Twinning projects

The mandatory results of Working Area IV have been achieved.
1.

In view of the mandatory results of Working Area No. 4 it may be confidently stated, that the objectives – “Strengthened capacity at the SCM and at courts/prosecutors’ offices in the area of public relations by way of relevant training measures” and “Relations with media and stakeholders in the judicial system improved by way of activities which foster mutual understanding”- have been fully achieved as a result of the extended Project (training) activities in the area and of their secondary impact through initiating follow-up activities.

Working relations between the Public Relations unit of the SCM and, in particular, the spokesperson of the SCM with the Media may be considered exemplary and highly professional. The very engaged and successful public relations policy is also reflected in a much more objective coverage on the activities and members of the SCM in the Media and an according improvement of the general reputation of the SCM with the public. The activity of the SCM has constantly been a focus of media coverage with the effect that public awareness of the important role of the SCM has further increased. Since sessions of the Plenum and of the Sections are generally public and regularly attended by representatives of the Media, the process of decision-making in the Council has become widely transparent for the general public.
Equally, it may be stated, that a broad understanding has taken root at courts and prosecutors’ offices for the necessity of fostering a better understanding in the general public with regard to the workings of the justice system and for informing the media and the general public on matters of public interest. Spokespersons have been appointed for every court and prosecutors office. They work according to Guidelines similar to those in Germany or the Netherlands, adapted to special needs and aspects prevailing in the Romanian Justice System, especially with regard to the legal provisions on public-interest information, which generously provide access to information. The SCM-adopted Guidelines have been elaborated with the support of the Project and with the participation of journalists. They provide the spokespersons with general rules for their work and have, so far, proven to be very useful.
Apart from informing the media and general public in professional ways, many courts and prosecutors offices implement additional activities aimed at fostering a better understanding in the general public of their activities, as, for instance, days of “open court” and “open prosecutor’s office” and activities directed at informing school-children about the Justice System. There is now a broad awareness in the magistracy for the need for transparency and for the justified interest of the media and public in receiving timely and sound information on matters of public interest which only exceptionally is being questioned.
As things stand currently, it may be stated, that the efforts exerted in the Romanian Justice System with regard to fostering public relations and media contacts may be considered exemplary also in a wider European context, even if it were to be assumed, that there may still be room for further improvement here and there.
This very positive development has been strongly supported by the many activities of the Project in the area, reaching out to a great number of participants from throughout the entire Justice System.
A series of altogether fifteen 1-day seminars under the heading “Mass media training for spokespersons of courts, prosecutors’ offices and the SCM” was implemented at locations throughout the country - in Drobeta Turnu Severin, Timisoara, Alba-Iulia, Zalau, Amara, Braila Bacău, Botosani , Iasi, Pitesti, Bucuresti, Brasov and Targu Mures, for all spokespersons from the courts and prosecutor’s offices in the respective region. Over 350 spokespersons - judges and prosecutors – participated in these seminars. During the course of the workshops the STEs presented their work routine as spokesperson of courts or prosecutors’ offices with special regard to the need for establishing solid working relations with representatives of the mass-media and also with regard to the regulations and restraints they have to respect in exerting their task. They shared their professional experience by way of presenting typical situations and challenges that may come up on the watch of a judicial spokesperson and by discussing practical problems presented by participants. As a result, participants were familiarized with long established practice and experience at courts and prosecutors’ offices in the respective home country of the STEs and better prepared for their task as spokesperson. The activity was received with great interest on the part of the participants and the discussions and exchange of experience were lively.
A complementary seminar under the heading “Fostering Public Relations and Media Contact” was directed primarily at magistrates in leading offices, also with the objective of fostering awareness for the importance of the activity of spokespersons and of fostering the understanding for providing them with the time and working conditions needed for exerting an effective activity as spokesperson. Judging by observations received, participants have been very responsive.

2.

The spokesperson of the SCM was on a 2 week internship in the Netherlands and Germany (activity III.5), visiting several courts and prosecutor's offices and the Public Relations Department of the Dutch Judicial Council and of the Ministry of Justice of Northrhine-Westfalia, accompanying their hosts with their daily routine activity. This way, the spokesperson of the SCM was able to collect on the spot experience on how public relations activities are promoted in these judicial systems which each have a long established policy and practice in the area and which have made this a priority concern.

3.

The Workshop “Developing a strategy for the launching of a law journal to be published under the auspices of the SCM, as a forum for juridical discussion and as a source of information on legislative changes and leading court decisions”, for members of the SCM, and staff of the SCM administration has been particularly rewarding.

The workshop fostered the awareness, that taking into account its manifold attributions for the judicial system as an autonomous administrative institution of the highest level and as a court of law, the SCM would need an own publishing forum for disseminating decrees, judgments and other information related to its activities as well as for fostering legal discussion in the areas it is concerned with. Moreover, it helped exploring ways and means as to how such a project can be best addressed and managed. The participants were introduced to the methods and techniques of establishing, editing and (web) publishing an institutional legal journal, and they acquired the basic knowledge for launching an according project for the SCM. The participants established with the assistance of the foreign STEs a set of basic proposals for the concept and launching of a future Journal of the SCM which was presented to the SCM for consideration. The proposals have then been further developed in the activity of the Working Group of the SCM charged with preparing the launching of a Journal of the SCM.
The activity has, meanwhile, born fruit. On the central event of last year’s Justice Day, organized by the SCM on July 8^th 2007 in Alba Julia, the official Law Journal of the SCM “Justitia in actualitate” has been officially launched. The Journal – with an up-to-date and attractive outlay – has found wide acclaim, not least with the German STEs who participated in the Workshop and jointly with their Romanian colleagues established a strategy plan for launching it. Already a second edition has been published and distributed and the third edition will be published soon.
4.

The Seminar “The SCM and the Magistrates’ Associations – the defining differences in terms of functions and objectives and with regard to areas for partnership and areas of potential antagonism” - primarily for members of the SCM and representatives of magistrate’s associations throughout the country. It provided participants with a thorough assessment and discussion of the different roles the SCM on the one hand and the Magistrates’ Associations on the other hand have with regard to defending the interests of magistrates and with regard to the functioning of the judicial system, where these roles might intersect, where there might be areas of co-operation and where there might be areas for potential conflict, as well as how best an efficient relationship and interplay between the magistrates’ associations and the SCM can be fostered. Members of the Romanian SCM and magistrates from different professional associations contributed by presenting their view on the role and cooperation of the Council and the associations. The presentation and discussion of the situation and experiences in other EU Member States and in Romania offered participants aspects for inspiration and orientation in the area and, thus, fostered the process of nurturing good working relations between these institutions in Romania.

It may be said, that the Seminar has marked a first important step towards developing a better mutual understanding and improved working relations between the SCM and the Magistrate’s Associations. The contacts established on this occasion have been extended at later occasions, when the SCM invited the associations for discussions.
5.

The final activity in Working Area No. IV, the Seminar on “The public image of the Justice system in Romania and elsewhere in the European Union and what this image is built upon – in a comparative European perspective” was directed at members of the SCM, judges and prosecutors, representatives of the Ministry of Justice, of the Magistrates’ associations, of the National Bar Association, of the National Union of the Romanian Lawyers, members of the Romanian Parliament, Romanian journalists. The STEs and Romanian Experts portrayed the situation in their respective countries and in the ensuing debate, participants compared the respective situation in their countries and the pertinent underlying factors which determine the public image of a Justice System, focusing in particular on the predominant determining factors in Romania. As a result of the presentations and discussions, the general awareness on the part of the participants of the factors determining the general public’s perception of the judicial system and of the efforts it takes to successfully nourish a fair and positive perception of the system has been enhanced.

2C. ACTIVITIES IN THE REPORTING PERIOD
WORKING AREA NO I: STRENGTHENING THE ADMINISTRATIVE CAPACITY OF THE SUPERIOR COUNCIL OF THE MAGISTRACY
COMPONENT 1

IMPROVING THE ADMINISTRATIVE CAPACITY OF THE SCM

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