Parliament adopted a legislative package of judicial reform

Sukhum. June 1. Apsnypress. According to the chairman of the parliamentary committee on legal policy, state-building and human rights, MP Valery Agrba overall package includes 41 bill. Main among them is the Constitutional Law "On Judicial Power" which includes all the provisions of the judicial organization and functioning of the judiciary, on the judicial system, the status of judges of the Supreme Court, Constitutional Court, Court of Arbitration, on the courts of general jurisdiction, military court, of the bodies of judicial self-government, financial and technical support of the courts. 

In addition, as emphasized Valery Agrba, the package includes four brand new pieces of legislation - a Code of constitutional jurisdiction, which will allow the constitutional legal proceedings as well as the Code of Administrative Procedure, the Code of proceedings in cases of administrative offenses and Arbitration Procedure Code adopted a little earlier. 

There have also been developed and submitted to the Parliament changes to the existing legislation. And new laws: "On the regular number of judges of courts of general jurisdiction and the Court of Arbitration of the RA", "On the declaration of income, property and liabilities of material nature of Judges of Abkhazia", "On compensation for the violation of the right to trial within a reasonable time or the right to the execution of the act reasonable time", "On providing access to information on activities of courts in the Republic of Abkhazia", "On Bailiffs", "On state protection of persons participating in criminal proceedings", "On state protection of judges", "On disciplinary arrest of servicemen", "On the administrative supervision of persons released from prison", "On electronic signature". 

As explained Agrba, in accordance with the Law "On Judicial Power", the first part of the Constitutional Court should be formed jointly by the President and the Parliament not later than one year from the date of entry into force of the Act, that is before the end of 2016. 

Valery Agrba also spoke about several new chapters of judicial reform. Firstly, it is the period of constitutional amendments to empower the judges. Thus, in accordance with the Constitution, judges of the Constitutional Court will be elected for a term of 15 years without the right of re-election for another term, and judges of courts of general jurisdiction and arbitration court will be elected for a term of 10 years. Secondly, the activities of the court system will be introduced technical fixing trial, we are talking about audio and video logging. What according to deputies, will contribute to greater openness and transparency of the processes and is an effective mechanism to combat corruption. 

"Adoption of the bill will provide the conditions for the development and improvement of the judicial system, the training of judges and, most importantly, the realization of human rights to fair trial solely on the basis of the rule of law. It seems that the positive results of the reform should be: the establishment of the Constitutional Court, the revival of the judiciary based on democratic principles, transparency and accessibility of the judicial system", - said Valeriy Agrba. 

As for his part noted, Chairman of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Abkhazia Roman Mushba: "We were afraid if hastily adopt all legislation reform, whether it will lead our judicial system in the legal chaos. Such concerns have been associated primarily with the fact that for the implementation of the reforms it is necessary to create organizational, human, material and technical prerequisites. And it's hard. But as they say, not getting involved in the fight, it is difficult to defeat the enemy. We look forward to the country's Constitutional Court gained control. It's time to introduce the institution of power! And we have come to realize that reform is necessary and for its implementation we needed the whole package of legislation".