Cabinet discusses draft judicial reform strategy

The Cabinet yesterday discussed a draft judicial reform strategy prepared by the Justice Ministry, said Deputy Prime Minister and government spokesman Cemil Cicek. Speaking to reporters after a Cabinet meeting, Cicek said, "The Justice Ministry worked on the issue and submitted the draft to the government today," adding that top judicial bodies, the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors, Defense Ministry, Turkish Bar Association, and law schools all had input into the draft. Cicek said the reform strategy was important for Turkey, in part because of many issues related to its European Union accession. He listed the goals of the strategy as strengthening judicial independence and impartiality, boosting its efficiency and effectiveness, raising the quality of judicial competence and management, boosting confidence in the justice system, facilitating access to justice, and promoting alternatives for solving disputes. There are 18 laws to ensure harmonization with the EU. Cicek also said the strategy essentially aims to restructure the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors under broad-based representation guided by the principles of impartiality, objectivity and transparency.