To select a candidate for membership in the Supreme Council of Justice, the commission established by the President of Georgia conducted interviews on July 11, 2024, with the following participants: Manuchar Kakochashvili, Giorgi Burjanadze, Tamar Alphaidze, Dimitri Gabunia, and Kakha Tsikarishvili.
After the interview, the commission evaluated the candidates based on the criteria that had been previously developed and made public.
The selection commission recommended to the President of Georgia the appointment of Giorgi Burjanadze and Kakha Tsikarishvili as non-judge members of the Supreme Council of Justice.
The President of Georgia will appoint a non-judge member to the Supreme Council of Justice by July 15, 2024, at the latest.
The interview process was attended and monitored by experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), who stated, 'An independent judicial system is vital for every democracy.' To ensure the independence of the Georgian justice system and uphold international human rights standards, ODIHR monitors the appointment processes in the Supreme Council of Justice of Georgia at the invitation of the Office of the President.
A detailed monitoring report will be published later this year, outlining our key findings regarding the transparency and fairness of the process, along with recommendations for improving future appointment procedures.
The ODIHR has developed a valuable set of monitoring tools that can be used to oversee judicial appointments and vetting processes in OSCE member countries," stated a release from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
The key steps of the fundamental reform of the Supreme Council of Justice are outlined in the 'Georgian Charter' prepared by the President of Georgia. One of the main steps involves the assessment and verification of the qualifications, integrity, independence, and other important information about the members of the Supreme Council of Justice by an independent and impartial commission.
The President has the discretion to select and appoint one of the candidates participating in the competition for membership in the Supreme Council of Justice, provided they meet the legal requirements. Nonetheless, an independent selection commission was established by the President's decision to submit recommendations regarding the candidates in the selection competition for membership in the Supreme Council of Justice.
The term of office for the non-judge member of the Supreme Council of Justice appointed by the President of Georgia will expire on July 22, 2024.
The entire interview process was broadcast live on the official social networks of the President of Georgia, including Facebook and YouTube, as well as on the website of the Georgian Public Broadcaster.
