The overall objective of this initiative is to assist the reform
of the Bulgarian judiciary in order to allow it to meet the
challenges of democracy, the rule of law, market economy and EU
membership.
In particular it will aim:
- To identify areas in which there is a need to improve
procedural legislation and legislation applicable to the
establishment and administration of the judiciary;
- To initiate a broad public debate on the issues of judicial
reform, raise the awareness and build consensus among all
stakeholders as to the content and objectives of the reform and to
analyze and set out conditions for greater openness and
transparency as means for confidence building with respect
to the judiciary, as well as conditions for speedier
administration of justice;
- To set out the conditions under which the judiciary could
better absorb assistance from the European Union, as well as
from other international cooperation actors;
- To make proposals for introduction of internal control
mechanisms to prevent corruption and abuse of power;
- To establish a system for enhancing the professional skills of
those working in the judicial system and allow them to be better
acquainted with the legislation of the European Union..
These objectives will be achieved through the development of a
Program for Judicial Reform in Bulgaria( PJR). This program is
being developed through a number of working groups covering the key
areas of reform. The main advantage of this approach
is to give the opportunity to the persons involved in the sector to
develop their program (which would be then proposed to decisions
makers for endorsement) and to build consensus among all
sides.
Its implementation will require the cooperation of the Council of Europe, the European Union, including TAIEX, as well as of other foreign
bilateral and multilateral assistance institutions (the International Development Law Institute,
Rome, the Center for Democracy, Washington, DC, ABA/CEELI, the World Bank, USAID).
|