Justice Ministers Rati Bregadze and Pavel Blažek summarized the outcomes of the legal forum in their closing speeches.

The Minister of Justice of Georgia highlighted the significance of adopting the Czech Republic's legislative experience to align Georgia's laws more closely with European standards. This alignment is crucial for Georgia's continued progress towards European Union integration.

During the session, both parties introduced several promising initiatives aimed at enhancing state systems, improving human rights protection mechanisms, and advancing the reform of penitentiary and probation systems in both countries.

The Georgian-Czech Legal Forum is an annual event, first held in 2023 in Tbilisi.

The forum aims to foster sectoral cooperation between the two nations.

The second annual Czech-Georgian legal forum was inaugurated by Justice Ministers Rati Bregadze and Pavel Blažek in Prague.

Minister Bregadze highlighted the importance and tradition of this bilateral forum, emphasizing its role in fostering sectoral cooperation between Georgia and the Czech Republic. He underscored its significance in Georgia's European integration process, which aligns with the country's historical aspirations.

The Czech-Georgian legal forum serves as an excellent platform for strengthening the legal systems of both nations, both institutionally and substantively. It facilitates deeper cooperation, experience sharing, and discussion of specific initiatives among the justice ministries of Georgia and the Czech Republic, legal professionals, and judicial representatives.

The forum includes sessions on various critical topics, such as mechanisms for human rights protection and the enforcement of international court decisions; the harmonization of national legislation with EU laws; the continuous training of penitentiary and probation system employees; justice system reforms aimed at enhancing efficiency; the role of lawyers in human rights protection; and the importance of diversion and mediation in criminal law.

Deputy Ministers of Justice of Georgia, Beka Dzamashvili and Tornike Cheishvili, are participating in the forum, along with representatives from the Bar Association, Legal Aid Service, and the Court System.

The concept of the Czech-Georgian legal forum was conceived in October 2022 during a meeting between the justice ministers of the two countries. The event will alternate hosting duties between Tbilisi and Prague.

First Deputy Minister of Justice, Tamar Tkeshelashvili, presented the Georgian model of land reform to representatives from over 100 countries at the World Bank Conference in Washington.

Tkeshelashvili discussed the collaborative pilot project between the National Public Registry Agency and the World Bank, titled - Irrigation and Land Market Development.

The World Bank mission praised the project's systematic registration methodology and technological solutions as exemplary, noting Georgia's high potential to provide expert support to other nations.

Drawing on the insights and experiences gained from the pilot project, Georgia has been conducting systematic land registration in 59 municipalities since 2022, funded by the state. This initiative is set to be completed by 2024. To date, over 1,000,000 land plots have been measured, with ownership rights registered for more than 700,000 plots. On average, 4,000 plots of land are measured daily.

Tkeshelashvili emphasized the importance of integrating high-tech services, highlighting Georgian innovations that have made the land registration process fully electronic, thus faster and more accessible for citizens. Additionally, she introduced the upcoming Smart Contract service, which utilizes modern technology to allow citizens to conduct real estate transactions remotely, pay fees, and register ownership rights via electronic devices.

The National Public Registry Agency also has an exhibition space at the World Bank conference. In upcoming sessions, David Devidze, Head of the National Public Registry Agency, will share Georgia's experiences on various land administration issues with other countries.

Buba Lomuashvili, alongside Deputy Minister of Justice of Lithuania, Rokas Uscila engaged in a discussion on various pioneering initiatives within Georgia's probation and crime prevention system.

Among the topics covered were Georgia's ground-breaking innovation, PROBBOX, aimed at enhancing probation processes. Additionally, Lomuashvili elaborated on the orientation course designed for probationers, the crime prevention curriculum tailored for educators, the efficient operations of the Juvenile Referral Center, ongoing reforms in restorative justice, as well as the introduction of new rehabilitation programs. Discussions also delved into matters concerning house arrest and community service.

The meeting was also attended by Head of the National Agency for Crime Prevention, Execution of Non-custodial Sentences and Probation, Lado Kheladze, and Head of the Probation Service of Lithuania, Romas Ostanavicius.

Furthermore, the delegation had the opportunity to explore the operational intricacies of PROBBOX during their visit to the Tbilisi Public Service Hall.

The Minister of Justice recently convened a working meeting at Kutaisi Public Service Hall, aiming to engage with the employees of various LEPLs under the Ministry of Justice, understand their initiatives and needs, and address existing challenges.

During the session, Minister Rati Bregadze interacted with attendees in a question-answer format, fostering a dialogue that enables swift problem-solving and ensures the efficient functioning of regional offices.

Joining Minister Bregadze were Deputy Minister Erekle Gvinianidze, Executive Director of the Public Service Hall Lasha Lobjanidze, along with representatives from the Public Service Hall, the State Services Development Agency, the National Public Registry Agency, the National Archive, the National Bureau of Enforcement, Crime Prevention, Non-custodial Sentences, the National Probation Agency, and notaries.

Convicts at Kutaisi Penitentiary No. 2 now have access to essential services through the newly inaugurated Public Service Hall branch within the facility itself. Rati Bregadze, alongside officials from the Public Service Hall and the Penitentiary Service, unveiled this initiative aimed at enhancing inmate welfare.

Moreover, the Ministry of Justice introduced another initiative - the Digital University - within the institution. This project enables incarcerated students to pursue comprehensive higher education remotely. They can engage in university studies, attend online lectures, and interact directly with lecturers.

The integration of the Public Service Hall within penitentiary institutions represents a unique Georgian innovation, unparalleled worldwide. Over 50 services are now accessible to inmates through these branches, significantly improving their access to essential resources.

Additionally, Public Service Hall branches extend their services to Penitentiary Service staff.

Previously, individuals in custody had to rely on third-party power of attorney or written correspondence with the Public Service Hall for services, resulting in lengthy and inflexible processes. With the establishment of Public Service Hall branches within the penitentiary system, incarcerated individuals can now access services with the same convenience as any other visitor to the Public Service Hall.

The expansion of the Houses of Justice and the Digital University project will gradually encompass other penitentiary institutions.

On April 25, the Ministry of Justice received notification from the European Court of Human Rights regarding the withdrawal of an appeal by Mikheil Saakashvili. Accompanying the notification was a letter from Saakashvili's legal representative, dated April 18, citing his client's decision to withdraw the appeal. Notably, the letter mentions that Saakashvili's current health condition is not deemed life-threatening.

The European Court has requested the Ministry of Justice to provide comments by May 10, if any.

Today, we have submitted a corresponding response, in which we emphasize that Saakashvili's health condition is not considered life-threatening. This was confirmed by the Strasbourg court itself on May 11, 2023, when Saakashvili's request for transfer to Poland, specifically to a clinic in Warsaw for treatment, was denied. Additionally, we have requested the European Court of Human Rights to inform us of the case's removal from the list of pending cases.

During the meeting with Otkurbek Dzhamshitov, Rati Bregadze emphasized the importance of deepening mutual cooperation and sharing experiences between the two countries in the realm of justice enforcement.

The Minister highlighted that one of the principal priorities of the Ministry of Justice is bolstering international cooperation. The agency actively engages with partner states to facilitate mutual legal assistance in both civil and criminal law matters, including extradition and the transfer of convicted individuals and aspects of serving their sentences.

Another crucial priority is advancing a penitentiary system that adheres to modern standards and offering alternative sentencing options, along with rehabilitation programs for convicts and probationers to support their re-socialization.

Moreover, Rati Bregadze underscored the ongoing reforms spearheaded by the Ministry of Justice, particularly in the realms of digitalization and cybersecurity.

Discussions at the meeting also revolved around the potential for knowledge exchange between the Ministry of Justice of Georgia and Kyrgyzstan, encompassing law enforcement practices, service accessibility, and digital innovations.

As part of his visit to Georgia, the Prosecutor General of Kyrgyzstan will also meet with the leadership of the Probation Agency and gain insights into the Georgian technological innovation ProbBox, which has garnered recognition from the European Probation Confederation (CEP) as a noteworthy European-scale innovation. The meeting was attended by Deputy Minister of Justice, Beka Dzamashvili and Head of International Relations and Legal Cooperation Department, Ketevan Sarajishvili.

Beka Dzamashvili engaged in discussions with British legal experts aimed at bolstering sectoral collaboration between Georgia and the United Kingdom.

The Georgian party underscored the significance of knowledge exchange with Britain, particularly in areas such as refining the arbitration framework, facilitating state representation in foreign courts and arbitrations, and enhancing legal expertise in interpreting legal acts, statutes, international treaties, and agreements.

Both sides highlighted the importance of promoting English law in Georgia and enhancing familiarity with case law among legal practitioners.

The meeting was also attended by Head of the International Relations and Legal Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Justice, Keti Sarajishvili and Executive Director of the Bar Association, Giorgi Chekhani.