Working visit of the delegation of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine to Georgia
04.04.2018
On April 2-4, 2018, the Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Stanislav Shevchuk and judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine Ihor Slidenko paid a working visit to Georgia aimed at preparation for the Third Congress of the Association of Constitutional Justice of the Countries of the Baltic and Black Sea Regions (BBCJ).
The preparatory meeting was organised in the frame of the presidency of the Constitutional Court of Georgia in the Association and was presided by the President of the Constitutional Court of Georgia, Acting President of the Association of Constitutional Justice of the Countries of the Baltic and Black Sea Regions Zaza Tavadze.
The meeting was also attended by the President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania Dainius Žalimas, the Secretary General of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania Ingrida Danėlienė, the judges of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Moldova Aurel Băieşu and Veaceslav Zaporojan, the Head of the Department for International Cooperation of the Constitutional Court of Georgia Irina Khakhutaishvili.
During the preparatory meeting for the Third Congress of the Association of Constitutional Justice of the Countries of the Baltic and Black Sea Regions, the participants discussed essential issues related to the BBCJ work. In particular, the members of the Association considered the written request of the Constitutional Tribunal of the Republic of Poland dated February 22, 2018 for joining the Association.
According to Article 12 of Chapter IV of the BBCJ Statute, only a constitutional court or an equivalent institution of a sovereign state – member of the European Union or its Eastern Partnership or an European Union associated/candidate country of the Baltic and Black Sea regions, which is willing and able to contribute to the promotion of the principles proclaimed in the founding Declaration of the Association, may become a member of the Association.
In addition, BBCJ members adopted a statement condemning the aggression and human rights violations in the occupied territories of the BBCJ countries.
The statement stresses, in particular, that the Association welcomes and supports the efforts of the authorities of Georgian, Moldovan and Ukrainian authorities in condemning the Russian Federation for aggression and assault on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, as well as human rights violations in the occupied territories thereof, and in persecuting those responsible for these crimes.
The Association of Constitutional Justice of the Countries of the Baltic and Black Sea Regions also called on constitutional justice institutions not to remain indifferent to aggression and other international crimes.
For reference. Declaration on the establishment of the Association in Vilnius was signed on October 25, 2015 by the Presidents of the Constitutional Courts of Ukraine, Georgia, Lithuania and Moldova.
According to this document, the participating countries recognise the need to strengthen the independence of constitutional courts as a significant factor in guaranteeing democracy and rule of law as well as the supremacy of the constitution, share the common goal of promoting the exchange of information regarding the best legal practices in the field of constitutional law, etc.
The aims of the Association, in accordance with the Statute, are promoting the protection of fundamental human rights, guaranteeing democratic principles and values, ensuring and implementing principles of the rule of law, promoting of the independence of Constitutional Courts in the exercise of constitutional justice, cooperation and exchange of experience among its members.
Taking into account the stated aims, the functions of the Association are to organise joint activities on a regular basis, to promote the exchange of experience and information on constitutional justice issues, to strengthen the dialogue among the members of the Association, to cooperate with international organisations and other institutions that share the goals of the Association.
Presidency of the Association shall be held by the President of each member of the Association for a one-year term. The presidency shall rotate on the basis of the alphabetical order of the names of the states represented by the members of the Association.
The Constitutional Court of Ukraine presided over the Association of constitutional justice of the Counties of the Baltic and Black Sea Regions in 2017. The Constitutional Court of Ukraine passed its presidency over the Association to the Constitutional Court of Georgia.
The Constitutional Court of Georgia, in the frame of the Association’s presidency, will organise the Third Congress of the Association of Constitutional Justice of the Countries of the Baltic and Black Sea Regions to be held on May 16-17, in Tbilisi.
