The Legal Issues Committee endorsed the submission of a package of legislative changes to the Organic Law on Common Courts to the Parliament.

According to the package of legislative amendments, the procedure for issuing the judicial act obtained as a result of an open court session to any interested person as public information is established.

According to Anri Okhanashvili, the procedure for appointing a person to the vacant position of the district (city) or appellate court judge will be improved - "As stated in the Supreme Council of Justice's selection process for candidates for the Supreme Court, it is established that the Supreme Council of Justice will appoint the judges in question with the same high degree of rationale and transparency”.

The draft law states that a restriction will be put in place to prevent a member of the Supreme Council of Justice from participating in the selection process for a Supreme Court judge if the qualification chamber of the Supreme Court determines that the corresponding member of the Council is biased after reviewing the complaint.

Anri Okhanashvili also noted that the candidate for the membership of the council participating in the procedure of electing a judge member of the Supreme Council of Justice of Georgia has the right to address the conference of judges and present their vision and opinion before voting.

With the proposed changes, the obligation of public hearing of the non-judge members of the Supreme Council of Justice is established.

In particular, in order to determine the compliance of the candidates for membership of the Supreme Council of Justice with the legislation of Georgia, the Legal Issues Committee will hear each such candidate in a public session.

"The proposed legislative changes are intended to accomplish one of the 12 points of the European Commission's 12-point plan and, taken together, will help Georgia get the status of an EU candidate. The Venice Commission and OSCE/ODIHR will be informed of the initiated amendments for resolution”, - Anri Okhanashvili noted.

The package of legislative changes was prepared by the Working Group on Judicial Reform, which was created by the Legal Issues Committee within the framework of the 12-point plan.