10 December, 2012
On decisions of the Council of Justice adopted in its session on the 10th of December
The Board of Justice believes that prohibition for a judge to work in political parties should be kept
The Board of Justice supports valid prohibition established in the law “On Judicial Power” to joint the post of a judge with membership in parties and other political organisations.
The Board of Justice adopted such decision being asked by the Saeima (the Parliament) to express its opinion as person invited in the case about correspondence of Paragraph Three Section 86 of the law “On Judicial Power” to Article 102 of Satversme (the Constitution). Regulation mentioned above states that the office of a judge may not be combined with membership in a party or other political organisations.
The Supreme Court and Latvian Association of Judges, being invited persons in the case as well believe also that prohibition to combine the post of a judge with membership in political parties should not be altered.
The case was initiated in the Constitutional Court according to application submitted by Janis Neimanis, the senator of the Supreme Court, who believes that regulation of the law “On Judicial Power” contravened limits judges’ fundamental rights to joint in political parties, provided by the Article 102 of the Satversme (the Constitution) of the Republic of Latvia, incommensurately.
Lists of judges for regular evaluation of professional work are approved
The Board of Justice approved list of judges of the Supreme Court submitted by the Supreme Court for regular assessment of professional work for 2013-2015 and list of judges of land registries, district (city) courts and regional courts submitted by the Ministry of Justice for 2013.
Lists of judges were composed, taking into account last qualification class granted by the Judicial Qualification Committee, term spent in the post of a judge and finance allocated for remuneration of judges in 2013.
According to Item 41 of Transitional Provisions of the law “On Judicial Power”, the Judicial Qualification Board shall perform the regular evaluation of the professional work of judges of Land Registry Offices, district (city) courts, regional courts and the Supreme Court for the first time from 1 January 2013 until 1 January 2016. Pursuant to the recommendation of the Minister for Justice and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Council of Justice shall approve the list of judges, according to those in succession for which the evaluation of the professional work of a judge is performed.
Transfer of Anita Kovalevska in the post of a judge of regional court is supported
The Board of Justice supported transferring Anita Kovalevska, the judge of Administrative district court, to the post of a judge of regional court and instructed her to discharge duties of a judge in Administrative regional court, after being approved in the post of a judge of regional court by the Saeima.
Application about two candidates from Administrative district court for transfer in the post of a judge were received from the Ministry of Justice.
Pursuant to the law “On Judicial Power”, if several candidates, who received positive statement of Judicial Qualifications Committee, pretend for one vacancy of a judge, decision is made by the Council of Justice.
Information prepared by
Rasma Zvejniece, the Head of the Division of Communication of the Supreme Court
E-mail: rasma.zvejniece@at.gov.lv, telephone: 67020396, 28652211