In autumn 2020, the CEELI Institute launched its new Spotlight Series of Webinars on the topic — ‘Judiciaries in Peril in Central & Eastern Europe.’ This series shines a spotlight on pressing issues challenging the judiciary in key countries of the region, including Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Montenegro, and Hungary. Each session explores the challenges faced in a particular country that undermine and imperil that nation’s judiciary, including the circumstances underlying recent attacks on the judiciary and how these threaten judicial independence. We also explore possible solutions and remedies that could help strengthen the independence of these judiciaries.
Upcoming Sessions
Judiciary in Peril: Montenegro Case Study
Tuesday 26 January 2021, 6pm CEST (60 minutes)
Our third session shines a spotlight on Montenegro’s judiciary, outlining the particular challenges facing that country’s judges. The conversation will be led by Mirza Ademovic (Judge in Podgorica Basic Court), Marijana Lakovic-Draskovic, Former Director of Minister of Justice, and Ivan Vukcevic (Project Coordinator for CeMI).
The Spotlight series will be held via Zoom and available in English and Montenegrin.
Past Sessions
Judiciary in Peril: Poland Case Study, Tuesday 1 December 2020
The second webinar session in this series spotlights the judiciary in Poland and outlines the peril it faces. The conversation was led by Krystian Markiewicz, President of Iustitia; Michał Wawrykiewicz, Wolne Sądy; and Malgorzata Szuleka, Helsińska Fundacja Praw Człowiek.
Judiciary in Peril: Bulgaria Case Study, Tuesday 17 November 2020
The premier session in this series shines a spotlight on the judiciary in Bulgaria, outlining how that judiciary is in peril and the particular challenges facing it. The conversation was led by Judge Kalin Kalpakchiev, Head of the Bulgarian Judges Association, and Bilyana Wegertseder, Director of Bulgarian Institute for Legal Initiatives (BILI Foundation).
Central & Eastern European Judicial Exchange Network
The CEELI Institute’s Central and Eastern European Judicial Network, now in its eighth year, is comprised of some of the best and brightest rising judges from eighteen countries who gather regularly to share best practices on issues of judicial independence, integrity, accountability, and court management. As international in-person meetings are likely to be limited for some time to come, the Spotlight Series ensures that the Network can continue to meet its mandate to promote judicial independence, and improve judicial integrity and court efficiency in Central and Eastern Europe, despite the global lockdowns resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.