Opposition parties sign memorandum on judicial reform

About 20 opposition parties have signed a memorandum on judicial reform. The signatory political parties agree that after the defeat of the GeorgianDream in the parliamentary elections of 2020, in order to achieve real independence of the judiciary and quickly build confidence in it, they will carry out reforms and tasks.

According to the text of the memorandum, the parties agree to:

  1. Introduce the jury institute for grave and particularly grave crimes during the first year of the reform; for all offences involving imprisonment for the next four years;
  2. Introduce of the election of judges in the first instance before the end of 2021;
  3. Through constitutional amendments, terminate the powers for current members of the High Council of Justice, unify the Supreme and Constitutional Courts; Repeal all acts of appointment of judges from 2017;
  4. Appoint judges from the United States and the United Kingdom to the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal for a long period, which should be the majority of all possible panels;
  5. Recognize the US Supreme Court decisions as case law in cases relating to freedom of speech, as well as disputes between the state and businesses or citizens (civil or administrative).

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