience and learn about research activities. According to the Minister, the agency is working on a new prison code, and it will be important to get acquainted with the German practice on this issue in the format of cooperation.

During the meeting with the Deputy Dean of the Law Faculty of Humboldt University, Martin Heger, the Minister of Justice stated that for him, as for a graduate of the German Academy, the process of rapprochement of the Georgian-German academies is particularly important. Here he expressed his gratitude for the opportunity for Georgian students to study in Germany.

Rati Bregadze spoke about the fact that a law informatics course will be created on the basis of the Training Center of Justice. In Georgia, this direction of law is not taught at law faculties. During the meeting with the Minister of Justice, Martin Heger said that it would be interesting to involve the Humboldt University in this regard, as well as to share the German experience in the field of criminology.

Rati Bregadze also spoke about the strategic approach of the Ministry of Justice that in its daily activities, justice and rule of law projects are based on evidence, science, analytics and human rights-based approaches. To support this approach, the bilingual legal magazine Iustitia was founded in 2021, where scientific works are published; A memorandum of cooperation was signed with the Georgian Academy of Sciences; The scientific-advisory council under the Ministry of Justice was founded.

The Ministry of Justice signed memoranda with local universities. The students of the mentioned university will have the opportunity to practice in the Ministry of Justice, which in turn contributes to the attraction and development of intellectual resources.

First Deputy Minister of Justice, Tamar Tkeshelashvili and Deputies, Buba Lomuashvili and Beka Dzamashvili, and Ambassador of Georgia to Germany, Levan Izoria also attended the meeting held at Humboldt University.

Minister of Justice, Rati Bregadze along with his deputies and the Georgian Ambassador to Germany visited the Heidering Penitentiary facility. The delegation was introduced to the German model of management of the penitentiary system, programs of rehabilitation and re-socialization, education of convicts, sports and employment.

The parties shared their experience and existing knowledge in the direction of proper functioning of penitentiary services. Rati Bregadze spoke about the projects of the Ministry of Justice.

At the meeting, the concept of "digital university" was discussed in detail, which the German side was interested in. Through this project, convicts have the opportunity to participate remotely in the process of learning in higher education institutions in an online format. In the future, Georgia will cooperate with Germany in terms of sharing experience regarding the "digital university".

Within the framework of the visit, Rati Bregadze spoke about the innovative technological device PROBBOX created for probationers. This technological device integrates all the services for which the probationers had to go to the probation offices until now. Neighboring countries have already shown interest in these projects of the Ministry of Justice, and Georgia is ready to share this experience with them.

The development of the penitentiary and crime prevention system is one of the main priorities of the Ministry of Justice. The agency has specified specific measures in its 10-year development plan. Among them, new, Construction of small-scale family-type penitentiary areas, increasing the access of convicts to education, promotion of activities outside the convict cell, for which various important projects are implemented. The Ministry of Justice promotes the employment of prisoners and the acquisition of skills necessary for the future profession.

During the meeting with President of the Chamber of Notaries of the German Federation, Jens Bormann, Rati Bregadze spoke about the achievements of Georgia in the development of notarial law.

The Minister noted that an electronic register of notarial acts is operating in Georgia and citizens have the opportunity to receive all services remotely through electronic communication. The Minister also spoke about the fact that in Georgia, notary services are available in 12 districts across the country, which significantly saves the population's time and money.

Development of notarial law, technologies for preparing electronic legal transactions, means of preventing forgery of documents, implementation of joint professional training modules - these are the issues that the parties discussed at the meeting. After the meeting with Jens Bormann, Rati Bregadze said that Georgia will continue active cooperation with Germany.

First Deputy Minister of Justice, Tamar Tkeshelashvili, deputies, Beka Dzamashvili, Buba Lomuashvili and Ambassador of Georgia to Germany, Levan Izoria attended the meeting together with the Minister.

The program envisions activities to be implemented in the direction of legal cooperation in civil cases and in the field of penitentiary and probation systems. The document was signed by Minister of Justice, Rati Bregadze and Federal Minister of Justice of Germany, Marko Bushman.

According to the cooperation program, there will be a sharing of sectoral experience on the issues of children's rights, juvenile justice, management and arrangement of the modern penitentiary and probation systems. In addition, Georgia will share the German experience regarding the rehabilitation and re-socialization, education and employment programs for convicts.

After signing the memorandum, Rati Bregadze thanked his German colleague. He expressed hope that the existing legal cooperation between Georgia and Germany will be further deepened and at the same time it will facilitate the process of Georgia's integration into the European Union.

Marko Bushman said that Georgia and Germany are connected by a long friendship. Germany shares the freedom of democracy and the value of the rule of law. The Minister of Justice of Germany noted that he is glad that the cooperation has reached a higher level and the joint cooperation program has been signed.

"The Federal Republic of Germany is ready to help Georgia to gain a place in the European Union. We are impressed by the ambitions and desires related to Georgia's EU membership," said Marko Bushman.

The meeting was attended by First Deputy Minister of Justice, Tamar Tkeshelashvili, Deputies, Beka Dzamashvili and Buba Lomuashvili, and the Georgian Ambassador to Germany.

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.